Thursday, July 31, 2003
Top Stories
Pictures And Sound
With the iTunes Music Store a proven success, Apple should consider going Hollywood.
News
UK Outlaws iPod FM Device
Use of Griffin Technology's iTrip device has been prohibited by the UK authorities, reports AM Micro.
Best-Kept Secret Dept.
There is nothing secret about ZeroConf (for Zero Configuration), an initiative begun in 1999. But few Windows users are aware that Apple has initiated its use, with a scheme called Rendezvous.
Free Marble Blast Game Offered To .Mac Members
"Race marbles along moving platforms, dodging hazards while collecting sparkling treasures and power-up enhancements to cut seconds off your racing time."
The Musical Tempest In A Digital Teapot
Analysts are starting to throw up flags of caution about how fast the legitimate music download space will grow. For starters, the economy isn't that great, they say, so discretionary spending is muted.
MPEG Standard Addresses Rights
The Moving Pictures Experts Group has completed an effort on two digital rights management technologies intended to increase the MPEG standard's appeal to the recording industry and Hollywood.
Opinion
Big-Screen Laptops: Who Really Needs Them?
If you plan to use it in a confined space, probably. But if your notebook never lands on anything smaller than an office desk or your lap — comfortably seated in a giant Barcalounger at home — bigger is almost always better.
Discussion: AppleCare For PowerBooks — Worth It Or Wasted?
"What types of experiences have you had with PowerBook failures and replacements?"
Review
Logitech MX500
The MX500 is a great buy if you're in the market for a new high-end mouse, or if you're an extreme gamer looking to up your odds.
Want To Switch To Mac? You Won't Die
As much as Apple tries to drive them into the mainstream, Macs are really specialty machines.
Works, Office Or Something Else?
AppleWorks does fine for basic word processing and spreadsheets, though it's nowhere near as pretty or as powerful as Microsoft's Office vX for the Mac. It's also nowhere near as expensive.
Tame That Unruly Digital Hub Collection With Readerware
Though it has some annoying 'features', we think you'll find that Readerware, together with a barcode reader, is a big help in taming your book, music, or video collection.
Sidetrack
RETURN WINDOWS, or how to get a Windows refund in California Small Claims Court.
Wintel
Microsoft Research Preps Usenet Analysis Tool
Researchers at Microsoft are working on technology that makes it easier to navigate Usenet news groups and could eventually help clear clutter in e-mail inboxes, a Microsoft researcher said Tuesday.
Gates Foreshadows 'Longhorn' Advances
Without calling out its next-generation Windows desktop operating system by name, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates foreshadowed some of the forthcoming advances that the company is promising for its "Longhorn" wave of products.
The Microsoft-Linux War Is Over: Linux Won
It will take a long time, perhaps decades, but the tipping-point has come.
Meet Microsoft's 'Joe Friday'
Martin Taylor, Redmond's new point man on Linux, says he plans to change Microsoft's open-source competitive strategy by focusing on 'just the facts.'
It's All About Longhorn At Microsoft
Integration, .Net feeding forthcoming OS.
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
News
Tinderbox 2.0 Offers Major Speed Boosts
Educational Gold Mine Is Waiting Inside Computers
What can parents do to make the laptop as meaningful at home as it is in the classroom?
Apple To Sell Macs At Best Buy
Apple plans next month to launch a pilot program with Best Buy in which the retailer will carry various Mac models at "a few" locations, similar to a program that Apple has with CompUSA.
iTunes Headed To PC, Biz Mulls Download Prices
Apple says it is on pace to launch a Windows-based version of the iTunes Music Store by the end of the year.
Opinion
Fighting The Itch To Change Email Clients
The problem with the temptation to switch email applications is that no Internet-based application is harder and more complex to switch that an email app.
Poll: 10.3's Metal Gets Brush-Off
A fifth of Macworld Online readers say they "hate" the brushed-metal user interface (UI) of Mac OS 10.3, while almost half are ambivalent.
Why iTunes Has Bands On The Run
Music fans are making their feelings clear: Online services such as Apple's put consumers in control of what they buy, not artists.
BuyMusic.com Ripping Off Artists
What [BuyMusic.com] don't tell you that [it's songs] come from musicians/bands that were not asked for permission, and who will likely not see a penny of any sale made through BM.
Keep Your Marketing Department Out Of My iPod
Will everything I "own" in the future be dependant on a service for its continued operation?
Review
iPhoto Has A New Buddy
Put simply, the utility allows you to create more than one iPhoto library and in any location either on your hard drive, a server or an iDisk.
Apple iMac
Though not for power users, the iMac is suitable for the graphic designer, artist, director, or musician in the making.
The Care And Feeding Of Your iPod
To keep the music playing as long as possible, here are ten things to consider about the battery and how to use its power effectively.
Wintel
Microsoft Prepares For Yukon, Longhorn
Microsoft on Tuesday announced plans for new development tools, as the company continues to lay the groundwork for its next major database and operating system software releases.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Top Stories
Macworld Expo New York's Ill-Advised Age Policy
No one expects a seven-week-old infant to be asking intelligent questions about high-end printers or seriously considering the purchase of 3-D modeling software. But her father, who matches IDG's description of a "qualified, professional attendee with buying power" would have been asking such questions if he had been allowed inside.
News
Richardo Torres: Shaking Up Hollywood
"Shake has lowered the bar. Before, ILM and others were the only ones who could do certain shots. Now, when it comes to who gets the job, it's not about who has enough money. The barriers to entry are leveled."
Senior Chip Analyst Says Apple Lying About PowerMac G5
Given this blast at Apple's hype, Peter Glaskowsky does say that Powermacs are, once more, competitive with Windows PCs in performance. They also have advantages that will help Apple expand its market, he says.
PDF Keeps It All Nice
Once an itinerate stranger, now an inescapable hanger-on — that's the story of PDF, the Portable Document Format.
Mozilla Thunderbird Email Client Released
"Our intended customer is someone who uses Mozilla Firebird (or another standalone browser) as their primary browser and wants a mail client based on Mozilla that 'plays nice' with the browser."
Opinion
Why The G5 Will Force You To Upgrade
Let's face it: you'd be cracy not to want the fastest Mac you can afford.
Review
FormZ 4.0: Retooled 3-D Modeler Throws Users Some New Curves
For loyal users of the program, formZ 4.0 is an exciting upgrade. Still unmatched as a solids and surface modeler and renderer, the program is finally ready for OS X, and it has many important productivity changes.
SimCity 4
The scope and detail of SimCity 4 is definitely impressive, and it retains all of the game play features that longtime fans of the franchise have grown to love even though they may find that the new interface takes some getting used to. Even then, there are some technical and design problems that should never have made the release version, and at times they take away from the game play considerably.
True Confessions Of A Mailsmith Switcher
Mailsmith 2.0 is simply a great program, and deserves wide and serious consideration. It has been worth the wait. If you've wondered what the fuss is about, now is the right time to give Mailsmith a second look — or a first look.
Pyppy Suite
As a gimmicky gadget, however, Puppy Suite is choice — it does its trick on command and won't embarrass you by misbehaving when you show it off.
iChat, iSight A Good Team
Apple's iChat AV instant messaging software, and the company's concurrently introduced iSight compact digital camera, demonstrate Apple's usual synthesis of top-to-bottom platform integration, novel and intelligent industrial design, and an intuitive user experience that encourages the adoption of new capabilities.
Wintel
What Microsoft Should Do With Its Pot Of Gold
So what should Bill and Steve do with these wondrous resources? My suggestion: Start over.
Chipmakers Team To Take On Microsoft
Three chipmakers and a giant mobile phone group teamed up on Tuesday in a likely bid to prevent Microsoft and Intel from dominating mobile devices as they do PCs.
