Apple Bytes

Beyond Vista

2007-02-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

Solar Energy GPS

2006-12-29T18:02:00.000-08:00

Super Spy Watch

2006-12-27T17:58:00.000-08:00

CHECK OUT these new MP3 Wrist Watches!BUY SOME TODAY !cool.unique.innovative.convenient.Buy some mp3 watches today, and you will always have your music, podcasts,and voice recordings with you at all times. Never again worry about luggingaround a large, expensive mp3 player that could get lost, damaged, or stolen.With an MP3 Watch World player, you can have the security, portability andconvenience of carrying your music collection anywhere you go in a popularform-factor.

mp3Watches

Earth Hour

2006-12-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Lights Out in Sydney for Earth Hour (TreeHugger)

Last minute gits for the holidays

2006-12-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

iTunes Gift Certificates – Easy, last-minute Gifts for the Holidays

Travel scores include data about meals

2006-12-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Sounds like the thought police to me

In a privacy impact assessment posted on its Web site this week, Homeland Security said ATS is aimed at discovering high-risk individuals who "may not have been previously associated with a law enforcement action or otherwise be noted as a person of concern to law enforcement."

Homeland Security assigns terror scores to travelers - CNN.com

Wal-Mart enters movie download game

2006-11-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

This is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Basically, Wally World is saying if I spend $100 to buy the DVDs from them — that's the cost of the Superman movies — they'll only charge me $4 more to download the exact same movie.

Wal-Mart launches digital DVD download service - Nov. 28, 2006

If you like fish

2006-11-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

A list of those fish which are being overfished or caught using wasteful or destructive fishing methods. Keep these species out of your basket, and ask your supermarket to stop selling them!

Fish not to buy - TipThePlanet

Too Cool for IE

2006-11-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Too Cool for Internet Explorer

An Inconvenient Truth

2006-11-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

I bouth a copy of An Inconvenient Truth this weekend, and I have already watched it several times. For anyone who doesn't know, Al Gore is on the board of directors for Apple Computers. He uses an Apple laptop computer to give his slideshow which is featured in the movie.

What impressed me about this DVD is the packaging.

The DVD will be packaged with no excess materials, so as to make the smallest environmental footprint possible. Packaging will include 100% post-consumer waste
recycled paper, inks and coatings formulated to emit virtually no volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere, no inserts, no laminates and no plastic. The package was manufactured by Ivy Hill.

An Inconvenient Truth > News & Blog

Now, to me, this makes a lot of sense. Why waste a lot of matterial in a bunch of packaging that some day is just going to end up in a landfill?

What I'd like to know now is are any other DVDs being released in this sort of minimal packaging? What can I as a consumer do to encourage these companies to use less packaging?

Any ideas?

If you don't turn off your computer

2006-11-26T18:16:00.000-08:00

EDF ad prints

Apple adds chat feature to online store

2006-11-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

The public Apple Store has recently become a little chattier with the seemingly quiet introduction of a new "chat now" feature to its product pages

Apple Store has a new "chat now" feature - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

Could Steve Jobs kick off the new year with the iPhone?

2006-11-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

The long-rumored arrival of a hybrid mobile phone and iPod music player from Apple Computer Inc. has morphed from a question of "If" to "When" among fans and analysts.
Since Apple's introduction of the iPod five years ago, the company has sold more than 67 million of the devices and more than 1.5 billion songs from its iTunes online music store.
Now, Chief Executive Steve Jobs and Apple are poised to roll out what has been dubbed the "iPhone," perhaps as soon as January next year at the Macworld conference that kicks off every new year, analysts say.

Science & Technology at Scientific American.com: Mac fans buzzing about expected Apple "iPhone"

Solar Bud

2006-11-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

Designed by ‘Organic Minimalist’ Ross Lovegrove, this garden lamp needs no wires, just stick it in the ground in a sun-drenched area. The sensors in the lamp will detect when darkness falls and automatically switch on three high power red LEDs. The bud resists to UV, rain, snow and needs no maintenance.
Entirely solar powered, this lamp saves both on energy and installation: no need for electricity, no need for wiring. Lighting elements are long lasting, high power LEDs. The lamp is also fully recyclable.

Futureproof/ed•sustainable products/design

iPod helps save mushroom picker

2006-11-20T16:33:00.000-08:00

An iPod screen glowing in the middle of the night from thick underbrush led rescuers to a mushroom picker lost in the woods.
The search leader said Pini Nou, 25, of Vancouver, Wash., was on his first outing and got separated from his mother, an experienced mushroom hunter. At nightfall, she called Benton County authorities for help.

iPod glow leads to lost mushroom picker - Yahoo! News

Austin City Limits

2006-11-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

Austin City Limits Music Festival Exclusive Live Sessions Now Available on iTunes

2006-11-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

iPods on a Plane

2006-11-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

Apple announced it is teaming up with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to deliver the first seamless integration between iPod and in-flight entertainment systems. These six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPods to be viewed on the their seat back displays.

In-flight iPod connectivity will be available to Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United passengers beginning in mid 2007. Additionally, Apple is working with Panasonic Avionics Corporation to bring even more leading airlines in-flight iPod connectivity in the future.

iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition. 4GB and 8GB Models Available for $199 an $249.

More Get a Mac ads for the holidays

2006-11-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

Justin Long, the Mac guy in Apple's Get a Mac ads, reportedly will appear in another round of ads before the holiday season.
According to his agent, David Guillod, Long is in the midst of shooting Mac's holiday campaign with John Hodgman, the PC Guy. Shoots took place Monday and Tuesday, and more are planned for next week.
But, a rep for Long confirms that his days as an Apple pitchman are over: "Every ad you see Justin in is for that previous time period only," she tells Radar. "There's no long-term deal with him." She adds, "Justin's a movie star, not a commercial guy."

Fresh Intelligence : Radar Online

Nearly 500,000 movies sold via iTunes

2006-11-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Disney President and CEO Bob Iger remarked during the company’s recent fourth quarter earnings call that Disney has sold nearly 500,000 movies through the iTunes Store, since the service launched movie downloads in mid-September, 2006.

Playlist: Disney CEO: Almost 500,000 movies sold via iTunes

Apple Unveils MacBook With Intel Core 2 Duo Processors

2006-11-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

Apple today unveiled its new line of MacBook consumer notebooks that now include Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Just one-inch thin, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous generation and feature a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple’s MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and iLife ‘06, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.

Apple Unveils New MacBook With Intel Core 2 Duo Processors

FairGame

2006-11-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

FairGame will take the songs you purchased from iTunes and convert them to an unprotected format. It uses the iTunes Default encoder and keeps the metadata, lyrics, and artwork.

Seidai Software

Blonde meets apple

2006-11-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

Blonde meets Apple
Uploaded by ViaMedia

Apple Announces iTunes Latino

2006-11-01T05:42:00.000-08:00

Apple today announced the launch of iTunes Latino, a dedicated area within the US iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) featuring top Latin music, music videos, television shows, audiobooks and podcasts. iTunes Latino offers hundreds of thousands of Latin and international music tracks, including exclusive tracks and albums available only on iTunes.

Apple Announces iTunes Latino on the iTunes Store

Before you buy that HD-DVD player

2006-10-31T13:47:00.000-08:00

Don't buy HD-DVD or Blu-ray disks! Hollywood's plans for Digital Restrictions Management, supported by Intel, IBM, Microsoft and SONY, are an outrageous attack on your freedom. They are also an attack on free software, since free software may never be able to read these disks. Business conspiracies to restrict technology should be illegal; until they are, you should prohibit them from your home and your life.

Blu-Ray Sucks, Boycott Blu-ray, BluRay, BlueRay, Blue Ray | bluraysucks.co

Emissions of greenhouse gases on the rise

2006-10-31T08:20:00.000-08:00

Of the 41 industrialized nations, 34 increased emissions between 2000 and 2004, the U.N. reported. In the United States, source of two-fifths of the industrialized world's greenhouse gases, emissions grew by 1.3 percent in that period, and by almost 16 percent between 1990 and 2004.

Wired News: Kyoto Failing to Cool the Planet

iPod shuffle available worldwide

2006-10-31T05:39:00.000-08:00

Apple's new iPod shuffle, the world's smallest digital music player, will be available in Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers this Friday, Nov. 3. Nearly half the size of the original, the new iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a minimal aluminum design with a built-in clip, making it the most wearable iPod ever.
The new iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory which holds up to 240 songs, and is priced at just $79.

The Apple Store (U.S.) - iPod shuffle

Microsoft(R) Firefox 2007 Professional

2006-10-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

Microsoft(R) Firefox

BMG Japan Catalog Now Available on the iTunes Store

2006-10-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

BMG Japan and Apple today announced the availability of top Japanese and international artists on the iTunes Store in Japan (www.apple.com/jp/itunes/). The addition of the BMG Japan catalog brings top J-POP and international artists to the iTunes Store beginning today, including Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Foo Fighters, Justin Timberlake, Kasabian, Outkast, Pink, Seamo, Suga Shikao, Sukima Switch, Usher and more.

