Wednesday, November 30, 2005
News
Finding Harmony Among iPod Rivals
Hoping to loosen Apple's grip on the digital music player market, Microsoft is rallying consumer electronics companies to form a common link. The software maker is part of a working group launched last week by the Consumer Electronics Association to develop a standard port for connecting gadgets like music players to audio systems in homes and cars.
Apple's iPods Prosper As Piracy Flourishes, But Who Is To Blame?
For any TV producer tempted not to return phone calls from Steve Jobs, they have to ponder: Help Apple help consumers buy content, or have the consumers help themselves to freebies.
Will NPR's Podcasts Birth A New Business Model For Public Radio?
How the public radio giant has become a leading podcaster in just two months.
Sony Vs. iTnes
They're at war over your downloads, fighting skirmishes on your hard drive.
Recover Or Rebuild Your iPhoto Library With iPhoto Extractor
Security Update 2005 - 009 Released
Apple Releases Broadband Tuner 1.0
Apple has released Broadband Tuner v1.0, a utility that twewaks the system parameters of Macs with very high speed internet connections — 5 Mbps or faster.
Opinion
Apple Prepping A DVR? Not So Fast.
An Apple DVR not only competes with Apple itself, but it pts Apple right into the thick of other on-demand services, some of which are being put out there by the very same people Apple wants to work with.
Review
A New Gold Standard For PCs
No desktop offered by Dell or HP or Sony or Gateway can match the new iMac G5's combination of power, elegance, simplicity, ease of use, built-in software, stability and security.
Getting Started With OS X Automator
Advanced Package Management With Fink
Windows Vista Beta Vs. Mac OS X "Tiger" (Part 2)
In short, Mac OS X is more secure than Windows today, and will likely remain so even after Windows Vista is released.
Time For Radio With RadioTime
You can schedule and record radio programs, effectively turning your computer into a TiVo for broadcast and streaming radio.
Sidetrack
The World's First iPod Compatible Bed
Via the Cult of Mac blog, here's the first iPod compatible bed. Now, you can fall asleep to your "Boring Music" playlist, and wake up to your "Bring Down the House" playlist on your iPod.
Unless your iPod crashed in the middle of the night, and you're late for work again. :-)
There's no concrete plans yet being announced, but there's hope for television lovers in Singapore: TiVo may be coming to tiny Singapore soon.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
News
Consumers Can Personalize Their iPods With Assorted Accessories
Apple Climbs As Analysts Raise Targets
Apple shares rose to a new all-time high Monday on upbeat comments from several Wall Street analysts after a strong start to holiday sales of the company's iPod music players.
Pair Of Apple Products Leaves Sour Taste
Researchers at eEye Digital Security have taken a bite out of two popular Apple products, flagging two critical vulnerabilities in the iTunes and QuickTime applications. The flaws, which put millions of Windows users at risk of code execution attacks, remain unpatched.
Tech Stocks Decline After Recent Gains
Technology stock fell overall Monday following recent gains that had sent the Nasdaq Composite Index to its best levels in four and a half years, though shares of both Apple and Intel clung to gains on upbeat analyst comments.
Opinion
The Apple Of Her Eye
I'm thinking that maybe I need to spend a little less time on my Powerbook.
Review
Dreaming Of A White Christmas
Please, don't make me part with this wonderful machine.
How Do You Give Someone An iPod That Is Pre-Loaded With Tunes From The iTunes Store
It's a hack that Apple has packaged as a feature.
iPod Photo Extractor
How do you get photos off the iPod?
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: The Mac Mini We Are All Waiting For
Think Secret: The new Mac mini project, code-named Kaleidoscope, will feature an Intel processor and include both Front Row 2.0 and TiVo-like DVR functionality.
Now, aren't you glad that you haven't spend all your annual Apple budget this past Black Friday? :-)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to Science, you just rejected it from your life."
Monday, November 28, 2005
News
Disney Narnia iPod Video Deal Non-Mac Only?
Access to video clips uses software which does not support Macs.
Disney Uses iPods For Ads
Viewers will be able to download and transfer trailers, clips, interviews, and other film content to their PCs and their iPods from the internet channel on the Narnia film's official website.
O.C. School Laptop Decree Draws Flak
An Orange County school district's efforts to integrate technology into students' lives by urging families to purchase laptop computers is creating a furor among parents who say the pricey oblication is segregating their children into the haves and have-nots.
Opinion
Now Playing Song S
Next time you look at a picture, take a few seconds to peek at the screen: its contents reveal more about the company you are about to purchase from than the rest of the ad.
Still Planning To Buy An Apple, But...
When a couple of people with far more tech knowledge than I will ever possess can't get their Apple media stuff to work right, I wonder what I may run into.
Review
One Email Client To Rule Them All
It looks like I'll be sticking with Apple Mail, bugs and all. Thunderbird and GyazMail don't seem to offer much in the way of additional functionality. Mailsmith does, but I have a hard time learning to love its UI.
Sidetrack
At work, I've upgraded to a new laptop, and for the first time ever in my life, I'm using a keyboard that has a "Windows" button right between the "Ctrl" and "Fn" on the left and "Alt" on the right. And it's throwing me off from all my shortcut habits.
I really hope I can get used to this new arrangement quickly, or I'll have to find some key-remapping software soon. :-)
Sunday, November 27, 2005
News
Opinion
First Look: iPod With Video
Apple wins. They got me. I'm hooked.
