Critique of Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 2:26 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Apple » Advertising

Some are beginning to question the quality and effectiveness of Apple’s “Get a Mac” advertising campaign. Brandon Watts of OSWeekly.com has taken a look at Apple’s newest round of ads, saying that their simplicity makes them perhaps too easy to parody. He also says:

There’s no doubt that this ad campaign is interesting due to its simplicity and approach. Of course, you can’t just expect Microsoft to sit still and let these messages go in one ear and out the other. In an effort to give Apple a taste of its own medicine, Microsoft recently signed a deal with the enormously talented comedian Demetri Martin to have him star in a marketing campaign for Windows Vista. It sounds like Microsoft is also trying to take a fresh approach to how they advertise their upcoming OS, and I’m hoping for some healthy competition from their side, as well. It’s your move, Microsoft.

More iPod/iTMS pressure from…Verizon?

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 1:43 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Music

This afternoon I was greeted by a lovely email from Verizon Wireless, informing me of two things. The first was that “everybody loves chocolate,” and the second was “The LG Chocolate is here!” Now, what exactly could this mean? Well, the picture reveals all.

Verizon, in partnership with phone manufacturer LG, has introduced a new cell phone titled “Chocolate.” This phone may be the closest anyone has ever come to producing an iPhone. A brief list of highlighted features includes: expandable memory (up to 2 GB, 1000 songs), touch sensitive click-wheel-like controls, slide-out number pad for dialing, 1.3 megapixel camera, and Bluetooth. Sounds pretty normal, right? Well here’s where it gets competitive.

The phone has wireless access to Verizon’s VCAST network, allowing download of songs for $1.99 and thousands of other digital media clips. Additionally, users can download songs from their computer to the device for only $.99. Of course, users can also transfer any MP3 or WMA music files they already own. The phone also includes GPS-like software called VZNavigator, which gives real-time directions and maps. All this for $150 with a new 2-year contract. The competition sure is heating up for Apple.

SIGGRAPH ‘06: In which the author gets his podcast on

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 1:03 PM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Music » Podcasting

A close friend of mine is working at SIGGRAPH, helping give a workshop about video podcasting. Intrigued, I decided to attend. I know Cyrus is our resident podcastologist, but I’ve dabbled in audio and video before (what we called, in my day, the A/V).

The workshop fortunately was a Mac stronghold. There were about ten MacBook Pros, and a similar number of 60GB 5G iPods available. Rather than just recording our video with the built-in iSights (where’s the fun in that?) we assembled a slideshow of teapots in Keynote to which we added audio accompaniment via iMovie. For those of you wondering about teapots, they are sort of the ur-object for computer graphics (see Utah teapot). I like the idea of using pictures for video podcasts rather than just your standard talking heads. I’d upload mine but I don’t want to show off.

One odd quirk that my friend mentioned to me: though you might think GarageBand is the ideal programming for constructing a video podcast, it’s apparently unable to export video in an iPod-compatible format. The video will play in iTunes, though. Can anyone back this up?

Finally, AAPL gets back in the game

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 1:01 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Business

After quite a while of hovering around the high 50’s and low 60’s, it’s seems that Apple Computer may once again be on the rise on Wallstreet. Apple’s current $68 per share price comes partially as a result of an analyst’s upgrade of the company.

Keith Bachman, an analyst at Bank of America, claimed today that a strong demand for Apple’s MacBook computer and a possible upgrade of the iPod nano later in the year earn Apple a “buy” rating and target price of $79. Bachman noted, however, that he was not taking the possibility of an iPhone into consideration, which he expects to be introduced in 2007.

Working for Apple

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 11:50 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Apple » Stores

What happens when one day you wake up and find out that all of your friends are working for Apple?

David Cohn, a New York City journalist, wonders:

At one point I could name 15 people who worked at the Apple store at the Grove, just off the top of my head. I can still name a few, and I can also spout off the names of friends who work at Apple stores in Century City, The Beverly Center, and the store on 5th avenue in New York.

Yesterday I had problems with my charger and being in LA, I head to the Century City store where I was greeted by three good friends from high school. We were able to shoot the shit and I was able to get good service. Believe me, this post isn’t complaining that all my friends work at the Apple store, I find it rather cool to walk into the store to get big smiles, hugs etc. But there is something about the whole ‘all of my friends work this one corporation,’ that leaves me puzzled.

Apple seems to higher in clusters. Obviously there is a bit of recommendations flying around, which happens in any business, but I wonder if their hiring clusters are statistically significant? How is it that all of my friends got hired?

How does Apple decide what hipster group they are going to attach themselves too? Why did my group of friends get labeled as a perfect group of Apple employees and how did Apple slowly convince all my friends to work there? Isn’t it odd not only that Apple wanted to hire all my friends and that all my friends in turn were happy to work for Apple? It’s as if Apple is a cult that demands you to give it money in return for false beliefs that they are the sole proprietor of some futuristic product….oh, right. My point, however, stands — it seems strange that one corporation would hire so many people that I know to work retail for them.

SIGGRAPH ‘06: The eternal battle between dark and light

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 10:50 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » Huh?

