Wednesday, December 31, 2003
News
Would $100 iPod Compete Or Cannibalize?
With rumors rife that Apple Computer will unveil a $100 music player at Macworld Expo next month, analysts are split on the likelihood — and wisdom — of such a move.
Opinion
iPod Speculation Grows Before Macworld
Don't count on seeing dramatically smaller or cheaper iPod music players in the new year, despite Internet rumors that Apple Computer will announce them next week in San Francisco.
Sidetrack
RUMOR TODAY : The G5 XServes are coming in Jan 04.
HAPPY NEW YEAR : Have a great 2004.
Wintel
Israel Suspends Microsoft Purchases
The Israeli government has suspended acquisitions of computer software from Microsoft, citing price issues and the company's refusal to sell individual programs from its standard software package, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday.
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
News
iPod #1: Apple Continues MP3 Player Dominance In November
Apple continues to dominate the overall portable MP3 player market in the US with the 10GB iPod the number one selling device.
Dead iBook Owners Take Protest To Macworld Show
Faithful Apple users plan to put Quality Control issues center stage at the MacWorld show in San Francisco next week, to highlight a problem that Apple refuses to acknowledge.
While the year of the laptop hasn't passed without some rough patches, it has seen Apple replace its entire portable line with either new or substantially upgraded products, and introduced two additional very cool new ones.
iPod At Center Of Buzz
Rumors predict new affordable player at Macworld.
Mac.Ars Takes On 2003: The Year In Review
2003 was a big year for Apple, and arguably its most successful in over a decade on a number of metrics.
Opinion
Every App Has Its Day
There are a few Mac applications that are ready to be reintroduced to the spotlight.
Review
Have Your iSight Tested
Apple's iSight video camera is not a new idea but it is a solid piece of tech that does a simple job extremely well.
Sidetrack
RUMOR TODAY : More "details" emerges on the new mini-iPods?
HUMAN SPAM-FILTER? : I wonder if there's anyone out there who will hire me as their human spam-filter? I'll just sit on my fat asses in front of the computer the entire day, reading e-mails and clicking on "approve" and "reject" buttons. And I'll promise 100% spam being filtered, and 0% false-positive. I wonder how much I can earn...
EXCUSE ME? : A reader wrote in to the papers to complain of a lack of toilet in a park-connector. National Parks replied today that, there are toilets nearby, but we will not tell you where. :-)
Wintel
LG 'Will Persist' With Smart Display, Even After Microsoft Drops It
Writing And End To The Bio Of BIOS
Intel and Microsoft are gearing up to move toward the first major overhaul of the innermost workings of the personal computer — the boundary where software and hardware meet — during 2004.
Monday, December 29, 2003
Top Stories
Executive Of The Year
Steve's Jobs: Balancing performance at Pixar, innovation at Apple.
News
Online Music Finally Starts To Rock 'N' Roll
The success of Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store, which has sold more than 25 million songs, set off a new Internet gold rush of online services that had even mainstream retailers like Wal-Mart joining the stampede.
2004 May See 'Bit Of A Gold Rush' For Digital Tunes
With consumers fast getting used to the idea of buying songs online, scores of companies are readying launches of digital music initiatives.
Opinion
Rob Enderle: Putting The 'Anal' In 'Analyst'
If the purpose of the rumored iPod expansion is to lower the price, why in the world would Apple switch to a higher-priced storage medium?
Review
Sight For Sore Eyes
Apple iMacs are always beautifully designed, but the latest, a system with gorgeous 20-inch flat screen, is almost too striking to relegate to a desktop.
Sidetrack
MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTION : Stop worrying and just get on with the flow. Stop complaining too much about total strangers, especially idiots. Start saving for a long vacation and possibly an iBook that I can bring along on that long vacation.
RUMOR TODAY : Apple PDA, the rumor that will not die.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
News
Making Tech Connect
There's a definite coolness factor: There are no books, no papers, no pencils in Tom Daccord's World History class at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham. Every student has an iBook and Daccord has a laptop. Web pages projected on a screen fueled a class discussion recently about women's role in Islam.
Online Music's Winners And Lowers
Online music services that depend solely on selling downloadable tracks and albums may be bucking a marketing reality.
Opinion
iPods To Take Center Stage For Apple
The economic realities of the market are also making it likely that Apple will, at the very least, cut the prices of its current iPod line even if it doesn't show off any new iPods.
Shareware Can Beat Off-The-Shelf Version
If you haven't delved into the world of shareware, the new year may be an opportune time.
Review
iMac 20in 1.25GHz
The massive widescreen resolution and fast G4 processor should be enough for a large number of people. Try it out at your nearest Apple dealer if you're not convinced, and you'll see why we are so impressed.
Wintel
Chinese Company Breaks Microsoft Monopoly In Japan
A Chinese company has made a minor landmark success in breaking Microsoft's monopoly of the office software market by signing a contract with a Japanese IT product dealer, Internet Telephone, to sell itsYongzhong Office software in Japan.
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Top Stories
iPod, Therefore I Am
Apple's popular MP3 gadget is at the front lines of a battle for digital rights. Can the government, the entertainment industry and Microsoft stop it?
News
2003: Online Music Comes Of Age
In the not-too-distant future when compact discs are museum pieces and vinyl records are near fossils, 2003 will be remembered as the year digital music stepped into the mainstream.
BookEndz 15" Docking Station Debuts At Macworld
BookEndz products, a popular line of docking stations for Apple PowerBook and iBook computers, enable the user to convert from a portable system to a "complete desktop system in seconds.
Opinion
Review
Apple G5: Is It World's Fastest PC?
Even the least expensive configuration should outperform any of Apple's G4 computers and keep pace with 2.4 GHz Pentium PC.
Panther Raring To Make Leap Onto Your Mac
If you haven't upgraded to Panther yet, I think it's time.
Sidetrack
RUMOR TODAY : Apple, after conquering the video editing world, is aiming at professional audio recording and sound mixxing market.
DUDE, WHERE'S YOUR CAR? : Dude, the age of self-driven cars are coming soon, as humans discover better things to do than to steer.
Wintel
The Beginning Of The End Jof Java As We Know It?
Though the two companies appear to be cooperating more, especially in the area of Web services, the desires of IBM and Microsoft to vanquish one another should not be underestimated.
Microsoft Abandons Smart Display Project, Stranding Domestic Monitor Makers
The sudden abandonment of the project of developing operating system of the 'Smart Display', the next-generation display platform, by Microsoft stranded domestic 'Smart Display' makers to suspend their development.
Friday, December 26, 2003
News
The Year Apple Saved Music
If there's one dominant "person" or "artist" of the year, it belongs to Apple.
Review
Wintel
Microsoft Aims To Make Spammers Pay
A group of researchers at Microsoft think they may have come up with a solution that could, at least, slow down and deter the spammers.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Top Stories
Many Are Singing A Sad Tune Over The iPod
The scarcity of the iPod, a smooth, white, digital music player about the size of a computer mouse, affirms its status as the It-Thing, the tech industry's answer to pilates and Orlando Bloom. Oprah, Moby and 50 Cent all like it. At 5.6 ounces, it's an inanimate celebrity.
The Sound Of The Future
Far from being pessimistic about the state of music in the digital era, the major labels in Japan are excited about the prospects in front of them.
News
Apple Offering PowerBook G4 Trade-In Program
Apple is giving customers the option of trading in their PowerBook G4 laptops for credit toward the purchase of the latest 15-inch and 17-inch notebooks.
Review
Gear Junkie: Software Helps Map Out Trips
Protecting Your iPod
If you're planning to buy an expensive piece of music kit now or in the sales, make sure you protect your investment.
Your Mac Doesn't Do Windows?
Virtual PC 6.1 is simultaneously impressive and frustrating.
Wireless Optical Desktop 2.0
Microsoft's Wireless Optical Desktop 2.0 is a decent keyboard with some useful function keys and a merely adequate mouse. It does have potential though.
Wintel
Microsoft's Festive Advice: Don't Plug Our PCs Into The Web
Its slogan is "where do you want to go today?" But Microsoft asks that if you get a Windows computer for Christmas,don't take it to one particular place: the internet.
Microsoft To Pay SPX $60 Million In Patent Suit
Jury found that Microsoft wilfully infringed upon technology patnent held by SPX subsidiary Imagexpo.
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
News
Ambrosia Offers Aki Mahjong Solitaire
Ambrosia Software Inc. has released Aki Mahjong Solitaire for Mac OS X. The company describes it as a blend "of the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong with an enchanting journey across Japan."
Walter Murch: An Interview With The Editor Of "Cold Mountain"
Apple Seen Unveiling Lower-Cost iPods — Analysts
"Odds are it's a flash-memory-based player, something to position Apple against the low-cost offerings from Creative and Rio."
Apple Releases DVD Studio Pro 2.0.4
It adds support for Cropped D-1 and 1/2 D-1 MPEG-2 video resolutions in addition to a number of enhancements and improved overall stability.
Music Lovers Rush To Grab iPods
Apple's digital jukebox, the iPod, is flying off shop shelves in the run-up to Christmas and Santa's helpers are struggling to keep up.
Opinion
Review
Bulletproof Baby
If you don't need to burn DVDs, don't need lots of screen real-estate for high-end applications and aren't a power-gamer, have a look at this iBook. It's a little beauty.
