Sunday, August 31, 2003
Top Stories
Size Doesn't Matter
Next time someone says that there are obviously not viruses on Macs because hardly anyone uses them, put them in their place. Tell them the real truth: that security is at the foreground of Unix and thus Mac OS X.
News
Teen At College Sets Sights High
The 14-year-old is studying computer science and planning his professional future.
Opinion
Does The World Really Need Another Windows Emulator?
Before you say Apple, bear in mind that it probably wouldn't be politically correct for the mother ship to get involved in the emulation business, with what Microsoft already in that game.
Will Virtual PC Slip Into A Virtual Existence?
Now the ball is in Microsoft's court.
Review
Dragon Burn Is Fast, Slick And Easy
Planning A Trip? Don't Forget The Scanner
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs touts the Macintosh as a digital hub, and now I really understand the concept.
G5 Versus G5 Versus G5
Do you need a G5? Maybe. Do you want a G5? Of course! But which one is the best buy?
Sidetrack
DUDE, YOU'RE GETTING SCREWED : "I'm just bewildered that Dell corporate policy is that users need to lie to use their new laptops, and to agree to legal agreements that it's completely impossible to have read."
Wintel
Stupid Microsoft Tricks
Why the richest company on earth feels it needs to cheat.
You Call This A Midlife Crisis?
Is Microsoft's corporate metabolism finally slowing? The senior management team at the company has a ready answer: not in your dreams.
Microsoft Wins OK For Xbox Wireless Adapter
Microsoft has won federal approval for a wireless adapter for its Xbox video game console that allows players to connect to the Internet without cabling, according to a posting on a regulatory Web site.
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Top Stories
Apple (Still) Not Attending Macworld Expo Boston
In a statement provided to MacMinute on Friday, Apple reiterated that it will not participate in Macworld Expo Boston.
News
Final Cut Pro 4.0.2 Update Released
Macworld Expo To Take Place In Boston Next Year
IDG World Expo today confirmed that the East Coast Macworld Conference & Expo will take place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) July 12-15, 2004
Opinion
Quick Fixes Make OS X Tough For Sneaky Worms
Switch!
I've finally made good on my promise to myself to switch back to a Mac after five years on PC's.
Review
Griffin iCurve
There is only one issue that I have about this product — I am 6'5", and even sitting at the desk it does not quite reach eye level for me, though it is a much needed improvement from sitting on the desktop.
Sidetrack
JUST A QUICK NOTE, dear readers, to tell you that I am reinstalling Jaguar on my Pismo right now. Updates will be minimal for the time being.
Wintel
'Longhorn' Rollout Slips
Microsoft Corp. has once again shifted the schedule for the release of "Longhorn," the company's next major version of Windows, leaving some users up in the air about an upgrade path.
Friday, August 29, 2003
Top Stories
Tibco Takes Apple To Court For Rendezvous
Integration software maker Tibco Software Inc. filed a trademark infringement lawsuit Wednesday against Apple Computer Inc., charging that Apple's Rendezvous networking software violates Tibco's trademark on its own Rendezvous messaging software.
News
Apple Pushes Back Dual G5 Ship Date
Apple To Exhibit At OracleWorld San Francisco
iTunes Beats Music Rivals For Awareness
Market research body NPD Group found that Apple's iTunes music service registered the highest awareness, with 20% of consumers aged over 13 knowing of the service. Among Macintosh users, the initial target market for iTunes, the awareness level jumped to 46%.
PC Makers Elbow Into Consumer Electronics Market
The consumer electronics market, where gadget lovers shop for everything from digital cameras and digital music players to big-screen TVs, is about to get a lot more crowded.
Apple Returns To The Old Dominion
Apple Computer, which opened its first-ever retail store in McLean two years ago, is returning to Virginia for its latest retail outlet. This one opens in Richmond at the Short Pump Town Center next month.
Backlash: Readers Contend Mac's OS X Is Much Toughter To Crack Than Windows
While creating a Mac OS X virus is not impossible, "the degree of difficulty here is at least 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10."
Opinion
Martian Distraction
"That's the coolest thing I've ever seen."
Apple Picking
Don't look to Wall Street analysts for clues to Apple's future. They just don't get it.
Review
Lineage: The Blood Pledge
While its somewhat less than mediocre technical aspects and lack of enjoyable audio may turn you hesitant, Lineage can be a blast to play, provided you devote your time and effort into it.
The Blint Spot In Apple's Brilliant iSight
Apple's iSight Camera and its iChat software are finely crafted, but lack of interoperability with all instant messaging programs limits the fun.
Wintel
Browser Suit Spurs Microsoft To Change IE
Microsoft Corp. is planning to alter its market-leading Internet Explorer Web browser as a result of a recent $521 million browser-patent verdict against it.
Microsoft Tweaks Licenses, Not Prices
Microsoft is set to reveal on Monday that volume prices for the next version of its Office software will remain unchanged, as it introduces new licensing provisions that are intended to placate big customers.
Dell The Conqueror
Which is the most influential PC company in the world?
Thursday, August 28, 2003
News
Apple G5 Shipments Slow In Europe, Asia-Pacific
Apple's eagerly awaited Power Mac G5 is slowly spreading out into the channel and to buyers, but not without some teething troubles, it seems.
The Big Apple
To clear up some confusion and speculation, this does not imply a visual redesign is in the works.
Apple, Stopdesign, And Happy Cog
Apple has contracted Stopdesign and Happy Cog Studios to collaborate on a makeovr of the company's well-known site.
Apple UK Education Offer
Apple has announced a new deal for teachers and students, offering substantial discounts on its already discounted educational prices.
Linux, Mac OS Added To Federal Enterprise Architecture Platforms
The Office of Management and Budget added Linux and Mac OS to the list of supporting platforms under the Technical Reference Model of the Federal Enterprise Architecture.
Opinion
The Big Advantage In Being Small
While insidious invaders like the Blaster and SoBig worms wreaked havoc on PCs, Mac users were, as usual, largely immune.
Google-Ability And Usability Can Be Intertwined Sometimes
Apple's Mail.app has terrible search engine usability.
What's With The Microscope On Apple?
Isn't it amazing how closely everyone seems to watch Apple?
Review
SoundSoap 1.1
If you're looking for a simple way to digitize and sanitize your beloved bootleg Foghat cassettes so you can listen to them on your iPod, SoundSoap is the way to go.
Painter 8
If you're new to Painter, its likeness to Photoshop may give you more incentive to explore its unique features. Just keep this in mind: Painter won't necessarily make you a good painter — but it may help.
Medal Of Honor Allied Assault: Spearhead
We loved paying another visit to Medal of Honor's rich, realistic world. We just wish our stay could have been longer and uninterrupted by technical difficulties.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Despite minor faults, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a pleasure to play, even if spells and puzzles have been dumbed down a bit for kids and casual gamers.
Final Scratch
Turntablists, listen up! Final Scratch adds digital music to your DJing bag of tricks, without upsetting your turntable-and-mixer tradition and without neglecting your spinning dexterity.
Final Cut Pro 4
If you're an editor or filmmaker who wants to control more post-production work yourself—including music scoring, title creation, and final output—then you should jump all over this one.
Logitech Click!
The Click! is an affordable, reasonably featured mouse for regular users who specialize in productivity. While not specifically designed for gaming in mind, the Click! is an excellent addition to any casual gaming experience.
Scanners And Mac OS X
Mac OS X has finally become a solid platform for scanning on the Mac.
XserveRAID
In the rarified strata of corporate-class storage, the Xserve RAID is more than reasonably priced — it's downright dirt-cheap.
MacTek Talk: A Look At Apple's Power Mac G5
The G5, in concert with Apple's upcoming operating system Mac OS X Version 10.3, code-named Panther, will put Apple in a very good position.
Wintel
Microsoft Bundles Up For Small Business
Aiming to woo small businesses into the world of server-based computing, Microsoft plans to release a cheaper bundle of its server operating system and e-mail management software.
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Top Stories
A Legal Fix For Software Flaws?
Microsoft's security failings may draw repeated beatings in the court of public opinion, but they will likely never be tested in a court of law unless current product liability statutes are rewritten, legal experts agree.
News
FWB Axes RealPC, Calls OS X Version 'Vaporware'
FWB Inc. has discontinued its RealPC emulation product, according to a statement posted on its Web site. The news dashes the hopes of Mac users looking for an emulation alternative to VirtualPC, Connectix's virtual machine emulation technology now owned by Microsoft.
GraphicConverter Updated To V4.8.1
Virtual PC No-Go On G5
Microsoft's PC emulation application Virtual PC 6.1 is incompatible with Apple's now-shipping Power Mac G5's, according to reports.
Microsoft: IM Party's Over
Microsoft Corp. is developing a licensing program for third-party instant messaging clients and services that want to continue accessing its .Net Messaging Service, but it comes with a catch.
