Friday, May 31, 2002
Top Stories
Insiee The Apple iPod Design Triumph
No doubt subsequent versions of the iPod will yield a revised design chain as different components and optimizations are discovered and needed. But for now, Apple's first design chain strategy and product have been a success.
News
FireWire Picking Up Speed
The biggest change for FireWire may not be the doubling of speed, but the distance provided by the specification.
Schools To Spend Billions On Technology
Public schools in the United States will spend $9.5 billion on information technology by 2006, up almost 16 percent from this year, according to a new report.
“Blue Car” Arrives
Final Cut Pro and Cinema Tools tune indie feature "Blue Car" for Sundance and Miramax.
Review
New Netscape Browser Merely Plays Catch-Up
Browsers are now evolving like word processors. New releases are greeted with more yawns than cheers as developers pile on more mostly unused bells and whistles.
Sidetrack
The Color Black
There are more and more restaurants / cafes / coffeshops that are getting on my blacklist due to poor service. I just added yet another one this morning. (Always acknowledge your customers, even when you are busy and cannot serve at that time. Of course, always follow up with service. But this coffeeshop failed even the first test.)
Luckily (for me), Singapore is such a great place for food that I am not in danger of going hungry even while my blacklist is expanding.
The Color Red
Imagine a scenario along this line...
I bought a CD album from a singer I like. I play it on my hi-fi, and it sound great. I want to listen to it on my iPod, so I insert the CD into my iMac, ready to import it into my iTunes. The CD killed my iMac.
After not able to use the computer for an entire week, my son, returning from summer camp, fixed my computer. He also warned me about putting copy-protected CDs into the iMac. I did some research on the web, and find out that one can download those songs I wanted instead of buying.
The next time I went shopping at HMV, I spotted another CD from another singer I like. This time though, I am careful. I jotted the song titles into my memory. I go home. And downloaded the songs.
My iMac is happy. My wallet is happy. Guess who is not?
Copy-protected audio CDs will educate more customers about downloading music for free.
Random
Rumor-monger: 17 and 19-inch iMacs coming soon.
Dave Winer: There was a report on NPR this morning about a woman who lost her husband in the disaster. They found his car, it was parked in the garage, and was mostly undamaged. They called her, and she came down, for a ceremony to open the trunk. There was a present in the trunk. September 11 is her birthday.
Wintel
Microsoft: Don't Blame Us
Once again, Microsoft substitutes arrogance for thoughtful consideration of a serious issue.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Top Stories
Maine Laptop Funding Threatened
A $180-million budget shortfall in Maine is threatening a statewide laptop program for middle schools, just as teachers are seeing initial success with their students.
Geeks In Alaska
In the coming days, we'll be treated to staggeringly beautiful glaciers, eagles and whales, and the ghosts of gold-rush towns — if, that is, we can tear ourselves away from our Macs.
News
Nvidia: Forget Microsoft — Chip's Ahoy
The company expects to have the largest share of the Macintosh market "very soon."
What's In A Name? For FireWire, Plenty
For several years, Apple Computer's FireWire has been the leading means of providing high-speed connections between computers and digital devices, but fresh competition is forcing the company and other backers to rethink how they market the technology.
Domain Troubles
It appears that the MacSlash domain no longer belongs to me.
Opinion
How Will All These Mac-Centric Web Sites Survive In The Future?
The Mac community deserves some great web sites.
Is Apple Ready To Ditch Mac OS 9?
I don't see Classic disappearing any time soon.
Late To The Party...
Anything that an 8-month, 3week pregnant woman coos over at this point that doesn't wear diapers is a major deal, you know...
Review
Packing A Bigger Punch
THe new generation of iBooks may not look prettier but they've got more where it counts.
Apple iMac 2
Can you resist the iMac 2's revolutionary design?
Sidetrack
Lack of News
Sorry for the lack of news for the past few hours. Yes, one of the scripts got updated wrongly.
Also, there will be a short hiatus next week, as I'll be on the roads. No news from me on Tuesday (Jun 4) to Thursday (Jun 6).
Random
I just discovered that, on my Windows XP machine, I can continue to sync my Handspring even when I've locked the OS.
Meg (Not Megan!) Hourihan: After 8 years baby, I'm going back! There'll be no upgrading to Windows XP fo rme, from now on the only X in my OS will be Apple's.
Find out more about lowercase.
Wintel
AMD CUts Prices To Match Intel
Advanced Micro Devices has slashed prices of its desktop and mobile Athlon processors just days after a similar move by rival Intel.
The Networking Game
Xbox's online connectivity more than just a plaything.
Here's How YOU Would Change Windows
Mnay of you speculated that the changes could affect Windows' already-suspect reliability and security, with viruses or worms finidng new ways to take advantage of the now-hidden middleware applications and services.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Top Stories
Flying High With AirPort
"I am waiting for Apple (Mr. Jobs, actually) to start an advertising program to let the people know that you can operate Macs and PCs together. And that if you use AirPort hardware, it makes the process SO much easier."
News
VirtualPC 5.0.3 Fixes Bugs, Adds Features
Apple Offers No-Fee FireWire Brand License
The 1394 Trade Association and Apple today announced that the FireWire trademark, logo and symbol have been adopted as a brand identity for the IEEE 1394 connection standard in a no-fee license agreement.
Anti-Snooping Operating System Close To Launch
Computer activists in Britain are close to completing an operating system that could undermine government efforts to wiretap the internet.
For The Students, By The Students
Students at Maris Stella High School are using Apple technology to create movies that help reinforce their science and geography lessons.
'Advanced Filemaker Pro 5.5' Book Released
Targeted at FileMaker Pro users, the book covers topics such as relational theory, data modeling, security, audit trails, recursive relationships, advanced portal tricks and script control techniques.
Opinion
Apple's Xserve Enough To Generate Conniption
Of course it's better looking than any server I've seen, but more than that, it's one rockin' fast Macintosh.
Apple Plunges Back Into Servers
The powerful, relatively inexpensive, and easy-to-use Xserve could be the glue schools are looking for — and it might be just what Apple needs to persuade administrators to stick with the Mac.
Mac OS X: Is It The Best Of Both Worlds?
It was exciting to see the community building that was going on around the Mac OS X operating system.
Ultimate Mac OS X Experience
"Really, a conference on Mac OS X? That sounds worth exploring." (Inside my head I'm thinking, "Geez, it's about time!")
Internet Advertisement Hitting Rock Bottom
In business, if you need money and don't have it, and you can't secure a loan from the bank, you call the mob for an emergency loan you'll soon regret.
Review
PowerBook G4/800: Speed Bumped Or Supercharged?
The performance improvements to the 2002 PowerBook are significant.
Sidetrack
Dave Winer: Why did I think it would work if I did what the software told me to do? Because I was trained by the Macintosh where things like this just work.
An Apple A Day: my iPod blog. News about iPod, things you can do with your iPod, music for your iPod, new software for your iPod, and, of course, hacks for your iPod.
Do you know you can also read Macintosh news via MacNewsWire?
Brent Simmons: If you could read minds, would language matter?
JP: You'll get a million e-mails complaining that your article wasn't long enough.
Wintel
Can Windows Seize The Data Center?
Xbox 'Mod Chip' Delivers Stolen Goods
The first Xbox add-ons that purportedly allow the console to play illegally copied game software have gone on sale, but analysts say they're unlikely to inspire a Napster-like wave of copy infringement.
Intel To Offer Some Pieces In A Puzzle
In a four-page press release, Intel goes to great lengths to compare the new Itanium chip with both its previous Itanium and to a competing chip from Sun. Missing in the document, though, is any reference to Intel's own industry-leading Pentium family of microprocessors.
Is The Desktop .Net's Secret Weapon?