Sidetrack
WAR OF THE RELIGIONS : Discovered on Slashdot by ob.blog...
Microsoft: Where do you want to go today?Apple: Where do you want to go tomorrow?Linux: Are you guys coming or what?
ADVERTISEMENTS : From Ad Age, 10 ads not found in America.
#5 is an ad in Singapore's Today newspaper, which blurs the line between editorial and advertisement. Which I feel was horrible when I first saw it.
Wintel
Expert: Microsoft Tweaks, New Laws Won't Make '04 Safer
When it comes to computer viruses and worms, Internet users will not see any letup in virus outbreaks in 2004, despite high-profile prosecutions of some virus authors and a Microsoft bounty on the head of the original authors of the Blaster and Sobig viruses, according to Chris Belthoff, senior security analyst at Sophos PLC.
The Internet Is A Very Sick Place
The year 2003 has been deemed the worst in computer-virus history by security experts, despite the fact that worm and virus writers displayed no significant technological progress in the code of their newest nasty little creations.
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Top Stories
If He's So Smart... Steve Jobs, Apple, And The Limits Of Innovation
The battle over digital music is just another verse in Apple's sad song: This astonishingly imaginative company keeps getting muscled out of markets it creates. So what does Apple have to tell us about innovation?
Apple To Continue Retail Expansion
With its retail stores showing sharp sales increases and contributing to the company's top-line growth, Apple Computer Inc. plans to continue its retail expansion push, the company said in regulatory filings.
News
Old School, New Tricks
Students at Brooklyn's Packer school are field testing the wireless future. And you thought high school was tough.
Attorneys Considering iPod Class Action Lawsuit
Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo LLP, a San Francisco, California-based law firm, is "investigating a potential class action against Apple Computer, Inc. on behalf of iPod owners whose batteries have died or lost their ability to hold their charge."
Apple Considering 20th Anniversary Superbowl Ad?
Last month's print version of Advertising Age reported that Apple was in talks with their Advertising agency, TBWA/Chiat/Day, about developing a 20th Anniversary Superbowl Advertisement "that would be reminiscent of "1984".
Apple Q1 2004 Earnings Due Jan 14
Apple Sold 1.79 iPods Per Minute In 2003
Apple said it sold 939,000 iPods for US$345 million in net sales this past year.
Don't Leave Home Without Cover For Portables
Elves' Shelves iPod-Bare
UK resellers are struggling to meet demand for iPods — despite having stocked-up on Apple's smash-hit MP3 player.
What's Next?
Steve Jobs has already gone on the record saying that the G5 computer will contain PowerPC chips that run at 3 GHz by the summer of 2004. A mid-step between the current systems, which top out with two chips running at 2 Ghz, and systems with chips as fast as 2.6 GHz would be a logical move come January.
NetNewsWire, NetNewsWire Lite Updated To V1.0.7
This release adds a new widescreen view, support for favicons and feed URLs, boosts performance, and fixes several bugs.
Opinion
AliBook Shines In Military Presentation
It was nice to see Apple finally on or perhaps more like above the playing field of all the others.
How Not To Write An OS X Installer
One of the most powerful features of OS X's Unix underpinnings is the ability of a single computer to host multiple users. Unfortunately, this strong point of OS X is rendered into an annoyance by many software developers who are either too lazy to write a proper installer or ignorant of how to do so.
A Flawed Permise
It amazes me that FileVault was setup in a binary fashion. All or nothing. How silly.
Review
The 17" PowerBook Is A Full Laptop
What's interesting to me, is not so much that the PowerBook feels fast, as much as it feels right. In other words, it does things as you would expect it too. I don't think about performance, and that's the way I like it.
Warrior Kings
When Warrior Kings works, it's a decent game. But it has a few problems.
Sidetrack
iTUNES GONE WILD : Funny iTunes censorship at work.
BEEP BEEP NO MORE : Remember I was complaining that my PowerBook is beeping at seemingly regular interval?
An alert reader (thanks, Grettir!) informed me that Panther's mail.app will make noises even when there's no incoming mail. A quick trip to mail.app's preference dialog box, and my irritation solved.
RUMOR TODAY : Smaller, cheaper, colorful. Get your new mini-iPods.
Wintel
Microsoft To Propel CRM
While experiencing growing pains related to its 10-month-old Microsoft CRM product, Microsoft Corp. is pushing ahead with technology enhancements to the customer relationship management software suite for small and midsize businesses.
New PCs Must Be Protected, Patched
Consumers buying PCs as holidays gifts and businesses purchasing new systems to squeeze capital expenditures under the tax wire may be putting themselves at risk as soon as they unwrap the machines, a security analyst said Monday.
Video Game Maker Sues Microsoft
Video game maker Mythic Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, charging the software giant with trademark infringement and unfair competition.
Monday, December 22, 2003
Top Stories
Father Of Invention
It's unlikely you've heard of him, this quiet man from Essex, but you probably own one of the gadgets that he's designed. He transformed the image of the computer and, if you're really lucky, you might get one of his latest must-haves this Christmas.
News
Laptop Study In Henrico Raises Concerns
Concerns about confidentiality and a potential conflict of interest are among the issues surrounding a study of Henrico's iBook program.
Apple Store Michigan Ave: Highest-Trafficked Store
Microsoft Updates Remote Desktop Client For Mac
Nisus Writer Express 1.1.1 Offers Many Fixes
Official Macworld San Francisco 2004 QuickTime Stream
Apple hasposted a placeholder page for the official MacWorld San Francisco 2004 Keynote Quicktime Stream.
25 Million iTunes
The music industry's traditional packaged-goods retail business may be continuing its long decline, but the sale of downloadable tunes is hot and getting hotter.
Review
Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer
KSPS may not be the most exciting or extreme of sports title around, but it successfully captures the distinctive 'tude of the sport in a fun and engaging game.
Wintel
The Long Road To Longhorn
Who knows what Microsoft's whiz-bang new Windows will look like by the time it's ready, in 2006 or beyond? In the meantime, the bloggers of Redmond will provide progress reports.
Sunday, December 21, 2003
Top Stories
While Other Customers Help, The Companies Hide
When companies try to reduce their tech-support costs in these ways — a good thing if it lets them lower their prices — they also reduce the chance of learning anything from their users.
News
Brands To Use 'Free' Music To Lure Teens
Music giveaways are understood to foster customer loyalty. What's more, they provide consumers with powerful incentives to use the related products, executives say.
Christmas Shoppers 'Can't Get Enough Of iPods'
Shops are struggling to cope with demand for a hi-tech personal stereo which has become the must-have gadget of the year.
Angry iPod People Assault Battery-Price Shcoker
Apple To Sell Software Via Software Update?
Embedded in one of the configuration files of Panther's Software Update is evidence that Apple has planned for the implementation of a new feature in Software Update: Selling Software.
Opinion
There Are Alternatives To Microsoft, Really
Living without Microsoft isn't as hard as you might think.
On Shipping Software
It's kind of like what Woody Allen said, "90% of life is just showing up."
Review
iTunes Music Store Vs. WalMart's Download Service: A Head-To-Head Comparison
WalMart's download service would probably seem bearable if iTunes for Windows didn't exist. But unfortunately for WalMart, it does.
Sidetrack
BEEP BEEP : One application I have on my Mac is beeping every once and a while, and I don't know which application, and I'm driven crazy over this.
I'm going to my father-in-law's birthday lunch later, but I'll get to the bottom of this once I get back. :-)
Update #1: No, I haven't left for the lunch yet. But I've stopped all applications except Safari and Mail.app, and the beep continued.
Does anyone knows if BlogLines beeps?
Wintel
Microsoft Faces Public Sector Backlash
Microsoft is being pressed to cut the prices it charges the public sector for software as governments, including Britain's, look to cheaper options such as the Linux operating system.
Microsoft Wants Into More Cars
First Microsoft set out to put a computer in every home. Now the software giant hopes to put one in every vehicle, too.
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Top Stories
An Unencrypted Look At FileVault
I'm going to walk you through FileVault and try to explain how it works, and what it can (and cannot) do for you. In the end, I hope that it will help you answer one important question: "Should I use it?"
News
Apple Releases Mac OS X Server 10.3.2
Battery And Assault
When his iPod died, this music lover tackled Apple. Stay tuned.
Highlights From Apple's Annual Report
Apple reported that net sales increased US$465 million or 8% during 2003 compared to 2002, while Mac sales declined 3% year-over-year to approximately 3 million units.
Q&A: Arik Hesseldahl
The past, present and future of Apple's Macintoshc omputer.
Walter Murch: An Interview With The Editor Of "Cold Mountain"
One of the significant things about Final Cut is that it's not a software/hardware hybrid system, it's a software-only system.
Profiles In Success: Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University: Cost-Conscious Supercomputing
dr. srinidhi Varadarajan realized he'd have as much 64-bit processing as he needed to power his dream, without overtaxing his budget.
Apple Launches New Science Education Site
Panther Up-To-Date Program Extended
Extended to Jan. 31, 2004.
Apple Releases New OS X Security Update
Dell Stops Selling iPods
Dell's tendency to undercut competitor's prices might have played more of a role [than Dell's entry into the MP3 market].
