Tuesday, September 30, 2003
News
NoteTaker 1.6 Brings Web Page Browsing, More
Apple Named Among Top 10 Most Innovative Companies
Apple has been named as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in a new report released by Cheskin, a consulting and research firm, and Fitch Worldwide a brand and design company.
Adobe CEO: Relationship With Apple, Jobs Is Great
Adobe's PDF-Everywhere Strategy
Adobe Systems wants to put more than a few pulp mills out of business.
Apple's New Bid For Insane Greatness
"Apple's position as the front-runner in music downloads depends utterly on its ability to offer the best and hottest music player on the market."
The Level Of Discourse Continues To Slide
Is there anything so deadening to the soul as a PowerPoint presentation?
From NEXTSTEP To Now: An Interview WIth LaunchBar's Norbert Heger
LaunchBar allows a user to enter a range of abbreviations for any term. It analyzes the user's behavior and adapts rating criteria dynamically, so search results become more accurate as LaunchBar "learns" how to serve the user. Like so many good ideas, the concept for this software has been around for a while.
Profiles In Success: Hampton School District — Building A City Of 21st Century Learners
"In my opinion, any school that has the chance to participate in a 1:1 student laptop program should jump on it."
Aladdin Offers StuffIt Standard 8.0
The new version features faster compression, DropBox filters, access to newsgroup and Windows formats .yenc and .cab, and integrated HTML help.
Opinion
Bad Handwriting And The Tablet PC
I'm not wishing ill on Tablet PCs. But unless there's a potential for them to flourish outside of niche markets such as healthcare, I'd just as soon Apple not waste its time on them.
Review
PhoneValet, Can You Get That?
If I had a job that revolved around the phone, particularly one that involved billing for call time, I'd consider PhoneValet an essential tool for conducting business. But despite the fact that I don't really need to track calls, and despite my problems with identifying incoming calls, I've become quite fond of PhoneValet, particularly the voice dialing feature.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
There's not enough game in here to make it interesting for those even slightly outside its strict target audience, and there's not enough new abilities in here to make it interesting for many who already own THPS2 or 3.
Wintel
Software's Gentler Giant?
Microsoft is used to winning; now CEO Steve Ballmer is trying to win it some friends.
Tablet PCs Finally Taking Off
After a slow start, tablet personal computers are starting to take off, fueled by Microsoft's release of its operating system Windows XP Tablet PC and manufacturers rolling out a wider variety of easier-to-use devices.
Monday, September 29, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Rises Following Lehman Upgrade
Apple Computer shares rose Monday after Lehman Brothers analyst Dan Niles gave the company high marks for back-to-school sales and other initiatives.
Apple Row 'May Go On For Years'
A battle over name rights between the Apple computer company and Apple Corps, the Beatles' record label, may take years to settle, according to Steve Jobs.
News
Apple Renames, Extends .Mac Promo
School Celebrates Computer Success
With many primaries struggling to meet a Department for Education and Skills' target of one computer for every nine children, Willoughton Primary is regarded as one of the best equipped schools in the country.
AMD Beats Apple To A Real 64-Bit PC
64-bit desktop PC finally for real?
Adobe Unveils Creative Suite
Adobe Systems Inc. on Monday will announce the Adobe Creative Suite (CS), which includes updates to the company's professional Web, publishing and creative applications.
Apple's Man In Black Takes On The Music Pirates
Even Jobs, the most ardent evangelist of Apple products, admits to some surprise at the impact of iTunes.
Opinion
Apple Dismisses Dell As Unoriginal, But Misses The Point
I wish Dell would actually work with Apple to develop its online music store. A Dell branded iTMS would offer Dell's customers a better experience, and it would offer Apple more market share. Everyone wins.
Wintel
To Fix Software Flaws, Microsoft Invites Attack
Why is it still so difficult to make software that is not vulnerable to network attacks like the SoBig virus and Blaster worm?
Sunday, September 28, 2003
News
Nisus Thesaurus 1.0.1 Fixes Expiration Issue
Apple: Dell Re-Branding Music Store, Player
"There is little original here."
Opinion
Laptops: Apple's Window Of Opportunity
Macs may become the power user's dream machine.
Wintel
IE Holes Lead To AIM, Dial-Up Attacks
Security holes in Microsoft's Internet Explorer have been exploited by hackers to hijack AOL instant messaging accounts and force unsuspecting Web surfers to run up massive phone bills, computer experts cautioned on Friday.
MusicMatch, Dell To Launch Music Stores
MusicMatch plans to jump into the digital song-selling business next week, with Dell promoting the company's new download service, sources familiar with the plan said.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
News
Crafting The View
"It's easier to pack my entire editing suite than to decide what shoes to bring! I can throw my computer with the entire project over my shoulder and feel confident about getting the job done."
Apple Updates AirPort Extreme Firmware
The update offers enhanced security, improved USB printing, improved performance when 2.4GHz devices interfere with the AirPort network, enhanced performance between wired and wireless clients, and more.
Review
Owners Of Older Macs Prowl For Panther Power
Apple recommends at least 128 Mb of RAM and 3 Gb of free hard-disk space. I'd go further and say that without at least 192 Mb or 256 Mb on an older machine, you might find performance far too slow.
An Introduction To WebObjects
WebObjects is most often referred to as an application server; however, it's much more.
The Ultimate Toaster
Most software upgrades improve the product a bit and perhaps add compatibility for a new operating system. Not Toast.
Power Mac G5s: As Promised, G5s Leave Their Predecessors In The Dust
If your time is money, the performance boost this amazing piece of engineering delivers will pay for itself.
Our Look At Apple's Dual 2-GHz G5
To say that the latest and greatest G5 screams does a disservice to the word. To paraphrase Oldsmobile, this is not your father's Power Mac.
Sidetrack
"MOST PEOPLE HERE [AT MICROSOFT] are trying not to do anything that would make vendors do anything but take the high road," remarked Robert Scoble. "It doesn't help our PR when stuff like this happens — it also really hurts our efforts to turn around the preception of our company."
Wintel
Tiptoeing Around A Sleeping Giant?
If we find that we've built a sleeping giant, it's our duty to light a fire under them from time to time, whether they like it or not.
MSN's Smart Move On Anonymous Chat
Sorry, critics. Microsoft's decision to limit its service to paying customers makes sense both legally and economically.
Mass. Wants To Use Linux-Type Systems
Massachusetts, the lone holdout state still suing Microsoft Corp. for antitrust violations, will become the first state to adopt a broad-based strategy of moving its computer systems toward open standards, including Linux, the rival operating system to Microsoft's Windows.
Friday, September 26, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Doin' The Logo-Motion
The world-famous Apple logo is getting a new look. Purists may not approve, but the designer of the original Apple logo, Rob Janoff, likes what he sees.
News
Nisus Thesaurus 1.0 A Free Download
After a period of beta testing, Nisus Software has released Nisus Thesaurus 1.0, an electronic thesaurus that automatically integrates with any Service-aware Mac OS X application including Nisus Writer Express, Mail, TextEdit and Safari.
Apple Adds Free iBlog, VersionTracker Plus To .Mac
Apple has added three new exclusive gifts for .Mac members — a free copy of the iBlog weblog software, a free VersionTracker Plus subscription and a US$30 discount on SmartDisk hard drives.
Porting Linux To The iPod
With Linux on iPod, you can play (to a limited degree, as of this writing) MP3 and Ogg files under Linux on your iPod. This is possible thanks to the work of just one man, Bernard Leach, a 30 year old software engineer in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Tokyo U Buying 1,150 iMacs (The Right Story)
'1984' In 2003?
Comparisons to George Orwell's "1984" may be inevitable, but parents of Hampton-Dumont students now have a powerful new tool to help keep track of their student's performance.
Apple Financial Results Coming Oct 15
Apple will announce its fourth quarter and end-of-year financial results on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and will Webcast the announcement at 2 p.m. Pacific.
Opinion
How The iPod & iTunes Changed My Life
I love it every time I use it, which is to say every single day. If you don't have a 'Pod yet, you don't know what you're missing.
Do You Want A Cheap Mac?
You can argue lower support costs and superior standard equipment till you're blue in the face, but the initial purchase price still hurts.