Microsoft plans to make deskbound data more easily shareable as information elements dubbed Web Parts.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Top Stories
Why Macintosh?
To become fixated on the popularity or dominance of a platform is counterproductive. The skills necessary to be productive in the information society are universal regardless of platform.
The Lean Way To Wedding Videos
"My most challenging task was to produce a finished video of a wedding ceremony to show at the wedding reception two hours later and I was able to complete the task in time using the camcorder and the iMac."
News
Nenrico 6th-Graders Getting iBooks
The Henrico County School Board voted unanimously last night to buy iBook laptop computers for the country's sixth-graders for the coming school year.
Schiller, Rubinstein On Xserve
The hardware and software may not be what Apple has to worry about the most — it may be perception.
Will Mac Servers Ever Run The Enterprise?
With its UNIX-based operating system, Apple is now in a position to achieve the one goal that has always escaped it: respect in the enterprise IT world.
Apple Said To Be Shifting iMac Orders From Quanta To Hon Hai
Apple recently has been reported to be shifting contracts for making its iMac computers with LCD monitors.
Opinion
Apple's Ulterior Motive
Apple is hoping to attract the attention of everyone from the CEO and CIO down to the PC support technician.
Discussion: Steve Jobs Gives The Bird On Xserve Video
Apple Deal Nifty But Complex
It took several long stares to figure out what the deal actually was.
Review
Sidetrack
O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference: Call for Participation. Individuals and companies interested in making presentations, giving a tutorial, or particpating in panel discussions are invited to submit proposals.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Top Stories
Experts Explode 'Mac Is Safer' Myth
Mac users are no safer from the threat of viruses than Windows users, according to Antivirus firm Symantec.
Opinion
Apple Takes Several Advantages Into The Server Market
Can Apple really compete as a server vendor?
Review
Diplomacy, Dodges, Dragons
If strategy games are your thing, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better value than Civilization III this season, warts and all. Off-road-racing games are rare on the Mac, so 4x4 Evo 2 is an option, though not a particularly compelling one. And if you've been looking for an excuse to try Myst but haven't gotten around to it yet, RealMyst might give you the excuse you've been looking for. Finally, if you want to lose yourself for hours in an immersive role-playing game and you've already played Baldur's Gate II, give Icewind Dale a try.
Wintel
Intel Cuts Pentium Prices
Intel slashed the price of Pentium 4 processors for desktops and notebooks over the weekend by up to 53 percent, an annual spring ritual designed to stimulate demand for its premier PC chip.
Microsoft Muddle
What we have is good drama: ambitious prosecutorial power, arrogant corporate power and mediocre judicial power. What we don't have are sensible principles for governing a knowledge-based economy—or perhaps even a way of reaching them.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
News
New Violators Of The DMCA? Reuters, Yahoo.com, CNN.co, Dozens Of Other Publications, And Us
In yet another example of how the Digital Millennium Copyright Act could trample on the First Amendment, Reuters may have violated the U.S. law by describing in a story this week how Sony's "copy-proff" protection for CDs can be defeated with a magic marker.
Export Success Is In The Bag
US computer buff Ethan Nyholm and his fashion-company colleague Adina Kravsz began a successful export business based on the need for a computer laptop bag.
A Musical Tribute To Mac OS X Is Online
Looking for something a little different?
Opinion
Pretty Creppy, Any Way You Interpret It
I can't believe Craig Barrett would actually sign this thing, but his signature is there. So are Steve Ballmer's and Michael Dell's. Significantly absent: Carly Fiorina, Steve Jobs, Ted Waitt.
Review
Photoshop 7.0: The Standard Steps It Up
While the new features are hardly radical, they're also considerably more than the minor tweaks that one has come to expect in programs like Microsoft Word.
Wintel
EU Probes Microsoft Over Privacy Law
The European Commission is checking whether Microsoft's system of collecting personal data from Internet users breaks privacy laws, compounding the software giant's antitrust probe headaches in Europe.
Xbox: Playing The Numbers Game
For the software publishing industry, video games are a numbers game. And for now, Microsoft is on the losing end.
Saturday, May 25, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Launches Apple Consultants Network
The new Apple Consultants Network program enables customers, resellers and developers to locate experts who can recommend, install and support Apple and related third-party products and solutions.
News
Is 7.0 Netscape's Lucky Number?
Netscape has built some interesting new features, improved on some old ones and created a browsing experience that feels a bit like a walk in an old familiar park — slightly changed for the better.
CCorel CEO Speaks
Crucial to the turnaround has been Corel's renewed concentration on its "core strengths" as a content-delivery company.
Friday, May 24, 2002
Top Stories
The Mac A Business Machine? Better Believe It!
The next time someone tells you that the Mac is not a serious business computer, just smile and get on with your business. You know better.
Apple 'Poised To Double Market Share'
Steve Jobs, the man who co-founded Apple and returned to the computer maker to spearhead its revival, has said the firm is placed to achieve a doubling of market share.
News
Appel Retail Store Anniversary
Great deals to celebrate a great year.
Vendors: LCD Prices To See Slight Rise Until 2003
A shortage in LCDs will keep prices for desktop and notebook displays at their current levels, or even a bit higher, until new factories come online in 2003 and increase supply, said a pair of LCD makers.
Sidetrack
The future of television: after the show, viewers must immediately take a quiz where they have to recall all the product placements and advertisements during the show. The more you remember, the less you'd have to pay.
Wintel
Windows XP Patch To Comply With Anti-Trust Deal
The first product changes dictated by a proposed anti-trust settlement with Microsoft Corp. will appear next week in a software patch for Windows XP, the company said on Friday.
Pulled In A New Direction
Michael Dell conquered the PC market by exploiting the technology of others to assemble cheap, powerful boxes. That same strategy may not work as he pushes into higher-end storage networks and server arrays.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Top Stories
Xserve Outside The Reality Distortion Field
From a performance standpoint, the Xserve should certainly be able to hold its own in many cases,and if Apple's statements are verified, it even will surpass the performance of these Intel-based servers on all the major tests. The Xserve can easily be a contender in the low end, low profile server market.
News
Art And Sound: The Alien Way
"Macs are the finest, best built, most reliable and elegant computers in the world."
"Myst" Adds Twist To Online Gaming
The creators of "Myst," one of the most popular PC games of all time, are working on an online version of the adventure game.
Opinion
iBooks For Backwash Elementary
The iBooks, although terribly small in screen and keyboard to me, seem an ideal fit for my kids.
Review
Apple iMac
It is easy to recommend this new iMac. It is the best consumer option to come out of Apple in a long time.
Downloading To A Macintosh In A Windows World
It's been harder to download music and video with a Mac.
Point And Shoot, And The Myriad Details Between
While digital cameras tend to look a lot like their film-eating ancestors, they conceal technologies that change the entire photographic process, impose new vocabularies and demand fresh ways of thinking about picture-taking.
A Photo Program For The Home, And One For The Road
PhotoSuite Platinum Edition by Roxio provides users with an easy-to-use interface to edit, modify and get creative with their digital pictures.
Apple's iPhoto Organizes And Edits Your Images
We appreciate the minor improvements to iPhoto, but they don't answer the software's most pressing needsóbetter color correction, the ability to archive a portion of your photo library externally without losing editing information, and more page templates for books. For these, alas, we likely must await a major release.
Sidetrack
Wintel
Dell Move Into Printers Would Roil Market
While speculation ahs swirled for several weeks that Dell may be considering a move into the lucrative printer market, a research report released Thursday added new fuel to the fire.
Open-Source Fight Flares At Pentagon
Microsoft is aggressively lobbying the Pentagon to squelch its growing use of freely distributed computer software and switch to proprietary systems such as those sold by the software giant.