Opinion
Best Mac Year Ever?
You, and hundreds of others who work for Apple, have provided us with one of the most exciting rides in recent computing history. Thank you.
Review
There's Nothing Like An Apple Under The Tree
If you're still stuck on what to buy the Mac enthusiast in your life, here are a few mostly inexpensive gifts, most of which can still be received in time for the holiday.
Bare Bones Software Mailsmith 2
Mailsmith has grown up from a modest mail client to a full-blown POP client that has all the bells and whistles you should expect from a professional mail client.
2003 Editor's Choice: Apple iPod
The Playlist: My Love/Hate Relationship With iTunes
An in-depth look at the greatest, coolest, most insanely frustrating media player out there and the store behind it.
Sidetrack
RUMOR DU JOUR : Apple is looking for a Playback Firmware Engineer for th enext generation of iPod "Must have experience in overall system design of audio and video products.
Wintel
Experts Warn Of Windows Attacks
Security experts have found a new way to exploit a critical vulnerability in Windows that evades a workaround and enables the attacker to compromise a number of machines at one time.
Sun's Schwartz: Microsoft Leaving Users In The Lurch
While Microsoft scapegoats Sun, the world is discovering the wonders of Sun's Java Desktop System.
Friday, December 19, 2003
News
CBS MarketWatch Names Jobs 2003 'Winner'
Edit This! Cold Mountain's Final Cut
"Here it was just the laptops they had, fitted out with Final Cut... It's removed a bottleneck [I've faced] for 30 years."
Free ArcSoft PhotoStudio X For .Mac Members
PhotoStudio X is a photo-editing software that lets you remove backgrounds, add text, and apply a variety of special effects.
Opinion
Newsfactor Network Hit Piece On 'Hidden Costs Of Mac Ownership' A Load Of Bunk
FUD, pure and simple.
Review
Shop Smart: When, Where, And How To Get The Best Mac Deals
Although systems, software, and peripherals get better, faster, and smarter by the month, you don't need to plunder your 401(k) account to live a lavish Mac life. This wealth of tips will help you find the best deals on Macs and Mac products.
Mobile Mac: Leave Your Laptop At Home
Create: Animatics In Final Cut Pro 4
Digital Hub: Bring Old Photos To iPhoto
To bridge the gap between print and pixels, you'll need a scanner. I'll show you how to pick the right one, and I'll share strategies for incorporating those old photos into your new digital workflow.
Dreamweaver MX 2004: An Indispensable Part Of Any Web-Site Developer's Tool Kit
Dreamweaver MX 2004 is a great tool for any Web developer working on the cutting edge of CSS design. It's too bad the same kind of innovation isn't demonstrated in other areas of the program.
Fireworks MX 2004: The Standard For Creating And Optmizing Graphics For The Web
Fireworks MX enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a solid tool for producing Web graphics, but this release maintains, not enhances, that status. It also introduces new features that try to compete with Photoshop in creating bitmapped graphics, but they fall short.
Flash MX 2004: Development Tool Of Choice For Creating Rich Internet Content
The introduction of separate standard and Professional editions lets the high-end application really take off as a solid development platform without eliminating the ease of use that made Flash so popular in the first place.
Nisus Writer Express: Powerful Word Processor Starts Fresh In OS X With Unsatisfying Results
Nisus Writer Express has great roots, and it's an excellent foundation for future versions. But while Nisus has succeeded in cutting back on features, it hasn't yet created an OS X word processor for everyday use.
Digital Performer 4.1: Simply Put, New Version Of Music-Product Program Rocks On OS X
Its comfortable interface, adherence to Apple's OS X technologies, and new Audio Units support make for a great working environment. If you must work with a huge number of tracks, you may want to investigate Emagic's Logic or wait until you buy a G5; otherwise, there's no reason not to start using Digital Performer now.
Eudora 6.0: E-Mail Favorite Gets Built-In Spam Filtering But Still Shows Its Age
Eudora is an undeniably powerful product. It's fast — especially when searching thousands of archived messages — and quite flexible once you take the time to learn its quirks. Its new spam-filtering features are first-rate, especially since they support third-party spam-filtering tools.
Cleaning Utilities: Spring Cleaning 6.0 And Internet Cleanup 1.0 Are Hampered By Overzealous Decluttering Efforts
Spring Cleaning is a good choice for managing the digital junk you've created, such as documents and QuickTime movies. But some of Spring Cleaning's features make it potentially dangerous for people who may not know what they're deleting. As for Internet Cleanup, if you use Internet Explorer, you may find it useful. Fans of other browsers should look elsewhere.
Backup Hard Drives: CMS ABSplus And Maxtor OneTouch Offer Easy Backup And Easy Storage
Both drives do a fine job of simplifying backup and providing external storage space. The ABSplus is a focused backup device that's easy to use, right out of the box, for backup and restoration, whereas Maxtor's cheaper and quieter drive is better for people who want extra disk space and more backup flexibility.
Mathematica 5: Significant Speed Improvements Make Math App The Last Word In Numbers
If you already use Mathematica, you should upgrade to version 5 — the speed improvements alone are reason enough. The program's overhauled matrix operations make Mathematica competitive with Matlab on most engineering matrix problems, and new solvers for business problems will prove valuable in financial modeling.
The Game Room: Macworld's 2003 Game Hall Of Fame
Mac Gems: iSeek, DejaMenu 1.0, PocketDock, WireTap 1.0, iSight Case
Wintel
Infinite Support — Finito
Expect things to change even more with the release of Longhorn, when Microsoft can begin to slide people into its trusted computing initiative and force upgrades — or else!
Microsoft Responds To Real Networks Suit
"There is vibrant competition in this marketplace and Real Networks' own reported growth shows that they have thrived on Windows and many other operating platforms," Microsoft said in a statement.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Top Stories
iTunes V4.2 Now Available For Download
The new version of iTunes now allows users to sign in and buy music using either their Apple or AOL accounts, view the iTunes Music Store in a separate window, and includes a number of performance improvements.
News
Apple Updates Final Cut Pro, LiveType
FCP 4.1.1 addresses issues that may be encountered with the editing software if you are using the Simplified Chinese Input Method. LiveType 1.1.1 addresses compatibility issues with third-party LiveFonts, textures, and objects.
Apple Releases DVD Studio Pro Update
The update adds support for Cropped D-1 and 1/2 D-1 MPEG-2 video resolutions in addition to a number of enhancements and improved overall stability.
That Gift Mac Might Include A Lump Of Coal
Some models of the computer purchased this holiday season are not coming loaded with the company's newest operating system, the highly touted OS X Panther.
Hidden Costs Of Mac Ownership
Minority status carries burdens, even in the computing world.
Apple Tunes Up QuickTime For Wireless
Although video-ready wireless networks are still a work in progress in much of the world, multimedia software vendors like Apple, RealNetworks and Microsoft are racing to stake out mobile beachheads for their competing formats.
Apple Releases Xcode 1.1 Update
Apple has released Xcode 1.1 Update which provides overall stability and performance enhancements to Xcode IDE, as well as improvements to debugging, workflow, the Xcode build system and CodeSense.
Apple Launches 'iTunes Essentials' Compilations
The collections are categorized by genre, artist, mood, or season.
Apple Releases QuickTime 6.5
The new version incorporates new features and updates, including expanded support for mobile multimedia, improved DV playback options and more.
AOL Members Get Access To iTunes Music Store
AOL members who visit AOL Music can now click an iTunes button next to featured songs and launch the iTunes Music Store, where they can preview, purchase and download the tracks to listen to on their computer or iPod.
Apple Releases Java 3D, Java Advanced Imaging Update
Steve Jobs Macworld Expo Keynote Confirmed
Apple CEO Steve Jobs will deliver his customary keynote speech at Macworld Conference and Expo, San Francisco, 2004.
Trustees Impressed With PowerSchool
A new PowerSchool computer program was touted as so comprehensive, Nye County School District trustee Tracie Ward exclaimed Dec. 10, "Is there anything it can't do?"
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.
Apple Working 5th Ave. Lease
The computer business that started in a garage may be landing in a basement — one of the most expensive basements in the universe.
Mac OS X 10.3.2 Released
According to the release notes, the new update delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability for Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and is recommended for all users.
Opinion
Review
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo sets a high standard for quality entertainment and is not likely to be entirely trumped by another game for a very long time. If you have the means to run Halo and enjoy first person shooters then you really must do yourself a favor and treat yourself to one of the best games ever made.
Do Not Install Mac OS X 10.3.2
The update causes the PowerBook's fan to run non-stop while on AC power, and so far no workaround has been found to address the problem.
Easy Listening For The Long Haul
Need to keep the kids busy on long road trips? Check out audible.com, a repository for audio programming of all kinds.
Wintel
RealNetworks Files Antitrust Suit Against Microsoft
Streaming media provider RealNetworks on Thursday sued Microsoft on antitrust charges, accusing the software giant of illegally using its Windows monopoly to limit consumer choice in digital media.
Microsoft Plans Windows 2000 Server Retirement
Microsoft Corp. will gradually phase out its Windows 2000 Server family, the company said Wednesday. Effective April 1, 2006, the products will no longer be available.
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Emerges From The Pod
You can hire as many "cool hunters" and guerrilla marketers as you like, but when it comes to the youth market you've either got it or you haven't. And, at the moment, the iPod has got it.
