Thursday, January 31, 2002
Top Stories
Apple's Tower Of Power
What's the thinking behind this latest Power Mac G4 release, and what does it portend for Apple's future moves on the pro desktop?
News
AppleWorks 6.2.2 Update Today:Optimized For OS X 10.1
7th-Graders Get Computers
Hampton begins test of education's future.
He's Wired Up
Rock musician embraces technology in the studio and at home.
MusicMatch Makes Play For Mac Users
MusicMatch, which makes programs for creating and organizing digital music, has launched one of the first music subscription services for Macintosh computers.
Playing To Apple's Strengths
Many media producers will need to stay with or occasionally return to OS 9 until the software plug-ins and other utilities they rely on become available for OS X. But the pieces are falling into place.
Opinion
Will Microsoft Dump Apple? Who Cares?
What Mac users want from Microsoft are real Mac applications, not ports from Windows. Microsoft got that message a number of years ago, and the Mac community appreciates the result.
Review
Wintel
Microsoft To Appoint Security Chief
Microsoft plans to appoint a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney to its top security position, company sources said Thursday.
EU Approves HP-Compaq
Europeans give all clear, Compaq calls it "important milestone."
Microsoft Judge: Settlement Changes?
A federal judge has asked Microsoft and the Justice Department to file a joint status report on their proposed settlement and, in an unusual move, has asked if they're planning any changes to the settlement in response to public comments.
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
News
Governor Vows To Keep Laptop Idea Alive
The governor said Maine got a lucrative deal with Apple, which was willing to provide computers, network equipment and wiring for $10 million to $15 million les than market value.
Governor's Computer Proposal Faces Rough Go
Even lawmakers who were previously supportive of the proposal during better economic times, are now in a hurry to kill the plan and use the money for other state needs.
Opinion
Being A Mac Pack Rat
I'm here today to recommend that you do keep old hardware around if you have the space and don't have anything better to do with it.
An Opening For Apple
The next frontier for Jobs & Co. will be melding its user-friendly technologies into an emerging generation of consumer electronics.
Sidetrack
Google does not allow pop-up ads of any kind on their site. Very good idea! This web site (myapplemenu) doesn't either. In fact, this web site have no advertisement whatsoever.
Wintel
Back Microsoft And Win An iPaq
Just a tool to get people involved, and certainly not a bribe.
Microsoft Expands Mobile Program
Microsoft plans to announce Wednesday the expansion of its program for partner companies that create hardware and software for its mobile products.
Press Denied Access To MS Antitrust Depositions
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly approved a Microsoft motion that removes the obligation to allow public access to witness interviews.
Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Drops On-Site Service From One-Year Warranty
The dramatic change in policy affects only warranties of products announced beginning this year.
X Photoshop Delay 'Not Deliberate'
Adobe has denied it is deliberately delaying an OS X version of Photoshop because of a strained relationship with Apple.
News
Security-Conscious Groups Ban Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is being banned from some high-tech institutions because of security concerns.
Sony's Station.com Producer Outlines Mac Support
"There are 35 free games on the service right now, and by the time we're done making those all Mac compatible, we'll have even more."
iCab 2.7.1: Maintenance Release To Browser
Laptop Foe Cites Abuse In Virginia
Maine has foreseen many of the problems, and has required "some pretty significant commitments" in the final contract with Apple.
HyperCard Stacks Native On OS X: Hail The Revolution!
Do you have HyperCard or Supercard stacks that you are tired of running in Classic mode?
Avid Xpress DV Coming To Mac OS X
Avid Xpress DV is the company's solution for non-linear editing.
Cookie Monster Bites Netscape And Mozilla Users
Masquerade risk unmasked
Laptop Scheme Promises To Deliver
The initiative has been called the biggest ever single schools computer purchase - but there are concerns that such projects are too expensive.
Opinion
Hey, Apple! Guess What? Inside Mater, Too
Apple's hardware product lines are understandably smaller than the cumulative options available in the competing Windows camp. However, this smaller palette to choose from should also bring with it a greater commitment to quality and reliability.
Will Microsoft Pull The Plug On Apple?
Microsoft needs to go even further and expand its Mac OS support, because aside from Office, Microsoft's Mac support, well, sucks.
Short Take: Whore Or Prostitute? Mac Web Can Sell Its Soul & Stay True, Too
The Mac Web has no choice but to "grow or go." — and growing costs money while going doesn't.
Would We Really Want Apple To Dominate The Computer Market?
I believe that there is nothing to apologize for in the pursuit of excellence and the maintenance of standards.
An Objective Look At The State Of The Mac
"There are some fundmental things that made the Mac the productive place that it was, and some of those features have either been taken away, or are in the process of being taken away."
Review
Apple iPod
If you're an Apple fanatic, iPod is the perfect personal stereo.
Jeopardy 2
Jeopardy 2 captures wonderfully the flavor of a hit game show and makes it fun to play at home, too.
Sidetrack
Did you know that Ian McKellen, the wizard Gandalf the Grey in "Lord of the Rings", is another fellow Mac user? Although, he admits, he can't tell you what kind of car he drives.
Wintel
States Pushed To Examine Passport
A privacy group on Tuesday asked state law enforcement authorities to examine Microsoft's Passport online identity service, saying it exposes consumers to fraud, junk electronic mail and identity theft.
Experts Lend Opinions On Microsoft
Dell CFO Sees Stable PC Demand, Won't Call Recovery
Demand for PC appears to be stabilizing after falling for about two years, although when sales will actually pick up is not clear.
Microsoft, Opponents Make Cases To Judge
Efforts to sway the federal judge handling the Microsoft antitrust case played out in a public campaign yesterday as the company and its rivals released thick reports, cited prominent legal and economic names, and skirmished over lobbying tactics.
Monday, January 28, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Refreshes Power Mac G4 Line
Apple updated its Power Mac G4 line with 800MHz, 933MHz, and dual-1GHz configurations.
X Photoshop Delay 'Not Deliberate'
Adobe has denied it is deliberately an OS X version of Photoshop because of a strained relationship with Apple.
News
Apple Brings Power Macs Up To Speed
Apple on Monday broke the 1GHz barrier not once but twice with the delivery of new Power Macs.
New iMac Begins Shipping: 150,000 Pre-Orders
Europe: More Critical Than Ever
Pascl Cagni, Apple Computer Inc.'s top manager in Europe, hadn't used a Macintosh computer until he took the job in April 2000.
Opinion
Is The Mac Web Selling Its Soul?
It just seems that it's the antithesis of what the Mac community has always been about.
Mac OS X: Game Developer's Playground
Mac OS X goes a long way toward rewriting the economic rules of GUI application development.
Review
PowerMail V3.1
For people serious about their e-mail, that thirty day demo will most likely result in years of devoted use.
Sidetrack
Time's editor picked the usual responses from readers about the iMac article.
Wintel
Microsoft, AOL End Document Scuffle
AOL Time Warner and Microsoft on Monday resolved their differences over which documents will be released as part of the ongoing litigation int he software giant's antitrust trial.
Bill's Biggest Bet Yet
The richest people on earth have created a fund of more than $24 billion to save the poorest from disease. How much of a difference can Bill and Melinda Gates make?
Intel Tweaks CPU Prices
Situation normal
Has Microsoft Met Its Match?
AOL could be the one company to offer it a real court battle.
Compaq Blade Servers Go On Sale
Compaq Computer has begun selling its first "blade" servers, networked computers stacked side-by-side so that 280 can fit in a single six-foot-tall rack, the company will announce Monday.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Top Stories
Wireless Computers Offer Students Digital Learning Experience
As Quaker Valley winds up its first semester as one of the three Digital School Districts in the state, the nature of learning is changing at the high school.
News
Turning Macs On Thievery
In a story that is probably unique, R.D. Bridges recovered his sister's stolen iMac using Netopia's Timbuktu Pro.
Working Hard For Hue
Popular color isn't just "in the wind" each season. It's generated by high-wind machines like Pantone.
Mine's Plan For Laptops Goes Forward
Despite a budget crunch, Maine is sticking with its plan to put a computer into the lap of every seventh- and eighth-grader in the state.