PC-Makers Look Forward To Brisk Sales To Students
Makers of personal computers are gearing up for a back-to-school season that analysts expect will be more robust than in previous years, due to the growing popularity of laptops.
School Board Pleased With Budget
Apple Computers has approached the district about its "one-to-one" program that involves one computer for every student with laptops and Internet access at home. With an original estimate of $300 per student from Apple, McDermott is not interested unless the district can receive corporate assistance.
Apple Issues G5 Benchmarks
The results are in line with Intel's historically strong performance in integer performance and PowerPC's equally strong floating point results. But according to Apple the gcc compiler used did not support the AltiVec floating point instructions, and yet the G5 machine managed to trump both Dells on trial.
Jonathan Ive Wins New Praise
Creative Review readers have voted Apple's VP industrial design Jonathan Ive top of the magazine's Peer Poll for 2003.
Opinion
Wanted: Advertising Rants And Raves
For all the ink spilled in discussing the advertisement over the decades, did "1984" make the Apple Macintosh more than a niche product with a tenuous hold on the personal computing world?
Review
Apple iSight Conference Video Camera
An excellent video camera and one we suspect will become very popular — once the software catches up with it and people keep moving to broadband.
Apple Xserve
While decidedly Apple, Xserve puts to shame many of the Linux distributions available by tying together the diverse number of applications that are needed to administer an equivalent Linux server into a simple, GUI-driven interface. Xserve plays well in a Windows network, but also accommodates a variety of network constructions — all from a tight 1U package.
The Penguin In The Apple
The installation procedure is quite simple, as you can see, but we cannot say that Linux support is total and stable on this Apple hardware. We are walking on the edge right now.
Sidetrack
WITH THE RECENT INTRODUCTION of services such as MSN Premium and AOL's Bring Your Own Access, Apple's .Mac service is looking more and more as, well, either visionary, or ahead-of-its-time.
Anyway, the competition is here. Apple need to show us the value of .Mac.
(Damn, I just ended a sentence with ".Mac".)
(Oops, I did it again.)
Wintel
Did Linux Lose A Marketing Opportunity?
Microsoft's recent security troubles made it an easy target for Linux proponents. Here's why they didn't go on the attack.
Microsoft To Debut MSN Premium
On Wednesday, the software giant will unveil "MSN Premium," a new version of its Internet service that it hopes will appeal to the expanding population of broadband users.
Dumb Software For Dumb People
The Windows world is fertile ground for infinite virus plagues, especially when users refuse to take proper care of their computers.
Shanghai: School's Out For Microsoft Office
A China-made office suite will replace Microsoft Office in Shanghai schools, after a reported raid on schools by antipiracy officials and a demand from the software company for license fees.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Top Stories
Steve Jobs To Keynote Paris
Speculation exists that Apple will reveal further details of its forthcoming operating system upgrade, Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther). Sources within the Mac industry also predict new PowerBooks will be announced at or near the show.
News
Power Mac G5 Unveiled In China At BIRTV Expo
Richmond (Va.) Apple Store To Open Sept 4
The store is located at 11800 W. Broad St. Ste. 1134.
Maxtor Launches New OneTouch Line
Boasting a one-button backup and restore solution (hence the name), the drives — which can sit vertically or horizontally — come with Dantz Retrospect Express software that's compatible with Mac OS X and Mac OS 8.6-9.x.
Mac OpenOffice 'Delay' Debunked
With only two developers, it desperately needs man power. But no one will join the porting effort until they see momentum behind the Aqua port.
Review
Salling Clicker In Action
The range of capabilities it opens up — especially for people who give many presentations or do home recording in a closet — is worth considering if you're already in the market for a new cell phone.
Go Hog Wild With Hog Bay Notebook
The interface is clean, clear, well-behaved, with a sense of rightness throughout.
SpyHunter
In short, Spy Hunter is a fun concept with some serious flaws in its execution.
Canvas 9
Canvas 9 isn't cheap, but for those in technical illustration, it is well worth the cost due to it's broad capability. Hard-core graphic designers may pass on Canvas in favor of more specialized applications.
Wintel
Intel Snips Desktop Celeron Prices
As expected, the chipmaker on Sunday cut list prices by as much as 14 percent, to below $100, on its Celeron processors for low-priced desktop PCs. The cuts pave the way for the introduction of a 2.7GHz desktop Celeron in the future.
Monday, August 25, 2003
News
NetNewsWire Gets Apple Web Kit Renderer, More
The free update also offers TypePad support, custom style sheets, the ability to display differences in updated items, performance boosts, support for gzip compression, and more.
Apple Has Eye On Austin Space
Apple Computer Inc. is seeking new Austin digs in what might be the largest local office search of the past three years.
Macromedia Revs MX Line, IntroducesNew Solutions
Next month Macromedia will ship new versions of their MX product family, including updates of Flash, Dreamweaver and Fireworks. The company will also ship a new product, Flash MX Professional 2004, and introduce new "building blocks" called MX Elements and Halo.
Opinion
Worms Derail Laptop Talk, Spur Advice On Minimizing Damage
Let's be brutal. Here are three ways to avoid getting wormed.
Doing Business
The question nowadays isn't whether Apple will pursue the business PC market; it will, because, in some respects, that's the only one left.
An Issue Of Security
To all new students: Welcome to MIT. When you move into your new rooms and set up your computers, make sure your lawyer is on speed dial.
Review
Amapi Designer 7
If you're searching for a relatively inexpensive, powerful, and easy-to-learn modeler, Amapi Designer is a good choice. If you want a fuller-featured application, you may want to wait for Eovia's upcoming Designer Pro.
G5 2GHz MP Versus G4 1.42GHz MP
Altiverb
Altiverb's reverbs are both lush and very realistic. Its controls are bone-head simple to use, making it very easy to get a great sounding reverb. The main drawback is the high processor requirements.
Macromedia Contribute Gains Enterprise Skills
Current users will find it a worthwhile upgrade, and those interested in a controllable but simple Web site authoring tool for novice content contributors should take a look at Contribute 2.
Retrospect 5.1
If you use Retrospect to manage your backups, and especially if you run OS X, this should definitely be on your shopping list. If you don't use Retrospect 5.1, you should.
OmniWeb Is Dead — Long Live OmniWeb
Norton Internet Security
If you know you need very customizable FireWire Solutions, I strongly recommend you get Norton Internet Security.
Sidetrack
I'M STILL WAITING for Microsoft to port MS Money to OS X.
POWERPOINT VERUS KEYNOTE : Paolo Valdemarin discovers that, not only does Keynote imports PowerPoint presentations just fine, the slides usually improve.
Wintel
Microsoft Goes To College With OneNote
Microsoft is expected to announce on Monday that it will sell a discounted academic version of OneNote, its new application for note-taking and information management.
Developers To Get First Taste Of 'Longhorn'
After months of speculation, Microsoft plans to give developers their first hard look at the next version of Windows in October.
Microsoft's Big Role On Campus
The software giant's donations have allowed universities to follow through on projects they could not have otherwise dreamed of, given limited research budgets.
Sunday, August 24, 2003
Top Stories
Microsoft Windows: Insecure By Design
Between the Blaster worm and the Sobig virus, it's been a long two weeks for Windows users. But nobody with a Mac or a Linux PC has had to lose a moment of sleep over these outbreaks — just like in earlier "malware" epidemics. This is not a coincidence.
News
Free iPhoto Training Offered To .Mac Members
Now Software Shutters Minneapolis Office
Now Software, makers of the popular Now Up-to-Date & Contact, this week closed their Minneapolis, Minnesota office, laying off all employees.
Opinion
Apple Good, PC Bad
Since many Windows machines look alike, Apple is one of the few manufacturers that can gain by product placement.
Review
Mac Gems: A Dose Of Variety
One of the things I love about using Mac OS X is the amazingly wide variety of software.
Acrobat 6.0 Standard
Acrobat 6.0 may finally make the paperless office and PDF workflow a reality. It's the most comprehensive and wide-ranging upgrade I've seen in my 20 years of experience with publishing software.
Saturday, August 23, 2003
News
Apple Website Changes 'Music' To 'iTunes'
Ed Mendez: Shape-Shifting With Shake
"Among feature film-oriented students, Shake is the compositor of choice."
Apple Comptuer Puts Off Debut Of 64-Bit PC By 1 Month
Apple said Friday it will postpone putting what it calls "the world's fastest personal computers" on the Japanese market by one month.
Opinion
Review
Using Your Bluetooth Phone As A Remote Control
If you are a critic of Bluetooth who believes that the technology is a solution looking for problems, be sure to give the Salling Clicker a look.
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights is simply the best game I have played all year, in every category. It's a whole package that shouldn't be missed!
Alida
Even if you don't enjoy mulling over puzzles late into the night, who can turn down a strum or two on a giant guitar?