Time To Allow Hard Drives Pre Loaded With Music... And Change Harry Fox
Sidetrack
Yes, The Government Paid Me Lots Of Money To Make Mistakes So That I Can Lean From The Mistakes
Scott Adams: If you're infamous for being slow to act, your best bet is a job that bills by the hour.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
News
Apple's iPod Nano A Holiday Hit
Apple's sleek iPod nano music player was among the top-selling electronic items on Amazon.com on Friday and some models sold out on a top retailer's web site as consumer stocked up on holiday gifts on one of the year's busiest shopping days. Retailer Best Buy's web site was sold out of both the white and black versions of the 4-gigabyte nano prived at $249.99.
Apple Readies Rome Retail Site
Apple has begun recruiting staff for its first store on mainland Europe.
Apple Success Ejects BenQ From MP3 Market
BenQ will withdraw its Joybee music players from sale in Taiwan, due to strong competition from the iPod. It plans to introduce a series of MP3-playing mobile phones.
Opinion
Steve Jobs Ruined My Thanksgiving
Do not upgrade from iTunes 4.9 to iTunes 6.0 if you value your time, music, and sanity. Steve Jobs, you owe me an apology.
Friday, November 25, 2005
News
France Expected To Cut iPod Levy In Time For Christmas
French authorities will reduce a copyright levy imposed on music layer containing flash memory, perhaps as early as next week, accoding to a source familiar with the plan.
Sidetrack
How To Reach A Human On The Phone Over At Apple
Paul English, live on NPR's Morning Edition, demonstrates how to get a real human to answer when you call Applecare. The secret? Press "000", or say "operator" repeatedly whenever being prompted.
Of course, Steve Jobs has probably changed the software after he heard this story. :-)
P.S. Here's the complete list from Paul English, just in case you need to call some other companies other than Apple.
Think Twice Between You Plug In That iPod Cable
Dave Winer: Arrrgh, I plugged my new iPod into my old Mac and lost everything on it. Never got a confirmation dialog asking if it was okay if it wiped out the music and audiobooks that I painstakingly took hours of my time to set up. Never mind that the originals are on the other side of the United States. Honestly, how dare they design software that's so brutal?
Thursday, November 24, 2005
News
iTunes Doubles Japanese Music Downloads
The launch of iTunes Music Store in Japan helped more than double the number of songs purchased online during the third quarter of the year compared to the previous quarter, according to figures released by the Recording Industry Association of Japan today.
A Novel Repair Concept: Replace Battery Not The iPod
The Sonnet kits, which cost $30 to $40 depending on the iPod model, include tools to open the iPod's case and remove the original battery.
Opinion
Keyboard Vs Mouse
Of course, there are certain tasks when a mouse or other input device is easier, but for a lot of geeks, myself included, the keyboard is usually the way to go.
Microsoft Moots 'Universal' MP3 Player Dock
The Consumer Electronics Association has established a working group to develop a universal docking standard for portable devices. Apple's best option — 'least-worse' might be better — would be to co-opt the standards process by proposing its existing iPod dock specification as the de facto standard. That way, at least, it's not going to have to spend years ignoring the growing support for the rival specification, only to have to cave in to market forces and support it anyway.
Dear Switchers
It feels odd using this machine — something you can rely on, something you can depend on all the time at home — here at wok, but as soon as you're logged in you can dive into your work as never before.
The Seduction Of The Apple Computer
I get that ovely feeling every time I turn my Powerbook on. It meets me on so many levels. It assumes I am intelligent and it responds with style and grace. It gives me room to create, and keeps the technocratic garbage out. It clearly identifies a problem and gives a solution.
Apple Instant-On Computers? I Don't Think So, But...
I'm betting on a new Intel-based Powerbook without any hard disk, just flash memory.
The Mini Stays In The Picture
If you want the very best iPod, and one that comes in a small package to boot, then there's only one model that you need to get your hands on — the second-generation iPod-mini. Preferably, the green one.
Review
iPod Scratch Protection
For keeping your iPod scratch-free without hiding it in a case, your best bet is one of the many "film" or "shield" products. My favorites are Power Support's $15 iPod nano Film Set and 5G iPod (with video) Film Set.
Sidetrack
What does the new Xbox 360 and my iPod mini have in common?
They can both crash.
Didn't They Have Lots Of Power Mac G5s?
Reports are out: Your Xbox 360 may be crashing because of overheating.
Didn't the Microsoft folks used Power Mac G5 as their development machine? Just open the thing up and see how Apple cooled the machine. :-)
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
News
Battle for iTunes.co.uk Is Over
The fat lady has sung for Ben Cohen's fight over the iTunes.co.uk domain. The lesson for others embroiled in domain name disputes: use the procedures, don't go running off to court and don't call Apple users a cult.
S.Korea Watchdog Probes Samsung's Apple Supply Deal
South Korea is investigating a flash memory supply deal between Samsung and Apple over pricing, officials at the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said on Wednesday.
Samsung, Hynix, Toshiba Shares Plunge After Intel-Micron Flash Deal
Opinion
Instant Gratification From Apple?
I think Apple going to be offering instant-on computers in the very near future. Make that near-instant. Faster than normal, anyway.
Review
Of Macs & Tux
The .Mac advantage.
HTML Tools On The Mac Command Line
I'll be focusing on how these few utilities can help while working with HTML on Mac OS X.
Sidetrack
Vietnam's coffee — both taste and presentation — is definitely pretty unique, as blogged by Meg. I find it pretty good, but my wife prefers the Kopi-O at our local coffeeshop.
Note: In the language of Singapore, Kopi-O means coffee with sugar but without milk. It literally translates to "coffee-black".
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
News
iPod DRM Faces Another Reverse-Engineering Challenge
A company that specializes in rights-management technology for online stores has declared its plans to reverse-engineer the FairPlay encoding system Apple uses on iTunes Music Store purchases.
Intel Starts An 'Apple Group'
Industry analysts and others have confirmed that Intel has formed an internal "Apple group," comprising of engineers and sales staff.