Panther OS Brings Touch Of Old, Much Of New
Panther isn't expected to be out until later this year, but here's a taste of what you can expect when it leaps onto the scene.
The Fudge Factor
Hardware manufacturers and system builders use benchmarking to show how well their products perform, but the figures aren't always what they seem.
Review
DiskWarrior 3
There isn't a Mac out there that couldn't benefit from owning and running DiskWarrior.
Should A Windows User Buy An iPod?
I can tell you that the iPod is an absolutely wonderful device on a Mac and 10-15 percent less wonderful on Windows. That is still wonderful enough for many of us.
Sidetrack
WHILE LISTENING TO MY MP3 COLLECTION, I just noted that my music are mainly from CDs I bought during the last 80s and early 90s. Then I fondly remember what good time I was in then — no worries, no need to plan beyond next semester.
One does always seems to remember only the good things — your first project, your first crush, your first date.
As I approaches my mid-life crisis (no idea when that is yet), maybe I should start doing a lot of things for the first time too. Maybe I should tear down MyAppleMenu.com and built something new.
(Oh yeah, I didn't really get into that Napster craze.)
KILL SITEFINDER? Have you taken actions yet?
Wintel
Microsoft Celebrates Longhorn 'Gold Release' Early
How do you keep a large team of developers on a big project motivated during the inevitable slippages? Easy: you just pretend the project is already complete.
Microsoft Critic Dismissed By @Stake
A computer security expert who contributed to a paper deeply critical of Microsoft has been dismissed by his employer, a consulting company that works closely with the software giant.
Judge Tosses Microsoft Smart Tags Case
A federal judge has dismissed a patent infringement case against Microsoft.
Shutting Of MSN Chat Rooms May Open Up IM
In announcing it would shutter free chat rooms, Microsoft highlighted problems with spammers and pornographers. But analysts said there may be benefits for the software giant, which is trying to shunt customers to paid services across its network.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Top Stories
Foreign Matter
International users likely wouldn't begrudge the new services becoming available first in the United States, as long as Apple communicated the reason for the delay and offered some timetable for when it will become available to them. As it is, Mac users outside the United States often don't know what to expect, all while paying higher prices for less functionality.
News
Greene Students Will Soon Take Laptops Home
The county's iTech program, which will allow every student in middle and high school to have access to an Apple iBook computer, is ahead of schedule. Superintendent Steve Mazingo originally expected students to take computers home after Christmas, but most students should have their laptops by November.
Thinking Differnt, Saving Money
The creators of the world's fastest Mac supercomputer insist they opted for Apple because Macs provided significant price and performance benefits over hardware running Linux or any other Unix-based solution.
Apple G5: Can You Feel The Power?
Could Apple, lagging Intel-based machines markedly with the G4 platform, actually have come from behind to produce the fastest desktop — not just in advertising hype, but in reality?
School Board OKs Laptop Loaning Plan
Although a district official outlined a plan to fund about $850,000 of the project's total cost — which does not include funding for increased computer support staff — he did not elaborate on where the district would find the additional $2 million it will need.
'Tea Cart' Brings Computers To Kids
Abandoning the traditional brick-and-mortar computer lab approach, Washington is putting 30 laptops on compact, mobile carts and taking the latest in computer technology to the student rather than having the students go to a lab.
Opinion
Selling Air: The Nebulous Advertising Of Apple Computer
Influencing skeptical consumers to buy a Macintosh has always required more than hand waving and lofty references to thinly related imagery. So why does Apple choose the most nebulous of advertising approaches to sell Macintoshes?
Review
iListen 1.6: Speak And Your Computer Will Obey... If It Can iListen
iListen's plentiful voice commands worked very reliably and its dictation, while not yet perfect, worked well enough to produce written documents needing light editing.
Geneforge 2
For $25 players get a huge world to explore and — thanks to the intricacies of the game's plot — re-explore. It's a real find for any player who's ever bought a $50 game and then abandoned it a few days later after finding that its stunning graphics and jaw-dropping movies were little more than a spectacular facade for non-existent game play.
What To Do Now That Mac OS X 10.2.8 Has Been Pulled; Continuing Solutions
Since Mac OS X 10.2.8 has been pulled from Apple's servers, several readers are wondering what they should do.
Wintel
Dell Opens Its Doors To Home Electronics
Dell introduced a digital music player, online music service, multifunction LCD television and computer screen, and projector, as well as a new handheld.
Microsoft Is Not Complacent About Innovation
Yes, it has followed others at times. But it's one of the few companies now spending real money on research, and the results are on the way.
Microsoft Office 2003 Reviewed
In Office 2003, Microsoft has made shockingly few changes to Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The message seems to be: "You people didn't like it when we piled on features? O.K., fine. Let's see how you like it when we add none at all."
Dell: Home Is Where The PC Is
Michael Dell elaborated Wednesday on his vision of the PC becoming the nerve center of home entertainment, but he was vague about how the company plans to achieve that goal.
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Top Stories
Thanks To New Technology, Macintosh Gets In On The Action
Even though there's little original game development for the Mac, this is a golden era for Mac gaming.
News
Apple May Benefit From Expected Increase In IT Spending
iBook-Intensive Henrico Schools Win Another Tech Award
Henrico County Public Schools has won the 2003 Governor's Gold Technology Award for the Teaching and Learning Initiative. The school system also earned the distinction in 2001 for the same initiative.
Supercomputer Goes Online
The computer cluster composed of Apple G5 machines will not only rank highly in computing power but also with the economically minded.
Apple Posts Darwin 6.7, 6.8 For Latest OS X
Stillwater: Board Gives Go-Ahead For Junior High Laptops
The Stillwater Board of Education approved a plan to give every junior high student in the district a laptop to use at home and school, despite requests from dozens of angry parents to delay the decision.
Opinion
As The Mac OS 10.2.8 Dust Settles: What Went Wrong?
An obvious question comes to mind: Doesn't Apple test its system updates before release? Another, that it is so involved in getting Panther out the door that maybe the Q&A process for the apparent final Jaguar update wasn't as rigorous as it should have been.
A Wireless iPod Can Torpedo The Pirates
Riddle me this: What would you get if you crossed a BlackBerry with an iPod? The answer: The future of the music business.
Review
Age Of Empires II Gold Edition
Age of Empires II Gold Edition will have you hooked — it's challenging and visually impressive.
Heroes Of Might & Magic IV
The interactive element adds an entirely new scope to the game as fighting real people is always more fun than just battling it out with the computer.
Finding Nemo: Nemo's Underwater World Of FUn
Parents should find that the difficulty level isn't too daunting for little kids and the activities are interesting enough for older kids (in the 6-10 range). All in all, it's a fun game that'll keep kids obsessed with Nemo until the DVD release.
More iSight Video Tricks
When you're not video conferencing, you still have a powerful camera perched atop your Mac.
Wintel
Security Report Puts Blame On Microsoft
Viruses, worms and other cyber-attacks that are crippling computers with increasing frequency cannot be stopped as long as the software of one company — Microsoft Corp. — dominates computing, according to a paper prepared by corporate technology officers and researchers.
State Department Computers Hit By Virus
The State Department's electronic system for checking every visa applicant for terrorist or criminal history failed worldwide for several hours late Tuesday because of a computer virus, leaving the U.S. government briefly unable to issue visas.
Microsoft To Shut Down Chat Rooms
Microsoft said Wednesday it would shut down its Internet chat rooms in 28 countries, saying the forums had become a haven for peddlers of junk e-mail and sex predators.
Microsoft Hops On The 64-Bit Bus
Microsoft on Tuesday said it had released a beta version of its Windows XP operating system for 64-bit PCs based on Advanced Micro Devices' new Athlon 64 processor.
Microsoft Touts Communications Services
Microsoft's new Live Meeting service is part of a broad effort by the software giant to improve the way office workers communicate, with future enhancements including videoconferencing applications and telephone connectivity, a company executive said Tuesday.
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Pulls Mac OS X 10.2.8 Update
Apple has apparently pulled the Mac OS X 10.2.8 update, as it is no longer available via the Software Update preference pane or as a standalone download.