Is The Apple iPod The New Furby?
We have been playing with a few of the rivals and here's what we found.
Sidetrack
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CLICK the Start button to shut down [in Windows], asks Raymond Chen.
Short answer: The same reason you turn the ignition key to shut off your car.
Long answer... here.
Wintel
Cracks Seen In Microsoft Pricing
Thailand's program that brings low-cost computers to the poor could have the unintended side effect of ending Microsoft's one-price policy, according to market researcher Gartner.
Friday, August 22, 2003
News
A Tale Of Two School Systems: Windows Schools Crippled While Mac Schools Unaffected
Griffin Releases Redesigned PowerPod iPod Auto Charger
Nisus Thesaurus Public Beta Released
Nisus Thesaurus offers a fast electronic thesaurus that automatically integrates with any Service aware application including Nisus Writer Express, Mail, TextEdit, Safari, and more.
iSync 'Live Session' Scheduled For .Mac Members
"This is your chance to hear directly from the people who work on the product."
G5 Attracts New Markets
Several recent announcements show that the forthcoming release of Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and the Power Mac G5 is opening up new ground for Apple in sophisticated new markets.
.Mac Offers iPhoto Training, iSync Session
Snapz Pro X Update Improves Compatibility, Performance
The new version improves compatibility with certain applications and Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther," as well as other changes.
Review
It's Inevitable: Back Up Your Files Or Lose Them
There are some things in life you can be sure of, like death and taxes. And there are some things in computing you can be sure of as well, including the reality that your hard disk will cease to function someday.
Windows-Mac Networking The Easier Way
Get Dave for a Microsoft Windows network, PC MacLAN for AppleTalk.
PowerMac G5 Specs Impressive
The PowerMac G5 is not so much about the PowerPC 970 chip at its core as it is about a complete overhaul of the Mac architecture as we've known it for the past five years.
250GB FireWire 800 Drives: External FireWire 800 Devices Useful For Moving Large Files Fast
If you're moving large files between your systems and external drives, a FireWire 800 drive may be a smart choice. We recommend the $519 OWC Mercury Elite Pro FireWire 800. It has the lowest price of the bunch and includes a variety of ports that make it compatible with a wide range of machines.
FTP Clients: Seven OS X Programs Help You Push Your Files Around The Internet
Transmit is the easiest to use and most powerful FTP client available. We appreciated its intuitive interface, excellent features, and solid performance. FTP Client, too, has a well-designed user interface and provides exceptional performance. It also gives you the ability to create fast access droplets, which, if you regularly upload files to the same place, can be invaluable.
ImageModeler 3.5: Innovative Tool Makes 3-D Movies From Photographs
ImageModeler 3.5's price may be a bit too high for the casual user or hobbyist. But for architects, product designers, and animators who need to extract measurements from photographic information and/or quickly create 3-D models of existing buildings and objects, ImageModeler 3.5 is a good buy — and a great deal of fun.
Tinderbox 1.2: Multipurpose App Sparks, Stores, And Shares Ideas
Quibbles aside, Tinderbox 1.2.3 is easy to use and very intriguing. If you work with a lot of facts and ideas, it can provide vital clarity — and it might just spark your creativity.
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne V1.1.2
If you enjoyed WarCraft III, you'll really enjoy The Frozen Throne. It's worth every penny Blizzard is charging.
Wintel
Worm Double Whammy Still Hitting Hard
Nachi, the problematic fixer worm, and Sobig.F, the worst mass-mailing computer virus to date, continued to flood some corporate networks and e-mail servers on Thursday.
Microsoft Tools Its Web Search Engine
Microsoft is "investing heavily" in Web search as an important and potentially lucrative market, Christopher Payne, the company's executive in charge of search, said Thursday.
Forget California, It's Time To Recall Microsoft
For the second time this year, Microsoft is the source of a major internet security event.
Thursday, August 21, 2003
Top Stories
Strong Attackers, Weak Software
Computer security experts say the recent upsurge in virus activity is not a sign of anything new. Instead, it's the culmination of a trend that has been building for years as virus programmers have become more adept at creating malicious programs, and software companies have sold products increasingly vulnerable to attack.
Mac Users Watch From Sidelines
Macs — especially those running the newer OS X operating system — tend to offer more peace-of-mind to their users when it comes to viruses, worms and other infections that can wreak havoc on a computer.
News
Apple Hits 52-Week High
Shares of Apple rose 67 cents, or more than 3 percent, to close at a 52-week high of US$21.68 Thursday.
Apple Posts Xserve RAID Admin 1.1 TOols
The GIMP Gets Accelerated For Power Mac G5s
OmniOutliner 'Export To iPod' Add-On Released
Students Sharing Computer Knowledge With Classmates
Sunny Hill School will bring a new meaning to student teaching this fall, when third- and fourth-grade students help train their peers to use computers.
Long Wait For Mac OS X OpenOffice
A Quartz version of version 2.0 of the suite — which takes advantage of the OS X display model, rather than the Unix standard X11 — is slated for Q1 of 2006. The reason cited is major API changes in OpenOffice itself.
Opinion
Apple's Window Of Opportunity
Apple will have plenty of time to smooth over Mac OS X's rough edges, improve the user interface, performance and reliability. Maybe even introduce a few more features that'll inspire Microsoft to include in Longhorn's successor.
Review
Go To Rio Or Get Creative, But iPod's The One To Beat
Largely due to a great design, the iPod still comes out on top, in my view. But its rivals are finally showing some promise.
Apple iPod 30GB — Apple Of Your Ears
Undeniably one of the coolest portable digital music players available, the new iPod is another marvel of technological innovation by Apple.
Wintel
Air Force Seeks Better Security From Microsoft
A top U.S. Air Force official has warned Microsoft to dramatically improve the security of its software or risk losing the Air Force as a customer.
Microsoft Warns Of Critical IE Flaws
Microsoft alerted PC users to three critical security flaws in Internet Explorer and Windows on Wednesday, as the MSBlast worm and its variants used a previous vulnerability in Windows to spread across the Net for a second week.
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Top Stories
iPod Strikes Right Note With Consumer Market
"The way you can move your music seamlessly is great — it's much less complicated and faster than on the PC side. The other thing I like about it is the form factor — it's so small and light and the number of songs that can be stored on it is phenomenal."
Photoshop G5 Plug-In Update Ready For Download
Hot on the heels of Apple's release of the Power Mac G5 this Monday, Adobe Systems Inc. has released a plug-in update for its flagship digital imaging software, Photoshop. The update optimizes Photoshop for use with the G5.
News
MSN Messenger Upgrade Blocks Trillian
Microsoft is forcing people to upgrade to newer versions of its instant messenger application.
What, Me Worry?
Few hackers attack Mac, but just because it's a niche product doesn't make it vulnerable.
Apple Expo Coming To Paris
This year's show focuses on specific solutions for professionals from the design, education, business, architecture, legal, property, health-care and music sectors.
Intuit Ships Quicken 2004 For The Mac
Apple Kicks Off 'iPod-A-Day Giveaway'
"Create a new iTunes Music Store account during this time, and you will automatically be entered into our daily drawing."
Opera 6.03 Offers Compatibility With Panther
"Additional changes include bug fixes, performance improvements, better security, kiosk mode, and the removal of the start-up dialog for unregistered browsers."
Opinion
Poll: 99 Cents Too Expensive For Downloads
A single song download is too pricey at 99 cents, according to a Billboard.com poll.
Mac Myths And IT
Does this mean Mac OS is right for your organization? Not necessarily. But it does mean your organization has more viable choices for desktop systems than you might have thought.
Wanted: Smarter Updates
Self-updating systems should be the norm, not the exception, and personal responsibility may have to give way to "the good of the many."
Taking It Slow With A Superfast Chip
By delaying the lava-hot G5's use in iMacs and laptops, Apple is wisely awaiting the improvements that will make a good thing even better.
Review
BloodRayne
Buried deep beneath all the conceptual and performance-related problems, there is actually quite a fun game here.
Apple's AirPort Meets The Concrete
Where Airport Extreme shows its paces is in peer-to-peer connections between machines equipped with the new $99 Airport Extreme cards.
In Search Of A Unviersal Jukebox
While I'm in agreement with the glowing reviews Apple has received for its service, my experience has been a less satisfactory one.
Sidetrack
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL : Mid-Autumn festival, a festival celebrated by many Chinese, falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese's lunar calendar. And this year, this date corresponds to Sept 11th.
Wintel
Geeks Grapple With Virus Invasion
Summer vacation, peer pressure, Swiss-cheese programming code and too-quick-to-click Internet users have combined to make the last two weeks a true adventure in computing.
Outlook Is Bleak
Where do you want to go today? Anywhere but Outlook!
