Monday, July 31, 2000
Opinion
Where's The Quad 64's?
I was promised flying cars, dammit! Ok, so I wasn't promised flying cars, and I was never promised a four processor G4.
Sidetrack
Old News
3 years ago - CNET : Motorola To Show Laptop Clone. If Motorola were to take its prototype into production and obtain needed licensing from Apple, it could become the first of the long-awaited "PowerBook clones."
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Top Stories
Apple's New Software Is Even Better Than Its Impressive Hardware
As ever, Apple is being driven forward by software. It's the code for these new Macs that could redefine Apple's role in the computer business.
Modesto Man Records Huge Music Collection Onto DVD Discs
"The storage media will keep changing, but it will stay digital. So now that I've got my music in a digital format, I can move it to any device I want."
News
Not Sexy Or Aerodynamic, The Cube Is Not The iMac
While the iMac won people over with its colorful flamboyance, the G4 Cube, if successful, may be known for its raw utility. The Cube is not sexy or aerodynamic, but neither a line nor a curve appears wasted.
Apple Sparked A Revolution
The Apple II was a perfect mix of the personalities of the Apple founders.
Review
With Prices Dropping, Scanners Are Becoming Must-Haves For A Home Computer Setup
Portable Players Make MP3 Music Mobile
Dual-Processor Power Macs
Two 450MHz processors are clearly better than one.
Back To School With An iMac
Learn how to set up your brand new iMac.
Sidetrack
Sony, Microsoft, And Apple
After going through a long story about software and hardware compatibilities problem and different companies pushing the blame all around the world, Paul Andres of The Seattle Times have this to say:
[T]here is an alternative. I cannot recall the last time a Macintosh user contacted me with an experience like Windows users are reporting... I remember when Windows had lots of fans, and wonder where they are today.
Sage Is Back
MacNN: "Sage" iMac commercial is once again available.
Cheap Stuff
The iMac NewsPage: It's got cheap publicity stunt written all over it.
Old News
4 year ago - CNET : Bandai Digital Entertainment... is teaming up with Holiday Inn in a test that will provide guests with Internet access from TV sets in hotel rooms... 100 Pippin @World units will be supplied for the test.
Wintel
Who Needs To Get The Boot? PC Builder Or Software Maker?
Complaints about computer support are as old as the microchip. But as someone who has used PCs for more than 20 years, I sense an escalation in the support wars.
Microsoft Rolls Out Windows 2000 Bug Fixes
Microsoft has quietly posted the first collection of Windows 2000 bug fixes on the Internet.
Microsoft Notebook: Some Straight Talk
f there is one take away (that's MBA-talk for what schoolchildren refer to as "What I learned at school today") from Microsoft's yearly meeting with Wall Street analysts and investors, it is that no matter how exciting the future may be for Mr. Softee, the near-term outlook gets bleaker and bleaker.
Microsoft Primes The Windows Me Pump
Want a free guided tour of the Redmond campus? A limited edition autographed by Bill Gates? Then read about Microsoft's hype-o-meter strategy.
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Top Stories
Mac Users Are Doing Just Fine, Thank You!
Gerad Chua, General Manager Singapore Apple: Mac users are indeed first-class citizens, but this doesn't prevent them from communicating with other classes of computer users.
Apple Faces Lawsuit Over G4 Cube
Apple Computer Inc., which has launched vigorous legal actions to protect the unique look of its Macs, now faces a possible lawsuit over the Power Mac G4 Cube it launched at this month's Macworld Expo/New York.
News
Author Replows Old Ground On Jobs And Apple
Besides the people Jobs tormented along the way, who really cares?
Cobalt May Sue Apple Over Cube Rights
Given Cobalt's history, a suit likely would take issue with the name, rather than the shape, of the computers.
Web 3-D Shootout In New Orleans
Web 3-D producers braved a raucous crowd of 800 noisemaker-wielding graphics geeks as Siggraph hosted the fifth annual Web3D Roundup. Top honors went to a site that uses 3-D characters to teach sign language.
Opinion
Spelling, Grammar, And The Fanzine Mentality
It is only when readers demand it that the web will become a home to web journalism. But websites can help to create this better reader by first offering better writing.
Review
'Making The Macintosh' Documents Apple History
If you're interested in the history of our favorite computing platform, you'll want to drop by Stanford University's "Making of the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley" Web site.
Sidetrack
Hey Hey Hey!
Yes, I know you are probably having some programming problems, dearest MacAddict...
However, I do not appreciate seeing the message You messed up! Try again! =P when I visit your home page...
Old News
3 years ago - CNET : Jobs To Keynote Macworld Expo. A high-level executive close to Apple said that Jobs is on everybody's short list to become chairman, but he said that he doubts that Jobs would take a more active position such as CEO.
Wintel
Microsoft And Open Source?!
Move over, Sun. Open source's new corporate champion is — Microsoft?
Microsoft To Release Beta Version Of New Windows
Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it would soon release the first test version of new Windows software that will finally unify two flavors of its computer operating system and save the software giant time and money.
Intel, AMD Batle For Chip Speed Crown
Intel will hurdle past another speed barrier Monday when it releases a 1.13-GHz Pentium III, but rival Advanced Micro Devices won't be far behind with a 1.1-GHz Athlon on Aug. 28.
Microsoft Optimistic Despite Breakup Threat
Microsoft's senior executives are painting a rosy and profitable future for the software giant, despite the possibility of a company breakup as its antitrust case winds through the courts.
Gateway Expands Lease Program For Start-Ups
While some companies might be thinking twice about extending additional credit to new Internet companies, Gateway plans to expand its leasing program to target e-businesses too young to qualify for traditional lending programs.
Friday, July 28, 2000
Top Stories
Sony's J100 Desktop Makes Video Editing More Affordable
All in all, the Sony Vaio isn't as good as Apple's iMac DV models for video editing. But, if you're a confirmed Windows user, it's your best solution for simple work
Steve Jobs Book Controversial
He succeeded in becoming the Jackie Kennedy Onassis of business and technology - a figure who was ubiquitous as a symbol of his times but little known as a human being.
Opinion
The Mouse Conundrum: How Many Buttons Do You Need? Or Do You?
It seems Apple is the only company left making one button mice anymore.
So I Married A Mac Addict
Your husband always promises that your current system will last for the next few years, but you find him in the bathroom the next week with his favorite catalog and a glazed, far-away look on his face.
Review
Virtual PC 3.0 With Red Hat Linux
If you want to get into Linux without the initial pain and suffering of repartitioning a drive and getting an installation to work, or if you want a safe place to try out your modifications, Virtual PC 3.0 is a great system.
Sidetrack
The Game Called Browser
Every release of a new version of browser brings me hope that the UI will be improved, and every release will almost bring me disappointment.
Come on!
The Game Called Installation
This is what happened to me recently on my Windows 98 machine...
Install Internet Explorer 5.5. Opted to install Windows Media Player along.
Installation successful.
Launch my favorite net radio web site that uses Real. Doesn't work.
After trying several tricks, install Real again.
Web site work. But Real scattered dozens of shortcuts, icons, start items and tray items all over my Windows. Have to reconfigure and do some major deletion.
And you call this progress?
Thursday, July 27, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Legal Doing Good Work?
Think of that last Apple ad you saw... remember the music? That music is licensed.
News
EarthLink Loss WIdens On Marketing, Customer Support
Internet service provider EarthLink said its second-quarter loss widened on higher marketing and customer-support costs, although sales increased 41 percent.
Newtek Gets The Mac Religion
The 3-D developer, offering vastly improved Mac support, used the Siggraph 2000 show to demonstrate a Mac OS X version of LightWave 6 running on a dual-processor Power Mac G4.
Graphics Cards Go Pro At Sigraph
Formac and 3Dlabs are demonstrating the new Proformance 4, an under-$600 graphics board featuring dual Glint R3 processors.
Wait And See For Macs At Siggraph
Maya may be headed for the Mac, but so far other 3-D developers are lukewarm about supporting Apple hardware. The situation could change next year with the release of Mac OS X and new video cards aimed at 3-D pros.