Online Music's Elusive Bottom Line
As competition grows and costs rise, the key question is this: Is this a black-ink business or just a loss leader to promote a broader brand?
His Goal Was To Make It Simple To Use And A Joy To Look At. He Succeeded. The Result Was The iPod
There are two things you need to know about Jonathan Ive. First, he is the most important British industrial designer of our time. He changed the way millions listen to music and helped liberate computers from dull beige boxes. Second, he is rather shy.
iTunes Outsells Traditional Music Stores
Apple's ITunes music store now sells more music than Tower Records or Borders, according to analyst firm the NPD Group.
Apple Sews Up long-Term Flash Memory Deals
Apple on Monday announced that it has reached long-term supply agreements with five major manufacturers of NAND flash memory.
Opinion
Group Therapy For iPod Users
Hi, my name is Steve S. and I have an iPod problem.
Not So Fast With The Apple Praise
Te charge means that adding an extended warranty to your iPod isn't $59, it's actually a minimum of $89 — you have to pay the $59, and then each time you need to send your iPod in for service, you'll have to pay another $30. Bleah.
Let's Get Small
Now that I've been living with the nano, I find I like it because it forces me to be more selective about the music I put on it.
Review
Fairies 1.0a
Fairies is a beautiful puzzle game with enough variation that you can lose yourself for hours.
Getting The Video Out Of Your New iPod — For Cheap!
You don't have to fork out for an outrageously priced "proprietary" Apple video cable. You don't even have to buy an expensive dock.
Sidetrack
If You Really Really Must Have DRM, Why Not Knock On Audible's Door?
First, it was Real. Now, Navio Systems is trying to reverse-engineer FairPlay so that others can sell DRM-ed music that can be played on iPods.
Why do such "illegal" (your mileage of the legality might differ from RIAA lawyers....) and prone-to-failure manuveur?
If you really must sell DRM stuff, why not go through Audible, whose DRM system is also available on the iPod? (Or is there a secret contract between Apple and Audible that forbids Audible from selling music, something like that little contract between Apple and Apple?)
But really, why use DRM in the first place? That says a lot about the attitute towards honest customers. If you're really scared, try watermarking instead, which allows you to trace who're the "criminals" while not punishing the honest customers.
Long period between announcement and delivery; Service patches almost immediately after release; Marketing hype. All these are already perfected even during the days of Windows 1.0 days. :-)
The First Step Is The Most Frightening
I've been to Saigon, and I totally agree with what Kottke says: "American pedestrians are taught to fear cars[...] and trusting them to avoid you while you're basically the frog in Frogger... well, it takes a little getting used to."
To cross a street, as Kottke reminds me, is simply to more or less ignore the cars. Just wait till there's a smaller opening, step onto the road, and walk across slowly. And watch, in amazement, as the cars filter around you.
Taking that first step is the most frightening part. After I get used to that, cross roads was so much easier.
Wintel
Microsoft To Give Office Access To Rivals
Microsoft will on Tuesday announce it is opening up access to its Office file formats to competitors, as part of a move to ensure the software giant does not lose lucrative government markets for its Office software.
Monday, November 21, 2005
News
Nano, Video Both Likely Winners
'Tis the season when holiday shoppers face choice between iPod nano and video.
Mac OS X For Intel Cracked Again?
Hackers have already managed to crack Mac OS X 10.4.3 for Intel to work on non-Apple computers.
iTunes Seizes 54% UK Online Music Sales
Research from XTN Data declares that iTunes accounts for 54 per cent of UK digital music sales — five times its closest competitor, Napster.
Microsoft Disavows Internet Explorer
Microsoft's MSN site suggests websurfers using Microsoft's Internet Explorer for the Mac switch to another browser.
TiVo To Expand Portable Features
TiVo is expected to announce a service that allows its digital video recorders to save programs to iPods and PlayStation Portables, further untethering television from time and place.
Professor In Your Pocket
Now couse casting lets college student skip classes and download lectures onto their iPods. Biology rocks! But some parents just don't understand.
Harvey Norman Complains To Apple
Harvey Norman has complained to Apple that they have not been allocated enough iPod stock to meet the expected Christmas rush.
Opinion
The Ringtone Riddle
How ringtones' success has led labels to verge of a misstep on music pricing.
Mac OS X On Intel: Could It Knock Off Windows & Office?
In the age of commodity hardware, Apple can adapt and win big.
iPod Exposes Lame Japanese Competitors
Not just Sony, but all the Japanese manufacturers have been caught flat-footed by the sudden explosion in music players and online entertainment.
Sidetrack
It is probably wishful thinking that all DRMs will be dead following Sony's fiasco, but Coy Doctorow is reporting that the artists are revoking.
Wintel
Sunday, November 20, 2005
News
SNL Skit: Steve Jobs And The "iPod Invisa"
Steve Jobs proceeded to announce, every 30 seconds, another ipod that would get progressively smaller... until he revealed the iPod invisa.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
News
Copy Protection Still A Work In Progress
The fact that so-called digital rights management might always be a doomed experiment became painfully clear with the fiasco that erupted after Sony BMG Music Entertainment added a technology known as XCP to more than 50 popular CDs.
iPod Battery Class-Action Settlement Being Appealed
The settlement to a class-action lawsuit brought by customers over the iPod's rechargeable battery is being appealed, holding up resolution of the case.
Claude Gagnon: "Kamataki" Takes The Prize
"Of course we've always been on Macs... The Apple computer works and thinks like an artist, as opposed to the other system, which has an accountant mind. I don't have an accountant mind."
Phil Bates: Fueling The Action With Pyrotechnics
"Macs have always had the edge in reliability and ease of use, and they're more friendly to graphics than PCs."
