Saturday, December 31, 2005
News
iPod Leads The Way For 21st Century Media
Who would have thought Apple would surpass Microsoft and Sony in this market?
Family Finds Raw Meat Instead Of iPod Inside Sealed Box
An investigation found that a former Wal-Mart employee apparently tampered with a shipment of iPods and put the meat into several packages.
Honor Goes To Apple Gadget Guru
Jonathan Ive, the man behind Apple's iconic iPod and imac, has become a CBE in the New Year Honours list.
Opinion
Make It A Bud
This time Apple's iPod earbud headphones play fall guy.
An Old-School Music Collector, At Long Last, Sings Paean To iPod
I love my iPod. Oh, how I love it.
Review
Make Your Own Mac Media Center
Griffin Technology iTrip FM Transmitter For iPod Nano
In so many ways, its physical design makes practical sense for nano users, and its tuning system is both highly readable and generally very easy to use.
Sidetrack
Do you listen to podcasts during your train commute every morning and evening, standing there inside the train, holding on to the handle bar, and try not to fall?
Or is this how you listen to podcast, in pure luxury?
Friday, December 30, 2005
News
Where Are They Biting? Check Your iPod
Add iPods to the list of equipment Minnesota anglers will be taking out on the ice this winter.
iPod Provides Apple With A Record-Breaking Run
Maine Ponders Apple Deal Extension
Where Did That AirPort Card Go, Anyway?
The single biggest complaint I hear from Apple users that have Mac models introduced after 1999 and before 2003 is that Apple canceled production of the AIrPort Card.
Review
Sidetrack
Yes Sir, We Do Indeed Have Too Much Time (While We Wait For You To Unveil Whatever You Are Unveiling At Macworld Expo)
So we create a bunch of movie posters featuring Steve Jobs.
:-)
Taking A Break From All That Podcasting
It's that time of the year, where people goes on holiday and radios go into rerun mode and podcasts, well, there aren't that many podcasts to listen to.
So, this past week, I've been listening to audiobooks — specifically, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. (It's free.) And I've learnt something new: the word "actionable" is not a modern-business creation.
Wintel
Bill Gates' Predictions About Speech Recognition: A Historical Review
"Bullshit is unavoidable whenever circumstances require someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about."
Intel Unveils New Logo In Brand Overhaul
Intel said Thursday that it would scrap its 37-year-old logo as part of a major rebranding that will emphasize the chipmaker's shift away from its core PC business into consumer products.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
News
iPod Replaced With Meat
Rachel Cambra claims that when her son opened his Apple iPod for Christmas, the device was nowhere to be found. Instead, she claims, the device was replaced by some kind of mystery meat.
The iPod Is Playing Hard To Get In Ulster
One of the seasonal must-haves - the iPod - continues to be virtually unavailable in Northern Ireland, retailers said today.
Some Nightspots Catch iPod Wave
This trend is a reflection of just how popular portable music has become and how sharing it with others is becoming easier than ever.
iPod 'Oblivion' May Increase Crime Risk
Police say they've noticed thieves targeting people who aren't paying attention because they're lost in the music.
Mac Users And The Macs They Use
I recently contacted a bunch of Mac professionals — journalists and developers — to ask them straight out: what Mac do you use? And what do you like about it? Here's what happened.
Music Downloads Up 50% As iTunes Dominates
Dressing Up Your iPod To Suit Your Personality
Within the rich ecosystem of iPod gizmos, the flora and fauna take exotic forms: glowing pink fish from Japan, scratchproof skin from Germany and snowball puffs of mohair from the United States that transform sleek gadgets into instant cuddle buddies.
Opinion
iTunes Podcasting Support Leaves Me Wanting
Rejoice, Mac Heads, And Stay Tuned
This will be remembered as the year when Apple got the respect — and the stock price — it deserves. For 2006, bring on those Intel chips.
Spotlight: Is Your Mac Going To Rat On You?
The management of metadaa, who owns it and who controls it, is an area rife with serious security concerns.
[Tech] Winners And Losers 2005
During a year in which Apple revealed that every single Mac being sold through the end of 2005 was essentially obsolete, the company actually saw increased Mac sales, not lowered sales as one might rightly expect. That's not just unusual, it's incredible.
Sidetrack
Time is ripe, more than ever, for Apple to start a global iTunes Music Store for the rest of the world. Podcasts, podsafe music, audio tours — gosh, the available content is limitless.
(Oh, and I know this will eat into your lock-in effect for iPods, but how about allowing publishers to choose whether they want to turn off your FairPlay DRM for the stuff they publish?)
A boy can dream, can't he?
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
News
iPod Link Tunes In For Churches
iPods Dominate Amazon.com's Electronics Section
Apple's Long-Lasting Shine
Even after a three-year run that has sent Apple shares heavenward, some bulls believe the company — and its stock — can only climb higher in 2006.
Isle Of Man Schools Embrace The Mac
Every primary school on the Isle of Man uses Apple technology to help the children learn more effectively and develop skills for life.
iTunes To Offer Fee-Based Podcasts In 2006
It appears Apple will begin offering subscription fee-based podcasts through iTunes in early 2006.
Opinion
Is The iPod Our Way Of Tuning Out The World?
The other day, I had a near catastrophic experience: My iPod wouldn't charge.
More DRM Madness
The only way I see to sovle the DRM problem is for enough of us to vote with our pocketbooks. That's what I'm doing.
Review
Mac Tis For Former Windows Users
In The iPod Zone
Your guide to the core features of Apple's hottest player.
Sidetrack
According to the Inquirer, Intel is dropping its "Intel Inside" marketing tag line, and is moving on to a new campaign this January. Just in time, if you believe the rumors, for Apple's Intel Mac.