BMG Japan Catalog Now Available on the iTunes Store

Second security advisor issued for IE 7

2006-10-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

A weakness has been discovered in Internet Explorer, which can be exploited by malicious people to conduct phishing attacks.The problem is that it's possible to display a popup with a somewhat spoofed address bar where a number of special characters have been appended to the URL. This makes it possible to only display a part of the address bar, which may trick users into performing certain unintended actions.

Internet Explorer 7 Popup Address Bar Spoofing Weakness - Advisories - Secunia

Apple MacBook Pro Notebooks Now With Intel Core 2 Duo Processors

2006-10-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

Apple today announced that its entire MacBook Pro line of notebooks now includes the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor and delivers performance that is up to 39 percent faster than the previous generation. All MacBook Pro models now offer double the memory and greater storage capacity than the previous generation, as well as a FireWire 800 port for connecting to high-speed peripherals. The new MacBook Pro's stunning, lightweight, aluminum enclosure is just one-inch thin, available in 15- and 17-inch models, and features a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go.
    "With an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, greater storage capacity and FireWire 800 connectivity, the new MacBook Pro delivers unprecedented performance and mobility in an incredibly thin and light design," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "We are thrilled that our notebook sales are growing twice as fast as the overall notebook market, and we hope these new MacBook Pro models continue that success."
    Every MacBook Pro features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB of shared L2 cache, which is up to 39 percent faster than the previous 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro and more than seven times faster than the 1.67 GHz PowerBook G4 running industry standard benchmarks. Apple has enhanced Mac OS X to take advantage of the technology advances from Intel's Core 2 Duo processors, resulting in increased performance in professional applications like Aperture 1.5, Final Cut Pro 5 and Logic Pro 7.
    Ideal for business and creative professionals, MacBook Pro delivers advanced performance including 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable up to 3GB, ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics with up to 256MB of dedicated GDDR3 graphics memory, and a double-layer SuperDrive for burning professional-quality DVDs. With the latest high-performance connectivity options, every new MacBook Pro includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a FireWire 800 and a FireWire 400 port, combination analog and optical digital audio input and output ports, an ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot, and a DVI video output to connect up to a 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display.
    MacBook Pro comes with Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically couples the power cord to the MacBook Pro and safely disconnects when there is strain on the power cord, preventing the notebook from falling off its work surface. Apple now offers a new MagSafe Airline Adapter that makes using the MacBook Pro on an airplane even more convenient by connecting to in-seat power ports for continued productivity throughout the duration of a flight. MacBook Pro also includes an illuminated keyboard, Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor that is designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall, and a Scrolling TrackPad to easily scroll through long web pages or pan across large photographs.
    MacBook Pro comes with iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's
award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb, the latest iLife application that makes it super-easy to create amazing websites with photos, blogs and podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. Every MacBook Pro also comes with the latest release of the world's most advanced operating system, Mac OS X version 10.4.8 Tiger including Safari(TM), Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on the Intel-based notebook.
    The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is shipping today, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro will ship next week, and every model will be available through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The Apple MagSafe Airline Adaptor is shipping today for a suggested retail price of $59.
    The 2.16 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999.
    The 2.33 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,499.
    The 2.33 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,799.

Microsoft seeks premium to allow virtualization of Vista

2006-10-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

In its licensing terms for Vista published this month, the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant said users of Vista Home Premium and Vista Home Basic "may not use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system."Instead, Microsoft will require that users purchase a Vista Business or Vista Ultimate license, which will retail for $299 and $399, respectively, in order to emulate the Windows environment.

AppleInsider | Microsoft seeks premium to allow virtualization of Vista

Symantec and McAfee should have prepared better for Microsoft Windows Vista - Sophos comment

2006-10-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

IT security firm Sophos is recommending that system administrators ask their security vendors if they are capable of properly protecting them on the forthcoming 64-bit version of Vista, as arguments continue regarding access to Microsoft's operating system code (kernel). Sophos has reassured its customers that Sophos Anti-Virus will offer full protection against malware threats on Vista, and suggests that some security vendors may not have given sufficient thought to the new operating system when developing their products.

Symantec and McAfee should have prepared better for Microsoft Windows Vista - Sophos comment

Snakes on a Plane

2006-09-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Today, the Transportation Security Administration (the people keeping us safe when flying) decided to ease up on the prohibition against taking any liquids on planes. They had banned just about everything including toothpaste, lip gloss and bubble bath.
This got me to thinking about what else is allowed and what isn't, so I took a look at the TSA Web site where they have a complete list. I swear, if I were creative enough to make up stuff like this, I'd be a millionaire, so this is all real.

Knitting and Crochet Needles            OK
Knives                                not allowed
Toy Transformer Robots                OK
Meat Cleavers                        not allowed
Sabers                                not allowed
Bows and Arrows                     not allowed (this is really on the list)
Pool Cues                            not allowed
Realistic Replicas of Firearms            not allowed
Cattle Prods                            not allowed
Screwdrivers                         OK
Nunchakus                            not allowed
Throwing Stars                        not allowed
Dynamite                            not allowed (good thing they put that on the list)
Hand Grenades                        not allowed (damn)
Realistic Replicas of Explosives        not allowed

Baby formula and food, breast milk and other baby items - These are allowed in your carry-on baggage or personal items. You can take these through the security checkpoints and aboard your plane. However, you must be traveling with a baby or toddler. All items including formula or breast milk will be inspected.(Mmm, who gets to inspect the breast milk?)

Gel based sports supplements            not allowed (Oh, thanks God, I can sleep safe at night)
Jell-O's                                not allowed
Pudding                                not allowed
Whipped cream                        not allowed (so how are you suppose to pass the time?)
Gel shoe inserts                        not allowed

And I can remember when it was just a question of whether or not you could smoke.

I WANT THIS NOW

2006-09-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Apple has pre-announced a wireless video streaming set-top box to be released in Q1 2007 with the tag line "you can take content to your computer or iPod, but now... TV." Going by the codeword of iTV, the box looks like a flattened Mac mini -- apparently it's around half the height -- and features a built-in power supply, USB 2.0, Ethernet, 802.11 "wireless component video", optical audio and HDMI ports, plus regular ol' RCA stereo audio ports. Controllable by the standard Apple remote, the iTV will come with an updated version of the Front Row interface that shares Front Row's smooth 3D graphics, but differs in that it has a menu on the right side of the screen. Apparently it'll work with both iTunes on both PCs and Macs, and will sell for $299.

Apple to release iTV video streaming box in 2007 - Engadget

iPod Shuffle Smallest, Wearable MP3 Player

2006-09-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Apple(R) today introduced the new
iPod(R) shuffle, now the world's smallest digital music player with Apple's
pioneering shuffle feature that lets music fans serve up a continuous mix of
their favorite songs anywhere they go. Nearly half the size of the original,
the new iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an
ounce and features a stunning all-new aluminum design and a built-in clip
which makes it the most wearable iPod ever. The new iPod shuffle contains one
gigabyte of flash memory, which holds up to 240 songs, and is more affordable
than ever at just $79.
"It's hard to believe the new iPod is a real music player when you first
see it," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "But it is real, and holds up to 240
songs in an incredibly compact and wearable design that weighs just half an
ounce."
iPod shuffle is based on Apple's super-popular shuffle feature which lets
users enjoy their songs in a random order. Or listeners can simply flip a
switch to listen to their songs in order, such as when listening to a new
album. iPod shuffle features up to 12 hours of battery life

Apple Announces iTunes 7 With Movies

2006-09-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today announced iTunes(R) 7, the most significant enhancement to the world's most popular
music jukebox and online music and video store since it debuted in 2001. iTunes 7 delivers stunning new features such as the new album and Cover Flow views of music, TV shows and movies, enabling users to quickly find titles in their library as well as casually browse through and re-discover titles they already own. In addition, the iTunes Store ( www.itunes.com ) is now offering over 75 movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films, that customers can purchase and download to watch on their computers and iPods, and soon on their flat screen televisions with Apple's upcoming iTV* player. Movies will become available on the iTunes Store the same day they are released on DVD, with new releases priced at $12.99 when pre-ordered and during their first week of availability, and $14.99 thereafter, and library titles available for just $9.99 every day.