Despite the old chestnut that Macs are superior to PCs for graphic work, there are plenty of the latter at SIGGRAPH. I’d say that the breakdown so far goes somewhere between 50-50 and 60-40, favoring PCs. That includes both the attendees with laptops as well as the computer hardware behind a lot of the presentations. There’s really no doubt that it’s still a Windows world though, especially as I come across the day-to-day realities: a screen in SIGGRAPH’s Guerilla Studio prominently asking if this is a legitimate copy of Windows, for example, or a crash on an otherwise impressive-looking touchscreen interface that yielded the familiar “this program has encountered an error and needs to close” dialog box.

Most surprisingly, though, is that Apple does not have a presence on the show floor. While the exhibition doesn’t open until tomorrow, a quick perusal of exhibitor list shows Microsoft, Google, HP, and others. I wonder if it’s because the use of Macs in this arena is simply a foregone conclusion or if it’s another sign that Apple prefers events in which it’s the big fish.

Audio Hijack Pro update simplifies chat recording

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 9:38 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Software » Updates

I’m glad to see that Rogue Ameoba is still keeping on top of things. Today, they’ve just updated Audio Hijack Pro, a program I rely on frequently when I need to capture audio from Skype. As someone who’s used it since the early days of podcasting, I can say that it’s gotten a lot better and simpler to use. So, fellas, keep up the good work.

On hold, but no Muzak

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 8:42 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

So, you may recall that I sent my MacBook in last week to get repaired for its mysterious shutdown curse. The Genius at the store quoted me a one week turnaround time for my computer—a week that has now come and gone.

I’ve been keeping abreast of my MacBook’s progress via Apple’s support website, but ever since they recieved it (on the 25th), the status has been locked at “On hold - Part on order.” On order? From whom? You’re Apple. All attempts at humor aside, I have to imagine they’re actually awaiting a part from the manufacturer, but the fact that the delay has been almost a week makes me wonder how widespread this problem is. Revisiting the original Apple discussion board thread reveals that I’m not alone in my “on order” delay, leading me to believe the either a) they were not experiencing a lot of this problem, thus did not have a sufficient stock of parts or b) their backlog has been depleted by having to replace a lot of these parts. Of course, it could always be c) I have no idea what’s going on. Yeah, that’s a distinct possibility.

SIGGRAPH ‘06: Welcome to the jungle

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 8:02 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Geekery

Good morning, dear readers. It’s a beautiful day at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center where I am coming to you live from SIGGRAPH 2006. For those of you not familiar with the event, it’s probably the largest conference/exhibition in the world devoted to computer graphics. The show itself is sponsored by ACM SIGGRAPH, a membership organization of computer graphics enthusiasts. This year’s show is anticipating 25,000 attendees from six continents—in a last minute switch, all of North America’s participants have been replaced by Antarctic penguins.

Anyway, I’ll be here most of the week bringing you the show highlights: the cool, the hot, the room temperature, so keep an eye out. I’ll be using a special code to denote related postings, so if you see the cryptic phrase “SIGGRAPH ‘06” in the headline, you can bet that it has something to do with, you know, fish.

Flying windows screensaver on a Mac? Oh yes

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 7:50 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software

Cool screensavers have been a way to show off since the days of After Dark (the original cool version). Fenêtres Volantes just might be the way to have the coolest screensaver in the office.

I’m not talking about the flying Windows screensaver. It takes your currently open windows, and makes them twist and fly around your desktop. They even fly back into place when you start using your computer again. It’s even freeware.

[via Digg]

The Perfect Storm

Posted on Jul. 31, ’06, 6:41 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Business

David Morgenstern of eWeek is predicting a “perfect storm” of Apple sales. In particular, he’s noting that because Macs can now run Windows, the Wintel base can feel safer when buying a Mac. It’s also changed the public perception.

With Vista missing the holiday and back-to-school seasons, many customers are buying Macs. A family in my neighborhood has been all PC since the PC XT. But the eldest son is going off to college and says he wants a Mac. It’s the vanguard of a new generation gap. He’s never owned a Mac but he’s gotta have one—a good sign for Apple.

Microsoft is helping the situation with repeated delays. I’m guessing the marketing tagline will end being “Wait for it.” He’s also betting on added security and improved digital media handling keeping new Mac users in Mac OS X, using Windows less and less.

Finally, he points out the fact that commodity PC manufacturers focus on the low end of the market while Apple focuses on performance at a higher cost. That’s the market to be in. The low margin game is a loser. The real money is in users that seek real performance.

[via Slashdot]

MacBook Pro battery recall

Posted on Jul. 30, ’06, 11:10 PM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Hardware

It’s not a total recall, but a series of batteries will be replaced at no cost to the owners as part of the 15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Exchange Program. The batteries are perfectly safe to use, they just won’t last as long as the replacement. The winning serial numbers are:

The affected batteries have model number A1175 and a 12-digit serial number that ends with U7SA, U7SB or U7SC.

Did you win? I hadn’t read about any MacBook Pro battery issues prior to this, so it’s good to see Apple being proactive. I just hope that by the time the Mac Pro is released (in one week, fingers crossed) it’s ready and won’t have the myriad of issues the MacBooks have had.

EDIT: Uhhh… of course I read this site. Sorry I forgot Dan. I read your stuff. Really. I swear.

Kip, your digital filing cabinet

Posted on Jul. 29, ’06, 8:57 PM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software

Lately, I’ve been filing nearly all my data into Yojimbo. It’s been working great, so much so that I feel like I want to put every one of my documents in it. kip takes it a step further and I’m liking the improvements that it builds in.