Opinion
The Good, The Bad And The Questionable
The less than stellar news was the disappointing iCube and incompatible LCD displays.
Netscape Ruined The Web
I ask how is Microsoft's introduction of IE specific tags different than Netscape's introduction of Netscape only tags? We went through the Netscape World Wide Web version 1, 2 and 3 with out people complaining much, is it just that people hate Microsoft that much?
Processor Upgrade Market Never Better
The Mac upgrade game is far from over. In some respects, it's never been better.
For Whom
Apple cannot convince IT to put in Macs if they don't want to. But company executives can. Apple can get in the door that way. But they can't fight the battle for business until they have the computers with which to convince them.
Review
Epson Stylus Color 670
Low cost doesn't mean low quality. Designed for home use, the Epson Stylus Color 670 prints amazingly sharp color and crisp text, at an equally amazing price tag - under $100.
3dfx Voodoo5 5500
The Voodoo5 provides the best image quality we've seen in a Mac graphics card without sacrificing performance.
The Sims
If you want a game that is not like other games, this is the game for you.
Sidetrack
The Pro Corner
Andrew Gore: From a usability standpoint, the new mouse is practically flawless. Gliding over most surfaces with the ease of an Olympic skater, it's a vast improvement over any mechanical mouse I've used.
Rumormill
We were wrong! Dead wrong! Apple is eliminating buttons from its hardware. However, it is not replacing the Pro Keyboard with another one without any buttons. It is eliminating the keyboard altogether!
Wintel
Wednesday, July 26, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Pro Mouse
Apple's new optical mouse is a work of art carved in Lucite.
The iMac Evolution: Steve Jobs At His Best
When a computer called the iMac was introduced to the public more than two years ago by a nearly dead computer company with a name of a fruit, no one seriously thought that it would sell, much less save the company. Actually, this statement isn't quite correct. No one, except one person.
The Obligatory Cube Article: Design And Marketing Of The New Apple G4 Cube
So here it is. The Cube is going to be a hit. Not a home run like the iMac was, but a nice solid line drive that, with a little pushing, could add significantly to Apples bottom line. The reasons for this lie in its primary selling points, which are; Design, Power, and Price.
Beige Boxes Bog Standard Stays
Beige PCs look like they have a long and healthy life ahead of them, just as long as Intel and the others don't start developing cuboid cases all of a sudden.
News
Writing's On Wall For Mac OS X
Is the pen mightier than the keyboard? Mac users may soon be drawing that conclusion, thanks to forthcoming pen-input software from Apple Computer Inc.
Startup Park At Siggraph
Some of the most interesting products at Siggraph 2000 come from the least-known vendors, including a 3-D mouse that looks like a soccer ball and a Photoshop/AfterEffects plug-in that intelligently removes noise from still or moving images
Web 3D Developers Duke It Out At Siggraph
Metastream, Macromedia, Pulse Entertainment and others are competing to deliver interactive 3-D content to Web browsers. Most are promising improved Mac support.
After iMac, Pressure Mounts On Apple
With the Cube, a new rainbow of iMacs, Jobs' marketing powers and a new operating system on the way, Apple is rolling. It has six months to work on its next act.
Opinion
It's Going To Be A Rough Ride
In the end, Mac OS X may be a remarkable success, both in terms of Apple's Herculean programming efforts and in terms of the ultimate benefit to Mac users. But that's a judgment that can't truly be made for at least another year.
The Eternal Question: Is Apple Corporate Secrecy Justified?
Surely there's a way to bring in more journalists into the process and give them information, under strict nondisclosure, so they can better inform readers when new products are ready to roll.
iMac Colors Good, Bad, The Ugly
Snow seems like an attempt to go back to beige and get businesses more interested, or a way to keep kids from licking the cases, I'm not sure which.
Why Apple Should Open Source Final Cut
Going along the open source route would show developers that Apple is not in the business of competing with them, and that even if the company is forced to develop products in-house in order to kickstart a market, it is not going to continue to dominate that market.
There Is Nothing Wrong With Mozilla
I wouldn't be surprised if a future seminar points to Mozilla as a good example of how to run an Open Source project.
The Obligatory Cube Article: Design And Marketing Of The New Apple G4 Cube
So here it is. The Cube is going to be a hit. Not a home run like the iMac was, but a nice solid line drive that, with a little pushing, could add significantly to Apples bottom line. The reasons for this lie in its primary selling points, which are; Design, Power, and Price.
Review
SoundJam MP
A full-featured MP3 player and recorder, SoundJam MP provides all of the tools to transform any Mac into a versatile jukebox, limited only by the size of a hard drive.
Freeway 3.0
Web tool will please designers, disappoint web professionals.
Sidetrack
Rumormill
The latest trend from Apple: no more buttons! Witness the absense of a power button on the cube...
And here at AppleSurf, we have exclusive picture of the new keyboard prototype. This puts new meaning to the phase touch typing.
(Picture from Robert A. Green.)
Lies, Lies, And Then There's News
The Register: After all, if you're running Excel, PowerPoint and databases on your PC in the office, the last thing you want to do is to be able to see through the case and see the massive heatsink and multiple fans cooling down the Pentium 4 and Ramboids sitting inside. Do you?
ABCNEWS.com: Yahoo! has subsidiaries all around the world, including in Singapore, where publishing information critical of the government is illegal. And that's news to me.
Robin Gross: What the Web is today is a collection of links. Where do we draw the line? We're all two or three clicks away from something illegal or from something someone doesn't like.
Wintel
Let's Put Rambus Out Of Its Misery
Intel—the company that made rambus what it is today—has proved rambus lacks the goods.
Rambus Drops On Intel's Pentium 4 Decision
Shares of semiconductor designer Rambus tumbled today following Intel's announcement that the controversial memory based around Rambus' designs won't be the only option for Pentium 4 desktop PCs.
Tuesday, July 25, 2000
Top Stories
Unsolved Macworld Expo Mysteries
Even as Wednesday's come-to-Steve meeting answered some questions about Apple's hardware vision, it also raised additional ones — at least for me — about Apple's larger technology strategy in the next six to 12 months.
ATI Takes Blame For Apple Leak
ATI Technologies said Monday that it is taking responsibility for letting the cat out of the bag on some of Apple's new Macs prior to Steve Jobs' news-rich keynote speech at MacWorld Expo last week.
News
Mercury Rising: PowerBook To Pack G4
Apple's wide-screen Mercury notebook will reportedly be sleeker, lighter and feature a hip, new look. Did we mention fast?
Macromedia, Intel Team On 3-D Streaming Format
The new format will deliver streaming 3-D content through the Shockwave Player. The software poses a challenge to Metastream and other Web 3-D technologies.
Apple Webcast Appears To Break Speed Records
The Internet broadcast of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' keynote speech at last week's MacWorld Expo in San Francisco shattered previous records for streaming video speed.
The Personal Imaging Revolution
The most fundamental rewards of digital imaging have already decorated our desktops.
Opinion
For The Good Of The Web: An Open Letter To Netscape
How can standards advocates continue to point to your example while criticizing other browser makers? How can we demand that Microsoft "do what Netscape is doing," when, from a business perspective, "what Netscape is doing" is bleeding market share while failing to ship product?
Why The Mozilla Dragon Still Has Bite
"This is not the end, it is not the beginning of the end, but it might be the end of the beginning."
The G4 Cube - Apple's Newest Mac Portable
Thinking about the cube in a portable Mac context, it seems to offer pretty good value for the money.
Missing From Macworld
Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 7/25. The items not seen or not available for purchase as Macworld Expo.
The New Mac Lineup, Hmm...
As days have passed since the keynote, I find my views considerably less charitable to the less than revolutionary offerings from Apple.
Sidetrack
Okay, So You Won Act One
Jef Raskin: I think they can remain what they are: a well-loved, influential bit player, the late Walter Matthau of the computer industry. But not the top star.
Steve Jobs: We believe a lot of the industry's been in a coma the last several years. Apple was in a coma, too, a few years ago, but we're back to innovating again.
