iPod: the world traveler

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 11:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Business

What is the true value of an iPod, in global terms? I know it’s a Friday (and what a Friday!) but come now—we must exercise our brains a little, lest they atrophy before 6 p.m. local time. A good way to start is by examining reports of the iPod’s global economic value.

Researchers at the University of California recently conducted a a study examining the 451 parts that make up an iPod and where they’re manufactured. Using a $299 30-GB iPod video as their reference model, the researchers determined that:

The most expensive component in it was the hard drive, which was manufactured by Toshiba and costs about $73. The next most costly components were the display module (about $20), the video/multimedia processor chip ($8) and the controller chip ($5). They estimated that the final assembly, done in China, cost only about $4 a unit.

However, since many of the companies involved in an iPod’s assembly are either owned by companies in other countries, or outsource their own labor, it becomes difficult to truly track an iPod’s money trail. Final estimates by the researchers suggest that of a $299 iPod’s retail cost, $163 went towards American companies and workers: $75 for distribution and retail, $80 to Apple, and $8 to assorted component makers. Unaccounted-for parts and labor was about $110, but the study authors plan to track those costs down as well.

[Via Ars Technica]

[EDITED] Car bomb disabled in London

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 10:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Apple » News

[NOTE: Initial reports suggested that the car bomb was located near the Apple Store Regent Street location in London. Later reports showed that this was not the case. My apologies for the error—Kate Marshall, 10:03 PM EST, 6/29/07]

A car bomb was discovered in London early Friday morning June 29, according to the International Herald Tribune.

Investigating reports of a suspicious vehicle parked near Central London, police discovered a car bomb containing several gas cylinders, nails, and gasoline. It was parked near the Tiger Tiger nightclub.

The bomb was a “big device” and posed a substantial threat to the area, according to police. Officers disabled the bomb with a controlled explosion.

This speaker system is more than meets the eye

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 9:32 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPod » iPod Accessories

The Sharper Image has managed to combine two of my favorite things: iPod accessories and Transformers. Yes, though dreams of my Transformer-themed Mac didn’t pan out as expected, others have taken up the mantle to bring us the best in giant robot merchandising.

The Beatmix Bumblebee Speaker (a steal at just $40!) seems to take inspiration from the Robosapien, since as music plays, it “dances and flaps its wings with eyes lit bright.” Erm, that, to me—much as I love giant robots—is just a little bit creepy. Transformers don’t dance, okay? The speaker is powered by 4 AA batteries, and can jack into your iPod or any MP3 player with a headphone jack. And what robot speaker would be complete without the ability to “sample tunes back to you with distinctive Transformers sound effects, right from the movie.” It’s those kinds of touches that make you want to gouge your own eyes out.

If that’s not enough Transformer/Apple crossover coverage for you, then don’t miss this segment from The Colbert Report.

[Hat tip: Peter Cohen]

Justin Long on technology, being a Mac icon

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 9:05 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » Advertising

Today may be iPhone launch day, but for one Mac icon, this week has a different meaning altogether: Wednesday saw the opening of Live Free or Die Hard, starring Mac commercial portrayer Justin “Mac Guy” Long. The Washington Post has a two page profile on Long, who, though he plays a hacker in the movie, knows apparently very little about computers beyond how to download music off the Internet (we’re going to assume that means iTunes). Apparently he wouldn’t even take the free iPhone Steve offered him, because he was afraid he wouldn’t know how to use it. Dude, have you seen the commercials? Oh. Wait.

[His lack of technological prowess] evidently didn’t bother Apple chief executive Jobs, who specifically cast Long for the Mac-PC commercials. “Apparently I reminded him of himself,” Long explains. “Like a younger version of himself.”

You know, that’s interesting. He does kind of look a little bit like Steve back in the day (see above).

Long is, of course, playing second fiddle to Die Hard star Bruce Willis, who we know is a Mac user in his own right.

“And the funny thing is, Bruce knows far more about computers than I do and was always on the computer, working the webcam,” Long says. “I’m really, really bad with gadgets and any kind of computer thing.”

Even more ironically, it turns out Long is actually a New York City cop with a propensity for ending up in dangerous situations of incredible odds, and has managed to defeat a band of international terrorists while not wearing any shoes. Huh.

iTunes 7.3 brings iPhone features and Apple TV photo streaming

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 8:15 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iTunes

Yes, iTunes 7.3 is mainly about the iPhone. Its new features included the ability to activate your iPhone, and sync your movies, music, contacts, etc. with Apple’s shiny new handset.

But.

That’s not all. The iTunes update also sneaks in a new feature for Apple’s other consumer appliance, the Apple TV. Here’s the dope:

Also, you can now wirelessly share and enjoy your favorite digital photos from any computer in your home with Apple TV.

Well, nifty peachy keen. Previously, as you may remember, photos could only be synced to your AppleTV via iTunes; this seems to suggest that you can now stream them from any computer, which is sure to make Apple TV owners a happy bunch (not that they’re intrinsically sad or anything).

Got an Apple TV? Let us know how the update works!

The mysterious MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 7:34 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software » Updates

Apple is busy with putting the final touches on the iPhone and supporting materials along with continuing Leopard development. They’re so busy, they don’t even have the time to hint at what’s in MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0. Here we go again.

This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all 2.2/2.4GHz MacBook Pro models.

This very well might take the cake when it comes to Apple update description terseness. It’s completely devoid of information, other than indicating machine it’s for. We need to start a pool for when Apple finally releases a software update whose entire description is “Update.” I’m thinking three months. If you’re like me, it’s time to download and upgrade regardless(because I compulsively need the best latest).

Silent iSight upgrade

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 6:27 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Hardware

The guys over at Ecamm (also located in Massachusetts with Dan and I) have discovered some interesting new aspects of the new MacBook Pros. First, System Profiler reports the manufacturer as Apple Inc. instead of Micron as all earlier Macs have.

The second, and far more interesting aspect, is that the camera is capable of outputting 1.3 megapixels pictures. That’s a big jump from the original VGA specs of the iSight (1280x1024 vs 680x480). It also supports some other calls for adjusting the picture and uses a different compression format. 10.4.10 includes a new UVC driver (which allows for the use of many USB webcams, as Apple still hasn’t released a replacement for the now discontinued standalone iSight).

I’m surprised Apple didn’t include this as a selling point.

10.4.10 version number confusing some apps

Posted on Jun. 29, ’07, 5:44 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Troubleshooting

Amidst the denial that Apple would ever release an OS update with a double digit secondary number, it turns out there is actually a problem with doing so. In order to prevent software from running on platforms that lack the proper APIs, OS version checks are performed. However, one method of checking, the “MAC_OS_X_VERSION_ACTUAL” string, only has space for four digits. That results in getting back that the OS version is 10.4.1.

