Tuesday, May 31, 2005
News
Newcomer Is No.1; Apple's Jobs Falls To 99
Apple boss Steve Jobs, who topped the Los Angeles Times' executive pay survey last year, is next to last on the new list after his compensation plunged from $74.8 million to just $1.
Opinion
Kill The "iPod Killers"
The popularity of the iPod is about far more than the device's design. The iPod is part of a digital music experience — one that beautifully integrates an intuitive software client in iTues and a source for music in the iTunes Music Store. Name a simple "iPod killer" that offers this kind of integration. It doesn't exist.
Source Lists
Not even within the company that makes up the operating system and writes down the rules for the user interface, there seems to be a single concept of what a source list is and how it should behave.
How Apple Will Change Everything About Podcasting, #2 — How Much Could Howard Stern Make Podcasting Via iTunes Vs. Broadcasting Via Sirius?
Mail And Click Through
The new toolbar does the icons-inside-buttons thing, which makes sense, and may be a usability gain. However, here's a weird thing I noticed.
Focus Madness
OS X has been a step backwards for focus indication, which makes using your computer just a little bit harder than it should be.
Review
Griffin Powermate
I like it, but the price is a bit heavy for something which isn't quite as nice as it could have been.
Sidetrack
The switch blog discovered localization support for phone within the current version of iTunes. So, perhaps, iPhone was indeed delay due to non-technical issues as it was supposed to be introduced together with iTunes 4.8?
Just guessing, on my part.
Ridiculous Fish: I'm a developer on Apple's AppKit team; I work to make Cocoa better. With a few exceptions, we are responsible for both AppKit and Foundation. This is my blog.
Monday, May 30, 2005
News
Opinion
Is Apple A Good Open Source Citizen?
If the momentum behind open source is going to continue to build, companies and independent developers must find a way to get along — even if they don't always agree on practices.
Review
Sidetrack
Mike Langberg, Knight Ridder Newspapers: The combination of Tiger and the G5 is delivering today as much or more as Longhorn is promising in 18 months.
Better PowerPC Chips For Macintosh Users?
Now that IBM has gained three more customers — Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo — who are all out to create the most powerful gaming machines, can we see better chips for Macintosh users too?
Yes Sir, There Will Be Support For Podcast In The Next Windows Media Player
That's because Robert Scoble says so.
Well, that's not exactly what he said. Actually, I don't know what he actually said. All he said is that there is a podcasting team. Doesn't say what the team actually does.
Maybe podcasting is just another codename for implementing WinFS on the next-next version of Windows.
:-)
But seriously, podcasting will go mainstream. That's my prediction. We will — or at least, my daughter will — look back at the history of media, and note that the era of broadcasting is just a short exception to the rule of customer being in control.
Today marks a brand new milestone for me: I received my first-ever SMS spam.
Shawn Hartley: It is kind of funny that the first product that could truly be called an iPod killer, is in fact, a different iPod.
Shawn is talking about the iPod shuffle, which he uses more often than his first-generation iPod, which he also owns.
To me, the greatest appeal of the iPod is not because it is an iPod. The greatest appeal is iTunes. For any other companies that want to create an iPod-killer for me, they would have to duplicate the iTunes experience, and they would have to make the experience work for me on my iBook.
Wintel
Intel Preps Mac Mini Look-Alike
A new Wintel prototype that openly apes Apple's popular Mac mini is due out this week, sources told Wired News, giving Intel a showcase to prove its chips are a match for anyone when it comes to tiny PC designs.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
News
First Into Apple Store Gets His 15 Minutes
After camping out for four days and four nights, Allan Sorensen archived his goal of being the first customer at the new Apple store in Yorkdale Mall.
Switch To Macs Has Web All Riled Up
A Seminole technology security expert is surprised by reaction to his post of frstruation with Windows and Intel.
Opinion
The Inexplicable Pressed State Of The Round Textured Button
Now you'll wonder why you have to do it, when this button exists as a standard button type in Interface Builder.
Smart Things
A really cool innovation would be a consistent user inferface for smart thing creators.
Review
Synchronizing Your iPod Files
iPod seems so easy to use, few people do more than skim the manual before they start out transferring files. But there are some quirks you need to understand.
Programmer's Seat Open To Tiger Users
Spotlight, Automator and Widgets all involve aspects of programmming, and provide a clear set of stepping stones for someone to develop more of an interest.
The Resurrection Of A Business Legend
So this is the book that Steve Jobs wanted to ban. Heaven only knows why.
Buying The Right Mac
So which Mac is right for you? Apple has a full line of computers developed with all levels of users in mind.
Sidetrack
Apple's Chinese Web Pages Less Than Perfect?
You may not be able to read Chinese, but applewoods points out that Apple had mixed up Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese on their Chinese web sites. Once you know that Traditional Chinese is used primarily in Taiwan, while Simplified Chinese is used primarily in mainland China, you'd realize that this may not be a small deal.
Applewoods also pointed out that information in Chinese is a little short of what the English-equivalent provides.
Don't Use Too Many Uppercase Characters
Be careful when using your shift key, as this picture demonstrates.
Geek News Central: Podcasting and the whole audio revolution is going to leave you in a cloud of dust, if you don't wake up... If you cannot respond in the next 30 - 45 days you are going to fall further behind.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
News
'But I Neeeeeed It!' She Suggested
Although parents have long struggled with their teenagers' desire to own the newest, coolest stuff, these days the battle has reached a new dimension. While teenagers once coveted $100 sneakers and jeans, the must-have items now — iPods, cellphones with cameras, and portable DVD players — are high-tech, constantly in need of upgrade and can cost up to $500 each.
