Monday, April 30, 2001
Top Stories
Analysts Warm To Apple Stock
Analysts are optimistic that Apple's May 1 announcements will impact positively on the company's share values.
News
AirPort Lands At Language School
Analysts Warm To Apple Stock
Analysts are optimistic that Apple's May 1 announcements will impact positively on the company's share values.
Wintel
WinXP Delayed? How It Could Slip Beyond October
The software itself is stable, but here's the gag - it's far too easy to break.
Microsoft Denies XP Delay Rumors
Microsoft on Friday denied it had delayed the latest version of its Windows operating system, rebuffing comments from an analyst that sent shares in the software giant down about 3 percent.
Sunday, April 29, 2001
Top Stories
Mac OS X Supports Flames!
Readers respond to my experience with Apple's OS overhaul.
News
Wintel
MS Applying Prod Activate Tech To Win2k Et Al?
A post on The Tech Report suggests that Microsoft just might be preparing to retro-fit XPís product activation to Win2k.
Saturday, April 28, 2001
Top Stories
Talking About Life With Mac OS X
Apple has a way of saying...time to move on...come along or stay behind.
News
Consumer Spending Buoys Markets
Apple Adds Effects To iMovie For Mac OS X
Coming Attraction: Maya Marches On
Adobe Plans Its OS X Premiere
If you were looking for OS X-related developments at the National Association of Broadcasters trade show, Adobe had the most exciting news to offer — a demonstration of Premiere running in OS X.
Opinion
It's Time For The Personal Server
It's time now for evolved designs that provide a good general feature set and form-factor that can be used in applications ranging from consumer desktop to inexpensive-yet-plenty-powerful server.
Whither The Cube?
The irony is that, at least in my estimation, the Cube is the perfect computer for the sort of things that probably the largest proportion of Mac users actually do with computers.
Review
iMac And iMac Special Edition
The new iMacs are spectacular consumer machines — it would be hard to imagine a better computer for a student.
Wintel
Thin Is In: IBM's New Flat-Panel Displays
AMD Delays Hammer Release
Advanced Micro Devices has pushed back the introduction of a pair of new processor cores by as much as six months.
Microsoft Disputes Media Player Antitrust Allegations
Spokesperson Jim Cullinan told reporters that these latest charges are "the reverse" of the government's argument with regard to its Internet Explorer Web browser.
Friday, April 27, 2001
Top Stories
Many Wireless Networks Open To Attack
The problem is that many companies appear to be setting up these networks forgetting about the fact that — unless special steps are taken — anyone can detect what is being said on them, even strangers just sitting out in the parking lot.
News
Sony Focuses In With New Camcorder
Sony unveiled on Thursday a mini-camcorder that makes it easier for people to e-mail video clips.
Version Control System Comes To OS X
"Survivor" Games Coming To Mac OS
iTunes Visual Plug-Ins SDK Released
Cobatl: There Will Be No Apple Cube Lawsuit
DeWitt said that Cobalt would have been unlikely to go through with a lawsuit against Apple since the company's four founders had been Apple engineers before leaving to start Cobalt.
Opinion
Apple's May Day Surprises
Considering that NAB just ended and Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (a standard launching pad for Mac announcements) is slated to start up mid-month, what does the company have up its sleeve for this out-of-category event?
Mac OS X: A Gamer's Perspective
Appleís OS X is an excellent start down the path to an astounding OS for gaming, but there are significant roadblocks to overcome and a bumpy ride for early adopters.
Review
Is Mac OS X Too Hard For Beginners?
You now enter the confusing world of setting read and write privileges. Before you reach for the aspirin, there are often ways to deal with this situation, but for now, this is one troubling area of Mac OS X's interface that can confound both new and experienced users.
Wintel
Microsoft's Passport Service: No Marylanders Allowed?
Basically, if you want to sue Microsoft because its self-proclaimed "powerful online security technology" allowed some script kiddie in a formerly communist country to access your credit card number, or Microsoft wants to sue you for misusing the service, you have to play ball on Microsoft's home turf.
A Kinder, Gentler Gorilla?
To the casual observer, Microsoft seems to have changed its ways. Closer inspection shows that it remains a heavy-handed monopolist.
AMD Touts Size Advantage Of New Chip
Anti-piracy Firm Sues Microsoft
InterTrust, one of several companies providing technology to protect songs and videos from being illegally copied, sued Microsoft Thursday, saying the giant's music and video software illegally infringes its patent rights.
Gateway Ends "Stupid" Policies
Possibly topping the list of stupid policies that Gateway nixed was one related to its warranty. Until the change, Gateway would invalidate the warranty if customers installed any third-party software on their machines.
Thursday, April 26, 2001
News
ATM Deluxe Won't Port To OS X
Adobe's UK office was unable to shed light on the reason the company has chosen to cease development of ATM, suggesting instead that its customers read its statement on its Web site.
HP Talks Plans For OS X, Photosmart Support
iCab Preview 2.5 Released
The new version adds partial support for cascading style sheets (CSS1), customizable toolbars, support for passive mode in FTP, a progress bar for downloads, new settings in font preferences, improvements to the kiosk mode, and a variety of bug fixes.
Opinion
Review
Mac aRa Modem Magic 5.0
Developed by the guys at Macntosh.com, it contains over a set of 200 optimised V.90, V.92 and ISDN TA mac modem drivers.
Preview, Burn, And Play
iDVD is a remarkably easy-to-use product, and Apple deserves kudos for that. But like the first version of iMovie, it's buggy and doesn't quite live up to my expectations.
Wintel
Makeover For Desktop PC Adds Style, And A Stylus
Except for Apple, Sony seems to be the only company capable of tossing out the cowardly comfort of the beige-box design without producing something equally ugly in its place.
No Replay Of The Browser Wars
We do not believe, as some have implied, that this is an attempt by Microsoft to block competitors to its software, in a situation analogous to Internet Explorer (IE) shipping with Windows during the heyday of the "browser wars."
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Top Stories
Apple Looks To New QuickTime For Video Spark
Apple Computer has unveiled the newest version of its venerable QuickTime digital video software with hopes of regaining its position in a Web entertainment market increasingly dominated by Microsoft and RealNetworks.
News
Newer OS X Updaters Imminent
Sonnet Technologies will post Mac OS X drivers for Newer Technology processor upgrades by May.
Nvidia To Cut GeForce Prices By Up To 38%
Nvidia plans to cut the price of its GeForce 3 graphics chip to ensure add-in cards based on its next-generation accelerator sell for around $399 - significantly less than the $599 the company had originally specified.
Corel Ship Date Drawn Out
The release of CorelDraw 10, an OS X-native application slated to ship in July, has been pushed back until this fall. While product delays happen all the time, Corel's track record might raise some questions about its commitment to the platform.
Sticher For Mac OS X Previewed
Stitcher automatically combines horizontally and vertically overlapping photographs to create a fully immersive image that spans a 180-degree vertical and 360 degree horizontal field of view in seconds.
Apple: New iBook Model On The Way?