While there isn’t a lot of software that requires a specific version of Tiger, there are a few products, like UNO. Rosyna, of Unsanity, points out though that using that string is the wrong way to check the OS version.

There’s no problem with the 10.4.10 string aside from developers that try to parse it as a string intentionally. This is wrong.

The correct way for a developer to get the version number of the Mac OS is to use Gestalt(), it always has been. If you use gestaltSystemVersion on 10.4.10, you’ll get back 0x1049, which is no big deal (and is likely what ARD is doing). The correct way to get system versions over 10.4.9 and all system versions before 10.4.10 is to use gestaltSystemVersionMajor, gestaltSystemVersionBugFixMinor, and gestaltSystemVersionBugFix together.

So, we can expect apps using this other method to get updated to use a better means. That is as long as they’re being developed.

iPhone Central Round Up: sales details, Q&A, and RSS

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 12:22 PM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPhone

We’re trying to keep the iPhone lovin’ to a minimum here at MacUser, but let’s face it—there’s not much else people are talking about right now. To that ends, we present to you a roundup of the latest info on Apple’s latest thingy from our new blog sibling, iPhone Central.

Apple this morning announced the skinny on tomorrow’s iPhone launch. The upshot? 2 phones per person at Apple Stores, with all retail locations opening at 6PM and staying open until midnight. Starting on Saturday there will be free tutorials available, and stores will open at 9AM for the rest of the summer. But don’t worry, you’ll be able to check your availability the night before on Apple’s site.

Still questions you need answered? Our big brothers at Macworld have published their own extensive FAQ; David Pogue has his own list of questions and answers.

Apple appears to be prepping an web RSS reader for the iPhone, though they’ve now changed the initial screenshot.

Verizon, meanwhile, is trying to entice iPhone customers with their own lackluster offers.

Finally, the team at Iconfactory has converted their desktop picture collection for use on the iPhone, giving you a plethora of options when you get yours.

There’s more, of course, so head over to iPhone Central or Macworld.com for the latest on all things iPhone.

FireWire may be burning out

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 9:54 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

As Mac users, we know and love the FireWire (or, if you prefer its true name, IEEE1394), but could it be going the way of SCSI and serial ports? Recent statistics compiled by In-Stat show that FireWire’s popularity may be dwindling, especially when compared to that of USB2.0. The peak for FireWire may come in 2008, with decline hitting the year after that.

While Apple has longed used both FireWire and USB (and, in more recent years, USB2.0), the company has moved away from the former, which it helped create. iPods used to be FireWire only, but with the fifth-generation, became USB-only, and while Apple’s also put newer, faster FireWire 800 ports on its professional level Macs, the market at large has been slow to adopt those standards. Even digital camcorders, once a stronghold for the standard, have begun eschewing it for other alternatives.

FireWire still offers some advantages over USB2.0, especially when it comes to sustainable throughput, but with USB2.0’s near ubiquitous availability, can it hold out?

Love a man in uniform? Try Steve Jobs.

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 9:05 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » Steve Jobs

There are plenty of questions I’d want to ask Steve Jobs, given the opportunity to sit down with the man one-on-one: how do you think Apple will survive without you?; where is the Macintosh platform headed?; why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?

Steven Heller, co-chair of the Designer as Author MFA at School of Visual Arts, and book author, has a burning question of his own, one that’s likely to be on the minds of many an Apple aficionado:

Heller: Mr. Jobs, it’s not easy to get you to sit for an interview, so I’ll make this short. Why do you always wear blue jeans and a black turtleneck?

Jobs: That’s what you got me here for? Why don’t we talk about my head-to-toe attack on Bill Gates with our Safari web browser available for Windows-based PCs or my revolutionary iPhone?

Heller: Sure, all that’s very interesting, but we don’t have much time. So, just answer this: Why always with the blue jeans and a black turtleneck? I know you can afford better clothes.

Well, of course we know that Steve doesn’t always wear a black turtleneck and jeans; during this year’s Macworld keynote, he wore a button down shirt…with jeans.

But beyond his fictional interview [yes, of course it’s fictional], Heller raises some interesting points in a followup comment:

How does this pertain to a journal of Design? Steve Jobs is design. When he gets up before the public he is a logo. His uniform is key to this corporate identity. […]

Frankly, I enjoy how he’s branded himself in relation to his usually wonderful products. Look how different he and Bill Gates are in this regard. Its fascinating.

What’s more I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to ask these questions, and I’m sure its the last thing he’d want to talk about because it would pierce a well cultivated facade.

Spot on. We’re talking about a man who’s been known to focus on the most minute details, a man who’s as much image as he is reality. There’s a reason he picks out a black turtleneck and jeans.

That’s where the reality distortion field generator is.

[Thanks, Jason T]

Tog on the iPhone, future of multi-touch

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 8:13 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPhone

Bruce “Tog” Tognazzini is part of the legendary pantheon of Apple heroes. Hired as Apple employee number 66, Tog went on to become an integral part of Apple’s interface design, as well as the founder of Apple’s Human Interface Group. BusinessWeek caught up with Tog and asked him about the iPhone:

It looks like the iPhone will be a hit out of the box. Both Steve Jobs and Apple now have 30 years experience bringing entirely new products to market. They know now to wait until the silicon technology is available that will allow them to produce a full-featured, mature product on Day One…The design is right—brilliant, really—and I will be quite surprised if the execution is not equally perfect.

Some of Tog’s most interesting comments, however, are about whether or not the technology in the iPhone’s multi-touch screen will find its way into the rest of Apple’s product lines.

Do you expect to see the technology migrate to other Apple products?

It’s really about time for gesture to take hold so users are not just one-trick ponies with one click available to them. [The technology] could certainly be brought down into video iPods—and it could scale up to notebook computers, though you don’t want to have people raising their hands to a vertical screen.

Why not?

The arm of a 200-pound man weighs around 15 pounds. That’s a lot of weight to hold in a roughly horizontal position several hours a day while interacting with a vertically oriented touchscreen. Bring the screen down to the desktop, however, and the hand can glide over the surface with the weightiest portion of the arm hanging straight down from the shoulder. That’s what the mouse allowed. Similarly, the iPhone will be held in front of the user at around belly-button height, with the upper arms hanging straight down.

It’s an excellent point, and one that I’m sure Apple will think about if they decide to bring multi-touch to the Mac. Tog’s also got some fascinating insights on Steve Jobs’s role in Apple, and where the iPhone’s interface doesn’t go far enough. Well worth a read.

OmniWeb 5.6 sneaky peeks available

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 7:41 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software

I mentioned that I was impatiently awaiting the release of OmniWeb 5.6. Omni Group has made the current alphas available as sneaky peeks. The current release notes list a few known issues and several new features.