Gates: Dot-Com Dreams To Come True
"Virtually everything that was discussed, even the most hyped thing" will happen, Gates told a crowd of researchers gathered at its headquarters here for the company's yearly Microsoft Research Faculty Summit. "It just takes more time."
Monday, July 28, 2003
Top Stories
Are You Ready For A 64-Bit PC?
New processors coming soon from Advanced Micro Devices and Apple suggest 64-bit computing will make its way to a desktop near you this year. But what does that really mean for you?
Apple Cube: Alive And Selling
Though discontinued three years ago, Apple's Power Mac G4 Cube commands a strong — almost fanatical — following. Used Cubes fetch premium prices on eBay, there's a thriving trade in aftermarket upgrades, and dedicated owners are going to extreme lengths to keep their much-loved machines current.
News
Safari Global Usage Share More Than Doubles Since Feb.
Apple saw the global usage share of its Safari browser more than double since February.
DRM-Equipped Photoshop Given A Test Run In Australia
Only the boxed copies of Photoshop and Collections contain DRM, and both the box and registration application inform users that they must activate the software, either over the Internet or over the phone.
Mac Office To Gain Exchange Support
A summer release of Office for Mac OS X will add client functions to the suite's e-mail and PIM component as well as performance tweaks and bug fixes.
Apple Cofirms Panther OS Will Be 32-Bit
Certain libraries and other elements have been recoded to allow it to make use of the 64-bit addressing provided by the G5's 64-bit IBM PowerPC 970 processor.
Macromedia Ships Contribute 2
The new version works natively on Mac OS X and also connects faster and more securely to Web sites.
Out Of The U.S. And Out Of Luck To Download Music Legally
Online music-selling services have far fewer restrictions than the industry's early offerings, but they do not necessarily travel well.
School Laptop Plan In Works
Plans to give all Michigan sixth-graders wireless laptops or handheld computers by early next year is great in concept, but Saginaw County educators say they have plenty of unanswered questions.
Review
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
This game will wreak havoc on your social life and job productivity. Try to take a break from Pro Skater and you'll inevitably find yourself magnetically drawn back to your computer for one more attempt at landing that last trick or finishing that next goal.
Sidetrack
SUGGESTION FOR THE LONGHORN TEAM, from Sean Campbell and Scott Swigart, on how not to build your GUI.
Wintel
Redefining Microsoft
Microsoft has trouble whenever it tries to grow outside of this core competency. The failures are "disappeared" from Microsoft's official history with an efficiency that George Orwell would have admired.
Microsoft Plays Hiring Hardball
Like baseball's New York Yankees, Microsoft Corp. has been paying top dollar for top talent in an effort to dominate the new playing fields of XML and Web services.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
News
Apple Targeting Corporate Market With G5?
Apple purchased a two-page ad for the Power Mac G5 on the inside front cover of The Economist.
Apples For Teachers: Yuma School District Equipped With New Computers
When teachers and principals return to school in August in Yuma School District 1, they might be surprised to see brand-new iMac computers on their desks loaded with Apple's newest operating system — OS X version 10.3.
Opinion
Apple Not Killing 'Switch' - The Evidence Is There For All To See
Why should Apple waste perfectly good bandwidth when everyone who wants it already has a copy of the Ellen Feiss movie?
Review
Solace
Let others spend their weekends tweaking video cards to get another three frames per second — Freeverse knows what people want to play, and they give them the games they can enjoy.
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Top Stories
Troubleshooting iTunes Music Store: Songs Not Available If You Leave The Country
Apple has the right to deny your ability to play and burn songs when you have traveled outside the United States.
News
2003 Readers' Choice Awards: The Winners Are In
Seventeen years of Readers' Choice Awards have brought 17 years of surprises and many close contests — but none as close as this year's horse race between Microsoft and Apple for Favorite Vendor. In the end, the two giants tied statistically, but Microsoft edged ahead with just three votes.
Chris Monicatti: High-Definition Hockey
"The way the Xserves and database work, it's very easy for me to turn the suite from a hockey suite to a concert suite with the touch of a button."
PowerSchool University 2003: Sharing And Training Heat Up
High temperatures weren't the only records broken in the Salt Lake City, Utah area the week of July 21, 2003. The number of attendees at PowerSchool University 2003 topped records for previous user gatherings for the leading web-based student information system.
Mark Romanek: Cinematic Music Videos
"The most precious thing in filmmaking is time. If you can do more, or try more things, in less times, then you're ahead of the game."
O'Reilly Offers 'iPod: The Missing Manual'
Written by tech columnist J.D. Biersdorfer, "iPod: The Missing Manual" offers to let readers inside "the full range" of Apple's versatile digital music player, with details on how to get the most out of its PDA-like capabilities, using the iPod as a hard drive, using the device as an e-book reader, displaying recipes, driving directions, book pages or Web pages, playing games and more.
Opinion
Unsung Heros And Other iTunes Tips
It's going to be fun to see if the competitors can come close to the current Apple experience.
Review
EverQuest
This is not a fast-paced action game and it rewards those who put in their time and grind out the levels.
Wintel
Microsoft Moves To Weather Time Of Slow Growth
Microsoft today outlined a new corporate approach designed to allow the company to weather a period of slow growth in the computer industry. At the same time, its executives disputed the idea that the information technology boom had ended for good.
Microsoft Rethinks Japanese Xbox Tactics
Peter Moore spoke of how the company will introduce various Xbox Live updates announced at E3 to the Japanese service, while cutting down on the wait for new European and American titles with its new "Xbox World Collection".
Microsoft Studying Multilevel Security Desktops
The effort is seen as critically important to homeland security and information-sharing efforts.
Hacker Code Could Unleash Windows Worm
A hacker group released code designed to exploit a widespread Windows flaw, paving the way for a major worm attack as soon as this weekend, security researchers warned.
MSN Preparing Fall Broadband Launch
Microsoft is preparing to launch an enhanced version of its MSN service this fall as part of its efforts to tap broadband users for online subscriptions, according to the head of MSN.
Microsoft Considering Music Store
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said his company is exploring ways to develop a music download service similar to Apple Computer's iTunes that would tie into the software giant's multimedia applications.
Friday, July 25, 2003
News
Review
PocketMouse Pro Wireless
This mouse would be great for travel—the transmitter tucks away behind a trap door so there aren't any cords or extra pieces to carry—if only it worked better.
Care For Your Mac
Cocktail performs 20 system tasks and interface adjustments, arranged in five basic categories.
Wintel
Gates: Longhorn Is 'A Bit Scary'
Longhorn, the next version of Microsoft's Windows desktop operating system, will be so different from its predecessors that users may not like it right away, Bill Gates said Thursday.
Will Longhorn Rope Everything Together?
With the regulatory reins somewhat loosened, Microsoft is moving ahead with plans to more tightly integrate the development of Windows, Office and its other programs.
Ballmer: Tech's Future Is Boundless
At a meeting with financial analysts here, Ballmer said that much of the potential gains technology has to offer have yet to be realized.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
News
Bare Bones Updates BBEdit
It fixes reported issues — dozens of them — and also adds minor enhancements and refinements to the way HTML Markup preferences are handled and to the way files are committed via Concurrent Versions System (CVS) source control.
.Mac Upgrades Break Compatibility With Some Windows Systems?
Readers report that upgrading to Internet Explorer 6 for Windows 2000 resolves this problem.
Safari Problems Bug Web Developers
Safari may have won plaudits for its speediness, but glitches in version 1.0, the first non-beta release, is causing major headaches for some web developers and users.
Apple Reseller Gets Vertical
Victorian Apple reseller Computers Now has bought out Sydney high-end graphics specialist LCM&A for an undisclosed sum.