Kip is described as iPhoto for PDFs. You add your PDFs to kip and it allows you to add tags, notes, change the creation date, and even author. It also synchronizes your data to .Mac for easy access. Because it stores the files straight into the file system and doesn’t use a database, they’re accessible in the Finder, albeit without all that cool metadata.

Inside kip, it reminds you of how much space is left on your iDisk, lets you browse tagged documents (with some neat hover effects), and even take a close look at the thumbnail listings by showing a small magnified portion as you move the pointer around (it has to be seen to be truly appreciated). The current version (1.0.1) is free, but the next version will not be, so check it out now.

Dear aunt, let’s set so double the killer delete select all

Posted on Jul. 29, ’06, 3:58 PM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Apple » Rivals

I nearly peed myself watching a Microsoft demonstration of its speech recognition software. First we had “all your base are belong to us”, then “a series of tubes”. Now the new geeky comedic phrase of choice is “Dear aunt, let’s set so double the killer delete select all.”

You’re going to laugh yourself silly when you find out exactly what the the Microsoft guy said to get that output. Bonus comedy includes when he gets snippy and says “I’m glad you’re enjoying this.” I know I sure did.

[via Slashdot]

ICeCoffEE now Universal

Posted on Jul. 29, ’06, 3:37 PM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software

One of the most underutilized features of Mac OS X is its Services. Make a selection and instantly whatever you selected can be acted upon by other applications by selecting the action from application menu -> Services -> action/appliction -> action. Right there is the reason it is so neglected by users. By the time you’ve gone up to the menu bar and navigated down to the action you want, you’ve lost most of the time you gained by using the service.

ICeCoffEE, which as of the recently released 1.4.3 version is a Universal Binary, was primarily written so that by command-clicking on text that is a URL, but not a link, will open in your web browser. However, it includes two ways to make Services more accessible. You can put it into the context menu for text, or in the menu bar. With a 12” Powerbook, my menu bar real estate is at a premium. Naturally, I don’t use it there. It’s right at home in my context menu though.

And don’t forget it’s free.

What is Google hiding?

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 5:12 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Internet

A UK developer and blog writer by the name of Tony Ruscoe has discovered some of Google’s deep, dark secrets. He sniffed through some of Google’s URLs and came across one of note: sandbox.google.com. This page contains a Google Checkout service, but it’s not actually the real Google service. Instead it’s some kind of internal testing page.

Via Tony’s account he created on the testing Google Checkout service, he discovered and subsequently added several unreleased Google services. For a complete list, see Tony’s site, but some of the more promising services include: Google Guess, Google Writely, and Google WiFi. Whatever could these be, and what could their launch mean for Apple (who seems to be becoming increasingly threatened by Google)?

[via Google Blogoscoped]

Macworld Podcast: David Pogue hijacks the show

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 5:00 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Music » Podcasting

Irrepressible New York Times technology columnist David Pogue returns to his Macworld roots as he pays a visit to another ocean-bound edition of the Macworld Podcast. Long-time Macworld readers will remember David as the back-page columnist for the magazine—maybe he can regain control of that page in the same way he tries to hijack hosting duties on this podcast.

Like me (Christopher Breen), David is a presenter on the MacMania 4.5 cruise. We talk about his sessions on the cruise and his recent review of Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9.0. And we also receive a special visit from Pogue 2.0, David’s son.

Download Podcast #47

• AAC version (5.6MB, 12 minutes)

• MP3 version (2.8MB, 12 minutes)

Review : Sid Meier’s Civilization IV

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 3:00 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Games

As I promised you 11 days ago, my full review of Civilization IV is now available at Macworld.com.

I gave it a rating of .

Now, who wants to take me on?

Hi-Def video coming soon to iPod

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 2:22 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | iPod

iPod accessory manufacturer ATO is planning to make an accessory for the iPod which will allow you to play high definition video. The accessory, modeled after their similar iSee 360, is a sleeve which the iPod plugs into, providing a LCD screen and five hours of battery life.

iSee HD (as it will be called) will partition your iPod’s hard drive and store its HD videos there. The player should be able to handle MPEG-4, DivX, HD.264 and several other formats. Who knows though, by the time the iSee HD is released (5 months from now) Apple may have beaten ATO to the punch with a new video iPod. Hey, I can always hope, right?

[via CNET UK]

Apple spokeswoman confirms misquote

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 1:58 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | iPod

Two days ago Dan reported on Logan’s Run an Apple slip in the Chicago Tribune that claimed “an iPod is designed to last four years.” There was some speculation that this was obviously a misquote, and today that has been confirmed.

Natalie Kerris (the spokeswoman quoted in the article) has confirmed to iLounge that she was misquoted. She claims she told the Tribune reporter that “an iPod was designed to last for years.” Sounds like a bunch of careless English to me.

Parts of French ‘iPod Law’ Struck Down

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 1:16 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Legal

Remember that iPod law that the French National Assembly passed some time ago? Well, their Constitutional Council has struck down parts of it. Says the IHT:

Apple’s lawyers might want to drink a glass of French Champagne today, but not a whole bottle,” said Dominique Ménard, a partner at the Lovells law firm and a specialist in intellectual property. “The Constitutional Council has highlighted fundamental protections for intellectual property in such a way as to put iTunes a little further from risk of the French law.”