Apple iTunes Security Flaw Discovered
A critical vulnerability, found in some versions of Apple's iTunes, could enable attackers to remotely take over a user's computer, according to a warning issued Thursday by a security research firm.
100 New Symphony Loops On .Mac
Subscribers to Apple's .Mac service last night received 100 free loops for GarageBand.
Opinion
Who's Your Daddy, Steve? Who's Your Daddy? SAY IT!!!
Ultimately the labels set the wholesale price of digital music and if they move to tiered pricing when their contracts with Apple expire in 2006, Apple may have no recourse but to follow suit.
Apple: Reaching The Tipping Point
iChat? I Do Not
Either you're a chatterer or you're not.
Price As Signal
The reason the music recording industry wants different prices has nothing to do with making a premium on the best songs. What they really want is a system they can manipulate to send signals about what songs are worth, and thus what songs you should buy.
Review
Sidetrack
Apple and the Labels have different business models when it comes to selling music.
Apple want to sell iPods.
Labels want to sell CDs.
Apple knows that it will not make the big money by selling music. The big money is in selling little black and white music players. Thus, it is in their interest to push music at a price as low as possible, so that the music can a) drive newbies to buy an iPod, b) lock in existing customers so that they will continue to buy iPods.
The majority of purchases at iTunes Music Store is probably individual tracks. Raising the price of individual tracks means feweer purchases, which means the incentive for iPod purchases is lower. Remember: it's not the amount of profit that Apple gains from iTunes Music Store that is important to Apple; rather it is the number of purchases.
Labels know that not all music are sellable, even by the same artist. The record format works well for the Labels because they can command a high price (because, hey, there are more music) without spending expensive production and marketing expenses on each and every track on the record.
Appe's iTunes model — $0.99 per track — kills the album.
To the labels, it makes sense to rasie the price for each individual track. This is so as to push their customers towards buying the entire album instead. (Note all these recent talks about raising prices is mostly about the $0.99 price point, and not the album's price point.) And failing that, at least the Labels can recoup the cost they spent on the tracks that the customers didn't buy.
We do indeed live in interesting times, as we all sit and watch and see which business model wins out — or whether Google or Microsoft or somebody can come in with a win-win-lose solution and kills Apple. :-)
Friday, November 18, 2005
News
iPods Invade This Year's List Of Hottest Toys
Podcasts May Create Class Test Driving
Students may soon be able to preview professors by accessing podcasts of lectures.
Disney's Iger Views iTunes Arrangement As 'Incremental Consumption'
Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger said Thursday he doesn't expect the media company's recent decision to offer episodes of "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" on iTunes to cannibalize the company's bread-and-butter broadcasting business. Instead, he said, he views the offering as an opportunity to generate incremental revenue.
iPods To Support Copy-Protected CDs?
The EMI Group record label said music from its copy-protected CDs will soon play on Apple's iPod digital music players, but the iPod maker disagrees.
FrontRow Updated To Version 1.0.1
Cardinal Warns Parents About Giving Wireless Devices As Christmas Gifts
iPods, PDAs and video cell phones can easily send and receive pornography, much of it unsolicited.
Apple Store Coming To manchester, UK This Saturday
Apple Seen As Top Pick In PC Market
"Within the PC market, we continue to prefer the profitable share gainers with compelling product cycles, with Apple as our top pick."
Opinion
Your Friendship Based On An iPod
There are four easily discernible levels of friendship revealed via the iPod friendship test.
Review
Thunderbird, A Free, Powerful Alternative To Mail
I recommend it because it is a great alternative to Apple Mail and because it has a tremendous future.
Making The Most Of Your iPod With Internet Radio
iFill could be a truly handy little piece of software for all iPod owners, assuming it now works on Windows as well as it does on the Mac.
In Praise Of Xcode
Xcode is, I think, one of the unsung heroes of the Mac OS X era.
Sidetrack
AppleInsider: A second-generation iPod shuffle digital music player from Apple will be noticeably smaller than the existing model and could seen an introduction as early as January.
Warning: keep out of reach of children under 3, 'cause they will eat it.
More Pieces Of The Intel Puzzle
James Duncan Davidson discovers that the latest Java update is ready for Intel too.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
News
iTunes To Stop Going For A Song?
The 99-cents-per-song model could be history within the next year, execs at music giant EMI said yesterday.
Indie High Street iPod Retail Chain Revealed
Apple iPod & iTunes Music Store Both Number One In Japan; iPod Market Share Nears 60-Percent
Opinion
iPod Porn Pains Parents, Employers
iPods are becoming so ubiquitous and are so small, they are an easy vehicle for bringing pornography into the workplace.
Review
Latest iMac Lets You Control It From Sofa
If you can live without TV tuners, these latest computers look mighty attractive — from virtually any seat.
The Power Mac G5 Quad: Seat Belt Not Included!
The improvements in speed in the new hardware are dramatic.
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: Intel-based iBook In January
Think Secret: Apple is planning to release its first entry-level iBook laptops with Intel processors next January... Apple will expand the iBook line with one additional model and will lower prices to entice current Windows users.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
News
iPod, Nano Strong In Retail Though Shuffle Stumbles
"The bottom line from our survey is that all iPods have retained top mindshare with U.S. retailers."
Dell CFO Says iPod Helped Turned Around Apple
A senior Dell executive on Tuesday said that his company is far behind rival Apple in digital music, adding that the phenomenal success of Apple's iPod have reinvigorated sales of Apple's Mac computers.
Opinion
Mac OS X's Address Book: Problems With Edit Mode
My Son, The 8-Year-Old Garageband Composer
The generation of kids growing up now is one of the first generations where everyone is empowered to be creative.
Intel-Based Macs At Macworld SF?
The debut of x86 Macs is likely to happen faster for a handful of reasons.