Carn The Apples
Apple has grabbed the lead again with the ultra-powerful PowerMac G5.
Opinion
Apple's Music Lessons
Apple has put itself in a strong position to become a major provider of digital content over the next decade. And in such a role, the Mac vs. PC issue will be much less relevant.
Review
Wintel
Cracking Windows Passwords In Seconds
Swiss researchers released a paper on Tuesday outlining a way to speed the cracking of alphanumeric Windows passwords, reducing the time to break such codes to an average of 13.6 seconds, from 1 minute 41 seconds.
Microsoft's Charney Tells Congress Vulnerabilities Are A Fact Of Life
A robust security response capability and effective risk management are critical because software vulnerabilities will continue to be unavoidable regardless of the type of operating system used.
In Microsoft's World, Eight Finance Chiefs Are Enough
Microsoft still lacks a president, but it now has eight chief financial officers.
Microsoft Reveals 'Critical' Flaw
Microsoft issued another passel of warnings about security holes Wednesday, including a "critical" flaw that affects most Windows PCs.
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Cuts Prices For Students, Teachers
As part of its efforts to stem a market share decline, the company is offering college students and teachers larger discounts on new Macs — up to 15 percent more off of some models.
News
Apple Releases Mac OS X Server Security Update
A Look At The Upcoming Panther Server OS
Here's a quick snapshot of some of the changes in the works from the current OS X Server release, based on information from Apple's Web site.
Konfabulator 1.5 Brings Host Of New Features
Version 1.5 adds over 200 new features, including support for drag and drop, direct text input, keyboard events, mouse event tracking, and better desktop integration.
New Mac-Centric Blogging Service Debuts
Features include commenting, image uploading, auto-archiving, design templates and automatic announcements.
The Official G5 Interview
IT-Enquirer had an interesting interview with Apple's Tom Boger, the product manager for the Power Mac range.
'Glitch' In Apple Server Software
The Security Corporation claims to have identified a flaw affecting Apple's QuickTime/Darwin Streaming Server software.
Number 1 With A Whimper
If it takes just 1,500 sales to be No. 1 on the digital download chart in Billboard, then the variety of tracks that people are downloading mus tbe extremely broad.
Apple UK Offers Xserve Leasing Program
Apple UK has launched a new program that offers qualifying professional customers the chance to lease a range of scalable Apple server solutions at attractive monthly rates.
Opinion
Penny-Pinching PowerBook
You can have an Apple laptop for less than $200.
Readers Reply: Designed To Confuse
Hands On Throttle And Mouse: The Dogfight Over The Mouse Button
Apple: Keep the one button mouse!
Tiem For Apple To Rethink Its Options
Jobs & Co. should follow Microsoft's lead and give up its passion for dispensing huge options grants. And how about paying investors a dividend?
Why David Coursey's OS X On Intel Proposal Just Doesn't Make Sense
In the end, Coursey's proposal would create a third platform that is neither Wintel nor PPC/Macintosh.
Lessons From Apple
We need clarification of what fair use means for technology.
Review
Logitech MX300
The odd fourth button placement aside, this mouse is the mosue to go for Mac users and gamers who want better and more precise control out of their mice at a price that won't break the bank.
Menu Master 1.0.1
Almost every Mac user has to use cumbersome shortcuts at some stage during their work, and we think $10 is a small price to pay to standardise shortcuts in all your most important applications.
Keyspan USB Bluetooth Adapter
The Keyspan USB Bluetooth Adapter is a handy little piece of hardware — it's portable, easy to install and it works. With hardware like this, Bluetooth's time may finally have come.
C Is For Cocoa
You will learn all the C you need to know to learn Cocoa, and ignore the rest.
1GHz eMac: Apple's Best Desktop For Education Gets More Appealing
This revision strengthens the eMac's position as the best Mac desktop for education environments, and the eMac retains its endearing qualities: a squat, heavy, kid-resistant exterior; easy-to-use programs; and an intuitive operating system. But it's also a great choice for everyday consumers who need only the basics.
900MHz iBook: The Last Of The G3s Gets A Small Update
The iBook is excellent for the basics, but remember that it's the only Mac still using a G3 processor. We were also underwhelmed by the iBook's keyboard, but it may not bother everyone.
Mac OS X Internet Clients: MSN Or AOL? Both Offer Mail Filters, Parental Controls In Bid For Subscribers
With AOL and MSN matching each other in terms of features, the question of which service is superior boils down to where your particular interests lie.
Lift NN/g: Guidelines By Design Gurus Add Value To Web-Site Accessibility Tool
Fans of the Nielsen Norman Group's Web-accessibility guidelines will benefit greatly from this thorough and useful testing tool, as will Dreamweaver buffs. The references are invaluable, as are the tools for tracking and fixing errors found during testing.
Painter 8: Unparalleled Natural-Media Painting Tool Gets A Much-Needed Interface Redesign And New Brushes
Painter won't turn you into a great artist, but if you're used to real-world media and tools, you'll be astonished at how well the program mimics what you already know — with no muss, fuss, or fumes.
ShutleXpress: Customizable Device Enhances Your Control Over Video And Audio Applications
Contour Design's ShuttleXpress is a compact, useful controller that follows neatly in the footsteps of the ShuttlePro, which will be a fine alternative if the ShuttleXpress's five buttons are not enough for you.
EazyDraw: Drawing Application Straddles Hobby-Pro Line
EazyDraw defies categorization. It has the illustration-tool features you'd expect from a higher-end application, but its odd interface and limited output capabilities will slow down, rather than speed up, your work.
Tip: Keep Some "Head Room" On Your Mac OS X Volume For Best Performance, Fewer Errors
The Game Room: Get Into The Action
This month I look at several different takes on the action genre — a modern relative of Dungeons and Dragons, a 3-D romp with a bouncing orb, an homage to top-down-scrolling games of yore, and three variations on classic puzzle games. One thing they have in common is some fast and furious play.
SoundSoap 1.0: Noise-Reduction App Helps Eliminate Hiss And Hum
There's no question that SoundSoap ably and easily removes noise from just about any audio file you throw at it — and if that's all you have to do, then this is the tool you need.
Mask Pro 3: Photoshop Plug-In Makes Simple Work Of Tough Masks
We recommend it to anyone who needs to make quick, accurate masks.
Sorenson Squeeze 3 Compression Suite: Utility For QuickTime, Flash And MPEG-4 Is Easy To Use But Doesn't Completely Ease Editing Workflow
Despite its occasionally inflexible interface, it offers the easiest way to apply professional-quality compression to movies. People who need video compressed in the Windows Media and RealMedia formats should look into Cleaner.
Wintel
Report: Microsoft Eyes Financial Revamp
Microsoft is set to announce plans on Thursday to reorganize its executive ranks, with an emphasis on improving financial management, according to a published report.
Microsoft Easing Customers' Legal Stress
Microsoft has a new sales pitch for Linux users: Buy our software and stay out of court.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
News
Macworld CreativePro Best Of Show Winners Announced
Best of Show picks are products making their Macworld debut that Macworld's editors felt stood out from the pack.
Corel Buy-Out Is 'Best Option'
Investment firm Vector Capital has made an offer to acquire Corel for $97.5 million in an attempt to stabilize the software company. The move will transform Corel into a private company.
The New Workstations
The big guns of visual workstations — Apple, SGI, and HP — have designed products that are packed with new features that run the gamut in performance and price and, best of all, have been designed specifically for the content creation pro.
Opinion
Macworld Expo New York 2003: Highly Concentrated
If you could get people to stop talking about how small the show floor was, they seemed pretty happy about what they'd seen.