With Irreverence And An iPod, Recreating The Museum Tour
Museum guides are an outgrowth of a recent podcasting trend called "sound seeing," in which people record narrations of their travels and upload them onto the Internet for others to enjoy.
iTunes 'Cybersquatting' Row Threatens Nominet Authority
The authority of the UK's domain name registrar has been called into question after the owner of the domain name iTunes.co.uk investigated what rights the registrar had to make him hand the URL to Apple.
Apple Opens The Studio In Chicago Retail Store
Apple has a new help desk to help creative types overcome artistic roadblocks.
Japan Primer For The Mac techno-Tourist
This article emerged from my desire to help out other Mac tech geeks who find themselves in Japan wanting to take something back home for your Mac.
The Sims 2 Goes Gold
Aspyr Media announced that The Sims 2 will be shipping sometime in June.
Apple Not Serious About Sirius
Jobs is said to be waiting for compelling content that would justify the development of a hybrid product.
Melissa Butts: Touring Mars In 3D
"With the Mac and software, I can do the stuff I did on my flame probably five times faster. And I can still afford to buy a house and not have to pre-donate my body to science."
Digital Neural Axis: Evolutionary Leap
The shop represents the next step in the evolution of digital video and film production, a new species that can compete with large effects houses.
Opinion
Splitters Gone Wild
If Apple's UI decisions say that it's okay to sacrifice usability for a distinctive look, then many developers will do that. It's a long, long way away — but at the end of that particular road is Windows.
MPEG-4 Vs. Microsoft VC-1: Why High-Definition Video Software Standards Are Irrelevant
What I Think Happened To Mail
My guess is that, simply, Apple changed its mind about the unique shapes.
Review
Tiger Evaluated: Dashboard
For it to be a true success, Apple needs to give users more flexibility over where Widgets live and more control over installing, removing, and organizing them.
Hello Kitty: Bubblegum Girlfriends
In Hello Kitty: Bubblegum Girlfriends, lousy quality control sabotages an otherwise fine title for the underserved young girls' market.
Sidetrack
Why Is Singapoer In The "Wrong" Time Zone?
The executive summary: Singapore is running on Daylight Saving Time, all year round, and we get more daylights during the waking hours.
The long answer: What time is it really depends more on the lawyers, economists, politicians and businessmen.
I Love Dad — If You Can Hear Me
Looks like somebody has his iPod switched on a little too frequent. :-)
Friday, May 27, 2005
News
Podcasters Tune Into Apple
Apple's announced support of podcasting will be a signal event for the technology, propelling it from a hobbyist's pursuit to a medium that less tech-savvy people might explore and enjoy.
The Mac Startup Sound
The Mac startup sound wasn't a marketing exercise. It was a hack that was quietly dropped into the machine by an engineer with a home studio.
Tiger Bits: Autocomplete In Cocoa Applications
If you jus tdon't fee like typing the rest of the word you are in the middle of, just hit the 'Esc' key.
Apple's Business Solid In A Seasonally Slow Period
"Apple's business appears to be solid in what is typically a seasonally slower period."
Apple To Open New Los Angeles Retail Store June 4
Speck Gives iPod A Leg Up
iGuy is a silicone case, similar to other iPod jackets, but it adds bendable arms and legs to the typical design.
Opinion
OS X User Interface Trend: Goodbye Stripes
OS X has gone from very stripy to moderately stripy to not very stripy.
Ground Rules For The Windows-Macintosh War
The Mac-Windows war is especially pointless, protracted, and winnerless. Still, I'd like to suggest, as a starting point of civility, a few pointers for participants in the O.S. war.
Steve Jobs: Souping Up Macs?
Jobs may be thinking that Apple can win over even more converts if Macs were powered with Intel chips.
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
Apple's time, energy, resources and considerable determination would be best directed toward tightening up software quality-control processes and making sure the paths Apple blazed into personal and entertainment technology are not overrun and overtaken by the barbarians on the horizon, gearing up to storm Apple's gates.
Review
Sidetrack
Shufflehacks: Dedicated to hacking, modding, and pimping the hoo-ha out of the iPod shuffle.
Let's Go Break Scroll Bar Next
Honestly, I don't really understand why Microsoft's web rendering engine — part of the OS — can be broken by a third-party application that easily.
What's next? Scroll bars in Windows stop working after installing iTunes? :-)
Wintel
Thursday, May 26, 2005
News
iPod Snatchers Fuel 26 Percent Rise In Robberies
The popularity of iPods and new mobile phones has fuelled a sharp rise in street robbery int he capital, according to Britain's most senior police officer.
Apple's Ive, iPod, Cinema Display Receive Awards
Apple Fixes Hole In Keynote
The Keynote 2.0.2 update fixes a flaw that could allow an attacker to access files on a Mac by crafting a malicious Keynote presentation.
iMuffs For The Headphone-Challenged
Love your iPod but hate getting tangled up with headphone wires? San Francisco start up Wi-Gear is coming out with a Bluetooth adaptor called iMuffs that helps cut the cord.
ABC, NBC News Launch News Podcasts
ABC News and NBC News each plunged into the world of podcasting on Wednesday with plans to offer TV newscasts as on-demand audio programs over the web.