Apple Introduces the New iPod nano

2006-09-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) today introduced the all-new iPod(R) nano with a new aluminum body, an incredible 24 hours of battery life and more than twice the music capacity for the same price as the previous generation. The new iPod nano features Apple's innovative Click Wheel and an even smaller, thinner and lighter design available in silver, pink, green, blue and black.
    "iPod nano is the world's most popular digital music player, and we've completely redesigned it to make it even better," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The all-new iPod nano gives music fans more of what they love in their iPods -- twice the storage capacity at the same price, an incredible 24 hour battery life and a gorgeous aluminum design in five brilliant colors."
    With a stunning aluminum enclosure available in five brilliant colors, there's an iPod nano to match everyone's individual style. The second generation iPod nano is even more compact than the original and has a brighter, more vibrant display perfect for viewing album art and up to 25,000 photos. Intuitive new features such as Search and Quick Scroll make it even easier for music fans to find exactly what they are looking for and enjoy their music on the go, and with seamless integration with iTunes(R) 7 and the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com), the new iPod nano lets customers choose from over 3.5 million songs from the world's most popular digital music store.
    The new iPod nano supports gapless playback for enjoying albums the way they were intended. iPod nano also includes Apple's patent pending Auto-Sync technology that automatically downloads a user's digital music collection, photos or podcasts onto iPod nano and keeps it up-to-date whenever iPod nano is plugged into a Mac(R) or Windows computer using USB 2.0. The second generation iPod nano features up to 24 hours of battery life and completely skip-free playback.*

    Apple is also unveiling new accessories designed for the second generation iPod nano, including lanyard headphones, an armband, a dock, and a new incredibly compact USB power adapter which at almost half the size of the previous USB power adapter is perfect for charging your iPod while traveling. The new iPod nano features the 30-pin iPod dock connector allowing it to work effortlessly with an incredible range of third-party products, from home stereo speakers to cars featuring iPod integration. There are now more than 3,000 accessories available for the iPod. The second generation iPod nano also works seamlessly with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, and provides support for voice recording accessories.

    Pricing & Availability
    The new iPod nano models are now available worldwide through the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The new 2GB iPod nano model in silver is available for $149 (US), the new 4GB models in silver, pink, green and blue are available for $199 (US), and the new 8GB model in black is available for $249 (US). All iPod nano models include redesigned earbud headphones providing superior comfort, fit and sound quality, and a USB 2.0 cable.
    New optional accessories designed for the second generation iPod nano with the following suggested retail prices include: lanyard headphones for $39 (US), armband for $29 (US), iPod nano Dock for $29 (US), and an iPod USB power adapter for $29 (US).
    iPod nano requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS(R) X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 7.0 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4), Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) and iTunes 7.0 or later. Internet access is required and a broadband connection is recommended.

    * Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; actual capacity varies by content. Photo capacity is based on iPod-viewable photos transferred from iTunes.

Ultimate Mac List

2006-09-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

Everything shown here are the best apps that could put Mac users on the right track towards productivity. I’ve judged their functionality for the average Mac user, and all apps listed are Universal binaries — so they’re future-proof. I know many will enjoy them, because most are free.

Mac Recon :: an operative mac blog » Mac List

Apple announces new 24-inch iMac, new pricing

2006-09-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

CUPERTINO, California—September 6, 2006—Apple today announced that its entire iMac line now features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor in every model, delivering up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous iMac. A new 24-inch iMac with a brilliant 24-inch widescreen display joins the 17- and 20-inch models, and iMac prices now start at just $999. Every new iMac includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box; Apple’s breakthrough Front Row media experience; and iLife ‘06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.

Apple iMac Line Now Features Intel Core 2 Duo Processors In Every Model

It's Showtime

2006-09-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

Apple has confirmed the “It’s Showtime” event to take place on September 12th. At 10 AM Pacific time (1 PM Eastern for those on the right coast), Apple will unveil something new at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, California. This directly coincides with the opening of the Apple Expo in France. You won’t like Steve Jobs when he’s angry, just ask the French.The hot, hot rumor for the event is full length movies in the iTunes Store and new “real video” iPods. Don’t forget the standard rumors of Mac hardware updates. So let the speculation begin. If it’s not wild and unreasonable, you’re not a true Apple fan!

MacUser: "It's Showtime" event confirmed for September 12th

Cinema Displays, price lowered, now starting at $699, with free shipping.

New iMac Rumor begin

2006-09-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

You know how the industry loves a good Apple rumor or two (or ten, or a thousand), but when you start getting some synchronicity between the menagerie of rumor sites out there, it's bound to rise to the top. Today's hit: September will see the entry of a 23-inch iMac, as well as a line revamp for the all-in-ones over to Merom Core 2 Duo mobile (i.e. not desktop) processors. (Our staff of twelve interns gave it a quick mock right upstairs there.) We've seen our fair share of Merom launches this week, so it stands to reason that if the spec bump is on target, then the MacBook Pro may get that upgrade as well -- certainly Apple wouldn't want to feel left behind now that they're competing mano-a-mano with all those PC manufacturers, now would they? Oh, and while we're at it, we'll tack on one more for ya: at the same time, reports are starting to come in regarding sly Mac mini upgrades from Core Solo to Core Duo processors, perhaps in anticipation of bumping those specs up a little, too. Apple has indeed been known to upgrade to their customers' pleasant surprise (see: MacBook Pros going up with nary a word, for example), but then again perhaps they're just out of the Core Solo parts, and needed to get those units out the door.

23-inch Core 2 Duo iMac rumors begin swirling - Engadget

Saving bookmarks online

2006-08-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

If you use Firefox on more than one computer, you'll want Foxmarks. Install Foxmarks on each computer, and it will work silently in the background to keep your bookmarks synchronized. As a bonus, log in to my.foxcloud.com from any computer anywhere to access your bookmarks.
A simple wizard guides you through the startup process. After that, just forget about it. It's simple and solid.

Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer :: Mozilla Add-ons :: Add Features to Mozilla Software

New Mac Pro is "one screamer"

2006-08-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Reviewing the Mac Pro, Yuval Kossovsky writes for Computerworld, “I’ve spent some time thinking about the ‘Pro’ in Mac Pro. Maybe it stands for professional, maybe it stands for production. Or maybe it is an acronym for Please, Really, Oh My!, as in: ‘Would you like to try this computer?’...Please. ‘It is $1,000 cheaper than a comparable Dell.’ ...Really? ‘Try your favorite Mac OS X Intel-compiled application.’ Oh My....that’s fast! In other words, if you do media production, scientific computing or another other processor-intensive work, believe me — you want one of these!”

“Hands on: The new Mac Pro is ‘one screamer’”

Watch out. It's Danger Mouse!

2006-08-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

MacMice has announced the Danger Mouse, a new USB-based mouse that uses 1,600 dot per inch laser tracking. Shipping on August 22, 2006, Danger Mouse will cost $29.99.
The Danger Mouse features a glossy white outer shell with two buttons and a clickable scroll wheel. The scrollwheel is a notchless “MicroScroll” that measures 10mm. The mouse also comes with a five-foot soft grey USB cable, and works with the mouse drivers in Mac OS X and Windows XP.

Macworld: News: MacMice offers Danger Mouse

Apple warns companies about "pod" names

2006-08-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

Apple Computer is seriously targeting use of the word "Pod" in an attempt to protect infringement of its popular iPod trademark.
According to reports, Apple has sent "cease-and-desist" letters to companies that are using in any way, "Pod" as part of their names or products. So far, letters have been received by two companies, including Mach5products which makes Profit Pod, and the other company named TightPod.
Profit Pod is a device that compiles data from vending machines, while TightPod manufactures slip-on covers designed to protect electronic products such as laptops and MP3 players.
The two companies have been asked to remove the word Pod from their/their products' names. Additionally, TightPod has come out with a new product by the same name for which again Apple has asked the company to abandon its trademark.

Techtree.com India > News > General > Apple Chases Pod for iPod's Sake

New iBook battary offers more power

2006-08-17T11:03:00.001-07:00

NewerTech on Thursday announced the release of a 55.5 watt-hour NuPower replacement battery designed to work on 12-inch iBook G3 and G4 systems. The $129.99 battery offers up to 51 percent more charge capacity than the original stock battery included with those iBook models.
NewerTech also makes a 45.5 watt-hour battery for those systems for $99.95.
NewerTech offers a free battery recycling program — the company includes a free return label so you can ship the battery back for appropriate disassembly and recycling. NuPower batteries are built in the USA.

Macworld: News: NewerTech iBook battery offers 51% more juice

New iBook battary offers more power

2006-08-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

NewerTech on Thursday announced the release of a 55.5 watt-hour NuPower replacement battery designed to work on 12-inch iBook G3 and G4 systems. The $129.99 battery offers up to 51 percent more charge capacity than the original stock battery included with those iBook models.
NewerTech also makes a 45.5 watt-hour battery for those systems for $99.95.
NewerTech offers a free battery recycling program — the company includes a free return label so you can ship the battery back for appropriate disassembly and recycling. NuPower batteries are built in the USA.

Macworld: News: NewerTech iBook battery offers 51% more juice

Apple updates Boot Camp

2006-08-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Apple has released an update to Boot Camp. Boot Camp, which allows users to run Windows XP on any new Intel-based Mac, will be included in Leopard next year, but is available for download today www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp.