ISPs: Sobig's The Biggest Virus So Far
The computer virus clogged corporate e-mail systems on Tuesday and Wednesday, as every message had to be digitally checked for the virus before being passed on to the recipient's computer.
The Anti-Microsoft Tipping Point: Are We There Yet?
Sure, people will rail against Bill Gates every chance they get. But when it comes time to put up or shut up — to remove all traces of Microsoft software from their hard drives — you better believe they'll think twice.
Microsoft's Eye On E-Mail Lists
Thanks to the expertise of sociologist Marc Smith, Microsoft is keeping a close eye on newsgroups and other e-mail lists, which it has identified as the Internet's undervalued "knowledge management application."
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
News
PodQuest Puts Driving Directions On Your iPod
Apple G5 Hits The Street
Mac users "should run, not walk," to their local store to check out the G5, says Aberdeen Group analyst Peter Kastner. "Mac buyers can stand tall; they now have what is arguably a performance leader."
New Apple Stores In Chicago-Area, Richmond
Shareware Turns Nokia 3650 Into 'Universal Remote'
If you have a Nokia 3650 mobile phone and a Bluetooth-enabled Mac running Mac OS X (10.2 or higher), you can use the phone as a universal remote control, thanks to the US$8 Veta Universal 1.0 tool.
Apple Optimizes Emagic Platinum 6.2 For G5
Apple's Emagic today released Logic Platinum 6.2, the first version of its professional audio production application optimized for the Power Mac G5.
G5 Details Emerge
Details are emerging of Apple's Power Mac G5s, following the products' shipment in the US and other territories (including the UK) yesterday.
Cinema Display Prices Cut
Apple UK has reduced the price of the 20-inch Cinema Display and 23-inch Cinema HD Display.
Opinion
Mac.Ars Takes On The Nature Of Apple, Plus The Prognosis For OS 9
Is this strategy of becoming all things to all people a good one? Can an IT purchasing manager take a company seriously which sells singles and servers?
.Mac Poll: 57% Plan To Re-Subscribe
The Value Of Diverse Operating System
Perhaps it is time to consider having various operating systems that interface with one another.
Review
Xserve: Newest Version Of The Xserve Features Less Noise, More Power For Demanding Workloads
The Xserve isn't yet perfect, but with the latest tweaks, including a faster CPU and improvements to the cooling and ventilation systems, it just got closer. It's still the easiest server to manage.
Acrobat 6.0 Professional: The Rainbow's End For Prepress Pros Lets Technical Pros Down
Prepress professionals should upgrade to the Pro version. It offers the control they've been waiting for.
AirPort Extreme Antennas: Help Your Wireless Network Go The Distance
If you need better AirPort Extreme range in a limited area, one of the Dr. Bott ExtendAir external antennas may be the perfect solution.
Final Cut Pro 4: Massive Upgrade Brings A New Wave Of Impressive Features
Final Cut Pro 4 is a marvelous but flawed upgrade. There are hundreds of improvements throughout the program, and even taken on their own, the new bundled applications are amazing. Overall, Final Cut Pro 4 gets high marks, but Apple will need to release a few updates to put on the final polish and work out some kinks.
The Game Room: Bring Out The Big Guns
For Mac gamers, the reality of waiting months — or even years — for popular Windows titles to appear on their machines is nothing new. But when the game in question is Unreal Tournament 2003, the biggest, baddest first-person shooter to emerge on the Mac in years, the wait can be excruciating.
Apple DVD Studio Pro 2.0
In every respect, DVD Studio Pro 2.0 provides a richer and more intuitive authoring experience than earlier releases, with a revamped interface that enhances the experience just that much more.
QuarkXPress 6.0: More Than OS X-Native, Industry-Standard Publishing Software Gives Designers More Flexbility
Once you get past the "it's about time" reaction to QuarkXPress 6.0, you'll start appreciating its enhancements. They're worthwhile for any XPress-based production shop, and Quark's upgrade pricing is easy to stomach.
Sidetrack
PROBLEM ON THE HOMEFRONT : There are some serious DNS problems from where I'm logged in. (I'm using StarHub's cable modem service.) Updates will be light. Sorry.
Wintel
Microsoft Puts Price, Date On New Office
Microsoft set an Oct. 21 release date and announced pricing Tuesday for the next version of its Office software package.
'Good' Worm, New Bug Mean Double Trouble
A "good" Internet worm and a new malicious mass-mailing computer virus are creating an enormous amount of network traffic, slowing some corporate systems, security experts said Tuesday.
Microsoft Weighs Automatic Security Updates As A Default
Microsoft Corp. executives, digging out from the aftermath of an unwelcome Internet worm that wriggled into 500,000 of its customers' computers last week, say that it is time to consider making software updates automatic for home users of the Windows operating system.
Monday, August 18, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Ships The G5
Apple on Monday announced that its newest desktop computer, the Power Mac G5 is now shipping in the single processor configuration — the dual processor 2GHz model will ship later this month.
For Those Needing 32 More Bits
Apple has recently received much applause for its iTunes music service. But its new Power Mac G5 computers, set to arrive in stores today, will probably have a much larger impact on the world of personal computing.
News
Rolling Stones Will Download Before They Get (Too) Old
Online music fans can finally have the Rolling Stones under their thumbs
Apple's Power Mac G5 Hits The Street
"The performance improvements are so evident that only a few minutes in the store demo area will convince many buyers that it's time to upgrade."
Roxio Introduces Toast 6 Titanium
With Toast 6, users can now author Video CDs, Super VCDs and DVDs (DVD burner required), complete with menus, buttons and chapters that can be played on either a home DVD player or computer.
Schools Consider Take-Home Laptops
Talk of new ways to provide students with better computer and Internet access could eventually venture out of the classroom and into homes.
Aggregators Attack Info Overload
Internet news addicts are turning in droves to so-called aggregator services, which relieve information overload by condensing multiple sites into a single feed.
Apple 50th Most Recognized Global Brand
School Will Provide Laptops
Students at a suburban Cleveland middle school will find that computers are going to become just as standard as books and other supplies.
The Bits Are Willing, But The Batteries Are Weak
For many Internet addicts, the blackout last week was a rude reminder of just how decisively the vaunted 21st-century digital lifestyle can be laid low by a disruption in 19th-century electrons.
Opinion
Why The New Power Mac G5 Doesn't Cut It When It Comes To DV Editing
Is It Cool To Be A Mac User Again, Or Is It Just Me?
I've never had so many Windows users ask me about my Mac, and the things my Mac can do have never seemed so cool — or attainable — to a whole Windows-using audience who seem more ready than ever to make "The Switch."
Review
The Nisus Files: Nisus Writer Express Reviewed
It's not the best we've seen from Nisus and it's not the best will see from them, but it's better than most of your alternatives.
iPod Skin
All said and done, we think the iPod Skin is a great product. Ours is a definite keeper!
Wintel
No New Service Pack For Win XP Until Late Next Year
Microsoft won't release a second service pack for Windows XP until the second half of next year, giving users more responsibilitty for applying individual patches.
Microsoft Outwits Blaster Worm
Microsoft said it had no major problems from the worm's attempt to turn thousands of infected computers into instruments targeting the software company's Web site and network.
Sunday, August 17, 2003
News
Review
New Wave Of Newsreader Software Makes Sense Of The Web
I won't get into the technical details of RSS. The important thing to understand is that it provides a valuable structure for individual pieces and collections of information, a structure that lets people combine and view them in more useful ways.
Wintel
Microsoft, Security And The Usual Misdirection
You want anyone to believe security is at the top of the to-do list? Stop all new Windows and Office development for six months or a year, or however long it takes, and fix the products you're already selling — and kill all those outrageous bugs that aren't safety-related after you've done away with the security woes.
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Top Stories
Apple's Playing In The Big Leagues Now
Apple can redefine the standard for quality engineering, cross-product consistency, and commitment to customers. That will rattle not only other technology vendors, but IT as well.
News
Apple Hopes To Boost Mac Sales With Trial Reruns At Best Buy
Access to a bigger market could boost sales and improve Apple's market share in the personal computer market.
The Trials Of Jobs
Apple's irrepressible leader tackles his next challenge: converting IT.
Flashlights, Pay Phones Rule In Unplugged NYC
People stumbled through darkened hallways using the screens of their iPod digital music players and Treo computer phones as flashlights.
Drew Lavyne: Mastering Elvis
"I haven't been in one music studio that's not Mac-based. It is the life force, like the heart and lungs and brain, of my work — and it is so for the majority of the music industry."
Apple Releases ChangeIPAddress V1.0 Script
Mixed Bag Euro Sales For Apple
IDC says that although Apple's performance was bolstered by strong notebook sales, it was also negatively impacted by weakness in its desktop market.