Heightening speculation that it will soon debut a new version of the iBook, Apple Computer has halted sales of the consumer laptop on its online store.
Apple Extends Education Effort, Announces New Education Workshops
Opinion
Mystery Crashes Solved
Since installing the UPSes I've only had one crash over a three week period, which is more reasonable and much more acceptable.
Review
iMic Adapter
Despite its minor flaws, the iMic is easily the best option we've seen for putting audio input back into the newest Macs.
'Elements' Brings Latest Photoshop Power Home
The program is designed for digital camera users. It uses "recipes," which are step-by-step guides to help users load images from the camera and enhance them by correcting color flaws and removing red-eye and scratches.
The Best I Can Say
Unfortunately, the real promise of OS X will not be evident until there are more applications written or modified for it.
Wintel
Microsoft WinXP-ready PC Scheme Kicks Off
Start shipping your hardware to Redmond, people...
Microsoft, Hyperion Team Up On Open XML Spec
AMD Server Push Fraught With Peril
Advanced Micro Devices has signed up its most significant customer yet to help it win a place in the server market, but the chipmaker faces numerous obstacles competing with Intel in the new area.
Want Media Player 8? Buy Windows XP
Microsoft is requiring consumers who want to use the latest version of Windows Media Player to upgrade to the new Windows XP operating system—a move that is reminiscent of the company's controversial decision to tie the Internet Explorer browser with Windows.
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
Top Stories
Worth
Steve Jobs is — still is — sui generis.
Apple Powerbook Is Not Airport ' Bomb'
Owner 'very drunk', something in the bag
Squaring Apple's Cube
The Titanium PowerBook demonstrates that Apple still has what it takes to create successful, innovative hardware. The Cube shows that the company can't take that capability for granted.
QuickTime 5.0.1 Now Available
New features in QuickTime 5 include Cubic VR, which enables users to view 360 degree environments; "Media skins," or custom interface elements; MPEG-1 support; an enhanced DV codec; integrated support for Macromedia's Flash 4; enhanced AppleScript support; a new music synthesizer with support for DLS files and SoundFonts; and more.
News
Apple Powerbook Is Not Airport ' Bomb'
Owner 'very drunk', something in the bag
DVD Tries A New Tack
DVD drive manufacturers are hoping that some of the magic that has made recordable CDs a big hit with consumers will rub off on their efforts to make recordable DVDs a mainstream technology.
Akamai, Apple To Continue Partnership
Akamai's EdgeSuite Service will provide the worldwide infrastructure to support content delivery for Apple.com and Apple's software downloads, and will continue to serve as the worldwide backbone for QuickTime TV.
Apple Shop On The Block
In another sign of tough times for Mac retailers, the owner of a Texas computer store has put his company up for sale on eBay.
Opinion
PowerBook: Now The Logical Mac For More Folks Than Ever
More people seem to be discovering that PowerBook computing simply makes the best sense for them. If you don't need the expansion potential of the tower machine, then why contend with the bulk and noise?
Just Try Buying A Mac
Trust me: it's easier than finding a open footpath in the countryside than actually laying your hands on an iMac and say "I'll have that one, please".
Buying A Mac On eBay
eBay has great prices as it is, but there are a few tips and tricks that can help keep your wallet stuffed and assure that you don't buy a lemon.
OS X Still Seems Sluggish
Is it just us, or is the much-ballyhooed Mac OS X operating system for Macintosh computers still painfully sluggish — even after Apple Computer released an update a week or so ago?
I'm Furious At Apple
It's deplorable when a company encourages users to customize their interface and then threatens legal action against the artists and developers that make the customizing possible.
Apple Increases Its Mac OS X Options
The real future of Mac OS X, however, lies in the development of Darwin, the open-source Unix foundation of Mac OS X, and in its eventual migration to the PC platform.
Review
The Best Low Budget Macs
There is a short answer to that question. Buy an iMac, used or new. In terms of value, it's pretty tough to beat the iMac in a desktop machine.
Computer Cables Driving You Crazy? Cordless Optical Mouse Makes You Tidier
It is offering a cordless mouse that is also an optical mouse. So in one fell swoop, you are also freed from all the problems inherent in roller-ball models.
Hate Fan Noise From PC? Try The Quieter Mac
If fan noise is a make-or-break question, consider moving to the Macintosh world, where Apple Computer Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs is famous for his hatred of fan noise and many products use a no-fan convection cooling process that is almost noiseless.
Wintel
Microsoft Forms New Service Division
Microsoft announced Tuesday that it has formed a new unit to provide consulting and product-support services for its corporate clients.
Compaq Shaves Target, Trims More Jobs
PC maker Compaq Computer reported quarterly earnings Monday that missed lowered analyst expectations by a penny and announced it would eliminate 2,000 more jobs.
Monday, April 23, 2001
Top Stories
Macs Put Motion Theory In Motion
"What Apple has done, is allow people who wouldn't normally be able to open up a company to do so. As long as you have the talent, the finances don't get in the way."
Apple Powerbook 'Bomb' Shuts Airport
Let's hope this mix-up had something to do with the x-ray machine, rather than some magical shielding properties possessed by the Titanium PowerMac G4.
Mac Show Is The Apple
When Shawn King talks, Mac users listen — and they do it intently and loyally.
Getting Your Feet Wet With Aqua
I think the hardest aspect of adapting to Aqua isn't for the users, but for the developers. Apple is asking them to rethink how they conceive and build software. They've asked them to stop thinking of image and size restrictions. They've asked them to break from the idea of what an icon represents and what it can do. Software developers can no longer view themselves as just code-cutters. Apple is asking developers to evolve with Aqua.
News
Time To Buy A New Computer — But Why?
To the dismay of PC makers, the old knee-jerk desktop upgrade has lost its allure.
Opinion
User Interface: Mac Vs. Be OS
While that focus on geeks helps with buzzwords like a journaling file system and pervasive multithreading, it hurts the interface by patching together disparate interface features.
Spring This!
You have to remember that OS X evolved from NeXTStep, and not the Mac OS we've came to love.
Review
Wintel
Why Windows XP Really Was Worth The Wait
As news of Windows XP gets out, I wouldn't be surprised to see PC sales slow as people wait for systems they can buy preloaded with Win XP.
New Pentium 4 Portends PC Price Fracas
Intel will release a 1.7GHz Pentium 4 processor on Monday and with it a scorched-earth approach to the PC market.
Microsoft Allies With Taco Bell For Xbox Launch Promotion
As part of the biggest consumer launch in the 26-year history of the company, Microsoft is forming an alliance with Taco Bell to promote the fall launch of its Xbox video-game system.
Bill Gates Says, Take This Tablet
The quest for an easy-to-use, do-it-all computer that goes anywhere has been a 30-year struggle littered with expensive failures. Now someone thinks he finally has the answer. And he runs a company called Microsoft.
Sunday, April 22, 2001
News
It's A War Of Media Players For Microsoft, RealNetworks
Across the choppy waters of Lake Washington, there's a battle brewing for your ears and your eyes. The weapons: computer media players.