Microsoft's Privacy Czar On The "Trust Model"
Richard Purcell, the man Bill Gates charged with creating security standards, talks about the huge dimensions of the job.
Microsoft Debugger Flaw Yields System Keys
Microsoft warned Windows NT and 2000 users on Wednesday of a new flaw in its debugger tools that could let attackers give themselves complete control of a system once they've gained basic access to that system.
Bill Gates, The CEO Summit, And Innovations For Regular Folks
Beyond the technology and those that cling to technology for technology's sake, what about "regular" folks?
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Top Stories
Where Apple Doesn't Always Play Nice
Here's the real test of harm: Has Apple's borrowing stymied innovation? I see no sign of it. And here's the hard truth. Given its resources, Apple can often make an imitation that's better than the original.
News
Netscape Releases First Preview Of Netscape 7
Apple To Branch Out Into Networks
After years of focusing on personal computers, Apple is moving into enterprise networks with the release of a 1U rack-mount server for large organisations.
Playing The Apollo, And The Apple
Stevie Wonder used the time they were inching through the traffic to demonstrate his iPod for Wynton Marsalis.
Opinion
Why Microsoft Is Winning The Game
Why can't Apple make a Windows program to save off email, bookmarks, and other easy to retrieve but annoying to do so data onto an iDisk or something similar to retreial on a Mac?
Is Apple A Software Bully?
Do you think it's ethical for Apple to imitate the innovations of third-party programmers in order to deliver better Apple products?
What A Difference
Today, after a series of utterly stupid gaffles in developer relations, Microsoft is losing to Apple, and that's ridiculous, because Apple is everything that a developer company is not.
How OS X Is Growing The Mac User Base
The ability to add users from previously unreachable sectors will only help grow the important user base.
Review
Netscape 7.0: A Lot To Like
The new browser has useful user interface aids, strong standards support and a much improved mail client. However, there aren't a whole lot of new ideas reflected here.
Dreamweaver
Even if you're not going to use all of the database driven application development features, Dreamweaver MX is a worthy purchase and a worthy upgrade for current users.
Photo Editing 101: What Software NOT To Use
Windows XP provides enough of the functionality on my PC, and Apple's iPhoto does it far better on the Mac. As for higher-end (but still simple) photo editing and enhancement, Adobe Photoshop Elements remains my program of choice.
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
News
Apple Allows Unregistered Users To View KBase
Shapleigh's Laptops Sharpen Skills
"I am very enthusiastic about the possibilities it has."
Apple Computer Executives Register To Sell Shares
Apple Computer Inc. executives have filed with securities regulators to sell about $25 million in stock so far this month, including a filing on Monday by the company's chief financial officer to sell stock worth more than $6 million, documents showed.
Movie-Star Mac Battles The Bad Guys Of Wintel
Today's movie heroes and heroines tend to use Apple Macs. The baddies hack away at Windows PCs.
Opinion
Apple's Xserve: Do Servers Need GUIs?
A number of you raised a red flag over the Xserve's use of the Aqua interface. It was considered an unncessary distraction rather than a help.
Apple Gooses iBook Speeds
Given Apple's recent updates to all its product lines, it certainly has something truly noteworthy up its sleeve for July that is not necessarily a new computer per se, but something else.
Has BSD Unix Passed Up Linux?
Users tried of fighting their hardware may well flock to Mac OS X systems, with their ease of integration, desktop applications, including Microsoft Office, friendly interface, and absolutely beautiful hardware.
Tempting New iBooks?
The AV cable is a much nicer solution than that dongle Apple has for the new iBooks.
eZistance Is Futile
The energy coming off Apple right now is very strong and positive. People there are having fun. Thye're competitive, but not combative.
Review
Why I Stopped Using iPhoto
iPhoto just doesn't offer as many pluses as minuses for this photographer.
Apple's Tweaked TiBook Unleashes More Beauty — And The Beast Within
While the new TiBook hasn't eliminiated my need to have two computers in my office, it may very well change which one I consider my primary machine.
Sidetrack
Doc Searls: Two years ago, even one year ago, any industry conference woul dhave revolved, unavoidably, around Microsoft. Not any more.
Newspapers and other media typically have obituaries pre-prepared for famous people. I wonder how many of us here at weblog-ing land has one of those written about ourselves already.
Wintel
Monday, May 20, 2002
Top Stories
Computers The Apples Of Auburn's 'i'
Two months after the laptops arrived and just about a month before the school year ends, teachers, parents and kids are calling the program a huge success.
Apple Releases 700MHz iBook
Apple today updated its iBook with double the on-chip level 2 cache, a more powerful ATI Mobility Radeon graphics processor, larger hard drives and one model that includes a 700MHz G3 processor.
News
Apple UK's Retail Strategy Pays Off As Sales Increase
A report by IDC showed a massive 21.2 per cent year-on-year growth in the company's unit sales. This means APple's share of the UK PC market in the first quarter of 2002 jumped to 3.2 per cent, compared with 2.5 per cent last year.
Apple Market Share: Shift, But No Increase
Apple has taken bold steps in a number of directions. But so far it has seen little change in its customer demographics.
Apple's Bluetooth Adaptor Delayed 'Indefinitely'
Apple has cancelled customer orders for the USB Bluetooth adaptor, the availability of which it said has been delayed indefinitely.
Apple Releases 700MHz iBook
Apple today updated its iBook with double the on-chip level 2 cache, a more powerful ATI Mobility Radeon graphics processor, larger hard drives and one model that includes a 700MHz G3 processor.
Potent Laptops Shove Desktops Aside
As more people grow accustomed to powerful laptops with big screen and fast microprocessors, they will begin to accept them as outright replacements for old-style computers that take up so much space.
Smiles For Some But Tough For Others
New features in the Mac OS X systems like iDVD, iTunes, iMovie and iPhoto did the trick.
Opinion
Apple Laces Up Its Wing Tips
The only question is whether it's enough tiger power to get Apples arriving at offices in white boxes rather than brown bags.
No G4 iBooks, But A Decent Revision Nonetheless
What bothers us is the continued use of the G3 processor and the inability to take full advantage of Quartz Extreme.
Can Microsoft Throw A Monkey Wrench Into The AoL And Apple Relationship?
Sidetrack
Innovation in marketing, or how to sell leftover stuff that nobody eats? :-)
My MP3 player's supposedly-random playlist is mainly playing from my "Little Shop of Horrors" tracks. Maybe it is telling me something...
Are you afraid of death? I am... After all, who is going to maintain this weblog and who, more importantly, is going to pay the bills?
Wintel
Xbox Online Pricing Set
Microsoft will spend $2 billion in its effort to make Xbox the leading video game console, a company executive said Monday.
Dell Vets Get Behind Tablet PC
A group of former Dell Computer executives is putting in motion a new company to tackle the tablet PC market.
Microsoft's $1 Billion Bet On Xbox Network
On Monday, Microsoft will annnounce the next big gamble: an ambitious billion-dollar-plus investment in an online game service to be called Xbox Live.
Prisoners Go To Work For Dell
The PC giant is cutting another corner by employing prisoners to handle its new consumer recycling scheme in the US.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Top Stories
Macintosh Gets Easy Things Done More Quickly
Try doing any of this on a Windows-based personal computer and you will likely run into problems.
News
Trendy Goodds For The 'Con'sumer
Trendy-looking headphones part of growing segment of retail industry that caters to inmates.
Review
Lost In Fun World Of Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe is an adventure that should please any family member ready to use some serous concentration and logic to succeed.
Sidetrack
Yet another reason why you should buy a Mac: The speed at which things, such as mouse clicks, happen on a [Windows] computer changes over time as more of the machine's memory resources get used.