Apple Looks Outside Its Channel For Enterprise Foothold
While Apple is involving existing channel partners in its enterprise push, the vendor is also talking to PC players and systems integrators with expertise in the corporate and government sectors, Apple marketing director, Arno Lenior, said.
Opinion
Discussion: Recommend Apple, Lose Your Job?
My Wife Hates My Mac
"Oh, yes, little invisible blue circle: the international symbol for Already Read It. How could I forget that?"
iMac Turns 5 Today: Looking Back At Launch, Effect Of iMac
It was five years ago today, on a Saturday, when Apple was reborn.
May The Source Be With You
I am not claiming that every organization should throw out its PCs and replace them with Macs, but the numbers are pretty clear, and the fact that more Macs don't make it into server racks has to be based on something, and I think that something is CIO self-interest. Macs reduce IT head count while Linux probably increases IT head count, simple as that.
iTunes For Windows — Will It Take Off?
Microsoft Stepping Up To The Plate With Goods
While we Mac users know we don't catch Windows worms and viruses, and that there's an excellent Mac OS X version of Microsoft Office, many Windows users apparently don't.
Review
Users Can Save Bundle On New Office Suite
Microsoft took a big leap forward in making its Office v. X suite available to more people at a better price last week.
Integrating QuickTime With Cocoa
Apple's G5: More Than A Pretty Face
It's too early to start heaping praise or finding fault with this machine. It certainly looks great on paper, it demos well, and my brief test drives have me looking forward to giving it a merciless beating.
Apple RAIDs The Enterprise
Xserve RAID, with its relative ease of administration, is a sorely-needed item in Apple's enterprise computing portfolio. The Xserve itself is already an extraordinary machine that performs yeoman duty as a highly manageable server, and smart CTOs and IT directors should consider it for their use.
A La Mode: Key Apple Add-Ons
Hardware and software options from Apple and third parties.
Aliens Vs. Predator 2
Anyone who's been awaiting this game's release for two years is going to pick it up no matter what. However, gamers with no particular interest in the Aliens vs. Predator mythos would be cheating themselves of some unique gameplay experiences if they passed this title over just because it's a little after the fact.
iSport
If you are looking to jam to some tunes while exercising, this is the case for you.
Wintel
Patch And Pray
It's the dirtiest little secret in the software industry: Patching no longer works. And there's nothing you can do about it. Except maybe patch less. Or possibly patch more.
Microsoft.com Falls To DOS Attack
Microsoft's main Web site was inaccessible for two hours Thursday evening, the victim of an Internet-borne DOS (denial of service) attack, the company said.
Microsoft Kills Net Address To Foil Worm
As part of its effort to stop the progress of the MSBlast worm, Microsoft is killing off the Windows Update address that the self-propagating program was set to attack.
Friday, August 15, 2003
News
Opinion
Note, It's Called "MSblast" Not Mac Blast
With a disaster befalling any company that was flawed in its service offering the stock would have tanked, but not MSFT.
Low End Mac's Financial Troubles
We believe that the level of traffic and the rebound in ad rates will make this possible.
Wintel
Blaster Rewrites Windows Worm Rules
Blaster shatters the partially reassuring notion that email-borne nasties are the most significant threat for Harry Homeowner. Now updating patches and using perimeter security, always good ideas, have become prerequisites for Windows users.
New Fears Around Blaster Worm
From Korean housewives unable to order diapers online to government departments forced to shut down computers, Asia grappled on Thursday to contain spreading varieties of a computer worm that threatens to explode over the weekend.
Sour Note To Microsoft Deal
While welcoming the increased choice for music lovers, European Union regulators said the news bolsters their antitrust case against the software giant. Just last week, the EU accused Microsoft of trying to squash competing audiovisual software by including its Media Player with the Windows desktop system.
Experts Ponder Coming Blaster Attack
While Internet users and corporations dig out from the havoc caused by the new W32.Blaster Internet worm, security experts are questioning whether a massive denial of service attack from infected machines, scheduled for Saturday, will succeed.
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Top Stories
Will Browser Verdict Snare Others?
A patent-infringement judgment against Microsoft and its Internet Explorer browser has raised speculation over which company in the Web browser market might be the next target of Microsoft's pursuer.
More Power To You
Apple's muscular 64-bit chip could help launch a new wave of software innovation.
News
Apple Korea Opens 'Experience Center'
Apple said customers will be able to browse the store and test the latest computer gadgets at the center, a move aimed at broadening its user pool in the domestic market.
Apple Releases August Security Update
Security Update 2003-08-14 addresses a potential vulnerability in the fb_realpath() function which could allow a local or remote user to gain unauthorized root privileges to a system.
Final Cut Pro Updated To Version 4.0.1
The Final Cut Pro 4.0.1 update provides performance improvements and enhancements in several areas.
Designer's Dream Desk For I-Things
As part of his final year design project at Huddersfield University, John Treby created an innovative workstation which he hopes will mean users will not have to trip over themselves to reach their MP3s and cameras.
Opinion
Why Apple Is So Tempting
If Sony's up to the challenge of working with a quirky phenom, it could do worse than to adopt Apple.
Apple Settles In G3 OS X Case
Apple is doing the right thing by settling. Owning up to its mistake would be even better.
Review
Speed Up OS X's Mail.app By Rebuilding Address Book
To Each, His Own: Sharing A Family PC
Owners of relatively recent computers running the latest versions of Windows or the Macintosh operating systems may already have some of the solutions for peacefully sharing one computer.
Man's Best Friend
Will I switch to Mailsmith? Or would another program work better? Or will I decide that Emailer, now that it's running smoother, is still good for a few more years?
Sim City 4
If you've never played a Sim City game before, now's a good time to give it a try. And although there's nothing really ground breaking here, fans of the series won't be disappointed.
Wintel
Microsoft Abandons Outlook Express
It might be the world's most widely distributed email client, but Microsoft has confirmed that it has no intention of further developing Outlook Express.
Microsoft To Launch European Music Site
Microsoft is stealing a march on rival Apple Computer in the battle for the burgeoning online music market, with the launch in Europe of a pay-as-you-go music-download service modelled on the iTunes service that has been a big success for Apple Computer in the US.
Are Windows And Linux Technology Equals?
Statistics about dramatic Linux sales growth are numerous, but here is one of the most telling: Sales of Linux servers in the U.S. grew a jaw-dropping 90 percent in Q4 of 2002 compared with the same period the previous year, says Gartner Dataquest.
Worm A Sign Of Horrors To Come?
Security experts said the world was lucky this time because LovSan is comparatively mild and doesn't destroy files. They worry that a subsequent attack exploiting the same flaw — one of the most severe to afflict Windows — could be much more damaging.
Microsoft Slip Ups May Have Helped New Worm
With the spread of the dangerous new W32/Blaster Windows worm slowing, attention is shifting to Microsoft's efforts to help its customers patch vulnerable systems, with some accusing the company of providing inadequate protection and unreliable information about protecting their computers.
Office 2003 Prices Leak Online In U.K.
Prices for Microsoft Office 2003, together with a range of other upcoming products from the company, have been released on online retailer Amazon.com's U.K. Web site.
Microosft Prepares To Be Blasted
Microsoft hopes to be ready when hundreds of thousands of computers infected with the MSBlast worm start pelting its Windows Update service with data requests on midnight Friday.
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Top Stories
Highlights From Apple's Quarterly SEC Filing
In this filing, Apple discloses several details on net sales, its retail stores, the education market, R&D costs, outside investments, and more.
Steve Jobs: "I'm An Optimist"
Apple's visionary-in-chief looks at tech's condition today and says: "I see a recovery in innovation coming out of this downturn."
Apple Releases Pro Application Support 1.1
Apple has released Pro Application Support 1.1, which "provides improvements for Apple's professional applications, and is strongly recommended for all users of Final Cut Pro, Cinema Tools, Compressor, LiveType, Soundtrack, and DVD Studio Pro.
News
Aladdin Systems Sees Profit
"Our new Internet software and Ten for X product suites are opening up new markets and gaining customer attention," said Jonathan Kahn, CEO of Aladdin Systems Holdings.
Mariner Write 3.5 Adds New Language Support, More
The new version of Mariner Write adds support for importing Microsoft Word files written in non-Roman characters.
G3 OS X Support Suit Reaches 'Conditional Settlement'
King & Ferlauto alleged that Apple violated the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act by failing to support early G3-equipped Mac models with the same features and functionality afforded later systems after initially advertising that the new operating system would be "fully optimized" for G3's.
Opinion
Apple Stores Are Different
Laptop batteries are great... until every now and then one goes bad. And if you want to alienate your local independent Mac retailer, or even Apple itself, then simply tell them that you have a dead battery that's still under warranty. They will run from you like the plague.
U.S. CEO Pay Averages $12M Annually; Jobs No. 1
Besides having the group's highest three-year average annual pay, Jobs also wins my Most-Ludicrous-Pay-Package trophy, which isn't awarded every year.