I didn't know that Apple has such a big influence on the technology world. :-)
Rumor Today: Intel Mac In First Quarter
EMSNow: [Apple] will help increasing the total production of first quarter next year for both companies [Quanta and Asustek].
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
News
Shop 'Til They Lock
Post-Christmas sales are a must for bargain hunters, but this year brings a new incentive to stock up on electronics: 2005 might be the last good year to get gizmos that aren't locked down.
Louisianians Jump Into iPod Lawsuit
Emily Mayo of Baton Rouge is taking one of the world's biggest computer makers to court — over some scratches.
Beyond Prono: Free iPod Content
Wired News has your back with a roundup of some of the best free iPod content on the net.
Shake Rocks Ape: Compositing "King Kong"
Weta Digital used Shake as its primary compositing tool on "King Kong."
Opinion
Why Your Music Collections Will Bite The DRM Dust
How To Become An Independent Programmer In Just 1068 Days
Just plan, set realistic goals, meet those goals, diversify, save up, add four cups of patience, and have fun. And most importantly — work your ass off.
Monday, December 26, 2005
News
Opinion
Sunday, December 25, 2005
News
Opinion
Cursing, And Lighting Candles
Never was a humble footnote happier than I am to be attached to the record of a cultural revolution — and in my case, to the "word of the year," which turns out to be: podcast.
Review
Portable Video, Just Not Always Convenient
Why is it that importing video to portable devices is not nearly as easy and effortless as putting music or video games on them?
Saturday, December 24, 2005
News
iPod Overseas Report: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
As iPods Proliferate, An All-Online Music Industry Is Born
Pricing Of Downloaded Songs Prompts Antitrust Subpoenas
Tne New York attorney general is investigating whether the four record companies that dominate the industry have violated antitrust laws in the pricing of songs that are sold by internet music services, according to people involved in the inquiry.
Shoppers Still Find iPods In Short Supply
Mac Mini: Not Just For Your Desk
Apple had its own vision for the Mac mini, but many adventurous users have taken the diminutive powerhouse far beyond what Apple had in mind.
Macs And iPods Sell well This Christmas
Resellers across the US are expecting to sell more iPods and Macs this Christmas than they did last year, according to analysts at Piper Jaffray.
Opinion
Should Apple Port The iLife Suite?
The Cult Of Mac
Mac people, listen up: Don't blame the customer when something Apple does screws up.
Review
My (New) Mate, TextMate
TextMate offers everything I like in BBEdit and plenty more.
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: Mysterious New Desktop Machine Coming?
Jared Schmidt: I noticed something in the top global navigation bar... a grey box that is just about the correct size for a slice of a new system, equal in size to the Mac mini and iMac slices...
Hmmm... Or maybe it was the eMac that was removed?
In my opinion, the key to being happy in using iTunes/iPod is not to think of the underlying file system. Throw away whatever you've learnt about the Finder and the file system and directories and file names and such. If you do so, you'd end up like Dave Winer, not being happy because of the additional "layer on top of the filesystem."
Instead, think of iTunes as a database. You don't go poke around inside an Oracle or MySQL or Frontier database to see the bits and bytes; so you don't go inside the iTunes library folder to see the individual files and such.
Manage your iTunes library with iTunes. (Or if you are adventurous, write your own Applescripts or ActiveX container.) Embrace ID3 tags. Embrace playlists and smart playlists.
Then you will be happy.
:-)
1. Never ever expect IE to exhibit predictable behavior.
2. When you bundle your umbrella back up after it's been drying overnight, you might want to open it up and peek in real quick or you just might be carrying around a live tree frog for most of a day.
This Christmas, remember to bring along a burning yule log home.
Friday, December 23, 2005
News
Once Bitten, Twice Apple Shy
There'll undoubtedly be many children and adults who derive joy from Apple products this Christmas. But for Kevin Acres, who runs an online delivery service from the Melbourne suburb of Research, the feeling he is left with over this holiday season is one of despair.
Opinion
Apple's Zealots Slice Into My Palm Buy Plan
Palm is cheap — really cheap. At current prices, Apple could buy it with around 2 percent of its stock, and instantly add nearly 10 percent to its own sales.
Review
Wintel
Microsoft Is Losing Some Of Its Elbow Room
Windows is still the brains of nearly every PC, and Microsoft remains one of the most profitable, powerful and storied companies ever created. But the shadow cast by the colossus of Redmond, Wash., is looking less imposing today.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
News
2005: Year Of iPod In Japan
iPods had a roughly 60 percent share of Japan's portable digital music-player market, leaving arch-rival Sony well behind at just under 10 percent of the market.
The Next Big Intel Thing
The annual Macintosh love-in, where cult meets commerce, looms again in the foggy city of San Francisco.
Apple Launches Blog And Podcast Server
Rumors Fly On Upcoming Apple gadgets
Trying to predict what must-have gadget Apple is going to release next? Might as well break out the tea leaves.
500 Days At The Helm: The Rise And Fall Of Gil Amelio
Automakers Embrace The iPod
Automakers are expected to ride the popularity of the iPod and add support for Apple's portable music player in millions of cars over the next six years.
Beware Of Strange iTunes/QuickTime Movies
A heap overflow vulnerability in Apple's iTunes and QuickTime media player could put millions of PC and Mac users at risk of malicious hacker attacks, security experts warned Wednesday.
Opinion
Norton Anti-Virus Makes Mac OS X Less Secure?
Apple Macintosh users could be making themselves less secure by installing Symantec's flagship anti-virus application.