• Now using WebKit r23823.
• This includes the new Web Inspector as seen on Surfin’ Safari
• Addresses many site compatibility issues, improves performance and addresses various other bugs found in 5.5.4.
• The Drosera JavaScript debugger now works in OmniWeb. (It is packaged with WebKit nightlies http://nightly.webkit.org/builds/)
• Improved JavaScript and plug-in performance.
• Speed Download should now behave appropriately in OmniWeb.
• Flash and other plug-in performance has been improved.
• Several compatibility issues with the developer builds of OS X have been corrected.
• OmniWeb should now never fail to quit when requested to do so.
• Updated the zoomed editor, adding an item in both the Edit and textarea Context menu.
• The favorites menu should now always appear in the Bookmarks menu.

The performance improvement is drastic, as it is with Safari 3.0 beta. I couldn’t find the Web Inspector anywhere in the interface, but I’ll take it on faith it’s there somewhere. Unfortunately, the one thing I was hoping for wasn’t delivered. Netflix rating doesn’t work. In fact, rating anything in it makes the application unable to load any new or old pages. Maybe tomorrow will bring a better build.

Lightroom fans rejoice, 1.1 update available

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 6:32 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Photography

Adobe’s photo asset management program Photoshop Lightroom, was updated to 1.1. You can download the update from their website. There’s a big list of new features that you can read about in the update Read ME PDF.

I’m personally barely at the level of iPhoto with my Nikon Coolpix 2500 (it’s the one that swivels!) and using the red eye tool. That’s why I’m glad to point out James Duncan Davidson’s rundown. While he himself admits he can review all the new features, he does give a decent overview. Any Lightroom aficionados in the audience have any thoughts?

Superdrive Firmware Update 2.1 and Pro Application Update 2007-01 released

Posted on Jun. 28, ’07, 5:14 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software » Updates

Apple’s released a two pack of software updates. The Superdrive Firmware Update 2.1 is for MacBooks and MacBook Pros. It improves the readability of certain CD media. It’s up to you to figure out which.

The Pro Application Update 2007-01 includes three important fixes.

• Apple ProRes 422:
  Delivers improved encoding performance for Power Mac G5 computers.

• ProAppsEffects:
  Delivers filter improvements for Motion 3.0 and Final Cut Pro 6.0 customers.

• PluginManager, FxPlug, ProFX, and FxPlugWrapper:
  These shared components deliver updates to Effects Support, 3D Support, and Versioning Support.

• Helium.framework:
  Delivers improvements for SmoothCam. This update is required for customers using Motion 3.0 and Final Cut Pro 6.0.

A special huzzah for the first item because it shows continued commitment to the PowerPC platform.

Ihnatko: The end of iPhone innocence

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 4:35 PM PT by Andy Ihnatko

Category | Ihnatko

Friday is the official launch date for the iPhone.

This date has made a great many people very, very happy. At least the ones who are eager to spend $499 for a device that allows you to be sitting on a reed mat in a Buddhist meditation center serenely focusing on your mindfulness of breath and contemplation of impermanence one moment, and explaining to your extremely honked-off boss why you chose to switch to a different contractor for breakroom coffee machine maintenance the next.

Well, good for them. As for me, my elan has been dampened. My joie is nowhere near as vivre-ey as it once was, and I find that someone has gone and installed a screen door on my submarine.

Why? Because I have only a few more hours of lording it all over people that I’ve already used an iPhone and they haven’t.

Damn.

Read the rest at Macworld.com…

QuickTime+HandBrake=one happy Kate

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 11:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Geekery

As a Mac-owner who uses a PC for work, there are times when I have wished that whatever I was doing on the PC, I could do on my MacBook instead. This week, when I started a project that requires me to transcribe or outline the content of several DVD-Rs. Each disc contains 2-4 video interviews (30-45 minutes long) but they’re dumped onto the dics as one big chapter.

PowerDVD doesn’t recognize the spacebar for pausing playback. Both it and Windows Media Player lack a graphical slider, found in iTunes, that lets you jump to different scenes. Because I have to watch some interviews before others, this is a necessary feature. It was increasinly obvious that my MacBook could somehow make this whole process easier.

The discs can play in my Mac’s DVD Player but I decided that a little work now would save me valuable time later. I ripped the videos via HandBrake so they’re now QuickTime-friendly. Now I can pause playback with one hand while taking notes with the other and jump to random points. Also, these files are iPod video-friendly, in case I need to take my work home with me. Even if I had just watched the movies in DVD Player, I think I’d still be better off.

This exercise also reiterated how great HandBrake is: Insert DVD, select the “HB-iPod” preset, and click “start.” Before long, I had a collection of MP4 files on my Mac’s hard drive, so I could watch/outline one interview while ripping another. I am crazy like a fox that way.

Wireless woes for the office environment

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 10:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Internet

When it comes to mobile computing, there is one overarching necessity: the lack of wires. You can’t get very far if you’re tethered to a wall outlet, Ethernet port, or telephone jack. Living a truly wireless life has its drawbacks though—batteries run out of power, and wired network connections are more secure (and usually stronger) than wireless networks. It’s little surprise then, that companies are inherently frustrated by the negative characteristics inherent in Wi-Fi.

As The Wall Street Journal illustrates, many businesses run into the same potholes when they try to embrace that newfangled fad known as “wireless networking” in their offices: poor signal reception and strength; unauthorized users mooching off the office Wi-Fi; and constant interference from other devices:

That’s what happened when doctors with Carilion Health Systems, a Roanoke, Va.-based health company with 100 doctor offices and eight hospitals, began using a new wireless endoscopy capsule last year. When swallowed by a patient, the capsule — a small device about the size of a vitamin tablet — wirelessly transmits images to a receiver as it passes through a patient’s system. Carilion’s doctors were given a demo capsule early last year, but they hadn’t met with the hospital’s network administrators to inspect the device before they began testing it.

You can guess what happened next: the capsule’s transmitter disrupted the clinic’s wireless network, kicking PCs and handheld scanners off the network—devices which often contained medical records. Network administrators had use Wi-Fi meters to find the capsule so it could be turned off. Good grief.

[Via Slashdot]

Link up with Steve Jobs

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 9:21 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » Steve Jobs

If you want to get your hands on an iPhone, one thing you might consider is getting in touch with Steve Jobs himself. The man’s been known to respond to emails from time to time, to help out customers in need. And now Dr. Macenstein, of the eponymous blog, points out a Steve Jobs profile on social networking site Linked In.

Steve claims to be interested in receiving:

• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
as well as just
• getting back in touch with lost colleagues.