News
Ethernet Problems After Installing Mac OS X 10.2.8
A number of people are noting some problems with selected machines that lose Internet access after updating to Mac OS X 10.2.8.
Logitech Debuts Cordless Optical Mouse For Laptops
iBooks Delivered To Quebec School
Sun's 'Mac OS X' Suite To Remain In Sun Morgue
After investing heavily in the StarOffice suite, Sun Microsystems has no plans to release another productivity suite, one of its hidden gems, we learn. Sun acquired NeXT developer Lighthouse Design in 1996, bringing with it Jonathan Schwartz, who's now Executive VP for Software.
Stillwater: All In Junior High Might Receive Laptops
If the proposal passes, school officials say it will be the first time a public school district in Minnesota has taken on such a program, beyond some grant-funded pilot efforts.
Opinion
Microsoft, Linux, Apple, Reality Games
I'm not sure if I'm witnessing a trend, but quite a few people I know have recently made the move from Windows PCs to Apple PCs.
20 Years After 1984
I'm thinking that the 20th anniversary spot won't be done by Ridley Scott, but instead by John Lassiter. You know. The top director at Pixar.
PC Magazine "Fibbed" In Article On G5/Dell Comparo?
Similarly priced? Give us a break! According to our visit to the Dell web site, the similarly configured Dell 650... is over $1500 more expensive!
Review
What's New In StuffIt Deluxe 8.0
This major upgrade to StuffIt Deluxe 8.0 brings to Mac OS X an extremely useful feature from the Mac OS 9 versions of the program — Archive Via Rename.
Wintel
Intel Gives Notebook Chips A Boost
Intel on Tuesday added to its fleet of mobile Pentium 4 processors for consumer-oriented notebook PCs.
AMD Unveils Details Of Its 64-Bit Chip
Advanced Micro Devices tried on Tuesday to make the case that its 64-bit processor line adds up to a better deal than Intel's Pentium 4 family, which remain 32-bit chips.
Microsoft Ordered To Pay Mass Legal Fees
Microsoft is to cough up $1 million in legal fees to Massachusetts - the lone state pursuing an appeal against the 2002 antitrust ruling.
Bill Gates Gives Billions To Africa
Gates, the founder of Microsoft, has contributed more money than the US and European governments to fighting malaria.
Exchange 2003 Targets Admins
With many features geared toward reducing management and network overhead, Microsoft Corp.'s Exchange 2003 definitely delivers more value to administrators than previous versions of the messaging server. However, the hurdles of Active Directory and system migration still remain high for sites that have balked at upgrading from Exchange 5.5.
Dell Thinks Small With Windows Server
Dell has unveiled a server bundled with Microsoft's Windows operating system, targeted at small and medium-size businesses.
AMD's Athlon Steps Up To 64 Bits
Advanced Micro Devices wants to give you something Intel can't.
Monday, September 22, 2003
Top Stories
Apple's Safari, So Far
"We have the same amazing team that went from beta to 1.0 from January to June, and they have not slowed down."
Success In Appleland
In the business of personal computers, does size matter? If you ask Steve Jobs, the answer is a resounding "it depends."
Why Microsoft Won't Beat Six Apart
It's the connectors who influence what the rest of us buy.
News
NetNewsWire Updated To Version 1.0.5
Apple Releases Mac OS X V10.2.8 Update
The 10.2.8 Update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability.
Virgina Tech Prepares To Deploy Apple Supercomputer
Faculty and students hope to set up the 1,100-node Terascale Computing Facility by the end of this week, said Lynn Nystrom, a Virginia Tech spokeswoman.
First Of The Independent Labels On iTunes Music Store
E.Biz 25: Steve Jobs, Apple
Count on Apple Computer Inc. Chief Executive Steven P. Jobs to "think different."
Reseller 'Leaks' iBook G4 Specs
A major UK reseller may have inadvertently pre-announced Apple's intention to migrate the iBook consumer notebook line to the G4 processor.
Opinion
Java On The Desktop: An Idea Whose Time Has Come... And Gone
Java on the desktop is an idea that has come and gone. Stick to servers, Scott, and move front and center to fight that battle. Better yet, buy Apple.
Review
Wild FX Pro 3
Video hobbyists will be able to put Wild FX Pro to good use many times, but prosumers — or those who want to get really creative — may quickly find themselves checking Wildform's website for news of Wild FX Pro 4.
Wintel
Will Microsoft Ever Get Secure?
I believe it's reasonable to expect Microsoft to secure the new version of Office. After all, it was Bill Gates himself who threw down the gauntlet almost two years ago and asked his employees to ensure the security of all Windows products. I'm just asking the company to follow up on the promise. So far, it's not looking good.
Intel: Happy Days Will Come Again
It's been a tough haul for the technology industry, but the good times will return, according to an Intel executive speaking at a trade show that has seen its own share of difficulty.
Blackmailed By Pop-Up Advertising
Windows computer users are fuming over a new breed of pop-up ads with a dubious sales pitch: Buy our software, and protect yourself from pop-ups like this one!
Office Hunts For New Niches
Microsoft plans to announce new specialty software packages on Monday based on the upcoming update of its Office productivity software.
Want To Sue Over Buggy Code?
Forget it. Microsoft and other software makers shield themselves with the "End User Agreement." What if no one agreed?
Virus Attack Leaves SOS Messages Unread
A computer virus attack left 112 desperate people, who had turned to the Samaritans of Singapore for help, temporarily stranded.
Can Microsoft Finally Kill All The Bugs
Viruses, flaws, and worms, oh my! With PCs crashing and the Internet wheezing, Gates & Co. are on the quality hot seat. We'll take you inside Microsoft's effort to get its software right, right from the start.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
Top Stories
Windows Dressing Isn't The Apple Way
If this means putting innovation ahead of market share, Apple executives are happy with that.
News
Steve Jobs: Once More At The Core Of Apple's Success Story
The computer pioneer says his is the only vertically integrated technology company left. Plainly the formula works.
Opinion
Singing Those Music Downloading Blues
As much as Apple hates Windows, Windows hates Apple right back.
It's Rant Time Again: Time To Fix Phony Specs
While I wouldn't want to get government agencies involved in this messy affair, I do think it's time for a little realism in specs. Why can't they just rate things in a way that represents the experience of real user?
Wintel
Microsoft's Security Honcho Wants To Regain Customer Trust
Microsoft Corp.'s chief information officer, Rick Devenuti, is so busy that he has been reading the same Tom Clancy novel for the last four years.
Fast-Growing Company Sunk By Loss Of Microsoft Contract
One of the state's fastest growing companies over the past several years notified its vendors Friday that it has been forced to liquidate its business after losing a long-standing contract with its biggest client, Microsoft Corp.
Microsoft's Patchy Security
Microsoft is on the back foot again as computer viruses and worms find their way through its patches and defences. Can the world's biggest software company fulfil its pledge to make its software more secure?
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Top Stories
Eolas Suit May Spark HTML Changes
As anxiety builds throughout the Web over the patent threatening Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, the Web's leading standards group is considering modifying the medium's lingua franca itself, HTML, to address the same threat.
Eolas Says It Would Settle Over IE
In response to newly revealed details of Microsoft's potential plans to redesign its browser, Eolas founder Mike Doyle urged the software giant to leave Internet Explorer alone and pay his company a license fee instead.
News
Apple Posts Apple Expo Keynote In QuickTime
Apple Sports Bluetooth 1.2 Features
Apple slipped in a few features that will appear in the upcoming Bluetooth 1.2 specific in their new Bluetooth firmware and their new keyboard and mouse: adaptive frequency hopping.
'School Night At The Apple Store' Resumes
Ready for the new school year.
French TV Interviews Steve Jobs
"We have so much to do still with music and we are going to continue to grow our presence in this area."
Review
Control Your Mac From Afar
There are many different ways to control your Mac — even when you're not sitting at it.
Test Bench: Apple Final Cut Pro 4.0 Editing Software
Four apps in one suite make Final Cut Pro 4.0 the most complete and powerful editing package found in a single box.
Apple Power Mac G5: Neck-And-Neck With Intel PCs
By outperforming top-specked Windows machines on some tests, Apple has proved that megahertz isn't everything.