Review
At Long Last, It's Safe To Grab On To Tiger
With the recent release of the third minor update bringing its version number to 10.4.3, I proclaim that Tiger is finally ready for most users to install.
An Introduction To Tiger Teminal, Part 5
In Part 5, I'll show you how Tiger Mac OS X runs regularly scheduled commands and scripts to execute recurring jobs.
A Dim View Of Spotlight
Spotlight has tremendous potential... I just hope future updates will turn some of that potential into reality!
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
News
Mini-Porn Could Be Mega-Business
One of the quickest industries to take advantage of the new video iPod, and other new gadgets, is one that has often been at the forefront of other technological innovations: porn.
Two More CA Apple Stores This Weekend
Profits May Rock Podcasting World
Nifty products and gizmos were ultimately a sideline at the Portable Media Expo and Podcasting Conference, where attendees wrestled with a far more fundamental point: whether this podcasting thing is — or even should be — a business.
Radio And Apple To Drive Podcasting
Analysts Predict Strong Holiday iPod Sales
Opinion
Software Lets You Expand iPod's Limited Video Options
Audio File Concatenation: Driven To Distraction By DRM
FairPlay didn't stop me from making my iPod easier to use with content I purchased from the iTunes Music Store, but it sure wasted a lot of my time.
Lennon Online
The rest of us, who've learned about technology piecemeal, ar ebeset by ignorance and option paralysis.
Digital Rights Mismanagement
What's the hardest for the consumer to swallow is that anti-piracy schemes like DRM look like the subtle tactic of the monopolist.
iPod With Video No Likey Cellphones
Apparently certain amounts of radio interference emitted by cellphones can drive an iPod with video freaky crazy wild.
Review
Sidetrack
Free As in Lunch, Free As In Freedom
The Macintosh comes with a suite of free (as in lunch) stuff; but more free stuff is definitely nice. (Plus, many of these free stuff are actually of high quality.)
Furthermore, they are also free (as in freedom). So, head onwards to Open Source Mac, who is doing a good job in compiling all these stuff for you and me.
When you see people setting up dominoes, you don't go and knock them down prematurely. The people will get angry, and they will kill you. Can't you just simply put this simple concept in your little bird brain?
Monday, November 14, 2005
News
Apple Upgrades Tech-Support Boards
Seeing Red
"My advice to all who have this experience is to bypass Apple and fix it themselves."
Opinion
Turn On. Tune In. Take Over.
Viewers, light your torches! The television revolution is at the gates.
Now Portable
I kissed the idea of synced machines goodbye, attempted to ignore the recent money I'd spent on the tower, and decided that I was switching to the Powerbook full time.
Hearing Aid
Those of us with nothing to protect and everything to gain will provide the leadership here, for the simple reasons that 1) we're already doing it; and 2) we're the only ones who can — because we're the only ones working creatively for both supply and demand.
Visiting The Apple Store Brea Mall
Apple scored a good slot in this location.
Sidetrack
So, there you were, writing your term paper with the bluetooth keyboard on your lap and white earbuds in your ears, when all of a sudden, the music goes silence.
That's right, the iPod's battery has run out of juice. So you grab your USB cable, connects to your iPod, and... well, you can no longer find your Mac mini on your messy table.
Yes, that's right. The mini is so small that it can easily get lost in all your stuff.
So, what's the solution? Maybe you might want a tower for your mini?
Steve Jobs Giving Away Mac OS X
Yes, you've read it right. According to Seymour Papert of MIT, Steve Jobs "offered to provide free copies of the company's operating system, OS X, for the machine," but was turned down because the designers wanted an operating system that is open sourced.
What is this machine? The $100 laptop from MIT's Media Lab. This is going to change the world.
Wintel
Dell, Seeking Sales Growth, Embraces Style, Luxury
Dell is trying to spice up its image — and turn around lagging sales growth — by shaking Apple's hold on hipness, but it may be tough to match its smaller rival's flair.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
News
It's Like Selling Meals By The Bite. And It May Work.
Get Ready For The Anti-iPod Movement
A Toronto man's videotaped protest against the ubiquity of iPod culture, through SmashMyiPod.com, has struck a global nerve.
Gateway Mall Confirms Juicy Apple Rumor
In a move that showcases the state's growing popularity as a site for retail expansion, Apple plans to open within the next two weeks its first Utah store in downtown Salt Lake City's Gateway shopping center.
Opinion
Passion Is Blind
Forgiveness is relative. We diss Windows with impunity, but when our Mac does the same thing, well, geez nobody's perfect.
Yo, Libraries: Say No To DRM
Podcasting is a perfect example of what happens when the market supplies itself. We chose MP3 because it worked on devices like the iPod,e ven though the iPod was closed in other ways. And because it couldn't be closed in ways that matter.
Review
How To Safe Sleep (Hibernate) Your Mac
Enabling Safe Sleep is essentially a hack.
Apple PowerBook 17-Inch
there's always been much to like about the Apple PowerBook 17-inch, and the latest version is no different. In fact, it's even better.
Saturday, November 12, 2005
News
Apple's Next Move... Media Domination?
Say goodbye to your DVD player and Tivo box? Perhaps, if one analyst's predictions come true — they could be replaced by the ubiquitous iPod.
Apple Bundles Cover To Stymie iPod Nano Scratching
Apple has quietly begun bundling a cover with its scratch-prone iPod nano portable music player, company customer support representatives confirmed Friday.
Uth TV: Visually Speaking
"Not I use Final Cut exclusively and I wouldn't switch back."
D-Fuse: Escape From Stasis
"With Mac technology, there's nothing to constrain you. It connects you with all the primal instincs that led you to design — your imagination, your playfulness — and sets you free to pursue them."