Shockwave Player Comes To Mac OS X
Public Beta Of Norton Utilities For Mac OS X Out
This beta version includes: Norton Disk Doctor, FileSaver, UnErase and Scheduler components.
Opinion
Own It All, Apple, Please: Homepage, iPhoto, Netscape 6, & The Problems
Owning the whole experience means taking care of all the details, even the ones you'd rather not advertise.
Review
The iPod Protector
This is a good, basic case for your iPod. There's nothing wrong with it, but nothing remarkable either.
iMac "All-In-One" Is A Trinity
The resulting ambiance is something that would make a Gucci store proud.
Epson Stylus C80
Excellent bundle of features in a low-priced ink-jet printer.
Sidetrack
Wintel
The Week In Review: Courting Microsoft
No stranger to the courtroom, Microsoft found itself embroiled in a barrage of legal filings related to its antitrust woes, but that doesn't mean the software giant took it lying down.
Friday, January 25, 2002
Top Stories
Getting Close To The New iMac
The new iMac is an exceptionally designed system for Mac fans. And $1,799 is a great price.
News
9 Maine Schools To Get Laptops In March
The first nine of 241 Maine schools will receive laptop computers in March. But some cash-strapped legislators searching for alternatives to close a $272 million budget shortfall urged the administration to delay the proposal's implementation.
Opinion
How Living On A Mac Nearly Made Me Change Careers
I'm having a good time and learning things — including my real calling in life.
Review
Apple Of Your iPhoto
With its excellent concept and feature set, iPhoto will clearly be the way Mac users organize their photos for years to come, but we'll have to wait for version 2.0 before we can get too excited.
21st Century Walkman?
Apple's iPod is cool, but don't expect it to be music's future.
Wintel
Gates Has History Of Investing In Cable Industry
Bill Gates invested $500 million of his own money and that of his family's charitable foundation last October in Cox Communications Inc., the nation's fifth-largest cable company.
Thursday, January 24, 2002
Top Stories
To Go Mac Or Not To Go Mac? That Is The Question...
Mac users truly like their computer and its interface.
Why Apple Has That Special Glow
Judging by all the screens at Macworld emitting OS X's aqua-blue aura, it sure looks like the new operating system has achieved liftoff.
News
Opinion
Apple: At What Price Innovation?
Innovation is going to suffer when the main concern of most PC makers is merely to stay in business. And that doesn't bode well for Apple.
6 Million iMacs Later
You must see the actual computer — and when you do, you'll most likely agree with me: The new iMac is not a gimmick.
Review
Apple's New iPhoto Handles Thousands Of Digital Pictures
iPhoto is a winner.
Web Feast For Apple Enthusiasts
The Web is full of Mac-related Web sites of all types and credibility levels, sites that have full-time editorial staffs and sites that are based in spare bedrooms.
Wintel
Microsoft Fires Back At AOL
"AOL can't have it both ways. Their uncooperative attitude on document production stands in stark contrast to their active, behind-the-scenes involvement with the non-settling states."
Risks May Outweigh '.Net' Good
In AOL's Suit Against Microsoft, The Key Word Is Access
"This lawsuit is about the future and how that future will play out. AOL is trying to challenge the Microsoft threat here and now."
Microsoft, Government Share The Hot Seat
An antitrust research group said on Wednesday it plans to file a lawsuit against Microsoft and the U.S. Justice Department, charging that both failed to fully disclose contacts that led to a proposed settlement of the case against the software giant.
Monday, January 21, 2002
News
Shawn King Is (Was) The Mac Show...
Shawn is resigning due to 'philosophical differences.'
Sunday, January 20, 2002
Top Stories
Henrico To Put Limits On Students' Laptop Use
During the service recall, such widely abused functions as games and music downloads, which teachers have complained have damaged instruction time, will be eliminated or heavily restricted.
Apple Gives Corporations The Cold Shoulder
Macworld was a big success for Apple. But for corporate IT buyers, it was basically a washout.
News
Secrets Of The Trade: Projecting An Air Of Mystery Helps Generate A Buzz
In technology circles these days, the best way to get people talking about a new product is to just shut up.
Building Creativity Into The Box
Electronics companies hope new devices will spur imaginations... and sales.
Macworld: Java Is Alive And Well On The Mac
Mac OS X gives Java developers unprecedented opportunities.
Apple Tries Hard To Keep A Secret
Why does Apple keep things so quiet, and how? It turns out Apple's motivation for keeping secrets comes down to two things: survival and marketing.
Apple Has Under 3 Percent Of World Market
Finally, A Chance For Apple To Flourish
Steve Jobs certainly has the needed pieces. The key question: Will its hot products and a major retail effort boost market share?
Why OS X May Be A Growth Factor
Apple's new Unix-based operating system could help plug a glaring historic hole: The lack of Mac software.
Thinking Different About Apple's Stock
It goes like this: So what if its market share is minuscule? The hot iPod and iMac portend stronger sales, profits, and maybe even share.
Can Jobs "Think Outside The Pretty Box"?
Interface guru Jef Raskin, who helped design the first Mac, says Apple has to get beyond its "form fetish."
A Talk With Apple's Mr. Marketer
Phil Schiller discusses the "dramatic change" that is OS X, Apple's new products, and who's going to be biting.
Opinion
New iMac Mighty, But How Many Will Notice?
Toward A Hack-Proof Mac
Apple has made considerable progress — but not quite enough — in patching holes and improving security since the release of OS X.
Review
Wintel
Civil Service Eyes Non-Microsoft Software
The Singapore civil service is evaluating whether it should use free, open source software programs instead of relying solely on Microsoft Corp's costly 'Office' software.
Who Wins If AOL Swallows RedHat?
Trick question
Would You Try Life Without Microsoft?
It's hard to fault CIOs looking for some kind of viable alternative to Microsoft. But maybe the angst over Microsoft is the kind of general resentment that most of us have for anything that we can't live without, or at least, are afraid to attempt life without.
Saturday, January 19, 2002
Sidetrack
Rumormonger-ing by MacMinute: Power Mac G4 expected to break 1GHz next week.
Wintel
Linux Quake3 Rocks Win-XP Quake3 On New P4
Dell Raises Profit Forecast, Saying Holiday Sales Were Strong
Increasing its lead over competitors in the sputtering personal computer business, Dell raised its sales and profit forecasts yesterday for the current quarter.
Intel Preparing New Mobile Chips
Intel will launch a line of new chips for mobile PCs next week that includes a low-cost Celeron running at more than 1GHz.
Xbox Drags On Microsoft Profit
While Microsoft is touting strong initial sales for the Xbox, analysts say the new video game console will be a drag on the company's bottom line for at least another year.
Ad Slump Has Microsoft Looking Aborad
Microsoft said Friday that its $100 million investment to build its online advertising sales force is beginning to pay off in Europe, even as the global online advertising slump appears to be worsening.
Friday, January 18, 2002
Top Stories
iMac Hopefuls Face Longer Waits
Strong demand for Apple Computer's new top-of-the-line iMac means a longer wait for prospective buyers.
Jonathan Ive: Apple Of The Mac
With the release of the new iMac, its chief designer Jonathan Ive has cemented his reputation as the Armani of Apple. So what motivates the man whose motto remains "Sorry, no beige"?
Apple: Lofty Goals Breed Mistrust
We are less optimistic about the near future as management has already set a precedent of failing to meet its retail goals and creating the need to backtrack.
News
New iMac To Remain In Homes
Apple Australia probably has a consumer hit on its hands with the 'lamp stand' iMac, but it wonít make much of a dent in the corporate market.
Opinion
Expo's Other Big Hit: iPhoto
Some of iPhoto's limitations are due to its version 1.0 status, but politics also may be to blame.
Apple's iPod Continues To Defy The Naysayers
Back in late October when Apple's new iPod MP3 player was first introduced, it was met with much fanfare, including a slew of positive reviews. Despite the high praise, anti-Apple naysayers still cast doubts on the success of Apple's latest digital innovation. But strong iPod sales and other factors have proved the naysayers wrong. As it turns out, the iPod's features could have justified a price as much as US$50 more than what Apple charged.