Review
Eight Flat-Panel Monitors: With Accurate Color And Wide Viewing Angles, Two LCDs Stand Out From The Crowd
If your Mac has an Apple Display Connector, you'll be happy with the 20-inch Apple Cinema Display. If you're looking for something a little more flexible, the NEC MultiSync LCD2080UX offers comparable performance with greater compatibility and adjustment options.
G4 Cube Dusted Off, Given New Life
The Cube still worked fine after about 18 months in storage. Instead of consigning this "relic" to the scrap heap or a page on eBay, I thought it might be interesting to see what upgrades work best.
PowerBook Is Rugged On The Road
I'm back from a 281-mile bicycle ride called the Michigander and about the only thing that worked perfectly was my Apple PowerBook G4 12-inch laptop.
Unreal Tournament 2003
What's there to say about this game? It's not groundbreaking, it's not original — but it's one fantastic sequel!
A Complee Review Of The Apple iSight
The iSight is a superb product... once you get used to the dysfunctional mount.
Wintel
US Navy Dumps Microsoft, Makes Network The Weapon
The new way of fighting is built around Internet standards, including web pages, routers, Ethernet, instant messaging, and chat rooms. Casualties appear to be both expensive customized systems and Microsoft software.
Monday, July 21, 2003
Top Stories
Euro iPhoto Print Ordering Cheer
Kodak is preparing to launch its online photo-development service Ofoto in the UK and Europe, indicating that iPhoto's print-ordering feature may finally be made available to non-US users.
News
Michael Jackson Says 'Beat It' To House Copyright Legislation; Calls Apple's iTunes Music Store Better 'Solution'
Apple Lowers Prices On Some Edu. Store Items
Apple, Google Win Top Awards At AO Innovation Summit
Apple won the Top Innovation Award for its iTunes Music Store at AlwaysOn 2003: The Innovation Summit.
REALbasic Update To Support Linux
REAL Software Inc. has announced plans to support Linux with its release of REALbasic 5.5, the forthcoming upgrade to its development environment that's already available for Mac and Windows.
Quark Offers Look At Mac OS X Future
In its first major appearance since the debut of a Mac OS X-native version of QuarkXPress, the DTP powerhouse said it's "dedicated to Apple" despite its development Windows efforts.
Omni Sees Macintosh Future In Microsoft's Back Yard
"This is the beginning of what I see as the golden age of software."
Opinion
Is The Future Of The Mac Web In Jeopardy?
I don't want to see any of the Mac web go away but it is destined to happen. We're all supporting a niche platform, but now advertising revenue isn't covering all the costs.
Can An MP3 Glutton Savor A Tune?
With so much worthwhile music pouring into my computer and from there into my iPod, none of it seems quite as long-lasting or momentous as the old tunes.
Why I Want A Pentium Mac
This Windows option would appeal to people who play games and others who are concerned that som epiece of software they need won't be available on Mac.
Review
Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne
The single player can be a bit lacking and difficult, but most people will want to buy this for the great multiplayer action.
NetNewsWire
I love NNW. It is one of the five most useful applications in my online life and ranks right up there with the Web browser in utility and value.
Sidetrack
JUST A NOTE to let you know that I'll be modifying the scripts that I employ behind the scene in the updating of MyAppleMenu web site. Currently, it's more of a cleaning-up plus rationlisation effort (there are many 'features' embedded inside that I've abandoned over the years).
So, if something doesn't quite work right, please do drop me a mail.
As this is not my day job, do expect this to go on for quite a few weeks. Sorry about that.
Wintel
DHS Had Little Choice But To Sign Microsoft Deal, Despite Security Flaws
"The real alternative was to go open-source. But for 22 agencies, an overwhelming majority of which use nothing but Microsoft operating system, to convert to another platform in an efficient and cost-effective manner would have been hard to accomplish."
Intel Turns 35: Now What?
Faced with softening demand for faster microprocessors, the company is revising its playbook.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
News
Rivals Ready To Take A Bite Of Apple
Spurred by the runaway success of iTunes, competitors are readying their own music download services in a surge of activitiy that record executives see pulling the music industry out of a three-year slump.
Laptops Will Transform Schools, Educator Assures
Principal Chris Toy says education in his Freeport, Maine, middle school has "transformed" in the year since each seventh-grader received a laptop computer.
Proposal To Give Laptops To All Sixth-Graders Gets Mixed Reviews
A program to give all Michigan sixth-graders wireless laptop or handheld computers puts the state on the verge of having the nation's largest school technology program.
Oasis To Supply Apple iTunes Music Store
The Rain Dog Records division of Oasis CD Manufacturing announced today that Oasis has been hand-picked by Apple to help supply independent ("indie") music to the Apple iTunes Music Store.
What Albums Join Together, Everyone Tears Asunder
Can the notion of an album — a collection of songs sold as a single unit, to be heard in a certain sequence — survive the Internet?
Opinion
About A Bug And A Pod
Once you become accustomed to the joys of digital music on an iPod, wouldn't you consider buying a Mac to go with it?
Review
Ten Reasons To Go X
THere are more exciting and innovative things happening on the Mac now than at any other time in Apple's history.
Adding Movies To Your Web Page
Gadget Of The Week: Apple iSight Camera With iChat AV
Problem-free? Not yet. It seems that not even Apple is beyond a little of the old tech troubleshooting. But it's still the most painless videoconferencing I've witnessed to date.
Saturday, July 19, 2003
News
3 Years Ago: The Cube: Apple's NeXT Mistake?
Jobs "sure was inordinately fond of that Cube design."
New Mantra For PC Makers; Diversify
Although consumer PC demand led to better-than-expected sales growth in the second quarter, manufacturers that focused only on the consumer market were not the ones that benefited.
Opinion
And The Walls Come Tumbling Down...
The Mac Web is a great collection of very cool sites providing plenty of content to satisfy our daily "fix" of Apple news, reviews, and opinions. If we lost them it would be a tragic loss indeed.
Review
Version Control On Mac OS X, Part 1
Version control is a simple and effective process that will support any development effort — from single-person to large projects.
Sidetrack
AN APPLE A DAY : Shrook, yet another RSS reader.
Wintel
New Windows Flaw Raises Fresh Doubts About Microsoft Security
Users this week reacted with a mixture of concern and resignation to the discovery of a critical flaw in almost all versions of Microsoft's Windows software, including the Windows Server 2003 operating system.
Please Just Call Me Dell
Dell shareholders on Friday voted to accept a motion by its board of directors to change the company's name to Dell Inc. from Dell Computer.
Judge OKs $1.1 Billion Microsoft Deal
A California judge on Friday gave preliminary approval to a landmark settlement under which Microsoft will pay $1.1 billion to settle a class-action suit that claimed it overcharged consumers for Windows.
Friday, July 18, 2003
Top Stories
Large Displays Open Up The Mac Universe
I really liked the Samsung 240T and if I had the extra money, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. But in the real world where dollars count, the 23-inch HD Cinema Display is definitely the more practical choice.
News
Apple Posts 'Pods Unite' Commercial
Toast 6 Titanium Sneak Peek
Toast 6 Titanium leaves very few stones unturned in the areas of interface, features and functionality.
iTunes 'Will Become Net-Songs King'
Apple iTunes Music Store could capture 20 per cent of the US paid-music download market, claims Needham's analyst Charles Wolf in a report this week.
Large Displays Open Up The Mac Universe
I really liked the Samsung 240T and if I had the extra money, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. But in the real world where dollars count, the 23-inch HD Cinema Display is definitely the more practical choice.
Opinion
Finding Avie
Technical Note #2034 was not merely a web page of developer documentation. It was a description of de facto policies governing Apple's own software development.
Has Apple's "Switchers" Campaign Failed?
The article, unfortunately, is one of those that takes one piece of information, and comes up with a set of conclusions that may not exactly match the facts.
Digital Squared: Living In An iTunes World
iTunes' success should now make every company, from gaming outfits to television networks, warm to the possibility.