Opinion
Review
Sidetrack
The Old New Thing: As you grow older, you realize that material goods are a burden and you try to get rid of them in order to simplify your life.
Friday, November 11, 2005
News
iTunes Imagines Life Without Lennon
John Lennon's solo material will be made available for digital download for the first time in the run-up to Christmas — but a long-running dispute with Apple Computer means that iTunes customers won't get a look in.
Sony Music CDs Contain Mac DRM Software Too
iTunes Comes To Palm OS
If you're a Treo 650 user working in a Macintosh world, at least you can now take some of your library around with you as well.
Opinion
Remote Possibilities
Let me put in a plea to Griffin and all the other iPod accessory builders out there: replicate the Apple remote, wire and all.
Review
Apple Mac OS X On x86: A First Test
Steve Jobs might not approve, but Apple's latest operating system can be installed on any x86 hardware. How well does it function?
Thursday, November 10, 2005
News
Apple Is A 'Friend' - Adobe CEO
Pieces Fall Into Place For Intel-Apple
With all of the components it needs to offer the machines apparently at its fingertips, Apple should be on track to begin offering its first Intel-based systems as soon as early 2006.
Intel-Powered Mac Mini May Be Close
A financial analyst has got tongues wagging by predicting that the first fruits of Apple's partnership with Intel could be just a few weeks away.
Pixar Sells 125,000 Movies Via iTunes
Apple Tries To Patent 'Tamper-Resistant Software'
Apple, which is in the process of switching to computers based on the omnipresent Intel processor, has filed a patent application describing a method for securing running Mac OS X on specific hardware.
A Chat With The Brains Behind Myst
With the release of Myst V: End of Ages, Cyan Worlds has officially offered the closing chapter of the Myst saga, 13 years after it got started.
Opinion
DRM - Digital Rights Minimization
From this day forward I will never spend another dime on content that I can't use the way I please.
Apple's Growing Army Of Converts
Sure, the iPod has its halo effect. But there are other reasons — disparate and difficult to track — that are encouraging a small-but-measurable migration away from Windows to the Mac.
Imagine It: The Sun, Some Ancient Ruins, You With No Laptop
Increasingly, it's possible to leave a laptop home on some types of trips and rely on a combination of a high-end cellphone and an iPod.
Can Apple Keep Shining?
The frenetic pace of innovation at Apple could present new opportunities, which could trigger an upgrade at a price that's much higher than it is today.
Review
WMP, Begone!
Ah, if only QuickTime understood Windows Media, right?
Sidetrack
Another Reason Why Apple Should Consider Making Computers With Different Colors
So that your husband doesn't accientally take yours to work in the morning. Aaahh.... the trouble with a two-PowerBooks family.
Wednesday, November 9, 2005
News
iPod Marketing Exposed
The chances are that during the next 12 months you or your children or someone in your family will want to purchase an Apple iPod, an iPod accessory or a Mac computer.
Apple To Open Retail Store In Brea, CA On Nov 12th
New Motorola Razr Phone Features iTunes
A new version of Motorola's popular wide-bodied but slim cell phone, the Razr V3i features an "updated and streamlined" design, according to the company.
Networks Consider iTunes To Sell Video
Apple Aims To Protect Rosetta Mark
Apple has applied for a trademark for Rosetta, the translation technology that will act as a bridge as Apple moves to Intel chips beginning next year.
Another QuickTime Flaw Found
Less than three weeks after Apple issued an update to patch four security flaws in its QuickTime media player, a new "critical" problem has been discovered.
Opinion
The Story Of Shufflicious - Making An iPod Case To Sell
This is the story of one man's simple crusade to produce an iPod case that isn't a glorified condom, in the face of adversity from having no idea how to do it, erratic manufacturers and suppliers, and all under the knowledge that ultimately you are at the mercy of Uncle Steve Jobs and his iPod massive.
Tradeoffs In Video Downloads
Several media outlets have compared Comcast $1 fee to the $2 price at iTunes, but practically no one has mentioned that you actually get to keep the videos you download from iTunes.
Gates, Jobs & The Zen Aesthetic
"Visual-Zen Master," Steve Jobs, allows the screen to fade completely empty at appropriate, short moments while he tells his story.
Review
Graphire4: New Tablet Features Revamped Design And Great Software
Care Bears Catch A Star
The games are innocuous fun for small kids, but that's about it.
Sidetrack
Whether you call it AirPort or Wi-Fi, it doesn't really stand for anything. Both are made-up names.
Wintel
Memos Plot A Course At Microsoft
Microsoft must fundamentally alter its business or face a significant competitive disadvantage from a growing array of companies offering internet services, according to memorandums written by two of the company's top executives.
Tuesday, November 8, 2005
News
iPod Class Action Lawsuit Goes International
Lawyers representing users of a class action lawsuit filed in the United States that purchased iPod nanos have now filed suits on behalf of users in the United Kingdom and Mexico.
New iPod Means More TV Time, But Is It Needed?
The first words Sterling resident Leewood Lane, 19, uttered upon viewing Apple's latest iPod model: "I actually think it's better than my own TV at home."
Over 1 Million Winodws To Mac Converts So Far In 2005?
"If we assume that all of the growth in Mac shipments during the past three quarters resulted from Windows users purchasing a Mac, then purchases by Windows users exceeded one million."
NBC Says Safeguards Needed For Wider Programming
NBC Universal is prepared to offer more programming in new media outlets but is not yet assured of the protections against piracy in some venues, the media company's chairman and chief executive said on Monday.
Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Celebrates The Homebrew Computer Club Turning 30
Opinion
The Score So Far: Dad 0, iPod $1,700
Steve Jobs got me spending money I don't have faster than I can count it. And it all started with a 3 1/2-ounce gizmo that is taking over the world.