Apple's Financial Results And Other Thoughts
No matter how good you thought Apple's financial news was before reading this, hopefully you walk away with even more confidence in the results.
Review
Inside iPhoto: Image Management For Power Shooters
Since I've been using it, I'm surprised to see how refined the first version release is.
Start The Year With A Computer Cleanup
iPhoto: Bringing Photography Out Of The Darkroom
The most promising features are those that link iPhoto with services on the Internet.
Sidetrack
We Know It's Coming...
And it's here. Introducing, Luxo Redux.
Exploding Windows
Exploding chips could foil laptop thieves: obvious joke ó now, you really have a reason to fear the classic bomb dialog.
Random
What's the point of the instant awake-from-sleep feature of Mac OS X, when my very first click into my web browser brings me the rainbow disc of death, and loud spinning of the hard disk for, I don't know, forever. Do you think I can use this to convince my wife that we should start budgeting for a TiBook? :-)
Scobleizer: Did I ever tell you about the time that Bill Gates personally promised me that Visual Basic would be ported to the Macintosh? He did, and it still hasn't.
You know what... I've already seen people using the acroymn ASS to refer to this wonderful Apple product. It's the backend!
Wintel
US Stocks Open Down After IBM, Microosft Disappoint
The Meter Is Running
Microsoft came up with a new subscription licensing model, saying it made life simple for corporate IT. But CIOs are now saying the plan is a long ride with a fare that keeps climbing.
Intel Sabotaged Solaris On Itanic - Sun
Intel had withheld key technical information and resources from Sun engineers, forcing Sun to shelve the project.
Thursday, January 17, 2002
Top Stories
Radical New iMacs Boast Power, Features At Competitive Prices
This is an excellent computer with plenty of power and an innovative ergonomic design. I didn't swoon over its looks, but I very much enjoyed using it.
News
A Silicon Valley Funeral For Be Inc
The most romantic of all Silicon Valley start-ups finally ran into the auctioneer's hammer.
'Cheese!' To 'Print,' In One Step
Canon, HP and Epson have recently hit upon a clever invention that vastly simplifies the route from camera to paper: direct-print photo printers.
Apple's Retail Stores Show Positive Data On Customers
40 percent of the people who bought computers at the 27 retail stores were first-time users of Macintosh machines. The figure, analysts say, is an encouraging sign for the company's strategy of trying to lure newcomers to Macintosh.
DigitalFilm Tree Follows 'Rules Of Attraction'
The film, which Lion Gate expects to release in April 2002, is the first studio-backed feature to be edited entirely with Final Cut Pro.
Apple's Jobs Turns To Gadgets Amid Slack PC Market
Some investors are more intrigued by the company's iPod, introduced in November.
Apple Ups 2Q Targets
The new guidance helped lift shares of Apple 96 cents to $21.74 in after-hours trading, but that was only following a lost of 92 cents in regular-hours trading ahead of the after-market earnings report.
Opinion
Mac Faithful May Resurrect The Tech Sector With Spending
This will be the year that the Macintosh faithful — a 5 percent minority in the digital world — single-handedly pull the tech industry out of its economic funk.
Wintel
Microsoft Posts Record Sales
Microsoft whizzed past analysts' sales projects, but missed earnings estimates by two cents a share.
Microsoft Profits Expected To Drop
Profits are expected to fall about 9 percent from a year earlier even though revenue has risen, due to sales of more lower-margin products and heavy marketing expenses.
Microsoft Announces Corporate Strategy Shift Toward Security And Privacy
Gates referred to the new philosophy as "Trustworthy COmputing" and called it the "highest priority" to ensure computer users continue to venture across an increasingly Internet-connected world.
Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Says iMac Demand Tops Own Expecations
Apple has seen the strongest new-product demand for the redesigned iMac desktop computer since the original iMac three years ago.
iPhoto A Day Late, But Not A Dollar Short
Megahypersuperdouble-plus-robo cool.
News
Apple, Long On Design, Falls Short On Revenue
If Apple is looking for financial results that will get the kind of reception its sleek line of iMacs did a week ago, it has a ways to go.
New iMac Has Fans Salivating
Apple once again has Macheads drooling.
Windows Media Player 'Super Cookies' Could Help Track Users
A user identification technology built into Microsoft's Windows Media Player could enable Web sites to track users, a privacy watchdog warned today.
Opinion
Pro User's Perspective On The New iMac (And Other Apple Revelations)
This is an exciting time to watch for longtime power users who have been waiting for a modern OS from Apple for many years, and are now seeing it become mainstream.
The Challenge: If I Go Mac, Will I Ever Go Back?
Can a Windows-dependent technology columnist live happily as a Mac user? That's the question I am about to spend a month of my life trying to answer.
iMac Design Is Another Of Steve Jobs' Better Ideas
Will Apple finally have a mass-market hit?
Reality Check: iPhoto Report From The Field
The official stuff is all laid out in the iPhoto section at Apple.com, but you'll really learn a lot from the iPhoto discussion page.
Review
Streaming Video Slow To Pick Up Speed
Streaming video will take another four to five years before it enjoys rapid growth of traffic and revenues for telecom operators and video production companies.
Microsoft's Entourage X Perfect For Getting Organized
If you have a desire to organize your busy life, Entourage can definitely help you do the job.
Intiuit TurboTax Deluxe 2001
New version streamlines tax filing with expanded time-saving features.
iPhoto More Impressive Than iMac?
Apple appears to have done it right, and iPhoto is an application I hope others will learn from, and maybe even emulate.
Sidetrack
Reading Habits
Amazon.com's Purchase Circles listing:
Apple staff reads Making iMovies, Second Coming of Steve Jobs, and Mac OS X: The Complete Reference.
Dell staff reads Direct from Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry, Cheap Psychological Tricks for Lovers, and Cheap Psychological Tricks: What to Do When Hard Work, Honesty, and Perseverance Fail.
Random
Mac OS have been recognized one of the easiest-to-use OS in the world all these years despite the fact that the underlying technologies, until recently, weren't that great. That, I believe, really demonstrate how great the user-interface was.
Doc Searls: The idea behind OS X... is similar to the idea behind a large boat. It's designed to handle many kinds of failure, thoug in no case by sinking. With your flimsier operating system, the concept is a bit more like that of a car.
Arik Hesseldahl: Probably one of the biggest drawbacks of joining the hyper-connected set is a shortage of pockets. Carrying a mobile phone, PDA and maybe a wireless e-mail device like a Blackberry can become a logistical challenge. I gave up on pockets, and now carry a bag everywhere I go. Occasionally, with a PowerBook inside too. :-)
Wintel
Chips Ahoy
AMD competes with Intel, and the public wins. The right Microsoft antitrust settlement can bring the same energy back to the software market.
Intel Reluctant To Say Worst Is Now Over
Consultant May Decide Hewlett Deal
The next arena in the fight for the future of HP is an unlikely one — the offices in Rockville, Md., of Institutional Shareholder Services.
Tuesday, January 15, 2002
Top Stories
Flat-Screen iMac Wows Design Guru
Apple's new iMac has won the endorsement of the influential computer design guru Don Norman.
News
iMac Is No Threat To CRT Screens, Say Experts
Steve Jobs' proclamation of the 'death of CRT' may have been a bit premature, some experts feel.
A Flat, Flat, Flat Screen World
With Apple's sleek new iMac leading the way, flat screen displays are poised to muscle bulky TV-style computer monitors off desks and into dumpsters.
The Universal Serial Bus Is A Wonderful Thing
If you're a veteran, then you've just got to love USB.
Maine Laptop Plan Moves Closer To Reality
Two thousand teachers will get laptops this spring, and seventh-graders will see them this fall in 241 schools across Maine.
Desklamp Is A Head-Turner
However you look at it, there's no doubt Apple Computer's new iMac is different from any other PC you've seen.