The Broken Leg Of The Stool
It's broken because it's nearly impossible for the consumer to take control of their consumer electronics experience and it's broken because it's almost impossible for an entrepreneur to innovate in this sector.
The Sad State Of Services
From my seat, the Services menu is one of the most bloated, least-usd, and most overrated features in OS X. So what went wrong, between the promise and the delivery? And what can be done to save the Services menu?
Can Apple-Intel Live Up To Pre-Macworld Hype?
Apple is known to drive a hard bargain with its partners, and Intel has a reputation for being one of the nastier suppliers to work with at times in its history. One has to wonder if this is the start of a beautiful friendship, or the beginning of many years of head butting.
The Year Of The Switch
2005 stood out as a time when far more than just the iPod got shuffled. Scared cows were tipped as companies embraced major technological and sometimes philosophical switches in order to court new markets or move in new directions.
Review
Sidetrack
This Is The Part I Like About The Year In Review
The Guardian: April: Adobe buys rival Macromedia for $3.4bn. The sale completes in December; it would have been faster if the lawyers had skipped the Flash Intro.
As reported by Dan Froomkin: "When [Dick] Cheney said his iPod needed to be recharged, it took precedence above all else and dominated one precious outlet for several hours."
Looks like nobody remember to bring along one of those multi-outlet power strip...
For those who hate going to the mall to do shopping and having to listen to all those Christmas music, have a pity on poor me. After one month of Christmas music, we have another month of Chinese New Year music.
Gongxi, Gongxi, Gongxi, Ni.
Wintel
Microsoft May Face Daily EU Fine
The European Commission has threatened to fine Microsoft up to 2m euros a day until it gives rivals more access to its operating system.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
News
Apple, Intel Cooking Up PC/TV Connection Standard
Apple and Intel are spearheading work to develop a new standard to get video from computers to HD televisions and PC displays.
NeXT Fans Give Up The Ghost
Among the many milestones in the tech world this last year, one occurred almost without notice. The Bay Area NeXT Group, an important user group formed 15 years ago around Steve Jobs' second great computer design, slipped into history in 2005, even as the technology that sparked it reached millions of users under a new name: OS X.
Stores Have Designs On Your Cash
Retailers are rearranging their showroom to make you more likely to buy than move on.
Mac Veteran To lead Macworld Events
Macworld Expo organiser IDG World Expo has appointed Mac industry veteran Paul Kent as new vice president.
Strategist Likes Apple, Corning
Apple is the next Starbucks, said Pip Coburn. Like the specialty coffee purveyor, Apple is discovering that the sky's the limit to the number of retail outlets it can successfully open.
iTunes Makes Apple Traffic Sing
Music fans flooding iTunes last month helped outpace Google and Amazon as the fastest-growing web site among the top 10 best-known online brands, according to a report released Tuesday.
Opinion
Why Developing Scientific Apps For The Mac Is A Dead End Street
There simply isn't the market for the big boys, and most scientists have better things to do with their time than writing help pages and answering questions.
Where Are The Killer Scientific Apps For OS X?
That Intel Inside Thing
If Apple can engrave "Assembled in Cina" in 4 points font on the back of an iPod, why couldn't they, if they wanted to , engrave "Intel Inside" on the tough casing of a PowerBook? It would be the ultimate weapon, the one logo you cannot remove, peel away, scratch and yet, it would get plenty of press coverage.
Review
Is It Wrong, Doctor?
Path Finder is slowly convincing and spoiling me.
iTunes And The 7-Burn Limit
You may be wondering what needs to be modified in a playlist in order for you to burn seven additional copies...
Sidetrack
I definitely may not fully understand the motivation of the New York transit union to go on strike, but it definitely sucks to be alienating your long-time customers.
Actually, why go on strike? Since you are going to break the law anyway, go back to work, operate those trains and buses, but don't collect any fares. You'll still hurt your employer, but your customers are going to be really happy.
Will The Reality Distortion Field Finally Run Out Of Juice?
Kevin Maney: Sometime in 2006, Steve Jobs will probably get hosed. That's not so much a prediction as it is playing the odds. Nobody in America gets such a long ride onthe oh-we-sooooo-adore-you bandwagon. Well, except maybe Jennifer Aniston.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
News
HP To Drop iTunes In PCs In 2006?
HP is preparing to reengage in the digital music market, following the termination of its exclusive deal with Apple to distribute HP-branded iPods.
Apple Bigwig Makes $33 Million
It looks like it has been a good year for Apple's chief software technology officer, Avadis Tevanian. He has just pocketed more than $33 million by twice exercising options to buy and then flog 300,000 shares of Apple stock.
Students Plug Into iLectures
There's no such thing as a missed lecture for University of Michigan dentistry students, who are transforming their personal iPods into the latest college learning tool.
The Info-Mac Network Retires
To all godo things there must come an end, and it is with some sadness that I officially retire the Info-Mac Network.
iPod Overseas Report: Singapore
Eh? iPod Earbuds Can Cause Hearing Loss
Earbud headphones, the type that rest inside the ear, can lead to permanent damage after just an hour of high-volume music in the 110- to 120-decibel range, equivalent to the noise level of a concert.
Opinion
End Of An Era: Mac Internet Explorer
Four years of my life were dedicated to this product and others based on it. Those four years in the Macintosh Business Unit at Microsoft were incredible, and I learned many important lessons and made some great lifelong friends.
Don't Ask Me No Questions
More and more I'm getting the feeling that whoever is writing technical docs for Apple either doesn't think anyone is watching, is bored and amusing themselves in the outlet they have, or just knows I'm reading them.