This could be your ticket to landing the dream job of a lifetime!

Of course, as the good Doctor points out, the likelihood of this being the real Steve Jobs is pretty slim, despite the fact that he’s in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the “Computer Hardware” industry.

Then again, maybe it’s Fake Steve looking to do some networking in his post-Wired era. Unfortunately, he can only get you a Fake iPhone.

iPhone review roundup

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 8:45 AM PT by Aaron Freedman

Category | iPhone

With the iPhone now only a few days away, the main reviews of the highly anticipated product were released today. Steven Levy of Newsweek and Ed Baig of USA TODAY both published their reviews today, in addition to the evaluations of the very high-profile David Pogue of The New York Times and Walt Mossberg of The Walt Street Journal. Here’s a little overview of their reviews:

All of the reviewers had a generally positive view of the iPhone. David Pogue seemed to like it the most, with Walt Mossberg being a little more critical and Steven Levy and Ed Baig having the most problems. All of the reviewers liked the visual voicemail, Google Maps, and several other features, though several aspects of the product got mixed response. Mossberg and Pogue both said they flew on the virtual keyboard after using it for about a week, with Baig also praising the keyboard, while Levy said he had great difficulty with it. The reviewers also pointed out some interesting details about the phone, such as the lack of cut, copy, and paste functions and the device being warm to the cheek when using the phone functionality, in addition to minor quibbles about the headphone jack size.

Mossberg was also able to talk to Steve Jobs and ask him some questions about the device, many followed by “We don’t talk about future products.” Though, to his credit, Jobs did comment on the inclusion of EDGE in the iPhone, saying that “the iPhone sandwiches 3G networks with something a bit slower on the bottom and something far faster on the top” (he also mentioned the exclusivity of the iPhone with AT&T and some other topics).

So overall, the initial response to the iPhone by reviewers has been good, but don’t trust my judgement — go out and read them yourself, or see more detailed coverage of each review at our sister blog, iPhone Central. And of course, come Friday, you’ll be able to get an iPhone and try it out yourself.

Mysteries of the zoom button

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 8:25 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Software

The green zoom button at the top of most OS X windows is a thing of confusion for many. For Windows switchers, who think it the equivalent of that OS’s “maximize” button, it sometimes behaves “correctly,” and sometimes not. But even to the most diehard Mac users, who remember the classic OS’s zoom button, it can often be perplexing.

Mac OS X Hints master Rob “Zoom zoom zoom” Griffiths points out a couple of occasions in which even Apple seems to take liberties with the zoom button.

Everyone is probably familiar with the first instance: the green button in the iTunes main window toggles between the normal window and the mini-controller window (which can then be further reduced in size by dragging the lower right corner to the left).

[…]

The second non-standard application is Calculator, which uses the green button to flip between its three modes, which are also available in the View menu, or by using the Command-1, Command-2, and Command-3 keyboard shortcuts.

I don’t deny that those non-standard behaviors are useful (I love iTunes’s mini controller), but they are most definitely weird and probably confusing to those who don’t even understand the zoom button to begin with.

So readers, I pose you this question: do you use the zoom button often? Would you be sad to see it go? Should it be more consistent? Okay, those are actually three questions, but you see what I’m getting at.

Mac vs. PC rap

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 7:44 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Apple » Humor

I may like John Hodgman a little too much, but Apple’s commercials just don’t compare to this video. Playah.

[via Gizmodo]

uTorrent is coming to Mac

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 6:28 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software

If you’re intimately familiar with the Bittorrent scene, you’ve probably heard of the legendary µTorrent. With an impressive featureset, tiny RAM footprint, and unparalleled speed, there’s a reason that it’s on the tip of Windows users’ tongues. I’ll admit that the few times I’ve needed to bittorrent any download in Windows, I was always mighty impressed by it.

While we have plenty of options available to our platform, the only client that came close to the memory footprint and performance of µTorrent is Transmission, but it’s behavior has always been a matter of debate for many torrent services. Torrentfreak has a preliminary review of the upcoming µTorrent for Mac.

Considering the build review is “pre-alpha”, I don’t think I’d take it as a fair representation of the app (no matter how complimentary). It’s far more important to know that in the future, we’ll have access to this terrific app in OS X.

EasyEnvelopes 1.0.5 released

Posted on Jun. 27, ’07, 5:16 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software » Updates

The 1.0.5 update of EasyEnvelopes doesn’t carry much in the way of new stuff. However, it still stands apart as my favorite Dashboard Widget of all time. I still shockingly print a number of envelopes. Rather than continually write out addresses, this nifty little widget fills it out for me. I can look addresses up from the Address Book or type them in.

Once filled out, you click the little printer stamp icon. It even does the dirty work of reconfiguring your printer settings so things get printed in the right places. Address codes even get included in the end result. I remember what a pain this used to be in the OS 9 days and this is a huge time saver.

I’m not sure if it’s new, but if you click on the area to the left of the stamp, you get a miniaturized version of it for saving space. That’s definitely key for smaller laptop users.

Podcasts on my iPod shuffle

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 3:08 PM PT by Thomas Gagnon-van Leeuwen

Category | iPod

Since my big ol’ iPod (as in $300-less-than-two-year-old-iPod Photo) went into a coma a few weeks ago—I’m too lazy to try to revive it a third time for now—the pack of gum that is my iPod shuffle has faithfully served my music and podcast listening needs. As I’ve said before, I enjoy the shuffle for music, but I wasn’t quite sure how it would hold up when listening to podcasts.

In short, it holds up OK. I’ve set to update my shuffle manually, so it’s simply a matter of dragging the podcasts I want to listen to, until the next sync when I delete the old ones and replace them with un-listened content. Sure, it’s not the seamless experience I’ve grown accustomed to, but it’s a reasonable solution.

However, there are some annoying shortcomings, at least with my first-generation model. For example, podcasts will automatically jump to the top of your playlist and place themselves in a kind-of-random order, regardless how you arrange them in iTunes. Also, to fast-forward 30 minutes into a show, prepare yourself to hold the “forward” button for a long time.

Then, there’s the issue of storage. Owners of 512MB shuffles like me will find that they’ll have to delete a large number of songs to make space for podcasts; typical podcast files are anywhere from 10 to 50MB in size, so prepare to do some housecleaning, especially if you want to fit many episodes at a time.

There is something you can do to simplify the process of loading stuff onto the ‘pod, though: create a smart playlist for audio podcasts that haven’t been listened to. To do that, set the following rules for the playlist: Play Count is 0, Genre is Podcast, and Kind does not contain Video, Movie, and PDF (that last one requires three separate rules). This is also convenient for screen-gifted iPods, by the way.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the podcast-listening experience on my shuffle—it’s certainly bearable. Until I squeeze some extra life out of my big guy or purchase a new player, the shuffle solution is satisfying.