Released late Thursday, the council’s 12-page legal finding made frequent reference to the 1789 Declaration on Human Rights and concluded that the iPod law violated the constitutional protections of property.

In particular, the council eliminated reduced fines for file sharing and said companies could not be forced, without compensation, to make music sold online compatible with any music device.

The law, which had been approved by the French Senate and National Assembly last month, was brought for review by the council following the demand of more than 100 members of the National Assembly. The council’s review of whether the law fits within the French Constitution’s framework is one of the final steps before a law is promulgated. Now it could take effect as altered by the council, or the government could bring it once more before the Parliament.

Your iPod will be wet no more

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 1:12 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | iPod

While this may look like a hoax someone whipped together in iMovie, it most certainly is not. MAKE your own iBrella today!

Macworld Podcast: Cruisin’ with Chris Breen

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 12:00 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Music » Podcasting

The Macworld Podcast returns to the high seas—the Western Mediterranean, in this case—with a guest host. I’m (Christopher Breen) filling in for regular podcast host Cyrus Farivar, as I hitch a ride aboard the ms Noordam for MacMania 4.5. For this special edition of the Macworld Podcast, I spend some time with one of my fellow MacMania presenters, AppleScript and Automator project manager Sal Soghoian.

Long-time listeners will realize that this is Sal’s second visit to the Macworld Podcast; Cyrus first interviewed him back in Macworld Podcast #15. Sal’s back to talk about AppleScripting and OS X’s Automator automation feature; we also chat about some highlights of the MacMania cruise since the ship departed from Rome.

Download Episode #46

• AAC version (11.2MB, 24 minutes)

• MP3 version (5.5MB, 24 minutes)

[Chris Breen will have another Macworld Podcast with David Pogue, live and pre-recorded from the ms Noordam later today. — C.F.]

Running the AIM BudgetBot on your Mac

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 11:33 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Geekery

Ever since I heard about the AIM BudgetBot, I knew I wanted to install it on my media server at home, which is online all the time. Yesterday after I got home from work, I installed the file onto my Mac. Not knowing much about Perl, it took me a few tries to get it to work, but here’s what I did.

You can follow most of the instructions as they’re written.

However, where it says

my $budgetscript = 'c:/path/to/your/budget/script/budget.pl';

Obviously these are instructions for a PC crowd. So to Macify this path, change the C:/ nonsense to this:

my $budgetscript = '/Users/username/fixedbbot/budget.pl';

Make sure that your fixedbbot directory exists on your startup volume. If not, change /Users/username/etc/budget.pl to /Volumes/DriveName/Users/username/etc/budget.pl.

Finally, where Lifehacker says:

To start the BudgetBot, at the command line type ./budgetbot.pl. If you’ve taken care of business, your BudgetBot should now be online.

You need to open the budgetbot.pl file in BBEdit or its free cousin, TextWrangler. From there, click the #! pull-down menu and choose “Run in Terminal.”

If all goes well, you should be in business. Try texting your bot from your cell phone and see what happens.

The Dell, the Dell, the Dell is on fire

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 11:02 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » Rivals

Catch on fire once, shame on you. Catch on fire twice, shame on…well, I’m going to say you again. Look, Dell, we know you really want to prove that your laptops are—how you say—en fuego, but this really isn’t the way to do it.

For the second time this year, a Dell laptop has unceremoniously ignited. This time, though, the victims happened to be IT pros with a 7.2 megapixel digital camera on hand. Meaning: hi-res pics.

Suddenly, Apple’s Quality Assurance problems seem pretty tame. Sure, the MacBook Pro’s a little bit too warm to rest comfortably on your lap. But it doesn’t trigger your smoke detectors or burn through the casing. Of course, Michael Dell will probably try to spin this in his company’s favor: “You see, we don’t see Apple as competition in the setting our users on fire department. The numbers don’t lie.”

[via The Consumerist]

Update: The Tom’s Hardware link appears to be down, but the pictures are also available at The Consumerist, above.

Graphic: Macs for the Masses

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 11:00 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Apple » People

Although it’s a little old, this site neatly outlines in an easy-to-understand graphic how Apple prices various items in its product line to reach a “sweet spot.”

Keep your friends close, but your dust caps closer

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 9:23 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Tips

Sometimes the best solutions are decidedly low tech. Apple products in past years have increasingly included dust caps: little plastic tops that snap onto the ends of cables to keep them dust-free and protected. But these tops are tiny and often translucent, which means that once dropped they can be as hard to find as contact lenses.

Mac OS X Hints reader c8h10n4o2 has come up with an ingenious MacGyver-like solution for keeping track of these little fellows: tie them to the cable with dental floss. Brilliant! I’ve been keeping close tabs on my MacBook’s MagSafe dust cap for weeks now by making sure to always put it in the same pocket in my bag, but this idea is so much more convenient. Not only is dental floss resilient, but if you use the mint variety it’ll keep your power cable smelling fresh and clean. Plus, if you ever get something in your teeth while working, well, you’ll never be far from some floss.

E! TV Shows added to iTunes

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 9:14 AM PT by Aaron Freedman

Category | iTunes » iTunes Store

Well, it seems that Apple has added another network to its iTunes TV Show roster, E! Th E! shows now on iTMS include The Girls Next Door, The Soup, the documentary series Dr. 90210, and, even though I wish it weren’t so, The Simple Life, starring my two most favorite celebrities in the world, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. It’s great to see that Apple is further expanding the TV Shows on iTMS, but why oh why couldn’t they just keep Paris Hilton out!