Friday, September 19, 2003
News
$2.15 Million Wires Classrooms With Computers
Apples aren't just for teachers anymore. With two new Apple eMac computers installed in each classroom of the Tempe Elementary District's 24 schools, students will be learning how to use technology and the Internet as learning tools.
iPod Is 'Serious Temptation'
UK consumer magazine Computing Which? has declared Apple's iPod its Best Buy MP3 player in its September issue.
Logitech Announces Bluetooth Devices
Hot on the heels of Apple's recent announcement of Bluetooth-powered devices, peripheral maker Logitech has announced its own lineup of Bluetooth devices.
The Apple Of Jonathan Ive's Eye
Jonathan Ive, Apple's in-house product designer, reinvented the firm's computer line with a revamp of its Macintosh line.
Jobs Is 78th Richest Person In America
Columbia High School Parents Now Have Access To Records
Columbia Junior-Senior High School parents will be able to check on their students with a simple click of the mouse.
'Messiah' Accidently Tagged As 'Explicit' At iTunes Store
George Frideric Handel has at least one thing in common with Eminem and other modern artists: his music was slapped with an "explicit" warning at Apple Computer Inc.'s online iTunes Music Store.
Opinion
Does Going Windows Save Schools Money?
Put the pressure on. Try to unearth any evidence that any school anywhere has saved any money by adopting Windows PCs after the initial savings based on a lower purchase price.
G5 PowerBook? It Could Happen
Reading between the lines (which is always helpful when speculating about new products), it looks like we can definitively expect G5 PowerBooks at some point.
Why The Beatles Are Hitting On Apple's ITunes
Can Apple computers go into music business without upsetting The Beatles? This will be decided by the courts and most probably in favor of Beatles.
Review
Warrior Kings
The safest thing to do when sitting down to play Warrior Kings is to take what you know about and expect from real-time strategy games, fold it all up nicely, and stick it in your computer desk drawer with the pencils, paper clips, and photos of ex-girlfriends you pretend you don't think about anymore.
The Game Room: Eye Of The Tiger
iListen 1.6: Dictation And Editing Anywhere That You Can TYpe
iListen 1.6.1 is moving in the right direction; its support for digital recorders and improved select-by-saying capability demonstrate this. But if you run OS 9 or need truly hands-free computing, you should look elsewhere.
DeltaGraph 5.0: Visually Rich Charting Application Makes Belated Jump To OS X
The charting functions in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint may be sufficient for simple jobs, but DeltaGraph 5.0.2 offers many more specialized chart formats than either program.
Bravo Disc Publisher: Disc Production Speeds Along With Personal DVD/CD Duplicator ANd Printer
Although we'd like to see the included software refined and expanded, the Bravo Disc Publisher is a useful machine and a new option for people who burn CDs and DVDs. The Bravo is most cost-effective for people who need to duplicate a modest number of discs fairly regularly.
Apogee Mini-Me: Analog-To-Digital COnverter Performs Well — For A Price
If you're an audio pro, or if you need to record sound or music on location for video work, the Mini-Me deserves your serious consideration. And if you're an enthusiast who wants to significantly improve the sound of song demos, it's definitely worth a look — just be prepared to trim your living expenses.
G4 Processor Upgrades: Four 1.4GHz Cards Offer A Timely Stopgap Measure
Any of these four cards will rejuvenate your older computer, but the Sonnet card is a good choice only if you're sure you won't move it after installation. On the other hand, the OWC card works in the widest variety of systems and is relatively easy to move between systems. It's the best choice for an office with a variety of computers.
QuicKey X2: Powerful Utility Rewards Effort With Timesaving Macros
Although programming complicated shortcuts demands patience and experimentation, QuicKeys is excellent for replicating many of the repetitive tasks that you perform every day.
DiskWarrior 3.0: Repair Utility Does No Harm
DiskWarrior 3.0 is a tool that any serious Mac user — and certainly every IT administrator — should have.
iTools 7: Front End Simplifies Access To Open-Source Internet Services
iTools 7 takes industry-standard Internet- service software and makes it as easy to use as an OS X preference pane. iTools 7 may not appeal to advanced administrators with experience using text files to configure Unix software. But if you need a professional Internet presence without dedicated administrators, iTools 7 will save you time and effort.
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
ATI has paired a powerful piece of hardware with an equally powerful software package that has many innovative features. Gamers will find the OpenGL Overrides useful for maximizing image quality and graphics and multimedia professionals will value VERSAVISION and the various output options.
Sidetrack
BYE BYE MONEY : ATMs are going Windows. Expect blue screen of deaths, and other bugs, soon. An example here.
MONOPOLY! : The first question is, how can I use this, an analysis of the probabilities on landing on the different squares in the board game Monopoly, to my advantage?
My second question, does my computer know about this?
Wintel
Windows To Power ATMs In 2005
Most U.S. banks plan to convert their ATMs to the Windows operating system by 2005. Will this move make bank customers vulnerable to malicious Internet attacks and the infamous blue screen of death?
A Kinder, Gentler Microsoft
Talk on the campaign trail can get pretty rough, especially when the debate pits open source against Microsoft Corp. software. But now, Microsoft says, the gloves are back on, though the company has pledged to take the invective out of its talking points about Linux and open-source software.
Gates Holds Richest Slot
The US economy is improving for the super rich.
New Internet Worm Targets E-Mail, P-To-P Software
Antivirus companies are warning Internet users about W32.Swen, a new worm that spreads using e-mail messages, vulnerable network connections, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and peer-to-peer (P-to-P) networks.
Gates, Ballmer Get Slight Pay Raises
Microsoft's top executives all saw slight increases in salary and bonus last year, according to the company's annual proxy statement, filed Thursday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Thursday, September 18, 2003
News
Computer Makers Sued Over Hard-Drive Size Claims
A group of computer owners has filed a lawsuit against some of the world's biggest makers of personal computers, claiming that their advertising deceptively overstates the true capacity of their hard drives.
MS Keyboard, Mouse Drivers Updated
G5 PowerBook 'A Challenge'
The current crop of G5 processors are designed for desktop machines, and a cooler-running version of the processor would be needed for a PowerBook.
Microsoft Polishes Up Apple Users
Maybe Microsoft just wants to make it appear as if Windows isn't the only target.
Opinion
Thoughts, Reflections And Opinions
Ever ask yourself why Mac owners love their computers while Windows users barely tolerate theirs? Why Mac users who hate Windows are those forced to it at work but Windows users who hate Macs have never used one?
Should Apple Give Up On Mac OS 9 Holdouts?
Apple has other priorities and it has moved on. Whether you want to get aboard the train is your choice.
No More Apples For Teachers
As the computing universe changes, so must school desktops.
Computer Switch In Schools Is Hard To Understand
Apple Records Thwarts iTunes Europe Launch
It really adds nicely together.
Nice Computer, Nasty Details
Apple community, unix toolset. Nice combination.
Government Issue: Macs Could Help Defend Federal Agencies From Cyber Attacks
Regardless of Microsoft's progress on improving security, the federal government would be wise to look to diversification among operating systems as a basic defense against cyber terrorists.
Review
Are PowerBooks Really Ready To Replace Desktop Macs?
The PowerBooks lag significantly behind the newest desktops.
Making The Switch From A PC To A Mac
Here are a few questions about computers I've received recently from people like you, and my answers.
15" PowerBook G4/1.25 Compared To Others
The new 15" (and 17") Aluminum PowerBooks don't seem to suffer from the missing level 3 cache.
Breaking The Speed Barrier: The Frontside Bus Bottleneck
AMD, Intel, Apple and Motorola seem headed down the right path — at least in terms of frontside bus technology. After all, in a market hungry for speed, the disparity between processor and bus speed is certain, at least eventually, to foster major breakthroughs.
Scoring With Home Movies
Soundtrack is a great tool. If you have a reasonable grasp of how Mac software works, you should have no trouble. The interface is clear, the learning curve not steep and the presentation logical. Above all, it is fun.
For A Creaky Mac, Tricks To Jog The Memory
Macintosh computers — at least those using the OS 9 operating system or earlier versions — can be afflicted by memory malaise. Antidotes for the Mac can be tricky, though, depending on which operating system is involved.