Cobb Schools Receiving Laptops
Cobb County's $70 million laptop program is scheduled to roll out this week. Lassiter High School is one of the four that have already received Apple iBooks.
Opinion
Should Apple Applications Be Movable?
Why do we still have this problem?
iPod Killers?
If cell phone companies want to be competitive with Apple, they will have to accept that they must charge the same price 99 cents that iTunes charges. And they have to have the same flexibility that people are accustomed to with their music.
OK Computer?
If more of us used current Macs as our first computers, and every day in our jobs, would we collectively like computers more?
Review
Burning Monkey Solitaire 2005
The game is funny, visually appealing, aurally enjoyable and chocked full of the world's best Solitaire variations.
Klipsch iFi: iPod-Based Home Speaker System
Those shopping for speakers for their desktop should look elsewhere, but for a home stereo setting, the iFi is the best sounding iPod speaker system we've heard, by a significant margin.
Sidetrack
Quick, before Microsoft finally release Longhorn, let's create a new verb "Spotlight" to mean searching on a computer...
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
News
High Marks For Student Computers: 'The iBook Makes It Cool'
Administrators are happy with the result of a pilot program that puts laptops in the hands of sixth-graders for a year.
Apple Notebook Battery Recall May Benefit Taiwan Makers
Taiwan-based lithium-battery specialists may benefit from Apple's recent recall of notebook-use batteries manufactured by LG Chem of South Korea, as the recall should affect LG Chem's ability to secure more Apple orders, according to market sources.
Tit For Tat: Apple Vs Yahoo! Betting Pools
"Well, we have a pool at Yahoo! about how long it is before Apple introduces a subscription service."
Apple Stores Coming to Rhode Island, South Africa
Apple Computer Debuts Two-Page Mac OS X Tiger Print Ad In Time Magazine
The ad shows two cinema displays, one on each page on a light blue background, showing a screenshot of Spotlight in action on the left page and a screenshot of Dashboard widgets on the right.
Opinion
Standing Alone Against Apple
Maybe it's time for the Niemans to stop playing footsie with the butchers of Beijing and start standing up to the control freaks of Cupertino.
Mad As Hell, Switching To Mac
This is my first column written on a Mac — ever. Maybe I should have done it a long time ago, but I never said I was smart, just obstinate. I was a PC bigot.
That Feeling Of Quality
Seeing an IBM boot screen followed by an Intel Inside one, then a DOS prompt and finally a Windows logo didn't giv a feeling of high consistency — kinda like when you buy a jacket and realize that all the pieces are sewn together in different ways that won't last past cocktail hour.
Review
A Closer Look At Spotlight
We'll look at how Spotlight works and how it can revolutionize your workflow in a variety of ways.
Wintel
A Front-Runner At Microsoft, But There's No Race Yet
There is no heir apparent at Microsoft. Yet by putting Eric Rudder in charge of a business earmarked for near-term growth, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer singled him out as the likely front-runner among the next generation of leaders.
Microsoft/Creative Labs "Plays For Sure..."
Is it just me, or have I just now bought something very expensive that might not work?
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Top Stories
Sun's McNealy Sounds Off; Gates Faces Tough Questions; Apple's Jobs Talks Podcasts
Jobs proclaimed himself a solid believer in the "halo effect" of iPod sales fueling Mac sales, pointing to strong growth in recent quarters.
News
iPod Plug-In Sets Music Free
iPod users are raving about a plug-in that makes the Winamp digital jukebox a better way to manage the iPod than Apple's iTunes.
Apple Opens First Canadian Apple Store
Amidst much fanfare, Apple has opened its first Canadian direct retail location, the Apple Store at Toronto upscale Yorkdale Mall.
The Shot Phoned Round The World
Given the relative importance of digital muci to both Apple and Microsoft, one thing is clear: Jobs has more to lose, including an early lead.
Apple Explores Use Of Chips From Intel For Macintosh Line
Book Chronicles Steve Jobs' Successful 'Second Act'
Ultimately, iCon paints Jobs as a captivating captain of industry with an "uncanny power of persuation" and as a loving parent.
Apple Could Help Music Industry Cash In On Music Videos
According to Merrill Lynch's Steve Milunovich, the music industry would likely cooperate with Apple in the sale of music videos, which are often costly to produce but offer very little direct monetary return.
Potential Supply Deal Between Apple, Intel Stirs Buzz, Stock Price
Investors Monday bought shares in Apple and Intel following a report that resurrected a rumor that has popped up from time to time over the years.
Motorola iPhone Demoed At The D
Podcasting In iTunes 4.9
There appears two methods for inclusion into the store.
Steve Jobs Makes Us Work
"The law is very clear... you aren't protected by the First Amendment if you are breaking the law."
Apple iPod To Catch Podcasts
"Users will submit their podcasts and Apple will be hand picking the content it makes available to iTunes users."
iTunes 4.8 Fiddles With File Names On iPods
The new file names consist of four, seemingly, random characters in an effort to make the database on the iPod a little faster.
Opinion
Why Apple Won't Embrace Intel
If Apple doesn't take legal action, that says a lot about who may ultimately be the source of this latest rumor — Apple itself.
Jobs On Suing Bloggers
At the core of this case is a clear attempt to draw a line between professional and amateur journalism, and as a practitioner of both, I have to say it's a very dangerous line to be drawing.
Sidetrack
If you are interested in the kinds of food I get to eat here in Singapore (besides the occasional Big Mac and Whopper), here's a great flickr photoset.