Apple as a religion?

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 2:07 PM PT by Aaron Freedman

Category | Internet

While many people call Apple a cult, it may be going a little too far to call it a religion. I mean, it’s not like we have a god, temples, or religious rituals of any kind. But apparently, Beliefnet blogger David Kuo begs to differ.

Kuo, who writes a blog for the religion website Beliefnet, says that Apple has become a religion — “Appleism.” He says that Apple has now gone beyond the point of a cult of some hardcore believers, but a full blown religion with millions of followers worldwide. Kuo cites several central, defining aspects of religion that he says appear in Apple, such as a deity (Steve Jobs), ritual acts (Macworld Expo), and an idea of sacred vs. profane (Apple vs. Microsoft). While the article itself is very interesting and controversial, the concept of “Appleism” got even more light when Gizmodo editor-in-chief Brian Lam responded to the article. Lam says that Apple isn’t a religion but a “faith of the most practical sort.” The Gizmodo editor says that the faith in Apple comes from the fact that its products don’t crash, not that it will allow one to achieve salvation. He also mentions that what makes Apple interesting is that it focuses on the human nature of its products (such as in the dancing silhouette iPod ads), not the sacred.

As someone who is fairly religious, I find this article and Brian Lam’s response very interesting. Like Lam, I feel that Apple is not a religion (though definitely some sort of cult). In fact, more than anything else, I think the best thing about this article and response is the dialogue between Kuo and Lam (a “blogalogue,” as Beliefnet calls it). This article is attracting Apple fans and Gizmodo readers (which Beliefnet even caters to with a collection of links on the top of the page), who are of a generally not religious demographic. The fact that secular tech geeks are visiting a religion site is possibly a sign of an odd yet productive friendship in the future.

30 years of nostalgia, in one giant JPG

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 10:20 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

Join me in the MacUser wayback machine as we take a look at the long, tortuous history of Apple product design. Edwin Tofslie, an Art Director and Designer, has compiled a look—in images, natch—at the last thirty years of Apple products, starting with the original wood case of the Apple I all the way up to the iPhone.

While it doesn’t show every single Apple product ever (come on, how many Performas do you really want to see?), it does hit the high points of the Apple, original Mac, PowerMac, and Intel mac eras (along with a splash of other devices like the Newton, displays, the eMate, the iPod, etc).

I really find it fascinating that so many of these designs summon up such personal memories—and not just the models I’ve owned, like the original Macintosh LC, the PowerBook G3, and the PowerMac G3. The Apple IIe and IIgs were all over my classrooms as a kid, and I fondly remember playing Number Crunchers and other games on them.

Then there’s the Macintosh Centris, which, with its integrated speakers and surfeit of controls, just screams “1990s!” When I mentioned that to a friend of mine, she suggested that it screamed “middle school library.” Touché.

And finally, there’s the first Mac that I ever remember playing with, the SE/30 that belonged to my best friend growing up. We whiled away the hours playing MacPoker and LodeRunner on that little monochrome screen and it seemed like the very stuff of dreams to us. Sometimes, on quiet nights, I can still hear the ka-chunk of the floppy drive, as if from a great distance.

[Thanks, Aaron and Danielle]

Mod your Mac Pro to eight core goodness

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 8:50 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Hardware

Can you really ever have too many processor cores? Nope. That’s Tommaso Alvisi’s opinion, anyway. This dedicated Mac fan has spent some time upgrading his stock quad-core Mac Pro to a crazy 8-core behemoth, all by his very lonesome.

Tommaso used a pair of Intel’s Quad Core E5320 Xeon processors, rated for just 80W of power consumption each (up from the Mac Pro’s stock processor’s 65W). They’ll run you about €350 apiece, but that’s a lot cheaper than comparable processors used by other sites.

If you’re looking to eke a little more computational niceness out of your Mac Pro, you can follow along at Tommaso’s site; though be warned, the process will most assuredly void your warranty. The results are pretty impressive though: ripping a 90-minute movie in HandBrake took about 5 minutes, and used less than 80% of the processor load.

Someday, we will all have insane amounts of processor power. And the world will be a better place.

Core 2 Duo gains 1.33 GHz bus

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 8:07 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Hardware

It’s been a little while since we revisited the latest in Intel technology, but one new juicy tidbit has been announced. Core 2 Duo chips will soon feature 1.33 GHz frontside busses. That’s double the speed of the Merom chips that fuel iMacs, MacBooks, and, up until recently, MacBook Pros (which now have a 800 MHz bus).

As it stands right now, only Mac Pros with their Xeon processors have 1.33 GHz bus speeds. With two dual core processors, the Mac Pro absolutely needs that extra bandwidth. As quad core chips become more common and the clock speeds increase in the Core 2 Duo chips, it becomes a necessity for them as well. However, considering these particular chips are designed for desktop use, we may not see them in a Mac any time soon (if ever). Apple’s already set the precedent for using only laptop chipsets in all Macs save the Mac Pro.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m almost starting to get the shakes from a lack of case redesigns and major specification overhauls.

iPhone mania: Plans and activation details revealed

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 7:10 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPhone

We know we promised to cut down on our iPhone coverage, but just in case you’re not among the hordes subscribed to our new iPhone Central blog, we figured we’d let you in on the big news of the morning.

Apple and AT&T have announced the plan pricing for the iPhone, much to the relief of us many prospective customers. There are three default plans that break down as follows:

$59.99 for 450 minutes
$79.99 for 900 minutes
$99.99 for 1,350 minutes

Each plan includes unlimited data, 200 text messages (we’re not sure if that’s sent, received, or both), Visual Voicemail, rollover minutes, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. There’s also a one-time $36 activation fee. From what we’ve been told, family plans will be available, and existing AT&T customers will be able to upgrade their current plans. Customers will also have the option to use AT&T’s other plans (for voice, presumably).

Second up, the old activation dance. As we reported a while back, the iPhone requires an iTunes account; turns out that’s for activation. You’ll be able to buy your phone in the store, then take it home and activate it yourself in “minutes.” Good news for those who are worried about long lines at stores; you won’t have to stand behind someone debating the merits of the $59.99 plan versus the $99.99 plan. Just buy your phone and go.

The fickle love of a browser user

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 6:37 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Internet

I’ve been harboring a bit of a secret for the past couple weeks or so. I’ve gone back to using Camino. In the dark days of Mac OS X web browsing, Camino was a glimmer of hope that things would get better. It was my browser of choice until Safari came on the scene. I quickly migrated. Then, after realizing how many add-ons I used to make Safari livable and how much memory it was sucking up, I switched to OmniWeb (motivated by a great sale). OmniWeb was another favorite from the dark days.