White Noise
According to our friend, there is a secret society of iPod users who acknowledge each other's existence solely by the fact that they wear white earphones with white cords. The ones in the store were black.
Wintel
New Virus Preys On Old IE Flaw
A new e-mail worm has started to spread quickly, taking advantage of an Internet Explorer vulnerability that was first disclosed two years ago.
Microsoft Adds Two To Its Board
Microsoft said Thursday that it would expand its board of directors in order to strengthen its corporate governance.
Lindows Capitalizes On Microsoft Settlement
Linux software seller Lindows.com is looking to capitalize on Microsoft's antitrust woes with a new program that promises free PCs and software.
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Top Stories
Schools Will Give Kids New Windows On The World
I totally endorse the decision of Howard Hinesley, the school chief in Pinellas County, to eliminate Apple computers from the public schools and switch to Windows-based computers.
Setback For Microsoft Ripples Through The World Wide Web
Last month, Microsoft suffered a stinging legal setback. But this time, the rest of the industry is not smiling.
News
Every Carroll Seventh Grader To Get Laptop
Every seventh grade student and teacher in Carroll in western Iowa should have a laptop computer as early as the end of the month.
QuickTime Chief Queries MS Standards Tactic
PowerSchool Announces PowerPack Add-On
The PowerPack includes PowerSchool and PowerGrade tutorials, templates, user guides, product overview QuickTime movies, and more.
Apple To Open Second Seattle Retail Store
Apple will open a second retail store in Seattle, Wash., on Friday, Sept. 26. The grand opening of the retail establishment — located at the University Village Mall, 2656 NE University Village Street — will be from 6-10 p.m.
SSH Security Glitch Exposes Networks
A critical security flaw in SSH has been revealed that threatens servers worldwide.
Review
Hands-On Report — New 15" PowerBook G4
Every major complaint that we had about the TiBook has been taken care of in the new 15" AlBook.
Apple iMac G4 1.25Ghz: A First Look
Although the changes to the iMac amount to only a few bumps in speed, you're still getting more for the same old price — always good news for consumers.
Apple's Mac Offers Refuge From Barrage Of PC Virus Attacks
For the multitude of Wintel users who have been flabbergasted time and again by virus attacks and Microsoft's lacklustre response, the prospect of undisturbed surfing and checking e-mail on a Mac is becoming a more attractive option every day.
Sidetrack
Wintel
Does Microsoft Want To Lose The Plug-In Patent Case?
The "losing to win it all" theory has been coming to light in mainstream publications that are finally beginning to cover the case.
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Unveils 15-Inch PowerBook, Updates 17 And 12
Apple on Tuesday announced the long awaited revamped 15-inch PowerBook at Steve Jobs' Apple Expo keynote in Paris, France. The company also offered customers updated versions of its 17-inch and 12-inch PowerBooks, increasing speed and adding features.
Apple Introduces Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard And Mouse
The wireless keyboard and mouse have reliable performance up to 30 feet from the computer and offers secure 128-bit, over-the-air encryption keeping sensitive information safe as it is being typed.
News
Apple's Houston Retail Spot Named Ultimate 'Cool' Store
"Not coolest computer store or electronics store, but the coolest store of them all."
Jobs: European iTunes Music Store 'Next Year'
"We're clearly working on it (but) I think we'll do it next year."
No Ship Date For Panther, 3GHz G5 By Summer
Apple Offers Keynote Rebate With Mac Purchase
Apple Computer today announced a US$50 rebate offer for customers that purchase a new Macintosh and its presentation software, Keynote.
64-Bit Desktop Computing Unnecessary, Says Intel CEO
AMD and Apple are touting 64-bit computing on the desktop far too quickly, Intel CTO Pat Gelsinger said today.
Opinion
Does This Mean We Can't Say "TiBook" Anymore?
I'm sure as heck not going to write, 15" PowerBook G4 every time I refer to the laptop formerly known as the TiBook.
Review
WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne
Any Warcraft III fan should pick this expansion up without hesitation. Between the improved game play, the new units, the multiplayer/custom game improvements, and a full game's worth of new missions, you can't miss.
Wintel
Microsoft Joins 802.11g WLAN Game
Microsoft Corp. introduced 802.11g-based wireless networking gear Tuesday, catching up with rivals Cisco Systems Inc., Netgear Inc., and D-Link Systems Inc.
Patch-Fatigued Users Contemplate Ditching Microsoft
A year-and-a-half after Bill Gates declared that trustworthy computing had become Microsoft's No. 1 priority, the software bugs keep coming.
Microsoft Pitches Xbox Deal For Holidays
Microsoft on Monday announced a new holiday package for its Xbox video game console, dimming expectations for another price cut this year.
Ballmer: Stop Viruses Before THey Start
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer warned Monday that recent security vulnerabilities represent a "new and growing challenge to innovation" and conceded that his company is under attack from "thieves, con artists, terrorists and hackers."
Monday, September 15, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Memories Not Sweet As Pie
An Apple reunion of former employees was dominated by the one person who wasn't there: Steve Jobs.
25 Innovators: Jon Rubinstein
Jon Rubinstein's hardware team at Apple Computer has certainly been busy this year, contributing the breakthrough iPod and the Power Mac G5. His latest project is AirPort Extreme, which is ushering in the 802.11g Wi-Fi standard among Apple loyalists.
25 Innovators: Avadis "Avie" Tevanian
Over the past few years, Avadis "Avie" Tevanian and his engineering team have blurred the line between fantasy and reality when it comes to what can be accomplished with software.
News
Apple Pushes iPod In New Print Ads
On the heels of Apple's claims that its iPod sales quadrupled in the fiscal third quarter and that 10 million songs have been downloaded from its 4-month-old iTunes online store, Omnicom's TBWA\Chiat\Day is breaking a print and outdoor campaign for the portable-music player.
Jobs To Deliver Keynote Speech Tomorrow
EyeTV To Support Toast 6 Titanium, European TV
How To Go Legit
Pay for music online? It used to be square, but the crackdown on pirates is giving legal sites new life.
FCP 4 Optimized For G5
Apple will ship a version of Final Cut Pro 4 that is optimized for Power Mac G5s, the company revealed at European broadcast and media event, IBC.
Getting More From A PC's Spare Time
Millions of PC users are volunteering their terminals' unused processing power to help analyze data and perform computer simulations for research into an AIDS cure, climate prediction or the mysteries of biological proteins.
Opinion
iPod Competition
Will Apple's domination of the personal audio player business be challenged?
Away From The Core
Today, the "rest of us" are mostly using Windows, and Apple is no longer concerned with changing that.
The Passing Parade
Not only is the iPod a great product, but for it to come from Apple rather than, say, Sony, is significant.
Review
Rolling Out Mac OS X In A Lab Environment
Test everything. I mean everything.
Tactile Pro Keyboard
What you gain, though is potentially a higher degree of accuracy and improved speed, and that will prove to be tremendously important. Just make sure that, if you share an office, you let your coworkers borrow your iPod when you're into some heavy typing.
Wintel
Microsoft Launches Into Web Conferencing
Microsoft will unveil its Web conferencing service on Monday, the latest step in its plan to transform Office from a product suite to a concept.
Motorola, Microsoft To Team On Cell Phones
The fledgling competition to develop "smarter" cell phones for Web-hungry consumers is getting a powerful new tag-team entry: Motorola Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
News
Readers: Problems With iTunes Radio Services
Ranchero Releases New NetNewsWire Beta
Upton Middle School Addition Dedicated
The library/media center has a wireless computer laboratory with 30 MacIntosh ibooks, portable laptop computers that students or teachers can check out. Teachers can take the remote hub to their room to create a computer lab in their classrooms.
Opinion
This Is What I Really Believe About Macs
I agree Apple can, like any company, screw up from time to time. And I will continue to call them on it. Maybe the company's executives will listen to me, and maybe they won't. But that won't stop me from saying my peace.
Review
Kernel Panics On A Sunday
I wouldn't dream of operating my Mac without my DiskWarrior CD close at hand.
Wintel
Microsoft Says It Is Planning To Double Its Dividend
The higher payment — an annual dividend of 16 cents a share — is still small compared with the enormous piles of cash generated by Microsoft's dominant desktop personal computer software franchises, the Windows operating system and the Office suite of programs.