A Look Back: The Best Of 2003 From Apple Computer
Apple is not a computer company, but a solution company. Apple delivers innovative, elegant and friendly solutions to a specific community with a problem. Apple delivers utility in a decidedly nonutilitarian way.
News
Reader: Apple Quietly Patches MPEG-2 Component Bug
Awards Of Excellence 2003
Apple's four popular multimedia tools-iTunes for music management, iPhoto for digital photography editing, iMovie for digital moviemaking, and iDVD for burning DVDs-have been upgraded in the past year and incorporated into a single integrated package known as iLife. Impressed with each of these tools individually, our judges were particularly wowed by the richness of the resulting suite.
Apple Releases Battery Update 1.1 For Portables
Apple today released Battery Update 1.1, which enhances the performance of the battery to ensure that full capacity is available for your PowerBook or iBook.
The iPod Is The New Sonic Boom
Apple Discussions Support Area Gets Revamped
The new Apple Discussions area features "a significant update to the user interface and a change to the way posts are rated."
AppleCare Planned For Euro iPods
Apple Europe has told Macworld of its plans to offer Europe's iPod owners battery replacement and AppleCare packages soon.
FoxTrot Dances Across Your Comics Page In Step With Mac
Few months ago, Bill Amend treated himself to a 2 GHz Dual Processor Power Mac G5, complete with a Cinema HD display.
Love Apple
As Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith of The A Team would have said, the plan has come together and the people love it.
Apple Hits Back
Apple's PC market share might be as little as three percent, but the pundits have lately queued up to praise its sense of style and innovation.
Poll: Mac Veterans Abound
Nearly a third of Mac users readers bought their first Mac between 1984 and 1990, the latest Macworld Online poll shows.
Free 2 - 3 Day Shipping At Apple Store
The online Apple Store is offering free 2- to 3-day shipping on all orders until December 27, 2003.
Mac Applets Coming Soon To Windows
A Web site that offers desktop applets for the Macintosh desktop is gearing up to provide similar gadgets for Windows.
Stillwater: Laptop Foes Say Deal Will Stand
Public opposition to a plan to provide laptops to junior high students was strong enough to help put two write-in candidates on the Stillwater school board last month, but iBook naysayers on the board say they won't push to sever the deal with Apple Computer.
Microsoft's Music Play Aims To Put Apple's iTunes In Juicer
"Microsoft isn't interested in selling music. Microsoft is interested in providing technology that proliferates."
Opinion
Update: What's Up With Uru For Mac? Cyan Answers
While there's no definite date for when Uru will show up, it seems reasonably certain that it will, which should make a lot of Mac Myst fans extremely happy.
A G5 Laptop? Maybe Next Year
Much of the requisite modifications needed to convert a G5 desktop chipset into one that works in a laptop may have already taken place.
iTunes For The Rest Of Us
Apple must open the iTunes Music Store internationally, or risk losing the market share it has gained in the digital music market it created.
10 Things I Think I Think I Feel About Switching
I think after less than a year as a Mac owner, I've seen more quality software than I did in 15 years working with PC's.
Review
Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer 2.0
I find it puzzling that after all the great mice that Microsoft has made, they release a product that takes a step back.
Apples G5: More Than A Pretty Face
iPod Offerings, Part 2
Give your favorite iPod user even more reason to love their iPod with one (or more) of these useful items.
Music To Your Ears: 2003
If someone in your life uses headphones, give them a pair that do their music/movies/games justice.
Age Of Mythology
This game is deep in strategy, rich in story, lush in visuals and well-groomed in sound.
Sidetrack
FORGETFUL ME : I didn't report it here, but I did installed Panther on my Pismo, and everything is working fine.
Until today, which I had a very minor panic attack. I just remembered that I had indeed rebooted my Pismo with my FireWire 400 hard disk mounted.
Argh! This is something which I vowed not to do during my installation, ever, until Apple clears up the matter. Thankfully, nothing went wrong, but I'll probably need to remind myself again and again not to do this anymore.
Maybe someone out there can write an AppleScript or something that will remind me of this whenever I want to shutdown or reboot my Pismo with external hard disk mounted.
Wintel
MS Moves Into 'Get Longhorn On The Road' Mode
So what's happening, we think, is that Microsoft has now reached that stage in Longhorn development where it looks at what it's got, looks at the target dates and decides it needs to call in the usual gunslingers in order to get the thing done.
Microsoft Releases Management Software Beta
Microsoft on Tuesday said it released an updated test version of one of its main management software products.
Blaster And The Great Blackout
It's impossible to prove that a malicious worm caused last summer's power outage, but one thing's clear: Ordinary computers are the weakest link.
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Top Stories
Collectible Blank CDs Aimed At 'Rings' Fans
Apple Computer and Reprise are selling the discs to those who want to burn the soundtrack.
Biculturalism
What are the cultural differences between Unix and Windows programmers? There are many details and subtleties, but for the most part it comes down to one thing: Unix culture values code which is useful to other programmers, while Windows culture values code which is useful to non-programmers.
Happy Birthday, Mac!
It ought to be dead by now, beset by time and big competitors. Be grateful it isn't.
News
Apple Blase About Online Music Rivals
Who's afraid of retail giant Wal-Mart? Not Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
Selling Steve's Vision
"Jobs simply has a certain vision for the company that doesn't necessarily equate with having the biggest market share."
StuffIt Update Adds Full Panther Support, New Options
Apple Updates Remote Desktop
"The Apple Remote Desktop Client version 1.2.4 update delivers improvements to security, performance, and reliability of the Apple Remote Desktop 1.2 client software running on Mac OS X versions 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3," according to Apple.
Ambrosia Updates Escape Velocity: Nova For Panther
Nick Kereakos: A Studio In The Field
"That's where Pro Tools on the PowerBook is great, because my whole recording rig is just a small laptop and a small interface from Pro Tools. It weighs — what? Six pounds?"
John D. Lowry: Restoration Software
"To do the work we are doing today 10 years ago, would have cost tens of millions of dollars for a computer facility... But along came the Power Mac G4 and the Power Mac G5, and suddenly we had an answer."
No Other Internet Music Service Has Touched FIrst Out Of The Gate
The thunderous response to iTunes helped push four other music services to market, with several more planned. But their initial success has been much more muted.
Opinion
What Happens When You Don't Understand The Problem
The real source of the vulnerability is not Apple's code, or really even their implementation. But the DHCP standard itself.
PortalPlayer Photo Edition Paves Way For Picture iPod
PortalPlayer, the company behind the hardware, software and processor technology that powers Apple's iPod, will soon launch a upgraded version of its chip/firmware combo that paves the way for a Photo iPod.
What I Don't Want For Christmas
There are a couple of items that the pundits and the rumor sites say we might see in 2004, and if it's all the same to y'all in Cupertino, don't bother with these.
Annals Of Bad Marketing Dept.
Earthlink couldn't be bothered to cross-check before pitching me on a service that I can't use.
Review
Ghost Master
Ghost Master is a game that, like the Sims, isn't a game to be enjoyed by scoring points or achieving goals.
Sidetrack
iWRITE — coming this January?
NO, IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND : Tony Smith speculates that we may one day see "iTunes Music Service support in non-Apple devices."
No, I don't think so. I think we may see iPod supporting other music services — i.e. Apple licensing FairPlay — rather. Afterall, Apple makes money on iPods, and not digital music.
Wintel
What Microsoft Needs To Do In 2004
I'm going to mix what Microsoft should do for the good of you and me with what the company needs to do in its own best interest. The result is my list of Microsoft's Top 10 Challenges for 2004.
Microsoft Confirms Windows Shuffle
Microsoft on Monday confirmed plans to reshuffle its Windows unit, shifting executives and creating a new division more tightly focused on development efforts.
Monday, December 15, 2003
Top Stories
Marketer Of The Year: Apple
An innovative company changes consumers' lives.
Apple: iTunes Downloads Top 25 Million
Extrapolating based on this traffic, Jobs said that the numbers show that the iTunes Music Store is selling about 1.5 million songs per week, or 75 million songs per year.
iPod Is Favourite Stocking Thriller As Internet Shopping Finally Booms
The iPod may be just a hard-disk storage device, but it has become a cult consumer gift that has achieved a unique festive status over the past few days: it is the fastest-selling item being snapped up by internet shoppers.
News
Apple Offers G5 Firmware Update
The update provides Power Mac G5 systems with performance improvements in some PCI-X configurations.
Shopping For Electronics, Peacefully
Apple, Gateway, and Sony are luring customers with Zen-like stores aimed at providing service and building loyalty to their products
Apple Offers Details On WWDC 2004
WWDC 2004 is billed as "the definitive event for programmers, IT managers, content creators, systems administrators or anyone who wants to make the most out of Apple's innovative technologies and the robust and flexible Mac OS X platform."
Downloaders Dance To Apple's iTunes
While piracy continues to threaten the music business, Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store is the digital hit of the year with 20 million 99-cent-a-song downloads since April.
Even With A Fee, Legal Music Sites Are Attracting A Crowd
2003 will be marked as the year the market for legally downloading music began really taking off.
Sacred Heart Goes Worldwide — Web
The iMovie program is a great way for the students to enjoy getting hands-on computer experience.