Bit player, top player, I simply don't care. So long as I still have my toys.
Quid Pro Quos
To The Dark Ages Of WebLogging and dogPORTAL2000: Thanks for the links.
Wintel
Inside Intel: Betting On The Future
Who knows where Intel will be in five years? Its research and development labs have an idea or two.
Microsoft Wants Lower Court To Hear Appeal First
Microsoft tomorrow will ask the Supreme Court to let a lower tribunal hear the company's appeal of antitrust violations first, a strategy aimed at avoiding a verdict to split the software giant.
Intel Veers From Rambus-Only Plans For Pentium 4
Intel will come out with a chipset next year for the Pentium 4 geared to work with standard memory, the company confirmed today, a move that raises questions about the future of Rambus-based memory.
Monday, July 24, 2000
Top Stories
Putting 'A Brain In A Beaker'
Apple’s CEO on innovation and dot-coms—and Disney.
Apple: Yes, Steve, You Fixed It. Congrats! Now What's Act Two?
But with so much of its future resting on the power—and instincts—of one person, Apple is vulnerable. What if Jobs gets distracted or falls off his game?
Macs Move Into Research
Across diverse scientific and technical disciplines around the world, Macs are being re-introduced increasingly to assist in research work, number-crunching, and product design and development.
Apple Plays Its Cards Close To Its Chest
"We like to surprise our customers, and we like to make sure our competition does not know what we are doing."
Towards The Anti-Mac
The Anti-Mac interface as outlined by Gentner and Nielsen is aimed at a third group of users, which they believe will be dominant in the future (the future as seen from 1996, there are signs that this group is emerging at the moment): People with extensive computer experience (although not necessarily a CompSci background) who want to manipulate huge numbers of complex information objects while being connected to a network shared by immense numbers of other users and computers.
Microsoft And Apple: Friends Again?
It may not be "Sex and the City," but relationships in the computer industry often run from frosty to passionate awfully quickly. Just look at that old yin-yang pair, Apple and Microsoft.
News
Thinking Inside The Box
Steve Jobs follows the stylish iMac with the tiny yet mighty $1,800 cube!
Siggraph 2000 Opens In New Orleans
The computer graphics trade show has traditionally been a bastion for Windows NT and Unix, but Apple is making inroads with Alias|Wavefront's decision to move Maya to the Mac.
Apple And Akamai Deliver Landmark Webcast Of Macworld Keynote
4.3 gigabits per second of video streamed at broadband rates of 1 megabit per second streams.
Macromedia Debuts Flash 5
The upgrade introduces a unified interface for Macromedia applications along with Bezier editing tools, enhanced scripting capabilities and other new features.
Opinion
Mac OS X: The Lessons Of Mac OS 9
If the roll-out of Mac OS 9 last October taught me anything with regard to the upcoming release of OS X, it was this: wait.
Cube? Sorry, But I Don't Get It
This time, I can't even discern the logic.
Apple Strongarms Mac Junkie
It looks like Apple legal finally managed to shut down one site, at least temporarily.
What Apple Didn't Change When Updating The iMacs And Power Macs
A Mac is now placed in the bargain PC price-range at $799. This is probably one of the most important announcements from Apple, although it is overshadowed by all the others.
Pride And Prejudice: The Platform War Comes To The Web
The Web has become the victim of pride and prejudice— non-Microsoft users being too proud to admit that there are more important things than standards compliance (for example, oh, things actually working) and Microsoft users being irrationally prejudiced against anything not written in Redmond, and all too willing to turn a cold shoulder to Netscape, Unix, Mac OS, and so on.
What Went Wrong With Mozilla?
If at some point in the future a seminar is ever given on how not to conduct a large-scale Open Source software project, Mozilla would make a dandy example. A long series of lamentable mistakes, most of them avoidable, have caused the Mozilla project to languish unfinished for more than a year beyond its projected release date.
Review
Now Up-To-Date And Contact 3.9
This PIM can easily handle the most tortured schedule you can throw at it.
T-RackS 1.1.2
It may not completely put the warmth back into digitally recorded analog instruments, but it certainly makes everything sound a lot better.
Wintel
Itanium Poses New Challenges For Intel
Just because it's out of sight doesn't mean it should be out of mind.
Writing Competitive Code
While competing makers of programming tools target the fastest-growing languages on the fastest-growing platforms, a certain Redmond-based company is following in the tradition of Ford.
New Software Lets Palm, Microsoft Share Data
A new software application aims to bridge the gap between Palm- and Microsoft-based handheld computers, allowing the devices to share information for the first time.
Linux Closing In On Microsoft Market Share, Study Says
Linux will pose a significant threat to Microsoft for market share among server operating systems over the next few years, according to new research released today.
Microsoft Whittles Away At Class-Action Suits
The Redmond, Wash.-based company has now won five times out of five, with more than 130 private cases still pending against it.
What Will Drive PC Maker Profits In The Future?
Asia and Latin America will become more important to PC makers as the U.S. market begins to feel the impact of saturation in large accounts and, to a lesser extent, in the home market.
Overseas Markets Drive PC Growth In Second Half
Computer buying in Asia and Latin America drove growth in the PC market in the second quarter, perhaps foreshadowing some interesting new dynamics for the market.
States Sue Microsoft, While Holding Millions In Stock
Across the country, 19 states are costing themselves billions of dollars — at least on paper. When one part of the government takes Microsoft to court, another tries to invest wisely on behalf of retired state-government employees.
Sunday, July 23, 2000
Top Stories
Mac Users Pay Price For Loyalty
Apple computers have cachet but play second fiddle to Windows PCs in tax e-filing, broadband and Net banking in Singapore.
Hardware Feast In Manhattan
The Cube is not really a G4 workstation. It's a luxury vehicle.
Microsoft Goes Bonkers
I'm not saying that there's nothing new in .NET. I'm saying that there's nothing there at all.
The Week In Review: Apple Holds Center Stage
Microsoft, Intel and especially Sun Microsystems topped quarterly earnings expectations, but Apple Computer managed to hold center stage the longest.
News
Macworld Expo Attendees Speak
As Macworld Expo exhibitors prepared to tear down their booths, attendees on Friday offered their impressions from the three-day whirlwind of Mac product rollouts.
Mac-Stravaganza
Apple's new product line is more polished than ever.
Apple's Trade Show Was A Highlight Film For Macintosh Devotees
If you're a devoted Mac user, chances are you had a delightful week.
Apple's Cube Takes New Look At The PC
We'll have to see, though, if the world will fall in love with the Cube because it's cool, even if it's not exactly cute.
Sidetrack
The We-Just-Don't-Care Department
Useit.com: Apple is not planning a long-term future for the Mac so they don't care about the dealer network.
Better hold on to your Cubes, folks!
ATI Censored? BS!
So says Macs Only!. One: Jobs did mention "Rage 128 Pro". Two: ATI didn't have a booth in the first place. Third: Huge banner.
Saturday, July 22, 2000
Top Stories
Tales Of Woz's Genius
He was doing all this in his head, fighting the escalating copy protection wars about a year before, or in some cases they never got as sophisticated as Woz got, battling his own imagination.
Apple's Jobs Fails To Inspire
As Jobs continued to emcee an increasingly lackluster show, it became clear that the new mouse was indeed Apple's perfect new symbol: cool looking, but potentially obsolete.
Is There A Power Button On The New Keyboard?
"There is a power button on the new keyboard. It's the eject key. If there's no disc, it functions as a power button would."
News
Apple Reps Discuss The New Hardware
With Macworld Expo winding down Friday, MacWEEK editors spent some time with Apple product managers to learn more about the company's new hardware, which Steve Jobs introduced during his keynote Wednesday.
Macromedia Shares Plunge Despite Strong Earnings
Macromedia shares plummeted as much as 45 percent today after analysts expressed concern about its future revenues despite a strong earnings report.
Opinion
A Twisted Look At The Best And Worst Of The Expo
Apple's New Hardware From The Gamer's Perspective
Is The Cube Practical Or Just 'Cool'?