Changes in Boot Camp 1.1 beta
Boot Camp 1.1 beta contains many updates and is intended for all new and previous Boot Camp beta users.Boot Camp 1.1 beta includes:
* Support for the latest Intel-based Macintosh computers
* Easier partitioning using presets for popular sizes
* Ability to install Windows XP on any internal disk
* iSight camera support
* Support for built-in microphones
* Right-click when pressing the right-hand Apple key on Apple keyboards
* Improved Apple keyboard support including Delete, PrintScreen, NumLock, and ScrollLock keys

Updating to Boot Camp 1.1 beta
If you previously installed Boot Camp beta, you should update to Boot Camp 1.1 beta. You don't need to partition your hard drive again (unless you want to change its size) or reinstall your Macintosh and Windows software or documents, but it's very important to update the Boot Camp Assistant software, create a new Macintosh Drivers for Windows CD and install the updated software it contains on Windows XP. Complete instructions are provided in the Installation and Setup Guide included with the Boot Camp 1.1 beta software.

Apple - Boot Camp

Michael Schiavo takes his fight back to the politicians

2006-08-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The curtains are still drawn tight at Michael Schiavo’s home on a quiet cul-de-sac here, and in some ways he remains as private and unknowable as when his wife Terri was the focus of a fervent national debate last year about life and death.
Yet Mr. Schiavo, who won a scorching legal battle to remove his brain-damaged wife’s feeding tube, also remains furious at lawmakers in Tallahassee and Washington who intervened in the case. Hence the creation last winter of TerriPAC, a federal political action committee aimed against politicians who tried to stop Ms. Schiavo’s death, and the debut of Mr. Schiavo, a newly remarried, self-described normal guy, as a political weapon in this year’s midterm elections.

Husband Takes Schiavo Fight Back to Politicians - New York Times

Free server Tutorial Series on FreeMacBlog

2006-08-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

FreeMacWare.com started a new series of tutorial videos on FreeMacBlog.com. The videos will teach user how to use their Mac as a server. The videos will cover topics like Initial Setup, Web Server, Mail Server, FTP Server, etc.
The first video was posted today.

FreeMacWare.com » Server Tutorial Series on FreeMacBlog.com

Vista vs Leopard

2006-08-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

Apple already has a history of rivalry with Microsoft, and things have not changed recently, nor are they like to any time soon. This year’s WWDC banners read 'Mac OS X Leopard: Introducing Vista 2.0' and 'Hasta la vista, Vista' while the into movie showed the ‘PC’ from the recent Get a Mac adds asking developers to take a year off and maybe if they have the time, to help out with Vista.

But that it’s not just about rivalry between Vista and Leopard, it’s also business, and while reminding people that Microsoft still hasn’t delivered one half of what it has promised five years ago will go down well with Apple’s developers, the fact remains that Vista will come out, eventually. The question is how does Apple intend to play things. Apple has three choices: they can launch Leopard as soon as possible, and maybe, if theyhave actually made a lot more progress than they are letting on to believe, even have it out in time for the Christmas shopping season; they can release it at the same time as Vista; or, if they can afford to wait that long and risk having fingers pointed and the words ‘delayed’ muttered, release it after Vista.

From Apple’s standpoint, it makes little sense to release Leopard as early as possible. The system they currently offer, Tiger, could even stand on its own in a head to head with Vista, let alone the now ancient XP. As such, it makes little to no sense for them to rush Leopard out of the door, it’s not like they would get much out of it, even in terms of publicity, as they have been thrashing the Redmond rival with every release of OS X so far.

Apple cannot afford to sit around and wait forever to release after Vista either. Apple has a reputation of being on time, and failing to deliver Leopard in the timeframe they themselves announced would only tarnish that. They did give themselves ample time when Leopard was initially announced, but Vista has most likely slipped even more than Apple anticipated. Once again, it makes no sense for Apple to ruin their record simply to trump Microsoft, although as Jobs himself said, they do intend to keep things secret for as long as possible in order to make ‘borrowing of ideas’ hard by giving little to no time for implementation so that even if something is borrowed, it will be badly implemented. On the other hand, it took Microsoft half a decade to get to the point where it is near to likely maybe deliver a Vista in the not too distant future, and this with so many features stripped down, while it will only take Apple one to two years to come out with a new version of the system. Microsoft, on the other hand, will probably never attempt something like this again.

At the end of the day, Apple only has so much space to maneuver in, as both too early and too late are bad options, however, one thing is clear, no matter how Vista compares with Leopard, the next version of OS X will be swiftly along, while Vista 2.0 will be little more than a WWDC banner joke.

Vista vs Leopard, Is It A Race? - Softpedia

Better sound quality may be in the furture for iTunes

2006-08-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

A recent upgrade to the iTunes Producer software used by studios to encode tracks for iTMS distribution may be a good sign for the discriminating audiophile community, as Apple has included the necessary tools to create lossless AAC content that could presumably be uploaded to the online store.

Lossless downloads coming to iTunes? - Engadget

More Mac and PC ads coming

2006-08-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

The LA Times had recently published an Interview the publication had with Justin Long, the actor whom plays the Mac in the ‘Get a Mac’ adverts.“Nine out of 10 people who recognize me recognize me from the commercials,” he told the LA Times. “I had a guy come up to me, in my face, saying, ‘You think you’re so cool? You’re not cool’ and I’m saying to him, ‘Dude, it’s a commercial.’ “It is reported that Apple is planning a further 20 ads on top of the current 7. These ads are said to air in the next few weeks.

Apple to Expand “Get a Mac” TV Campaign

A&E television programming now on iTunes

2006-08-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

A&E Television Networks and Apple announced hit television programming from A&E Network, The Biography and History Channels is now available for purchase and download on the iTunes Music Store. The new content features popular series such as “Criss Angel: Mindfreak,” “Driving Force” and “Inked” from A&E Network, “The Revolution” and “Modern Marvels” from The History Channel, and selections from the Emmy Award-winning “Biography” series from The Biography Channel. iTunes offers over 200 TV shows for $1.99 per episode for viewing on a computer or iPod.

“Teaming up with iTunes is a great opportunity for us to both reach our growing fan base and expand our reach to new viewers wherever they are,” said Steve Ronson, senior vice president, Enterprises, A&E Television Network. “iTunes is the leader in TV show downloads, and we are very happy that A&E Television Network brands and programming will now be available to consumers on their iPod or computer.”

“iTunes customers are going to love this exceptional programming from A&E including the Emmy Award-winning ‘Biography’ series,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “Our catalog of popular television content continues to grow with over 200 network and cable programs now available.”

New Mac completes Intel transition

2006-08-07T11:57:00.001-07:00

Apple unveiled the new Mac Pro, a quad Xeon, 64-bit desktop workstation featuring two new Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors running up to 3.0 GHz and a new system architecture that delivers up to twice the performance of the Power Mac G5 Quad.
The introduction of the Mac Pro marks the completion of the transition for Apple, with the entire Mac family now using Intel’s latest processors.
“Apple has successfully completed the transition to using Intel processors in just seven months—210 days to be exact,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “And what better product to complete it with than the new Mac Pro, the workstation Mac users have been dreaming about.”
The new Mac Pro features the new Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5100 series processor based on the revolutionary Intel Core microarchitecture, delivering breakthrough performance and power efficiency. The new Mac Pro is up to twice as fast as the Power Mac G5 Quad running industry standard benchmarks and features two Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors running up to 3.0 GHz, each with 4MB of shared L2 cache and independent 1.33 GHz front-side buses. With 667 MHz DDR2 fully-buffered memory, the Mac Pro also boasts a 256-bit wide memory architecture for amazing bandwidth.
With more than 4.9 million possible configurations, the Mac Pro delivers unprecedented customization to meet even the most demanding performance, expansion and storage needs. The newly redesigned Mac Pro features an all new, direct attach storage solution for cable free, snap in installation of up to four 500GB Serial ATA hard drives for a total of 2TB of internal storage—the most ever on a Mac—and support for two optical drives to simultaneously read and/or write to CDs and DVDs. Every Mac Pro includes three full-length PCI Express expansion slots and one double-wide PCI Express graphics slot to support high-powered, double-wide graphics cards without sacrificing multiple slots. Providing quick and convenient access to connect the most popular external devices, the front panel of the Mac Pro includes a FireWire® 800 port, a FireWire 400 port and two USB 2.0 ports with additional FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and three USB 2.0 ports on the back panel.
Mac Pro also includes dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, optical digital input and output, analog audio input and output, and optional built-in support for AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.Every Mac Pro comes standard with the NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 256MB of video memory, providing built-in support for dual-displays and Apple’s 30-inch Cinema HD Display. The ATI Radeon X1900 XT and the NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500, both with 512MB of video memory, are available as build to order options and provide built-in support for up to two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays. The Quadro FX 4500 also includes a stereo 3D port to connect goggles for stereo-in-a-window applications and is ideal for the most demanding animation, special effects and scientific visualization applications.
The Mac Pro supports up to four PCI Express graphics cards to drive up to eight displays at once for advanced visualization and large display walls.
The Mac Pro has a suggested retail price of $2,499.