Saturday, September 13, 2003
Top Stories
Keynote Plays Ball With PowerPoint
I've removed PowerPoint from my Mac notebook; Keynote does it all. Watch for more and more people using Keynote.
Beatles Group Sues Apple Over Trademark
A representative for Apple Corps, the corporate face of rock icons The Beatles, said Friday that the company has sued Apple Computer over its iTunes service, in a sequel to a previous trademark dispute.
News
Teachers Losing Their Apples
Pinellas County schools will phase out Apple computers and only buy PCs. Some teachers and administrators are upset.
The Long And Winding Trademark Dispute
Though the lawsuit might be a hassle for Apple Computer, few in the technology industry said they thought it would cause long-term problems.
Dave Skwarczek: He Plots With Bzots
"If the Mac wasn't around, I'm not sure we'd be able to create the series so easily — or at all."
Macromedia Updates FreeHand MX
The new version contains fixes for issues identified since the release of FreeHand MX (version 11) and includes product activation, according to the company.
Opinion
Apple Polishes Stability, Memory With New Lines
The future is arriving for Mac users and potential new Mac users, in the form of the Power Mac G5, new iPods and iMacs, and the upcoming Mac OS X 10.3, code-named Panther.
Mac OS X: It Just Works
This is what makes Mac OS X so compelling: With decimated IT staffs getting slammed from without (Sobig.F) and within (frustrated end-users), something that just works is downright refreshing.
Wintel
Microsoft Goes To Hollywood
Microsoft's surprise decision to submit Windows Media Series 9 as a standards candidate to Hollywood underscores the software giant's ambitions to take its multimedia technology beyond the Net, as well as the considerable barriers it faces.
Friday, September 12, 2003
News
Ex-Apple Employee Slams Company
On the eve of a big reunion of Apple employees, a former Apple marketing director is blasting his former co-workers for failing to make the company a success.
Opinion
Microsoft's Favorite Gadget?
Is it the next version of Windows? The Xbox? Office 2003? Nope, it's the iPod.
Review
Nisus Writer Cures My MS Word Blues
I still use Microsoft Word when I have to, but when it's my choice, I'm enjoying Nisus Writer.
First G5 Test Results: Dual 2GHz Power Mac G5 Is New Mac Speed King
We've tested all three models, and found them be clearly faster than the previous generation of Power Macs.
Wintel
IE Patent Endgame Detailed
Microsoft has suffered another legal setback in the patent dispute with software developer Eolas and is now advising Web authors on workarounds, as new details emerge of its plans to tweak Internet Explorer.
Microsoft To Open Office Doors Early
Microsoft said Friday that it would allow some of its business customers to download its new Office desktop application bundle about two weeks sooner than originally planned.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Top Stories
The Beatles Sue Apple Computers Over iPod, iTunes
The inevitable has happened: The Beatles have sued Steve Jobs over Apple iTunes and the Apple iPod — at least the band's company, Apple Corps., has sued Apple Computers.
News
Within A Lilliputian Player, A Hefty Archive That Travels
So how do these newer hard drives manage to pack even more songs into your pocket?
iBooks Are The Talk Of The Schools
With the new iBooks in District 54, it could be that students will be teaching their parents a thing or two about technology.
Adobe Profits Exceed Forecasts
Adobe returned profits in excess of analysts' expectations in its third quarter 2003, the company announced last night.
Apple Expands Events' Reach
Apple's plans for growth require the company to penetrate diverse markets, and the selection of events at which the company will take part in the coming weeks underlines the breadth of its corporate growth strategy.
Macs Called Virtually Virus-Proof
"People have PCs that do everything they want them to do, but they just don't love them."
Apple Gears Up For Fall
Apple may not be done with new product news for the rest of the month.
Bomb Scare Causes Seybold Evacuation
Attendees of this week's Seybold Seminars and OracleWorld were evacuated late this afternoon due to a bomb scare. Both tradeshows are held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
Opinion
Mac.Ars Takes On The Young People
I hear Apple is popular with the young people.
Review
Shadowbane
Fans of RPGs in general will enjoy how this game is run, and those with lots of patience will be rewarded when they gain enough levels to start taking part in the in-game politics.
Making The Switch: A PC Guy Goes Mac
After toying with the computer in the store and talking with the outlet's in-house Apple representative, I decided to give the Apple eMac a try.
Publisher Of WinTel Gets Unsatisfactory BBB Rating
Until OpenOSX is more forthcoming about its products and how it is handling such issues, I'd urge extreme caution.
Dot Mac Revisited
Yes, .Mac still suffers from a few kinks, and the service may not be robust enough for those who need more sophistication and control than what Apple offers, but for the technically challenged who need a basic, easy means of sharing files over the Web and synching their data, .Mac lives up to its promise.
Wintel
New Study Backs MS Claims Overs Linux
Only Microsoft users on older versions of its desktop operating systems are likely to get any benefit from migrating to Linux, according to a new report by Gartner.
New Windows Virus May Hit Soon
A virus or worm that exploits newly revealed vulnerabilities in the current versions of Windows could emerge fairly soon, security experts say, in part because the vulnerabilities are very similar to the flaws exploited by the MSBlast worm.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Customer Resells iTunes Song
A customer of Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store said he has successfully resold a he song purchased through the service, ending a weeklong exercise he hoped would highlight the legal and technical nuances of emerging digital music services.
News
Apple To Attend Government Video Technology Expo
Apple To Showcase Products At Stuff LIVE 2003
Flash Player 7 Released
Macromedia has released the final version of Flash Player 7, and a selection of demos of its recently-upgraded MX 2004 products.
Apple Targets Euro Media Show
Apple's growing focus on the digital-production market will be the central theme of a company presentation at Europe's biggest broadcast and media event, IBC.
Profiles In Success: University Of Washington: A Video Journey Of Nations
When Scott Macklin left to shoot his documentary video, he had $12 and one credit card in his pocket. In his backpack were a few essentials: a digital camcorder, a Super 8 camera, and his PowerBook G4. During a ferry crossing, the credit card was lost. Eight-foot ocean swells also threatened to capsize the support boat in which Macklin was visiting Native American tribes and their villages. But thanks to Final Cut Pro, he was able to capture a ceremonial journey that few non-Native Americans will ever see. He even came home with his $12.
Schaumburg Schools Buying Thousands Of Laptops For Kids
By fall 2004, each fourth- through sixth-grader in northwest suburban School District 54 will get an Apple iBook to use both in school and at home — about 5,200 computers total. The idea isn't to have the machines replace textbooks, pens and paper, but to use them as research and writing tools that will lead to students performing better on reading and writing exams.
Microsoft Opens Up Video Standard
In an effort to spread the use of its technology, Microsoft Corp. said on Monday it will open the specifications for its video compression technology, which would allow other companies to make products based on its technology.
Opinion
A Mac-Style Spercomputer
Virginia Tech is tying 1,100 G5s together to achieve top-dollar performance for a relative bargain, a ringing endorsement for Apple's latest machine.
Review
Top Ten Tips For Mac Conference Goers
The following ten tips will help you get the most out of this (or just about any) Mac conference. So right after you book your flight on Southwest or JetBlue, refer to this list for your final preparations.
Sidetrack
AN APPLE A DAY : Macinblog presents your daily tips, hints and frustrations.
JUNK E-MAIL DU JOUR : Keep the rest of your hair for $39.96... otherwise you'll come and rip them out? Thanks. I need a haircut anyway...
Wintel
Windows Flaws Allow PC Takeover
Microsoft identified three vulnerabilities in Windows on Wednesday that could have a similar effect to that of the dreaded MSBlast worm of August.
Microsoft Must Search For E-Mails For Burst
Microsoft Updates Works
Microsoft on Tuesday launched a new version of Works Suite, its budget software package for consumers.
New Microsoft Storage OS Gets Backers
Computer maker Hewlett-Packard and software company Veritas on Wednesday will announce products tailored for the new Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003 operating system.
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
Top Stories
Apple: Reselling iTunes Songs 'Impractical'
An Apple Computer executive on Monday downplayed recent questions over the download resale policy of the company's iTunes Music Store, saying technical if not legal barriers would largely prevent such transfers from taking place.