Opinion
Can Apple Cement MPEG4 As The New Music Standard? Here's One Way To Help...
The key is making "iPod Compatible" a must-have feature for any music service and actively courting the other services to add the AAC format to their offering.
A Marketing Tale Of The Great And Desperate
Apple's brillance vs. Abercrombie & Fitch's gaffs.
Mac OS X Misconceptions
You can't say Apple took an idea from Windows if the things aren't functionally similar.
Tempter For A Christmas Gift
I usually shy away from suggesting the wait-and-see approach to buying a new Mac but in this case my instinct says hold off.
Review
An App The Mac Can Brag About
So what does Konfabulator do? Pretty much anything you want to dream up.
Losers, Weepers
If Apple wants to provide a useful, standard, system-wide human interface for user-customizable keyboard shortcuts, they need to provide a system-wide mechanism for applications to register all of their menu key shortcuts.
Sidetrack
APPLE PEOPLE : Bill Clinton has a Jazzy iPod.
ADVICE FROM CLIPPER, THE PAPERCLIP : You're doing too much work. Save your document, switch off the machine, and go watch "Return of the King".
RUMOR DU JOUR : 2GB Mini-iPods.
Wintel
Music Sites To Get More Competition
Microsoft Corp. is teaming up with a digital media company to offer a new service that lets any firm quickly launch an online music store, a move that could create even more competition for music sites such as Apple's iTunes and Napster 2.0.
Intel To Push Centrino In 2004
Intel is making a resolution to convince consumers that Centrino notebooks will be the thing to have in 2004.
New Microsoft Stratagem On The Way?
Might a new corporate strategy at Microsoft be to sow seeds of uncertainty about the legal ramifications of using open source solutions in an enterprise context?
No More Microsoft Support For You
Why is Microsoft killing off so many of its programs? Redmond says Sun forced its hand, but its reach will extend into your wallet.
Sunday, December 14, 2003
News
Apple's Panther Bares Its Teeth
Apple, fed up with playing second string to Windows, has been taking its operating system from strength to strength.
iPod Player Elevates Portable Music
Students' Best Gift This Season May Be From District
Middle-schoolers in Bethlehem will each get a laptop computer.
WWDC 2004 Scheduled For June 28 - Uly 2
The Apple Of Our I
At a time when computer laptops are viewed by grave-faced airline security staff as possible bombs, Apple have breathed fun, possibility and beauty back into technology.
Opinion
Muckraking, The PC Way
Despite a few hiccups along the way, it's becoming clear that Mac OS, not Windows, epitomizes Microsoft's new mantra of "secure by design, default, and deployment."
iPod Shortage: Storke Of Genius?
Rarely have such headlines caused shoppers to simply turn their attention to other gifts so much as they've helped to ignite a last-minute shopping frenzy.
Review
The Sims: Superstar Expansion Pack
If you've got all the expansion packs and are looking for yet more variety, you'll be happy with Superstar. If you haven't picked up an expansion pack since House Party, however, you won't find much here to regenerate interest.
Sidetrack
DELIGHT ME, PLEASE : After close to a decade of surfing the web, I am sad to say that not a single web browser has delighted me; none has been a joy to use. And one of my major complaint among all the web browsers I've used — including Safari — is the poor support for selecting text for copy-and-paste. In fact, it's simply horrifying.
Wintel
Seven Microsoft VPs Getting Millions In Options Deal
New details about Microsot's unusual stock-option buyout program surfaced yesterday when seven executives filed mandatory disclosure reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Top Stories
Apple iPod In Short Supply For Christmas
Hoping to get an Apple iPod for Christmas? You could be out of luck. Apple Computer's digital music player is in short supply in many markets, including the US and UK.
News
A Bakery On The Rise
"We're a 24-hour operation. With Macintosh and FileMaker Pro, we can adjust our standing orders, or add new orders, the moment any customer calls. To me, that's miraculous."
Apple Releases Pro App Runtime Update
The update "provides improvements forApple's professional applications, and is strongly recommended for all users of Final Cut Pro, Cinema Tools, Compressor, LiveType, Soundtrack, and DVD Studio Pro.
Opinion
A CTO's Holiday WIsh List
A new 40GB iPod tops an IT wish list that also includes better airport Wi-Fi and Groove for OS X.
Review
Flexible OmniOutliner
When is an outliner not an outliner? When it does more than just outlines.
Halo: Combat Evolved
Following in the tradition of well-produced, stylish, innovative and fun game releases, Bungie Studio's Halo is a landmark first person shooter.
Wintel
Windows Longhaul? Longhorn Could Be 2008, Says Gartner
Longhorn in 2005 seems definitely off the agenda, and while it might ship in 2006, it could be delayed until 2008 or 2009, according to Gartner.
Microsoft Loses The Swastika
Microsoft said on Friday that its latest version of Office software inadvertently contained a font featuring two swastikas, and said it would offer tools to remove and replace the offending characters from the program.
European Resellers Caught In Lindows Vs. Windows Crossfire
Microsoft is putting European resellers in the middle of its trademark battles with Lindows, and in Sweden, Microsoft is winning.
Intel's 'Prescott' Chip To Keep Pentium 4 Name
Intel will upgrade its flagship PC chip in the beginning of the year, but it will keep the current name.
Friday, December 12, 2003
Top Stories
iPod In 'Huge Demand' — Apple
Apple's digital music initiatives continue to gather momentum, and demand for its market-leading iPod is very strong, the company has confirmed.
News
Halo For Macintosh Now Shipping
MacSoft today announced thatHalo for Macintosh began shipping to retailers yesterday.
How Mac OS X Can Shed Its Skin
A small community of desktop "skinners" has sprung up around Unsanity's ShapeShifter, a utility for Mac OS X that allows the desktop interface to be customized in highly personal and sometimes strikingly beautiful ways.
Profits, Revenue Up For Adobe
Software publisher Adobe Systems reported record revenue and income for its fourth quarter, buoyed by a new version of one of its main graphics packages and by strong growth for its publishing products.
School Unveils Wireless Laptop Project
A Troy City school teamed up with Apple Computers to enhance the learning process.
Opinion
Kicking Off The Macworld San Francisco Wish List
December. It's the most wonderful time of the year.
Review
Tech Tool Pro 4.0.1 — Powerful But Unfinished
Differences In iBook, PowerBook Still Hefty
Rather than compare individual models, let's take a look at the differences between the iBook and PowerBook product lines.
Wintel
Microsoft Dangles Office Rebates
Microsoft announced on Thursday that it is offering rebates to business customers who buy the new Office 2003 software package under its Software Assurance licensing program, a controversial plan that requires customers to pay in advance for periodic upgrades.
Microsoft: Extra Patching A Precaution
A fix distributed to some Windows XP systems earlier this week is a preventative measure and not a new issue, Microsoft said Thursday.
Microsoft Readies Windows XP Service Pack 2 Beta
Microsoft Corp. is gearing up for the first beta test of a set of updates for Windows XP designed to bolster the operating system's security and add features such as support for version 1.1 of Bluetooth and a new wireless LAN client.
Floppy Costs Will Not Rise Due To FAT Licensing: Microsoft
The cost of an average box of formatted floppy disks is unlikely to rise next year even though Microsoft has decided to levy a charge on those who use the FAT file system, a company official claims.
Microsoft Balks Lindows.com Abroad
The software maker is granted an injunction that temporarily prevents Lindows.com from selling products that Microsoft alleges violates its Windows trademarks.
Windows 98 Still In Use Despite Imminent End Of Support
As a result of the Windows 98 retirement, businesses who still have operating system in use face "an ever-increasing risk of security breach for their entire network," according to the AssetMetrix study.
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Top Stories
2003 MacInTouch Reader Choice Poll
As soon as we began to review the results for this year's poll it became clear that there was one standout winner: the iPod and iTunes, along with the revolutionary iTunes Music Store.
News
Apple Offers New Promos To Education Customers
Apple is offering a special 20-pack bundle of eMacs for $950 each or a 20-pack of iBooks for $850 each, when purchased through the Apple Store for Education (Institutions).
iMovie Competition Winners Announced
This aimed to identify the best short movies made using Apple's consumer video-editing application.
iPod Makes The Headlines
Apple's iPod continues to attract global media attention as the company maintains its marketing push to get the product into people's pockets.
Apple Outstanding Tertiary Educator Award
An exceptional lecturer has been acknowledged for his innovative approach regarding the use of technology in learning.
Mozilla Readies Next Release
The open-source project releases a beta version of Mozilla 1.6 as it prepares for a full launch by January.
Opinion
Old Habits
What to do about my Finder Cmd-N habit?
A Nasty Fix For Apple
It didn't have to be this way. Properly trained support reps would have headed this problem off long before it blossomed into a subversive online antiadvertising campaign. And a better customer-support system in general could be a huge selling point for Apple, as users encounter increasing complexity in pulling together the various pieces of the digital lifestyle.
Review
Newsreaders — A Comparison: MacReporter And NetNewsWire
Computer Can Be A Tool For Wishing A Cool Yule
Does your computer have the holiday spirit?
Zoo Tycoon: Marine Maina
If you were a fan of the original game, this double expansion set should be more than enough to keep you happy. However, if your response to the original was at best lukewarm, Marine Mania isn't going to change your mind, no matter how many times an Orca juggles a ball on its nose.