Wintel
Beating Bill
Giatns like AOL, Palm, and Sony have tried and flailed. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. Some little guys are actually sticking it to Microsoft now — and what they've learned can mean as much to your business as it does to theirs.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Driving Desktop DVD Market
With DVD now positioned as the "after-burner" to an existing video edit workflow, Apple completed the missing link in its "Shoot, Edit, Burn" mantra that has become its signature marketing phrase.
News
Assessing Apple's Enterprising Server Gambit
Microsoft has knocked Apple and its Mac operating system far enough out of the enterprise arena that most IT executives won't even consider the Xserve.
Final Cut Pro Cooks For "Flavors Of America."
The main ingredient in Anthony Burokas' recipe for success? Final Cut Pro.
Opinion
Hey Apple: Please Keep It Simple!
Empower the users, don't confuse them.
"I" Is For Irreplaceable
It's beginning to dawn on me that Apple carves such a niche for its users that it's hard to imagine doing without.
MSN Takes Jabs At Apple For Using AOL IM
Where does MSN get off taking jabs at Apple, of all companies, for its own lack of enough business skills to establish a partnership with America Online?
Review
Wintel
Judge Skeptical Of A Microsoft Remedy
The judge overseeing the Microsoft trial appeared highly skeptical today of a proposal made by nine states on how to enforce the tough antitrust restrictions they are seeking.
Microsoft Case On Hiatus
Following nine weeks of hearing, proceeding on hold until mid-June. Final decision expected in July.
Judge Warns Microsoft To Keep Promise To Comply With Antitrust Penalties
"These are the kind of things that will come back to haunt you if you don't, because I have a memory of all these statements."
Microsoft Sees A Future For An Expanded Xbox
Top executives from Microsoft have let it slip that they indeed have broader ambitions for the newly priced $199 device.
Friday, May 17, 2002
News
New Home For New Vision: After-School Foundation Holds Open House
The gem of the new center is a computer lab filled with 16 Macintosh computers.
Interpreting History Through A Photo Lens
Mauro createed his maps with an old Macintosh laptop and a drawing program that is not even made anymore.
Apple Polishes Up LCD Technology
Soon we might be thanking Apple for making it less expensive to watch TV from the hot tub.
Opinion
Educational Computing Done Wrong
Keeping the computers working well and fully updated will greatly contribute to the major focus of helping the student to learn efficiently and effectively.
Xserver: A Sign Of Good Things Ahead For Apple
With the server version of Jaguar on the horizon, the future of Apple's re-entry into the serve rmarket—and the implications that re-entry has for the rest of the company—looks bright.
Objective-C?
OS X is certainly out there in big numbers, lots of people are developing for it, and many of those people are using Objective-C.
The Comments That Just Won't Die
Aren't Internet publications supposed to be able to publish more timely coverage of events and happenings?
Sidetrack
Evan Williams: I'm being seduced into the Mac camp. I can't help it. Thye're everywhere. And beautiful. And everyone's in love with them.
Introducing... Creative Commons.
Wintel
Microsoft Said States Not Harmed
Microsoft's lawyers argued that the states, unlike the federal government, should have to show that their citizens specifically were harmed by Microsoft's illegal attacks on its competitors.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Top Stories
AOL Won't Let IE Take Mac Test
America Online has dropped Internet Explorer from a test version of its software for Mac OS X, the latest sign that the Internet giant wants a rematch in the browser wars with Microsoft.
Apple Struggles To Regain Share Of School Market
The latest Mac seems enticing, but will school leaders bite?
News
Apple Retail Stores In Hobart, Nassau County
Connecting Gadgets, Without Wires
This season seems to be Bluetooth's coming-out party.
Apple Shows Xserve For Small Businesses
Analysts say loyalty to the Apple Macintosh is a big factor in the Xserve's prospects.
Ambrosia Releases Bubbble Trouble X
Bubble Trouble X has a new level editor and features improvements such as being able to play it in the multi-tasking friendly "in a window" mode.
24's Good Guys Do Use Macs
As Fox's hit espionage thriller 24 draws to a close, the theory that the good guys use Macintosh computers while the bad guys use Windows PCs appears to be reinforced.
AOL Begins Testing New Mac OS X Software
Sybase Moves ASE Database To The Mac
On the same day Apple introduced its Xserve server line, the compute rmaker gained some additional enterprise support from Sybase and its relational database software.
'This Is War'
Should the computer industry protect Hollywood from digital theft? The guns are drawn.
Opinion
Apple's Xserve: Why It's A Big Deal For All Of Us
The advent of Xserve is a pivotal event both for Apple and in the history of Unix. This is a Unix server for the masses, from the only company yet to make Unix a mass-market desktop OS, too.
Jaguar Testdrive
It's really snappy.
Tales From The Frontier Of Value Subtraction
How insane does an industry have to be when it manages to screw its partners, its customers and its osurces, all in one move?
Review
Larger iBook Shows Signs Of Deisgn Compromises
Printing At Home Has Never Been Better
Epson remains at the top of the heap in print quality and color fidelity.
Sidetrack
You May Want To Ignore Me
Everytime I receive one of those automatic updates / patches for my Windows XP (and there's plenty), the dialog box always warn me, some updates may require a restart. Every single time, without fail, the dialog box will warn me: you may need to restart.
What it doesn't seem to tell me is that whether this particular update will require a restart.
Random
Some pretty good stuff can be found at the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference.
Peter Lindberg: Is it "ex-serve" or "ten-serve"? Has anyone watched the QuickTime videos?
$20 Bill 9/11 Anomaly.
Wintel
Microsoft Dealt Another Blow On Lindows
Microsoft's claim to the word "Windows" suffered another blow this week when a federal judge again questioned the company's assertion that the term is not generic.
EU Told To Reconsider Microsoft Case
US Department of Justice said that some of the legal arguments being used by the Commission's antitrust authorities against the software giant have already been rejected by US courts.
Judge Quizzes Microsoft, States On Sanctions
A federal judge on Wednesday sharply questioned attorneys on both sides of the Microsoft antitrust case, still weighing how far-reaching sanctions against the software giant should be.
New Celerons Straddle Pentium Divide
Intel released a pair of Celeron chips on Wednesday that are similar on the surface but different underneath.
Windows XP Updates: More Trouble Than They're Worth
Analysts say that despite a rocky start, which included a serious default security flaw found less than two months after its release, Windows XP has been Microsoft's best OS.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Top Stories
Apple's New Gig: Smooth Interoperator
By getting AOL to open up its instant messaging program, Apple succeeds where Microsoft has failed. Can it seize the momentum?
Steve Jobs: Rolling With The Punches
After polishing Apple Computer's lineup with the new flat-panel iMac, the school-oriented eMac, and now a rack-mounted server, CEO Steve Jobs still has an adjustment to make. He'd like to remove one item: the bad economy.
News
Nifty Apple Server; Dull Launch
Apple achieved a first on Tuesday. The company introduced a new server, of course, but it also hosted its first product launch to put people to sleep.
Marker Pens, Sticky Tape Crack Music CD Protection
Music disc copyright protection schemes can be circumvented using tools as basic as marker pens and electrical tape, crackers have discovered.
Apple's Rendezvous Equals Zeroconf
Rendezvous is based on an ongling set of IETF standards in progress that have been under development for several years now.
Arrr! Avast Ye Screen Savers!
Historically, writing screen savers has been an evil black art.
The Evolution Of Darwin
The evolution that successfully put a Unix engine under the Mac OS hood began with the acquisition of NeXT by Apple in December 1996.
Opinion
Jaguar: Is Quartz Extreme A Plot To Make You Buy A New Mac?
Reassurance and some concrete improvements are needed to satisfy Mac users' concerns. The ball is in Apple's court.