But for all the talk about its looks, one wonders of its practicality and just who the Cube is meant for.
Sidetrack
No I Didn't Say That
Isn't it interesting that what Steve said during the keynote was reported as news — together with what Steve didn't say?
Rumors, speculations, gossips. Sometimes, it's really hard to differentiate them.
So Sue Me Already
MacNN reported that Apple removed the iMac Sage commercial from the web site. And speculated that Jim Hension's lawyers had probably just sent Apple a letter that is similar to the one Apple sent to AppleInsider.
Wintel
Microsoft Edges Toward High-End Windows Release
Microsoft has issued the first release candidate for its Windows 2000 Data Center edition, a major step toward pushing the delayed operating system out the door.
Friday, July 21, 2000
Top Stories
As The Apple Turns
Each new "episode" usually has two or three news items, each appended to the site’s wry analysis. This alone would be worth the price of admission.
Dual-Processor Macs Don't Impress Analysts
Jobs' decision to offer two processors as standard fare on higher-end PowerMacs is nothing more than a sleight of hand, masking weaknesses in both Apple's hardware and software strategies.
Creative Engineering At Macworld Expo
Impressions of Apple's new optical mouse, the G4 Cube and iMovie 2.
The New Legacy Items
While a buttonless mouse feels great, ergonomic and even sophisticated, I'm not so sure about a keyboard without a Power button.
The Cult Of Macintosh
Last night, after Iíd spent the afternoon at Macworld, Guy X and I did what any bobo young couple would do: after dinner, we went back to the studio, got all cozy in front of the DSL connection, and watched the archived Webcast of the dayís Steve Jobsí Macworld speech.
Apple's Consumer Strategy Slips
The consumer strategy was all about attracting a not just a larger audience but a wider, more mainstream one, and all these statistics suggest that isn't working - or at the very least not as well as it should be.
The Real Reason Behind The Cube
The Cube is the first computer designed for the Midlife Crisis.
News
Two New Products Focus On Saving Your Butt
Two Mac software companies unveiled some new products at Macworld Expo that will make any Mac a safer, easier place to work.
Tird Parties Join Macworld Rollouts
Makers of Mac peripherals and games jostled for attention at this week's Mac show in New York.
Thinking Outside The Box
Apple fans are fawning over the new little G4 Cube , which follows its all-conquering iMac. But why must PC users still put up with the boring old beige box?
MacWEEK Presents Best Of Show Awards
The awards recognize products that are especially innovative or appear to answer important needs of Mac users.
Where's The Radeon?
ATI Technologies could be in hot water with its most visible customer—Apple Computer—after issuing a press release touting Apple's use of the Rage and Radeon graphics chips in new Mac models, two days before those models were announced.
Steve Jobs' Cult Of Personality Lives On
Steve Jobs summed it all up in his keynote at the current Macworld Expo in New York when he said, "We want Apple to stand at the intersection of art and technology."
Musicmatch Jukebox For The Macintosh Unveiled
The free software Mac users the ability to create MP3s and experience digital music in a multimedia-rich listening environment.
Microsoft, Apple Join In Games Company
Apple's Orchard Expo Photo Album
Apple's Photo Album of Expo happenings is complete. Come take a look!
Opinion
G4 Cube: The Audio Story
It's nice to see that the partnership between Harman and Apple, begun with the speakers built into the slot-loaded iMacs, is continuing. Sound is much too important to be left to a crappy single speaker.
Is The PowerMac G4 Cube A Good Value?
When it comes to Macintosh computers with G4 processors, the Cube misses the mark by $200. The entry-level PowerMac G4 is the best value.
PowerBook Or PowerDictionary?
So, Apple, how about making a PowerBook 5300-sized G3?
Mac OS Rumors: You Told Us So!
I am not debating whether rumor sites are good or bad. What I am saying is that MOSR deserves an apology, and perhaps the benefit of the doubt the next time 'round.
A Better View: The Industry's New Clothes
If this is what designer's at these companies are churning out, I have but one suggestion: Get some new designers.
Review
I-JAM IJ-101
Ease of use almost saves the I-JAM, but its high price, combined with its inadequate memory, relegate this device to the minor leagues.
Sidetrack
Disappearing Act
As reported by MacFixIt, all traces of Mac OS X server have been removed from Apple's corporate site. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
One Last Thing
As discovered by The iMac NewsPage, the final paragraph of Apple's Pro Mouse White Paper (PDF) reads as follows:
And yes, this mouse glows in the dark.
Paniced ISP
What happened to The Macjunkie? Apparently, its ISP also received a threatening letter from Apple, and removed the site completely. I wonder whether the ISP did any backup first?
Thursday, July 20, 2000
Top Stories
A Windows Maven Infiltrates Macworld
For Microsoft developers and users, Windows seems to have become a job. For Apple's: MacOS still seems to be an adventure.
Mac Vendors Color Blindsided
The chameleon stylings of the iMac have makers of colorful accessories scrambling to catch up. Couldn't Apple make things easier?
Analysts Bullish On Apple's New Cube, iMacs
Shares of Apple Computer rose today, after the company unveiled a powerful G4 Cube desktop computer and a new spectrum of colored iMacs.
Microsoft, Intel, Apple: What Numbers Matter?
I would argue that Apple's quarter was solid, and the company that actually had the worst earnings was Microsoft, while Intel's performance was astounding. But all three of these companies' earnings statements have a common thread — the fact that they were largely impacted by investment income.
Thinking Outside The Box: In The NeXT Cube
A common joke often repeated by Apple insiders as well as individuals working within the company is that Steve's former company (NeXT) acquired Apple rather than the other way around. This "joke" is no longer just that, as this commonly referenced phrase is now, more than ever, actually becoming a reality. Today's recent events exemplify this fact. Lemme' explain...
The iMac Fashion Headache
Damn those designers: I'd have to remodel now, and install some crystal-clear walls to go with my new computer.
News
Apple Goes Full Circle With Cube
New products could help it regain status as a top-tier maker.
Apple Unveils Desktop The Size Of A Toaster
"It's incredibly complex, but also very lovely. We wanted to make something so that when you saw it you would think 'Of course, that's the most obvious design for it'."
Opinion
Hands On With Apple's New Hardware
The consensus? Everyone wanted a G4 Cube, but not everyone could afford it.
It's Time To Shut Up: Apple Is King, Period.
Dual-processor G4s: My computer can beat up your computer.
Apple Is Polished Again
Whether the impressive new set of products can drive revenue growth through the back-to-school and holiday buying seasons remains to be seen. But the long-term ultimatum for Apple remains simple: innovate or die.
Inside The Cube
The video card is indicative of the main problem with the Cube: it is upgrade-challenged.
Thougts On The Keynote
A lot of important promises were made today, but there's very little that we can use to hold the promisors accountable.
For Apple, Life's A Niche
Consumer computing is moving away from the desktop and onto cell phones and PDAs and other small devices. Apple hasn't noticed. As computing has gotten smaller, Apple's OS has gotten bigger.
Macworld Overshadowed By Steve Jobs Memory Loss
Analysts have pointed out that it's unthinkable that Jobs was not aware of the BeBox considering that Be, Inc. CEO Jean-Louis GassÈe was a former Apple executive, that Apple at one point was considering buying Be, that there are several BeBoxen inside Apple headquarters and that's Be's slogan at the time was "One processor per person is not enough".
Thinking Outside The Box: In The NeXT Cube
A common joke often repeated by Apple insiders as well as individuals working within the company is that Steve's former company (NeXT) acquired Apple rather than the other way around. This "joke" is no longer just that, as this commonly referenced phrase is now, more than ever, actually becoming a reality. Today's recent events exemplify this fact. Lemme' explain...
Wintel
Intel's Itanium Delay: Blessing In Disguise?
Power users awaiting the first 64-bit workstations may not be thrilled, but many operating system and application vendors are breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Wednesday, July 19, 2000
Top Stories
The Cube: Apple's NeXT Mistake?