Apple Canada's Hayes Advises Students At The Study How To Get Ahead
The boss at Apple Canada did some serious networking yesterday - sharing a multitude of career and life tips with a receptive audience.
Review
Saturday, April 21, 2001
Top Stories
Apple Event Fuels Speculation
Apple Computer on Friday scheduled a press event for May 1 with CEO Steve Jobs, sparking speculation that he will unveil new Macs or announce plans for retail stores.
News
Desktop Linux: Eazel Inc. Could Change The World Or Go Broke Trying
Those wondering when the technology sector will get off its knees should pay close attention to what happens to tiny startup Eazel Inc. over the next few weeks.
Apple's Earnings: Beyond The Profit
While this past quarter's unexpected $43 million profit is certainly a positive sign, it doesn't tell the whole story.
Apple: Hey, Tesco, Where Did Ya Get Those iMacs?
David Millar, Apple UK's public relations manager, said that Tesco wanted an arrangement to sell iMacs at a specific price. Apple asked for concrete benefits in return — such as an iMac trained staff — which Tesco can't provide, he added.
Review
Mac OS X On A PowerBook
After swearing that I would never boot into OS 9 again, I found one deal-breaker in OS X that is sure to affect almost all PowerBook users: the lack of PC card support.
OS X Revisited
I would like to see Apple figure out a way to make it faster for 128MB machines, but with the price of extra memory hovering near 50 cents a MB ($60 for a 128MB chip), Iím going to upgrade the iMac and wait and see what comes next.
Small, Sleek, Silver FireWire Portable
A Powerful Serve
The high level of performance both the Apache and Zeus servers achieved during the Mac OS X tests was very similar to their respective performance under Linux, suggesting that the Mac OS is finally a legitimate option for enterprise-level servers.
One Month With OS X
It will feel weird for a little bit, but once the initial unfamiliarity wears off you will wonder how you ever lived without it.
Wintel
The Microsoft Jinx
I suppose now is as good a time as any to air my complaints about Microsoft's decision to make its next iteration of the operating system into nagware. If the company actually goes through with this, it will be the worst decision made in the personal computer business since Micropro copy-protected the Wordstar 2000 word processor about 20 years ago.
Tuning Up For C#
When Microsoft needed a new technology to preserve its software dominance, it turned to Anders Hejlsberg.
Friday, April 20, 2001
Top Stories
Jobs: iMacs Are Here To Stay
"I look forward to shipping the 10 millionth iMac a few years from now," Jobs told shareholders gathered at Apple's headquarters here for the company's annual meeting.
Apple Ships Their 5 Millionth iMac
Apple today announced a milestone for the computer that's credited with bringing the company back to profitability — the five millionth iMac has shipped.
News
Eudora Adds New Security In Version 5.1
Wireless communications company Qualcomm announced on Thursday the release of version 5.1 of its Eudora e-mail program.
Lehman Boosts Apple To 'Buy'
Analyst Daniel Niles says the PC maker sold new, more powerful products, and he likes Apple's inventory-slashing efforts.
Apple Analysts Take Sides
Investors are rallying behind Apple Computer's second-quarter results, but analysts are split on the company's future with some questioning its ability to stay on top of expectations.
Opinion
What Made Apple's Quarter Successful?
A number of different products and strategies contributed to its success, but I credit most of it to Mac OS†X and the extremely popular PowerBook G4.
Why Apple Just Earned The Street's Respect
If Apple is more susceptible to harsh industry downturns it sure didn't show this quarter.
Review
Premiere 6
Premiere 6.0 is a great package that adapts well to all skill levels, allowing any user to pick it up and grow with it.
Aquify The Mac OS
You can make your older Mac look like it has OS†X on it with very little effort.
Adobe Gets It Right With Photoshop Elements
If you have a digital camera or a scanner, but aren't a professional graphic artist, Photoshop Elements is a perfect choice for your image editing needs.
Escape From Monkey Island
Despite a few awkward and puzzling portions, the game is an absolute blast to play.
Wintel
Intel 1.7GHz P4 Due Monday, At $350 - Sources
Industry mouths speak
MS Marketing Droids Release Imaginary NT 4.0 SP7
New Samba Improves Windows Mimicry
Programmers have released a major update to Samba, software that lets Linux computers mimic Windows machines, encroaching further onto Microsoft's turf.
Thursday, April 19, 2001
Top Stories
Origin Of The 75 Mac Advantages
Our group consisted of five guys whose primary purpose was to produce pro-Mac, anti-Wintel material. We provided dozens of promo and informational pieces (sent out daily in thousands of units) to our sales staff, user groups, evangelists, and retailers. My first day at work I was tasked with revising the older "50 Mac Advantages."
Why Jobs And Dell Are Always Sparring
You see, Apple benefits greatly from Dell's success. As a giant in distribution and marketing, Dell helps to popularize both Apple's innovations and the company's reputation as an innovator.
Apple Back In Black But Trims Outlook
Buoyed by shipments of new models, Apple Computer reported a fiscal second-quarter profit Wednesday that significantly topped Wall Street estimates.
Mac OS X Racks Up Big Bucks
In a press conference following Apple's quarterly financial announcement, Chief Financial Officer Fred Anderson said Mac OS X generated US$19 million in one week after it went on sale March 24.
News
512MB PowerBook Memory Upgrade Ships
Annoy Them, And They'll Buy
some people who hate that bloody paper clip will happily pay $250 for Microsoft's new Office XP, in which Clippy stays well out of sight, unless the user asks for him.
Apple To Tout OS X's Clustering Capabilities?
According to M.O.S.R.'s "reliable Apple sources," Apple is apparently working on a few interesting projects which (when/if released) will almost certainly turn a few heads.
Apple Results Prove Pleasant Surprise For Tech Sector
Apple Sees Signs Of Weakness In EUrope
Apple Bobs Up Again
Apple, Nasdaq's perennial comeback kid, has done it again.
Opinion
Did Apple Make The Right Choice Opting For NeXT Over The Be OS?
ComputerWare Closes: Trouble Of The Horizon? Part II
Whatever happens, the future's going to be hectic.
Review
Pros And Cons Of Apple's New PowerBook
The reality of this machine is far superior to the specs.
Peerless Value?
I think it's going to be a very tough sell when an entire 40 GB FireWire drive sells for just $30 more than a 20 GB Peerless cartridge.
OS X Via FireWire
You can bring your hard drive over to your friend's house and run Mac OS†X on their Mac without having to install anything on their computer! Great for showing off how great you are, ahem, how great Mac OS†X is.
Eliminator Precision Pro
The Gravis Eliminator Pro is a Mac-compatible USB joystick with a very reasonable asking price and some features like the twist-handle and Precision button that are nice to have just for the few games that use them.
Wintel
EU Ends Microsoft Antitrust Probe
The European Commission said on Wednesday it was ending an antitrust inquiry into Microsoft investments in Europe's cable television industry, after the U.S. software giant agreed to alter some technology pacts.