Apple's School Days Are Numbered
I'm afraid, have won the day in education.
My Apple Does Java
Linux is cool, but I like something I can blame a real company for glitches.
Review
MX310
Even with its flaws, the MX310 is still a solid mouse for those looking for a suitable replacement.
iPod (30 GB)
The 30 GB iPod not only challenges the original iPod, but bests it.
Apple iSight: Halfway There
The new Apple iSight Web camera is positively gorgeous. But as with any Webcam, the hardware is just half the story, and iSight lacks the basic software commonly included with cameras that cost much less than the iSight's hefty $150 street price.
An Instant Messager You Can See And Hear
Apple often sets the trend for other companies. And sometimes, as in the case of the iPod music player, the company even deigns to extend its products to Windows users over time. So Apple's success in video instant messaging holds hope for all of us.
Hands On: A Close-Up Look At Mac OS X's NetBoot
NetBoot allows you to start up a Macintosh computer from a network disk image rather than using a local disk. NetBoot offers some distinct advantages for administrators.
QuarkXPress Comes To OS X
QuarkXPress is not cheap, but if you already work with QuarkXPress files, version 6 would be a great reason to upgrade to Mac OS X, which crashes far less frequently and brutally than OS 9, among other things. From what I've seen, QuarkXPress 6 is just as simple and flexible as its predecessors.
Wintel
Here We Go Again
Here's how my day went: E-mail was the first to go in the morning. Then the phone — a voice-over-Internet protocol system that uses Windows Server software — went down. Just to complete the hat trick, Microsoft Word's cut and paste feature conked out without any explanation.
Virus Spreading, But Impact Moderate
The MSBlast worm is forcing IT staffs to work overtime, but the damage seems to be somewhat contained, at least in the working world.
Worm's Spread Shows Holes In Patch System
The ability of the MSBlast worm to spread has underscored the view that today's methods of patching security flaws, while necessary to lock down specific computers, is too time-consuming to react to critical vulnerabilities.
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Top Stories
Microsoft Drops Office Price, Offers New Editions
While the main Office applications are not being updated, one of the new editions will include Virtual PC, which Microsoft acquired from Connectix earlier this year.
News
Apple Japan Recruiting For Tokyo Store
Bare Bones Ships TextWrangler 1.5 Text Editor
The free update now expands syntax coloring and source-code navigation to include Fortran, Java, Object Pascal, Perl, Python, Rez, Tcl, TeX, and Unix shell script.
Macs To Be Sold At Local High-End Video Store
Reader Don Kellog provided an update on a new Apple retail presence in Kalamazoo, MI.
Readers Offer Notes About Macs At Best Buy
Apple Loses Bias Claim Against Buzzle Liquidator
The NSW Supreme Court yesterday rejected a claim by Apple Computers that the liquidator of failed Apple reseller Buzzle had been biased against it.
Opinion
Musical Madness
The absurd rush to supply the world with MP3s is giving me a headache.
Hands-On In A Mac Lab
Unix underneath makes a real difference.
A New Mac Office? Not Yet
I have little doubt that Microsoft is going to continue to make Mac software, so long as it proves profitable.
Review
Apple's 17-Inch PowerBook G4
It's a striking machine for more reasons than just its size.
Mac OS X Scrolling Tips
Read these tips to learn how to go beyond the basics of the scroll bar and obvious navigation keys like the arrows, Home and End, and Page Up and Page Down. And all this comes without spending a dime on a scroll wheel-enabled mouse, helpful though such a critter might be.
Remembering HyperCard
The final version of HyperCard was released in 1995. By then, Web pages and their accompanying browsers allowed one to run HyperCard-style files in color on different computer platforms.
Wintel
Windows Worm Starts Its Spread
A worm that takes advantage of what some security experts have called the most widespread Windows flaw ever has started spreading, fulfilling the predictions of many researchers.
Microsoft Ordered To Pay $521 Million
A federal court in Chicago has ruled that Microsoft must pay $521 million to a Web technology company and the University of California after finding that the software giant's Internet Explorer infringed on their patents.
Flaws In Windows Worm Tips Off Defenders
The fast-spreading "MSBlast" worm seems to be crashing as many Windows computers as it's infecting, demonstrating to administrators that they need to patch their systems, security experts said Monday.
Monday, August 11, 2003
News
Apple, BuyMusic In Billboard Duel
Apple and BuyMusic are involved in somewhat of a "billboard duel" over their music stores
Quicken 2004 Adds iCal Integration, More
Intuit's Quicken 2004 will be in stores on Aug. 15, adding features such as a redesigned investment portfolio, new performance indicators, and iCal integration.
Ambrosia Offers OS X-Native Escape Velocity; Override
Game and utility software maker Ambrosia Software Inc. on Monday has re-released two classic games, this time as native for Mac OS X and Windows: Escape Velocity and its sequel, Escape Velocity Override.
Mac's Back In Top Shops
Apple Computer Australia is returning to the top-of-the-market retail scene after an absence of almost seven years.
iCab 2.9.5: Tabbed Browsing Comes To Legacy Macs
iCab is the only browser still being developed for 68k Macs.
Connectix Support Site, Forums Closed; Users Referred To Microsoft
Parallel Imports Juice Up Apple Market
A parallel importer of Apple computers says he should get a gold medal for bringing down the price of the brand here. But official Apple distributor Renaissance and Apple reseller Magnum Mac say exchange rate fluctuations and the effect of parallel imports on the Australian market are the reasons that prices have fallen.
Apple Offers Free 'Camp' In Retail Stores
Forget toasting s'mores by the campfire. Kids at this camp will burn discs with Apples. Computers, that is. The quirky company is holding camps in its retail stores this month to sway young users with its glowing screens and shiny machines.
Opinion
Good Enough Or Better Yet?
If you're in the right place, does it really make sense to move somewhere else?
Bullish On Apple: But Why?
For the first time in years, the list of Apple's weaknesses is actually shorter than its list of strengths. Much shorter, in fact.
Is Apple Going To iApp Itself Into Irrelevancy?
Fighting with other software companies and the lack of innovation could slowly bleed Apple to death.
Review
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
If you're a golf fan, I highly encourage you to pick this title up if you haven't already — you won't be disappointed. The only real caveat I can think of is the graphics performance, but the high level of gameplay details, robust roster of players and courses, and the ability to play as Tiger Woods should overshadow that.
Power Without The Premium
With the rollout of the new eMac models, though, that premium has been largely diminished, and the price of entry into the Apple fraternity vastly reduced. And that price reduction doesn't come with a step-down in silicon sinew.
FCP Comes Of Age
You know, not that long ago this could only have been done in an expensive, purpose-built studio. Now it can be done in the back seat of a 4WD on return from location.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
Top Stories
City Officials Fear Apple Expo May Not Return
After a discouraging turnout at this year's event in New York, any conference IDG might hold in Boston next year would likely be disappointing.
News
Santee Buys Way To Track Attendance
Facing a dip in funds because of declining enrollment, Santee schools have adopted an increasingly popular attendance-monitoring software.
Opinion
Consumer Reports Repeats Silly Mac Myths
If Consumer Reports can't deliver the straight scoop about personal computers, it makes me suspect the quality of its other reports.
Review
Books Offer Step-By-Step Way To Learn New Software
Books are extremely useful tools for learning what you want to know without having to sit through more. It's easy to skim or skip the parts you don't need, and to slow down and study the essential information.
Saturday, August 9, 2003
Top Stories
Ads Ape Apple's Air Guitarists
Upstart BuyMusic.com is doing more than just offering a music service that mimics iTunes. Its commercials are strikingly similar to Apple's ads, too. Flattery? Perhaps, but it also could be a lawsuit in the making.
News
Chris Sims: Speaking With Images
"I can be completely comfortable with Apple from start to finish — and I can work at home, without having to have a million dollars worth of gear in my house."
Matthias Mencke: Designing A Brand
"The best way the Mac facilitates my work, is that I don't notice it. Designers don't want to get into anything below the operating system surface."
Apple Professional Development Online Launched
APDO includes a number of online courses, educator resources, and a library of professional articles and research "designed to keep you abreast of the latest developments in educational technology."
Opinion
Review
Wintel
Microsoft Media Strategy At Risk?
With pressure from European antitrust regulators mounting, Microsoft's bid to make its multimedia technology a worldwide standard may be running into a headwind.
Friday, August 8, 2003
Top Stories
Macworld Backing Out From Hub Show
IDG World Expo, which controls the prominent show known as a Mecca-like magnet for deep-pocketed Mac users, said yesterday that it could make more sense to keep the show in New York.
News
101 Uses For Apple iChat
People are finding many versatile uses for Apple's iChat AV software, like sharing video across town or finding dates. Thing is, they're not using it much for video conferencing, the task for which it was built.