Taken To A New Place, By A TV In The Palm
Much was made of how silly it was for Apple to believe people would watch television on a 2.5-inch screen. But consumers have downloaded three million video programs from iTunes since the new video iPod became available in October. What gives?
The Reasons Why Apple Is Better
The thing that makes Apple better is not the design, OS, or a mouse button less, it is not playing the same rules that govern PCs. It is more a willingness to do the right thing, not the cheap thing. Because Apple doesn't play, it wins, and that really is the better way.
The End Of Explorer
So the model for browser development shapes like this; Either pick a platform and stick with it or embrace open-source.
Review
Sidetrack
Linda Levine:At Loehmann's, a young child was acting up, to the dismay of her mother, who could not quiet her down. Finally, the mother took out her cellphone and "made a call." "Yes, Santa, I'll tell her what you said." That did the trick.
Wintel
Microsoft Eats iPods?
Just as Apple managed to use the halo effect of iPod's success to win back market share in its once-fading personal computer business, the rumored scuttlebutt indicates that Microsoft is hoping for a halo effect with its Xbox 360 to enter other consumer electronics markets.
Monday, December 19, 2005
News
New Media WIl Get Emmy Of Their Own
Daytime awards adds a category for podcasts, video blogs, even original content created for cellphones.
Apple Will Rule The Notebook Roost: Study
Among all brand-name notebook-computer makers, Apple is set to take center stage next year, mainly bolstered by its new light-weight models as well ashte iPod effect, a recent study found.
DJs Change Their Tune On Computers
Built with the consumer in mind, iPods lack the sophisticated cuing, beat-matching and mixing functions that are standard on DJ gear. But their portability and tie-ins with online music stores have captured the imagination of many devotees who see the potential for the gadget to be a DJ tool.
End Near For Mac Version Of IE
Microsoft will cease support for the Mac version of Internet Explorer from December 31 and stop development of the program, the company says on its website. No further security or enhancement updates will be provided.
Apple Finds New Digs
Apple net-leased the entire 30,000-foot five-story building opposite the Empire State Building.
Opinion
The Story Of The Lost Finder
The Finder as it is has to appeal to the geekiest of users as well as to the least advanced, which gives it an impossible task, the one to please everyone. In that, it is necessarily stuck in a middle point that remains very hard to navigate.
Apple Shoud Plant A Palm In Its Garden
There's one easy step Jobs could take right now that would take advantage of his saring share price to open up whole new fields of growth. Buy Palm.
Review
Sidetrack
Rights And Responsibility Of An Internet Citizen
Phil Jones: I'm inclined to think that people who complain about wikipedia but don't correct the mistakes they find are a bit like people who complain about government but don't vote. Wikipedia gives you rights and responsibilities. The two go together.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
News
Age Of The iPod
Why one computer giant can claim, "iCame, iSaw, iConquered."
Copyright System Hinders iPod's Impact In Japan
With its portable digital music and video player iPod an explosive hit in the United States, Apple now takes aim at Japan. But selling the product here may not be as easy as the company expects since Japan's complicated copyright system looms large.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
News
Apple.com: 1GB iPod Shuffle 'Unavailable, Sold Out For Holiday, Expected Availability Mid-January'
Music School To Begin Using PowerBooks
Oklahoma City Unversity has become an Apple Digital Campus, embracing the Windows computing alternative with a pilot program in its Wanda L. Bass School of Music.
How Much Money Lies In Downloads?
Nielsen Entertainment Research reports that music labels keep about 34 cents from each 99-cent music track sold through a-la-carte music services.
Analyst Raises AAPL Target To $90
Morgan Stanley Predicts Apple Mobile Phone
David Phipps: PowerBook As Live Instrument
"Right now, everyone on the stage except the drummer has a PowerBook. They have really become live instruments for us, a way to do new things and improvise in ways we never thought possible before."
Kevin Rhoades & Digital Arts: Capturing Bluephoria
"The beauty of Final Cut Pro is that, as you're editing, you're looking at 12 HD clips running simultaneously and you're editing live, physically, in HD."
Belkin Says iPod Accessory Lawsuit 'Has No Merit'
Netalog claims that Belkin is infringing Netalog's patent for an "FM transmitter and power supply/charging assembly for MP3 player."
Technology Strikes A Chord In Music Education
Electronic music software allows teachers to take music education to a whole new level of interactivity. These programs are opening new possibilities for music educators and transforming music education at all levels of schooling, making instruction more hands-on and targeted to individual students' needs.
Some PowerBook Customers Unhappy With New Screen
Some Apple users are complaining that, although the new 15-inch PowerBook packs in more pixels, the screen also displays unwanted horizontal lines.
Opinion
Will Apple Push "Intel Inside"?
It sure is hard to image Apple putting the chipmaker's ubiquitous logo on their gleaming machines — or in their ads.
If Apple Buys Adobe, Is The Operating System Market Up For Grabs?
Review
A Look At Keychair Access (And Why You Should Care)
All About Broadband Tuner
Let's make one thing clear about Broadband Tuner 1.0, the uitility released by Apple in late November: it's for people with broad band connections.
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: Apple Axes 'iRingTones' Project
The Register: Apple has canned a software project that would have seen Apple move into the ringtone retail business in direct confrontation with cellular carriers.
Friday, December 16, 2005
News
Apple Developing New iPod Applications For Windows?
Apple is shopping for software developers that can help it build "new complex" iPod applications for the Windows operating system, according to recent company job posting.
Bush's iPod Muddle
"I get the shuffle and then I shuffle the shuffle."