The Thrill In The eXPerience Is Gone
Did you expect a company that makes a living off of false claims and marketing scams to deliver?
Free Hearts Broken Over Lonely Hearts Virus
Antivirus software companies said a new virus that disguises itself as a program for finding romance partners is spreading quickly between companies in Europe.
AMD Beats Targets But Sees Slowdown
Advanced Micro Devices reported first-quarter earnings Wednesday that topped analyst expectations but warned of a sales drop in the current quarter.
Tax-Time Stock Woes Hit Microsoft Workers
Microsoft's stock decline has left many of its employees facing financial problems related to hefty tax bills incurred when their stock options were exercised, The New York Times reported.
Compaq Closes Its Stores Down Under
Winding down its retailing experiment in Australia, Compaq Computer has closed eight out of its nine Compaq Connect stores across the country.
Wednesday, April 18, 2001
Top Stories
Mac OS X: Another View
No more playing "Where's Waldo" with the Extension Manager trying to find the extension that is crashing your Mac.
TidBITS Goes To Eleven
What I was most curious about is how things have both changed and stayed the same over the last ten years, and as I read, the names of people, products, and companies came flooding back. Here then are some of the high points of that year for both TidBITS and the Macintosh industry, with some thoughts about how these changes have rippled forward to affect today's world.
The Next Marketing Revolution Is Here... Now!
With the recent announcement by Apple that their new high-performance G4 Macintosh will be bundled with Pioneerís new SuperDrive and Appleís iDVD software, we are on the verge of a marketing revolution even more powerful than desktop publishing was 20 years ago.
News
Operating System Firm Be Looks For Another Chance
Gassee said Be has turned down several financing offers that made no sense for the company. But the company has been close to the edge before, he said, and has always pulled through.
Opinion
Review
Weighing The Hassles Of An OS X Upgrade
If I wanted to spend that much time tweaking my computer, I'd buy a PC.
Mimio
If you yearn for an electronic white board but can't stomach the price tag that they carry, mimio may be just your ticket. And with Virtual Ink's commitment to the Mac, future enhancements are only a given.
Wintel
HP To Miss Estimates, Lay Off 3,000
Blaming a "rapid deterioration" in consumer IT spending, Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday said its second-quarter earnings and revenue will fall short of estimates.
Leave Everything To Me... Not!
Should OS vendors limit your choices?
Intel Unveils Fast DSP Chip For Wireless
Intel Corp. on Tuesday demonstrated for the first time a fast digital signal processor (DSP) chip designed jointly with Analog Devices Inc that will play a key role in its strategy for wireless devices.
Intel Faces Fast Chip Drought
Less than a month after releasing the 1GHz mobile Pentium III processor, Intel has told PC makers it cannot meet demand.
Intel Hits Mark In Dismal Quarter
In its worst quarter in years, Intel on Tuesday edged past lowered earnings expectations for the first quarter but said it's still going to be a tough year.
Microsoft Not Planning Layoffs, Ballmer Says
Microsoft will grow more slowly in the face of current U.S. economic weakness, but it does not plan layoffs or cutbacks and will continue to invest for the long term, Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said Tuesday.
Office 95 Doesn't Make The Upgrade
Microsoft Office 95 users will not be able to take the upgrade route to Office XP and will instead have to buy the new software outright.
Microsoft Steps Up Small-Business Push
Microsoft on Tuesday released new Web-based services geared toward small companies as part of the software giant's effort to bolster its small-business push.
Tuesday, April 17, 2001
Top Stories
Apple Lawyers Target Mac Themes Project
Apple claims the editor enables third parties to copy its copyrighted trademark themes by "improperly copying Apple's copyrighted software code and graphic files".
Seybold Vendors Take On X
If everyone's so committed to OS X, exactly where are all the products?
News
Apple Lawyers Target Mac Themes Project
Apple claims the editor enables third parties to copy its copyrighted trademark themes by "improperly copying Apple's copyrighted software code and graphic files".
Opinion
Cube Hitting Its Stride?
It's probably a bit ahead of its time, but the world will eventually follow in its direction.
Macs Still Cost Too Much
One of the biggest obstacles to Mac evangelization is still a price issue — Macs are simply a lot more expensive than PCs feature, power, and value-wise.
Review
Do More With OS X
As you can see, Stone Studio comes with a good mixture of applications and looks like it could be a promising suite of software with a bit of tweaking.
eZ-Motion 1.0
Web animation tool is easy to use, easy on your wallet.
HanDBase 2.5
Even for the neophyte, HanDBase makes it easy to create customized databases on your Palm. But the HanDBase Desktop application proves to be virtually useless on the Mac.
Wintel
DoS Bug Bites Microsoft's First Security Product
It was only a question of time
New Notebooks Hover At $1,000
Dell Computer on Monday released a new consumer notebook with middle-of-the-road features and a low-end price.
Monday, April 16, 2001
Top Stories
An Apple A Day: Macintosh Becoming Computer Of Choice For Many Law Firms
Between 1998 and today, Apple saw a jump of more than 250 percent in the number of law firms using its computers ó 23 percent in 2001 versus only 9 percent in 1998.
Evolution Of Disk Drives Crucial To PC Purchases
If you want the best possible video-editing and DVD-authoring experience, buy a Macintosh.
News
Opinion
What Do You Mean You Still Run Windows?
All in all, I still prefer to work on my Macs, but it's also clear to me that Apple can learn a few lessons from its competition.
Steve Jobs Was Right
Yep, Steve Jobs was right. These new iMacs may not have 17" screens, etc., etc. But they do seem to hit the spot for new users.
Review
Lower-Priced Flat-Panel Monitors Come With Tradeoffs
If you're pairing a Mac with an LCD, you're safer going with an Apple-branded display.
PowerPoint Vs iMovie For Creating Transitions
One of the things that I enjoy so much about QuickTime authoring is that I have a wide variety of tools available to me for creating content. Not only can I choose the environment that fits a particular authoring mood, but I can also choose one that best suits the final product I'm creating.
Wintel
Deciphering Microsoft's .Net Puzzle
Microsoft's .Net strategy is something akin to the old television game show "Concentration," which challenged viewers to decipher a phrase cleverly written in letters and hieroglyphics.
Sunday, April 15, 2001
Wintel
Microsoft Faces Bluetooth Dilemma
By opting to support Bluetooth in its handheld OS and not its PC OS, Microsoft faces the prospect of leaving its handheld customers without a Windows PC or laptop for synchronization.
Is It OK For Microsoft And Others To Forbid Disclosure Of Benchmark Results?
Saturday, April 14, 2001
News
667 Gets Eighty-Sixed
If you don't already own a 667MHz Power Mac G4 or have an order pending for one, it's likely that you'll never get your hands on that machine. Apple has stopped taking orders for the 667MHz configuration of its G4 Macs, and it doesn't appear that the company will resume taking those orders anytime in the foreseeable future.
Apple Employees Working At CompUSA
Is Apple Seeing Double?