[via Infinite Loop]

Newton KOs UMPC in 8 rounds

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 8:48 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

When Microsoft/Intel’s Ultramobile PC platform (aka Origami) debuted earlier in the year, there were certainly a number of people who thought “wait a second…didn’t Apple try this 10 years ago with the Newton?” CNet UK evidently decided so, so they whipped up an eight round bout between Samsung’s Q1 UMPC and the Newton MessagePad 2000. And despite the MessagePad’s age, and the number of hits it took from the younger Q1, it delivered a devastating knockout in the form of price and battery life.

There are, of course, plenty of Newton devotees still out there (our own Andy Ihnatko, for example) and the platform is alive and…well, it’s alive anyway. I like the idea of a mobile PC that’s smaller than my laptop, and after the CNet piece, I’m tempted to snag myself a MessagePad 2000 on eBay. Then again, might Apple revisit this concept? It was Steve Jobs who killed the Newton, but the recent patent filings of the touchless iPod interface still make me wonder.

[via digg]

Moo money, moo problems

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 8:04 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

Apple’s been on a big admission streak lately, with the AppleCare articles about the MacBook Pro whine and the MacBook discoloration, but there are always other problems. Take, for example, the mooing MacBooks (you may recall that I was relieved to learn that my MacBook was not possessed by the spirit of a zombie).

MacUser reader (and MacBook owner) Jon Smith was annoyed enough that he set out to accomplish two things: 1) for the short term, develop a way to stop the fan from mooing and 2) get Apple to acknowledge the problem and fix it more permanently. He’s succeeded in the first, and is well underway with the second. Jon’s MooFix.com site features a Dashbaord widget that can stop the mooing by raising the CPU temperature slightly, thus kicking on the fans full time instead of intermittently. While he admits this is rather “a crude solution,” he’s also started a petition for Apple that they fix the mooing problem with a firmware update.

So MacBook owners, if you’re looking to solve the problem of errant livestock entrapped within your notebook, give MooFix a shot. And as for Apple’s participation, well, let’s hope their guilty conscience days aren’t over yet.

Choosing the Mac for you

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 7:13 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Hardware

Macworld Editor and fellow forums moderator Rob Griffiths has written about the right Mac for you. This is one of the most common questions in the forums. Add in the new Intel Macs, the imminent Mac Pro, and the school year fast approaching, some people really aren’t sure what to get.

Despite all the specs, it’s still a personal thing.

So now assume your friend tells you all of the above, and then asks which car to buy. Now you might have a few recommendations, but I bet that all of them would end with the same general advice: “You need to go look at and drive each of these vehicles to see if they really do meet your needs.” Nobody would blindly purchase a car they’d never seen or driven, based solely on the recommendation of a friend. And in that observation lies my answer to the question of which Mac someone should buy.

With the proliferation of Apple Stores, this is easier than ever. For latops, errr notebook, this is doubly true. You can play with your ruler all you want, but you can’t get a feel for one without touching it. Rob breaks it all down exhaustively, so check it out if you’re in the market.

Flip4Mac released publicly as Universal Binary

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 5:38 AM PT by Aaron Freedman

Category | Software » Updates

After a while of waiting, Flip4Mac has finally been publicly released as a Universal Binary. In addition to being Universal, Flip4Mac 2.1 also adds significant export optimizations to PowerPC Macs, multi language audio support in player, and also fixed encode errors when the audio bit rate is higher than the video bit rate. Flip4Mac Player is still available for free.

Ellen Feiss interview

Posted on Jul. 28, ’06, 5:07 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Apple » People

Ellen Feiss, geological star of an infamous Apple ad, was recently in a French movie. She did an interview for the Flux podcast.

Ellen Feiss, from Apple’s switch campaign, joins us from France, to talk about her role in the short film “Bed and Breakfast,” and her future plans.

Cool, now Apple just needs to do the right thing and make the film available for rental.

[via MacMinute]

Memo to Intel: This Internet thing is going to be HUGE!

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 4:30 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Hardware » Intel Macs

Editorial Director Jason Snell, in The Mac Word, on going to an Intel event:

One odd thing I noticed about Intel’s marketing was the heavy spin they put on the growth of the Internet. Essentially, Intel executives were suggesting that the growth of the adoption of the Internet by regular people will require fast computers powered by the Core 2 Duo processor. Although it’s a very easy picture to paint, I don’t really buy it: there’s nothing fundamental about the Internet that requires computers with a speedy new Intel chip inside. Rather, it’s the growth of rich digital media, like high-definition video, high-resolution digital photos, and ever-improving 3-D video games that will drive these new, ultra-fast computers. Intel executives mentioned most of that during the presentation, but kept falling back on charts showing the growth of the Internet. It felt very 1999 to me.

PCWorld.com redesign

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 3:58 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Business

Our sister publication, PC World, just launched a major redesign of their website today. Check out the Mac section here. (Psst, Editor-In-Chief Harry McCracken prefers Macs!)