However, it’s gotten stale as Firefox, Opera, Camino, and now even Safari (3.0 beta) have progressed at a much faster pace. Ventures into OmniWeb’s forums revealed a thread asking about OmniWeb 5.6. The recent beta Safari release spurred an extra desperate barrage of “where is OmniWeb 5.6?”. To be honest, given the speed gains of Safari, I started to feel the same way, being the final straw that prompted me to try Camino once again.

I’ve rediscovered a basic fact of my browsing behavior: I prefer simple, fast browsing. While I appreciate the extra features in the other browsers, I didn’t miss them enough for me to ignore the tiny RAM footprint and incredible speed of Camino. The one thing I was missing was bookmark syncing, but that was eased by a recommendation of the man, the legend, John Moltz. Bookit let me synchronize the bookmarks between all my browsers locally. That doesn’t directly solve my multiple Mac problem, but when used on all my Macs with .Mac bookmark syncing turned on, bookmark changes get propagated between machines using Safari as a bridge.

Omni is promising that fabled 5.6 update soon. I’ll try to be patient and revisit the browser, but I must be honest, I may not return.

Silencing pop once and for all

Posted on Jun. 26, ’07, 5:24 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Troubleshooting

More than a few of you may be thinking that the title suggests a way to keep the likes of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake from being emitted from your poor computer’s speakers, but no, I’ve found a solution to the speaker popping problem we talked about yesterday thanks to the venerable MacFixit. Their solution (which is sure to disappear to the purgatory of their paid archives in mere days) involves a little hackery but should be generally manageable.

The definitive fix, however, is to revert the kernel extension /System/Library/Extensions/AppleHDA.kext to the version included with Mac OS X 10.4.9, via this process:

1. Download the appropriate Mac OS X 10.4.9 combo updater from Apple’s download page.
2. Download and install the shareware application Pacifist
3. Drag the Mac OS X combo installer package (e.g. MacOSXUpd10.4.9Intel.pkg) onto the Pacifist application icon.
4. Click the disclosure triangles next to System, then Library then Extensions and find the file AppleHDA.kext.
5. Select the file AppleHDA.kext and click the Install button in Pacifist. You will be required to enter your administrator password.
6. Go back to the Mac OS X Finder and navigate to /System/Library. Drag the file Extensions.kextcache to the Trash. You will be required to enter your administrator password.
7. Restart your Mac

While this may be to the answer to your many prayers, keep in mind that, as they also note, mixing system components between versions is very trick and dangerous business that may result in other unexpected bugs. So, should you decide to undertake this, you could be inviting other instability (consider yourself warned).

New Apple Store for Oxmoor, Kentucky

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 11:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Apple » Stores

What I love best about Apple retail stores is how they’re creeping across the globe, infiltrating the formerly-impenetrable territory occupied by Best Buys, CompUSAs, and other occasionally-annoying electronics stores. Now Kentucky residents can get in on the fun, thanks to a new Apple Store coming to Oxmoor. The first Apple store for Kentucky won’t open until August in the Oxmoor shopping center on Shelbyville Road. Shopping center owners have reportedly been trying for several years to get Apple to open retail outlets in Louisville, Kentucky, according to The Courier-Journal. The store will take up approximately 5,000 square feet across from an Eddie Bauer store. Currently, the nearest Apple stores to Kentucky are in Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Tennessee (Nashville).

No “iPop” for you

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 10:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Legal

“iPop” becomes “iPod” way too easily—but is it really necessary to go head-to-head with Apple, Inc. over it? Orbitcoms, a software company in New Zealand, has drawn negative attention from Apple’s legal team over a proposed software name. Orbitcoms recently developed software that works with Microsoft Dynamics CRM (customer relationship management). The proposed “iPop” software would let users combine their current CRM system with telephones so relevant information can appear onscreen when a customer calls a company. So how did Orbitcoms come up with the name “iPop” anyway?

“The name ‘iPop’ comes from the screen “pop” and the “i” refers to information, intelligence and integration,” says Shi, who says he was most surprised when Apple objected to the company’s trademark application. According to Shi, the basis of Apple’s objection is that consumer could confuse “iPop” with “iPod”.

Tony Shi, chief executive of Orbitcoms, changed the name to “Orbitcoms iPop” but that still didn’t satisfy Apple, so the six-staff software company is planning its next move.

Microsoft waffles on virtualization; thumbs up on maple syrup

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 9:55 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Windows

In the cold, unforgiving days of February, we found out that Microsoft had written the end user license agreement (EULA) on the Home Basic and Home Premium versions of Windows Vista to forbid virtualization on other platforms (read: Macs), forcing conscientious Mac users to fork over extra dough for the Business or Ultimate editions.

Last week, news surfaced that Microsoft had been on the cusp of announcing that they would rework the clauses to allow virtualization—unfortunately, that news came to light along with the information that Microsoft had decided not to rework the EULAs.

“Microsoft has reassessed the Windows virtualization policy and decided that we will maintain the original policy announced last Fall,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement provided to Macworld.

Why the back-and-forth? Ars Technica’s Ken Fisher thinks it’s to prevent Apple from using OEM status to bundle Windows with Macs for a nominal fee.

Now imagine Apple running adverts on the TV that say: with a Mac, you can get the best of both worlds by adding Windows Vista to your Mac for $99. “Get a Mac, then add a PC for $99!”

And imagine that users don’t need Boot Camp to use Vista but can legally fire up a VM at any moment. Apple and their “geniuses” would, in fact, happily help you get Vista set up in a VM so the “switch” could be that much more convenient.

A solid point. And so, the situations remains the same as it ever was: those who wants to use Vista in Parallels or VMWare will have to shell out the extra cash (though remember that you can get OEM versions of Vista Business and Ultimate for much cheaper as well).

Microsoft claims Vista most secure operating system (and prettiest, smartest OS ever)

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 9:26 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Security

When it comes to the platform wars today, it’s tough finding a more contentious issue than security. Apple and Windows defenders routinely trade broadsides about which OS is more secure, with the arguments usually becoming heated and devolving into flame wars (the Third Platform Security Flamewar actually decimated a large portion of the West Coast, which is now inhabited primarily by zombies).

So take this latest study with big chunk of the old NaCl. The Windows Vista 6-month Vulnerability Report (PDF link), compiled by Jeff Jones of Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing group, says that Vista has demonstrated fewer flaws in the first six months than any comparable operating system, including Windows XP, multiple Linux distributions, and Mac OS X 10.4. Specifically, the report looks at two types of vulnerabilities: those that have been fixed, and those that have been disclosed but remain unfixed.