Apple Computer has stopped selling the 667MHz Power Mac G4, possibly making room for new dual-processor computers later this month.
Apple Launches New CompUSA Initiative
Nine stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and nine stores in the SF Bay area will have one employee spending 40 hours a week at each location helping to sell Apple product, ensure that Apple's store-within-a-stores are well maintained, and train CompUSA employees in Apple technologies.
Opinion
Metatarsal Distress
They could have gained a copious amount of good ink for proactively helping Macintosh owners improve their machines' stability and usability by announcing this change and preventing users from unknowingly disabling their machines.
Wintel
Windows XP Will Support USB 2.0, Somehow
Microsoft Corp.'s next-generation operating system will be limited in its support of USB 2.0 when the initial release hits the shelves later this year. But Windows XP will find a way to support the bus standard, the software giant said this week.
Friday, April 13, 2001
News
QuickTime 5 Preview 3 Expiring Soon
Macworld Easter Egg Special
If anyone's got a Mac OS X easter egg tucked away, Macworld would love to know about it.
Review
PowerBook G4 Titanium V. Wintel
Put it this way: it's always been true that Macs and PowerBooks represent value for money.
Videodiscs With You As Director
For now, though, the Pioneer drive, especially when operated by the smooth, pretty Apple software, is an exciting invention.
Wintel
Microsoft's Campaign To Help Linux On The Desktop
The native file format of Office XP is based on XML, a high-level superset of HTML that should be, practically by definition, open enough for anyone to create the tools necessary to accurately read and write Office files.
Moore's Departure From Intel's Board Marks End Of Era
His May retirement signals the end of an era. A major architect of the Silicon Valley technology success story is stepping down from an official leadership role at Intel, the company that introduced the world's first microprocessor and became the leading company in the $200 billion chip industry. Yet the scientist, a quiet but generous philanthropist, is taking on another role with the start of his multibillion dollar Gordon E. and Betty I. Moore Foundation in San Francisco.
Microsoft Trims Hiring Plans
Microsoft said it plans to hire 5,000 to 6,000 workers in the fiscal year beginning in July, fewer than the number projected for the current year, as the software giant cuts costs.
Compaq, Dell Feeling Un-Conventional
Compaq Computer and Dell Computer have decided to cut costs by postponing customer gatherings originally slated for later this year.
Dell Boasts Of Education Sales
Dell Computer says it has picked up more than 50 multimillion dollar deals in the K-12 and higher-education markets within the last 12 months.
Thursday, April 12, 2001
Top Stories
Macolyte Minority Says Goodbye To Mac Retailer
We should take notice because in a world of tech firms that talk about being customer-driven, ComputerWare walked the talk.
The Sweetest Gumdrop In Town
It's no secret why the TiBook is so popular.
News
Apple Reportedly Axes 667 MHz Power Mac G4
Apple has axed the 667 MHz Power Mac G4, according to a MacUser UK report. The articl...
Outpost.com Posts Loss, Mulls Options
Outpost.com, which sells consumer electronics, computers and related technology products over the Internet, on Thursday posted a fourth-quarter loss and said it was exploring strategic options because securing financing was difficult.
Open Source BeOS Clone Gives Be A Righteous Nudge
AtheOS is a shameless clone of Be's OS, with screaming performance a top design goal, and the project also encompasses an effort to duplicate BeOS's crown jewel the BFS file system.
Review
PowerBook G4 Turns Heads
The light weight is even more amazing, considering the cinematic 15.2-inch TFT screen.
Wintel
AMD Ships 800MHz Mobile Duron
AMD has an 800MHz Mobile Duron in the works - according to Sony.
WinXP Falls Over Old Cisco Bug
Xerox experienced its network failure because of a rather obvious problem involving the next version of the world's most widely used operating system and the planet's most deployed Lan switch.
Intel CEO Rakes In Bonus Chips
Compaq To Boost Production Of iPaqs
Compaq Computer is expanding production of its iPaq handhelds to meet worldwide demand as it extends the sales to Japan later this month, the company's Japanese unit said.
Wednesday, April 11, 2001
Top Stories
Apple Takes Hit With Buzzle Debt Debacle
The Apple Computer brand has taken another bruising this week following a move by KPMG, the receiver appointed to failed Australian Apple reseller group Buzzle, to send letters to many paid-up retail customers accusing them of owing Buzzle money.
Charts Point To Short-Term Gains For Apple
If you can live with criticism of management, the sector, and a few other issues, Apple looks rewarding in the very near-termóbut only a week or two, after which you have to re-visit the chart.
Torvalds Claims He Was Misquoted About Mac OS X
Linus Torvalds said April 8 that reports of him trashing the new Mac OS X are simply misquotes, as he has "never commented on OS X."
News
Apple Makes Good On Its Mac OS X Deadline
Microsoft Picks FireWire Over USB
Microsoft will not support a budding peripheral-connection standard in its forthcoming Windows XP operating system, instead favoring a technology developed by Apple Computer.
Adobe CEO Reaffirms Revenue Estimates
Old Computer Tool Has New Vulnerability
The problem was uncovered by researchers at PGP Security, a division of Santa Clara-based Network Associates. It involves servers that use File Transfer Protocol, created 16 years ago as a standard for moving information across networks.
Mac OS X Server 2.0 Beta Ships To Developers
Mac OS X Server is designed to combine the strengths of AppleShare IP with the power of Mac OS X, integrating services for file sharing, Internet and Web serving, networking, client management, email — and more.
Sharity For Mac OS X Now 'Stable'
Sharity is a client for the CIFS (Common Internet FileSystem) protocol, formerly known as SMB (Server Message Block). This is the file-sharing protocol used by Windows NT, 95, 98, 2000, ME, Windows for Workgroups, OS/2, Samba and others.
A Newspaper Moves Beyond The Printed Page
"For the cost of outsourcing one video to an independent company, we've now got an office full of great gear that we can use to produce as many videos as we want. Essentially, I can do video on call, for any department — without anyone worrying about juggling their budget to make it happen."
We Don't Need No Stinking Aqua! ResEx Posts OS X Theme
The new theme, called Pastel Blue for OS X, was created by Michael Rabe and serves, if nothing else, as an example of what can be done to the OS X interface.
Opinion
Personal Computing
A few will find the Macintosh way on their own, but unless we advocate for the Mac, the rest will think blue screens of death, 63,000 bugs, and system reinstalls are the way computing has to be.
Getting What You Pay For
Call me an optimist, or a koolaid-addled zealot, but I've had it with the continued whining over Apple's RAM-killing firmware update.
Review
Tax-Preparation Software
Both Kiplinger TaxCut Macintosh Deluxe and Quicken TurboTax Home and Business have become so refined over the years that neither is a bad choice. However, because Kiplinger TaxCut has the tax-help and interface edge — and costs less, to boot — it's the package we recommend.
Things I Don't Like About Mac OS X
The problem is that it's slow, slow to copy files, slow to display large directories, slow to resize large windows, and forgetful about whether it should be in icon view, list view or column view.