Vista is trying to Mac the PC

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 3:20 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Apple » Rivals

While we still wait for Microsoft to decide that Vista is ready, there comes more news of a future makeover for PCs everywhere. It seems that Microsoft has realized black/beige plastic boxes don’t impress:

Microsoft feels the PC world needs a major face-lift, and one way to do it is through better integration of software and hardware. No one does that more effectively than Apple Computer (AAPL), and the folks in Redmond may be worried that their resurgent rival is getting too much traction in the race to dominate the digital home.

So Microsoft has been working on that problem with a team of 20 designers for the past 18 months. Their brilliant $6 billion solution employs:

“accelerated curves” and “purposeful contrast.” The preferred colors include a shade of black called Obsidian and a translucent white dubbed Ice. “We want people to fall in love with their PCs, not to simply use them to be productive and successful,” reads the enclosed booklet. “We want PCs to be objects of pure desire.”

Good luck on that one MS. My hopes are with you. Really they are. I just can’t wait for a square-Windows-running-computer-box-that-crashes. You might even say that I purely desire one.

[via BusinessWeek]

Macify your Firefox

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 2:55 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Internet

I just came across this sweet Firefox theme, called, Brushed, which makes Firefox more Mac-like. It’s the only Firefox theme that I’ve actually liked.

Microsoft: Vista will ship “when it’s ready”

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 2:00 PM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Apple » Rivals

IDG News Service:

Microsoft continues to give itself room to further delay the release of Windows Vista. At its annual Financial Analyst Meeting on Thursday, Kevin Johnson, co-president of Microsoft’s Platforms & Services Division, said that while Vista development remains on track for now, Microsoft won’t ship the OS until the company thinks it’s ready.

“There is no data that says we’re not going to make the November business availability,” Johnson said, speaking to analysts and media on Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, campus. However, he said that the company continues to evaluate Vista “milestone by milestone” and will ship the product “when it’s ready” rather than according to a hard and fast schedule.

Microsoft has said Vista will be available to business customers through volume licensing in November, with consumers getting the OS in January 2007. However, in reports following Microsoft’s fourth-quarter earnings call last week, some financial analysts wrote that they are already counting on Vista’s consumer release to slip further into 2007 and have adjusted their earnings projections to reflect this prediction.

That said, Johnson said the next milestone for Vista, Release Candidate 1, should be available before the end of September.

The operative word, of course, is should.

PREVIOUSLY: Bill Gates got served; July 15, 2006

Stressed? Try some iYoga.

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 1:33 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Software

Most pieces of 3rd party software aren’t big or important enough to make their way into one of my posts. However, this one was just so different and absurd it just had to be noted.

The software is called iYoga (and it runs natively on Intel Macs). Basically the application does exactly what it sounds like it does:

With iYoga, text-to-speech synthesis guides you through your personal yoga class with the natural comfort of the spoken word. Create your own asana sequences, hold poses for as long as you choose, and hear the words that you wish, as easily as typing a letter to a friend.

If it weren’t for the $35 price tag (and the fact that iCan’t do iYoga) I would have given it a try for you. Someone please let me know if you buy this software; I’d love to hear about your experience.

Have a Facebook account? Want free music?

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 11:30 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | iTunes » iTunes Store

Macworld UK:

Ten million 25-song iiTunes samplers are being given away free in the US under a new promotion.

Apple is working with social-networking service, Facebook, to offer the new back-to-school promotion. Launched in February 2004, Facebook’s site has registered over 8.3 million people.

Facebook will give away one million 25-song music samplers from iTunes each week for the next ten weeks. Each iTunes music sampler will feature selected songs from a different genre, ranging from Alternative to Rock, Hip Hop to Dance, and Electronica.

“iTunes is the most popular digital music service in the world and we are excited to offer this exclusive giveaway,” said Owen Van Natta, chief operating officer at Facebook. “We’re always striving to provide people with the things they care most about, and with over half a million bands listed on Facebook we know that listening to and downloading music is an integral part of our users’ lives.”

John the Evangelist in the 21st Century

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 10:54 AM PT by Cyrus Farivar

Category | Apple » Humor

[via Joey deVilla]

Mighty Mouse vs. Mighty Mouse

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 9:55 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

It’s like pitting brother against brother. Nick Starr has taken some side-by-side comparison pics of Apple’s new Bluetooth Mighty Mouse and its older brother, the conventional wired Mighty Mouse. For the most part, the two look quite the same, but there are a few minor differences. To answer my earlier question, the laser is totally invisible, which means goodbye to the cute optical ghost mouse. It does, however, mean that the wireless Mighty Mouse works on glass surfaces with no problems, a feat of which optical mice can only dream.

The Bluetooth version is also slightly heavier than its predecessor, due largely to the use of AA batteries. As our colleague Jim Dalrymple reported, the Mighty Mouse can in fact use one or two batteries. It only needs one, but if you put in two, it’ll use the second after first has been exhausted, thus doubling its life—Apple even includes two AA batteries in the box. You’ll also have to install the software included; it doesn’t seem to work with the previous iteration of the Mighty Mouse drivers.

Bluetooth and lasers are all very well, but I’m still not the biggest fan of the device’s ergonomics. When I’ve used them, I’ve been annoyed by the fact that I have to remove my index finger from the left click “button” in order to use my middle finger for the right click, nor am I happy with the way the “squeeze” buttons work. Then again, I do most of my daily work with a trackpad, so it’s kind of a different feel.