Shed No Tears Over OS 9's Demise
Jobs is right: OS 9 represents a technological era that has come and gone. May it rest in peace.
Apple Will Drive RIAA Out Of Their Minds
Create the tools that excite the creative people, drive innovation from the bottom-up.
To Infinite Loop, And Beyond...
Looks to me like these are priced almost as loss leaders to flow into enterprises.
Review
iPhoto 1.1.1 Adds Needed Features
I haven't had to open Photoshop to prepare any of my images. That's sweet!
Internet Explorer Doesn't Work With Microsoft Internet Proxy Server
Doesn't Microsoft test their software before releasing it?
Sidetrack
Rendezvous
Long, long, long, time ago, I was involved in a project whose code name was "Rendezvous". I remember, then, there are lots of people who didn't know how to spell or pronounce this word.
I see the spelling mistakes are back today.
Random
Sound interesting, no puns intended. Art on the Mac on Your Mac Life.
jjg: Oh yeah, for some reason, at the moment the quake hit, my new Mac crashed for the first time. Kernel panic. Weird, huh?
Always play to your audience, or how playing the right song can literally save your ass.
Cory Doctorow: Death was the best [Napster] could hope for now.
Wintel
Microsoft Adopts A Strategy Of Praising Its Monopoly
Consumers gain from the dominance of Windows, Microsoft argued. For the first time in the four-year-old case, Microsoft presented witnesses who acknowledged that Windows is a monopoly.
Microsoft Finalizing Next-gen Office
Microsoft is finalizing plans for the next version of its Office business software, which will likely include new Web services, communication and collaboration features, said sources familiar with the company's plans.
Microsoft Cuts Price Of Xbox Game Console To $199
Microsoft on Wednesday will slash the price of the Xbox game console by 33 percent in the U.S. and 29 percent in Japan, intensifying the price war between console makers jostling for share in the $20 billion global video game market.
No Longer Content With Hardware, Dell Sells Dudewear
Capitalizing on the popularity of its young, bushy-browed spokesman the Dell Dude, the Round Rock, Texas-based company has begun selling "Dude" branded T-shirts, caps and backpacks.
HP Tempers Profit Report With Caution
In its last quarter before merging with Compaq Computer, Hewlett-Packard met estimates but warned that the company doesn't expect information technology spending to recover until next year.
Tuesday, May 14, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Serves Up Rack-Mountable Server
Although Xserve are aimed at environments where Macs are plentiful, it is also designed to be a good server for common business-computing tasks such as handling Windows files, e-mail and Web pages.
News
Q&A With Kevin Browne
Microsoft and Kevin Browne have big plans for the Mac platform — even as the software giant's five-year technology pact with Apple expires this summer.
GraphicConverter V4.4 Updated Today For Mac OS X
Stronghold: Building Castles With The Strengh Of Mac OS X
"[Stronghold] is just tough enough to keep [you] engaged without becoming overly frustrating."
Major Player Give Nod To Xserve
AOL Plans To Unveil New Mac Software
AOL hopes to release its new Mac version this summer, and will be compatible with the next version of Mac OS X, code-named Jaguar.
Newer Technology Making A Comeback
Maine School Laptop Program Earns Mention In National Survey
"Maine's experiment in wireless education may provide answers to the question of how well universal access to the Internet aids student learning."
Apple CFO Planned To Sell $3.8 Million Of Stock
Anderson's filing was the latest from the finance chief, who has been at Apple for five years.
Apple To Plant Enterprise Seed
Long anticipated by Mac enthusaiasts, analysts this week said they expect the server to be an important addition to Apple's product line.
nVidia GeForce 4 Ti Cards Begin To Ship
Apple has begun shipping nVidia GeForce 4 Titanium AGP video cards to customers.
Opinion
Jaguar Or Jackalope?
I don't really have to have the product to review it.
Review
Is It The Perfect 10 For Mac?
The pros and cons of Apple's OS X.
Excel V.X
Although it offers few significant new features, Excel v.X is a solid performer. It provides full compatibility with Mac OS X, and for many, that's reason enough to upgrade.
On Virtual Safari
Animals often fascinate the preschool set, and Knowledge Adventures' new title "Jump Start Animal Adventure" is a nice alternative to dragging a toddler around the local zoo.
A Few Comments On iPhoto 1.1.1
There are definitely a few things that could be addressed to make iPhoto work even better.
Sidetrack
Are you interested in the Weblog Foundation?
Dave Winer: There's some stuff that runs on Mac OS X as a server that isn't available on other flavors of Unix and is pretty cool.
Wintel
How Microsoft Went After Linux
A Microsoft executive urged the company to quietly retaliate against supporters of the rival Linux operating system in an August 2000 memo that nine states still suing the software giant want admitted as evidence.
Is HP Low-Balling Job Losses?
U.S.-based IT industry analyst Giga Information Group believes job losses resulting from the merger of Hewlett Packard and Compaq have been underestimated greatly.
Hewlett-Packard And Dell Results To Reflect Tech Downturn
Weak corporate spending is expected to take its toll when HP and Dell report quarterly results later this week, although HP's bottom line should benefit from cost-cutting ahead of buying Compaq.
Companies Cringe At Microsoft Licensing
Fierce resistance is brewing to Microsoft's new software licensing program for businesses.
Dell Projection Is Pro Projectors
Dell Computer announced Monday that it has begun selling anew portable projector that can be paired with its notebook PCs.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Hints At A Future With Devices
Think cell phones, e-mail pagers and instant-messenger software.
News
Apple On RedHerrings 50 Top Public Companies
Laptop Money Off-Limits In Revisions To State Budget
Even though a potential $180 million state revenue shortfall lookms, money set aside for Gov. Angus King's laptop program is safe — at least for the immediate future.
Apple: Some CDs Don't Compute
Apple has determined that customers void their warranty if they attempt to use its products to play copy-protected CDs.
Opinion
Why Windows Is Hard And Why Macs Are Shunned
It's the people. Ironcially, maybe that's why Macs are also easier.
Reader Report: Apple Homepage Bandwidth
The Next Mac OS X: Why It's Gonna Be One Cool Cat
Jaguar looks to be greater than the sum of its parts.
David Reed On Sidhu
"Compared to working with MS, working with Sidhu was a nightmare, because he could never get out of the way of his own ego. Sometimes Gates and crew can."
Review
Practically Pixel Perfect
Dead pixel aside, my iMac G4 has almost everything I want in a home computer.
RealMYST
Should you try to make a good thing better?
Sidetrack
Wintel
New Celerons Built Like Pentium 4s
Intel's first Celeron chips based on the architecture behind the Pentium 4 will come out next week, a move that will allow the company to cover the entire PC market with the same chip design.
States Missed A Break In Microsoft Trial
Another procedural error on the part of the plaintiff states has preventd evidence from gettting into court. And that evidence, involving a specialized operating system called Windows XP Embedded, could have made the states' case.
Microsoft: States Have Proved Nothing
Microsoft declared that the states seeking strict sanctions against the company had failed to prove their case.
Microsoft Judge Expected To Take Cautious Approach
Analysts say a conservative federal judge will likely take a cautious approach as she weighs a proposed settlement against nine states' push for tougher penalties.
After Crash Course, Judge Must Solve Microsoft Case
As the two sides prepare their findings of fact before giving their closing arguments — now scheduled for mid-June — about the only thing they seem to agree on is that Judge Kollar-Kotelly has worked diligently to understand the case.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Store Opens In Atlanta
"All that cheering is because they [are] opening a computer store?"
News
Jon Anderson: Solo Singing — Songs From The Spirit Game
"The great Apple and Digidesign equipment I'm using affords me the opportunity to have a perfectly good studio at home, capable of producing truly professional quality work."