Publisher Apologizes To Online Lyrics Tool
Warner/Chappell chairman Richard Blackstone and Jane Dyball, who handles European legal affairs for the company, privately and publically apologized to Walter Ritter, the 31-year-old Austrian programmer behind PearLyrics.
Apple Juggernaut Shows No Sin Of Waning
With its best-selling iPods and landmark licensing deals with music and television moguls propelling new ways of consuming digital media, Apple now is the pacesetter.
NBC Will Add More Shows To iTunes US
HBO Interested In iPod Programming
Where iPods Meet Sock Hops
If you're an iPod accessory collector who's beyond chargers and speakers, but not quite ready for an iPod BMW, you might consider Wurlitzer's Bubbler CD jukebox, now available with an iPod dock.
Opinion
iTunes Podcast Directory Being Mainatined By Third Grader!
The Bane Of File Sharing
Sharing files is a laudable goal but who on eart really use File Sharing for good?
Review
Mini Madness
With sellers asking nearly $600 for a 4GB iPod mini, has Apple abandoned the colorful alumninized player too soon? I compare the mini and nano to find out.
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: I Tell 'Ya, No Intel Mac At Macworld Expo SF
TechWB: Apple says not to expect Intel at Macworld; in fact, don't expect any new computer hardware.
For reasons unknown to me, I suddenly wanted to get my hands on Myst again. Gotta go search for that CD-ROM in my "big" cupboard... and I do wonder if the game still works in Mac OS X classic mode.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
News
Apple Gives Analysts Vertigo
Shares of Apple have hit one new all-time high after another this year, and on Wednesday, two analysts said enough's enough.
Will Intel's Napa Chip Run Apple Laptop?
Intel announced Tuesday that its new line of chips will be builtinto mroe than 230 new laptop comptuers coming in 2006, making them much better at running music, movies and other digital media. But it wouldn't say a word about whether that includes the laptop creating the most buzz, expected from its new marquee customer: Apple Computer.
Opinion
Trademarks, Not Patents: The Real Competitive Advantage Of The Apple iPod
Unlike the design and utility patents, the trademark registration could last indefinitely if properly used. This represents sustainability of the busienss model variety and, as such, secures the real competitive advantage of Apple's iPod.
Review
Wintel
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
News
Bringing Prime Time To Video iPod
In stepped little Proxure, with its $30 MyTV ToGo utility. It takes shows recorded by Microsoft's Windows Media Center software on a PC, converts them and transfers them into a special playlist on the iPod.
Apple Dips On Analyst Downgrade
Advertisers Tune In New Video Platforms
When Apple unveiled its video download partnership with broadcaster ABC, media advertisers began scrambling for answers about how to shape their marketing strategies to address new distribution models.
Apple Still In A 'Long Term Uptrend'
Sidetrack
Singapore Government Bans iPod In Gyms
Apparently, Singapore Sports Council bans MP3 players in gyms, as reported by Caprice Ng.
"When probed for further explanation on the safety hazards posed when tuning in to my MP3 player, the employee replied that: I might have my arm or neck entangled in the earphone cord; and I might not be able to react in a fire as my hearing would be impaired."
I guess they don't allow people with poor hearing in gyms too, eh?
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
News
Music Downloads Stall As Apple Counts On Vouchers As Revnues Ticket
Apple is hoping that 'off the charts' sales of iTunes Music Store vouchers will rejuvenate digital music sales after Nielsen SoundScan reported a fall in average weekly downloads.
iPod Dominates US Search Terms
iPods will be under Christmas trees worldwide this season, new web statistics suggest.
Apple iPod: The New Public Access?
While Apple seems focused on making mainstream "repurposed" broadcast network programming its focus, it's the independent producers who really seem keen on the idea of taking advantage of the platform.
What We Learned From 'Cost Plus 5 Percent'
It turns out that CompUSA apparently makes a pittance on Apple (and other) hardware.
Accessories For iPod: To The Tune Of $300m
The iPod accessories market has become a powerhouse in its own right, to the tune of more than $300 million annually.
Steve Jobs Gets BusinessWeek Cover — Again
Yet Another MP3 Player Bites The Dust
Thomson is to sell the last of its consumer electronics assets by June 2006, in order to focus on providing media industry services.
RIP, iPod Mini? No Way, Fans Say
Even though Apple discontinued the iPod mini in September and replaced it with the nano, some consumers have been reluctant to take the mini off their gift lists — and they're willing to pay top dollar to nab one.
Opinion
Apple's Next Move
If Steve Jobs can make the iPod an entertainment hub, Apple will be the company to beat, a feat it could never accomplish with personal computers.
Apple May be Holding Back The Music Biz
Learning To Live With Thunderbird
Mail's continui9ng inabiility to work fast was just annoying; but last week, when it decided to stop displayin threaded messages in a logical manner, I lost my temper very quickly.
Review
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: Here Comes The Intel Chime
AppleInsider: Sources say prototypes of the first Intel Macs currently sport an unfamiliar boot chime, suggesting that Apple is at least toying with the idea making the change.
Maybe, just maybe, the chime will include a watermark to trace who leaked the Intel Mac OS? :-)
Rumor Today: AppleXnet's Early Look At MWSF Floor Plan
AppleXnet: We've been sitting on this PDF we "found" for a little while now...
Monday, December 12, 2005
News
The Advent Of iPod U
It appears a brave, new world is in the offing for academia, one of courses-on-demand and poorly understood ramifications.
Opinion
What's With Apple Powerbook G4's CD Drive?
We spend a handsome $3000 and not even a week has passed we faced problems with the product. When we try taking the problem to the customer support, the kind of support we received was apalling.
A Word About Encoding Music And iTunes...
Buying An iPod Is Just The Beginning...