Hawking’s Wireless-108G router: you know, for Macs

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 9:30 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

Sometimes a product designed for Macs actually means something, and sometimes (as in the late 90s, early 00s) it just meant a Bondi Blue plastic exterior. I’m not exactly sure into which category Hawking’s Wireless-108G router falls, but it certainly is going for a Mac-like aesthetic with that crystal white exterior, a fact their marketing materials don’t hesitate to point out:

The product has also been elegantly designed to please even the most critical eye among Mac users.

Still, the router boasts that its MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) technology and Hi-Gain antennas allows it to extend 802.11b and 802.11g signals over longer distances, and with speeds of up to 108Mbps, all for $99. Of course, you won’t be able to hit speeds like that with your standard AirPort/AirPort Extreme card, so you’ll need to shell out for Hawking’s USB adapter or PC Card. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for the 802.11n standard to be ratified. I’m betting you won’t be seeing new AirPort stations/cards until that happens.

[via Engadget]

Chips, no dip: Intel launches Core 2 Duo line

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 8:45 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

We spoke of the Core 2 Duo line when Intel announced them a few months back, and all too soon they’ll be arriving in computers everywhere. 10 new dual core chips were unveiled today, five for laptops and five for desktops, including the Core 2 Extreme X6800, which will cost $999.

As far as the Mac angle goes, we can certainly expect to see the Core 2 Duo chips appearing in Apple machines in the near future: the only real question is whether they’ll materialize as early as the WWDC in less than two weeks, at Macworld Expo in January, or somewhere in between. The as-of-yet unannounced Mac Pro would seem to be a prime candidate for the Core 2 Duo chip, although there are some rumors of upgraded MacBook Pros using one of the “Merom” (Core 2 Duo portable) chips appearing. And, of course, there’s still the replacement for the G5-based Xserve to come; it’ll likely use the Woodcrest chip based on the same Core architecture.

This generation of chips ups the ante on Intel competitor AMD, who’s still engaged in using an older chip fabrication process. AMD has cut prices on their chip lines in a hope to spur competition, and of course, they’ve also just made a bid to buy graphics card maker ATI. All of these things will certainly affect Apple in the next few months.

Merlin shows us Quicksilver magic on MacBreak

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 8:05 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Software

I know I’ve spoken of my preference for Butler before, but Quicksilver is tempting me back into its shiny argent embrace. Merlin Mann, productivity guru extraordinaire, dropped by the latest episode of Leo Laporte’s MacBreak (direct QuickTime link) to show off some of the nifty things Quicksilver can do.

Now I’ll admit it: I used Quicksilver a lot on my desktop before switching to Butler. But I think part of the reason I ditched it was because I simply felt overwhelmed by the possibilities. Having now seen someone demonstrate what can be done, I’m starting to develop a wee bit of Quicksilver envy. Maybe I’ll have to give it a second chance…but then, what of Butler?

This was the same kind of dilemma that had beset James Dean when he uttered those famous words: “You’re tearing me apart!”

[via 43 Folders]

MacAfee releases Mactel compatible VirusScan beta, we yawn

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 7:42 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Security

Some of you may still be sold on McAfee’s antivirus software, the security software formerly known as Virex. I find it a little hard to believe, but weirder things have happened. It’s been updated to version 8.5 (beta).

Besides new processor compatibility, “On Access” scanning was added as a new feature. It examines every file as it’s opened and written to. I can feel those speedbumps already. Change some stuff in iMovie. Save. Wait for the pause. Wait for it. Wait for it. Done.

I think I’ll pass. Then again, it’s for enterprise, so I wouldn’t have that choice anyway.

EyeTV 2.3, now part of Front Row

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 6:11 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Video

When Apple introduced Front Row, the first thing I thought was “what about EyeTV?” Once I found out that it only handled media handled by Apple’s applications, I was less than enthralled. It’s a great idea, but part of that original idea should have been a plugin system. El Gato, makers of the EyeTV, were forced to work around the problem.

The EyeTV 2.3 update adds a Front Row like menu system that works great. I’d elaborate more about its Apple Remote support and Front Row integration, but unfortunately, Apple won’t let me do that with an older Mac. I can say though that the menu system looks and works great. In particular, the programming guide is start to look a tad like TiVo. Unfortunately, the multiple monitor support isn’t quite there (you can’t choose which display to use).

Other than that, El Gato has got it down. Maybe at WWDC Apple will announce that Front Row will add a plug-in system.

OmniPlan beta released

Posted on Jul. 27, ’06, 4:43 AM PT by Aaron Freedman

Category | Software

Sorry, Derik, but it seems that this is the second Omni post I’ve stolen from you so far. But anyway, today The Omni Group released the public beta of their OmniPlan task management software. If you remember, OmniPlan was the mystery product that The Omni Group talked about on their blog. Well, now that it’s been released, what can you use it for? Let’s see what The Omni Group has to say:

How to get your project done on time and under budget:

Translate strategy into tactics everyone can understand
Create summaries of work broken into lists of activities
Distribute workloads fairly and efficiently
Manage costs as you go

Currently, as OmniPlan is in beta, it will be available for free, but the free beta license will expire on August 26th.

Will the real fake Leopard please stand up?