Opinion
Mac Rant: It's A Safe Bet The G5 Is On Its Way This Year
If this G5 power prognostication comes tru,e the computer world will once again be subjected to yet another round of advertising from Apple rightfully claiming it produces the most powerful (and coolest) computers around.
21st Century Tech Strategy War: Apple Vs Microsoft
As usual, Apple and Steve Jobs are setting the standard for ease-of-use and for advanced elegant functionality.
Will Apple Roll Out New High-End G5s In March?
Apple's traditional release schedule is that shortly after new consumer products are announced, the company goes through a brief period when its consumer product feature set resembles that of the professional line.
Discussion: Steve Jobs And The Oh-So-Cool iMac
Boot This! Industrial Designs Gain Cool Factor
I'd wager [Apple] is the only computer manufacturer that makes something that can even be considered art.
Review
Sidetrack
MacFixIt found a draft version of the new iMac's service instructions — and, of course, have details on what they've found.
An Apple A Day: OSXfaq.com.
Wintel
Wanted: A Factory For Xbox In Asia
Microsoft said Tuesday that it was looking for a production base in Asia to manufacture its Xbox game console for the Japanese market.
Korea Migrates 120K Civil Servants To Linux Desktop
The Korean government is to buy 120,000 copies of Hancom Linux Deluxe this year, enough to switch 23 per cent of its installed base Microsoft user to open source equivalents.
Monday, January 14, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Thinks DIfferent
American consumers: Apple wants you.
Feedback About The New iMac
When you sell on style, there's no way to make everyone happy.
A Cover For Steve Jobs, A Faux Pas For Time
By flubbing an embargo and giving Web-happy night owls a premature glimpse of the new computer, timecanada.com broke Time's deal with Steve Jobs. By pulling down the article a few hours later, the site made it excruciatingly clear that there was indeed a deal.
News
Adobe May Ditch China Sales
Adobe may leave the Chinese market and other Asian region due to rampant piracy there, according to CEO Bruce Chizen.
Revamped iMac
Apple's new computer flattens company's old ideas.
Digital Photo Craze Leads To Services Growth
"Today, it's more of a side business for these companies. But in the future, there's some potential."
With A Little Bit Of Luxo
Apple's impresario, Steve Jobs, didn't miss a trick when he unveiled the new lamplike iMac.
LCD Market Not So Clear
Will there be enough flat-panel monitors to go around in 2002?
iMac Rumours 'will Hit Apple Xmas Sales'
Merrill Lynch has warned that Apple's sales for the three months to December will fall short of expectations.
New HP Inkjet, Scanner Coming This Month
HP is offering more bang for the buck in its digital imaging line with a new color inkjet printer and color scanner.
Opinion
Apple's New Magic Bullet?
Prognosticating about Apple's next moves, like hunting bear, can be a treacherous two-way street: Sometimes you get the drop on new Macs, and sometimes new Macs get the drop on you.
That New iMac: Tiny, White And Not Much Else
Were Apple's customers clamoring for a computer that looks like a desk lamp? They got one anyway.
Review
Love At First Sight
Windows XP doesn't give me what I want. A Mac does.
Radio 8 The Video Star
This software turns your PC or Mac into a real live broadcast facility. You're in control of the whole show, the name, style, look and feel, content, design, pictures, words, commentary amd most importantly: Links.
Sidetrack
Rumormonging...
Shawn King, in a mailing list: Unofficially, Apple has tested [the new iMac] with a Cinema Display.
Random
Just an early warning for folks who depends on the news feed... MyAppleMenu (i.e. me) will go on hiatus on Jan 21 till Jan 26.
Dan Gillmor: With the rise of search tools that unerringly bring you to the page you want, the need for a highly specific domain name ó one that a casual Web user would be able to guess ó has practically disappeared.
Wintel
School's Out For Microsoft
Perhaps it was always going to be too good to be true.
Microsoft Releases New Office Tools
Microsoft on Monday launched new tools for linking its Office desktop software into its growing .Net Web services plan.
Worm Posing As Microsoft Update Moving Slowly - Experts
The so-called "Gigger" worm is a low threat since so few computers have been infected.
AMD, Intel May Top Raised Estimates
The two rival chipmakers are expected to beat their forecasts, which were raised in December, when their fourth-quarter results come out.
Security Flaws May Be Pitfall For Microsoft
As the company shifts toward interactive services, its latest vulnerabilities do little to bolster customer confidence.
Goofy Dell Guy Exudes Star Power
Steven puts a friendly face on a category often intimidating to consumers: computers.
Sunday, January 13, 2002
Top Stories
The Shape Of Things To Come
Jonathan Ive can hardly believe it. "It's funny, it having been so, so secret. Now it's everywhere."
Apple's Music Player Wins Following
Following Apple tradition, the industrial design of the iPod is nothing short of cool and easy to use.
News
Time Right To Upgrade Computers
Upgrades are best for computers that are less than five years old and that lag only in a few areas.
Betting On Jobs
Some Apple admirers fret that Apple is a one-man band dependent on Jobs.
Net Watchdogs Criticize Time's Timing
Time came uncomfortably close to crossing the line that divides editorial and advertising.
This Week In Review: All Charged Up
Apple Computer stole the spotlight this week wtih the unveiling of its new iMac design amid a parade of new gadgets and gizmos from the annual Computer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Macworld Expo: Hidden Gems
Lesser known titles that perform an especially unique or impressive function.
Review
iPod, Nomad Power Players, But Not Perfect
It is a shame to see engineers designing products that deliberately are crippled in the name of ethics.
iPod: The Designers Got This One Right
Apple's digital music player is a cinch to use, has lots of memory — and it looks great.
Jukebox Talented, Tough, Bookish
Music lovers with computers will be drawn to this because it holds more tunes than competition and because it has some highly sophisticated high-fidelity features.
Saturday, January 12, 2002
Top Stories
The Best Revenge
Why the new iMacs will be successful no matter what they look like.
News
Apple: 14-Inch iBook No Threat To TiPB Line
Many professionals and those into high-end graphics would still go for the TiPB with its slightly larger screen and G4 processor.
Who Needs Ads?
The Tempo task Force on Periodical Psychology predicts more cover stories on products in the near future.
Analyst Takes A Bite Out Of Apple's Plan
Redesigned iMac launched at worst time, Fortuna says.
No iPhoto Planned For Traditional Mac OS
There are no plans for a Mac OS 9.x version.
Apple Computer Says European Holiday Sales 'Good, But No More'
"We didn't see the classic spike in sales we usually have for Christmas."
Opinion
Why We've Embraced Mac OS X
If you've been less than enthusiastic about Apple technologies in the past, I'm asking you to take a second look.
A Visit To Macworld Expo 2002
Maybe this will be the year of the iMac, I hate to admit it, but I like the new iMac Luxo-lamp look-alike.
Bold New Look, Tired Old Metaphor
Will Appl ehave the nerve to do it again? Build a new computer, not just a new Mac? Back to you, Mr. Jobs.
Review
Apple iPod
The iPod is the best MP3 player we have seen to date.
The Nisus Files: Converting To The Nisus Writer Word Processor
Sidetrack
Anonymous: Port GNUstep to Darwin and you have a good chunk of OS X running on Intel architecture.
Wintel
Chinese Experts Back Dumping Of Microsoft
The Beijing municipal government's move to buy local software is seen as a huge boost for Chinese firms.
Gigger Virus Gets 'High' Rating
The virus hasn't infected many computers yet, but Symantec has given it a High rating for both damage and distribution.
Judge Scraps Microsoft School Deal
Court says $1-billion settlement wasn't enough and might extend monopoly. More negotiations are possible.
Out The Windows
Breaking with Microsoft gets a little easier.
Microsoft: .Net Virus .Not
Microsoft claims that the virus targeting files used in its .Net framework is actually based on an old Windows virus.
Friday, January 11, 2002
Top Stories
iPhoto Makes Working With Pictures Fun Again
The same tedious task that previously took at least four different software applications to accomplish is made easy and enjoyable by iPhoto.
Opinion
Digital Hub Incomplete
There are some loose ends Apple has not addressed in the whole digital hub strategy.