Apple's newest computer looks an awful lot like 1988's NeXT computer according to some Macworld participants. Was Jobs ahead of his time, or is he going down the wrong path again?
Apple Bets Consumers Are Ready For Cubist Movement
Are consumers ready to roll with the Cube? We'll soon find out.
Who's The Market?
Apple's last machine that was this much out of touch with the market was the Twentieth Anniversary Mac. If the G4 Cube follows in its footsteps, you might get it at a great price in six to 12 months.
Macworld: Apple's New iMacs
New iMacs offer new colors, more configurations.
Macworld: The G4 Cube
The new Power Mac, due in early August, looks nothing like anything you've seen before in a computer, except perhaps from a little-known developer called NeXT.
New Keyboard, Optical Mouse Relieve Users
Good-bye hockey puck.
Apple's New Hardware
Apple Computer today announced major changes to its consumer and professional desktop product line with new models of the iMac and multiprocessor versions of the Power Mac G4.
Apple CEO Unveils Two-chip PowerMacs For Pro Users
Jobs said the company would was delivering the company's first-ever dual-processor PowerMac computers in two models containing either 400 or 500 megahertz PowerPC chips.
Apple Says iMac Sales Less Than Expected
Apple Computer today beat analysts' earnings expectations but failed to meet revenue targets as sales of its popular iMac disappointed.
Macintosh Losing Home Users, Survey Says
The popularity of the Apple Macintosh computer in the United States is waning despite the recent success of the iMac.
News
New Products Might Keep Doctor Away From Apple
The only unfinished business for Apple remains on the software side, specifically with its new operating system, which has been delayed until January. But its refreshed product line should otherwise help Apple shine for investors over the next couple of quarters.
Show Goers Size Up Mac Cube
While Expo attendees love the look of the Power Mac G4 Cube, many of them were more cautious about its place in Apple's product line.
Wacom Unveils LCD Graphics Tablet
CPU Upgrades Step Into Laptops
Several announced upgrades for Apple's PowerBook G3. In addition, Newer Technology announced a G4 upgrade for the iMac, Met@box announced G4 upgrades with 2MB of backside cache and Sonnet Technologies announced that it is branching into new product lines.
Apple's MP Power Macs
Apple can get a strong speed boost even if PowerPC clock speeds are not rising as quickly as the company originally hoped.
Canon Goes Small With New Scanners
Macworld: Apple's New iMacs
New iMacs offer new colors, more configurations.
Macworld: The G4 Cube
The new Power Mac, due in early August, looks nothing like anything you've seen before in a computer, except perhaps from a little-known developer called NeXT.
How Many Colors Does An Apple Have?
Appearing to take its cue from a casual clothing catalog instead of a roadside fruit stand, the new models come in ''indigo,'' ``ruby,'' ``sage,'' ``graphite'' and ``snow'' shades.
Apple Unveils Entirely New Desktop Line Including The Revolutionary Power Mac Cube G4
Apple Introduces Revolutionary G4 Cube
Apple Introduces New iMacs In Stunning New Colors
Apple Debuts New Power Mac G4s With Dual Processors
Apple Unveils Optical Mouse And New Pro Keyboard
Apple Unveils All New Family Of Displays To Complement Power Mac G4 Cube And Power Mac G4
Apple Shows Off Next Office From Microsoft
Master showman Steve Jobs may have wooed the Mac faithful today at the Macworld Expo trade show, but not all the goodies in his bag of tricks were Apple's.
New HomePage iTool
A more powerful and easier-to-use HomePage lets users almost instantly create their own personal website with no programming. [Jul 19]
Apple Spawns Quadruplets: Four New iMac Systems
Apple Enhances iTools
Many existing iTools users have received e-mail from Apple informing them of enhancements to Apple's iTools, including access to larger storage space online and additional HomePage features.
New Keyboard, Optical Mouse Relieve Users
Good-bye hockey puck.
Power Mac G4: Cube, Dual-chip Towers Announced
Apple Plans Faster Macs, Test Version Of Operating System
The new product onslaught at Macworld here began this morning with Apple announcing faster Macintosh systems and a public beta for the MacOS 10 operating system.
Microsoft To Take Office:mac Out Of The Box
Microsoft Office 2001 for the Macintosh is getting so Mac-like even the stylish new packaging mimics the popular iMac design.
Developers Brace For Mac OS X
The public beta of Mac OS X, Apple Computer Inc.'s next-generation operating system, may not be available until late summer, but third-party developers are bracing for the radical change the new OS will mean for their products.
Macworld Ends Drought With Dlew Of New Products
The product drought is over for Mac enthusiasts, who just two years ago were relegated to second-class-citizen status before Windows' market might.
Did School Vandals First Strike In City?
Inspection by East Hempfield police Sunday night showed vandals had destroyed property at the school, including smashing with a baseball bat and a hammer most of the school's supply of new iMacs.
Macs On The Cheap
The new Macs that may be introduced at Wednesdayís Macworld Expo may cost less than $1,000. But there are a few retailers who can do better than that. Much better.
Apple Reports Earnings Gain But Disappointing Sales
The good news on earnings was tempered by lower-than expected sales of $1.83 billion. That is 17 percent higher than the $1.56 billion a year ago, but lower than the $1.9 billion many analysts expected for the quarter.
Last Big Push For 'Classic Mac' OS
The product, known inside the company as Fortissimo, will incorporate new drivers, new interface elements and offer better integration with the Mac OS X, which is Apple's next-generation operating system, according to sources.
Disappointing Sales Numbers For Apple
Computer maker squeaks by analysts' estimates in its third quarter, earning $200 million, or 55 cents a share, on sales of $1.825 billion.
Apple Plans Upgrades For iMac, PowerMac Lines
Apple Computer plans to announce upgrades to its iMac and PowerMac lines at the Macworld trade show tomorrow, according to a press release.
Apple Reports Third Quarter Profit Of $200 Million
Apple Expands National Retail Effort With Circuit City
"Apple is thrilled to be partnering with Circuit Cityóone of the premier retailers of consumer electronicsóto reach even more customers with our iMacs and iBooks," said Steve Jobs, Appleís CEO. "With features like our ten-minute Internet setup and amazing iMovie software, we think our products will delight Circuit Cityís customers."
Will Apple Be Hip To Be Square?
Rumors about the Cube have been surfacing for some time, but Apple added fuel to the fire recently when their legal department reportedly demanded that the information about the machine be removed from Mac OS Rumors and Apple Insider.
Macworld May Have Bad News For 'Aftermarket' Mice
Bill Hunzeker makes computer mice. And he's fidgeting with eagerness to see if the rumors are true that Apple Computer Inc. is finally going to change the design of the mice it ships with its Macintosh computers.
Circuit City To Sell Mac Products Nationwide
Circuit City and Apple are teaming up to offer iMac, iBook and AirPort consumer products in the 570-plus Circuit City stores across the country.
Opinion
Some Things Old Are New Again
For many designers, the hardest decisions will come this fall, after they see the commercials and touch the new product line. Do you want a Cube, or a Multiprocessor?
Jobs Leaves The Door Open For An Apple Subnotebook
At this year's Macworld Expo in New York, Steve Jobs expanded Apple's four quadrant product strategy to six quadrants. The Power Mac G4 Cube will fill one of those open quadrants, slated between the iMac family and Power Mac Pro models, while the sixth and final quadrant was left blank.
One Thing I Hate About The Expo
One thing which seems the most non-permanent in my life becomes even more vapor-like: Cash.
Review
MacWEEK
Itís still possible to find timely and useful information on the site, but the signal-to-noise ratio has declined in recent months.
The iBook's First Year In Retrospect
The absence of a microphone port remains an annoying deficiency, the lack of DVD support will soon be likewise, and if Apple is serious about making FireWire an industry standard, should there not be a FireWire port on their volume portable machine?
Hard Disk Toolkit 4.0
No hardware-fiddling Mac type should lack FWB's outstanding Hard Disk Toolkit.
Sidetrack
Update Junkie
The Macjunkie: Preliminary data indicate that we have not been hacked, and that our site has been deliberately deleted from the inside."
