Wednesday, October 1, 2003
Top Stories
Lick Me, I'm A Macintosh: What The Hell Is Wrong With Apple That They Still Give A Damn About Design And Packaging And "Feel"?
These are the things that are nearly dead in our mass-consumer culture, things normally reserved for elitist niche markets and swanky boutiques and upscale yuppie Euro spas and maybe cool insider mags like I-D and Metropolis and dwell. They are most definitely not to be expected of mass-market gadget makers. This is why it matters. This is why it's important.
Finally, An Opening For Apple In IT
Macs as Unix workstations, the rise of laptops, and the dangers of a Microsoft "monoculture" are combining to create a real opportunity.
News
Macs Win 'Small Battles' In Vail, Ariz., Schools
The Vail School District is home to 5,300 students across nine schools. It's also home to 1,100 Macs.
Top 50 Agenda Setters: Steve Jobs
To set the agenda for its evolution requires an equally enigmatic individual - Jobs would seem to fit the bill.
Apple's War For The Windows Mainstream
The key to continued progress is keeping the iPod engine chugging forward at a steady pace. If Apple can accomplish that goal, it may find itself in an insanely great position.
Altec Lansing Unveils InMotion For iPods
The inMotion offers a compact design, extra-low battery power consumption, powerful Class D amplification, patented MaxxBass technology, and a built-in iPod dock.
Give Macs TV Functions, Apple Urged
Apple must make Macs part of a digital entertainment hub if it is to realize the machines' market potential, a survey shows.
Lights, Camera, Action
Four Buena Regional high school students got their first peek into the world of digital video production and editing on Tuesday evening.
Stillwater: School Board, Apple Agree On Laptop Plan
The Stillwater school district has entered into an agreement with Apple Computer to provide laptops to students at Oak-Land Junior High in Lake Elmo and all of the district's junior high teachers by next fall.
Mac Vs. Windows On Campus: Does Platform Matter In Virus Assualts?
The onslaught of Internet-borne viruses and worms could not have come at a worse time for college and university campuses.
What's On Your Dock?
Follow me, ladies and gentlemen, on a journey into the minds of some of your fellow Mac users.
Opinion
Should Apple Make A Two-Button Mouse?
The core Mac user experience has been one of simplicity. Unlike Windows, you aren't forced to use a right mouse button.
Why I Love... Sosumi
Sosumi is the sound of corporate whistling in the dark, a jingle for charmers who believe the right-on-ness of their ventures will erase the obstacles that affect lesser beings.
New Adobe Apps Leave Mac OS 9 Behind
More and more applications aren't compatible either.
Review
Cyborg Evo
The Cyborg Evo certainly performed fine as a casual-use joystick. It looks sleek and does what it advertises, but that may not be enough to sway gamers into buying the $40 joystick.
Microsoft Mouse Is Great For Your Mac
I've found a mouse that puts Apple's efforts to shame. It's made by Microsoft, which does a much better job making hardware than software.
Swift 3D V3
Swift 3D is the most useful Flash companion currently available.
Medal Of Honor: Spearhead
While the content would be lackluster as a standalone game, it is as an addition to the solid core of Allied Assault. If you are looking for something to breathe life back into the rather stagnant Mac multiplayer FPS scene, this is what you have been waiting for.
Bluetooth Does Have Bite — If You Can Set It Up
It is stuff like Salling Clicker that gives true meaning to the usefulness of Bluetooth.
Sidetrack
"MICROSOFT WORD IS A TERRIBLE PROGRAM," writes Louis Menand. "Its terribleness is of a piece with the terribleness of Windows generally, a system so overloaded with icons, menus, buttons, and incomprehensible Help windows that performing almost any function means entering a treacherous wilderness of pop-ups posing alternatives of terrifying starkness: Accept/Decline/Cancel; Logoff/Shut Down/Restart; and the mysterious Do Not Show This Warning Again. You often feel that youíre not ready to make a decision so unalterable; but when you try to make the window go away your machine emits an angry beep. You double-click. You triple-click. Beep beep beep beep beep. You are being held for a fool by a chip."
TABLET PCs IS NOT ABOUT HANDWRITING RECOGNITION, from the Scobleizer. "Tablet PCs are all about letting you compute where you want to."
Seriously folks, it's true. I like a tablet PC — except in my case, it's called a Tungsten W.
I no longer fear waiting in line.
However, there are three things that made me not want to get a Microsoft tablet PC. (Four, if you count my lack of funds.)
Number One: they are still too heavy. Heck, even on my Palm, my hand aches after reading AvantGo for a while.
Number Two: apps. I've played with one when Microsoft first released this product, and the lack of ink-aware apps is a major setback.
Number Three: security. I don't want to worry about viruses and spyware and Trojan horses.
Number One and Two will go away with time. Number Three I am not too confident.
WARNING, Apple is running out of Alumininum, as discovered by CARS.
Wintel
China Looks Into Windows Code
The Chinese government has set up a lab to study Microsoft Windows source code.
Lindows To Microsoft: Buzz Off
Lindows.com defiantly told Microsoft Tuesday it will not remove a website that offers to process claims for Californians entitled to proceeds from a $1.1 billion class-action settlement with the software giant.
Microsoft Pays $10 Million To Settle Suit
Microsoft said on Tuesday that it would pay $10.5 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit brought by customers who claimed the software maker used its monopoly power to overcharge them for direct purchases of software.