Over 70 percent of new autos to offer iPod intergration next year

2006-08-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Apple has announced it has teamed up with Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Mazda to deliver seamless iPod integration across the majority of their brands and models, making it easy for iPod users to enjoy and control their iPod’s high-quality sound through their car’s stereo system. With the addition of these models, more than 70 percent of 2007-model US automobiles will offer iPod integration.
“We’re delighted that Ford, General Motors and Mazda will support iPod connectivity in nearly all of their new models,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. “Now more than 70 percent of 2007-model US automobiles will offer iPod integration, with General Motors alone making it available on all 56 of its models, representing millions of cars and trucks.”
Ford and General Motors will feature iPod integration in the majority of their 2007 models in the US beginning later this year, while Mazda’s entire global 2007 lineup of cars and SUVs will offer iPod connectivity. iPod offerings for Ford, General Motors and Mazda provide drivers with outstanding sound quality while charging the iPod, while conveniently storing the iPod in the glove compartment. Seamless iPod integration also allows drivers to use their car’s multifunction controls to select their music using artist, album, playlist or shuffle songs, as well as to easily skip between tracks and playlists.
iPod and iTunes are leading the digital music revolution, providing the best way to listen to music on the go, at home and in the car. With over 58 million iPods sold, the iPod is the world’s most popular digital music player and the iTunes® Music Store is the number one online music store with over a billion songs purchased and downloaded worldwide. For more information on carmakers integrating iPod please visit www.apple.com/ipod/ipodyourcar /.

Apple Teams Up With Ford, General Motors & Mazda To Deliver Seamless iPod Integration

Mac Spoof

2006-08-02T17:49:00.000-07:00

Mac Spoof: Performance

TrueNuff takes on the new series of Mac Commercials.

Author: TrueNuff
Keywords: mac macintosh apple spoof parody commercial advertising macbook black white powerbook truenuff funny humor
Added: July 21, 2006

Apple fixes 26 Mac OS flaws

2006-08-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Apple Computer issued on Tuesday updates for its Mac OS X operating system to fix 26 security flaws, some serious.Several of the vulnerabilities affect the way in which Mac OS X handles images and the file sharing capabilities of the software, according to an Apple security advisory. Other flaws were found and fixed within components such as fetchmail, file compression features, and DHCP networking functionality, Apple said.The vulnerabilities could enable a variety of attacks, security company Symantec said in an advisory sent out to customers of its DeepSight intelligence service. "Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code, trigger denial-of-service conditions, elevate privileges, and disclose potentially sensitive information," Symantec said.

Apple fixes 26 Mac OS flaws | CNET News.com

iSoundCap

2006-08-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Free yourself and your music from those pesky wires hanging from your ears to your iPod®. Send them up instead with your iSoundCap™, a revolutionary new way to wear and listen to your iPod®.The iSoundCap™ is designed to hold the iPod® Nano and the iPod® Shuffle™ in a tight compartment stitched right into the cap. It even has a tight sleeve for the wires and a spool to keep these neatly wrapped up.With your iSoundCap™ you can be as active as you want and never have to worry about getting tangled up in your wires again. Run, lift, bike, kayak or rock climb with iSoundCap™ and be free from the hassle ofarm bands and dangling wires.Every iSoundCap™ comes with an adjustable strap in the back, a water-resistant stitched-in pouch, a sleeve for your wires and 2 bendable polyurethane plastic spools to wrap your wires up with (you'll use one, the second is a spare). The iSoundCap™ is made of high-quality materials. It is manufactured with 128x60 brushed cotton twill with a lining on the inside for the cap. It also features a clear thick vinyl film to protect and easy access your Click Wheel (iPod® Nano) or control buttons (iPod® Shuffle™).The iSoundCap™ is Patent Pending and the first product of its kind.Be a trendsetter and show iPod™ owners everywhere how to wear their music.

iSoundCap.com | Breakthrough

.Mac users mock Apple slogan during outage

2006-08-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Apple Computer's latest advertising campaign, pegged to the slogan "It just works," is irritating some .Mac users as they wonder when the service will become operational again.Over the past four days, .Mac users have struggled to get its Web site publishing features, iWeb, and related file-share capabilities, iDisk, to work. Users have complained not only about the length of the outage, but also what they say is a tardy response from .Mac's technical support team, according to postings on Apple's discussion board.

.Mac users mock Apple slogan during outage | CNET News.com

CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim on iTunes

2006-08-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Apple today announced that hit programming from CNN, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network is now available for purchase and download on the iTunes Music Store. The new content features such favorites as Cartoon Network’s “Johnny Bravo,” Adult Swim’s “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” and original episodes of the award-winning documentary series “CNN Presents,” all available for viewing on a computer or iPod.
For the last three months, Adult Swim has been offering free video podcasts via iTunes, ranking among the most popular television podcasts on the service. In addition to this new effort, CNN has been offering original podcasts, as well as “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer” and “Reliable Sources” to iTunes users for free for just over a month.
“Fans will enjoy this innovative way of purchasing and watching their favorite CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim shows from iTunes,” said Dennis Quinn, executive vice president, business development, TBS, Inc. “We’re delivering a variety of hit programming from three of our wildly popular networks, with shows for everyone of all ages.
”“With Turner’s wide range of content available on iTunes, users now can download programming from CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “With well over 150 TV shows available for $1.99 per episode, iTunes is the leading destination for downloading network and cable programming.”
CNN, the world’s news leader, will provide original episodes of “CNN Presents,” including “Taming the Beast: Inside the War on Cancer,” “The Fight Over Faith” and “Captured: Inside the Army’s Secret School.” Drawing from the world’s largest cartoon library, Cartoon Network will provide episodes from the network’s series “Johnny Bravo” (season one). Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s late night sister service dedicated to edgy animated comedy and action series, will provide episodes from original productions, including “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “The Venture Bros.,” and “Sealab 2021” (season three).

New TBS, Inc. Network Programming from CNN, Adult Swim & Cartoon Network Now Available on the iTunes Music Store

Wireless Mighty Mouse

2006-07-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

Apple introduced the wireless Mighty Mouse, a new version of its popular multi-button mouse, now with the added freedom that only wireless connectivity can provide. The new wireless Mighty Mouse offers a reliable, secure connection to Macs and features a new laser tracking engine that is 20 times more sensitive than standard optical mice for better tracking on even more surfaces. Priced at just $69, Apple’s wireless Mighty Mouse includes up to four independently programmable buttons and an ingenious Scroll Ball that lets users scroll in any direction.“We cut the cord on our popular Mighty Mouse to give consumers even more flexibility when using a Mac,” said David Moody, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Mac Product Marketing. “A Bluetooth-enabled Mac desktop with an Apple Wireless Keyboard and Mighty Mouse is the ideal cable-free setup at home or in the office, and the wireless Mighty Mouse is the perfect travel companion for the MacBook user on the go.”The wireless Mighty Mouse is a Bluetooth 2.0 based multi-button mouse that retains the simplicity of a single-button mouse, and can be used as a single- or multi-button mouse depending on the user’s preference. The wireless Mighty Mouse features a single seamless enclosure with programmable touch sensors that act as primary or secondary buttons. With a simple click on the upper right or left side of the mouse, users can instantly access features such as contextual menus found in Mac OS X and other applications. The wireless Mighty Mouse’s two other buttons are activated by pressing its Scroll Ball and squeezing its sides, and can be easily programmed to give users one-click access to Mac OS X “Tiger” features such as Spotlight, Dashboard and Exposé™, or to launch any application such as Safari or iChat.The wireless Mighty Mouse features an easy-to-use design that comfortably fits the left or right hand. It also includes an advanced power management system that automatically switches to low power modes during inactivity, and an off switch to maintain battery life while not in use. Ready to use out of the box, the wireless Mighty Mouse works with either one or two AA batteries.Pricing & AvailabilityThe wireless Mighty Mouse is available immediately through the Apple Store, at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $69. The wireless Mighty Mouse easily connects to the latest Macs with built-in Bluetooth wireless technology, and requires Mac OS X “Tiger” version 10.4.6 or later to customize buttons for one-click access to Spotlight, Dashboard and Exposé or to launch applications.

Apple Debuts Wireless Mighty Mouse

Another reason to own a Mac

2006-07-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Further delays to Windows Vista will occur if beta testing throws up further bugs, according to Bill Gates.
"We've got to get this absolutely right. If the feedback from beta tests show it is not ready for prime time, I'd be glad to delay it," he said.

Gates 'glad' to delay Vista some more | The Register

Internet security firm says dump PCs for safety of a Mac

2006-07-05T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sophos Security issued a warning this week to users of personal computers urging them to swith to Macs for better security.
The Sophos Security Threat Management Report, a six month study of cyber crimes, found there has been a vast drop in the number of new viruses and worms being written, but an increase in other types of malware, as cyber criminals turn their attention to stealing information and money.
In June 2005, the number of different pieces of malware protected against by Sophos stood at 140,118. A year later, by June 2006, Sophos was identifying and protecting against 180,292 different viruses, spyware, worms, Trojan horses and other malware, as well as adware and other potentially unwanted applications, according to the report.
The vast majority of malware continues to be written for Windows, and while the first malware for Mac OS X was seen in February 2006, it has not spread in the wild and not heralded an avalanche of malicious code aimed at Macs.
The report also found that the top ten list of malware reported at Sophos's global network of monitoring stations in the first six months of 2006, accounting for more than 60 percent of all malware, were all written for Windows-based PCs.