Apple Fritter
A cup of tepid coffee at the convention center cost $3. And those are the news highlights from one of the most lackluster Mac gatherings ever.
Review
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is not terribly challenging, and does not include any other modes than the basic story. Frequent in-game cut scenes may bore some, but overall it's a blast and a half.
Advantages Of iPhoto Worth A Thousand Words
If you have a digital camera, you have to try iPhoto. And you can't beat the price.
Elegant iPod Too Exclusive
In Australia though, Apple could do better.
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Top Stories
Few Customers Switching From Windows
It has been a year, and the masses aren't switching to Macs.
Apple's Manhattan Freak Show
Shortly after the close of Gerg Joswiak's insanely tepid opener, Macworld suddenly took on the ambiance of the first day of summer vacation.
News
Apple To Open Burlingame, CA Store July 26
6.5m iTunes Songs Sold In 61 Days
Though sales have slowed since the service launched, Apple sells an average 100,000 tracks per day. It also sold 304,000 iPods during the quarter, up from 80,000 units in the March quarter.
Indie Auteurs Bond With Software
Fans of Final Cut Pro, Apple's popular digital video-editing system, see themselves as more than just filmmakers. They're guerrillas fighting the banality of mainstream Hollywood.
Apple Opens Store On Promenade
Macworld Celebrates Electronic Artistry
You probably don't come to a computer industry trade show to take in the art, but Baltimore artist Robert McClintock hopes to make devotees at this week's Macworld CreativePro Conference & Expo reconsider.
Missing Sync For Pocket PC Now Available
Pocket PC users can synchronize with iCal, Mac OS X Address Book and AvantGo, as well as transfer music and photos from within iTunes and iPhoto.
Why Macs Are A Bargin
Whichever guru happens to light up your shrine, it remains a truth that computers keep getting cheaper as they become more powerful.
Opinion
The Macworld CreativePro Report
For its New York swan song, the Expo is going out more with a whimper than a bang.
Reporter's Notebook: Expo And NY Questions ANswered
Apple's Cheery iTune
Whether you consider CEO Steve Jobs the devil or a multimedia Midas, he's got Apple moving in the right direction.
Why Switch To Mac?
I can think of the following reasons why few customers are switching from Windows.
Never Thought I'd Be Describing A Macworld As Intimate
But this summer it is. And I'm really happy to be here.
Review
A Virtual Face-To-Face Encounter
The audio is even clearer than a telephone's, although there is a sound delay. And while the image is not nearly as good as one on TV, the iChat AV picture is a huge step up fromt he halting, postage stamp-sized images of previous video chat attempts.
More Than Just Talk
iChat AV and the iSight aren't exactly groundbreaking technology. But as it did with the iPod, Apple looked at the competition and determined it could do better.
Apple iSight Camera Focuses On Video Conferences
The iSight camera and iChat AV software point to a silvery future beyond today's bleak reality.
Sidetrack
RUMOR DU JOUR : The Bluetooth mouse from Apple is coming.
RANT DU JOUR : Somehow, for a reporter/columnist from MacCentral to claim, that Macworld CreativePro New York is not boring, and to sing praises for the expo, I feel that a disclaimer is really needed to state the relationship between the publication and Macworld Expo.
Wintel
Microsoft Buddies Up With New Office
Microsoft is getting unexpectedly good feedback from other software companies as it readies the next version of its Office desktop applicaton package.
AOLS Ettlement Dents Microsoft Earnings
Despite beating sales targets, Microsoft reported lower fourt-quarter earnings than expected on THursday, hit by the costs of a legal settlement with AOL Time Warner.
Microsoft Loses Key Patent Ruling
State Says Microsoft Getting Off Easy
The Massachusetts attorney general's office said Wednesday that tougher penalties are necessary to prevent Microsoft from engaging in anticompetitive behavior.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Beats Expectations On Lower Profit
Buoyed by a rise in sales, Apple on Wednesday reported third-quarter results of $19 million profits, exceeding expectations, although this profit was down from a year ago.
The Common Sense Report: Why Is My Head Shaking?
We all make mistakes, but I do think that anyone who claims to be a Mac journalist should make at least some effort to stay well informed and make sure the things they publish pass the common sense test, at the very least.
Apple Offers Premiere Users Incentives To Switch To Final Cut
Premiere customers have the choice of trading in their disks for a free copy of Final Cut Express, or receive a US$500 rebate towards the purchase of Final Cut Pro 4.
The Good, The Bad, And The Avie
Tevanian's stewardship over Apple's software has been a decidedly mixed bag. Overall, he's done a tremendous job. But where he's gone wrong, he's gone terribly wrong.
News
Groxis Visualization Software Now Available For OS X
Print Shop OS X Debuts
In addition to Mac OS X support, the new version of The Print Shop for Mac sports enhanced integration with iApps like iPhoto, iCal and iTunes, as well as Address Book.
Apple Soundtrack Goes Solo
Apple announced Wednesday that Soundtrack, a professional music creation tool originally offered specifically with Final Cut Pro 4, will be available as a standalone product.
Apple Airs New Power Mac G5 Commercial
"Introducing the Power Mac G5. The world's fastest, most powerful personal computer."
Retail Outlets Help Apple Register Growth
On the negative side, the stores have increased the company's fixed operating costs and have caused conflict with its resellers. On the plus side, the stores have raised Apple's profile and helped boost its share of the U.S. consumer PC market.
Opinion
Is Creative Professional Software On The Macintosh Being Crippled To Maintain Parity With Windows
Let's just hope developers can see the potential rewards and take advantage of the numerous technologies Apple is laying on the table for them, instead of waiting for Apple to release software and then complain about it afterwards.
The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes
With Due Respect To David Coursey, The 'Book Is Still The Logical Mac
The laptop is simply a more elegant solution.
Bringing The Apple To The Masses — An Alternative THeory
Apple will have to spin off a new brand.
Review
Mac Fans Pervert Forbes Tech-CEO Popularity Poll
It's hard to decide what's more pathetic: scripting an electronic ballot stuffer for a trivial on-line poll of tech-CEO popularity, or creating a trivial on-line poll that begs to be abused.
In Sync With CVS
You can work with your data no matter where you are.
Acrobat 6.0 Professional
This is a must-have upgrade.
ShuttleXpress
Want to edit video with precision frame by frame controls? Scroll through documents with the slight flick of the wrist? Or zoom around Photoshop images with one hand? I think I have found just the thing for you.
Tip: Cleaning Up The Dock And Starting From Scratch
"I acciednetally dragged approximately 300 files to the dock..."
Sidetrack
FROM THE FOLKS at CARS... "I'm just not sure my readers are going to believe the Vice President of Software Technology is named Bud Tribble. It just sounds like I made it up and... well... the Times ha shad some problems recently..."
Wintel
Microsoft Bolsters Web Services Security
Microsoft released on Tuesday a toolkit designed to help software programmers tighten security in Web services applications.
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Top Stories
Clash, Then Synthesis: Joys Of A Laptop Jam
Laptop music can be "strange for the listener" because "the performers understand what they're doing, but the audience doesn't."
News
Live Avrill Tracks On iTunes Include Green Day Cover
Avril Lavigne is sending a subtle message to Metallica, Linkin Park and other groups who have pulled their music off Apple's iTunes recently — Let Go.
Apple Takes Aim At Government, Defence And Media
Apple has signalled its intent to play hardball in courting the Australian government and military space.
Sophos To Prevent Worms In Apples
Sophos Antivirus for Mac OS X allows administrators the ability to prevent users from uninstalling the software, and offers centralized installation, configuration, updating and reporting.
Buzzle Administrator "Under A Spell"
The ongoing legal battle over Buzzle was back in court yesterday, as Apple continued its quest to overthrow the administrator of the failed reseller group.