Many parents intending to buy their children an Apple iPod this Christmas will do so in the mistaken belief that it will be a one-off investment.
Review
Sunday, December 11, 2005
News
'iPod Effect' Dominates Wish Lists
The No. 1 holiday tech wish is for an MP3 music player (read: iPod), says the Consumer Electronics Association.
Opinion
Lock And Load
Apple's rumored storage locker strategy would allow us to look but not touch.
When Is An "iPatch" Not An Apple Gadget
My last Windows computer was a Dell laptop that I liked. But I love my Mac.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
News
Apple Starting To Shine For Intel
The possible emergence of a hot new market segment next year — such as Intel-powered Apple computers with mass-market appeal — would provide a much-needed growth outlet.
Jeremy Harty & Barrie Dunn: The Making Of "Trailer Park Boys"
"With Apple, there's a seamless integration of hardware and software. We've never had a moment where we've been down and lost, you know, four days worth of work."
Ooligan Press: Where The Students Run The Show
"The Mac is critical to our workflow, because in the publishing industry — whether you're dealling with authors, designers, printers or whoever — the expectation is that you'll deliver the product from your Mac platform to their Mac platform."
Opinion
Apple: It's Never Too Late
From Apple's perspective Sun offers a trap free environment with a hot processor strategy, access to big data center accounts, the best operating system around, and thousands of enthusiastic developers salivating at the thought of getting their stuff on Mac OS X.
Review
New Palm TX Forced Me To Address Mac Sync Options
For Mac users, the Palm platform is no longer as simple as it used to be.
Sidetrack
Colin Campbell: Microsoft says Xbox 360 shortages are strictly down to a shortage of chips.
Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod Pod
The first guy to write a headline with the words "iPod" and "You Pod" and "Everybody Pod Pod"? Cute.
The nth guy who does that? Not so cute.
Friday, December 9, 2005
News
Rumor Of The Week: Wireless iPods In 2006
Apple iPod supplier PortalPlayer plans to acquire a small private wireless-technology firm and has already said it is deldicating 2006 to building wireless capabilities.
Steve Jobs Controls The Universe
Jobs is wooing you anew. It's the same thing he's been doing for years, only this time the stakes are higher, the technology is more sophisticated and the partnerships are all the more critical. We're talking about the digital home, yes, but more importantly, we're talking about who owns the consumer. And right now, Apple's in an enviable spot.
Opinion
FireWire Not Dead, But It's On Life Support
A little birdy told me that the new Intel PowerBooks will lose FireWire 400 completely and retain only one FireWire 800 port as a concession to video professionals.
Sidetrack
Rumor Today: Google Earth Coming To OS X
AppleInsider: A pre-release version of Google Earth for Mac OS X that uses OpenGL rendering reportedly began making the rounds overseas.
Thursday, December 8, 2005
News
Podcasts Starting To Lure Advertisers
When Hi-Fi Meets The iPod
An unlikely confrontation is taking shape, where the seemingly unstoppable iPod is meeting with an immovable object — the audiophile's love of good old-fashioned vinyl.
Apple Laptop Demand Slows, iPod Backlog Rises
Apple's US distribution partners are reporting ample supply of both the iBook G4 and PowerBook G4, and are requesting very few new orders as consumers may be prolonging their purchases in anticipation of Intel-based models early next year.
Opinion
Why Isn't There A Decent Mac Blog Editor?
If there's one thing I would love to find — something which doesn't seem to exist — is a decent Mac OS X blog editing program.
Just Let Us Play The Movie
The entertainment industry has a great opportunity for new markets, and the PC and consumer-electronics industries have an opening for new products. But realizing this potential will require all of them to show some respect for their customers.
Mac Mini Software Challenge, Revisited
I had bumped up hard against the edges of my software's capabilities.
Review
All I Don't Want For Chirstmas Is... Another iPod
The computer industry's favorite word is "upgrade," and Apple yells it from the mountaintop.
Sidetrack
My Theory On Why Apple Will Never Have Music Subscription Service
This is my theory on why Apple will never have music subscription services on the iTunes Music Store.
Firstly, a reminder: iTunes Music Store exists to sell iPods. And to make sure customers continue to buy iPods when they upgrade.
If you've purchased $1,000 worth of tunes from iTMS, you'd need an iPod to listen to those tunes. When it's time to upgrade, you'll hesitate in buying a Zen player, because you'll lose your $1,000 worth of tunes. (Either that, or you'll need to spend x hours burning CDs, and another y hours to rip the same CDs.)
Now imagine that your chief music investment is the many months of paying $19.95 subscription fee to listen to music. When it come time to upgrade, you''ll not hestiate to jump ship, because you know there are other $19.95 deals out there that will work with the Zen player. And because you know that you will need to continue to pay that $19.95 monthly subscription anyway, whether you stick with Apple or jump to Creative.
There is no need to preserve your investment, because there is nothing to preserve. You stop paying the subscription fee, and your music goes 'poof' anyway. Bought a player from another company? No problem, just subscribe to another music store that is compatible to the new player.
In other words, purchased music breeds loyalty, whereas subscription services do not. And since Apple is chiefly selling iPods and not tunes, loyalty is what matters.
Hence, in my opinion, you'll see hell freezes over before Apple pushes for subscription service. :-)
(Well, hell did freezed over at Cupertino before, so I will not be really surprised if hell freezes again. One possible scenario is for Apple to have a subscription service that pushes customers to purchase music. Hey, what do you know, Apple just happens to have a free podcast called iTunes New Music Tuesday...)
I should have expected this: Real's Rhapsody.com service is only for U.S. IP addresses only.