Apple Introduces $899 Education Configuration for 17-Inch iMac

2006-07-05T08:49:00.000-07:00

SAN DIEGO — Apple introduced a new $899 configuration of the 17-inch iMac this week designed specifically for education customers.
It features a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, a built-in iSight video camera and iLife. The 17-inch iMac for education is available immediately and will replace the eMac.
The entire computer is built into a two-inch thin display to save space in classrooms, dorm rooms and on students’ desks..
The iMac for education includes a Combo drive for burning CDs and reading DVDs, 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable up to 2GB, hard drive storage capacity up to 160GB and built-in
AirPort Extreme 802.11g WiFi for wireless networking. Bluetooth interface which comes standard on other versions of the iMac is not included.
The iMac also comes with the latest release of Mac OS X version 10.4.6 “Tiger” including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on the Intel-based desktop.
The 17-inch iMac for education is available immediately for education
customers through the Apple Store for Education, www.apple.com/education/store, or by calling an Apple education sales representative at 800-800-APPL. The eMac will no longer be in production and is available for purchase while supplies last through the Apple Store for Education.

Apple to Investigate Stock Option Grants

2006-06-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

Apple has announced that an internal investigation has discovered irregularities related to the issuance of certain stock option grants made between 1997 and 2001. One of the grants in question was to CEO Steve Jobs, but it was subsequently cancelled and resulted in no financial gain to the CEO. A special committee of Apple's outside directors has hired independent counsel to perform an investigation and the company has informed the SEC. Apple executives will refrain from commenting further on this matter until the independent investigation is concluded.

MTV Networks & Apple Bring More Music, Comedy & Entertainment Programming to the iTunes Music Store

2006-06-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK and CUPERTINO, Calif., — MTV Networks and Apple announced that new television programming from Spike TV, Nick at Nite, TV Land, Logo, MTV and The N is now available on the iTunes Music Store. Adding to the hit MTV Networks content already on iTunes, this new round of programming available for purchase and download crosses virtually every genre and includes Spike TV's brand-new action series "Blade: The Series," MTV's prank-comedy show "Viva La Bam" and TV Land's "Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg." MTV Networks' programming has been a huge success on iTunes since debuting earlier this year, with COMEDY CENTRAL's "South Park" alone selling over one million episodes. iTunes now offers over 150 TV shows for $1.99 per episode for viewing on a computer or iPod.
"At MTV Networks, our brands create some of the most vibrant, entertaining and pop culture-defining programming today," said Nicholas Lehman, executive vice president, MTV Networks Digital Media. "We're excited to add more of our diverse programming to iTunes and to connect a broad digital audience with our bold entertainment content."
"MTV Networks' programming has been a hit with customers since launching on iTunes earlier this year," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "iTunes is the world's most popular online video store with over 35 million videos sold, and we continue to expand the catalog of great television content now with over 150 network and cable programs available."
MTV Networks' shows on iTunes include first-time offerings from Spike TV, Nick at Nite, TV Land, Logo and additional content from MTV and The N. The new programming includes full seasons of hits from:
Spike TV: "Blade: The Series," the network's first original scripted action-adventure/drama, builds upon New Line Television/Marvel Studio's successful movie trilogy and brings the main character into new story lines. The two-hour premiere episode will be offered for free, exclusively on iTunes today through July 11. "TNA: iMPACT," the wrestling alternative that delivers high-risk athletic entertainment, integrating well-known superstars with the best up-and-coming talent. "Disorderly Conduct," an adrenaline-packed series with outrageous video footage pulled from police precincts across the country.
TV Land: "Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg," hosted by legendary comedian, producer and director David Steinberg, is a one-on-one comedy forum where celebrated performers including Larry David, Martin Short, Bob Newhart, Jon Lovitz and George Lopez open up about their personal lives and careers.
Nick at Nite: "Fatherhood," the animated comedy series based on Bill Cosby's best-selling book of the same name; "Hi-Jinks", the hit hidden-camera series where adults play good-natured pranks on kids of all ages.
Logo: "Noah's Arc," the first season of the network's original drama/comedy series; "U.S. of ANT," a reality series following the irreverent comedian ANT; and "Wisecrack," a stand-up comedy series.
MTV: "Viva La Bam," documenting the comical and chaotic life of skateboarding pro and "Jackass" star, Bam Margera.
The N: "Beyond the Break," a drama series about the competitive world of surfing, where four passionate women pursue their dreams of becoming professional surfers.

Apple Executives to Preview Mac OS X 'Leopard' at WWDC 2006 Keynote

2006-06-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

CUPERTINO, Calif., -- Apple today announced that CEO Steve Jobs will headline a team of Apple executives, including Philip Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing; Bertrand Serlet, senior vice president of Software Engineering; and Scott Forstall, vice president of Platform Experience, to kick off the
company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference with a keynote preview of Mac OS X "Leopard" on Monday, August 7, 2006, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at San Francisco's Moscone West. Throughout WWDC, developers will receive detailed information and best practices on developing Universal applications that take advantage of the performance of Intel-based Macs, including special sessions on performance optimization using Apple software development tools.
The five-day event, which runs from August 7 to August 11, will deliver more than 175 technical sessions and labs with new content designed to serve a wide range of Mac(R) developers, including tracks that preview Leopard and dozens of hands-on labs providing opportunities to work developer-to-developer with Apple engineers.
The cost of the five-day conference is $1,595 per attendee, with a $300 Early Registration Discount that has been extended through July 7. Visit Apple's WWDC website for registration and complete session details at Apple.com.

Apple announces new MacBook

2006-05-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

Apple today unveiled the newly designed MacBook, the world's most advanced consumer notebook featuring the Intel Core Duo processor and a gorgeous new 13-inch glossy widescreen display, all in a sleek design that is up to five times faster than the iBook and up to four times faster than the 12-inch PowerBook. Together with the 15-and 17-inch MacBook Pros, the new MacBook completes Apple's Intel-based portables lineup and replaces both the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook. Apple's entire portables lineup now offers Intel Core Duo processors; a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go; breakthrough Front Row media experience with Apple Remote; and several advanced features including DVI with dual display support, optical digital audio input and output, Gigabit Ethernet, Sudden Motion Sensor, Scrolling TrackPad and MagSafe Power Adapter.
"Apple began the transition to Intel Core Duo-based notebooks in February with the 15-inch MacBook Pro, and now just 90 days later we have completed the transition with the release of the all new MacBook," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The complete MacBook lineup leads the industry with Apple's trademark innovative design and advanced mobile features -- from top to bottom it is the best notebook line that we have ever offered."
With prices starting at just $1,099, the MacBook lineup includes three models: a 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz MacBook in a newly designed, sleek white enclosure and a 2.0 GHz MacBook in a stunning new black enclosure. The new MacBook offers performance up to five times faster than the iBook and up to four times faster than the 12-inch PowerBook with a completely new system architecture including a 667 MHz front-side bus and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable to 2GB. At about one-inch thin, the new MacBook is 20 percent thinner than the iBook and features a gorgeous new 13-inch glossy widescreen display. With a display that is 79 percent brighter than the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook, the MacBook provides incredibly crisp images with richer colors, deeper blacks and significantly greater contrast. At a resolution of 1280 x 800, the MacBook display provides 30 percent more viewing area than the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook.
Every new MacBook comes with a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go using Apple's award-winning iChat AV, or recording a video Podcast or iMovie using iLife '06. MacBook also includes Photo Booth, Apple's fun-to-use application that lets users take quick snapshots with the built-in iSight video camera, add entertaining visual effects and share their pictures with the touch of a button. The new MacBook gives customers a simple way to enjoy their digital lifestyle content wherever they go -- including music, photos and videos from across the room using the Apple Remote. With Front Row, users can effortlessly access shared iTunes playlists, iPhoto libraries and video throughout their home via Bonjour, Apple's zero configuration wireless networking built into Mac OS X.
Designed to withstand the rigors of life on the go, every MacBook comes with Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter, created especially for mobile users that makes charging the notebook's battery easier than ever by magnetically coupling the power cord to the MacBook. The MagSafe Power Adapter safely disconnects from the notebook when there is strain on the power cord, helping to prevent the notebook from falling off its work surface. Every MacBook also includes Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor that is designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall, and all MacBooks include a Scrolling TrackPad to easily scroll through long web pages or pan across large photographs.
With the latest high-performance connectivity options, every new MacBook includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11g WiFi for up to 54 Mbps fast wireless networking, built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, two USB 2.0 ports, combination analog and optical digital audio input and output ports, and a mini-DVI video output to connect up to a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display.
Every MacBook includes iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb, a new iLife application that makes it super-easy to create amazing websites with photos, blogs and Podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. All the iLife '06 applications run natively on the new Intel-based MacBooks for maximum performance.
Every MacBook also comes with Mac OS X version 10.4.6 "Tiger" including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on Apple's Intel-based notebook line. Mac OS X Tiger includes an innovative software translation technology called Rosetta that lets customers run most Mac OS X PowerPC applications seamlessly. Intel-based Mac customers have more than 1,700 Universal applications to choose from and the list is growing each day with hundreds of developers including Adobe, Quark and IBM's Lotus division announcing support for Mac OS X Intel-based applications. An updated list of Universal applications for Mac OS X is
available at guide.apple.com/universal.
The new MacBook is available immediately through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple today also increased processor speeds on both models of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, delivering even greater performance at no additional cost. The $2,499 model now includes a 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 2.0 GHz, and the $1,999 model now includes a 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 1.83 GHz. Beginning today, the MacBook Pro also offers the new glossy widescreen display as a CTO option on both the 15-and 17-inch models at no additional cost.
The 1.83 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,099.
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,499.