Naked At The Moscone: The Macworld Expo Round-Up
For me the glory of Macworld is not the hysterical keynote, but the excuse to go on an extended, four-day shopping expedition.
Sidetrack
Do the iMac Dance!
The iKlowns are at Macworld.
Wintel
Ruling Near On Microsoft Class-action Suits
A federal judge could rule as early as Friday on a proposed multimillion-dollar settlement.
Thursday, January 10, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Delivers Hyperbole And Beauty
If this idea shakes up the world of design the way that the original iMac did, then the Apple hype have been justified.
News
Fewer Exhibitors, Reduced Show Floor Space Reflect Economic Times
A number of major companies are not on hand.
Flat-Out Beautiful
The pictures of Apple's new iMac one-piece computer don't do it justice.
Add-On Makers Looking For Piece Of iPie
Accessory makers are already beginning to think of peripherals to create for Apple's new iMac.
Tribble At The Top? Apple, NeXT Grande Fromage Returns
If the unthinkable were to happen, and Steve Jobs was run over by a runaway muesli container truck, who would inherit the hot seat?
Full iPhoto Euro Version 'in Pipeline'
Apple is very interested by providing prints and ablums ordering online in Europe.
Jobs Webcast Shatters Record
The audience was double that of last year's Macworld New York, with over 81,000 viewers.
Apple, In Search Of Perfection, Enlarges iBook's Screen
Video, Music, Now Photos: For Mac Users, The I's Have It
Now comes iPhoto, the latest prong in Apple's strategy to make the Macintosh a digital hub.
All Hail The iMac
Apple's new iMac is cool. But what does that get you in 2002?
Opinion
Can The iMac Fix What's Wrong With The PC?
It's just a question of whether Apple wants to.
Something To Celebrate At Macworld
Amid tech industry's downturn, Apple offers fans an excuse to pull out their checkbooks.
Redesign Is More Than Just iCandy
Apple's Pricey iMac Design Falls Flat
What Apple really needs to do is build a box that can prop up Microsoft's creaky architecture.
Sidetrack
iMac 2
This is why unsolicited screenplay sent, for example, to a studio are returned unopened. No exceptions.
Something must be done about e-mails too...
Time
What is time? To me, time means the following...
Time is a yardstick to measure how great or how pathetic my achievements are.
Time is a message, telling me how long more I'll enter the next stage of my life. (I hope I can elaborate on this in a few weeks' time.)
Time is a reminder to better do things promptly, cause there ain't a lot of time.
What does time mean to you?
Random
Slashdot reader: Mac Faithful, Linux Geek, Microsoft Certified. Microsoft is the Company, Linux is the Movement, and Apple is the Mothership.
Cameron the Alien visits Macworld SF 2002.
On a web site by a major digital devices / entertainment company (not Apple), I've encountered a web form that spitted out an error message along this line: "Somewhere in the form a field that is supposed to be filled is left blank." Hey, web developers are cheap nowadays. Get a better one.
Just a short note that while reading Backup Brain on Windows, the wonderful task bar shortened that to "Backup Bra...".
Wintel
Accenture, Microsoft Carpool On Auto Gadgets
Teamed up to bring computer technology to automobiles and push along development of "telematic" services.
Wednesday, January 9, 2002
Top Stories
A Penguin Angle On The Ox: Day One At Macworld
While Apple pitches radical hardware and practical software to the masses, UNIX geeks are quietly adding big value to the company's open-source, BSD-based operating system.
News
Lot To Learn About School Laptops
"It's going to be a massive, massive project."
Maine Buys Apple Laptops For Middle-Schools
Making A Fashion Statement
Tech firms now stress gadgets' look, feel ahead of how they work.
Taiwan's Quanta Says No Comment On Apple Report
Taiwan's top notebook computer maker Quanta Computer declined to comment on a report it would make new-generation desktop computers for Apple Computer.
Apple's Jobs: No Merging Macs With TVs
"The next great age of the personal computer is going to be as the digital hub. We don't care where they put their computer in the house, as long as it is a Mac."
Apple Expands Its Consumer Services
With the introduction of iPhoto, Apple is inching further into the services sector.
Opinion
Please Lick This iMac
Yet another utterly annoying, nearly perfect gizmo gem from those shameless bastards at Apple.
Apple's New Goodies: What Works, What Doesn't
Apple has again proven that it can make beautiful personal electronic devices with impressive specs. But in these troubled times, price matters a lot.
Gates 'Hitting Apple Where It Hurts'
Bill Gates noted that new products designed to enhance the consumer PC user's experience could also provide an impetus for economic stimulation.
Hold Off On Bitting Into Apple
I would wait for the early reviews and perhaps a bit of time to pass, before considering a purchase of the shares. But keep close watch on the new 14-inch iBook sales.
Apple's Extraordinary Macworld Expo
It looks like Apple has got a real winner on its hands.
Review
Apple iPhoto 1.0
Apple's iPhoto is a very impressive effort, and a great tool for beginning and immediate digital photographers.
Sidetrack
On Ease-Of-Use
To make things easy to use, Microsoft throws in their wizards.
To make things easy to use, Apple makes iThings that are easy to use.
Wireless
Dan Gillmor: Steve Jobs and Apple Computer get most of the attention yesterday with their new-version iMac launch in San Francisco, but Microsoft's Bill Gates showed more interesting technology in his Consumer Electronics Show keynote in Las Vegas.
With the computer as the digital hub, it does make sense to have wireless devices (iPad, iMonitor) for shared activities (viewing baby's photo album, watching movies), and Apple better have something back in the research labs. When 802.11a or 802.11g is cheap enough, Apple better be there.
Either that, or have the iBooks and 22" Cinema Display drop prices significantly that everyone can afford at least a pair in each room. :-)
Peter Cook: A computer you could proudly put in the living room and a way to easily create and share photos and movies with family and friends . . . or . . . a TV remote control running XP. Gosh that's a tough call... Here's another thing to keep in mind: the iMac is shipping end of the month, I already have iPhoto on my machine. Meanwhile Gates is promising something for 2003.
iMac 2
Glenn Fleishman: The iMac does have a fan, contrary to my expectation, but it's "super intelligent" and "super quiet." The entire unit makes no more sound than 25 dB including the fan and drives. The "fan is constantly sensing the temperature of the base" and adjusts its speed accordingly.
Samuel W. Hotchkiss, in a mailing list: iMac should let you press a button and adjust the monitor to your prefs... it could even do it when you log into X.
Apple Time
Hans Eisenbeis: This leak hardly "blows" Jobs announcement... rather it sets it up in a big way. If you want to accuse the magazine and the computer manufacturer of collusion, accuse them of succeeding, not failing.
Random
hijinx: Seems to me that TiVo and Apple are going for very similar markets.
I really hope so. I really hope to see a TiVo-like device coming out from Apple (afterall, they did invented the FireWire) that doesn't require a subscription service. From all I've heard, using TiVo is already pretty easy; now, how can Apple improve on that?
Jim Roepcke: You don't want someone scripting iPhoto to do a 1-click purchase of photo prints and hard bound books to their address...
Rafe Colburn: Apple's software strategy is utterly and completely brilliant.
Pixar gets a new logo, courtesy of Scripting News.
Found on rec.humor.funny.reruns... The NeXT Computer: The hardware makes it a PC, the software makes it a workstation,the unit sales make it a mainfram. ó unknown.
Wintel
Who Wants An MTV PC?
MTV is building what it considers the perfect PC for 18-to-24-year-olds.
.Net Vote Rigging Illustrates Importance Of Web Services
Investigation revealed just what lengths Microsoft will go to promote its products.
New Virus First To Infect Macromedia Flash
Proof-of-concept shows that Flash player can open up one more way to damage your PC.
Tuesday, January 8, 2002
Top Stories
iMac Blowback
Is Jobs the new Raymond Loewy?
News
Adobe Uses Metrowerks For Mac/Windows Transfer
Metrowerk's PowerPlant for Windows will allow Mac developers to create Windows applications with a smaller memory footprint.