Product Of The Year: Apple iTunes Music Store
Apple is almost single-handedly dragging the music industry, kicking and screaming, toward a better future.
Sidetrack
RUMOR... OKAY, RUMOR OF THE MONTH : Apple is hiring away Oracle sales people to assemble a new Apple enterprise sales team.
Wintel
Microsoft Starts Enrollment For New Partner Program
Microsoft has opened enrollment for its Microsoft Partner Program, a program announced in October that will combine Microsoft's traditional partners with those it inherited when it bought Great Plains Software and Navision.
SAP, Microsoft Draw Battle Lines
Mystery Patch Blots Microsoft's Fix-Free Month
The company scrambled on Wednesday morning to figure out why a patch had been issued through its Windows Update service, when the software maker had declared on Tuesday that it would not issue any fixes in December.
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Store: Chain Of Devotion
Gary Allen is nuts about Apple Stores. So if you've memorized the blueprints and know the surveillance features like the back of your hand, a flight to Tokyo just to walk into the newest store doesn't seem abnormal.
News
iPod Tops ESPN's List Of "Favorite Things Of The Year"
Is there anyone out there who doesn't love the iPod these days?
iSkin Offers Keyboard Protector For iBooks, PowerBooks
The form-fitting ProTouch PB is made of a flexible, high-grade silicone that provides a transparent barrier against spills, dirt, and other unwanted elements that may get in between the keys of the keyboard and potentially cause damage to the laptop.
Three Filmmakers, Three Visions, One Platform
Three wildly different events that resulted in three disparate documentaries: "The Journey," "Growin' a Beard," and "Live From Shiva's Dance Floor," respectively. All three, however, were made with Macs by filmmakers who love the platform.
A Gift Of Learning: Donated Computer Helps JDHS Student
Ashley Tomlinson's favorite class is choir. That's the only course in which the 17-year-old alto doesn't have to take notes, an activity her eye condition, aniridia, renders painful. She wants to go to college, perhaps to become a music teacher, and that dream is more feasible now thanks to a $1,400 Macintosh iBook computer the Juneau Moose Lodge bought her.
Five New Mac Books For The Holidays
Poll: Santa Facing iPod Hell
A quarter of Macworld readers have asked Santa for an iPod, with a further quarter hoping for a PowerBook, the latest Macworld Online poll shows.
Japan iTunes Store 'Next Year' — Jobs
Apple plans to introduce its iTunes Music Store to Japanese consumers by "as early as next year", said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in Tokyo to help launch the company's giant Ginza own-brand retail store there.
Microsoft Releases MSN For Mac OS X V2.01 Update
The update includes fixes for users running Panther, specifically minimizing dialing crashes and enhancing MSN browsing performance.
Opinion
Apple's Panther: Something Wicked This Way Comes
While the company speeds forward, it must not lose its focus on quality control or user loyalty.
Does Apple Have The Opportunity Of The Lifetime?
So, have Apple been right along?
Review
One Is Never Enough
Backup methods summarized.
Internet Access On The Cheap
If you are sick and tired of paying close to broadband prices for old fashioned dial-up, there are really cheap ways to get online with probably the same level of reliability that you get with the higher priced spread.
Panther Delights
Here's a look at Panther from another point of view, not so much its high-flying features, but rather, the subtle refinements that we've come to expect from Apple products. Here are ten things that won't make you buy Panther, but you'll appreciate them once you have it.
Panther And Acitve Directory
Panther's capabilities have been specifically engineered by Apple to work in much the same way that a Windows client would when joining and participating in an Active Directory.
Sidetrack
THE 13TH MONTH : Yes, I'll be receiving my 13-th month bonus soon. But, as this article indicated, this standard renumeration practice in Singapore (and elsewhere?) is simply just a "clear illusion". :-)
Speaking of the 13th month, you might be interested to know that the Chinese calendar have an extra leap month in a year occasionally...
SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ENGINEER? Well, no sex for you then.
RUMOR DU JOUR : The next generation of iMac, due Jan or Feb 04, will be cheaper due to "higher proportion of plastic parts."
Wintel
Microsoft Patents 'HTML Applications'
The patent describes a new type of application written using Web protocols, but without the security constraints of a browser.
Inherent Insecurity
How the thin-client approach will play out in practice is still unclear.
Flaw Could Unleash Another Slammer
A research company warned Tuesday that an attacker could use a recently patched Microsoft flaw to create a fast-moving worm similar to SQL Slammer, which spread rapidly across the Internet a year ago.
Microsoft Battle With Lindows Moves To Europe
MS refutes claims that partners received letters threatening legal action if they carry Lindows.
Microsoft: No Patches This Month
While several new flaws have been announced by researchers, Microsoft said that it is still investigating the issues and doesn't have a patch prepared for December.
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
Top Stories
A Return To Those Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear...
I have never regretted my decision to go with a Mac back in 1984. Not even for an instant. Thanks for the ride Apple. It's been great. Happy 20th anniversary!
iTunes Music Store Tops 20 Million Song Downloads
Peter Lowe, Apple's director of marketing for applications and services, said Monday that more than 20 million songs have been purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Music Store since it launched in April.
News
Shooting The D1X For National Geographic
Instant review and tethered shooting let McNally execute the big production shots more quickly and efficiently.
LaCie To Ship FireWire 800 PC Card For Laptops
LaCie today announced it will begin shipping in December its a FireWire 800 PCMCIA card, allowing users to add 3 seperate FireWire ports to their Mac or PC laptop: two external FireWire 800 ports and one FireWire 400 port.
SpamSieve 2.1 Adds Apple Mail POP Support
Version 2.1 includes support for Apple Mail POP accounts.
BBEdit Update Adds 'Refresh BBEdit Preview' Command
The update adds a new "Refresh BBEdit Preview" command, which can be used to refresh a BBEdit Preview window when files have been changed outside of BBEdit, as in the case of linked images, style sheets, and other external content.
Jupitermedia: iPod, iTunes 'Energized Music Industry'
Now Up-To-Date & Contact Gains Panther Support
The new version includes performance enhancements and feature updates, and has been thoroughly testing with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther," according to its developers.
Knofabulator 1.5.3 Offers Numerous Fixes, Tweaks
Euro iTunes Petition Raised
UK Mac users are growing restless for the chance to buy music online.
Profiles In Success: Columbia University, College Of Physicians And Surgeons — Bringing Training To Life
If someone who's learning to do a procedure has carefully watched a video... the total time needed to train that person could be dramatically reduced — by as much as half. So for us, Final Cut Pro is an incredibly valuable tool."
How Much Is Digital Music Worth?
As the early buzz over new music services such as Apple Computer's iTunes fades, record labels and technology companies are struggling to turn the services into profitable businesses.
Free Utility Brings Long-Lost AvantGo Back Into The Mac Fold
Opinion
Holy Dichotomy! Writer Calls iPod 'World's Most Elegant' Nine Days After Writing Dell DJ 'Surpassed' iPod
Review
Jailbreak
There's not a great variety of play in Jailbreak, but for a nice time-waster that you can pick up and put away with fun characters and solid design, you need look no further.
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season
For people who are into NASCAR, this is probably a dream come true. But for someone who just wants to drive fast and watch beautiful vistas fly past, or for someone who is looking for a simple game to pick up, play, and put down, NASCAR 2003 will be as exciting as sitting in the sun all day, smelling gas fumes.
iPod Gift Offerings, Part 1
To help you decide on such a gift, the following are some of my favorite iPod-related products.
MacPAD: The Future Of Mac Software Updates
You can think of a PAD file as an RSS feed for software updates.
Hands On: Easy Mac Maintenance
Get the most from Disk Utility's repair permissions and OS X's Unix maintenance scripts.
For Mac Sysadmins, An Upgrade Checklist
Like many Mac administrators, I'm confronted with a question: How and when should I begin upgrading to Panther?
Sidetrack
APPLE'S CHRISTMAS SHOPPING : Rumor indicates that Apple is eyeing Discreet Desktop Video division.
And for your post-Christmas shopping, how about reserving some cash for the true 20th Anniversary Macintosh, to be released at Macworld SF?
Wintel
Microsoft Clarifies Intentions To Retire JVM-Based Products
The products targeted for phase-out are those that embed Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine technology.
SoBig Blamed For Four-Fold Rise In Spam
The amount of spam email has increased by a factor of four during the past year, according to email-security company MessageLabs — and the SoBig virus is being blamed
Microsoft-Lindows Battle Expands In Europe
Microsoft has expanded its legal battle with Lindows to Europe, putting pressure on PC makers there and on the company to stop distributing Lindows software.
Microsoft Designs Your Digital World
Smart phones, SPOT watches will offer seamless computing, company says.
Intel Researchers Open 'Learning Library'
The chipmaker's research arm on Monday said it is offering the Open Source Machine Learning Library, a collection of software that can help computers learn from various experiences. It will offer the library to interested parties for free via the Web.
Monday, December 8, 2003
Top Stories
Steve Jobs: The Rolling Stone Interview
He changed the computer industry. Now he's after the music business.