Web News
CNET bought ZDNet. MacSurfer going to buy AppleSurf?
I get the home page of Addr.com web hosting when I surf over to The Macjunkie. Webmaster ate his mouse and killed off web site?
Scripting News recommends AppleSurf for Apple news. Thanks!
Live Coverage (Sorta)
New mouse. New keyboard. New commercial about the new mouse.
G4 vs Pentium. G4 is still the champ. And now, with dual processor G4s, at the same price!
Mac OS X: Public beta in September.
The all new iMacs are here, featuring four different models with brand new colors!
New and improved: iMovie 2.0.
And, finally, the cube. A G4 for consumer.
Oh, and also three new monitors.
Wintel
Microsoft Woos Apple Users With Mac-Friendly Office
Microsoft Shares Slide Despite Earnings Growth
Microsoft shares dove almost 7 percent today, a day after the software giant reported fourth-quarter earnings of 44 cents per share, beating analyst expectations by 2 cents.
Resurgent AMD Posts Record Profit, Revenue
Advanced Micro Devices spilled the details on one of its most successful quarters ever by reporting record earnings and revenue and declaring a 2-for-1 stock split.
Intel Delays Delivery Of Itanium Chip
Intel will delay delivery of its 64-bit Itanium microprocessor by a quarter to ensure it is tested and properly validated, company officials said Tuesday.
Microsoft Patches Bug Amid Criticism
Microsoft has addressed security vulnerabilities in its Office 2000 applications, including one an Internet security group described as perhaps the "most dangerous programming error" by the software company to date.
Microsoft Shares Vacillate On Positive Earings
Microsoft shares zipped up and then back down in after-hours trading today after the software giant reported fourth-quarter earnings of 44 cents per share, beating analyst expectations by 2 cents.
Microsoft's Long-Term Outlook Depends On Windows.Net
The risk for Microsoft is to transition revenue from its cash-cow desktop business model to the uncertain flow of revenue on the Internet.
Tuesday, July 18, 2000
Opinion
Sidetrack
Award Me!
Think you have what it takes to win awards? The first-ever Online Journalism Awards is now accepting entries.
Wintel
Ballmer To Partners: Law Is On Our Side
Ballmer referred to the court decision as "what you might politely call a terrible ruling," and vowed that there two key issues that Microsoft will continue fighting for: That Microsoft remain one single company and that it will not agree to "Draconian" regulations that will ultimately impede Microsoft's ability to continue improving.
Monday, July 17, 2000
Top Stories
How iMac Reshaped The PC Industry
There's no denying that the iMac has wrought profound changes on the industrial design of computers and peripherals.
Apple's Encore: Revenue Growth
Apple Computer, the comeback story, is long gone; now Wall Street wants to see the sequel: Apple, the growth story.
Apple Earnings Preview
While, consumer-orientated iMac sales may actually slow for the quarter, the G4 and PowerBook lines may carry the quarter as business users migrate toward more powerful systems.
Macworld Expo: Ready For Business
All eyes will be on the Big Apple next week as Macworld Expo heads to New York's Javits Convention Center July 18-21. Conference sessions begin Tuesday, but the real action begins Wednesday when the exhibit floor opens following Steve Jobs' opening keynote.
News
Apple Gets Heavy With Third Mac Web Site
Apple's highly active legal department has targeted yet another Mac Web site, the venerable MacInTouch, for publishing what the company effectively claims are illegally obtained trade secrets.
Notebook Buyers Latch On To DVD For Movies To Go
The discrepancy between DVD adoption in PCs vs. notebooks illustrates a startling and unexpected trend in consumer buying and offers an important lesson for hardware companies.
Apple To Share Spotlight At Upcoming Conference
Though the big news at Macworld Expo is expected to come from Apple Computer, plenty of other companies plan to make announcements at the show.
Ailing COrel Sells GraphicCorp Division
Embattled Canadian software developer Corel said today it had sold its GraphicCorp division and stock digital photo images to privately held Hemera Technologies, a deal that analysts said will not add much to Corel's coffers.
Sun Readies To Take On Microsoft
StarOffice is an unremarkable suite of applications that closely mimics but isn't quite as good as Microsoft Office. Yet if Marco Boerries of Sun Microsystems has his way, it could play a key role in changing the way we use software.
Macworld Expo Preview: Creative Stuff
Expo Preview: Hardware
Creative ways to fill your PCI slots.
Expo Preview: Business And System Software
Business software makers are playing one form or another of the waiting game at Macworld Expo.
New Products, Earnings Growth Expected From Aple
Next week is a big one for Apple Computer, with quarterly earnings set to be announced Tuesday and CEO Steve Jobs' Macworld Expo keynote on Wednesday.
Opinion
Mac Soothsaying: Survey Says...
Predicting The Future Of Mister Jobs
The only way that Microsoft can be out maneuvered is if Steve can leverage the Apple Computer Corporation, the Pixar Corporation and the entertainment industry in order to develop a technology and an industry that makes every thing Microsoft has ever done or likely to do both obsolete, stupid, and consummately boring and outdated.
Crossing The Rubicon: A Look Behind The Scenes At Mac OS Rumors
Jonathan Apple has proven beyond a doubt that Ryan Meader of Mac OS Rumors is extremely indiscreet when it comes to sorting signal from noise for his rumor site.
The Importance Of Interface
Unix has a well-deserved reputation for obscurity and contrariness. The user "experience" on Unix is almost non-existent: the user speaks to the machine, not the other way around.
Review
Inside Mac Games
The writing is smart and accessible, and the news is actually news, not trumped-up page filler.
Putt-Putt Joins The Circus
Putt-Putt and Pep are a jovial pair that reflect compassion, teamwork and a positive outlook. Children will appreciate their inviting nature and may learn the value of cooperation and making friends.
Sidetrack
Apple With A Heart?
What do you see in this logo? Sorry, but I do see Apple — and Apple's lawyers are right.
Old News
4 years ago - CNET : Apple Stems Tide Of Red Ink. While still swimming in red ink, Apple Computer this quarter managed to limit its losses to $32 million... Apple said its condition was helped partly by the sale of its shares of America Online.
Wintel
Microsoft Expected To Report "Lackluster" Growth
Microsoft, on the verge of reporting its fourth-quarter earnings, is facing the same weak sales growth plaguing its competitors, and analysts say the world's largest software maker may not recover soon.
'A World Of Opportunity'
Microsoft's CEO talks about his company — and the high-tech future.
Microsoft Gives Details Of Software-For-Rent Strategy
Microsoft today popped the cork on its plans to sell software through subscriptions rather than through licenses, as it now does.
Wednesday, July 12, 2000
Top Stories
How You Can Be A Mac OS Rumors Inside Source!
In a few short hours I got bogus details about an already bogus product posted on a bogus rumors site. I feel so proud.
Review
Apple iBook Special Edition (Graphite)
A sturdy, well-designed portable; if only Apple could make it lighter.
Wintel
Intel Benchmarks Show Little Advantage To Rambus
A new series of benchmarks have emerged that show Rambus memory provides less oomph than cheaper, standard high-speed memory.
Microsoft To Detail Licensing Model For ASPs
Microsoft will detail at Fusion 2000 this week its long-awaited pricing model for ASPs that wish to "rent" Office and BackOffice servers.
Tuesday, July 11, 2000
Top Stories
A Taste Of Cocoa
MacWEEK looks at Cocoa, the software development platform that will launch the next generation of Mac applications.
Apple's Japanese Niche
The simple fact is — Apple is a niche player in Japan just at it is a niche player in the US.
News
Disney To Avoid The Apple
"Disney and Apple doesn't make any sense."
Apple FY 00 Third Quarter Results Conference Call
Cutbacks At ScanSoft
Financially ailing ScanSoft, a software publisher that's become a home for orphaned digital imaging products, has closed its West Coast office and cut 20 percent of its workforce, the company announced Monday.
Small Dog Gives Pet Perk
Electronics retailer offers veterinary insurance as a perk to staffers.