Remember that this data just covers the first six months of an OS after release. Vista’s numbers do seem impressively low, but from all the information I’ve seen, it doesn’t seem as though Vista necessarily has the exposure that, say, XP had. In addition, comparing to Linux (and even, to a certain extent, OS X) is a little tricky, given that the source for Linux is freely available, making it much easier to scrutinize for bugs. And, by all accounts, Vista’s adoption rates in the first six months have been somewhat less than spectacular, suggesting that perhaps it hasn’t been tested as strenuously as its predecessors. And though it is of course impossible to determine the number of undisclosed bugs in existence, it is possible that these numbers could rapidly shift: security is a moving target.

At the end of the day, despite how solid the numbers seem, the truth is that this report has been issued by Microsoft itself, which obviously has a vested interest in making its own products seem as secure as possible.

[via VNUnet]

Windows Safari can’t gain marketshare fast enough for me

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 8:43 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Internet

Say what you will about Safari on Windows—that it’s awful, riddled with security holes that make Swiss Cheese look like a viable alternative—but I think rolling out the browser for Windows was a good idea. Here’s why.

Yesterday, while driving home after an enjoyable round of miniature golf (like golf, only smaller), I wondered aloud to my friend why it felt like I was driving on a flat tire. Through the careful application of the theory of Occam’s Razor (and a quick look out the window), we established that it was, in fact, because I was driving on a flat tire.

This morning, I tried to load up the website of NTB so I could see if they had the model I was looking for, and lo-and-behold I was greeted by this message:

Thank you for choosing ntb.com! Unfortunately, your browser is incompatible with certain features of our current website. While we are actively working towards eliminating such incompatibilities, we encourage you to try viewing our website in one of the following compatible browsers

Blast and double blast. You mean I must now launch—*dramatic music*—a second browser? Unacceptable. What will they do once the Stevedialer 3000+ comes out?

Fortunately, they now have Safari on Windows for all their testing needs—hop to it, tire jockeys!

[Irony note: I did in fact try to go to the site in Camino, where it explained that “TireKingdom.com, NTB.com, MerchantsTire.com are currently down for maintenance.” Two strikes, NTB. You’d better have my tire.]

YouTube Remixer lets you edit your videos (and trust me; they need editing)

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 8:10 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Video

I may revile YouTube as the destroyer of our fair utopian society, but as it’s way more popular than I am, I’m consigned to wage this David vs. Goliath battle all by my lonesome. Fortunately, the ol’ Tube has added some spiffy new functionality designed to make the site appeal to those who fancy themselves the next Spielberg, Hitchcock, or, erm, Michael Bay (more explosions needed).

Yes Adobe’s Premiere Express brings video editing features to YouTube in the form of YouTube Remixer. Using a Flash interface, you can cut and splice clips, add transitions, borders, music, captions, and more to your thirty second videos of your cat looking cute. And because it relies on Flash, it’s platform independent: I loaded it up on my MacBook and it purred along nicely for the most part. Very snappy and responsive, and to my amazement, it didn’t even cause my MacBook’s fans to ramp up insanely, as they usually do when they encounter intensive Flash apps.

My choice of videos to edit (those I’ve uploaded) are rather limited, so please enjoy the above screenshot of my new magnum opus, featuring productivity heartthrob Merlin Mann (coming soon to a website near you).

[via Macworld]

Talking out both sides of your mouth

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 7:11 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Software

I’ve been really enjoying the video interview that Ars Technica made from WWDC talking with various developers that were there. Let’s face it. Text and even audio is missing a special something when it comes to some interviews. However, one interview confused the heck out of me. In particular, Austin Sarner and John Casasanta talk about bridging the recent gap.

We want to bring everyone back together. And we want to create this sense of community again.

They talk about it and how they used their recent WWDC party as a measure to achieve those ends. That sounds all well and good, but let’s roll back the tape to the “I Like Olives” website they referred to (after all, it’s supposed to be part of their campaign). In particular, let’s revisit the first post.

And speaking of the whole “Delicious Generation” thing, we’ve taken Paul Kafasis’ narcissistic, pessimistic, manipulative, envy-driven rant and turned his negative “flashy but frivolous apps” meaning into a positive one.

And

As we’re gearing up for this new project, we’re also bracing for impact as we wait on people like Erik Barzeski to send us a friendly email, exchange emails, write a positive review, then come full circle and write a “me-too” post when hating on our software becomes the popular thing. Or better yet, maybe we’ll get a Paul Kafasis situation where he goes on a tirade about our software, only to later act like he was never the aggressor. Maybe we could even get a Gruber post fueled with another extremely well thought out bit of logic about selling beta software or perhaps even a completely uninformed, highly speculative statement about our sales figures and what cuts we’re giving to people.

This is how they’re trying to “bring everyone back together”? They want to call people out by name and attack them. Forgive me for perhaps being one of the old fuddy duddies, but I really don’t see that as an honest attempt at bridging the divide. It sounds like someone out for revenge. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that they thought better of what they initially wrote and have since changed their tune, but considering the post is still there, intact with the hating, I somehow doubt it.

I do have to say though that I had to giggle at Casasanta’s choice of attire (a Daring Fireball T-shirt).

Snap, crackle, and pop hiding in 10.4.10

Posted on Jun. 25, ’07, 6:05 AM PT by Derik DeLong

Category | Troubleshooting

Mac OS X 10.4.10 may fix a bunch of problems and even help show that Dan and Pat were dreadfully wrong (for both suggesting that 10.4.9 was the last 10.4.x and doubting me). However, for some Mac users, it’s turned into an audio annoyance. Normally, I don’t post on every problem report I find, but this one is more than a little bit common (even though I personally haven’t experienced it on either of my computers).

The basic problem is that a popping sound comes out of one’s speakers fairly regularly, related to sound starting and stopping for some. If you’re anything like me, you’ve already applied the update and know whether you’re affected. If you haven’t updated, you might think about holding off a bit, particularly if things are working well and sound is of the utmost importance to you. Have any of you had the problem?

Jobzilla v. Bambi II

Posted on Jun. 23, ’07, 10:25 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple » Steve Jobs

It’s nice to see Steve Jobs taking an active interest in his role on Disney’s board. El Jobso took some time out of his busy schedule in the week before the launch of the iPhone to abolish Disney’s practice of distributing direct-to-DVD sequels (a habit we roundly lambasted back in podcast #18). Steve made his feelings known back in 2003 during a conference call:

“We feel sick about Disney doing sequels,” Jobs said. “If you look at the quality of their sequels … it’s pretty embarrassing.”