News
"Mac OS X Unwired" Released By O'Reilly
Griffin Releases iTrip Station Finder 2.0
A free application that helps iTrip owners find a clear frequency in over 200 U.S. cities.
One-Inch Hard-Drives 'Next Year'
The move could herald a move to a smaller form-factor for Apple's market-leading iPod music player.
Linux PowerBooks On-Sale
Xtops.DE is offering Apple PowerBooks and iBooks with Linux pre-installed.
'14% Of Americans Would Choose Apple'
Apple is the favourite brand of 14 per cent of Americans looking to buy a new PC.
Review
How To Spiff Up An MP3 Player
And while other makers are trying furiously to catch up, nothing on the market at the moment matches the ease of use, storage size and all-around coolness of Apple's iPod.
Apple, You've Done It Again
The iBook G4 is beautifully finished, well up to Apple's usual high standard of industrial design and output.
Some Support For Those That Offer Support
Of all the tech companies I've dealt with over the years, Apple has the best consumer support. The catch is that it costs — after the warranty period, at least.
Apple Acknowledges PowerBook G4 15" (FireWire 800) "White Spot" Problem
"Customers experiencing faint white spots on the PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW 800) computer's display should contact AppleCare."
Mac.Ars Used Mac Buyer's Guide: Part III
Given that most people would be looking to run OS X on any Mac they purchase, we're choosing to focus on G3 and G4-based models of Apple's laptop lineup.
Sidetrack
RUMORS DU JOUR : iMovie 3.5 is coming, claims Think Secret, but we have no idea what is iMovie 3.5
And Microsoft Office 2004 and Virtual PC 7.0 will be announced at Macworld SF. Actual ship date is later in the year.
Wintel
Microsoft Launches Into CRM Market
Microsoft will launch a global assault on the Customer Relationship Management market on Monday with the release of multi-language software aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Microsoft Takes Aim At Intuit, Again
After several failed attempts, the software giant will once again make a foray into small business accounting with a project code-named Magellan, sources said.
Sunday, December 7, 2003
Top Stories
Listening
What Apple did in this case was listen to the problem rather than specific solutions, and they came up with a solution that probably nobody had asked for — but that works wonderfully (and that, as a bonus, delights people who use it).
News
Students Learn How To Use Video Technology
The standard academic report as generations of grade school studnets have known it is clearly evolving.
Review
Bigger Monitor Display Isn't Necessarily Better
If mot of what you do is vertically oriented — scrolling down Web pages, creating Web pages, writing or reading documents, sending and receiving e-mail — you can't effectively use the side-by-side page ability that a 20-inch monitor affords.
Burning Monkey Casino
Ultimately, Burning Monkey Casino is a decent game, it just can't rise above its genre.
Sidetrack
BEHIND THE SCENE between Pixar and Disney.
RUMOR DU JOUR : This Tuesday, yes, this Tuesday, we'll see new PowerBooks.
Wintel
Saturday, December 6, 2003
News
Opinion
Sun, RSS And Apple Challenge Office Dominance
Suddenly, the Windows advantage as the essential platform for applications was neutralized.
Review
ReadIris 9
With ReadIris 9, the first OCR program to be fully compliant with Twain Scanners and OS X, all the other programs are also rans. They need to catch up with ReadIris, and with the speed of this program, they have a lot of catching up to do.
Sidetrack
RUMOR DU JOUR : New and improved Software Update coming soon.
Wintel
Microsoft To Junk Flagship Products, Cites Java Settlement
Among the products that Microsoft will no longer make available to customers through any of the Microsoft's sales channels are Windows 98, SQL Server 7 and a number of versions of Office 2000, according to a note from a Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) program manager posted to a public Microsoft newsgroup.
Microsoft's Patchwork Security Blanket
Microsoft has had a lot of Windows patches, but is that really a bad thing?
MSN Plus Delayed; 'Longhorn Live' Version In The Works
Microsoft is pushing back the delivery date for the next rev of its stripped-down Internet service, while it is simultaneously working on its 2006 MSN release.
Microsoft Prepares Windows Patch CD
The security update CD for older Windows systems, set to begin testing soon, is Microsoft's latest attempt to tackle an increasingly thorny security situation.
Friday, December 5, 2003
Top Stories
When Technology Is Heartwarming
There's a lot of junk in technology, a lot of hassle and frustration, a lot of disappointment. But this moment was like a TV commercial. It was an emotional, powerful, simple, perfect example of how technology can change a moment, solve a problem, and despite the gulf of time and distance, bring you face to face with the people you love.
XPress/InDesign War Escalates
The battle for market share between Adobe and Quark over desktop publishing appears likely to begin in earnest next year, according to executives from both companies speaking to Macworld.
News
iPod Sets New Trend In Portability
"It's by far the hottest item for the holiday."
Waiting Game At Tokyo Apple Store
UK BBC Viewers Snub Gates For Jobs
Last night's BBC broadcast in which TV hack Alvin Hall declared Microsoft's Bill Gates the most powerful computer mogul has generated a storm of protest from Apple CEO Steve Jobs' followers.
Downloading Squeezes The Art Of The Album
The album, music's dominant creative framework for the past 40 years, is dying under the wheels of an accelerating revolution.
Lights, Camera, Action: Panther Ready For Prime-Time
"It's great to see people recognizing our OS and our hardware. Our goal is to make the best desktop computers and operating system we can make."
NTT DoCoMo FOMA 3G Subscriber Success Bolsters Apple's QuickTime, Microsoft Left Out
Review
Apple iPod
Although far from cheap, the sheer style and substance of the iPod make it both a desirable and worthwhile purchase.
Sidetrack
IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS : Presenting, Carols by cats...
Silent fish, holy fish.All is calm. All is fish.
SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM : "Between the spam explosion, imperfect spam filters, and simple information overload, most busy journalists will never answer all their e-mail. But we should all try harder," explains Steve Outing.
I'm not a journalist, but I'll add: "Me too."
RUMOR DU JOUR : 2.4 GHz Power Mac G5 coming soon.
Wintel
Intel Narrows Q4 Outlook, Plans $600M Charge
Company sees growth in Pentium 4, Pentium M, and Xeon processors.
Yahoo Patches IM Security Hole
Microsoft To Charge For FAT File System, ClearType
Microsoft has announced that it will be charging a fee from those who use the FAT file system and offered to sell licences to those who wish to buy one.
Sun Battles Windows With Cheap Java Desktop
Sun is hoping to increase the penetration of Linux on the enterprise desktop by slashing the price of its Java Desktop System, which is designed to replace Microsoft's Windows operating system and Office suite.
Thursday, December 4, 2003
News
District 834 Should Not Break Laptop Contract, Board Members Say
Oak-Land Junior High School students and faculty, and most staff members at Stillwater Junior High School, will receive laptops. Oak-Land is among four National Demonstration Sites in Apple's one-to-one laptop initiative, which is meant to enhance student achievement.
Contour Desiggn Debuts NoteRiser For Laptops
Contour Design today announced NoteRiser, which enables the laptopotebook user to position the computer for optimal ergonomic integrity.
New iPod Accessories Announced
SimpleSpeaker is a small and light stereo loudspeaker which works without batteries and is connected directly with the headphone jack on the iPod.
Evangelist Spreads The Word
It is Russell Brown, all right, but not as his colleagues know him.Wearing a tuxedo and sportinga black wig, the senior creative director of Adobe, the software group, looks as if he has been processed with the group's own Photoshop system.
Graphic Converter 4.9.2 Released
Macworld US 'Eddy' Awards Announced
These are given to the year's top hardware and software products chosen by Macworld US's editorial department.
Kensington MouseWorks X 2.4 Released
Version 2.4 adds support for Safari, Horizontal Scrolling, and Kensington Digital Update.
Timbuktu Pro. 7.0 Released With Panther Support
Some of the new features in version 7.0 include support for Mac OS X 10.3 (with support for Fast User Switching), support for multi-button and scroll wheel mouse commands, multiple user options to maximize bandwidth conservation, an improved Internet Locator Service which adapts itself even to frequently-changed IP addresses, and more.
Opinion
The Panther Report: Why Do We Have To Unlock Secret Features?
In fact, if you pour through many of these utilities, you'll find that all they do is access features that are normally available only via a Terminal command.
A Sign Of What AppleWorks Is Worth
$5, that is about what the application is worth to me these days.
Discussion: Can You Make A Living From Shareware?
A Dim View Of Apple's Photo Op
I wrote that Apple could win big by making iPhoto software for Windows. That drew a slew of reader responses — mostly negative.
The Apple Way
What better place to start the Apple journey than to examine the fundamentals of how Apple delivers its products and why they remain one of the few "whole widget" computer companies.
Review
Apple's New iBook Is A Perfect Combination Of Price, Performance, And Design
If you've ever wanted a laptop, or even a second laptop to keep with you wherever you go, this is it.
Big-Time Music Services Arrive
Apple's iTunes Music Store is by far the best designed, and it lets you stream songs from the shared collections of other users (PC or Mac).
Today Is The Anniversary Of My Switch
I've put together the top 5 reasons why I won't go back to a PC.
TechTool 4.0.1 For Mac OS X
The unique eDrive alone is worth the price in that one avoids the need for an external boot drive to run optimization utilities.
Sidetrack
CONVERSATIONS : Check out the comments section in this article.