News
An Apple A Student For Denali Borough School District
When school begins Sept. 15, the Denali Borough School District will become the first in Alaska to provide a laptop computer for every student in grades 9 through 12. A total of 129 laptop computers are being prepared to hand over to high schoolers at Tri-Valley, Anderson and Cantwell schools.
Washingtonpost.com: Committed To DV News
They call it "the movement." That's how the staff of video producers at The Washington Post refer to the current revolution in documentary and news video.
Review
Eudora 6.0 SlamsSpam, Concentrates Content
Latest Keyboard Needs Refining
Users should look carefully at reviews of potential replacement keyboards and check out user groups for others' experiences and perspectives.
Wintel
Study: Windows Cheaper Than Linux
A Microsoft-commissioned study has found that companies could save up to 28 percent by developing certain programs with Windows instead of Linux, the software company plans to announce on Tuesday.
Monday, September 8, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Announces New, Faster iMacs
Apple on Monday announced new, faster iMac desktop computers with PowerPC G4 processors running up to 1.25 GHz, faster 333 MHz DDR memory, faster NVIDIA graphics and the move to the faster USB 2.0 standard.
Apple Offers New 20, 40GB iPods, Sells 10 Millionth Song
Apple on Monday updated its iPod product line to include new 20GB and 40GB models — the high-end model can now hold up to 10,000 songs. Apple also offered an update on the success of its iTunes Music Store.
News
Apple Releases New Java Update
Apple's New San Francisco Store Starts To Shape Up
Seybold Scales Way, Way Back
In addition to a smaller home — the west wing of the Moscone Center — and a shorter list of exhibiting companies, the premier publishing trade show will have some conspicuous absences this week, including digital-publishing bigwig Apple Computer.
Woz OK's Apple I Resurrection
Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak has given his blessing to the production of a replica of the Apple I — the legendary machine that launched Apple.
Review
Warror Kings
In short, this game is a lot of fun but is in need some serious tweaking.
Europa Universalis II
For hard-core wargamers, however, this may be just what the doctor ordered. The game presents the abstractions of Old World exploration, conquest and government in surprising depth. It just never made me care.
Norton SystemWorks 3
Whether you elect to get Norton or one of the other repair programs (or more than one), do get at least one. Preventive maintenance is as important as the data on your computer.
Tom Bihn PowerBook Cases
We found little that we would change (improve) because almost everything had already been thought of and built in.
The Complete Toast Titanium 6 Review
Toast still is the only CD-burning software that recognizes most of the burners out there, and for all these reasons, it deserves the highest marks.
Sidetrack
DESTROYING AN iMAC... doesn't your heart ache at this video? :-)
POSITIVE FOR SARS... for the time being. Further tests are being conducted, but this may well be the return of SARS in Singapore.
Wintel
Will The Penguin Conquer Asia?
Japan, China, and South Kore are planning a joint effort to develop Linux as an alternative to Microsoft's pricey Windows.
Security Firm: IE Patch Does Not Work
A patch released by Microsoft to fix a critical security vulnerability in its Internet Explorer browser does not work, according to security experts.
Microsoft Opens Up New Office Site
Microsoft has revamped the online resource site for its Office software line, bringing together help resources, software add-ons and other content.
Intel Unveils Budget Itaniums
Intel will release a pair of Itanium 2 processors optimized for rack-mounted servers and clusters on Monday as it attempts to expand the chip family's reach.
Linux Demand In Thailand 'Artificial'
Microsoft Windows' market share in Thailand has sunk to an all-time low. Linux, on the other hand, has risen on the crest of a popularity wave. But before you think the underdog is finally having its day, hear what Gartner has to say.
Sunday, September 7, 2003
Top Stories
Girls? Check. Cristal? Check. iPod? Check.
This season, the iTunes service will be faced with several competitors in the PC world, among them an industry-sanctioned incarnation of Napster. But so far, its imitators (like Buymusic) have only made it look better by comparison.
News
Customers Turning To Downloads Over CDs
Forrester Research released a study this week predicting an increasing drop in compact disc sales as Internet music file-sharing keeps gaining ground on the flagging CD.
Opinion
Can You Believe Press Releases?
Just about every report I read on the subject simply quoted or summarized the press release, which conveys the impression they accepted it at face value.
Moving To A Mac
The next time I'm facing a mass desktop and network OS migration decision, Mac OS X will be on the list.
Security Blame Games
Open source software partisans never seem to follow their argument to its logical conclusion, however. If more people used Linux and/or Mac OS X, more attackers would exploit the vulnerabilities of these systems.
Review
Gaming On The Apple eMac
With a little effort, the eMac offers a respectable platform for the budget conscious gamer.
Wintel
Fight The Microsoft Exchange Challenge
Find out the reasons people give for switching to Exchange and how to successfully combat them.
Saturday, September 6, 2003
News
Interview With VoodooPad's Gus Mueller
Here's the approach Gus Mueller took for creating and distributing VoodooPad.
Eric Eason: An Indie Dream Come True
"If we didn't have Final Cut Pro, there's no way we could have done this."
Profiles In Success: Henrico County Public School: Continuous Learning
"The wireless world, along with the portability of the laptops, and the dynamic nature of the digital content are creating a synergy that will have a huge impact on schools and classrooms."
Review
The Penny-Pinching PowerBook 1400 Goes Wireless
The adventures of a computer geek and his Promethean Penny-Pinching PowerBook 1400 continue.
Think Tanks: What A Blast!
You'll get hours of addictive battle action that will surely give your keyboard and mouse a real workout. This game's a keeper.
Apple Final Cut Pro 4
With the enhancement of Final Cut Pro, plus the inclusion of the other four production packages, Apple has more than made that prediction come true.
Apple Soundtrack
For producers just getting into musical scoring, Soundtrack represents a great first dip into the ocean of audio possibilities. After using the program with Final Cut Pro or by itself, you'll find the water is quite nice.
Wintel
Microsoft Settles Antitrust Suit With Be
Microsoft will pay Be more than $23 million after attorneys' fees to settle an antitrust lawsuit that Be filed against it in February 2002, the companies announced Friday.
Microsoft: Asia Not Playing Fair Over OS
A plan by Japan, China and South Korea to develop an operating system alternative to Microsoft's Windows software could raise concerns over fair competition, Microsoft said Friday.
Friday, September 5, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Reveals G5 Teething Problems
Apple has published documents detailing a series of support issues affecting G5 Power Macs, chiefly confirming that no version of Mac OS X Server is presently supported on the machines.
News
Apple Corporate Briefing
Apple has managed to survive the downturn by using innovation.
eBay Mutes iTunes Song Auction
eBay on Thursday canceled an auction that sought to resell a music download that was purchased through Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store, saying the attempted sale violated its listing policies.
Review
Xcode: Apple's Answer To Visual Studio
I am impressed by how squarely Apple has attacked the problem of programmer productivity. Given the quality of these tools and Apple's choice to bundle them with the operating system, it is clear the company is doing some wonderful things to support its developers.
Wintel
Microsoft To Help Design High School In Philadelphia
Extending its reach in public education, Microsoft Corp. said Thursday that it will help design a new $46 million public high school in Philadelphia that will embed computer technology everywhere from classrooms and administrative offices to the desk of the football coach.
Singapore-Made OS Runs Windows, Palm, Linux Apps
Two Singaporean inventors who say they've created an operating system that can run programs that are written for Windows, Linux and Palm will formally launch the product this month.
Thursday, September 4, 2003
Top Stories
'Cool Hunters' Like Apple's Shine
Thanks to the iPod, the iTunes Music Store and the PowerMac G5, Apple is one of the hottest companies in youth culture, say so-called "cool hunters," researchers who track buying trends among young people.
Microsoft's Patent Loss Rattles Tech Community
Companies with products that work on the Internet are slowly waking up to the broad implications of a recent judgement against software behemoth Microsoft Corp. in a patent infringement case.
iTunes Auction Treads Murky Legal Ground
Consumers can resell CDs purchased in a record shop, but what about digital music files downloaded from an online store?