Mac Takes Bite Out Of Windows
A lot of techies I know, including some former Micro-softies, have switched. Among holdouts, I kept hearing their next computer would be a Mac.
Review
Sprint Nextel Data Service Could Help Traveling Mac Users
iCamShare & ImageTricks Top Photo Booth
Missing Sync For Palm OS 5.0 Modernizes Palm Interaction
PhoneValet Message Center 3.0: New Features Keep Phone-Answering System At The Top Of Its Game
iCorrect Portrait 1.0.1: Fast And Accurate Color Correction Plug-In For Photoshop
DoorStop X 1.0: Software Firewall's Simple Interface Offers Easy Security Customization
Sidetrack
Planning For Your Holiday Destination?
Need to check whether there's an Apple Store nearby? Now, you can, thanks to FreeMacBlog.com who has mapped out each and every store in the States on Google Map.
Wintel
Microsoft's 'Live' Isn't New
Microsoft, with its Live software-as-a-service initiative, is late to the hosted online app game.
Monday, November 7, 2005
News
Higher Education Enters The Age Of iTunes
Apple iPod Takes Usability Prize
Apple's iPod Click Wheel has been selected for a UK usability award.
iPod Copyright Fees On Hold
Buyers of iPods and other portable digital music players with hard-disk drives are getting another reprieve from paying a surcharge for fees on copyrighted music at purchase.
Fashion Evolution Of iPod
It is sort of, well, spooky, how iPod-crazy we have become.
Opinion
83browsers
Eight three Mac browsers!!?? That's a lot more than I'd have guessed.
Sidetrack
Ooooh.... iPod competitors, here's a new market that Apple hasn't dominated. Time to move quickly to become the first-mover in the MP3-players-for-pets space.
:-)
Rumor Today: Intel Laptops To Be Introduced Earlier Than Expected
AppleInsider: Sources familiar with Apple's Macintosh hardware roadmap say the company is striving to unveil a completely redesigned set of Intel iBook laptops just in time for next year's K-12 education buying season, which takes place around April or May.
Sunday, November 6, 2005
News
Opinion
iPod Captioning?
As they say, television is our music, and we're still waiting for our iPod.
Review
Apple's Front Row Comes Closer to Couch-Driven Computing
In front Row, Apple has given us an interface obviously modeled after its category-defining, competition-crushing portable media player. With that lineage, the results ought to be a breakthrough hit. But they're not — at least, not yet.
Saturday, November 5, 2005
News
Market Growing For Refurbished, Used iPods
Consumers are capitalizing on the growing iPod phenomenon by selling their used iPods for cash or as a trade-in toward a new device.
New iPods May Put Shine On Apple
Apple's latest crop of iPod portable media players is finding favor with buyers, as retailers and industry watchers report that both the video-capable iPod and diminutive nano are moving off the shelves at an impressive clip.
Lugz To Apple: 'Cease And Desist'
Lugz footwear said it has sent a cease-and-desist letter to both Apple and its agency over similarities between a commercial, "Arrow," which the company aired in 2002, and a spot with Eminem that launched earlier this month for Apple's iPod and iTunes.
Rivals Say iTunes Is Helping Their Sales
Evolution Of The iPod
Whatever the case may be, the iPod — once used solely for storing music — now has many different functions.
Searching For The Pod Of Gold
As podcasting's popularity grows, companies are seeing dollar signs.
Accessorizing The iPod "With Video"
Thinking of buying the latest iPod? Here's what you can expect on the accessories front.
Walter Murch: Apocalypse Then: A Second Look At The First Gulf War
Leveraging Final Cut Pro's new HD editing capabilities, Murch was able to edit "Jarhead" in DVCPRO HD at 720p, something he was unable to do while editing his last feature, "Cold Mountin," on an earlier version of Final Cut Pro.
Alan Bell: First Love, Final Cut
To ensure that the filmic quality would carry through post-production, Mark Levin hired film editor Alan Bell, who'd suggested that they become the first crew to cut a feature film in HD on Final Cut Pro.
Apple Sounds Alarm Over QuickTime Flaws
Apple late Thursday issued an alert about flaws in its QuickTime media player that could allow a malicious attacker to launch a denial-of-service attack or remote code execution.
Opinion
MacTel Strategy Includes Windows And Linux
Apple's U.S. patent application 0050246554 describes scenarios in which the user would choose a "first operating system" and a "second operating system" from a set that includes Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, and Linux.
Perceived Competition
There are a thousand reasons someone might choose Windows over Macintosh, and .Mac competition is not one of them.
Will Apple Send In The Clones?
Dell Has Its Apple Moment
If Jobs would ever consent to weigh in on the reversal of fortune, I'd love to ask what he'd do to fix Dell. Wonder if he'd say, "Shut it down."
Review
iMac G5s Solid, Despite Front Row Quirks
Home-entertainment features show promise, but have significant rough edges.
Wintel
Mocrosoft's Other OS
Microsofft Research has developed a prototype of a microkernel operating system, code-named: 'Singularity.' Its most surprising feature: It has nothing to do with Windows.
Friday, November 4, 2005
News
Video And The Podcasting Star
A podospheric migration to video has begun, but it's been hardly at the breaknect pace seen in June when Apple released the podcasting-capable iTunes 4.9 software.
Xbox 360 And iPod Interoperability? Sort Of
Microsoft built its iPod connection without the support of the folks at Apple.
Stanford Using iTunes To Take Lectures Global
Stanford is the first university to use iTunes as a tool for the public distribution of content.
Playboy, Penthouse May Make Adult Movies For Apple's Video iPod
Is Apple Moving Away From Its Computer Roots?
Despite restructuring and iPod's role in boosting Apple's fortunes, analysts still see the Mac as an important part of the company's offerings.