Opinion
Microsoft Shakes Up Its Mac Lineup
Microsoft will next month revise its Office for Mac product line with across-the-board price cuts and two new editions of Office, sources said.
Blame The Last Man Standing?
The whole point of Rendezvous is that it is the networking that keeps working even when everything else is broken.
Review
Retrospect 5.1 Improves Disaster Recovery
Most important is that Retrospect 5.1 now ships with a disaster recovery CD-ROM that can boot a Mac OS X machine, thus eliminating one of the big gotchas that has plagued Retrospect users who back up to removable media.
Potential Data Loss Bug In Mail.app; Workaround
We are investigating a potentially serious and now confirmed issue with Apple's default Mac OS X e-mail client, Mail.app, that causes loss of sent messages when working with a large volume of e-mail.
Sidetrack
ACTUALLY, THIS IS WHAT I RATHER USE : Paul Andrews has this say to in an assignment to compare Linux with Windows. "Built like Linux on a Unix base, Mac's OS X offers the reliability of Linux and even better digital-content features than Windows."
Wintel
Monday, July 14, 2003
Top Stories
Macworld's Last Tango In New York
Apple's devoted users are already mourning the demise of the Macworld Expo, even as they make plans to attend the show this week in New York.
News
iTunes 'Saving The Record Business, One Download At A Time'
OS X Security Update Fixes Screen Effects Vulnerability
"Addresses a potential vulnerability when a password is required upon waking from the Screen Effects feature, which could allow an unauthorized user access to the desktop of the logged in user."
Country Group Lonestar Switches, With Mac Dealer's Help
MacAuthority, the Nashville, Tenn.-based Mac dealer, is teaming up with the popular country band Lonestar in a new cmapaign aimed to raise awareness of Apple's "Switcher" campaign and the store's presence as an Apple Specialist.
Apple Booth "Wide Open" At Macworld CreativePro
The lack of security is an apparanet confirmation that the Wednesday opening feature presentation from Apple will be devoid of product announcements.
Apple Launches 'Easy On Your Budget' Promo
"Get the Mac you've always wanted" for as little as US$19 per month with no payments until 2004.
Apple Store Coming To Lyndhurst
Big Apple To Host Macworld
The East Coast's annual Apple Computer summer trade show kicks off today under a new name, but attendees might dub it "Macworld Lite."
Apple Gearing Up On Expo Paris
Designed To Confuse
New gadgets can intimidate consumers.
Opinion
The Web's The Place
If you want to develop software, you can build for the Web and/or Unix and/or OSS platforms; or alternatively, you can be a sharecropper.
Review
Wintel
Microsoft's Midlife Crisis
Despite its admirers' optimistic predictions, the truth can no longer be denied: The Colossus of Redmond isn't a growth company.
Sunday, July 13, 2003
News
Give The DJs What They Want
"We can't confirm that pitch control will be a feature," says an Apple spokesperson. "But DJs are a constituency we're interested in reaching."
Review
An Updated Look At The Word Processor Wars
The excitement may just be starting.
Saturday, July 12, 2003
Top Stories
Electronic Mayhem
I am sitting outside of the Santa Monica Third Street Promendade Apple store, which will open 22 hours and 3 minutes from this juncture in time...
News
Apple Computer Initiated With "Hold"
Happy Campers At The Store
Retailers find summer kids programs pay off.
Ocean Futures: Editing "Sharks: At Risk"
"Now I do almost all of my editing in Final Cut Pro."
AJ Schnack: Documenting They Might Be Giants
Apple technology has supported TMBG and Schnack every step of the way.
Tim Hale: Fossil's "Tin Man"
"When Mac OS X came out, we saw that it would give us a lot of stability and control."
Nisus Writer Express 1.0 Available For Download
Safari Users Experience Difficulty With ESPN
Apple Attempts To Patent Fast User Switching
Like its use of QuickTime patents to win a $150 million investment from Microsoft demonstrated some years back, it may now have the opportunity to do so if it ever hears the words 'cancelled' and 'Microsoft Office' in the same sentence.
Opinion
Apple Propaganda Foolishly Accepted
Naturally, my opinion comes from experience. If you are looking for a technical article, go elsewhere or online.
Review
FreeHand MX
Freehand MX improves in every way I could have hoped, and several I didn't even consider.
Wintel
Open Source Targets Microsoft Exchange
A new open-source effort dubbed OpenGroupware.org has been launched with the explicit intent to create applications that compete with Microsoft Exchange server products.
Researcher: Windows Flaw Remains
Microsoft fixed the original flaw found but left the basic messaging system untouched. Applications that run with system privileges but don't follow Microsoft's recommended security practices allow the vulnerability to be exploited.
Friday, July 11, 2003
News
Opinion
Looking Forward
The part I enjoyed most about Macworld was the crowd.
Review
Boblbee Backpacks Are Perfect For PowerBooks
Listen To Your iPod On FM
Once you own an iPod, you want to get more out of it so you soon begin looking for more stuff to put into it and plug into it.
Sidetrack
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Top Stories
Microsoft Brains Take On Google
Microsoft has hired top scientists in its quest for search algorithms that will allow it to compete directly with Google.
News
Scientists Pick The G5
Scientific Computing & Instrumentation magazine has named Apple's PowerMac G5 as its "editor's choice" for scientific applications.
Free GameHouse Games For .Mac Users
New Head For Apple Australia
Tony King was recruited from IBM, where he ran the company's PC division for Asia-Pacific.
Rich In History
"This is a place where tradition and innovation meet."
PC Users Rate Dell Tops In Desktops
Apple's only manufacturer who scored top grades in both desktop and laptop categories.
Opinion
Two Apples Aren't Better Than One
Even if one accepts that Apple is in trouble and needs a dramatic new strategy to reverse the trend, a breakup plan hardly seems the appropriate remedy.
The Marcophile: Dog Versus iMac
I have a high-tech computer and a low-tech dog and the interaction between the two is making me crazy.
Review
Wintel
Microsoft To Restate Earnings
Microsoft plans to restate earnings for the past two years as part of a shift in the way it compensates its employees.
Some Xbox Fans Microsoft Didn't Aim For
All sorts of new software is indeed running on Xbox consoles these days, and they are in fact becoming home-entertainment hubs, but it is not Microsoft doing the amazing.
Microsoft To Merge U.S. Government, Education Businesses
New public sector unit will focus heavily on combating Linux.
Microsoft Patches Holes In Windows
Microsoft on Wednesday warned of three security gaps in its software, including one "critical" Windows flaw that could allow a hacker to run unauthorized code on victims' PCs.
Wednesday, July 9, 2003
Top Stories
.Mac Users Get Bookmarks Service, New Backup, More
You can keep your bookmarks in sync so they stay up to date while you're on the road.
Like Peas In An iPod
The iPod is the player of choice for digital music heads.
With iChat, Who Needs A Phone?
Jobs' latest innovation could hasten a coming age when anyone who wants to can use their PC to bypass traditional phone services.
News
PowerBook Added To Portable Digital Media Lab
Microsoft Woman Uses Mac OS Rather Than XP
We suppose it could just be an Asus M3N, which looks spookily like the Powerbook, but we think we should be told.
Apple Exhibiting At IBC, Siggraph
Apple Cuts Keyboard, Mouse Prices To $49
Apple Store order summaries for the Power Mac G5 describe the system's input devices as "Keyboard Wired" and "Wired Mouse" — designations that have not been used by Apple in the past when referring to its input devices.
Opinion
Treading The Line: Are Apple's Applications Helping Or Hurting?
Why Laptops Shouldn't Replae Desktops
Of course, it's possible to lose data on a desktop. But I think the average desktop is a much more secure data repository than the average notebook.