Rumor Today: More On The Mac Tablet
iTab? PowerSlate? Anyhoo, someone over at Engadget knows someone who heard that someone has actually touched a prototype of the rumored Mac Tablet.
Leander Kahney: Things have settled down a bit, and I hope to continue the [Cult of Mac] blog as normal with daily posts.
Yipppe!
Monday, May 23, 2005
News
Jobs: Podcasting Via iTunes
Jobs promised that the iTunes podcasting platform would be open to all comers; there'd be a simple automated system to get your content included, he said. But it wasn't clear from his demo — which featured material from professional outlets like public radio stations — just how grassroots-y the Apple model is going to be.
Apple's iTunes To Carry Podcasts
When Steve Jobs announced that the next version of iTunes will support downloads of podcasts, he contributed to a major change in media. Podcasting, a disruptive technology, is about to get more so.
Opinion
Adding Music Players To Cellphones Won't Be iPod Killer Some Think
While the mechanics of transferring songs from a computer running Apple's iTunes to an iPod are straightforward, questions abound about how it would work with a cellphone. Consumers will likely be skeptical, given their generally low opinion of cellphone service.
Gates Rightly Questions iPod's Future
I own an iPod, but I haven't taken it anywhere in ages.
Sidetrack
Just about nine years ago, Apple was busy showing the world how Copland would change the world. Then it all came tumbling down.
Just about one year ago, Bill Gates was still busy showing how Longhorn would leapfrog over all competitors. Then it all came tunbling down.
Maybe Steve Jobs has the right idea. Don't do announcements. Don't promise what you cannot show. Keep secret. In fact, Apple's handling of Tiger is an exception, rather than the norm, at today's Apple.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
News
iPods Can Entertain Beyond Just Music
The growing ranks of iPod users are increasingly tweaking their devices to perform all sorts of cool and useful tricks.
Pod Psychology
For his upcoming book on iPod culture and urban experience, Michael Bull has interviewed thousands of users around the world about how they use their iPods.
Apple Sued For Discrimination By Former Employee
A former Apple employee has filed a lawsuit charging the company with discrimination among other charges.
Review
The Tight Fist Clenched Around Apple
So, what's shocking about "iCon"? Nothing, really.
Sidetrack
For the Safari Clock, a must-have for all Apple fans.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
News
Graduates Get Free iPod Gear
Each student received a free iPod, a pocket-sized digital jukebox.
Tesco To Sell iPods In Non-Food Expansion
Tesco is raising the competitive stakes once again as it expands its electricals range to include products such as iPods.
Microsoft Expands On Xbox 360's Relationship To iPod, Macs
Microsoft has confirmed that its upcoming XBox 360 video game console will synch with and view files stored a variety of devices, including Apple's iPod.
Widget Security Worries Dog Apple
Though Apple updated its latest OS this week to solve a security problem with widgets, worries persist that the small applications still pose a potentially serious risk.
Review
An Introduction To Tiger Terminal
Taming Tiger: A Look At The Joys Of Spotlight
I'll Be Dashed
What I'm waiting for is that one widget that doesn't replicate something I already have and really does something useful. Once that comes along, I'll start hitting F12 more often. Until then, I see no need.
Widgets Of The Week
We'll highlight some of the Widgets we've found to be especially useful or well-designed, and we'll also occasionally point out Widgets that may have seemed like good ideas, but turned out to be a bit, well, silly.
Wintel
Google This: Is Microsoft Still A Bully?
Here we are five years later, and the technology landscape is drastically transformed.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Top Stories
Apple Issues Recall Of iBook, PowerBook Batteries
Apple has issued a battery recall order with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for its consumer-level iBook and pro PowerBook line of portable computers. The recall will affect approximately 128,000 units in the United States, according to the organizations.
News
Apple Releases Mac OS X Server 10.4.1
iPod Is 'Only Device That Matters'
Predicting that subscription-style services will have a long battle ahead as they try and win market from Apple, Jupiter Research analyst David Card said: "There's only one device that matters, and you can't use it with Yahoo's music service."
Opinion
I Suppose It Has To Be OK
There is a sort of zen perfection to this dialog. Perhaps it wasn't a bug at all, but rather, a life lesson.
Review
My Favorite Tiger Feature
My favorite Tiger feature is that I can turn off the caps lock key. Yes!
Steve Jobs: Smoke And Mirrors Or iCon?
Maybe if Steve actually gets around to reading iCon, he'll realise that it's mostly harmless.
Making Allowances
I'd like to offer a technique I use to keep my iTunes Music Store purchaes in check — giving yourself an allowance.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
News
Now This Is What You Call An iHome!
"Homebuilder Lennar's new communities in Bressi Ranch will include the latest digital lifestyle technology from Apple."
The Man Who's Got Mainstream Radio Quaking
Is podcasting indeed part of a radio revolution in the making, or is it just another affectation that won't live up to the frisson of momentary attention?
Settlement Likely In Power Adapter Lawsuit
Apple Store May Be Coming To The Mall
Buzz is, the Apple computer company is preparing to open a store in the Staten Island Mall later this year in time for the holiday season.
Opinion
The Most Helpful Error Message In The World
"AOL cannot start."
Sidetrack
A New View On Why Apple Employers Don't Blog
Doc Searls: A friend at Apple recently told me that he and others at the company tend not to blog because "When you're winning..."