Technically Speaking, Future Is Now: Macworld Apple Hopes Flat-Screen iMac Lights Up Sale
Apple's Pricey Music Player Wins Following
iPod buyers are willing to pay a premium for a small form factor and large storage capacity, analysts said.
PC Not Dead Yet: Apple, Microsoft
The news came from two competing technology showcases.
It's Faster, Sleeker, Cooler At Trade Shows Headlined By Microsoft, Apple
Dueling trade shows, devices and announcements were the order of the day.
Apple's New iMac: Team Develops Unique Ideas
Steve Jobs and his design team yesterday proved once again that they can come up with ideas no one else has — no one at the dozens of Web sites that specializ in speculation and, it seems no one in the PC industry.
Praise Be To Steve Jobs
I'm ready to believe anything now that I've seen Jobs get Apple's most loyal acolytes to applause for Microsoft on command.
Apple Bets On Unorthodox iMac To Bolster Its Once-Popular PC
Industrial designers today generally reacted favorably to the fact that Mr. Jobs has continued to explore the question of what a personal computer should look like.
Opinion
Apple's Aqua To Trigger A Consumer Backlash?
Why is there still such a wide rift between OS X fans and OS X critics?
Will Apple Roll Out New High-End G5s In March?
With the one big introduction that was made, Apple's entire line of high-end desktop computer suddenly made little sense.
Sidetrack
iPhoto
What's the point of having folders such as "My Pictures" and previews in the Finder, when applications like iPhoto littered it with so much "junks" that I don't know where my photo goes?
iTunes is so much better...
If the whole idea of iPhoto is the ability to organize digital photos better, maybe integration with the Finder is a better way to go?
Or maybe, the whole point with all these iApps and the Dock, is that your average Macintosh digital hub user does not even need to use the Finder at all?
iMac 2
Doc Searls: The new iMac is much more beautiful than it comes across on the small screen, or in the Time Magazine piece.
Derrick Story: iMac is going to be a home run.
James Davidson: The new iMac is really cool. No, scratch that. It's really really cool.
Jason Levine: The Apple Cube was a miserable failure, and that was during times when geek money flowed in the streets. This new computer doesn't seem to add anything by itself...
MediaNews reader: If [Time was] holding back so that Steve Jobs can make his now-blown (iMac) announcement at noon eastern, wouldn't that be an awfully huge leap across the line of journalistic integrity? Especially considering Apple is a big advertiser in time.
Daniel Drew Turner, Ziff-Davis Internet: My guess is that TIme agreed to [a Non-Disclosure Agreeement]... normal for a print mag with such a lead time. However, altering the schedule of Web publication or pulling an article, I can't say much about. I do know that the immediacy of Web publishing has played havoc with the way things were.
What's the reason that the power switch of the new iMac is at the back of the machine? Maybe it's Apple's way of telling you that, you don't shut down OS X.
Power Macs
Anonymous reader in Scripting News: My local Apple dealer... noticed three new SKUs in Distributors' catalog without descriptions. Only pricing. We think there is more to come at CES.
My speculation is that there have to be upgrades to the Power Mac line within the next two months. The specification of the new iMacs is really preceived to be quite close to the current Power Macs that Apple might have a problem selling the latter.
Perhaps the dual-processor aspect will be more emphasised should Motorola fail to advance the PowerPC chips, with Photoshop being the major upcoming application to take up all these power.
Random
Is it not time to abandon Microsoft's IE on Windows, and use something like Opera or Netscape? (I always feel hesistant to recommend Netscape because of all the UI violation it makes on all platforms.)
I see that the RDF is alive and well over at Userland too.
What happened to the idea of more computers == shorter working hours?
Wintel
AMD Combats 'Megahertz Myth' With Athlon XP 2000+
The megahertz gap is set to widen, but AMD has two tactics to level the playing field.
How MS Tax Policy Saves Gates Millions - Nader
Nander described Microsoft's failure to pay shareholder dividends an "inappropriate and we believe unlawful device."
Our Microsoft, Right Or Wrong?
The justice system and politicans now seem to regard corporate bullies as our new national mascots.
Monday, January 7, 2002
Top Stories
Jobs: Flat-panel iMacs On The Way
"Pretty much, us and Dell are the only ones in this industry making money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. We make it by innovation."
Apple Gives Tech Good Name
For most tech companies 2001 was the worst of times, but for Apple it was often the best of times. Despite the nose-diving stock market and sluggish economy, Apple gave fans reasons to cheer. Farhad Manjoo reports from San Francisco.
Apple's New Core
Instead of taking up precious desk space like a typical flat monitor, the iMac's screen floats in the air, attached to a jointed, chrome-pipe neck. It's also rimmed by a "halo," a translucent plastic frame that makes you want to pull it toward you-or push it out of the way.
News
No Sleep 'Til Macworld
A small group of Macintosh fanatics camped out all night to be first in line for Steve Jobs' keynote speech. But it was all for naught: only about 1,000 people were in line when the doors opened.
Jobs: Flat-panel iMacs On The Way
"Pretty much, us and Dell are the only ones in this industry making money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. We make it by innovation."
Apple Lays On The Hype
Since Apple won't talk, everybody else will.
Mac Boxes Make Nice Couches
Apple has a well-deserved reputation for designing good-looking computers. But Apple's packaging is also beautifully designed. In fact, the boxes are so attractive, one man furnished his apartment with them. By Leander Kahney.
Apple Gives Tech Good Name
For most tech companies 2001 was the worst of times, but for Apple it was often the best of times. Despite the nose-diving stock market and sluggish economy, Apple gave fans reasons to cheer. Farhad Manjoo reports from San Francisco.
Apple Unveils iMac2 - The Anglepoise Generation
Flat panel, DVD-RW, price hike
New iMac Features Flat-Panel Display
The new iMac looks like a desk lamp.
New iMac Revealed
The new iMac features a G4 processor housed in a hemisphere base with a chrome arm that extends and holds the 15-inch flat panel display.
Review
Virtual PC 5 With Windows 98
Although application speed continues to see only modest improvements, the program gets easier to configure and receives an impressive list of new features with each release.
Sidetrack
Power Macs
Are these the new Power Macs?
iMac
Artifice_Eternity: Maybe this is an intentional "leak"... Time Canada is owned by AOL-Time Warner. Who do both Apple and AOL-TW see as one of their biggest competitors?
9 hours to keynote: The home page of Time Canada now redirects to Time US. Somebody at Apple is very angry, and somebody in Time is probably losing sleep.
Not The Apple Homepage: Ah, screw it... here ya go.
Random
Anybody who is somebody in the Macintosh world is attending the Steve Jobs keynote, I guess. Me, on the other hand, hopes to stay awake past 1 am, and hope that the webcast doesn't suck.
Dave Winer noted that Macworld Expo... : Unfortunately, personal Web site writers, editors or creators cannot be registered as media.
Dori Smith: I want to at least mention the machine that I really, really want Apple to announce: the Pippin II.
What I want Apple to announce: TiVo + DVD + VCD + MP3 + 802.11b + Web Server.
Eileen Alt Powell: While the boomers came of age to Woodstock and the Vietnam War, their older offspring are the product of Reaganomics, MTV and the Macintosh.
Cory Doctorow: Fuji has developed a 3GB floppy ó was The Steve premature in removing floppy drives from Macs?
Upcoming Apple Homepages... : Thanks to our inside relationship with Steve Jobs, we have obtained previews of what the messages on Apple's homepage will be in the upcoming days!
Wintel
Home Invasion In A Box
Microsoft is chasing the consumer like never before.
Windows XP In Your Living Room
Microsoft will take yet another step down the consumer electronics path Monday with the demonstration of a custom version of Windows XP tuned to digital entertainment.
DVD Players To Use Microsoft Music Technology
Microsoft on Monday said four makers of DVD players would start supporting its digital audio technology, letting users play disks with up to 250 hours of music.
Sunday, January 6, 2002
Top Stories
Way Beyond AirPort
Imagine being able to access your data anywhere on the planet — even while in flight.
News
Jobs Performance
Jobs has managed to make the company once again a trendsetter for the industry, not only in design and marketing but also in technology.