Podcasts remain my sole source for listening to new music. Thank you, Dave and Adam and all.
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
News
iPod Jacking: A True Love Story
iPod jacking is when two strangers swap headphone jacks to sample each other's music.
iPod Museum
The coolest thing about the San Jose Museum of Art's new exhibition had nothing to do with the art. It had everything to do with the iPod.
iPods Increasingly Incorporated In College Classrooms
Apple's Video iPod Seen Lifting 1Q Profit
Apple shares rose in permarket activity Tuesday after a Wall Street analyst said the technology giant should cash in during the holiday season as it peddles video iPods to consumers.
Apple To Open Sheffield This Saturday
Apple has confirmed it will open its latest UK Applestore this weekend, in Sheffield's Meadowhall Centre.
No MW Debut For Intel Macs?
DigiTimes reports "sources" in Taiwan who say the new Intel-powered Macs will debut as iBook, iMacs and Mac minis — but not until June 6.
Podcast Is 2005 Word Of The Year
The word was chosen by New Oxford American Dictionary based on its phenomenal rapid growth in 2005, which saw it grow from relative obscurity to one of the hottest trends in media.
Opinion
Buy, Play, Trade, Repeat
This technoogical disaster aside, Sony BMG and the other major labels need to face reality: copy-protection software is bad for everyone, consumers, musicians and labels alike. It's much better to have copies of albums on lots of iPods, even if only half of them have been paid for, than to have a few CD's sitting on a shelf and not being played.
iTunes Gets More TV
The lesson here is this: Start with some popular content and prove the business model. Once the money starts flowing, the rest of the content will follow.
The Highs And Lows Of iTunes Videos
Beyond price, what's the advantage or disadvantage of procuring old television shows the new-fangled way? Let's take a look.
Where's Apple?
Like probably 80% of the samll to medium sized business out there, my friend had no idea that the Mac could actually be used in a "real" business sense and not just for making pretty pictures or storing your iPod's music. Where's Apple telling him, and other companies like his, that this "old-school Mac image" just isn't true?
Review
Sidetrack
As discovered by Chris Pirillo, when you search for start something windows commercial in Google, the first result actually goes to Apple's Switch campaign.
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
News
Apple Adds NBC, SciFi, USA To iTMS
Lack Of iPod Supply Could Pressure Street Estimates
Piper Jaffray research analyst Gene Munster maintained an "outperform" rating and $79 price target on Apple after follow-up checks on iPod inventory showed third-party retailers struggling to replenish supply.
Glaser Turns Wrath On Apple, Jobs
RealNetworks chief exctive Rob Glaser, at the Digital Living Conference,said that Jobs & Co.'s refusal to make the iPod compatible with music services other than Apple's iTunes was "pig-headedness." Glaser also said that Apple's unwillingness to cooperate with other online music vendors promotes piracy of copyrighted materials and will eventually draw the wrath of consumers.
Hidden Features In Sony DRM Uses Open Source Code To Add Apple DRM
XCP utilizes the DRMS code not to remove Apple DRM but to add it.
Adobe And Macromedia Are One
Adobe has announced the completion of its acquisition of Macromedia.
Creativity Sparks Prosperity
"Once we started using Apple systems, our business boomed. We became an all-Mac shop. Don't ask me the chicken-or-egg question. It was a symbiotic relationship."
Opinion
The Right Price For Digital Music
What we need is a system that will continue to pack the corporate coffers yet be fair to music lovers. The solution: a real-time commodities market that combines aspects of Apple's iTunes, Nasdaq, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Priceline, and eBay.
Apple Rumors And Realities
Quite a number of pundits have gone out and predicted the appearance of Intel based Powerbooks from Apple this Januar — but it isn't going to happen.
Review
Aperture 1.0
It saddens me to say that Aperture's innovations are only skin deep. If it could deliver on the promise of being both fast and produce flawless results, it would be the dream package.
Sidetrack
We all knw that, as declared by Apple, your Mac and iPod are designed in Cupertino, California. But, do you know what your Mac and iPod is made?
Monday, December 5, 2005
News
iTunes Video A Growing Concern
iTunes video sales are going through the roof and media companies want to join the party.
Fading 'Cool Factor' Not All Bad For iPod
Research by The Diffusion Group, a Dallas market-research concern, says pragmatic concerns are increasingly replacing social status as the main reason people are buying the MP3 players.
RealNetworks Opens Rhapsody Music Service To The Mac
Rhapsody.com will give any users that registers access to stream 25 on-demand songs every month at no cost. Rhapsody subscribers can stream an unlimited amount of music via the web site.
Secret Site Reveals Apple's Cheap Laptop
Apple is preparing to launch a range of budget laptops next month, accoding to the website that was sued by the computer company earlier this year for leaking its plans for another line of low-cost machines.
Apple Computer Mogul's Roots Tied To Green Bay
Though not a Green Bay native himself, the charismatic but cutthroat Steve Jobs is the biological son of a hometown-Green Bay schoolteacher and brother to one of Titletown's genuinely native celebrities, author Mona Simpson.
There's A Professor In Your iPod
Carleton University in Ottawa says it is the first university in the world to offer an entire course of video-recorded lectures through iTunes, for playback on iPods, cellphones, Sony's PlatStation Portable and the common personal computer.
Opinion
iPod Has Fallen Far From The Apple Tree
Mr Jobs' shtick is wearing thin, and there are some troubling developments in Apple-land.
Is Apple A Matter Of Choice?
Perhaps in the end, it's not so much lack of choice but simplicity of choice that drives Mac users.
Review
Sidetrack
Allow me to remind you again: normal people do not parse boolean logic.