Yet Another Use For The iPod Shuffle
You want some beer when you listen to your latest podcast, but you don't have a bottle-opener handy with you? Fear no more, if you know how to use the Shuffle properly...
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
News
Apple Store Bluewater 'This July'
Apple may be set to open its third UK Apple store this July.
Xbox 360 Could Be Compatible With Apple's iPod
Goldman Sachs said Microsoft hinted that its upcoming Xbox 360 gaming console may be able to connect with competitor products such as the PSP from Sony and the iPod from Apple.
Build Your Own Digital Picture Frame
Using an old G3 Mac running OS X, our friend was able to drop his photo collection into the built-in screen saver and create his own digital picture show.
Opinion
Make Your iPod Stand Out In The Crowd
It's no longer a question of whether or not you have an iPod. Now it's just a matter of which model it is, and how you hold it.
My iPod And Me
Scientists say that humans only need bare necessities, like food and water, to sustain life. I'd have to add my iPod to that list.
Review
Cosmo Bots
If you were a fan of the arcade classic Qix or Ambrosia Software's Barrack, you should consider Cosmo Bots a must-have.
Tiger's Powerful Migration Assistant
Although Mac OS X engineers have written a reliable, robust migration tool, it's important to keep in mind the limitations of the file transferring process.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
News
Apple's Jobs Speaks At Key Conference
Apple CEO Steve Jobs will speak with Wall Street Journal technology correspondent Walt Mossberg at D:All Things Digital.
iTunes To Lose Its Market Dominance — Report
Analysts believe that Apple's market share has peaked and the strong ties between iTunes and the iPod will cause Apple to lose market share over time to subscription-based models.
Apple Canada Finally Announces Opening Date For Yorkdale Store
Those of you in the Toronto area might want to clear your schedules for Sat., May 21.
Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.4.1
The update includes many improvments to applications, Dashboard, .Mac and syncing, iLife and other enhancements.
Opinion
AirTunes Remote Rumor Is Old News
At least, it certainly isn't new. A similar error message existed in iTunes 4.7.
AirTunes For iTunes To Get Remote Control?
If you've got a firewall configured and you fire up version 4.8, you'll get a message saying "... using a firewall software prevents you from... using a remote control for AirTunes."
Review
50 Fun Things To Do With Your iPod
(besides listen to music with those white earbuds)
Brilliant Playlists
iTunes offers a leg up with the Smart Playlists feature, which lets you create dynamic playlists containing exactly the kind of music you want in iTunes and on your iPod. But to do their job well, smart playlists need your help.
Tab Saver
Never again will you lose multiple tabs just because you weren't paying attention.
Monday, May 16, 2005
News
Mac Mini And iPod Boost Apple's UK Sales
Analyst firm IDC says that the iPod 'halo effect,' the launch of the Mac mni have helped to grow Apple's market share in Britain.
Teenager's iPod Goes Boom
Don't put your iPod through the washing machine. And if for some reason you do, don't try to fix it with a screwdriver.
Judge Backs Tiger Against Tiger
Computer retailer TigerDirect's claim that Apple nicked its name for its operating system has failed at the first hurdle.
Review
20 Cool Tiger Features You Might Not Have Heard About
Even if you've had the opportunity to play with Tiger yourself, I bet you'll discover some new tricks herein.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
News
Second iPod Manufacturer Up And Running
Bob D'Amico: 24 Years As ABC's Chief Photographer
"In photography, it has always been the Mac — I've never thought of using anything else."
American Museum Of Natural History: Tyrannosaurus Wren?
"Everything in the exhibit — nearly all the 3D — was designed and rendered on Macs."
In An 'On-Demand' iPod World, Something's Gotta Give
For radio, a huge generation gap is developing.
3.2GHz+ Macs By Christmas?
Microsoft's choice of 3.2GHz PowerPC processors in its new Xbox 360 could suggest significantly faster Macs when the console ships at Christmas.
Review
OS X Tiger Upgrade: The Ugly
The upgrade was a frustrating, time-sucking exercise from the start.
True Crime: Streets Of L.A.
It's no Grand Theft Auto, but if you like third-person shooters and are looking for a game that lets you explore your thug side, this might fit the bill.
Sidetrack
I'm back from my trip to Guangzhou. A bit under the weather: headache, sneezing, blocked + running nose, cough, general weakness — all the symptons of a flu, I have. And, oh, fever too. But I managed to get rid of the fever by eating tons and tons (okay, 2 x 4 per day) of Panadol while I was in China. Don't want people to suspect me of having SARS, seeing that I was in the SARS capital of the world.
Anyway, went to see my family's regular doctor this morning, and we all agree it was flu. :-)
Friday, May 13, 2005
News
Thursday, May 12, 2005
News
Macintoshes Are 'Hot' Amid Slow April PC Sales
Activity levels "remained extremely high" at Apple retail stores Merrill Lynch visited.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
News
Apple Adds 4 New European iTunes Stores
Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
Eminem Settles Copyright Suit With Apple
The financial details of the settlement were undisclosed.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
News
Mac Malware Door Creaks Open
Dashboard, one of the much-publicized features of Apple's latest OS, Tiger, could be ripe for exploitation by porn scammers.
New In iTunes 4.8
New iTunes adds video capabilities.
Monday, May 09, 2005
News
Incompatible
For Mac and PC users, the battle lines are drawn, and a new operating system may fan the flames.