Egg Soothes Website Fears
Egg blamed the problem on a communication error with the site's certificate vendor, Verisign.
Opinion
Uesless Column Written Before The Word
I can say anything now.
A Flat-Panel iMac Is Not Thinking Different Enough
Rumors Swirl Ahead Of Macworld 2002: A Move To Intel?
The Aqua Letters
Our AquaRant™ provoked 180 emails in one day, and the total's heading for three hundred. Thanks for the kind words, stuff we hadn't thought of, and the useful tips.
Sidetrack
Ramblings Ramblings
Whenever I read someone said the other party don't get it, I almost always wanted to shout back: they get it. It's just that they have other concerns / issues / agenda that made things the way they are. It's you who don't get it.
Never underestimate other's intelligence, and never overestimate your own's.
This Is What Apple Is Revealing Tomorrow
Okay, so this is not exactly what Apple's introducting. This is what Bill is introducing. (The Dell Killer.)
But, if the speculations are right, this is what Apple will be upstaging. Think Different.
Brent Simmons: To the bathroom? Is it a bathroom computer?
Apple: Just one more sleepless night.
Two, if you are in Singapore like me. I'd have to stay up late on Monday night to catch the keynote that should start sometime around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. Pardon me if I fell asleep on the single most important event of my pathentic life and failed to update this weblog at the earliest moment. :-)
If Apple is really revealing a worldwide wireless Internet system, there will be tons of regulation problems facing Apple. And I strongly doubt it will be availabe in Singapore. (Or China. Or a whole list of countries.)
Random
Kevin Hemenway takes a look at PHP with Apache on Mac OS X.
From Mr Barrett: Small Wonder nostalgia.
From Camworld: Windows XP's real purpose in life.
Hack the Planet: Best Technology Weblog of 2001 as voted in Scripting News.
Wintel
Intel, AMD Set To Unveil Speedy New Chips
AMD will debut its Athlon XP 2000+, which runs at 1.67 gigahertz, while Intel will unveil its new Pentium 4 chip running at 2.2 gigahertz, analysts said.
Saturday, January 5, 2002
Top Stories
Mac OS X Showing Some Definite Headway
I'm increasingly convinced that OS X, still very much a work in progress, has a great future.
'Cutout' Macs A Real Passion
Thanks to the Internet, paper modeling of Macintosh computers has become a flourishing hobby. Enthusiasts have created cut-and-glue plans for just about every Macintosh ever made. By Leander Kahney.
News
Egg's Security Leaves Mac Users Shell-Shocked
Mac users who bank with Egg are up in arms about a serious flaw in the site that left the security of their credit of their credit card details in doubt.
Apple Polishes Dual-Processor, LCD-Based Desktops
Analysts see the moves creating a buzz but not a marketshare breakthrough for the company.
New Apple iMac Could Look 5 Years Old
A new, futuristic-looking computer that Apple is expected to introduce could be a close cousin to a limited-edition model the company produced five years ago.
'Cutout' Macs A Real Passion
Thanks to the Internet, paper modeling of Macintosh computers has become a flourishing hobby. Enthusiasts have created cut-and-glue plans for just about every Macintosh ever made. By Leander Kahney.
Sidetrack
2 More Days!
Rael Dornfest: Preemption appears to have been the motivation behind Steve's keynote move to a Monday first-thing slot... Steve and Bill had to be announcing pretty much an identical thingy.
Random
A screenshot of a very early web browser on NeXT. Back in 1993.
Wintel
Users Complain Of Broken Xboxes
A small number of users compalin of a similar problem — a game sysstem that never worked or worked for a few hours or days before freezing up.
Friday, January 4, 2002
Top Stories
Bet On The iDock
The tea-leaves say that Jobs got wind of Bill Gates' keynote topic. Ooops, that's our market. "Better rev up the PR engine."
BBC Drops QuickTime News Feed
This is a major PR fiasco for Apple on the eve of MWSF.
Making Money On The Mac
Before the EU could issue new money, it first had to design it.
News
Apple Promises Products 'Way Beyond' Rumors
Apple fans are salivating, even if they are wary of the hype.
Is Apple's PDA A Ghost Of A Machine?
Rumour sites does their best to steal Jobs' thunder.
Opinion
Macworld Expo 2002 - The Hype Vs The Hooey
To think that Apple is the one responsible for overhyping Macworld Expos when we have wild speculations kind of puts things in perspective.
Is Apple Poised To Merge The iMac And iBook?
Logically speaking, once you go to LCD screens on the iMac, the hardware distinction between it and the portable Macs is substantially diminished.
Review
Collaborating With Office X For Mac
Office v. X is a useful, perhaps indispensable tool for Mac business professionals, but for real team features, you'll need to wait a year or two.
Copying Audio CDs On The iBook
Copying an audio CD on OS X seems like it should be as easy as drag and drop, but it appears to be just a drag.
Virtual PC 5.0
If you really need a special-purpose PC application or two, Virtual PC may keep that big ugly beige box off your desk.
Turns Out The CD Is Not Exactly Today's Floppy
Wasn't it Steve Jobs who said the CD is today's floppy? That's exactly what I want, but not what Apple's software delivers.
Sidetrack
The Expo Fever
Dave Winer: How unfair is it for Apple to play hardball with the rumor sites, but then use them in their marketing.
Tom Negrino: Jean-Louis Gassee... just quit Be a couple of days ago. Could it be he heard the news and decided that he didn't want to work for Steve again?
Not The Apple Home Page: 2 days to Macworld San Francisco. The only significant thing that will occur during your pathetic lifetime.
Crazy Apple Rumors Site: Apple to introduce sexbots at Macworld San Francisco Keynote on January 7th.
Damien A. Barrett: What is clear is that the Mac community is frothing at the mouth about this Expo.
The OS X UI
Dan Gillmor: Sooner or later, I hope, Apple will give third-party programmers the information they need to let me customize the UI shell to my liking, not Steve Jobs' dictates.
Andrew Orlowski: In fact we have to conclude that with OS X, you're buying Apple in spite of the user interface, not because of it.
Doc Searls: OS X must be a hit, because there's a sudden backlash against it.
Random
Anybody care to nominate this site in the 2002 bloggies award? :-)
An Apple A Day: Steve's AppleScript Studio Site.
Leo Laporte: It's one of the reasons I'm using OS X more and more. I'm just plain afraid of Windows XP!
Wintel
Intel Breaks Out Of 2001 Doldrums
Intel closed 2001 on a high note, thanks to unexpectedly large demand for its chips.
Microsoft Memo To Staff: Clobber Linux
PC Vendors Ready 2.2GHz Pentium 4 Systems
PC makers are prepping computer systems loaded with Intel's new 2.2GHz Pentium 4 processor.
Consumer Electronics Show: Have Monitor, Will Travel
Bill Gates will demonstrate the AirPanel 150, a flat-panel wireless monitor from viewsonic that allows users to carry it from room to room.
Thursday, January 3, 2002
Top Stories
Just Beyond Our Windows
In the same way that computer scientists in the 1970s sought a more user-friendly interface, researchers of today are investigating whether there is something better than Windows and Mac OS.
Expo Fillip For Apple Shares
Apple's shares have received a boost as momentum builds for the San Francisco Macworld Expo.
News
New Apple Rumors — Think Small
Steve Jobs may be preparing to launch a handheld computer next week, according to reports.
Latest From Mac: The iHype
Such pre-show hucksterism is uncharacteristic of Apple, which usually neither confirms nor denies the existence of this or that rumored product or innovation.
Expo Fuels The Apple Rumor Mill
If you plan to attend the opening keynote address at the Macworld Expo, here's a tip: Don't drink a lot of coffee beforehand.
Expo Fillip For Apple Shares
Apple's shares have received a boost as momentum builds for the San Francisco Macworld Expo.
Opinion
Behind The Macworld Expo Veil
Before I offer up my own guesses, I'll provide my standard caveat: These predictions are for topical use only, and swallowing them whole could result in serious disorientation come Monday afternoon.