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
Top Stories
Portable Computers Are A Class Act In Merrick
Recently, teacher Christine Corwin has been having a little problem at the end of her science class: the eighth-graders don't want to stop working on their assignments.
For New Developers, X Marks The Spot
For its part, Apple is coy about how OS X figures into plans to broaden the company's market. But Apple makes no secret that it's happy OS X seems to be adding new developers to the fold.
Time For More Mac Coverage?
The Mac is not only back, but it looks to have a solid future in the enterprise as well.
News
Woz Interview
talking to Wiz
Apple Store Headed For Mall Of America
The mall's confirmation comes in the wake of recent reports that Apple plans to open several retail stores across the nation.
Eudora 5.1 Final Candidate 2 Released
Apple Offers RAM Instant Rebate Promotion
Soundblaster Arrives, Sleep Issues?
Apple In Crisis
The credibility of Apple's sales channel is in tatters with the IT distribution community, following the collapse of the $200 million Buzzle reseller consortium and frantic attempts by some of the consortia members to de-merge themselves from Buzzle.
Apple Confirms US$100 Price Drop On GeForce3 Video Card
Woo Needs ADC? Converter Helps Bring Cinema Display To The Masses
The DVI to ADC Converter Box is available for US$299.
Opinion
Turned Around On The Turnaround
What if we're looking for the next tech boom in all the wrong places?
More On Phantom Feature
Julio thanks Steve but wonders whether Macintosh users without newspaper soapboxes ever get similar treatment.
Review
New Mac And PC Operating Systems Are Works In Progress
My advice is to give even OS X a miss until a revamped version arrives later this year. Install it in the meantime, and you might face another tough choice: Advil or Tylenol?
Wintel
AMD Shipping 1.5GHz Athlons As 1 GHz Chips?
Apparently, Athlons capable of reaching that speed are currently going out under 1GHz or 1.33GHz labels, which have been picked up by intrepid overclockers and pushed to the higher performance levels.
Intel Steps Up Push For iSCSI Spec
Intel Corp. is making a push to help get the iSCSI protocol adopted in the data storage industry.
Intel Eyes Middle East For Growth
Intel is looking to emerging markets to boost its business and is keen on expansion in the Middle East despite regional political turmoil, a company representative said.
Monday, April 9, 2001
Top Stories
Beware Of Installers Bearing Package Part II
Until Apple does respond to these issues, you should treat every installer .pkg as having the potential to disable your Mac OS X installation, and cost you time, money and data.
Digging Deeper Into Mac OS X
That's right, the same tools used to create Mac OS X and its applications are now in your hands. Apple has empowered users of Mac OS X to go a bit further with their exploration, to go a bit further and create their own applications. It's a good time to own a Mac.
Sick Of The Hype? Let's Put Mac OS X Into Perspective
But despite its shortcomings, OS X is an ambitious upgrade that offers a lot of important new features.
News
Adobe Announces Availability Of Acrobat 5.0
Acrobat 5.0 sports tighter Web integration, support for Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) to integrate PDF use into back-end databases, and easier data exchange in PDF files through support for Extensible Markup Language, or XML.
LaCie Ships 75GB FireWire Hard Drive
Hard drive maker LaCie today announced the availability of a 75GB external FireWire-based hard drive, which it says is the industry's largest FireWire drive.
iTunes Hit By Kerbango Closure
Kerbango cost 3Com $80 million when it purchased the company in June 2000.
Opinion
The Mega Marketing Of Megahertz
We are told to believe that a computer's megahertz is a rating of how fast a computer is. And like almost everything else, the faster the better. Or so we think!
Review
Mac OS X Quite Cool, But Don't Dig In Yet
The answer from the Magic Mac Eight Ball: "Answer hazy; try again after Macworld Expo in July."
Wintel
New Pentium 4 Coming Amid Price Cuts
Intel will release a 1.7GHz Pentium 4 processor in a little over two weeks into a market that is awash in price cuts and discounts.
Dell Admits Job Cuts Mean He 'Screwed Up'
A lot of the staff are unhappy about the way Dell handled the layoffs.
Q&A: Bill Gates Tells All
Microsoft chairman and chief software architect talks to eCompany Now about XML, .Net, and the future of e-business.
Sunday, April 8, 2001
Top Stories
All Hail The (No-Crash) Landing Of Mac OS X
Hallelujah for Aqua. One can only wonder how long it will take Bill Gates to find a way to add a Dock to Windows.
News
Apple May Open Twin Cities Retail Store
The posting said Apple is looking for several full-time "technical support specialists needed for [a] special project." The requirements are "extensive Macintosh knowledge, hardware repair and customer service skills."
Opinion
Is The iMac Dead?
What we know for sure is that the iMac needs some changing, or else it might very well be dead.
Wintel
Xerox Bans Windows XP Beta After 'Major Network Outages'
The printer giant sent round an email on Wednesday telling staff that Xerox had experienced "three major network outages since Friday, March 30, that are directly traceable to the installation of the Microsoft Windows XP Beta (Whistler) code on devices attached to the Xerox production network."
Saturday, April 7, 2001
Top Stories
Mac OS X 10.0: A MacFixIt Perspective
In essence, one of Mac OS X's greatest advantages - that it runs via a UNIX core called Darwin - also looms as one of its greatest liabilities.
Wireless LANs Not For Everybody
Wireless LANs are still 10 times slower than modern switched Ethernet LANs and are more than twice the price, and they cannot deliver the total site capacity of their wired Ethernet cousins.
Linux Founder Trashes Mac oS X Foundation
The forthcoming autobiography from Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux operating system and figurehead of the open-source movement, promises to cast a shadow over Apple Computer's newly released OS X, parts of which Torvalds describes in less-than-flattering terms.
News
Opinion
Test App Finds OS X's Aqua To Be 'X' Times Slower?
The reasons for the performance gap is likely in part due to the added graphics features of OS X.
For Those Who Think There Are No OS X Apps
Dell's Spring Fever For Apple
There must be something in the air to make Rollins overstate his case... What could it be?
Four Years Of Low End Mac
If you've enjoyed the ride, stick around. We plan on being here for the long haul.
Review
Font-Smoothing In Mac OS X
Of all the browsers that are available for Mac OS X, none, except for OmniWeb 4.0, presently take full advantage of the built-in font-smoothing features of Mac OS X.
Stuffit Deluxe 6.0
StuffIt Deluxe remains a capable and full-featured compression utility. Although its new features are intriguing, weíre far more interested in seeing StuffItís best elements brought to Mac OS X.
Wintel
No Intel Inside
Big chip maker, residents at odds over Texas project.
Microsoft To Quiz BlackBerry Owners
Next week, engineers from Microsoft's Usability Group will be observing and interviewing professionals who use Research In Motion's popular BlackBerry pagers. The pagers allow subscribers to send and receive e-mail and Internet data through a miniature keyboard and small display. Deluxe models also include Palm-like organizer functions.