New 'Skater' iPod Commercial Airs
As The iPod Stays Hot, It Risks Losing Its Cool
So President George W. Bush listens to an iPod, it was learned recently. How uncool is that?
Stem Pulled From Cherry OS
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Opinion
Sidetrack
Well, I've finally made it to Guangzhou, China. A short few kilometers ride from the airport took me more than an hour, just because of all that traffic jams in the city. And it's a Sunday, no less. Oh well.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Announcement
Minimal Updates On MyAppleMenu Between May 8 - 15
Tomorrow, I'm going off to Guangzhou (China, if you didn't recognize that) for a business trip. One week of meetings, programming, and tons of bugs-fixing.
As such, I will probably not be updating this web site too much, if at all. The amount of updates will depend on whether I have the time, the internet connect, and the access to my online tools (Bloglines, Google, etc) and news sites (New York Times, Washhington Post). But, it is probably be safe to say, updates will be less than normal.
Normal updates will resume on May 16th.
Opinion
When Will Apple Grow Up?
Tiger is great, or it will be soon. But if Apple wants to be considered a player in the enterprise, then it needs to improve its beta trial system to avoid the surprises now visitng networked Macs.
The Future Of Music Distribution And Sales?
It took zero radio play, zero ad budget and no retail store was necessary for this transaction.
Review
Tiger Makes Mac's Edge Even Sharper
Unlike search add-ons for PCs, Tiger's Spotlight is always available.
The Sims 2
The Sims 2 keeps what was fun about the original while offering a huge amount of new challenge.
Tiger Evaluated: Spotlight
Yes, it hasn't reached its full potential. But what's already there in Mac OS X 10.4.0 is pretty impressive, and I have the feeling that it'll only get better.
Sidetrack
iPod users already immerse themselves in a musical (and/or podcasting) world, cutting off communications with others in the "real" world.
And now, you don't even have to talk to anyone when purchasing an iPod. (Even if you buy from Apple's online store, you still may have to speak with the delivery guy.)
Introducing: the iPod Vending Machine.
You've seen the headless iMac. (a.k.a. Mac mini) Now, see the headless USB drive that may give you or your daughter nightmares.
Wintel
Meet The Head Of Microsoft's Linux Lab
Bill Hilf is the techie behind Microsoft's Linux listening post. He also is a key player in Microsoff's evolving strategy to reach out to the open-source community.
Friday, May 6, 2005
News
Review
Tiger's First Tweaks
Tiger's been out less than a week, and there are already a number of interesting utilities to customize it — in subtle ways — to your preferences.
Apple Shatters Windows With Tiger
All I can tell you is that with Tiger on store shelves, and a new Windows a mere shapeless dot shimmering vaguely over the horizon, there has never been a more compelling time to switch to a Mac.
Sidetrack
Develop Windows applications, and you'll probably need to read books like "Programming .NET Windows Applications" and "Programming 'Indigo': The Unified Framework for Building Service-Oriented Applications On The Microsoft Windows Platform Beta Edition".
Develop Macintosh applications, and you can read books like "Happy Macintosh Development Time".
Now, tell me, which is better? :-)
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Top Stories
Apple Exec: Shuffle Grabs 58% Of Flash Player Market; What Cell Phone Threat?
On the market less than six months, Apple's iPod shuffle has grabbed a 58% share of the flash-based digital media player market, company chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said.
News
Trimming Costs? Shrink The Motherboard
iPod's Halo
For now, the halo effect exists primarily as a theory in the minds of executives and some analysts, but evidence is emerging that it is becoming a real phenomenon.
Get A Mac Mini For More Vroom
When Mr Ferdinand Tang climbs into his Beemer these days, it is not the lights on the dashboard that catch his eye. Instead, it's a Mac OS X screen powering up at the center console.
Apple Files SEC Form 10Q For March Quarter
Apple And Sony Battle It Out For Music Download Throne
"Sure, Sony pioneered the Walkman, but nowadays, we don't even consider them a competitor." Famous last words?
Now, iButtons For The iPod; Soon, iCuff Links And iTie?
As any owner of the original Sony Walkman will tell you, there's something uniquely satisfying about the feel of real buttons.
iTunes Hits The Pause Button
An agreement with one major record company stands between Australian iPod users and their Holy Grail — the long-awaited Apple iTunes Music Store.
Opinion
Go Break Something
So, Microsoft — go break something. Then you'll be interesting.
Can Apple Stay On Top?
Now that the iPod has taken over the free world, Apple's biggest enemy might not be its competitors, but itself.
AMD And Apple Are Made For Each Other
The companies unwittingly and reluctantly help the market shed its addiction to low expectations.
The Downside Of Upgrades
Upgrading to a new operating system has gotten easier over the past decade. But I still look forward to the day when I can boot into my new OS for the first time without needing an aspirin and a stiff drink.
Operating Systems And Recent History
Personal computers are cheaper than ever, but they remain too uunreliable and difficult to use. Only competition — from commercial and non-commercial sources alike — can make a difference.
Review
iPod Photo Interference Issue Traced, Explained
Mac Anti-Virus: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
The state of anti-virus protection on the Mac (as I see it).
Sidetrack
From lickable interface to edible iPods, we've come a long way, baby.
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Top Stories
Apple's Tiger Will Rule Non-Tech Innovator Jungle For More Than A Year
Most techs agree that Apple's TIger is better than current Windows OS versions and possibly better than the omni-absent Longhorn OS. In the past, it was hard for Apple to transform technical superiority into sales. This time, things are different.