How I Learned To Stop Worrying, And Abandoned Mac OS X
Why should the UI matter? And why does it matter so particularly to Apple loyalists?
Macworld: What Steve Has Up His Sleeve
At the Apple expo, chances are Jobs will unveil a restyled iMac that's sleeker and far more powerful than the now-dated original.
Palm Be Apple
Could a triple merger be in the works?
Review
Seven Mac OS X Tips
What better way to start off the New Year than to try something new in Mac OS X? Here are seven tips to help you get the most out of your operating system.
For Demanding Amateurs
A pared-down version of the popular Photoshop 6, Elements will surely woo amateur artists and Web-designers.
BBEdit 6.5
An upgrade like BBEdit 6.5 reminds us what a powerful and flexible application this is.
Microsoft Office V. X
While these programs include few new poerhouse features Office v. X's excellent integration with OS X technologies such as Aqua and Quartz demonstrates Microsoft's attention to detail.
Sidetrack
Of Macworld And Insanely Great
James Davidson: I find myself looking forward to next Monday in much the same way that my little nieces and nephews look forward to Christmas every year.
Personally, I am waiting for an iPhoto to go with my new digital camera. Shot a few more pictures last night at Orchard Road (the shopping belt of Singapore), but nothing worthwhile, so I'll not show it to you. Boy, do I have to learn how to shoot good pictures with low lights.
darukaru: The big news is Steve Jobs' new city that's going to debut at the Expo. The one designed around the Segway, rememer? In your face, Disney!
Dori Smith: I'm the only person who knows for sure that Apple is going to announce somethiing very, very cool. And how do I know this? Simple. My new TiBook showed up today...
Of RSS And Patents
Edd Dumbill: Patent threat to W3C's RDF technology. Part of MyAppleMenu does make use of RSS.
Dale Dougherty: In the meantime, nobody will be able to determine whether these claims apply to RSS or RDF anymore than they apply to English language syntax. We'll wait a few years, wasting time and money meanwhile, until a judge attempts to interpret the techno-babble above and produce a new mumbo-jumbo ruling. I can't wait.
Random
In OS X, double click on the title bar minimizes the window. In Windows, double click on the title bar maximizes the windows. And I'm getting confused all the time.
Peter Wiggin: Finally there's a good Unix GUI, and it just so happens to be the Mac.
Matt Neuberg: After years of almost ignoring it, Apple has finally understood the importance of AppleScript, and was promoting it to first-class status.
Cameron Barrett: Until Microsoft can win the trust of the decision-makers, more and more people are going to abandon the platform for use with mission-critical services and information storage/transmission.
Shelley Powers: Experiences of not having a driver's license. Did I tell you that, at the age of 31, I still do not have a driver's license?
Wintel
Intel Revamps The Pentium 4
New versions due out next week are expected to stifle criticism that the chip is more expensive and offers less-enthralling performance than its nearest competitor.
Can Be Sting Microsoft?
Details are thin, but company founder Jean-Louis Gassee said the board was invetigating launching an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft.
Go Go Gadgets — Gates To Kick Off CES
Consumer electronics companies will get a chance to change their luck next week in Las Vegas.
Microsoft's Hometown Sees Cause For Optimism
There are certainly elemtns of optimism here in Microsoft's hometown, and several company employees who say they might once have been tempted to leave for a high-tech start-up said they were grateful to hold what appeared to be very steady employment with the industry giant, even if it no longer seemed to be minting multimillionaires by the month.
Wednesday, January 2, 2002
Top Stories
Apple iDVD Software Lets You Burn Just Like The Pros
You should head down to a nearby Apple Store and just watch someone using it because it raises the bar for what users ought to expect out of a modern app.
News
New Hole Could Hurt AOL Messenger
A security hole in AOL Time Warner's Instant Messenger program can let a hacker take full control of a victim's computer.
IDG: Jobs' Keynote Moved Due To "Impact"
"Due to the impact of new announcements from Apple, Steve Jobs' keynote was moved to one day earlier than previously scheduled."
Review
Aliens Versus Predator Gold Edition
That's right, kiddies — this one's right up there with Marathon.
DiskWarrior 2.1
DiskWarrior is among the most thorough and robust tools for repairing the disk directory. Its diagnostic and repair abilities are almost scary, in that good, magical way.
QueFire CD-RW
This iteration of the QueFire is perfect for consumers or professionals who need a fast, versatile, and portable drive.
StuffIt Deluxe 6.5
If you use StuffIt a lot — and especially if you also use Mac OS X — version 6.5 is a worthy upgrade.
Stylus C80
While the C80 isn't the best printer for its price, its waterproof inks, high-resolution print quality, and speed give it just enough oompth to snag a Spiffy rating.
Action Games For Desktop Fast And Fun
Let us not forget the power of the ultimate game machine you may already own, namely your computer.
Sidetrack
Apple: Beyond the rumor sites. Way beyond.
So, it's not just a flat iMac? And poor me already spent all my money on the digital camera and AirPort?
Wintel
Many Windows XP Users Slow To Patch Security Hole
Millions of consumers with new Microsoft Windows XP-equipped computers remain oblivious to a gaping security hole that could trigger the next wave of computer viruses, security experts say.
2 Computer Giants Hope To Avoid Pitfalls Of Past Mergers
The concern, in simple terms, is this: Big mergers in the computer industry never seem to work.
Tuesday, January 1, 2002
Top Stories
Reactions To "Tales Of A BeOS Refugee"
Because it was impossible to respond to everyone individually, and because I thought many people would appreciate being able to read these comments and my reactions to them, I've assembled this addendum.
News
SPR Issues "Outperform" Rating On Apple
Gassee Resigns From Software Maker Be
Gassese's departure is not surprising, but marks the latest sad chapter for a company that strived for more than 10 years to create a new operating system to compete with Apple, Microsoft and others.
Unsanity Releases FruitMenu For OS X
FruitMenu lets users totoally redefine the behavior of the Apple menu.
A Macworld After All
Rumors abound as SF braces for big news from Apple founder.
Consumers Were Winners This Year In Tech World
It's an underdog in a Windows world, but the Macintosh maker's frenzy of innovation in 2001 often put PC-product makers to shame.
Hess Memorial Macworld Events List Up & Running
Ilene Hoffman's compilation of where to go and what to do does more than simply tell you where to score free food.
Protecting Your Mac From Net Nuisances
While most attacks from hackers, worms, viruses and Trojan horses are aimed at Windows-based computers, Macintosh machines are not impervious to Internet-related security problems.
2001 The Year Technology Shrunk
Last century we built supersonic airliners and went to the Moon. As we get going on this one, technology is getting smaller and more personal instead of bigger and further away.
Opinion
A Look Ahead: How 5 Technologies Will Fare In 2002
I'm inclined to think that 10.2 will be the most important release of all.
Ruminations Of A Gadget Junkie: iGo?
Even if Apple does not slap its brand on the Danger Hiptop, I want one.
Apple: What You Should Know About ESO Grants
Companies typically are run for the benefit of executives, and not shareholders, because executives are the ones in control, and shareholders seldom are aware of what is going on.
Review
Microsoft Office X
Microsoft has done a superb job of impleneting the nuances of OS X to Office X. However, in each program there are aspects that should have been better.
Audible.com Raises Bar On Audio Books
The software runs on Windows and Macintosh computers, though it does not currently allow transfers from a Mac to a digital player.
Routers Are The Hot Ticket
Once relegated to the wiring closets of Fortune 1000 corporations, routers have been rather spectacularly outed by the growing need for connectivity and security for home networks connected to the Internet.
Sidetrack
Any questions for David Pogue, author of Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, and other books? Send 'em in!
Mr Barrett What if Apple's big announcement next Monday has little to do with hardware at all? Let the speculations, er, continue!
I blame New York Times' Technology web page for forcing me to switch off the sound of my PowerBook, causing me to, er..., miss all that multimedia stuff on the web.
Kottke: Now I'm getting spam about spam protection services.
Wintel
Look Back At A Viral Year
A number of computer viruses and worms reared their ugly heads in 2001 and cost PC users billions.