Microsoft Tightens Its Web Focus
The company's annual executive restructuring shows Redmond is banking on the success of its .Net initiative.
Microsoft Gets Personal (.Net)
Microsoft Corp. is forming a group to build a new paid-subscription service for consumers, and restructuring a long-running development effort that had been viewed as internal competition for the company's popular Office software.
New Pentium 4 Coming Amid Price Cuts
Intel will release a 1.7GHz Pentium 4 processor in a little over two weeks into a market that is awash in price cuts and discounts.
Friday, April 6, 2001
Top Stories
No Windfall For Apple
Everyone in the IT industry should thank Apple for bringing style and innovation to an industry that often lacks both. Happy anniversary, Apple. Long may you continue.
Send Hoem Movies To Grandma With DVD-Recording Software
A sharply lower price is Compaq's only advantage here. When it comes to the actual experience of creating a DVD, Apple wins hands down.
Why You Should Be Using FireWire
I have long been a proponent of FireWire and it heartens me to no end that it seems to finally be getting some traction.
High Priest Of The PC
More than almost any other man, Jobs may claim to have changed forever the way the world works, lives and plays.
New iMac Line Is Fast, Fun And Still Fresh
Three years is a long time in this business, but no Windows computer provides the iMac's mix of performance, versatility, simplicity and design elegance. Even in its advanced age, the iMac is a superb consumer computer.
News
AirPort 1.3 Goes International
Apple has released an International English version of AirPort 1.3 for Mac OS 9.
Apple Likely To Miss Q3 Estimates; Slight Risk To Q2
Specker cited "further weakness in consumer PC demand during March" as a reason behind his bearish outlook.
Eudora 5.1 Goes Final Candidate
Apache 2.0 Public Beta Ready For Download
Changes to 2.0 include support for threaded processing, and the addition of Apache Portable Run-time, which enables the software to be ported to more platforms.
Newsreader App Now Mac OS X Ready
Dell Helps Knock Apple 7% Higher
Magazines Launch OS X Ad Program
This program is designed as a "bridge" advertising program for developers, allowing them to promote Mac OS X products to the Macintosh installed base as it upgrades to the new operating system.
Opinion
Is Mac OS X A Threat To Linux?
In my opinion, Apple's Mac OS X has the best of both worlds.
Slanted Report Touts Dell's Assault On Apple's Education Sales
The flip side is that Apple does a miserable job working with journalists, especially with the Web.
Best Of The Mac Web
This is an opinion survey, but I believe it will accurately reflect what regular Mac Web surfers think of the listed sites.
OS X: Leveraging The Success Of UNIX
"With OS X, the same team that develops the server software could be retained to develop the client-side software and could do so a lot faster. The erosion effect that the proliferation of PCs on the desktop has had on UNIX's presence cannot be underestimated. The return of OS X to the desktop is a major plus for UNIX software companies that want to grow."
Review
Microsoft Office 2001: More Of The Same
20 Bugs In Mac OS X 10.0
Let's get a look at some of the MOSX 10.0 bugs I have run into. This is not a complete list. It will take up a series of columns to identify them all. But, there is my first cut.
Wintel
Private Microsoft Suit Wins Class-Action Status
A Minnesota state judge ruled that a consumer antitrust suit accusing Microsoft of overcharging customers who bought the Windows operating system through middlemen can move forward as a class-action case.
Dell Shows Slip In Revenue
Dell Computer on Thursday delivered the news that Wall Street had been expecting: It will post its first quarter-to-quarter revenue decline in 17 years.
AMD Execs Rake In Rewards Of Porfitable 2000
Advanced Micro Devices experienced its first profitable year since 1995 last year, and the compensation its executives received reflects the change.
Intel Has Work Cut Out In Communications
Although it's a relative newcomer to communications, Intel is aiming to become the top provider in chips and software to the industry, said the division's new head executive.
Microsoft Neuters Bluetooth
Bluetooth, the wireless technology that is supposed to connect cell phones, handheld computers and other devices in a personal-area network, remains all bark and no bite.
Thursday, April 5, 2001
Top Stories
A Fix For The Apple Firmware Update And Unrecognized PowerBook G4 RAM Problem?
Yes, you can bring back a "dead" chip that has been tossed by Apple's firmware update, right in place.
PC Makers' Cash Piles A Buffer In Tough Times
Not that analysts are suggesting that Apple and other vendors of personal computers such as Gateway are unlikely to survive the downturn.
Bad Days To Be An Apple Dealer?
A slowdown in sales is hurting more than just Apple Computer, with a number of Mac retailers running into trouble.
News
Woz 'magic' On Apple's 25th Birthday
Apple co-founder Steve "Woz" Wozniak believes operating systems are not as easy to create as they once were.
Documenting Yugoslavia
"Using QuickTime, we can embed more than one media element per page. Whether it's panoramas or videos, we can make a story a lot more interesting that way."
Going For A 10: Mac OS X Isn't Perfect, But It May Lift Personal Computing To A New Standard
Apple Splits With Sears
Though it will soon leave Sears and has already exited the Best Buy chain, Apple still has a strong presence in Circuit City and CompUSA stores. Furthermore, the break with Sears prompted speculation that Apple may launch its own retail channel.
Apple Inks Deal For Chicago Store
AppleWorkds 6.1 Ready
Fans of the productivity suite will be happy to learn that version Works 6.1 now features DataViz MacLinkPlus translators that let you view, modify, share and exchange Microsoft Office documents.
Apple Bans PC SDRAM For Users Own Good
Actually, we suspect the motivation to be financial. Mac users are still free to buy suitable SDRAM from any supplier - it's not as if 3-2-2 is a proprietary memory scheme - but it does ensure that Apple's tech support should be plagued with far fewer call-outs due to poor quality RAM.
Opinion
All Dressed Up, But No Place To Go
But even with all the impressive new features of OS X, I reluctantly came to the conclusion that with its March rollout to retail stores, Apple has simply raised the price of its public beta program by a hundred bucks.
Exploiting Hailstorm
Well, with a brand new, fantastically stable and robust operating system, Apple could easily capitalize on the uneasiness of the Windows user.
Two Buttons Too Different?
Will the Mac remain the one mouse button computer forever?
Apple's Response To The Firmware Upgrade Fiasco Is Arrogant And Unsatisfactory
The minimum Apple should do is supply an antidote to the firmware upgrades that would restore the previous status quo.
Anecdotal Evidence: OS X Runs Much Slower On G4 Cube Than On Other Machines?
This report begs a question: what is the difference between a G4 Cube and any other newer Mac?
Review
Very Fine Powerbook Design
Apple's titanium-clad laptop will turn heads; 500MHz machine also outruns 600MHz Pentium III.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies
The Back-UPS Pro USB 500 Clear's excellent file-saving feature and quality design make it a solid choice for protecting files from power interruptions.
iMac SE 600
With its fast G3 processor, improved ATI Rage 128 Ultra video accelerator and its excellent bundle of gaming software, the newest top of the line iMac Special Edition could easily be called the iMac Gamerís Edition.