Back To School
Today, the most important school supply, aside from textbooks and perhaps a coffeemaker, is a PC.
Opinion
Poll: 75% Will Hang Fire On G5
Many readers feel that delaying buying a G5 will allow time for hardware upgrades, G5-related changes to OS X, and price decreases.
Review
QuicKeys A Lasting Way To Automate Your Day
The bottom line is that QuicKeys may be the most useful utility I own.
Wintel
Microsoft Showdown To Test EU Powers
The European Commission is close to a showdown in its Microsoft case that will test its ability to force the world's largest software company to make immediate changes in its controversial business practices.
Microsoft Web Services Plan Targets Java
Microsoft hopes to turn up the heat on its Java rivals with plans for new software that could simplify the creation of heavy-duty Web services applications.
Thursday, August 7, 2003
Top Stories
Why Mid-Size Company Is Sticking By The Mac
The bottom line is, for a company the size of Pentagon, Apple, and now Linux, works. And its unlikely the company will change anytime soon.
The Image: Cracking The Code Of Advertising
Successful businesses need strong icons, and Apple's guitar is the first memorable icon associated with a pay Internet music site. The fact that BuyMusic attacked Apple's guitar is proof of its nascent power.
US Navy Buys Linux On Apple Kit
Terra Soft Solutions has announced that Lockheed Martin will buy 260 Xserve servers running its Yellow Dog Linux, with the eventual destination being the US Navy's submarines.
News
The Omni Group Releases OmniWeb 4.5
OmniWeb uses Webcore and JavaScriptCore, two open source code frameworks available from Apple itself.
Computer Mice Make New Moves
Microsoft is preparing new versions of its mouse that will be fitted with wheels that tilt as well as roll. The innovation means that users will be able to scroll vertically as well as horizontally without using on-screen navigation bars.
Is Apple The Lonely Rolls-Royce Of The Computer World?
While Apple must keep an eye on quarterly revenue and profit targets, its long-term success is inextricably tied to its market strategy and product innovation.
Laptops Reach Prices A Parent Can Love
Notebook computers with the kind of performance that will satisfy most students now carry a price tag that won't make a parent cringe.
Sun Takes Crack At Desktop Windows
Jonathan Schwartz, executive vice-president of Sun's software group, said that practically every Sun employee owns an Apple desktop at home. "We would love to partner with Apple. They're everyone's favorite company, and iTunes is really cool."
Opinion
Is Microsoft's Hegemony Over?
Open-source software is threatening Microsoft's stranglehold in the office productivity suite market.
Sun-Apple Rumors Set Markets Jangling
So, egos not withstanding, why aren't they friends?
Mac.Ars Takes On Best Buy, Priacy
If Apple and Best Buy can work together to stay on top of sales/quality issues and Apple isn't as draconian about inventory issues, this will at the very least put iMacs and iBooks in front of eyeballs that would otherwise never looked at Macs of any ilk.
Review
Ultimate iPod Accessories
Whether you're looking to turn the iPod into a fully functional stereo or just want to wrap it in a cool, scratch-resistant casing, you'll find the answer here. Just one caveat: Some of these accessories can be used with only the original model.
CodeWarrior LE 3 By Metrowerks
If you want to write Macintosh applications or games, but lack the knowledge, are coming from IDEs that are based on BASIC, or you're on a budget, CWLE version 3 is definitely for you.
One Is Never Enough
Backup methods summarized.
Competition Is Clicking In Music
The sanctioned online retailers Buymusic.com, iTunes and Liquid.com have plenty of bargains without a monthly fee, but how much of a selection do they offer?
Sidetrack
CAN YOU SPOT THE USABILITY PROBLEM in this BuyMusic.com
Wednesday, August 6, 2003
Top Stories
Apple To Ship DVD Studio Pro 2.0 Aug 18
DVD Studio contains several new features and has been "rebuilt from the ground up" for Mac OS X using Cocoa, according to Apple.
The Little Laptop That's Big On Usability
After using Apple's PowerBook G4 with the 12-inch screen for a few months, I'm ready to say that it is, though perhaps not ideal for everyone, the easiest-to-use "sub-notebook" I've ever encountered.
News
Apple Public Source License 2.0 Now 'Free Software License'
APSL 2.0 includes several changes to "make it even easier for Open Source developers to use and comply with."
AirPort 3.1.1 Drivers Released
Apple recommends that the update be installed by all users with AirPort Extreme-enabled computers or AirPort Extreme base stations.
Phish Festival: 70,000+ Fans Celebrate Music
That New Shine On Apple's Stock
The share price reflects good news coming in from many corners of the Mac maker's world. Now, can it keep rising?
Opinion
The Mac Hardware Report: Where Are The Sales?
Well, in addition to attracting new customers, it needs to look at the ones who might desert the platform and get them back onboard. After all, Dell has enough sales; it doesn't need to steal any away from Apple.
Review
Outboard Brains For Mac OS X
This article is going to take a brief look at some applications designed to be digital brain-dumps; electronic Pensieves into which you can throw any information you want, knowing that it will still be there when you need it later.
iSight: See And Be Seen
Apple has a gift for taking existing technologies and making them more simple and elegant to use — and that talent has never been more evident than with the company's new $149 ISight Web camera.
She's Apples
The last time I had my hands on an Apple iPod, I reckoned it was as good a portable digital music player as you could get. Well, the new generation iPod is even smaller in size and price, and bigger in capacity and features.
Wintel
Microsoft EU Monopoly On Last Leg
Microsoft is still trying to monopolize new markets even after settling the landmark antitrust case in the United States, the European Union charged Wednesday as it prepared to demand its own concessions from the U.S. software giant.
Microsoft Sends Media Center Abroad
Microsoft is taking Media Center further overseas, with plans to launch the PC entertainment software in China, Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
EU To Fine Microsoft In Antitrust Case
The European Commission said Wednesday it plans to fine Microsoft for what it calls continuing abuses of the software giant's dominant market position and to force the company to change the way it distributes Media Player.
A Stone Hurled From Across The Pond
All of Microsoft's efforts to polish its image in Europe apparently haven't paid off for the software giant.
Tuesday, August 5, 2003
Top Stories
Where "Think Different" Is Taking Apple
Rather than accept being a niche PC maker, Steve Jobs is transforming his baby into a high-end consumer-electronics and services company.
Picking Apple As A Server Solution
Some companies are finding that OS X and Xserve are a viable, sometimes cheaper, alternative to Windows-based networks. That could be a big help.
News
Metrowerks Announces CodeWarrior Development Studio 9.0
New features in this release include the Metrowerks PowerPlant X C++ framework, which allows developers to write native Mac OS X code using Mac OS X supported features.
iPod (And Mac) Shortage In Ireland
"Australia has not had half the problems that we have had."
Tinderbox 2 Improves Weblog Tools
In addition to gaining an overall speed boost and interface polish, the new version includes the Tinderbox Weblog Assistant for setting up a personal weblog.
Back To Future For XPress 6.0
Public demand has prompted Quark to post a free XTension to provide XPress 6.0 users with similar image-editing functionality they enjoyed in pre-6.0 versions.
Opinion
Why I Am Not Continuing My .Mac Subscription
I can pay less and get more 'technical' features at the same time using another service.
Sun, Apple, And J2ME, Oh My!
It's in Apple's best interest to give developers access to the J2ME tools they want on Mac OS X, so that they'll use Macs for their development and for deploying the server portions of their mobile Java applications when the time comes.
Most Never Consider Macs
Apple's biggest problem is that the vast majority of potential customers rarely consider a Mac in the same breath as a PC. Not that Apple isn't doing some degree of promotion. But a cool ad for the iTunes Music Store or the iPod isn't necessarily going to change perceptions right away or ever.
Why I Have To Write About Apple
Innovation and influence — rather than paltry market share — are the true measures of this computer company.
Review
Study Hall: School Supplies Beyond Pencils And Paper
Getting educated doesn't have to dreary — not with new software to ease the pain.
Understanding Pageouts In Mac OS X 10.2.x
For a handful of users, various applications seem to skyrocket in their usage of available physical RAM for no apparent reason, resulting in an increased number of pageouts, and therefore overall system slow-down.
BuyMusic.com Vs. iTunes Music Store
New, reliable BuyMusic.com offers hundreds of thousands of tracks, but coveted Windows market still up for grabs.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 doesn't revolutionize computer golf sims as I expected it would, but it at least sends them in the right direction.
Another Quantum Leap For Apple With Flawless Videoconferencing Tool
iChat AV isn't the first videoconferencing tool, but it's the first to flawlessly integrate multimedia into the chat model.
New Twist In Tale Of Cube Upgrade
My Cube is a larger, beefier machine, and we're not done yet.
Sidetrack
RENDEZVOUS, or Zeroconf, for your Windows.