Posted on Jul. 26, ’06, 2:49 PM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » People

We covered a number of fake Leopard screenshots a while back, but apparently we did you, our loyal readers, a disservice by not covering Phil Ryu’s fake Leopard screenshot contest. Though it’s too late to enter for the prize ($1000 worth of Mac software), you can at least console yourself by taking a look at the winners, as picked by a panel of Mac developers.

Eric Patterson took home the crown with his series of four screenshots, depicting a redesigned Finder, Mail.app and iChat integration, and some new Safari features. Not only did his screenshots look great, but he formatted them to look like a Mac marketing brochure. There are some great features in there; one can only hope Apple has some similarly innovative ideas for the real Leopard. I, for one, would be all for iChat/Mail integration (and better message threading!), as I’m quite a packrat where correspondence is concerned; and I love the idea behind Patterson’s Finder Peek (though, as Delicious Monster’s Will Shipley points out, a similar idea used to exist in NeXTstep).

The countdown clock for Leopard’s unveiling is running (in fact, it has its own Dashboard widget), so stay with MacUser and Macworld for all the news.

iPod’s Run

Posted on Jul. 26, ’06, 2:31 PM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPod

Perhaps you remember the 1976 sci-fi movie Logan’s Run, which takes place in a world where death at 30 is strictly enforced. Seems iPods may not be much different. An offhand comment by Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris (who may be looking for a new job soon) in a Chicago Tribune article says that “an iPod is designed to last four years.”

Now, before we get all excited here, that comment is not a direct quote, and it could very well mean something such as “iPods are designed to last at least four years” rather than suggesting that some sort of time bomb goes off in them 4 years to the day after you turn it on. Who knows, perhaps she even meant “an iPod is designed to last for years.” Easy mistake.

Still, the truth of the matter is that devices as complicated as cell phones and MP3 players will die eventually. That’s all there is to it. Certainly we’re accustomed to things like automobiles and appliances lasting longer, but there comes a point when even your car isn’t worth fixing. Entropy, baby.

As far as the rest of the article, “A Pain in the Pod,” goes, I particularly enjoyed this fellow who complained about his iPod dying:

“When I sent the first one back, they sent me a refurbished one within a week,” Lucero said. “But I still have the same problems. It’ll just freeze up, pretending it doesn’t want to work sometimes. I’ve gotten so [angry] that I’ve thrown it across the room. And then it worked. Banging it up a little bit helps sometimes.”

[via Infinite Loop]

PodBuffet in development

Posted on Jul. 26, ’06, 2:24 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Music

If you travel with your iPod, but don’t bring along a laptop with Wi-Fi for adding the latest tunes and videos, you’re now in luck. Australian digital entertainment company 22Moo (who’s motto is “Freshly Unique”) is developing an iTMS kiosk called PodBuffet.

While details on the project are scarce, the kiosk will run off an Intel Mac Mini with a 15” touch-screen display. Multiple dock connectors and USB/Firewire ports will allow iPods to connect to the device to download music and videos from the iTunes Music Store. The kiosks will be appearing in any place they can make money (namely airports, hotels, and shopping centers).

[via MacMinute; concept image from Kioskproducts]

Adventures with Apple tech support

Posted on Jul. 26, ’06, 1:53 PM PT by Scott Silverman

Category | Hardware » Intel Macs

As I apparently am not the only one experiencing a few small issues with my new Intel Mac, I thought I would share my tale. Although I must say it is nowhere near as exciting as Dan’s. To make what could be a very long story shorter, I will abbreviate, hitting only the major points of the story (after all who really wants to read about someone else’s problems, when you have your own to fix?).

My problem was a squeaky spacebar on my MacBook Pro, which cut through the silence in a room like a knife through rock. I both visited my local Apple store (which would not replace the keyboard) and then called Apple technical support (which arranged to have the computer replaced entirely). I was to send the MBP in once I returned from London in one week’s time.

My computer’s trip abroad seems to have caused it undue stress, as not only was the spacebar squeaking when I returned to the States, but the backlight was flickering on and off, the keyboard was not responding after waking from sleep, and a distinct processor whine could be heard (which was directly tied to lack of CPU usage). I took the computer into my local Apple store once again as soon as I returned home, but the Genius said he couldn’t do anything there, as I was past my 14 day replacement period. He suggested I call technical support.

iTunes vs. Amazon: summer blockbuster?

Posted on Jul. 26, ’06, 11:56 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Video

Days after Microsoft’s admission that it is developing an iTunes/iPod competitor, the industry is awash in news that Amazon is looking to enter the digital download arena as well, specifically for video. Business 2.0’s Erick Schonfeld stacks up the competitors and their apparent advantages.

In Apple’s corner are the success of the iPod, and its position as an industry leader. On the flipside is Amazon, which is hardly without clout as far as tie-ins with Hollywood are concerned. People are as used to buying media from Amazon as they are from Apple, if not more so. If nothing else, Amazon is a worthy competitor for Apple, and where there’s competition, consumers will hopefully come out on top as companies vie for their patronage.

Still, there are interesting factors to considers, says Schonfeld, such as the data mining Amazon has at its fingertips:

And Amazon has a knockout punch of its own: its huge database filled with customers’ DVD purchase histories. Apple has accumulated enough data about song purchases to be able to recommend new music to iTunes users - but it’s starting with a nearly blank slate in movies. Amazon has vastly more data on the movie-buying habits of its customers.