News
I'll Take My Music A La Carte
The popularity of Apple's iTunes song service has demonstrated that customers like to pick and choose their songs online. New statistics from the music industry indicate that labels are shipping more singles to stores, too.
OS X Server Doesn't Support G5s
Anyone who has ordered a new Power Mac G5 and hopes to plug it into an existing OS X Server-based network is going to be very disappointed. Apple has announced that the two are not compatible.
Schools Eye Computer Upgrade
The team's study of competing software led it to a recommendation of PowerSchool, made by Apple, the company that also makes Macintosh computers. Among the features that convinced the team, she said, were its total integration, and the fact that it is Web-based, enabling teachers, administrators and parents to access real-time information about students.
Free StickyBrain Organizer Offered To .Mac Members
Apple Releases Backup 2 Public Beta
The new version brings the ability to back up to external hard drives and mounted volumes including FireWire hard drives, iPods, and network servers.
Opinion
Review
Wintel
Office Users At Risk From 'Critical' Flaw
Microsoft issued another flock of security alerts Wednesday, including notice of a "critical" flaw that affects many of its Office applications.
Wednesday, September 3, 2003
News
Microsoft Offers Office vX 10.1.5 Update
Microsoft reports that this new update "addresses several stability issues with PowerPoint, Excel, and Visual Basic for Applications for Office v. X."
Apple Goes After Unix Users
Unix users will be major beneficiaries of the upcoming 'Panther' version of OS X, Apple Computer told the AUUG conference this morning.
OpenOSX's WinTel Offers Deliverance
Microsoft Rolls Out New Wireless Mice, Keyboard
Microsoft today unveiled six new wireless peripherals that introduce an innovative new scroll wheel and wireless optical technologies.
Salling Clicker 2.0 Adds Palm, T616 Support
Salling Clicker v2.0 adds a new Sony Ericsson model — the T616. What's more, the new version can now work with Bluetooth-equipped Palm Tungsten T PDAs.
First Two Of New FileMaker Applications Line Released
FileMaker Inc. announced on Wednesday that it will begin making ready-to-use applications for business-specific tasks. The first two FileMaker Applications — FileMaker Meetings and FileMaker Recruiter — are available today.
Wall Street Warms To Apple
As Apple's stock trades near its 52-week high, analyst firm Ragen MacKenzie has issued positive comment about the company.
Opinion
Gobi, Mojave, And The Future Of The G3
Confessions Of A Switcher
OS X is an impressive piece of software, and the Mac experience so far has been excellent.
Time For Apple To Spread The Beat
Jobs & Co.'s online Music Store needs to be PC-compatible. Then, college kids will snap up even more iPod music player.
Review
Wintel
SCO's Ill Wind Blows No Good For Microsoft
Microsoft is not benefiting from The SCO Group's intellectual property dispute with IBM despite the market uncertainty the legal fiasco is creating. Microsoft Australia's platform strategy manager Martin Gregory has rejected claims the software giant is a beneficiary of the dispute pointing out that software will continue to be chosen on merits and Unix is now being replaced by Linux more than Windows.
Tuesday, September 2, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Shooting For Supercomputer Heights
Apple Computer has landed a major customer for its Power Mac G5, with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University confirming Tuesday that it will use 1,100 of the machines as part of a supercomputer cluster now under construction.
Good Apples, Bad Apples Reunite
The biggest reunion of Apple employees will be held next month in Silicon Valley. The reunion isn't just a booze up. Organizers hope it will elicit a wealth of company lore.
News
IDC Report: Apple Grabs 7 Percent Of U.S. Notebook Market Share
Emagic Updates Logic Platinum
The new version is a minor update, offering specific stability improvements, and is available now for Mac OS X.
Second Apple Store Coming To San Diego, CA
Apple's G5s Get Sent To School
Apple Computer has delayed the shipping of its dual-processor Power Mac G5 to consumers, opting instead to ship the first of the fast desktops to schools.
Apple Should Pay For "Gratuitous" Legal Action Over Buzzle: Liquidator
Having lost its attempt to have the liquidator of Buzzle removed, Apple is now locked in battle over who will pay the legal costs for the action.
What's So Hot About Apple's Power Mac G5?
Can this new machine, which has enough computing power to outperform even some low-end servers, much less the average desktop, boost Apple's nearly disappearing 3-percent market share?
Laptops Dramatically Change Education
The academy has joined the ranks of other schools providing laptops for students' use at and away from the classroom.
Opinion
Mac OS X Panther 'Fast Approaching' Release - Apple
Jobs At Top, Ballmer At Bottom Of CEO Approval Ratings
Apple CEO Steve Jobs received a rating of 91 percent for August. That's up from 77 percent last month and tied for his highest tally yet.
Review
PowerBook And iBook Parts And Repair Services
If your 'Book is ailing, the outfits profiled below should be able to help you at a tariff significantly less than you will encounter dealing with Apple Service if you're off warranty.
Burning Monkey Solitaire 3
Freeverse has another gem for their card-game crown with this one.
ThinkFree Office Is A Worthy Alternative
Macromedia Contribute 2
The Mac version needs to do a little catching up with its PC counterpart, but that'll come. Also, its learning curve is steeper than I expected for both the developer and the content editors, but it makes life easier for both in ways of which FrontPage could only dream.
Geneforge 2
All-in-all, Geneforge 2 is a great sequel which builds upon the original. The game also stands on its own due to an engaging story, great writing, lots of skills to learn, and the ability to choose the way in which your character develops.
The Best Of Fall: Apples And More
For Mac users, Panther's prowling promises a nice, if costly ($129), upgrade.
Dragon Burn 3.0 For Mac OS X
All of its features that we tried worked well. But ripping, encoding, saving and burning speed for audio files is not one of Dragon Burn's strengths, especially when compared with dual-processor aware software like iTunes.
IT Specialists Recommend Wireless Internet Networks
A Near-Outlook Experience
CommuniGate Pro is a good investment for sites that can afford it. However, adding groupware, per-user Exchange client access and features such as clustering greatly increases its cost.
Wintel
New Office Locks Down Documents
As digital media publishers scramble to devise a foolproof method of copy protection, Microsoft is ready to push digital rights management into a whole new arena—your desktop.
Monday, September 1, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Store Takes Buyers To The Macs
It's a testament to the Puget Sound area's vibrant Macintosh community that Apple feels it can offer two outlets just a dozen miles apart.
News
Ozzie iTunes Store
Australian news source The Age reports that a local version of Apple's iTunes Music Store "is likely" to launch before Christmas.
Opinion
Reader Poll: PowerBooks Predicted
To Combat Worms, Diversity Helps
Our stagnant software monoculture is so susceptible to worms and viruses that the more potent ones sweep around the planet in under a day.
Review
Tom Bihn's Brain Cell
With Apple's new aluminum PowerBooks, protection is a crucial part in maintaining your notebook.
For Today's Student, Making Connections With The Laptop Is Key
Laptop computers are the new center of the college student's technological universe. Because space is often at a premium in dorms, students are pushing the frontiers of just how much a laptop can do, adding handy gadgets to fit their connected lifestyle.
14.1" iBook 900Mhz G3: Apple's Budget-Friendly Laptop Takes Another Step Up
Power, mobility and value are a rare combination, but the 14.1" iBook delivers just enough of all three to make it worth overlooking some shortcomings.
The Rio Nitrus: It's No Apple iPod
So far, no gadget has come very close in mimicking the style and simplicity of Apple Computer's top-selling iPod digital music player.
Wintel
Japan Has Visions Of Asian Alternative To Windows OS
Japan hopes to develop new computer software in cooperation with China and South Korea to make Asian economies less dependent on Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system, government officials said Sunday.
Don't Rely On Microsoft, Trade Group Urges Homeland Security
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has urged the Department of Homeland Security to reconsider its decision to use Microsoft software on its desktop and server systems, citing "major security failures" created by the raft of vulnerabilities in the Redmond, Wash.-based developer's products.
Longhorn And The Battle For Web Services
Microsoft has been gradually re-creating nearly all of what Java does.
Blaster Worm Linked To Severity Of Blackout
The W32.Blaster worm may have contributed to the cascading effect of the Aug. 14 blackout, government and industry experts revealed this week.