R.I.P. C&G
Perhaps the software distribution model of business is dead.
A Tool For Apple
Moving from one powerbook to another is a lot more difficult that I thought it'd be.
Review
A Week With An eMac Finds It An Excellent Value
Special Report: Troubleshooting Safari 1.0
Apple's iSight Is Out Of Sight
By manufacturing the camera, the software and the computer, Apple is able to create a smooth experience that is out of sight.
Dot Mac Reloaded
Dot Mac is getting ready to go through some more changes along with Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther). However, the release of Panther isn't all that's happening towards the end of the year.
Epsilon Tahari: Reign Of The Machines
If you have the skills, or the serious patience, Epsilon Tahari will keep you going at it for weeks on end. If you're new to the genre, and are expecting a game you can just pick up and play, you might be thoroughly disappointed.
Sidetrack
CHEW GUM WHILE WALKING : Singapore's chewing gum lovers, time for rejoice. The ban on chewing gum is partially lifted.
Wintel
All The New Kids On The Blog
Blogs, as they're known, are a phenomenon across the Internet, but for big companies such as Microsoft, they bring both opportunity and risk.
Tuesday, July 8, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Names Tevanian Chief Software Technology Officer
Apple on Tuesday announced the promotion of Avadis "Avie" Tevanian Jr., PhD, to the position of chief software officer. Tevanian will now focus on setting company-wide software technology directions, according to Apple.
News
QTVR Brings Aviation History To Life
Dennis Biela of LightSpeed Media and David Palermo of WorldVR have teamed up to record 200 aircraft and 128 space artifacts using high resolution digital photography and QuickTime VR.
Ambrosia Releases Free WireTap Audio Utility
WireTap enables users to record any audio playing on the Mac — whether it's an audio stream from an Internet radio station, sound from DVD Player, game audio, iChat AV conversations, or more.
Laptop Computers For Students
"We could be on the cuting edge of technology... We could provide that to the students and get them the access."
G5 To Make First Public Appearance At Macworld CreativePro
Apple 'Locks Out' Software Vendors
Intentionally or not, "Apple is pursuing a strategy that locks out their third-party software vendors."
Watson Homes In On Panther
The new version adds compatibility with the upcoming OS X 10.3 release, and includes several enhancements and bug fixes.
Reader Follows Up On Scotia Bank Issue
"Safari browser was removed from web services due to security reasons."
Opinion
Will Apple's iApp Movement Hurt Users?
Will Apple Do TV?
I suspect [Steve Jobs'] probably not a big television fan. And of course one of the wonderful and dangerous things about Apple is that Steve's personal ikes and dislikes tend strongly to color their products.
Test Leaves Sour Taste
Apple is wrong to obscure a good story with a benchmark test that at best will be irrelevant three months from now.
Review
Apple Puts The Eye In IM
Crossing video with AOL Instant Messenger is a winner. Better start wearing clothes when working from home.
Apple's Mac Gets Addictive Over Time
During the past several weeks, I have discovered even more reasons for keeping a Mac as my primary computer.
Macally IceKey Slim USB Keyboard
If you like short-travel and (relatively) light touch keyboard action, you will probably be pleased with the feel of this 'board.
Sidetrack
WHY TABBED BROWSING? : My guess is that windows management still sucks on Windows and Macintosh.
Wintel
Microsoft To Give Its Employees Stock Instead Of Options
The announcement is the clearest sign yet that stock options have lost some of the cachet they held just a few years ago and are now seen among many people as a prime example of 1990's excess in corporate America.
Unix: Far From Legacy, But Far More Challenged
With Windows and Linux becoming increasingly attractive options in the data center, IT managers have good reason to reassess their Unix strategies.
Microsot Antitrust Case Takes Linux Twist
The Massachusetts attorney general's office is investigating whether Microsoft tried to squash Linux in violation of the consent decree settling the company's landmark antitrust case.
Microsoft May Raise Dividend Again
Shares in Microsoft rallied Monday, fueled by speculation that the software giant is mulling whether to raise its dividend again.
Monday, July 7, 2003
Top Stories
G5 Energizes 64-Bit Race
With the arrival two months from now of Apple's new desktop machines and their 64-bit CPUs, the race to the next generation of mass-market processing power suddenly has a third horse running hard.
News
Apple, Pixar Hit New 52-Week Highs
Shares of Apple moved to a new 52-week high Monday, with the stock currently trading at US$20.01.
BookEndz Docking Station For 12" PowerBook Shipping
Apple Gets US 'League' Soundtrack Rights
Mac OS X 10.3 Panther Will Not Be A 64-Bit OS
Apple and its developers can take advantage of the 970's 64-bit addressing and datapaths without having to maintain a new codebase for the G5 alongside code intended to be run on older processors.
Readers Note Unexplained .Mac iSync Outage
"It appears that .Mac's iSync service has been unavailable since the evening of 7/3 for a large number of users."
Apple Store Coming To Aventura, FL
Ecast Shuts Online Music Store Service
Online music distributor Ecast has closed its downloadable music operations, saying it couldn't afford to spend the marketing dollars to compete with Apple and other suppliers of songs online.
Apple To Open Walnut Creek, CA, Store July 12
Adobe Tries To Create Image Of A Moneymaker
Bruce Chizen, chief of Adobe Systems, is hoping to find ways to capitalize on the company's strong brand name.
Adobe Pares Mac Support
Adobe will announce a new version of Premiere on Monday. The new Premiere Pro will work only on PCs running Windows XP, ending years of support for the Mac OS.
Opinion
What About The Mac Version?
Is Apple painting itself into a corner and forgoing third paty developers to move ahead all by itself?
Review
How I Photograph Big Events Using Wireless, iPhoto2, And A Canon 10D
Thanks to the evolution of digital photography and wireless connectivity, the costs for end to end delivery is about half of what it would be with film-based photography.
Safari 1.0
Try Safari if you're really sick of Internet Explorer. But if secure browsing is your concern, you should hold off or consider Camino.
Sunday, July 6, 2003
Opinion
iTMS: Are Those Sour Notes I Hear?
If record labels find that there is more money to be had using services like iTMS, then you can kiss CDs goodbye.
Review
12-Inch PowerBook G4
The 12-inch PowerBook is fast enough for demanding media applications while being even smaller than the iBook.
Saturday, July 5, 2003
Opinion
Review
Wintel
Microsoft Mulls At Least $10 Billion Dividend
Microsoft is considering paying its shareholders a special dividend of more than $10 billion to reduce its $46 billion cash pile.
Friday, July 4, 2003
News
Given A Choice, Dell Prefers The Apple Macintosh Too
Fails to eat own dogfood in PDF shocker.
Less Than Jake Performing At Santa Monica Apple Store
Opinion
The More Things Change...
Looking back on 20 years of columns I can't help but be struck by how much has changed and how much has stayed the same.
I Spy With My Little iSight
The fact that a whole crop of apps have been developed for people who use multiple IM services is a true testament to the confusion of the instant messaging landscape.
Review
Apple's iSight Produces Superior Images
The new, way-cool little Web camera offers just about everything a user wants to see in a webcam.
The Mac Hardware Report: What About An Apple Wireless Keyboard And Mouse?
Can't Say Enough About iChat Videoconference
iSight with iChat AV is the first idiot-proof system for engaging in video and audio chats with your friends and family over a broadband Internet connection.
Sidetrack
EMULATE THIS! : PalmApple is an open source Apple //e emulator for Palm OS.
Anyone saw a Newton emulator for Microsoft's Tablet PC yet? That'd be cool.
iSIGHT SIGHTINGS : MegaTokyo.
THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE LATE... but, how to photograph fireworks, or have fun on the Fourth of July.