Opinion
GUIs: To Skin Or Not To Skin?
Do users want more or less choice when it comes to the look and feel of their operating systems?
Review
Broadband Internet Routers
Hardware routers speed up and network your home computers.
Build To Order Used PowerBooks, The PowerBook 5300 As A Web Server, And More
Wintel
Microsoft: Time To Fish Or Cut Bait
While it was important that Microsoft Corp. impress financial analysts and press with its recently outlined .Net platform, it is crucial that it obtain developer acceptance for its software-as-a-service vision.
In Microsoft Case, Tipping Scales Both Ways
Microsoft Corp. plans to argue later this month that the Supreme Court should not accept the direct appeal of its antitrust case because it is too complex and voluminous. But the federal judge who sent it there says the case is too important for the high court to pass up.
Why Microsoft May Not Be Swamped By Private Lawsuits
Companies with strong cases, like AOL, have reasons for not filing, and even consumers would not be sure winners.
Microsoft Will Lag With 64bit Windows
Microsoft may be the last out of the starting gate with a stable operating system for servers based on Intel's forthcoming 64bit processor.
Microsoft Readies New Ad Campaign
Company co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates will once again be featured in a television ad, to be aired starting Sunday, extolling the virtues of Microsoft technology and its commitment to its customers, without directly addressing the antitrust case.
Monday, July 10, 2000
News
Opinion
Apple Could Learn A Thing Or Two From The Harry Potter Books
Harry Potter makes me hope that we will once again have a computer industry that produces rock solid products that have few problems and required little or no support. Hey, I guess that’s why Harry’s a wizard, huh?
Journalism Ethics, Credentials, And More Perspectives
The debate raging on Mac Web sites now is one about how to handle information.
Review
Animation Master Millennium
Animation Master Millennium's wealth of features makes it robust but adds to its complexity: you'll need artistic talent and ample learning time to turn your office into the next Disney or Pixar studio.
Make Some Noise
As processor speeds continue to climb, look for increasingly versatile software synthesizers and effects plug-ins.
Sidetrack
The Good Old Days
Drudge Report: There are preliminary discussions of a three way merger between DISNEY, APPLE and PIXAR, sources revealed over the weekend. When will this ever end?!?
MacWEEK: When Microsoft representatives tossed T-shirts to the crowd at the recent MacHack 2000 conference, some attendees threw them back. When will this ever end?!?
Wintel
Dell Withdraws Sleek Consumer PC Line
Dell Computer has quietly discontinued its stylish WebPC line while announcing today a new push into the consumer market.
Dell's New PCs Toe Performance Line
The new Dimension 4100 series resets the price/performance bar — offering high-end components at a decidedly mainstream starting price of $1,300.
Color Craze Fades As Compaq Yanks Its Stylish PC
The demise of the stylish PC, decked out in a magnetic blue case and sporting an LCD flat-panel display and speakers, comes as rival Dell Computer pulls the plug on its colorful WebPC.
Will Microsoft Just Keep On Trucking?
Legal woes. Market slowdowns. Stock declines. Still, coming through the toughest year in its existence, Microsoft is expected to report record revenue and income for its most recent fiscal year.
Microsoft Seeds The Channel
Microsoft is ensuring its future in the emerging application service provider market the way it knows best - by spending its way in.
Notebook PCs A Liability — Compaq
A survey conducted on Compaq's behalf by MORI has concluded that business is under threat because of the lack of notebook security.
Sunday, July 9, 2000
News
Nick Graham's Connections
I haven't carried a computer for two years. I'm not a great writer. I'm a better talker.
When A Mouse Is Like A Turtle
Consider the computer mouse, and you will be one of the few. After all, it's just a mouse.
Review
Home Videos Get Boost From PC Treatment
The Louvre - The Virtual Visit
An informative and enjoyable way to explore the Louvre. Great for students and adults as well as anyone interested in art and history.
Wintel
How Tight Can They Tie Up Microsoft?
The feds may be on solid ground in asking for antitrust remedies that go beyond browsers to products like Office and Win2000.
Scrap File Worm Highlights Another Obscure Yet Unsecured Feature Of Windows
The LifeChanges virus made its rounds the week of June 19, its payload hidden by a scrap file-based delivery mechanism.
Ballmer At The Helm
How Microsoft's CEO sees his role as leader, coach and friend of a corporate legend.
Saturday, July 8, 2000
Top Stories
Fearing Control By Microsoft, China Backs The Liunux System
Janet Reno is not the only one worried about Bill Gates's software monopoly. China's leaders are, too.
Opinion
Wintel
Dell Discontinues Sleek Consumer PC Line
The quiet demise of Dell's WebPC is a strong indication that the coming revolution in style and color into the PC world may have been a bit exaggerated.
Friday, July 7, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Courts Snubbed Retailers With New Attitude, New Policies
Two years after practically disappearing from many U.S. retail stores, Apple Computer Inc. is back on the shelves.
The Cathedral And The Bizarre
Eric Raymond had some choice words for the programmers at MacHack 2000.. I wish he'd have chosen them a bit better.
News
Sony-Cnnectix Bout Moves To Next Round
A week after withdrawing, then refiling, a patent-infringement suit over Connectix's PlayStation emulator, Sony predicted the case will come to trial this fall.
CPU Upgrades Old And New From Newer
Newer Technology announced that it is shipping three PowerPC G3 CPU upgrades that it pulled from the market during its recent financial difficulties, along with a new 500 MHz G4 ZIF upgrade for Beige and Blue G3 Power Macs.
Review
HP DeskJet 932C
The DeskJet 932C is not going to win any awards for high-resolution color output onto glossy paper. That aside, it is a good low price printer that is extremely fast and prints excellent text even in draft mode.
MacInTouch
MacInTouch is an excellent resource for readers patient enough to “get” it. An acquired taste, like Brussels sprouts or flossing, its benefits become apparent only after you’re hooked.
The Scientific Platform
There are many other excellent science programs for the Mac. I've hit on enough here to confirm the Mac's viability.
Web Users Will Welcome New-Look Netscape
Anyone who uses the Web will welcome the final release of Netscape 6.
Sidetrack
Rumor Monger
Fany an iWatermelon?
Around the Web Logs
Metafilter: "You have reached www.24-7.com. Unfortunately, we are now closed."
Wintel
Why Intel Scuttled 800MHz Xeon
Some of the worldís largest computer makers and their customers say Intel is producing chips too quickly.
The Difficult Birth Of Windows Me
So why all the fuss over a petty final footnote in the Windows 9x saga, in a year when Windows 2000 is surely the big news?
Microsoft Abandons Telewest Plan
Microsoft Database Hammered
Microsoft's SQL Server 2000 database, which is set to ship within a month, suffered a double embarrassment this week.
Microsoft Falls Short Of Aiding Small Businesses
Microsoft shelved one of its marketing services for small businesses this week, acknowledging it couldn't help those ventures surmount the financial advantages of their larger competitors.
Thursday, July 6, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Speaks Of Challenges And Rewards In Wedding MacOS And BSD At USENIX 2K
Moving forward, the Mac OS will combine the best features of both platforms while (hopefully) addressing their shortcomings.
MacHack Presents Challenge, Opportunity
No MacHack has offered a more important opportunity for reflection than this one. Mac OS X is in the hands of developers, and in mid-August will be in the hands of users, in public-beta form.
Palmtop Suffers; Microsoft, Too
Microsoft doesn't make computer hardware, so it tried to keep it simple for consumers by ordering PC makers not to touch anything. Looks like they can't do that anymore. And so we end up with the user interface of the HP Jornada.
News
USB 2.0 Vs FireWire: The Debate Heats Up
Intel pushes USB for high-speed consumer peripherals.
Opinion
Apple's Consumer Relations Death Wish
It's beginning to look like the bright lights at Apple Legal must get up each morning and ask themselves which friends and supporters of the Mac platform they will harass, antagonize, and alienate today.
Review
Apple's Subnotebook PowerBooks: A Retrospective
The PowerBook Duo Series and PowerBook 2400c covered a segment of the portable market that Apple has apparently withdrawn from, which is a pity.