Opinion
A Few Things To Say
I'll never be going back to PC.
iPod Video Plugged Into Your TV: Is It Good Enough?
The answer: It is amazingly good.
Review
Swift Publisher 1.0: Inexpensive, Easy-To-Use Application Makes Desktop Publishing A Breeze
While it lacks a certain amount of polish, Swift Publisher is nonetheless an excellent choice for your basic desktop publishing needs.
PowerBook G4s Boost Screen Resolution, Battery Life
The latest imporvements to the PowerBook line are hardly revolutionary, but they're all welcome.
Sidetrack
Is Microsoft's Xbox 360 the real target of Apple's "Made for iPod" tax?
Some of the features may be old wine (in new AJAX) bottle, while other features are still in vaporwave status today, but make no mistake: Microsoft's Windows Live is going to compete with Apple's .Mac service.
Apple, wake up. The competition is here. Time to shape up .Mac.
Thursday, November 3, 2005
News
Apple Promotion Rewards Computer Gear Flaunters
With the launch of Apple's new promotional campaign, students and faculty can win several prizes this month by showing off their Apple gear while on campus.
Another Apple iPod Nano Class Action Starts
Another class action alleging practically identically the same case has been filed.
Apple Hits New High, On Video, PC Expectations
Shares of Apple Wednesday jumped to a record high as investors made bets on growth in its digital music and video businesses, analysts said.
Opinion
TV You'll Want To Pay For
How $2 downloads can revive network television.
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
News
Usenet Search Engine Perps Porn For Video iPod
It may not be quite what Steve Jobs had in mind, but an online search engine called Guba is set to offer vast amounts of pornography and other video files, specifically tailored for Apple's new iPods.
Fans Pop Online To Call The Tunes
The iTunes music store has only been open just over a week but Apple Australia is pleased with the response from local music lovers.
An Apple For The Hi-Tech Teacher
Pupils at an Edinburgh high school are to become the first in Scotland to use the latest must-have gadget, the iPod, in the classroom as part of a gound-breaking project.
Apple's iPod Success Isn't Sweet Music For Record Company Sales
The download numbers suggest that the iPod's iconic success isn't translating into new music sales the way the evolution from vinyl albums to cassettes and then CDs did.
The House That iPod Built
High-end audio makers are scrambling to deliver gear that lets your iPod bring music into every room.
Apple To Sell 37 Million iPods This Year?
Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster today maintained an "outperform" rating and a $60 price target on Apple, and believes that the company will sell over 37 million iPods by the end of calendar year.
Opinion
Microsoft Media Center Vs Apple FrontRow
Microsoft should have seeded the market with a simpler product. They could have convinced a lot of people to start using their platform, because it was a virgin market they could have simply owned. Microsoft in my opinion, overreached.
Apple: Not A DRM Monopoly Yet, But Behavior Is Monopolistic
By not licensing its technologies to other companies, Apple is disallowing the playback of iTunes purchased music — now the most popular channel for a la carte digital song purchasing — through its competitors' gear. The practice is a classic monopolistic tactic that can result in restraint of trade and foreclosure in competition.
How The Other Half Lives
I'd like to take a couple of moments to reflect on my reflections — some of the lesons I learned when I unplugged from the computer and lived the life of a not-so-handy man.
Review
Sidetrack
Independent: In Britain the BBC is planning a... service by making most of its programming available on platforms like the video iPod for seven days after it has been broadcast.
The price: free. The catch? It's probably going to be limited to UK residents only.
Can You Perform Under Pressure?
As discoverd by Trash Talk, you do have to watch out for the ladies when visiting a certain loo...
Wintel
Gates: We're Entering 'Live Era' Of Software
Kicking off what he called the "live era" of software, Bill Gates said on Tuesday that Micrsoft plans to launch new internet-based complements to its core products of Windows and Office.
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
News
Writer Told To Take This Jobs And Shove It
On Friday, Steve Jobs lashed out at author Fredric Alan Maxwell after he sent Jobs a 4,000-word article he wrote for Fast Company magazine about the untold story of Jobs' biological father. "Are you a nut case?" Jobs demanded.
Usability At The Core Of iPod Emotion
When products are not differentiated primarily by features and prices are already competitive, factors such as ease-of-use and emotional response can provide a real edge.
iPods Users Hit Snags With Hookup To Cars
iPod owners have trouble using their trendy music players in their cars, according to an unscientific survey released last week.
Dressing Up As The iPod Lineup
Halloween iDog
Even dogs dress up as iPods on Halloween.
Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.4.3
Among the changes in the update are improvements to Safari, Mail, iChat, and Apple's desktop searching tool, Spotlight.
iTunes Store Counts 1 Million Video Downloads
Apple said on Monday that it has sold more than 1 million videos in the 19 days since it launched its video iPod and started selling TV shows, short films and a wider assortment of music videos.
Opinion
I Want My Video iPod
Apple hasn't yet said how many of the new players it has sold since the units started shipping Oct 17, but clues are mounting that there simply aren't enough around. It's taking Apple between five and seven business days to fill online orders for the video iPod, according to the company's web site.
Why It Makes Sense For Apple To Build A Smart Phone
Address Book, iCal, iTunes, iPhoto, heck, even Mail and Safari. Those are the reasons why.
Review
Encyclopedia Software: World Book And Britannica Prove That Even The Internet Can't Beat A Good Encyclopedia
We were extremely impressed by World Book 2006's easy-to-use interface, as well as its in-depth search functions.
Take Automator For A Trial Run
Think Auomator seems cool, but don't know where to get started? Here are five useful workflows you can try right now.
Sidetrack
Chris Pirillo has assembled an army of cats and dogs to clean your screen.