The Office Suite That Lets You See Past Redmond
OpenOffice is what many computer users have been waiting and wishing for: It's free, open-source, Office-compatible and cross-platform.
When Good Enough... Isn't
To Jay Chiat, every opinion was important.
Apple Asks For Your Help In Redesigning Support Site
Apple has put in place four different designs, and wants you to rate them, and offer any feedback on which one you prefer.
AppleCare To Reduce Pricing On Parts
AppleCare is expected to introduce lower pricing on select out-of-warranty parts.
Dying iPods May Have Common Cause Of Failure
Several iPod owners have experienced a complete and permanent loss of FireWire connectivity from the device to a Macintosh.
Opinion
Implementing APIs
I can't speak to what might happen, but I have every reason to believe that the APIs to access the AddressBook in future versions of Mac OS X will be public.
Is The Server Market Ripe For Apple?
With the cost of Intel-based hardware for an NT server going down, a business can afford to purchase a few hefty licenses of NT then go a bit cheaper on hardware and get several servers.
Review
How To Build A Rockin' OS 9 Compatible OS X Box
The following is a list of 9 tips to put the 9 back into OS X.
Very Special Effects
Final Cut Pro is a powerful piece of editing software that can transform you into a spare-room Spielberg.
Sidetrack
It's an all-new spinning-disc-of-death in Jaguar.
Screen shots from Jaguar.
Wintel
And The Winner Is Linux
Considering the sums of meony big IT companies spend on projecting a positive brand image you'd think they would be careful to avoid mishaps that undermine the marketing message.
Saturday, May 11, 2002
Top Stories
Steve Jobs And The History Of Cocoa, Part Two
The authors pick up the story with the Star Trek project and bring you to the current iteration of Mac OS X.
News
Houston, TX Apple Store Coming
Macromedia Wins Countersuit Against Adobe
"The score is now Adobe one, Macromedia one, customers zero," said Rob Burgess, chairman and CEO of Macromedia.
Apple Offers Up To $300 Cash Back On Desktop G4
Apple today added the Desktop G4 to its current list of promotions on the company's Web site.
CNN's Free QT Stream Goes Dark
We can no longer watch CNN news stories for free using the QuickTime player.
Opinion
How Software Works
There's some concern that Apple is not allowing the chat client vendors to access the system address book. If so, this is a repeat of the Sidhu mistake. It will end badl for the developers, but it will also end badly for Apple.
My Mac Is Faster Than Your PC
How do you decide which computer runs faster?
Review
Chimera
Consider yourself warned; this browser may become standard in your dock someday.
Will Watson Make Web Browsers Obsolete?
A new program for the Macintosh simplifies the task of finding useful information on the Internet.
Wintel
States Buffaloed By Microsoft's Tactics And Judge's Indifference To Evidence
It's time for the states to begin preparing their next antitrust case.
Microsoft Said To Cut Price Of Xbox
Microsoft has told major U.S. retailers it plans to announce a price cut for its Xbox video game console within days.
States' Decision To Stop XP Demo A Wise One
The judge knows there is such a demo, and that is enough.
Commission May Ask Microsoft To Strip Windows
European antitrust authorities are studying regulations that would ask Microsoft to separate the contentikous Medi aPlayer program from Windows.
Friday, May 10, 2002
Top Stories
Apple's Jaguar - Sliced And Diced
You'd think Apple developers would have something better to do after a WWDC Beer Bash, than write to The Register. But a number of you kind souls instead chose to tell us about "Jagwyre", the codename for the 10.2 release of Mac OS X.
News
PPCs Get Even Friendlier With Macs
A pro version of IAA's PocketMac for connecting Pocket PCs to Macs is now in beta; new features include synchronization with Entourage, Exchange Server and the OS X address book.
Review
FineReader Pro 5 And OmniPage Pro X Get The Job Done — With Your Help
OmniPage — whith its power to more easily recognize complex documents automatically, ability to import PDF files, and cleaner spelling-checker interface — is closer to the mark, particularly if youu plan on scanning a lot of documents that have complex layouts.
Wintel
'Modular' Windows Demo Cancelled
A planned demonstration of a version of Windows with removable features is cancelled to avoid a lengthy extension to the antitrust case.
Thursday, May 9, 2002
Top Stories
Jaguar Preview Is Stunning
Except for the keynote, all of the sessions are covered by a NDA that attendees sign when they join the Apple Developer Connection. Fortunately, there was quite a bit of news in the keynote.
Mac Attacks PC Users
It is clear that Apple has gotten the attention of many die-hard PC owners and is using this new software to effectively show off the Mac platform's real virtues.
News
Ushering In A New Breed Of Music Video-Makers
Thanks to information technology, filmmakers no longer need access to millions of ringgit worth of equipment ñ all they need are the right ideas, a digital videocam and some software.
Mounting Speculation About New Apple Device
Speculation is growing that Apple's 14 May announcement of new rack-mounted servers may well be a smokescreen for the unveiling of a brand new product.
From Symantec, Security Tools For Online Users Of Mac OS X
PDA Evolution: Newton To Now
Why did the Newton fail? How did we end up with our current crop of handheld devices?
Apple Developers Conference Gives Rare Peek At Future
When one of the most secretive companies in Silicon Valley starts dropping hints, the ears of geeks everywhere perk up.
Pixar's "Monster" Payoff Continues
Pixar Animation Studios reported Wednesday a fiscal first-quarter profit well above expectations as hit movie "Monsters, Inc." fueled a surge in revenue.
Opinion
Review
Berners-Lee: Keep The Web Royalty-Free
Tim Berners-Lee made a strong appeal for the development of the web to continue unencumbered by patent royalties.
Mozilla Gets Browsing Just Right
When's the last time you installed a program that made you smile because it was just right.
Inside Virtual PC 5.0
So, should you buy it? In a word, sure!
Latest iPod Model Shakes, Rattles And Rolls
For all of the iPod's megahypersuperginchiness, it's still a Mac-only product. This would be a fine opportunity for me to trumpet another player as "the iPod of the Windows world," but, whoops, there isn't one.
Nomad Jukebox 3: Why It's Better Than Apple's iPod
While you might have to sacrifice sleek design and the iPod's slicker navigation, you'll save a bundle opting for the Nomad 3.
Sidetrack
: All of [these programs] could take a lesson in user interface design from Apple's iDVD 2 for the Mac.
Charles Wright: Could it be that people feel more passionate about Macs not because of their technology, which in most key areas is no better than, and in some cases not quite as good as, that of the PC, but because their design somehow gives them a personality?
Wintel
Microsoft's Troubling Lessons For Schools
So, in the spirit of software that's flexible and free of hardware-specific entanglements, I'd suggest that schools install Linux on their machines.
Judging XP - Modular Myth Or Mandate?
If Bach can successfully build a modular version of Windows, it seems logical that Microsoft's legion of software developers should be able to perfect it with little effort.
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
Top Stories
Discovery: At A Secluded Rendezvous...
Discovery shifts the burden from a human being acting as a device (click, check, login, click, click, refresh) into a system that handles it for them.
News
Tim O'Reilly Explains Why Mac OS X Might Be The Next Big Thing
"Think platform, not just application — build in extensibility and interoperability, play well with others — it breeds succeess and you'll have more fun."
Opinion
What's Next For Apple?
It's time Apple realizes that the average person trying to figure out which computer to buy for their son or daughter isn't particularly interested int he Apple culture, nor are they willing to pay more to look cool.
Can Apple Succeed In School?
Conventional wisdom says this is a crucial market for Macs. Let us know if you agree, and if so, how Jobs & Co. should approach it.
OS X Beyond The PowerPC
OS X could be perceived as a real world alternative to Windows, something the classic Mac OS was never able to do.