How Can I Secure My Mac OS X Machine?
OS X And AirPort
The more I use Mac OS X, the better I like it. Setting the operating system up to access the AirPort network in our home was no problem at all.
Wintel
WinXP - The Screenshots
Regular users might simply be annoyed by what appears to be needless changes of names and shuffling of menu structures. Which goes for a lot of the new "UI."
Where Are Microsoft's Subscription Licenses?
Microsoft's hit a speed bump in its plans to test subscription licenses.
Microsoft Redrawing Visual Studio.Net
Microsoft has gone back to the drawing board to retool its Visual Basic programming language in response to developer complaints over planned changes.
Wednesday, April 4, 2001
Top Stories
Dell Tries To Nab More Schools From Apple
Dell Computer plans to sell more PCs to schools and universities in China, Brazil, India and Germany in a further assault on Apple Computer's education sales.
News
Myth III 'best Ever'
Myth III: The Wolf Age promises to be the best version of the award-winning strategy game released so far, according to Andrew Meggs, lead programmer for the game's developer Mumbo Jumbo.
Dance Evolves At Grinnell
"It's not just dance and music, it's visual images and combining it in a way that is really new."
Apple Retailer ComputerWare Closes
The company that boasted "all we do is Mac" is calling it quits.
Apple Responds To Firmware Update Problems
Sound Jam And OS X Incompatible
If you're using Casady and Greene's Sound Jam with Mac OS X, you better stop. Even though a Carbonized version of the MP3 player, encoder, and organizer of digital music was announced last fall, C&G has found some problems.
Review
Jeopardy
If you're a trivia buff, there's plenty here to keep you entertained. But we're going back to watching it on TV.
Wintel
Xbox Beta Slips A Notch
The Xbox development schedule has slipped a notch, but not enough yet to delay the launch this autumn, and Microsoft says development is still on track.
New Microsoft Acquisition Diving Into A .Net
Great Plains Software Inc., which Microsoft (stock: MSFT) is expected to acquire this month, is developing a unique portal technology called Business Desk that will give users different user interfaces to corporate data depending on their role in an organization.
Pocket PC Settlement Chastens Microsoft, HP`
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard have agreed not to run ads in the future that suggest Pocket PC-based handheld computers come with built-in wireless Internet access, the Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday.
Tuesday, April 3, 2001
Top Stories
What Is Mac OS X 10.0?
Exercise: compare the Aqua Icons screen saver to the traditional "flying Windows Logo" screensaver that Microsoft ships. That's the difference between Apple and Microsoft in a nutshell.
And My New Desktop Will Be...
The truth is that for most of 2001, if you want a good desktop operating system, you need one that was out in 2000. The future is coming, but it's not quite here yet.
Ten For Ten: FreeHand Update Runs On OS X
In the latest version of FreeHand, Macromedia gives users a Master Pages feature to speed up workflow, a Contour Gradients tool that easily adds depth to illustrations, and tighter integration with Flash. But these days, the only thing many Mac users want to talk about is OS X and when developers will come out with retooled applications that take advantage of the new operating system. No sweat, Macromedia says†—†FreeHand 10 runs natively in OS X, as well.
News
Be Axes 25 Per Cent Of Staff
The redundancies come just days after Be warned its ongoing viability as business has been called into question by its continued losses and accumulated deficit.
Flaw In Popular Wireless Standard
The flaws could make it possible for an intruder who is physically close to a wireless computer network to masquerade as a legitimate user in a supposedly private network.
Apple In Brand Marketing Hall Of Fame
Netscape Releases Communicator 4.77
Symantec: Norton Software Compatible With OS X
Software publisher Symantec Corp. today announced that much of its Norton-branded diagnostic and utility software for the Macintosh will work with Mac OS X "through bootable compact disk and Mac OS 9.1, included with Mac OS X."
Creative Labs' SoundBlaster Still MIA
According to the latest report we received, the cards have not even gone into duplication yet, though they should do so sometime this week.
Group Wants Apple To Update The Recent Firmware Update
Dave Dasilva has started a petition in an attempt to get Apple to release another firmware update, this one re-enabling RAM that the most recent firmware update disabled.
Opinion
PC Industry Should Act Together
Why doesn't the entire PC industry — Microsoft and all its hardware and software partners — take a year off from the usual new-model cycle and upgrade frenzy, and instead devote itself to rooting out incompatibilities and getting its support act together?
Review
Why The Apple OS X Was Worth The Wait
Camedia P-200
Portable printer is limited, but still a worthwhile tool for road warriors.
Wintel
Gateway Flees Canada, Scales Back In Europe
Gateway is shutting down all 10 Canadian outlets with the loss of 220 employees after just nine months as a retailer in the country.
Microsoft Announces Office XP Pricing
The rollout of a subscription model for Microsoft Corp.'s new Office XP productivity suite may be delayed beyond May 31, the date the packaged version hits retail stores, the company confirmed today.
Chip Furthers AMD's Computer Overhaul Plan
API NetWorks unveiled a chip Monday that bolsters a technology that Advanced Micro Devices hopes will give its products an edge over rival Intel.
Office XP Test Drive Almost Free
Microsoft borrowed a chapter from America Online's playbook Monday by announcing a free trial version of its forthcoming Office XP software.
Monday, April 2, 2001
Top Stories
Wireless Nets Making Move Into Offices
Tens of thousands of Macintosh buyers (at both the consumer and business level) effortlessly (well, almost effortlessly) enjoy instant wireless networking simply by adding a system called AirPort.
Overhauls
All in all, Apple has given consumers a very good new operating system, which will gradually get better. Now, it's Microsoft's turn.
News
FreeHand 10 Set For May Release
Its integration with Flash is much improved - FreeHand 10 has a Flash panel within the user interface - and designers "can now move easily" between the FreeHand and Flash authoring environments.
Apple Australia Places Biggest Dealer In Receivership
Apple Computer Australia has taken the extraordinary step of placing its biggest group of dealers - controlling close to 40 percent of Apple retail sales - into receivership.
What's Powering Mac OS X?
Beneath the fancy interface lies the power of UNIX harnessed in the operating system.
Opinion
OS X PPP Solution
Turning off TCP header compression allows you to use Internet applications in Classic in Mac OS X.
Review
Titanium PowerBook
The fact that the problems either went away or became less frequent with use shows that the issues are ultimately minor. I don't think any of the common problems are the result of poor design, only manifestations of production difficulties. As Apple produces more Titaniums, these issues will fade.
Wintel
Monti Raises Possibility Of Fresh EU Action Against Microsoft
Mario Monti, the European Union's competition commissioner, said on Friday that he would soon take a decision on whether to raise new objections to Microsoft's alleged abuses of its near-monopoly of personal computer operating software in Europe.
Sunday, April 1, 2001
News
UK Virtual Reality Firm Woos Apple
A small UK software company has come up with ingenious QuickTime-based virtual reality (VR) software that has attracted very strong interest from Apple.