We, software developers, are typically amateur UI designers, not because we want to do the job, but we are forced to do it as part of our everyday job. What happens is that we don't know what to do: should the software have behavior X or behavior Y?
And because we are amateurs, we ended deferring the decision to the user. "I know, let's not decide! Just add an extra radio buttion in that preference dialog, so that the user can choose whether they want behavior X or behavior Y? If they have to live with their decision, they'll choose wisely."
Imagine hearing this at your favorite restaurant when you visit them: "Hi, I'm the chef for your table. When you say you want kung pao chicken, do you want me to fry it with salt and/or sugar and/or pepper and/or some other third-party ingrident that you want to integrate into the dish?"
Remember this the next time your Windows friend boost to you that he can make his own choices in the Windows world. Remember to ask: are you making real choices, or is your computer maker too incomptent to properly design a computer for you?
Come on, Apple, if Nokia can built a cellphone that can withstand "being run over by... [a] F1 Porsche" (as tested by the New York Times) surely we can have an iPod that does not crash. :-)
Sunday, December 4, 2005
News
VARs: Apple Not Forthcoming With Intel Migration Plans
Apple could be poised to ship Intel-based notebooks as soon as next month but has done little to help solution providers get ready for the migration, solution providers say. And now some may be looking to Intel for support.
Apple Feesl The Squeeze From Linux
Apple has quietly voiced its concern about the growing threat it faces from Linux in the desktop market.
Review
Mac Programs That Come With Thinking Caps On
It's time for another look at "thinking tools" — software for storing, retrieving and generally making the best use of information.
Five Fun Ways To Play With Audio Hijack Pro
They range from digitizing legacy music from my old long-playing vinyl albums to time-shifting radio shows to bypassing digital rights management and more.
Wintel
Microsoft Bows To Eolas, Revamps IE's Multimedia Handling
The browser patent spat between Microsoft and Eolas took anotehr twist Friday with an announcement from Redmond that it will change the way Internet Explorer handles embedded content on web pages.
Saturday, December 3, 2005
News
Paul Sutherland: Diving Right In
"My PowerBook has become my nerve center, a critical piece of equipment I couldn't work without."
Blumpy: A Logical Way To Musical Freedom
"Using my G5 and Logic is a much smarter way of working. I can make it sould like I'm working with $3 million of gear and compete with the guys who havve the big consoles."
Opinion
Club 21's iShop
It took Club 21 more than three years' work before the opening of the iShop and on first impression, those efforts were not in vain. The opening also showed the increasing demand for Apple products in Singapore.
Native-Looking Widgets In Flash
You shouldn't make something look like a native oS widget if it isn't going to be have in the same way.
Review
Latest iMac Offers Remote Control
Front Row is less functional than a Windows Media Center PC. But, at the same time, the new imac bundle excels at what it can do.
Firefox 1.5
Firefox is mature, fast, stable, and very extensible. It's nice to see such notable improvements in this.
Evolution TV: USB 2.0 TV-Recording Device Has Great Video Ability, But Software Is Still Evolving
Sidetrack
You know what, some of us still haven't let go of the idea that Apple's logo has changed to a single color one... so we bring it back to the Powerbook.
Well, it's actually Jim Younkin's PowerBook. "This most likely voids your warranty."
The Other Mac Tradition: Fishes!
From old Mac classics to the Cube, people have been turning htem into aquarims for ages.
The latest flat-panel iMac may prove to be a bit more challenging, though...
Rumor Today: More "Content" Goodies
Think Secret: Apple is planning to unveil a robust new content distribution system in January... Content purchased will be automatically made available on a user's iDisk, which Front Row 2.0 will tap into.
Wintel
Microsoft Vista OS Appears Behind Schedule
Partners confused at opposing info news.
Friday, December 2, 2005
News
Steve Jobs Won't Leave His Big iCube
The long-awaited deal for Apple's sprawling subterranean store in the GM building was recently finalized — but only after landlord Harry Macklowe promised Steve Jobs he could take his big $9 million glass cube with him at the end of the lease.
Oboe Is Your iPod Everywhere
Moving in while Apple dozed.
Fox Exec Says Company Open To iTunes Deal
Apple Readies Two Japanese Retail Stores For December
Apple Spends A Bundle On iPod Ads
Apple spent $287 million on advertising in its last fiscal year, up nearly 40 percent from the $206 million it spend a year earlier.
Steve Jobs To Keynote Macworld Expo
Opinion
Review
Thursday, December 1, 2005
News
Apple Out To Protect iPod Design
Apple has accused a minor Korean portable music player manufacturer of illegally copying the design of its mega-selling iPod mini portable music player.
Japan Abandons 'iPod Tax' Idea
Japan is forgoing a copyright law revision to charge royalties on digital music players — a proposal dubbed the "iPod tax" — after discussions in a government panel produced no consensus on ways to police violations.
Investors Bet On Google, Apple Pullbacks
Investors in two of the year's hottest stocks — Google and Apple — suffered some pain this week, but several big holders said it wasn't enough to make them want to sell. They are betting that the setbacks are only short-term and that the companies' rapid growth prospects will continue to propel the stocks much higher over the long run.
Apple Releases Update For iPod Shuffle
Indie Podcasting: Not So Independent Anymore
As the online audio market crowds, solo podcasters hoping to make a buck — or just stay afloat — are banding together.
Opinion
Why Not Allow The User To Rename An Open File?
Unless customers complain about this, no one wants to tackle the problem — and by now most people have grown too used to working around the problem.
"Your Music Is Valuable..."
DRM opponents will of course raise the question: is this really My Music now?