Introducing the new 17-inch MacBook Pro

2006-04-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Apple today unveiled its new 17-inch MacBook Pro notebook computer featuring the Intel Core Duo processor and an all new system architecture that delivers up to five times the performance of the PowerBook G4. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a stunning aluminum enclosure just one inch thin, weighs only
6.8 pounds, includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go, and the breakthrough Front Row media experience with Apple Remote. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro also features a MagSafe(TM) Power Adapter, invented by Apple especially for mobile users.
"The 17-inch MacBook Pro delivers the speed and screen area of a professional desktop system in the world's best notebook design," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With Intel's state of the art dual-core processor, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro delivers unrivaled performance in an innovative, sleek, one-inch thin design."
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor that delivers dual-core performance in a breakthrough power-efficient design, making it ideal for use in MacBook Pro's thin and lightweight design. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro is up to five times faster than the 17-inch PowerBook G4, running industry standard benchmarks* and offers an all new system architecture including a 667 MHz front-side bus that is four times as fast as the PowerBook G4 and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory expandable to 2GB that is twice as fast as the PowerBook G4.
Every new 17-inch MacBook Pro includes the same great Apple innovations as the 15-inch MacBook Pro including a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go using Apple's award-winning iChat AV, or recording a video Podcast or iMovie using iLife '06. Every MacBook Pro also includes Photo Booth, Apple's fun-to-use application that lets users take quick snapshots with the built-in iSight video camera, add entertaining visual effects and share their pictures with the touch of a button. Featuring Apple's breakthrough Front Row media experience, MacBook Pro gives customers a simple way to enjoy their digital lifestyle content including music, photos and videos from across the room using the Apple Remote. With Front Row, MacBook Pro customers can effortlessly access shared iTunes playlists, iPhoto libraries and video via Bonjour, Apple's zero configuration wireless networking built into Mac OS X.
Every MacBook Pro comes with Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter, designed especially for mobile users that makes charging the notebook's battery easier than ever by magnetically coupling the power cord to the MacBook Pro. The MagSafe Power Adapter safely disconnects from the notebook when there is strain on the power cord, preventing the notebook from falling off its work surface. Every MacBook Pro also includes Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor that is designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall.
Designed for business and creative professionals, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a 36 percent brighter display to make reading text and viewing images even easier and an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 PCI Express graphics with 256MB of dedicated GDDR3 graphics memory for demanding professional applications, and a Scrolling TrackPad to easily scroll through long web pages or pan across large photographs. Providing industry-leading connectivity and high-performance I/O, every new 17-inch MacBook Pro also includes a FireWire 800 port, a FireWire 400 port, three USB 2.0 ports, optical and digital audio input and output, built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and integrated AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g WiFi wireless networking.
Every MacBook Pro includes iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb, a new iLife application that makes it super-easy to create amazing websites with photos, blogs and Podcasts and publish them on .Mac for viewing by anyone on the Internet with just a single click. All the iLife '06 applications run natively on the new Intel-based MacBook Pros for maximum performance.
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro will begin shipping next week through the Apple Store. The 2.16 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,799.

iTunes video and DVD

2006-04-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

Does any body know how to convert iTunes video M4V files to DVD? Someone has got to know a way to do this. I've tried at least six programs which claimed to be able to, and none of them work.

I don't mind most of the limitations Apple places on media downloaded through iTunes, but this one bothers me a bit. It just seems like if I buy the video and all I want to do with it is watch it at home, then I should be able to put it on a DVD.

Is that too much to ask, Apple?

I don't think so. And judging from the Apple discussion boards, I'm not alone.

Come on Apple. We don't mind paying to download the movies, but when it costs less to by the DVD at the store, and I can rip it to my computer already, where's the advantage to downloading it?

So, it any one knows a successful way to convert M4V video to a DVD format, please let me know. Thanks.

Cyborg Name Decoder

2006-04-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Apple Remote Desktop 3

2006-04-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Apple today announced Apple Remote Desktop 3, the third generation of Apple's award-winning desktop management software. Building on Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger" innovations such as Spotlight, Dashboard and Automator, Apple Remote Desktop 3 is a Universal application optimized to take advantage of the power of Intel-based Macs with more than 50 new features that deliver improvements in software distribution, asset management and remote assistance.

"With Apple Remote Desktop 3, we've delivered powerful innovations that make it even easier and more affordable to manage Macs," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Great new features such as remote Spotlight searching and customized Automator actions take advantage of innovations in Tiger and make Apple Remote Desktop 3 a valuable tool for anyone managing more than one Mac."

Apple Remote Desktop 3 offers a wide range of high performance desktop management features including lightning-fast Spotlight searches across multiple Tiger systems; over 30 Automator actions for easily automating repetitive system administration tasks; a Dashboard Widget that provides quick and convenient observation of remote systems; and AutoInstall for installing software automatically on mobile systems when they return online.

Apple Remote Desktop 3 is available immediately through Apple Store for $299.

iBoxers for Women

2006-04-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

Ladies, did you feel left out with the introduction of iPod underwear for me? Well, baby, you've come a long way now.

The folks over at Pl>y Underwear now have a version for all of the sexy ladies. And, I say sexy because no body want's to see an ugly girl wearing one.

I think the real question is why didn't they come up with this first? A guy walking around with an iPod in his underwear is just plain creepy, but a cute girl with an iPod in her bikini bottom is just hot.

Apple Pack Rats

2006-04-08T06:49:00.000-07:00

Still looking for any one who might consider themselves a Apple Pack Rat. If you're one, e-mail me at AppleBytes@gmail.com.

Spyware, Adware and Viruses, Oh My!

2006-04-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Early Wednesday morning Apple dropped the bomb about Boot Camp, and it wasn't long before the blogging community went to work. Most, well, who am I kidding, every one that I have read seems to think this is the greatest think since the Apple II.

So, after a day's reflection on the topic of running Windows XP on an iMac 17-inch 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo as I sit here watching my other computer — a Windows-based PC — I can't help but wonder if this is really such a good thing? Isn't the whole point in owning a Mac so you don't have to use Windows?

While all the excited Macheads were out buying up copies of Windows XP, I was checking out some of the finer print on the Boot Camp. Yes, running Windows along side Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger" will make your iMac vulnerable to attacks from spyware, malware, worms and viruses. The same ones that just this week Microsoft security officer Mike Danseglio admitted just this week there was little they could do about. In fact, his advice was to wipe the drive clean and start over.

The same drive you partitioned to install Windows and OS X, so guess what Â— you just lost everything.

Another note about running Windows and OS X on the same machine. They won't be able to talk to each other. In fact, they won't even be able to share information. So, the project you won't be able to open the project you started working on in Microsoft Word with Apple Works once you've switch operating systems. Nope, you'll have to reboot back to Windows. And if you run two different e-mail programs like Outlook Express for Windows and Apple Mail for OS X, you had better leave everything on the server or you'll also have to reboot if you want to go back to the message you read when you were working in Windows.

There is one other thing mentioned by a few bloggers today that deserves a little moscrutinyity while we are on this topic. Some people are already speculating about how long it will to get OS X running on a PC now that Windows has been booted on a Mac. It's the obvious next step, but I wonder if the folks at Apple have thought about this. If average Joe who already complains about the cost of printer ink can buy a $500 Dell and run OS X why would he pay $1299 for an iMac?

Yeah, We Can Do That Too

2006-04-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

Apple today introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in "Leopard," Apple's next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in August.

"Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple's superior hardware now that we use Intel processors," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch."

Boot Camp simplifies Windows installation on an Intel-based Mac by providing a simple graphical step-by-step assistant application to dynamically create a second partition on the hard drive for Windows, to burn a CD with all the necessary Windows drivers, and to install Windows from a Windows XP installation CD. After installation is complete, users can choose to run either Mac OS X or Windows when they restart their computer.

Ouch, Microsoft. That's got to hurt.

Scrubs in iTunes

2006-04-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

The NBC show Scrubs now being offered in iTunes is a wonderful thing. Last Tuesday, after our cable went out - again - my wife and I downloaded the latest episode and the latest episode of Law and Order SVU, which we also missed.