Chicago's Photographers And Their Abstract World
A massive photography exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago examines the success of the New Bauhaus, the short-lived stepchild of the old Bauhaus in Germany.
Rendezvous Is French For JXTA
Rendezvous is going to be really big.
Apple Not Resting On Its Mac OS X Laurels
How did the rest of the computing world let Apple capitalize on desktop Unix first? Was everyone else sleeping?
Review
Apple's Amazing iPod
Apple never stops outdoing everybody.
Photoshop 7 Arrives For Mac OS X
Photoshop 7.0's diverse enhancements is well worth the price of admission.
Wintel
Is Bill Gates Crying Wolf?
He says the states' antitrust remedies would stifle innovation at Microsoft. Not likely.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Top Stories
Despite Hang-Up, QuickTime 6 Launch Set
Apple said Monday it would release QuickTime 6 late this summer, even though it has yet to resolve a licensing dispute over the MPEG-4 file format.
Developers Speak On The Death Of OS 9
"The evolve-or-die decision is clear. Any developers who hasn't already figured out that Mac OS 9 was end-of-life, and who consequently has been delaying or refusing support for Mac OS X, is going to become a grape in the path of the streamroller of progress."
A Look Inside Jaguar
Code-named "Jaguar," the next major release of Mac OS X will delight you with the innovation, elegance and ease of use you've come to expect from Apple.
Jobs Romances The Enterprise At WWDC
In a major pitch to the enterprise, Apple's CEO discussed support for ActiveDirectory, LDAP and a new rack mount server at its developer's conference Monday.
News
Association Comes Out Fighting For FireWire
The 1394 Trade Association signed a no-fee license agreement with Apple to adopt the FireWire name, logo and symbol as a brand name for the IEEE 1394 connection standard.
Developers Speak On The Death Of OS 9
"The evolve-or-die decision is clear. Any developers who hasn't already figured out that Mac OS 9 was end-of-life, and who consequently has been delaying or refusing support for Mac OS X, is going to become a grape in the path of the streamroller of progress."
Apple Instant Messenger To Work With AOL
The iChat program and other features, which generally focus on improved communications, will debut late this summer.
Opinion
Steve Jobs And Synergy
The speed of processors isn't relevant anymore, and it's time to move beyond it.
Discussion: Apple Drops Mac OS 9
Another iOpener
Apple is smartly mixing open and closed source strateiges... A lot of comapnies are struggling with ways to play both games as if they were one, and I can't see anybody doing it more skillfully than Apple right now.
Review
TDK "VeloCD" External FireWire CD-RW Drive
Stylus Color C60
Just when you thought Epson's righteous line of inkjet printer couldn't get any better, along comes the C60.
Canon Printer - Nice Images, So-So Documents
Although the S750's imaging abilities impressed, its document properties were disappointing.
Sidetrack
O'Reily Mac OS X Conference: It's the confluence of three great traditions — Unix/open source, Java, and the Mac — and the best of all worlds.
Dock Lawn Icons: cool!
Wintel
Judge Wants Demo Of "Modular" Windows
Over the objections of Microsoft, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said she would allow nine states seeking stiff sanctions against the company to have a computer expert demonstrate a version of Windows he has developed that can be customized.
Compulsory Windows: For Macs, And People Without PCs?
Microsoft has come up with another novel way to make its software compulsory, even if you don't want them to run the Microsoft software you're licensing.
MS .Doc Bug Hibernates On Net
Documents still available for download on the Internet have the potential to reveal sensitive information.
Microsoft's $40 Billion Bet
Bill Gates & co. are hoarding cash. What's up their sleeve?
Will The Sun Shine For Microsoft Rival?
Users of Microsoft Office are being tempted to swap to StarOffice.
Intel Unveils New Pentium 4 Chips
The fastest Pentium 4 will now operate at a fequency o 2.53 gigahertz, up from 2.4 gigahertz for a chip introduced in early April.
Monday, May 6, 2002
Top Stories
Jobs: Mac OS 9, Rest In Peace
While delivering an elegy for Mac OS 9, Steve Jobs promised Monday that Apple would ship the next major upgrade to OS X — including handwriting recognition — by the end of the summer.
Why Have I Bought My Last Windows-Based Computer?
My future is mine and not Microsoft's.
Opinion
Should Apple Keep The eMac At School?
When you look at the specs, there is nothing that would make it exclusive to educational use.
Apple Covering WWDC With Non-Disclosure Agreement
Apple is covering the entire WWDC, with a few exceptions, notably the Keynote, with its Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality Agreement.
Review
Mac Users Need More Button For Their Buck
We think Macintosh users can handle a second mouse button. There, we've said it.
Wintel
MS, Rival Fight Over 'Real' Truth
"The IE6 media bar is an integrated feature of IE6 that provides user value. As such, it is not replaceable by third parties."
Windows Exec Downplays XP Changes
A Microsoft executive told a federal court on Monday that he could not recall any changes the company had made to the multimedia eatures in the latest version of Windows, despite a stinging antitrust ruling against the company two years ago.
Dell's Notebook: Small Things Considered
Dell is going smaller than it ever has with a new mini-notebook it launched Monday. THe Latitude mini-notebook features a 12.1-inch screen, but weighs only 2.8 pounds and is just under an inch thick.
Intel CEO Says No Change To Second Quarter Outlook
Expectations that second-quarter revenues would be flat had not changed despite signs of an improving American economy.
Why Do Developers Choose One Programming Language Over Another For A Given Task?
It seems like .NET gives us a "choice" of languages precisely where we couldn't care less about it — in the syntax.
Sunday, May 5, 2002
Top Stories
No Flash In The Pan
Macromedia survives a decade by reinventing itself.
Opinion
Jordan Hubbard Moves To New OpenDarwin.org
Will Apple Suit Endanger Flash MX Video?
One of Macromedia's high profile features will have to be dropped or reengineered.
Sidetrack
Damien A. Barett: Apple's claimed to have make chanages [to its Knowledge Base] for the better, but I certainly haven't seen them.
Saturday, May 4, 2002
Top Stories
Steve Jobs And The History Of Cooca, Part One
Why Cocoa and Mac OS X aren't nearly as revolutionary as they are evolutionary — and stillin the process of refinement.
News
AOL UK Announces OS X Browser Plans
The surprise announcement is a change of heart on behalf of the company.
Microsoft Faces Challenge From Browser
Most people use Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser and think nothing of it. But there are other options out there.
iPhoto 1.1 Available On Ivory TiBooks
The updated iPhoto does come pre-loaded on the new "Ivory" PowerBook G4 Titaniums announced on Monday.
Opinion
eMac? Great. Now How About ItMac Running aLinux?
The exact nature of the tweaking would be different, but the business model is essentially the same.
Apple On The Right Track
There's your digital hub idea in black and white.
This Is Welcomed News
I was nervous with Apple's purchase of Shake. Between that and Maya being ported to OS X, I was afraid that in the near future, our render farm would have to consist of some really nice desktops, but extremely expensive render boxes.
Review
Norton SystemWorks Now Fully Xed
Is SystemWorks worth its $200 price tag? Yes.
Read The Review
GoLive's database-integration support alone is worth the price of the program, and the powerful Adobe Web Workgroup Server makes GoLive suitable for workgroups.
PowerBooking In China
Here is a short guide about taking your PowerBook to a foreign country.
Toast With Jam
It give you more than you need to produce better sounding, higher quality audio CDs, and it makes burning data and video CDs a fairly simple process.
Wintel
C# Striking A Chord With Programmers
Microsoft's new C# programming language is gaining in popularity, with usage nearly doubling in the last six months, a new study shows.