Wintel
Microsoft To Make Component Available Online
Microsoft plans to use the new MSDN Online Component Resource to build what it describes as a vibrant community for software components.
Windows Partners Also Do Linux
Dell, Gateway, Intel, and Compaq — industry powerhouses that once courted Microsoft and its Windows operating system — are turning toward Linux in a flirtation that has escalated into a full-fledged affair.
Windows Me, Microsoft's Latest, Is A Less Than Millennial Upgrade
Unless you have an urgent need for the new features, it is probably a good idea to wait until you need to replace your computer, or at least until Microsoft finds and fixes potential software conflicts.
I Remember Microsoft
Once computing's red-hot center, Microsoft now has a tough time retaining its best and brightest employees. Here, some who left reflect on what they learned—and why they find life on the outside so much more alluring.
Wednesday, July 5, 2000
News
Apple Channel Partners Merge Ahead Of Possible Float
Apple Partners Look To New Core
Apple Computer is forecasting a new, aggressive attack on the Australian personal computer market after yesterday's announcement that Apple's seven leading channel partners will merge.
Opinion
The Self Congratulatory Mac User
Some of us Macintosh users may enjoy congratulating ourselves on the purchase of a computer from Apple. This attitude is certainly in Apple's interest, but, these days, is it always in ours?
The Unkindest Cut
To Mac the Knife, the Knife Board, and all the historical information encapsulated within: We'll miss you.
Review
InterView 2.0
While a FireWire-based Mac and a digital video camera coupled with iMovie represents an easier to use and a far superior solution, InterView 2.0 is perfect for owners of USB-based Macs not wishing to spend upwards of $2,000 or more to simply edit videos.
AOL 5.0 For The Mac: No High Fives
Apparently, ease-of-use king AOL wants to ride the techno cutting edge. The result: Needless complications.
Z-Write 1.0
Z-Write gains simplicity by omitting features not absolutely necessary to creative writers.
USB Overdrive 1.3
Overall itís a very nice and useful program. I just wish that some PC mice came bundled with it. $20 seems like a lot to spend just to make your new mouse work on your Mac.
Sidetrack
Who Do You Admire Most?
Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs? That's, well, just one of the question in Men's Health's 100 Men Guys Admire Most. Vote for your man.
Remember — this is for entertainment value only.
Sigh
Cameron Barrett: Instead of seeing [July 4th] as a day off, you see the holiday as an extra day in which to catch up on your work.
Wintel
Intel Shelves 800-MHz Xeon Chip
Intel has canceled plans for high-end versions of its 800-MHz Xeon processor, saying computer makers didn't want the chip.
Microsoft May Compromise For EU Nod To Telewest Plans
Booming Seattle Tracks Microsoftís Tribulations
Whatever the outcome of the antitrust case, Microsoft can jolt the areaís commercial real-estate market just by shifting employees around.
Tuesday, July 4, 2000
News
Dot-Coms Flying High With Business Jets
Many recent Gulfstream buyers are technology billionaires who benefited from the high-flying dot-com economy: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who co-founded Broadcast.com and later sold it to Yahoo for around $5 billion; Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs and Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's former chief technology officer.
3D's Last Chance
After years of providing geeky thrills that were a hassle to view, 3D Web imagery must now prove it can actually sell stuff.
Opinion
Open Source And The Macintosh
Apple's emphasis on a graphical user interface with a high level of internal consistency worked - virtually all Macintosh programmers work hard on interface, sometimes harder than on the actual code.
Review
Stylus Photo 2000P
For the right person - a photographer, or an artist - this printer could be a goldmine and therefore worth every penny.
UpdateAgent 8
For a more stable Mac, $50 a year is a bargain.
Sidetrack
Rumors, Folks, Rumors
Or why this cannot be what Apple is throwing at us this coming Macworld.
5. It's a right-handed only mouse.
4. It's ugly, ugly, ugly.
3. It cannot match any of the 6 colors of iMac.
2. It has Not-A-Steve-Jobs-Product written all over it.
1. It's from another one of those rumors site that predicted the coming of a 17-inch iMac for years.
Wintel
Intel BIOS Update - Close But No Cigar
You see what happens? You write a positive story about Intel and fate vomits in your face.
A Review Of Microsoft Project 2000
I wanted this column to be a review of Microsoft Project 2000, a truly ground-breaking project management tool. But a large portion of that has to be how lousy the accompanying manual is.
An Integrated, Friendlier Windows Me
Microsoft's Millennium Edition has added multimedia and video-editing capabilities and easy home networking.
Gateway Finds Glitch In 1-GHz AMD Systems
Gateway has found a bug with its computers containing the 1-GHz Athlon "Thunderbird" chip from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) but is working to solve the problem and offering to fix affected computers.
Monday, July 3, 2000
Opinion
Journalism, Ethics And Sacred Cows
George Orwell said honest writers would admit to two motivations: the habit of noticing unpleasant facts, and a desire to show off.
Review
Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition
Welcome back to the land of Azeroth. Warcraft II — one of the most popular and successful computer games of all time — is here again with a new and improved version.
Sidetrack
Weird News
Call me weird, but I would expect microsoft.net to point to the brand new project from our beloved Redmond monopoly, rather than to the home page.
Bad News
If you are coming from Catcha, this is not a new initiative brought to you by SingTel. The only good thing out of Catcha might well be the "Friends" sponsorship. Even then...
Old News
4 years ago - CNET : Macintosh Sales Hit The Skids. Sales of Apple Computer's Macintosh lineup, already sluggish, are now plummeting and could make a comeback by the embattled computer maker more difficult than previously thought.
Wintel
Microsoft Retains Supreme Court Expert For Legal Team
Carter Phillips, a top litigator before the U.S. Supreme Court, has been retained by Microsoft Corp. to assist with appeals in its landmark antitrust case.
Microsoft Adds Top Attorney To Antitrust Team
New Pentium For Power Users Only, Analysts Say
Intel's new Pentium IV processor will give a performance boost for office PCs, but only for power-hunger users, according to a US analyst.
Let's Not Spare The Rod
What appears to matter here is not competition between Oracle and Microsoft, but some amorphous popularity contest or battle for mind share.
Microsoft Challenges Java With C Sharp
Microsoft appears to be ready to give up on its efforts to be a Java language vendor and is substituting a new language of its own, C Sharp, that captures some of Java's precision and productivity features.
A Break In Moore's Law, But, Hey, Who's Counting?
Ever-faster computers are just in the nature of things. Yet recently, computer scientists have begun to fret that the end may be in sight.
Microsoft To Reward Its Technical Elite
To reward its brightest technologists, Microsoft is introducing a distinguished engineer program, initially honoring 16 of the company's best designers.
Sunday, July 2, 2000
News
Audrie Krause's Connections
"I have a Mac and few viruses affect them."
Opinion
My Heart Sank: Microsoft Acquired Bungie
Only time will tell, but history doesn't bode well for Bungie.
Plea To Apple: Give Us More Graphics Card Options
This is not a demanding request, and one that could be satisfied easily.
Sidetrack
LinkSearch - New At AppleSurf
Introducing a brand new tool here at The AppleSurf Tools: Link Search — specially for all you webmasters out there.
The idea is simple. You have posted a new page up on your web site. 24 hours later, you want to find out what other news sites have linked to your article. You go to Link Search. You type in your URL and you press the "Search" button. Viola! Find out all the links coming into your web page.
Of course, alternatively, you can also check your log stats. I can't help you there. :-)
Saturday, July 1, 2000
News
Sony Refiles Patent Suit Against Connectix
A Sony representative said the company dismissed its lawsuit a day before a hearing in the case on the judge's advice to avoid "procedural issues that may have been appealable." Connectix nonetheless claimed victory yesterday.
Review
Wintel
Microsoft Pushes Its Smart-card Vision
Emphasizing the mobile aspects of its new Microsoft.NET strategy, Microsoft this week released an update to Windows for Smart Cards that includes support for the GSM (Global Systems for Mobile Communications) standard.