Download Law & Order on iTunes here

Now, as far as I am concerned, Scrubs is the only sitcome on television worth watching. My wife and I also have been fans of Law and Order since there was only one, but I do have one tiny, little problem.

I don't mind paying $1.99 to watch an hour-long, comercial-free program like Law and Order or another favorite of our's, USA'a Monk, but paying the same $1.99 for a 30-minute show just seems a bit much.

It just seems like they could cut it to $1 or something. Come on Steve, make me feel like I'm getting a deal.

Of course our cable went out again this Tuesday night, so I guess they'll be getting another four bucks from me this week. Maybe I just need to get rid of the cable and sent that check to Apple each month?

Yet Another Reason to Use Firefox

2006-04-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Drunkenblog.com is reporting another image floating around the Internet which when load into a Mac crashes Safari, Preview or any other Apple application that tries to open it. Why? Beats the hell out of me, but the Drunkenblog has an explanation here. Be careful about poking around if you are using Safari because he has post of the picture that causes the crash.

The good news is the image does not cause this problem with Firefox or other Internet Explorer. Of course, IE has it's own set of problems, but I will say I do like the new tabbed browsing in IE7. Yes, Firefox and Safari have tabbed browsing, but opening a new tab is much easier in the latest beta from Microsoft.

I even impressed a long-time Mac user when I demonstrated to him the new tabs in IE7. Maybe I should drop the good folks over at Mozilla an e-mail.

More Apple Pack Rat II

2006-04-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

My 4-year-old daughter did this the other day with some old CDs. It kind of reminds me of the new iTunes commercial. I have to admit I was pretty proud of her work. More of that Apple art?

If you too are an Apple Pack Rat send me an
e-mail or pictures and tell me what you do with your Apple packages.

Apple vs Apple

2006-04-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

By now, even if you have been living under a rock, you've heard of the pending litigation between Apple Corps, the company started by the Beatles, and the Apple computing company over the companies' logos.

In a nutshell, lawyers for the music company claim that Apple violated an agreement between the two companies when they used the logo for the iTunes music store. While lawyers for the computer company say "even a moron in a hurry" could distinguish between the two, according to an Associated Press report.

And just for the record, Apple - the computer company - paid Apple Corps - the music company - $26.5 million back in 1991 for the use of the logo. I guess that explains the "bite" in Apple's logo.

But really, isn't Apple's lawyer right? Can't every one see a difference between these two logos?

Well, if Apple Corps wins this lawsuit you can bet there will be plenty to follow. Personally, I'm going to say I made the first smiley face t-shirt and head after a multi-million company who's name shall not be used here for using the logo.

Apple Pack Rats?

2006-04-01T12:42:00.000-08:00

When I bought the AirPort Express Base Station with AirTunes
the box that it came in was so simple and sophisticated I could not bare to part with it. So, I did what any other rational, reasonable person would - I put it up on display in the book case.

Not what you would do, you say? Then this isn't the blog for you.

But, according to this article in Wired.com, I'm not alone. Using the term Apple Pack Rats, the article attempts to explain the obsession some Mac Fans have with the Apple products they buy and the packaging they come in.

Now, I'm not what you would call a Mac Geek, although I also kept my bag from the Apple store, but I do like the simple elegance of the Apple products. If you have any suggestions about what I can do with the bag, let me know.

And, if you too are an Apple Pack Rat send me an
e-mail or pictures and tell me what you do with your Apple packages.

iCal Exchange

2006-03-31T17:34:00.000-08:00

If you use Apple iCal but don't have a .Mac account you can still share your calendar with friends and family through iCal Exchange. iCal Exchange is a free service that allows you to publish and subscribe to iCal calendars.

Calendars can be published privately, which require a username and a password, or publicly, which only require a username to subscribe.

Using iCal Exchange is free, but if you want multiple passwords so people can subscribe to your private calendar without having your main account password, there is a $1 per month fee. There also appears to be plans to showcase some of the public calendars later.

One other good feature of iCal Exchange is that it works with iCal and the Mozilla calendar feature, so you can share a calendar from an iMac with someone using Windows.

The New Apple Mighty Mouse

2006-03-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

Apple Mighty Mouse.Doesn't it seem like that should be said in a deep, resonating voice?

I think so, but that may be because I really like the new mouse. Not every one does. Some dedicated Mac fans I know are scoffing at the new, little mouse.

My guess is that is because they are so accustomed to the single click mouse that was the Apple standard until now. Being an old Windows boy, I took to it like a Texan to the White House.

Another thing I have noticed is that some die-hard Mac users don't seem to realize you have to setup the two-button mouse in the preferences window. At least the genesis at my local Apple store didn't seem to know that. They had one hooked up to the new iMac 17-inch 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo, but didn't have it set up properly, and it wasn't working right.

Now, anyone who thinks this is just another two-button mouse should take a closer look at the new Apple Mighty Mouse, because this mouse has got something more under the hood.

The new mouse has a ball that works like the old, standard wheel, except the ball works in all directions. In addition to scrolling up and down, you can also scroll left and right. The ball also works as a button and in Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger", it opens Dashboard.

The two buttons on the side of the mouse also can be used to open Expose. Probably the most impressive thing of all is that there really is only one button, but the Mighty Mouse knows when you click on the left or the right side of it.

Cool.

The best part of all of these features, is that you can change the action associated with each button. In this way, you can customize it to your needs.

Sounds like fun? Then go out and get you one, too.

Frenchmen, Lend Me Your iPod

2006-03-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

Well, not really, but explain this new, proposed law that will basically force iTunes out of your country. I don't get it.

Just in case you've had your head buried under or up something lately, here is the skinny. France's parliament is considering a law that would require Apple to make music purchased through iTunes play on any MP3 player other than the iPod.

Sounds reasonable, right? I mean if you buy it you should be able to play it any where you want, right? And right now, Apple only lets you download your music bought through iTunes to up to five computers and your iPod. That's not fair, right?

Well, that's exactly what France and some people here in the United States are saying. There's just one problem.

See, just like with everything else on a computer, there's a hack or a work around for this one, too. All you have to do is burn your music which you just downloaded through iTunes onto a CD. When you do that, the "magic" protection which is placed on the file when you download is gone.

You can upload it onto any computer using any other player in whatever file format your heart desires. And guess what else? (there's more) Yes, there is! Once you've burned your music onto a CD you can actually put it on any MP3 player you want! Shocking isn't it.

I can't believe there isn't at least one geek or hacker in France you has figured this out. If there is, surely he could let their parliament know. Right now, it looks like Apple is making plans for a quick exit from France if this propose law goes through, and that can't be too good for any one.

Well, there you have it. My little gesture of good will and diplomacy for the French people. Let's just hope Steve Jobs doesn't find out or they might be coming for me.

Uh-Oh. There's someone coming up the stairs right now!

All This Technology and I Can't Make It Work

2006-03-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

So I had what I thought was a simple task tonight. I wanted to address several envelopes using by HP PSC 2355v all-in-one printer from my Mac Address Book. Sounds easy right?

Nope!

If you look at the Web site, it says you can do this. The help window says you can, too, but guess what. I can't. Maybe it's just me.

I checked all of my preference settings and even tried printing something else. So far, so good. I even addressed an envelope using the Apple Works wizard. This would have done fine except I had a lot of envelopes to print.

After I gave up on making this work, I decided to see if I could use my Windows PC here to make it work. I exported all of the vCards that I wanted to print from the address book, moved them to the PC and imported them into Outlook Express.

Big Mistake!

First, the vCards were blank, and after another half hour playing with everything I figured out that the problem was with the Mac Address Book. Apparently, if you have contacts in a group, you can't export the vCards. At least not to a PC.

So, I sent the addresses one at a time, imported them into Outlook Express and went to print thinking myself a genius and patting myself on the back. Oops.

Here's a good tip: Before exporting a bunch of vCards one at a time to another computer and application check and make sure that the destination application will do the task you are importing the vCards there to do.

Turns out Outlook Express doesn't print envelopes. Business Cars? OK, Memos? Ok But envelopes? Hell No!

I guess Microsoft figures we've got e-mail so why would we need envelopes. It appears Microsoft also has now decided for me when I need Windows Messenger, because every time I start Outlook Express it launches Windows Messenger. Funny, I thought I was grown!

So, here I sit at midnight. Still haven't printed my envelopes - I guess I'll have to enter each address into Apple Works one at a time. Arrgh!!

Looking For a Better iChat

2006-03-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

Chax is a collection of minor modifications and additions that make using Apple's iChat more enjoyable.

Features include:

* Toggle text status visibility of users
* Set font of names, status messages, and group separators
* Show animated user icons
* Ability to hide iTunes music store links in text statuses
* Idle time included in tooltips
* Display Address Book nicknames instead of full names
* Option to show a warning before messaging mobile users
* Hide the audio/video status icon at the top of the user list
* Message a specific screen name for people with multiple screen names

Happy Birthday Apple

2006-03-26T14:30:00.000-08:00