News
Stay At Algonquin And Borrow An iPod
The legendary Algonquin hotel is offering their guests a little something extra.
iPod Takes Tunes To A New Level
In A Snarl Over 'Tiger'
Robert F. Young — a founder of Linux distributor Red Hat and now owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Candian football team, has offered to license the team's historical use of the word Tiger to Apple free of charge.
Opinion
Apple Matters
Apple must remain hungry, humble and intelligent yet there are already visible signs of procrastination and arrogance; let's hope stupidity won't kick in.
The Soul Of WWDC 2005
At this year's conference, you're going to see something new. The keyword is community. Not only will Apple connect you to its engineers and its leader, but a whole environment is being created to immerse you in the Mac development community.
Review
EarJams Are Helpful, To A Point
Automator "Run Web Service" Parameters
Dear Steve, Fix Safari
Safari should warn you that you have several tabs open, and do you really want to close the window.
Write Your Own Automator Actions
Atari Arcade Classics
If Hasbro can fix the loading problems and perhaps offer its entire collection of remakes on a single similarly-priced DVD its value in a crowded field of tributes to yesteryear will be greatly enhanced.
Tuesday, May 3, 2005
News
Apple Bumps eMac Line To 1.42GHz
Oh, My Handsome Prints
the transition from analog to digital is especially hard for visual artists. Musicians and writers went digital long ago, attracted by the ease of input and output. But people who have spent their lives sloshing chemicals in the darkroom seem to find it difficult to embrace Photoshop and inkjet printers. Enter Phil Bard.
Tiger Will Boost Apple Over The 4 Percent Threshold
The merrill Lynch company has declared in a report published a few days ago that it expecs Apple to ensure a four percent market share in the United States for the computer systems.
Think Belligerent
Steve Jobs will do anything to protect his precious secrets. So he's suing Apple's biggest fans. Inside the Mac daddy's battle with the rumor blogs.
Tiger Bugs Break Networking Software
Some enterprise networking software developers have discovered that their products are not compatible with Apple's new "Tiger" operating system, and are recommending that their customers hold off on upgrading to Tiger.
'Government Computer News' Picks FileMaker Pro
Government Computer News (GCN) has honored FileMaker Pro 7 with its "Reviewer's Choice" award as the top desktop database software in the April 25, 2005 issue, beating Microsoft Access 2003, Alpha Five Version 6 and Corel Paradox 11.
iTMS Offers 30 Free Songs With Airport Express Purchase
Apple wants you to Free your Music and get free songs.
iPod Blurs Wall Street's Vision Of Tiger
While the stock market seems to have iPods in its eyes, some analysts see growth potential in Tiger, however.
Apple Delivers 2.0GHz iMac G5
Apple on Tuesday announced an update to its consumer-level imac G5, which includea a 2.0GHz G5 processor, built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
Georgia County Outfits Students With iBooks
Finally, Apple's iTunes Arrives
Sometime in the next few weeks, Apple will finally unveil the local version of its hugely successful iTunes store.
It's No Party
Apple may have let its Tiger loose from its cage, but its stock price certainly isn't roaring.
Apple Tries To Recover In The Classroom
As Apple has discovered, school districts treat prospective large-scale purchases ginerly, and sometimes unpredictably.
Firm Expects Apple To Grab 4% US Market Share
Merrill Lynch believes Tiger sales could top $100 million in its first quarter of release, consistent with an earlier analyst report that suggested first quarter Tiger sales could possibly double that of Panther.
Opinion
Mr. Jobs' Wild Ride
Apple's passion for control can devolve rapidly into behavior that threatens the user-friendly image it's labored so long to construct.
Extra! Extra! Tiger Headlines Roar!
Apple's codename for the new version of OS X clearly inspired headline writers to dust off a few of their favorite cat expressions.
A Bruise For Apple's Reputation
Apple's recent and clumsy attempts to control what people write about it is a startling corporate misstep, and already is eording much of its considerable good will.
Apple Vs Dell Monitor
Apple hardware win awards, and Dell wonder why nobody likes their DJ player.
How To Stay Organized (Without Really Trying)
A chaotic mass of files in our Documents folders may scare us, until we're really up and running with Spotlight, and we stop even needing to look in our Documents folders. Can you imagine that? I'm willing to try it. How about you?
Review
Meet Automator
At long last, anyone can program the Mac.
Spotlight On Spotlight
Spotlight works so well that the idea of filing email, files, and other data will eventually disappear — but not quite yet.
Evaluating The Tiger Installation Process
Looking Into The Eye Of The Tiger
Should you upgrade, and if so, when?
Apple's Fastest Power Mac Yet Is A Barnburner
In a world: Awesome.
Reindexing Spotlight
Open the Spotlight system preference, click the Privacy tab, click the plus button, and add the volume you want to reindex. Wait five minutes, select the volume in the pirvacy area, and click the minus button to remove it.
Implementing CSS (Part 1)
One of the most interesting problems (to me at least) in browser layout engines is how to implement a style system that can determine the style information for elements on a page efficiently.
Tiger Bits: Safari's Private Browsing
My take: Porn mode.
Sidetrack
Early Warning System: MyAppleMenu Going On Hiatus... Again
Next week, I'll be visiting Guangzhou, China, for work. This site will have minimal updates then, if at all.
Reasons/excuses: I may not have the free time to maintain this web site. Even if I have free time, I may not have internet access. Even if I have the access, I may not have access to tools such as Google News and Bloglines.