SONY: THE APPLE OF THE PC WORLD? : You know what, but the new Sony Vaio TR: PCG-TR1 (who come up with this designation?) is something that is actually beautiful.
Too bad it can't run OS X.
Wintel
Microsoft Adds P2P Tools For Windows
Microsoft is beefing up the peer-to-peer capabilities for its Windows XP operating system.
Monday, August 4, 2003
Top Stories
Entourage X V10.1.4 Coming Today, With Exchange Support
With this new update, Entourage vX users will be able to view other Exchange users' free and busy times to schedule meetings. Directory service lookup is supported, and you can synchronize your calendar and address book for offline use, as well. What's more, e-mail received from Outlook for Windows users will look better in this update to Entourage.
Apple Tackles Channel Unrest
Apple is attempting to soothe the troubled waters of its reseller channel, promising to address the relentless cross-product supply problems besetting the company worldwide.
News
Microsoft Opens Exchange To Apple Users
Microsoft has fulfilled a long-held request of Mac OS X users by allowing them to access corporate e-mail and calendar information stored on a Microsoft Exchange server.
Apple Seeks To Boost Market Share
Not many merchants could expect the packed house Apple got at the opening of its new new store on Burlingame Avenue.
Drought Of iPods Frustrates Apple Resellers
Shoppers wanting to get their hands on the new iPod are turning to internet auction sites like ebay as Apple's Australian stores are dogged by supply problems.
Opinion
New Apple Clones
They're just knockoffs. It's as if, by borrowing the look and feel of Apple's ads, BuyMusic is explicitly interested in underscoring that its service is a copycat. Why?
Review
America's Army
Networking issues aside, the game is worth the free download and the time invested in learning it.
Acrobat 6 Professional
The ability to run Distiller natively is a must have for all pre-press and print professionals. But even without the need for an OSX native version Adobe have provided a genuinely valuable upgrade to v5.
Windows iPod Fares Well Versus Competitors
In addition to being slimmer and lighter, the iPod shines in quickly getting music and other files from your PC, because it sports both FireWire and USB 2.0 compatibility.
Sidetrack
Wintel
Study: Linux Nears Windows XP Usability
It is almost as easy to perform major office tasks using Linux as using Windows.
Microsoft's Plans Cloudy For Server OS
Microsoft has laid plans for a server version of Longhorn, the next release of Windows. But it remains unclear what the software will include and when it will debut.
Sunday, August 3, 2003
Top Stories
Now Fans Call The Tune
In a music world in upheaval, iTunes, with its paid downloads of music, is the closest thing to an interim government in the lawless land created by Napster and its revolutionary ilk, and while its future is uncertain there is no denying that the real estate on Third Street in Santa Monica is a foothold in a brash new world.
News
Muzak To Our Ears
Forget about those bland cover tunes, there's a hip new indie sound in retailing.
That New White Magic
It's white, it's expensive and it's instantly habit forming.
Review
FileMaker Pro Endures On Mac
Of all the software Apple has been involved with over the past 20 years, FileMaker Pro must stand out as one of its greatest successes.
Mac Daddy: Is The G5 A Must-Have For Apple Fans?
If the G5 were a car, it'd be a souped-up Mustang with a tank of nitro in the back.
Sidetrack
HOLY CRAP, Mat Haughey exclaims. "I just caused someone's AirPort to dial out sucessfully because I told it to."
WI-FI PRINTER? : Now that I'm getting rid of cables (quick, somebody invent wireless electricity), why isn't there a Wi-Fi-enabled printer out there?
Or have I not look hard enough?
Wintel
Microsoft Millionaires Grapple With Wealth
In the high-tech boom of the 1990s, legions of geeks and their support staff wandered into wealth. An estimated 10,000 Microsoft employees became millionaires during the era of options.
MS Has No Monopoly!
Microsoft has no monopoly on Windows. Specifically, that's because of the increasing competition on the server, PDA, cell phone, and even the desktop.
Attack Bot Exploits Windows Flaw
Online vandals are using a program to compromise Windows servers and remotely control them through Internet relay chat (IRC) networks, system administrators said Saturday.
Saturday, August 2, 2003
News
Laptops Face More Decisions
There are more choices to be made, and more to think about, than ever before when shopping for a laptop.
iTunes And The Technology Beyond MP3
Audio file formats 101.
Opinion
iPod What's The Frequency
Frequencies are not a set of railroad tracks, but an ocean.
Review
Hydra Multiplies Heads Involved In Text Editing
Hydra is a simple text editor with a twist. Active documents can be shared over a local network using Rendezvous or over the Internet and edited by many people at once, with every contributor seeing everyone's changes, selections and even typing in real time.
The Importance Of Removing "Bad" RAM From Your Mac
One of the most common culprits of general system instability, problems installing or re-installing Mac OS X, and various other issues is defective RAM. Mac OS X 10.2.x in particular has been noted as being "picky" about installed memory.
Europa Universalis II
Europa Universalis II may not be everything Civilization is and need a fair number of bug fixes with its networking architecture, but it remains a fun, attractive, well-designed game.
Geneforge 2
It has a great story, is very action oriented and any RPG lover will have great fun with this game.
Wintel
Guess What? Microsoft Won
Bill Gates' cyberempire is growing richer all the time.
Microsoft.com Suffers Outage
A denial-of-service attack rendered Microsoft's corporate Web site inaccessible for more than an hour on Friday afternoon, amid heightened fears that a major Internet attack could be on the horizon.
Worm Masquerades As Note From IT Staff
A new mass-mailing virus, which disguises itself as a file sent by a computer user's network administrator, began infecting systems Friday.
Friday, August 1, 2003
Top Stories
QuickTime Integrated With AOL 9.0 For Windows
For the first time, AOL includes with it a QuickTime installer, and QuickTime is integrated tightly into the software.
News
OmniGraffle 2.2 Released
The Omni Group has released a new version of OmniGraffle, its diagramming application for Mac OS X.
iTunes Sales Continue To Fall
The sales figure may reflect seasonal variance and other launch hype related factors. However there is a clear decline in place.
Pixar Moving To Mac OS X?
Pixar's website reveals they are currently hiring a Mac OS X Migration Contractor at this time.
There's No Other Apple Store Like David Jones
Apple computers are coming soon to a David Jones store near you. In fact, Sydneysiders have been able to buy a full range of Apple gear from the chain's Sydney city store for several weeks.
GraphicConverter 4.8 Adds Unskew Effect, More
Lemke Software GmbH has updated its popular shareware image conversion and manipulation software GraphicConverter to version 4.8. As usual, the update lands dozens of changes, including new features.
PowerBooks 'In Short Supply'
Apple's popular PowerBook G4 notebooks are in short supply, according to a number of UK resellers.
Opinion
Marketing The Macs: The Myths Keep People From Switching
I think Apple ought to talk to the people who are causing the greatest problems with the end user. That would be Fred, the guy down the street who works in IT in a big company and has told you that Apple is about to go bankrupt, is incompatible with Office, cannot connect to the Internet, and/or is far more expensive than comparable PCs.
Why I'm Not Sure I Want Macs In My Classroom
Are iBooks and G4s worth the extra cost to schools that are already starved for funding? Have I been brainwashed into thinking that the state of Mac software is much worse than it really is?
Review
Boswell 3.1 For Mac OS X
Boswell is an amazingly powerful information managing program with a steep learning curve, but rewards for those who climb it.
Replacing Your Logic Board Can Cause Problems With iTunes-Purchased Music
If you are getting your logic board replaced — common practice for a wide range of hardware irregularities — make sure to de-authorize all of your iTunes-purchased AAC tracks.
Sidetrack
Wintel
Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive
In an effort to better understand its main source of competition, Microsoft has deployed Linux and other open-source software in a test center that's typically used by its business customers to experiment with Microsoft's own products.
The Coca-Cola Clue
Microsoft has tried to make everything work the way it works back home. Coca-Cola is a local company is most places. Microsoft is always American.
Concerns Mount Over Possible Big Net Attack
Security experts warn that a recently disclosed security vulnerability in Microsoft's Windows operating system may soon be used by a powerful Internet worm that could disrupt traffic on the Internet and affect millions of machines worldwide.
Microsoft.com Revamps Search
Microsoft updated its corporate Web search technology this month with in-house software, its latest effort to catch up with innovations in the navigation tools market.
Microsoft Gives 12 Governments A Peek
Microsoft said Thursday it has now let a dozen national governments see its Windows source code in its battle to win lucrative public-sector contracts and to muffle mounting hype over rival operating system Linux.
Microsoft — The Tightfisted Giant?
Attention start-ups: Don't go looking to Microsoft for the next round of cash.
Intel Locks Up Deal For Secure PCs
Intel has signed a deal to integrate security software into motherboards that will be used in business computers, part of a larger industry effort to improve security.