Wintel
U.S. Dissatisfied With Microsoft Licenses
The U.S. Justice Department told a federal judge on Thursday that Microsoft still hasn't fully complied with a key provision in its landmark antitrust settlement with the government.
Thursday, July 3, 2003
Top Stories
With A Digital Quill, That Immortal Scrawl
"What's great about this document, is that you know you are looking at something a human being has done, with real flaws and nuances."
News
New RF iPod Remote, USB FM Transmitter Debut
Scotia Bank Cuts Safari Support
Apple's XServe: Ready For Prime Time?
"It's like a classic Unix server that an actual human can set up and deploy."
Apple Extends 'Every Mac Needs .Mac' Promo
Apple has extended its "Every Mac needs .Mac" promotion until September 27, 2003.
2 Years Ago: Apple Discontinues Cube
After nearly a year of slow sales, Apple has decided to halt production of its Power Mac G4 Cube.
Notebooks Outsell Desktops For The First Time
In the first sign that Apple's claimed "Year of the Laptop" is here already, US retailers in May made more money selling notebook computers than they did selling desktops, according to sales results from The NPD Gorup's point-of-sale tracking sewrvice.
Apple Offering Renewal Gifts To .Mac Members
Those who renew will have their choice of a free copy of The Sims, EverQuest, or $20 off a purchase of more than $20 at the online Apple Store.
Samsung Releases Contact Client For Mac
Apple Pushing For .Mac Renewals
Apple is gearing up for a campaign designed to convince users of its .Mac service to pay for another year.
Opinion
The Panther Report: The Graying Of Mac OS X
The evolution of Mac OS X seems to be moving in a nice direction. I'm going to enjoy writing books and articles about it in the coming months.
Why IBM Needs Apple
Possibly, IBM is the only one big enough to take on Intel. But their strategy right now looks like a winner — as long as they can keep Apple focused on delivering better value.
All Software Should Be Network Aware
And it's not just "web aware" but cell-phone aware, p2p aware, and generally "network aware."
Is It Just Me, Or Does The iSight Look Like The HAL 9000?
I think I'm going to keep the iSight's lens shutter closed during future joke-making about Apple hardware. Just in case.
Review
Tripping Up
Plan that getaway.
Just Press Play
In the meantime, music connoisseurs will just have to content themselves with the smattering of digital music that they can buy legitimately, and be relieved that there's one music service that might finally get it right.
Take Wiggly And Giggly, Or Maybe Just Get Silly
There's plenty of time come August to add more intellectually nutritious fare to children's digital diet. For now, consider these new vacation-ready PC outings.
Sidetrack
TIME TO SAVE UP : I will upgrade to Panther because of the quick user switching functionality alone. Thanks, Microsoft, for the inspiration.
Wintel
Browser Of The Future
Related? Yes. Conspiracy? No. Just the sound of Necessity mothering multiple inventions.
Wednesday, July 2, 2003
Top Stories
Playing Our Song?
Rekindling the flame of community that Napster first lit will require a service that encourages its users to connect with one another and share their musical experiences.
Developers, Analysts Weigh In On The G5, Panther
"Nobody else is delivering this type of innovation; no one elase is even close to doing what we're doing and it's paying off."
News
PC Laptops Catch Up With Giant PowerBook Screen
Toshiba has joined Apple among the small number of vendors offering a large 17-inch notebook display.
Make Room For FireWire
Apple's IP-over-FireWire software turns a FireWire bus into something akin to an Ethernet port.
Revamped Canvas 9 Line Now Available
Sign Up Friends To .Mac, Get A Discount
Apple is offering a special offer in which you get 20 percent off your renewal fee if you talk a friend into signing up for the suite of Internet services.
Some Artists Won't Put Songs On iTunes
It's not about money, but about preserving albums as an art form.
Registration Open For O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference
Fresh Tools, Choices Abound For Mac OS X Developers
What Apple lacks in market share and developer populace, it perhaps makes up for in development options.
Netscape Updates As Andreessen Yawns
Netscape on Monday updated its browser, touting improvements in navigation and spam-control—days after Netscape's founder pronounced browser innovation moribund.
Opinion
Intel Endorses Apple Macintosh, Software
Intel does use Apple machines and software, and seems to rely on it when producing its annual results.
Has Apple Lost The War On Power In The Portable Market?
Has Apple neglected its PowerBook line?
Hey Apple, Got J2ME?
As best I can tell, Apple doesn't currently offer any J2ME development tools.
How Apple Spells Future: I-P-O-D
Apple is at one of the most important turning points in its history. It stands at the threshold of crossing over from cult favorite to household name, especially if that household has a teenager. And Apple is making this crossing on the slender back of its little iPod.
Margin Note: Apple's Unique Spot In A "Boring" Industry
Mainstream ignorance regarding Apple's position as a pillar innovator has become all too common and is exactly the type of obstacle that Apple is desperately attempting to overcome.
The Panther Report: Has The Fallout Begun?
The demise of C&G doesn't auger well for small software companies.
Review
Apple Latest iPods May Be Too Slick
The latest models are just a bit less convenient. But the ipod remains by far the best, most portable and durable jukebox for botm Macintosh and Windows-based computers.
When Building Applications For More Than Just Mac OS X
There are lots of choices for targeting multiple platforms from a single codebase.
Making Movies With The Apple iSight
I'll show you how to use the iSight with some very inexpensive QuickTime-based software to create top-notch video presentations.
Sidetrack
RUMOR DU JOUR : Apple has contracted Quanta to make its 15-inch tablet PC.
Wintel
Gates On Microsoft, Boredom And Risk
Microsoft isn't boring, says Gates; it takes risks and develops stuff you're meant to take for granted.
Microsoft Wins European Contracts
Microsoft announced a trio of European government contract wins on Tuesday, the latest salvo in the growing turf battle between the software giant and sellers of the upstart Linux software.
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
Top Stories
Apple Store Stylishly Reinforces Brand
Even if you know that the Apple Store is doing everything it can to seduce you with the illusion of a perfectly ordered, clutter-free computing world, it's one very stylish seduction — one that most of us probably won't mind repeating.
The Jobs Uniform
Black mock turtleneck, jeans. What does the look of Steve Jobs say about the Apple Computer CEO?
News
NASA Library Exhibit Uses Flat-Screen iMacs
Jobs Holds On To Top Spot In Forbes CEO Ratings
Apple Site A Hot Spot For Quick Visitors
Apple showed a unique audience of 3.6 million for the week ending June 15.
Mozilla Releases Last 'Fat' Browser
The new release of Mozilla's open-source browser marks the end of a five-year-old regime, as the project prepares to shift to a leaner, simpler code base.
Next Byte's A Corporate Apple
"Mac is a fantastic smaller business computer — cheap to run, easy to get up, and most people run them for over three or four years rather than [getting new ones] every 18 months."
Opinion
Apple Store Envy
I guess pain and envy is part of the Apple Experience, too.
What Are The Prospects For G5 PowerBooks?
If "The Year Of The Laptop" is more than a throwaway quip of Steve Jobs', Apple needs to follow through with some excitement and innovation in revamping their older portable lines. It just won't be G5 powered... yet.
MacHack 2003 Vignettes
I'd like to pass on a few vignettes of what it's like for me to be at MacHack, along with a few behind-the-scenes pictures from each.
Review
iTunes And The Technology Beyond MP3
AAC is simply a better approach to digital sound encoding.
The Tattered World Of Font Management
The arrival of Panther, or using one of those commercial font managers, will help make the process of dealing with your fonts a whole lot easier.
Secrets Of The PowerPC 970: Why The G5 Runs So Fast
Optimizing Disks Is A Waste Of Time
For most people, most of the time, there's simply not enough to gain by optimizing your disk to bother doing it.