Since it is using the out-dated but yet so-cool G3 processor, the beer stays cold. :-)
According to sources sourced by Paul Thurrott, HP will be selling the entire range of iPods soon, prompting Paul to ask, "why?"
Everyone's favorite poster-child of Mac-application-with-interesting-user-interface, Eudora, is being converted from carbon to cocoa. Tenative release date: fall 05.
Wintel
Next-Generation Xbox To Be Media Hub
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox gaming console will be more of a digital entertainment hub than its predecessor, making it even more of a PC hybrid than ever, Bill Gates told a meeting of business journalists on Monday.
Microsoft Puts IE Enhancements On Fast Track
Microsoft is not waiting for the next version of Windows to ship before it makes changes to improve the security of some key components such as Internet Explorer, which will see a significant security upgrade in its next release.
Monday, May 2, 2005
News
Jobs To Kick Off WWDC 2005 Keynote
No surprise to regular attendees of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), but Apple confirmed on Monday that CEO Steve Jobs will take center stage at the event's keynote when WWDC 2005 kicks off on Mondya, June 6, 2005.
The iDog: An iPod's Best Friend
The iDog dances, emotes, "speaks" and illuminates based on where you touch it, how you move it or what you say to it. But the coolest feature is the audio-in jack which enables you to use the iDog's built-in speakers to play your iPod through!
Hackers Aren't Just Picking On Microsoft
Anti-virus software and iPod listed as popular targets.
iPod Demand Stretches Supply In New Zealand
Apple's inability to match demand of its popular iPod portable music players with supply is once again frustrating its New Zealand resellers.
Small Firm Aims High With iPod Add-On
Macintosh product maker Sonnet Technologies has kept the faith with Apple through good times and bad. With the iPod now taking Apple's profits into the stratosphere, the 50-employee firm is hoping to hitch a ride to the big time.
An iPod Crime Wave? How terrible. On Second Thoguht...
If iPods are targets of theft, isn't the implicit message that iPods are objects of desire? "You can't buy ads that say that."
Rows Between Jobs And Disney Boils Up
The book that Steve Jobs tried to ban has some interesting words about a clash between the Apple supermeo and that other Mickey Mouse outfit Disney, it trnaspires.
Opinion
After The Mac Mini, Is There Still A Market For Used Macs?
There remains lots of reasons to buy used Macs.
Apple: Predator Or Protagonist?
It appears that what Apple has done is to take meaningful, desirable third-party services and applications and "rollt heir own" inside the operating system, thus presenting user with a fuller package of features.
Changing Face Of Apple India
Apple has woken up to the reality that India can be a sizable market indeed.
Longhorn Mentioned In Nearly Every Apple Mac OS X Tiger Review To Assuage Windows Masses
Right now, Winodws users who are reading about Mac OS X Tiger have a very unpleasant feeling. It's painfully apparent that the personal computers they are using, even with the latest hardware and Windows XP SP2, are far behind Apple's Mac platform.
Review
Tiger Client, Meet Tiger Server
Tiger's Updated .Mac Doesn't Cut It
Tiger OS Turns Spotlight On Strengths Of Macintosh Computers
ICeCoffEE And Tiger
Tiger is great except for the imposibly broken Find/Spotlight UI... The new version doesn't let you easily see deeply nested paths to multiple folders by just using the arrow keys on find results, which I've done since Find file in System 7.5.
Import OPML Into Safari RSS
While there currently isn't a way of importing al your RSS feeds into Safari 2 (Tiger) here's a slightly roundabout that works. You will need a copy of firefox, with the Sage RSS extension installed.
Sidetrack
Dell computers are so easy to use that one can even simply, er, type upside down.
Wintel
Longhorn Evangelism 'Team 99' Resurfaces
Microsoft plans to restart its stalled Longhorn evangelism effort with another all-volunteer army.
Sunday, May 1, 2005
News
Me, Myself And iPod
The latest craze in music-listening technology offers new territory for self expression.
Give The Listeners What They Want
Apple's iTunes Music Store is changing the way labels and artists sell their songs by both increasing exposure and focusing on specialized audiences.
They Love Their Macs But Want Free Upgrades
Computer programmer Sean Bamforth is among many loyal Apple customers who recently purchased new Macs and feel they deserve a free — or at least discounted — upgrade to the new Tiger operating system that hits store shelves this evening at a list price of $129.
Opinion
Some More Thoughts On The Tiger Delay
Apple can blame the shippers, but that is absolute nonsense.
Guest Blogger: Context And Reader Bias Matter
"I believe that Steve has earned a permanent spot in the esteem of his colleagues and that he's been so successful that he's earned the right to do what he wants in his businesses with their products, strategies and offerings."
Review
More Tiger Notes
After seeing how RSS was implemented in Firefox I had pretty much rejected whole idea of RSS in a browser. The Firefox implementation is just nasty. Apple got it right.
Mac's Tiger Gives Panther Owners Little Reason To Pounce
Panther is already very good on its own, while this release exhibits a few rough patches — meaning Tiger doesn't quite have an immediate, must-buy-now appeal.
A Little About Safari RSS
Bloglines (and NetNews Wire and Pulp Fiction and all the other fantastic RSS readers for OS X) doesn't have anything to fear from Safari RSS.
Sidetrack
Spotlight Truly Finds Everything
Try looking for crap in your Mac, and see what turns up...