I'M ALREADY HALF-WAY DEAD! : Guy suddenly realizes he'll never have 10,000 songs, reports CARS.
Actually, this sounds a little like my up-coming mid-life crisis. Just subsititue songs with... well, something else.
Such a depressing week. Gonna spent more time with more daughter. She is learning to walk — which brings me great joy.
OR MAYBE I AM ALREADY DEAD : This whole week has been rather, well, unsatisfying for me. I feel that me have been completely drained from myself, and I've really finish my entire existence, and is now ready to be, well, done.
Anybody felt like this before?
Wintel
What's Wrong With Microsoft's Mobile Strategy
Is Microsoft Less Expensive Than Linux?
Microsoft is concerned that Linux's popularity is increasing. Readers debate the expense issue of open source versus Redmond.
Facelift For Hotmail Goes Live
Today, the company unveiled a new version of Hotmail, its Web-based e-mail service. This update, already available to the general public, includes improved spam filters, calendar software, and a contact application for keeping track of names, addresses, and phone numbers.
Intel Accelerates Its Celeron Shift
Intel has quietly made available the first member of what next year will become a new generation of mobile Celeron processors.
Microsoft To Allow More Licensing Of Its Technology
Microsoft announced today that it would open the doors to its storehouse of patents, copyright and trade secrets to outsiders with a more liberal policy for licensing the big software maker's intellectual property.
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
Top Stories
Speed Demon
The Age imaging centre recently put a dual-processor Power Mac G5 through its paces, and the team was suitably impressed.
News
Apple Releases AppleWorks 6.2.1 For Windows Updater
Apple Speaks Mac To BBC — Webcast Online
Show highlights include a face-to-face interview with Apple's vice president of hardware product marketing Greg Joswiak.
Willow Design Releases 20" iMac Carry Case
The case features protective compartments for the iMac, keyboard, speakers and accessories.
Apple Initiated With "Neutral" Rating
Analysts at JP Morgan mention that Apple is poised for "robust margin expansions" in the forthcoming quarters on account of its new digital music product offerings.
Moby To Appear At L.A. Apple Store
Moby will be at The Grove Apple Store in Los Angeles, California, this Thursday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Soundtrack V1.1 Released
The new release includes general fixes as well as improvements in performance and linking of relocated project audio files, according to Apple.
Opinion
An Apple On The Ginza
It is an impressive sight.
One More Reason To Love OS X...
It seems almost everyday there is another reason why I love OS X. Here's reason #367.
Why MS Software Is Driving Me Nuts
Why Encoutrage couldn't have just told me it was unable to connect to an IMAP server rather than presenting the TDN (three digit number), I don't understand.
The Upgradability Myth
Its clear that consumers are recognizing that practicality and efficiency are more important than expandability.
Review
Apple Offers DHCP Security Workaround
Apple recently posted details to its online Knowledgebase explaining how to circumvent potential problems.
Screen Spots On Computers Other Than The PowerBook G4 15" (FireWire 800)
We've received a number of other reports over the past couple of months with various other Apple laptops.
Collaborative Editing With Rendezvous
One of the innovative uses of Rendezvous is in the area of collaborative editing, which allows multiple users to edit a document simultaneously, collaborating through the network. In this article I will introduce two collaborative editing tools, SubEthaEdit and iStorm, and talk about their various features.
iPod As Digital Photographer's Best Friend
What makes the iPod scenario compelling is that it plugs into Panther, allowing you to leverage some of its powerful technologies. And that's what I'm going to explore here today.
Wintel
The Battle For The Web
New Windows software could wipe out the need for browsers. Microsoft's rivals are already crying foul and racing to disrupt it.
Windows ATMs Raise Security Concerns
Last week's revelation by Diebold that its automated teller machines (ATMs) operated by two financial services customers were struck by the W32/Nachi worm raises the specter of even wider disruptions from virus and worm outbreaks and highlights a growing security concern that cash machines running Windows XP and interacting with other Windows systems are vulnerable to attack.
Microsoft To Share More Intellectual Property
Overarching technology access policy to be discussed Wednesday.
Microsoft Plans Transition To Longhorn
If the current state of Windows is a good but bug-prone operating system with an outdated file system and uninspiring search capabilities, and the future is a more-bulletproof platform with unified storage and intelligence-injected data retrieval, how do businesses get from here to there?
Microsoft Finds Flaw In Server Software
A new glitch in one of Microsoft's server software packages is causing headaches for some small businesses.
Tuesday, December 2, 2003
Top Stories
Cost 'Key Factor In Buying PC'
Apple has bought many new technologies to market but such innovations are not the most important factors to IT buyers, according to an Information Week poll.
News
Apple: Can Sex Appeal Counter Sticker Shock?
Music Download Battle Looms
Industry sources tipped that the Australian version of Apple's iTunes will be available in the first quarter of 2004.
Apple Ranks 34th In Consumer Electronics Sales
Music At Your Fingertips, And A Battle Among Sellers
With hundreds of millions of investment and marketing dollars flowing into the sector, the paid digital download arena could be the most active online commerce category.
Apple Film Festival Planned For '04
Apple is planning a pilot run of an international online film festival next year, according to the San Diego Screenwriter's Association (SDSA) yesterday.
Apple Computer — From Proud PC Inventor To Niche Player
Reader: Apple iPod Ads "Branded" With Smear Message
Disgruntled iPod users have vandalized advertisements for the music player in Manhattan.
Playboy Names Mac Top Product 'That Changed The World'
In its 50th anniversary issue, Playboy ranked the original Apple Macintosh computer No. 1 in its "Top 50 Products That Changed The World."
Apple Recognized For Branding, Strategic Direction
"The insightful brand strategy behind the iPod, iTunes and the latest part of this digital music package, the iTunes Music Store, wins Apple kudos for one of the clear brand hits of 2003," according to Prophet.
Alpharetta, Ga. Gets Its Own Apple Store Saturday
The new store is opening in Alpharetta, Ga. at the North Point Mall.
Opinion
Is The Apple Portable Mystique In Danger?
The reputation has been taking a bit of a beating lately.
There's A Noose In The Hoose — iTunes Shoppers Discover DRM
So for Apple to pop up and grant the dying RIAA members a 99 cents toll on each song — when the distribution costs are zero, and when the RIAA is so mainifestly corrupt — is a pill many find hard to swallow.
Review
Apple's Backup 2 — Near Perfection
After making Apple's Backup 2 the mainstay of my back up strategy, I can say it's a must have for anyone concerned with data loss. And it's free to .Mac subscribers.
The 25 Best Products Of The Year: Power Mac G5
iBook G4 Screen Spots Appearing?
"I just noticed two spots on my new 14" G4 iBook. The iBook is about 3 weeks old and came directly from Apple."
iConquer 2.2
I'm going to make this very simple. If you like Risk, buy iConquer. If you've never played Risk but like strategy games, try iConquer.
MindRover — The Europa Project
It's a shame that this title couldn't have been better put together, because it's a great alternative to the FPS and RPG titles that dominate the market out there.
Sidetrack
WORKOUT TIME : "Toysight is a set of fun games and toys to play using your iSight or similar firewire camera."
Sweat it out!
OR SO I HEAR : Playboy has a 50th anniversary issue which ranked the Macintosh as the top product that changed the world. But I will not be able to link to the article (if it were indeed online), as the Playboy site is among the "high impact" web sites that are banned in Singapore.
So, I'll leave you with this instead. You go google yourself, okay?
RUMOR DU JOUR : Your home directory, stored in your iPod.
Wintel
Microsoft Revamps MSN
On Tuesday, Microsoft announced its latest online service: MSN Premium. The new service, for use with broadband Internet connections, will be available to the general public on January 8 and offer a wide range of online features including spam filters, antivirus capability, a firewall, parental controls, photo management, exclusive multimedia content, and multiple e-mail accounts.
What's Behind Microsoft's Office Moves?
Looming competitive and regulatory pressures factored into Microsoft's recent decision to reveal formerly secret pieces of its latest Office software, according to analysts.
Microsoft Suffers Longhorn Loss
Pirated versions of Microsoft's next generation computer operating system are on sale in Malaysia, more than a year before the official release date.
Monday, December 1, 2003
News
Steve Jobs Tops List Of Forbes' 'The Most-Improved CEOs' List
Apple: Haute Couture Computers
Tokyo was the obvious choice for Apple's first directly operated store outside the US, and Japanese from all over the country and even overseas flocked to see it open on 30 November.
Apple Store Boss: 'Crisis Under Control'
"We have fixed the broken parts, and have the capacity to respond."
Business Healthy For Apple's iPod
Some people are so into the Apple iPod it hurts.
Review
iPod For Photos
Moving with the trend in technology toward convergence, the dockable iPod can now be a voice recorder, photo vault and music player wrapped into one.
Mac.Ars Takes On Holiday Shopping
Gifts for the Mac user in your life.
Sidetrack
NEWSREADER : When you read the word newsreader, today you'd think of RSS. Just a few years ago, this is still USENET. Oh my, how time flies. Look, the 00's is almost half gone.
iPOD SECRET SECRET : The latest twist.
FREE LUNCH? : Nope, no such thing. It's out of stock.
Wintel
Consumers Having Trouble Swallowing The Tablet PC
But its flexibility should make it a winner.