Intel To Announce New P4s And Chipset
Intel's new flagship Pentium 4 will be a 2.53GHz chip.
Ballmer Dropped From Witness List
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will not testify as expected in the ongoing antitrust trial, Microsoft said on Friday.
Microsoft Complianant Publishes Open Letter
The Auckland lawyer who has filed a complaint against Microsoft licensing practices with the Commerce Commission has posted an open letter to Microsoft users on the web.
HP Closes Book On Compaq Deal
After a rancorous eight-month proxy fight, a three-day trial in Delaware, countless speeches, a blizard of regulatory filings, and a bitter boardroom squabble, HP on Friday completed the largest technology merger in history by acquiring Compaq.
Friday, May 3, 2002
Top Stories
Apple eMac: That's 'E' For Education
"Education is very, very budget conscious and wants to buy the most computers they can for the dollar so the most kids can get exposure to them. So, this was our attempt to take all the great things of that new iMac, except for the flat display, and be able to bring them into the classroom a little cheaper."
Tips To Help You Pick A Laptop From Among So Many Features
Two of the absolute finest laptops around don't run Windows.
News
LittleWing Releases Jinni Zeala Pinball
Is The Future Flat?
Apple has a lot of clout despite having less than 5% of the global computer market.
Shake To Cease Windows Support
Nothing Real, which was acquired by Apple in February of this year, revealed that the forthcoming version of its Shake product (v2.5) will be the last for Windows.
Risks To Privacy Grow Along With Wireless
Just this week, Best Buy suspended use of wireless cash registers over concerns that eavesdroppers could obtain credit card numbers and other customer data by sitting in the parking lot.
Adobe Wins Macromedia Patent Suit
Adobe won its lawsuit Thursday claiming that rival Macromedia infringed on the company's patents for "tabbed palettes."
Opinion
Piles Of New Stuff Indicate OS 9 On Its Way Out
They're just not making much software for Mac OS 9 anymore.
Writeable CDs Add To Digital Detritus
It is slowly dawning on me that the compact discs I'm burning are perhaps a bit too permanent.
Review
Dual 1GH Mac: Better Machine, Better Price
High-end designers have no excuse not to upgrade.
Sidetrack
Dr.Dubious DDQ, in Slashdot: I was told [by Sorenson] that the exclusivity agreement [between Apple and Sorenson] expired last month.
I am so tired of having to reboot my OS X. I hope Steve Jobs would apologize next week at WWDC, and give us 10.1.5.
Wintel
Microsoft: A Dip That Delights?
Its up-and-down stock is now at a level that could appeal to investors who believe the software giant can thrive in a post-PC world.
States Say Microsoft Planned Media Player Coup
The nine states cited a Jan 3, 1999, e-mail to Bill Gates outlining a plan to use the dominant Windows operating system to promote Microsoft's Netshow medai streaming software over that offered by RealNetworks.
Thursday, May 2, 2002
Top Stories
Apple Software Elegant, Useful
The Mac OS X operating system is the most elegant interpretation of Unix I've ever seen.
News
Apple's Education Revival
Apple is known for the brand loyalty it engenders, and this phenomenon is nowhere more apparent than at institutions of higher educations.
Opinion
My Mac Is Faster Than Your PC
It does feel nice to have the latest and the greatest, and to boast that you have the fastest PC on the planet. That is until next week's new model makes it seem obsolete.
An Apple For The Enterprise
Apple should make a special iMac model for enterprises that runs a Linux client OS.
Review
Turn Up The Volume
iPod is expensive, but it's a joy to use. If MediaFour's XPlay software works as promised, even Windows users will find the iPod to be a superior choice.
Keyboard Shortcuts One Way To Unlock Macintosh Mysteries
Just go to the Finder's Help menu, start up Mac Help and type in "keyboard shortcuts."
After Effects Showdown: Mac Vs PC
Apple's assertions that G4 workstations are fater than all Pentium 4 or Athlon XP-based systems are exaggerated, at least as far as After Effects is concerned.
Putting A Mac In A PC House
Setup's a snap, but networking with Windows laptop a chore.
Sidetrack
Brain Aldiss, one of UK's top sci-fi writers, uses a Mac.
Wintel
Threat Is Seen To Microsoft Windows
The Windows software would collapse like a "house of cards" under an antitrust proposal by nine states to strip Internet Explorer from the operating system, a computer scientist testified today.
Embedded XP Isn't The Remedy
The climax to the Microsoft remedy trial—Bill Gates' testimony—has come and gone and it's a fair time to analyze where things stand and to imagine what the software industry will look like post-judgment.
.NET: Microsoft's Enterprise Ticket?
Will .NET Framework bring Microsoft and true language-neutral development into the enterprise?
Wednesday, May 1, 2002
Top Stories
eMac Evokes Price Shock For Students
Some college students eager to snap up the new eMac were surprised when they tried to buy one this week from Apple's online store. The price is $50 more than announced.
Apple: When Good Things Happen By Accident
Apple does a lot of stuff right. What's interesting to me is how often that right stuff has unintended positive consequences.
Apple Sues Sorenson To End License To QuickTime Rival
Apple is suing Sorenson, a company that makes software used in Apple's QuickTime product, to block it from licensing similar software to rival Macromedia.
News
Apple Counts On Stores To Boost Sales
Even with an incredibly strong brand, hordes of cult-like fans and a charismatic leader who has brought the company back from the brink, the stock has proved to be a long-term dud.
Apple Quietly Releases iPhoto 1.1
USB 2.0 Will Juice Up Personal Computers
The reins of power are pssing, from USB 1.1 to USB 2.0. And it certainly forces the question everyone's asking: What's the fate of FireWire?
Sorenson Responds To Apple Lawsuit
Sorenson believes the lawsuit is "without merit, and if necessary, intends to mount a vigorous defense against the allegations."
Resellers Quick To Offer Bundles With The New PowerBook G4 (DVI)
Mac OS X: The Case For Carbon
Apple has been slow to promote the advantages of Cocoa, instead touting Carbon as a switft development route with little re-coding required.
Opinion
Left Behind, The New Computer Game
This isn't the first time that I said, "If I had known," nor will it be the last.
Are We Living In Wingapore?
We should not be treated as a second-class citizens due to our choice of platform, especially when its the better one.
Apple's Hot For Teacher
All this and WWDC, too?
Apple Harvests The Fruits Of Innovation
While PC saltes stagnate, Jobs & Co.'s latest wares leap off the shelves. The reason? Computers that are much more than mere appliances.
Review
The ThinkFree Alternative
Although ThinkFree still has some issues to work out, it can be the right choice in many situations.
TiBook Value: New Vs. Old
If you've long wanted portability but needed lots of horsepower or screen real estate, the new TiBook provides both in spades at a very realistic price.
Sidetrack
The Educator Advantage for teachers and students in Singapore.
Wintel
Error May Help Microsoft
Some potentially damaging documents that state prosecutors have gathered in the Microsoft antitrust case might not be allowed into evidence, the result of missteps by the states' legal team.
Dell Trying To Sidestep Chip "Cartel"
Dell has opened up relationships with a wider variety of memory manufacturers to curb the effect of recent price hikes in memory chips.
Dell Sees HP-Compaq Merger As Opportunity For Gain
The chief executive of Dell on Tuesday said the No. 1 personal computer maker may gain market share amid confusion generated by the HP-Compaq merger.
Judge Clears Way For HP-Compaq Merger
A Delaware court on Tuesday cleared the way for HP's $18 billion purchase of Compaq, quashing an attempt by dissident shareholder Walter Hewlett to block the deal.
MS Still Unfair, States Declare
Nine states suing Microsoft tried Tuesday to offer complaints by computer makers as evidence that the company still uses unfair business practices after settling its antitrust case with the federal government.