Okay, it’s not really Mac news, but it’s another data point on the persona of Steve Jobs. Direct-to-DVD sequels made lots of money for Disney, but they’re crap and Jobs values making a good product over making a profitable one (ideally, I’m sure he’d like to do both). Now if only he’d crack open the Disney “vault” once and for all.

(Read on for a Saturday matinee rant.)

Congrats, iTunes: you’re now #3

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 5:45 PM PT by Thomas Gagnon-van Leeuwen

Category | iTunes » iTunes Store

According to NPD, iTunes now sits at the #3 spot of all music sellers, including retail stores, only supplanted by Wal-Mart (#1) and Best Buy (#2). It’s quite an impressive feat, especially considering iTunes was at #7 only a year and a half ago. Even giants like Amazon and Target trail iTunes.

With more than 2.5 billion songs sold since its launch, sales don’t seem to be slowing down. However, NPD’s data also indicates that digital downloads only account for 13.8% of total music sales, CDs still being the most popular. Still, not a bad performance for a business that’s only a few years old.

Friday evening updates enhance Internet security

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 4:43 PM PT by Thomas Gagnon-van Leeuwen

Category | Software » Updates

Ah, Friday evenings. Work is done, the sun is setting, and Apple releases software updates. Today is no different, with Security Update 2007-006 and an update to the Safari 3 beta being released.

2007’s sixth Security Update patches WebCore and WebKit, both key Internet frameworks inside OS X. Two typical security risks are obliterated with the update—the usual chatter about “malicious” hackers who execute “arbitrary code”—which you can download from Software Update or Apple’s website.

Safari 3.0.2 curiously includes the fixes from the Security Update, in addition to Safari 3-specific patches. On the Windows side, you also get better displayed text and improved startup times. All of that is obtainable by heading over to the Safari download page.

Apple does include one additional treat on that page, however: a glimpse at future (minor) features for the Safari beta. Most notable are localization and support for international users, spell check, and “cookie management”. See the whole list here.

It’s a blog! Welcome MacUser’s new sibling, iPhone Central

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 1:42 PM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPhone

You’re getting sick of the iPhone. We hear you. We too are somewhat nauseated by repeated questions of whether or not the iPhone will run for president, feed orphans, and finance Episodes VII-IX of Star Wars. This is MacUser goshdarnit; we write about the Macintosh. Not some sort of bizarre iPhoneUser where all they do is write about iPhones.

Hmm…that’s not a half bad idea.

Starting today, we’re throwing the bulk of our iPhone coverage over to the newest site in the MacPublishing family: iPhone Central. An offshoot of Macworld, iPhone Central will cover news, reviews, accessories, and tips and tricks related to Apple’s shiniest, newest, most messianic device yet. You’ll hear from some familiar faces, like Macworld’s Jason Snell, Christopher Breen, Jim Dalrymple, Dan Frakes, and—just for good measure—me, too.

So, if you need your fix of everything iPhone related, point your browser to iPhone Central, and if you’d rather plug your ears shut and hum to yourself until this whole thing blows over, stick with us here at MacUser. We promise to keep it light on the whole iPhone thing. Mostly.

Can’t go forward without seeing where you came

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 11:32 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | Hardware

I don’t even have to look at my newsreader or MacSurfer’s home page to know that every other headline will be iPhone-related between now and next Friday. It’s enough to make one cranky sometimes. However: I do see the iPhone as more than just a fancy-pants cellphone. It will run a version of Mac OS X, the same operating system currently powering MacBooks, iMacs, Mac Pros, PowerBooks, iBooks, etc. That makes the iPhone a computer, in my opinion, and it seems I’m not the only one.

I think that sometimes, we lose sight of just how far computer technology has advanced. We become jaded by “the latest and the greatest,” expecting smaller forms, faster processors, bigger hard drives, and if you please, more efficient power-consumption so our batteries will last longer. It’s the way things are—time moves forward, not backward, unless Dr. Who or Hiro Nakamura are involved. Every now and then though, it’s good to look back, if only to remind ourselves that being able to carry a whole computer in a bag (or perhaps, pocket) wasn’t always a reality. Every now and then, it’s good to remind ourselves about ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer).

An elevator for the Moore Building, dumps you out into a short hallway right in front of ENIAC itself. Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science has four of the original 40 panels on display; other parts are located at various universities and museums across the U.S.

Things we didn’t know: iPhone guided tour impressions

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 10:59 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | iPhone

Apple’s posted a twenty-minute guided tour of iPhone features on its website. A lot of what it shows we’ve seen before, but there are definitely some things that we haven’t. While watching, I jotted down some notes about the video and what we now know.

Oh, and the host of this tour, whose name is apparently “Bob,” looks like Stephen Colbert as interpreted by Steve Jobs. I note that he’s married. Good for Bob.

Conspiracy theorists unite: the time on the iPhone remains 9:42AM throughout the entire demonstration. One hopes the final shipping version has a working clock. The date has been updated to June 29th, meaning that this whole thing was recorded in the future (thanks, Time Machine!).

IT managers might have to support the iPhone even if they don’t want to.

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 10:30 AM PT by Kate Marshall

Category | iPhone

[Gasp!] There’s only seven days left before this mysterious “iPod/cellphone/internet/YouTube” hybrid is unleashed on the unsuspecting masses. Frankly, with that small a time frame, I am shocked at the dearth of information, coverage, and wild speculation about this intriguing new product.

In all seriousness, there is some concern from IT officials that even if they have no official plans to support the iPhone in a corporate setting, they might not have much choice, particularly if a higher-up really wants an iPhone really wants to use it for work-related tasks (training videos? “Merger and Acquisitions” playlist? Blackmail fodder from the company holiday party? The possibilities are endless!) Anyway, IT people are concerned because as far as anyone knows, the iPhone doesn’t support Lotus Notes, Windows Outlook, or any of the other annoying applications commonly found in an average corporate office.

Then there’s the whole business about needing an iTunes account to set up an iPhone. That development has IT managers worried about copyright quagmires and storage issues:

Also, the iPhone will pose a nightmare for IT because it requires an iTunes music directory account for each user, IT managers said, potentially putting IT in the position of providing song storage capacity and justifying that the copyrights for the songs were not violated or that the songs were properly paid for.

Seven more days, fair readers. Just seven more days.

Apple TV 1.1 not just about YouTube (thank heavens!)

Posted on Jun. 22, ’07, 9:21 AM PT by Dan Moren

Category | Apple TV

The big addition to the Apple TV this week was the addition of YouTube, but we know Apple slipped in a security update as well. That wasn’t all that was delivered in the 1.1 update: turns out there were a few other features that haven’t gotten a lot of play.

Over on Playlist’s iPod blog, Chris Breen runs down some of the new functionality that came with the Apple TV’s first software update, including Parental Controls for YouTube, improvements to the screen saver, the a