Jan 17, 2008 Jan 19, 2008 Friday January 18, 2008
-
A peek inside Cirque Du Mac
Filed under: Macworld, Video, Cult of MacWhat do Mac geeks do after dark? Cirque Du Mac is a traditional Macworld party where Mac luminaries like Chris Breen, Paul Kent, Chuck LaTournous, Duane Straub, Ryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton rock the house to a fairly inebriated crowd of conference-goers. The Mac Observer hosted the party at the Red Devil Lounge on Wednesday, and despite a long line to get in a good time was had by all. The audio is a little funky due to it being recorded by a handheld camera's condenser mic, but you get the idea: Mac people work hard and play hard.Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Mac|Life Booth Babe of the Year
A prestigious award sought after by booth babes the world over.
-
Reader questions: Can you install XP via Remote Disk on a MacBook Air?
Filed under: Macworld, MacBook AirThe MacBook Air's idiosyncratic approach to peripheral access and software installation has raised an interesting question: how to do OS installs? My assumption had been that you'll need the external DVD drive (or a NetBoot/NetInstall infrastructure) to reinstall Leopard, should you be unfortunate enough to need to do that. Readers want to know for sure, however, whether or not they can install an OS via Remote Disk -- some even want to know whether they can install XP into Boot Camp via the over-the-LAN disk mounting tool.I felt kind of silly even asking this -- remember, XP installs start in a bootstrap DOS environment, which has as much awareness of Remote Disk as a Siberian yak does of the iPhone -- but I dutifully trooped back to the Apple booth to get a comment on this capability. Here's the scoop as they have it right now (and since the product's not shipping yet, specs are subject to change): You can install Leopard via Remote Disk. The host app for RD creates a miniature NetBoot server via Bonjour, so if you've got a bootable OS X DVD in the host machine you can use that disk to boot your MacBook Air. As for Windows XP install disks... well, not so much. Apple reps would not say definitively that you can't do it, but as far as the three people I spoke with are aware, there's no support for booting XP over Remote Disk. If you've got to install XP in Boot Camp, it's an external drive for you.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Expo Notes: Merlin offers more magic with version 2.5
Project Wizards released version 2.5 of its Merlin project-management software just before Expo, and it offers a number of improvements to an already well-regarded application.
-
Expo Notes: Cleaning Up at Expo
Danish cleaning products maker AM is bringing its wares to America, and Rob Griffiths likes what he sees.
-
Cloverfield, Snakes on a Plane and Apple
Hmm, another title no one will ever Google. So what do these have in common? You guessed it, all of them are great examples of WOM, or Word of Mouth marketing. With little official information provided sometimes fans start to project their own ideas and the resulting buzz often deafening. And sometimes that buzz can get out of hand. Witness Cloverfield. People expected a J.J. Abrams take on Godzilla. Why? They analyzed what little clues were provided in the teaser trailers (mention of Japan, monster's roar) and drew their own conclusions. Don't worry - no spoilers ahead - but a question - did you go to see Cloverfield expecting something more? Read the movie boards today: people are polarized. Some loved it, most hated it. Nothing in between. Snakes was viral marketing done huge. Trouble was, after the buzz died and the movie came out no one (even the fanboys) really wanted to see snakes loose on a plane. Great title, great viral marketing: terrible idea for a movie. Finally Apple. Like Cloverfield and Snakes they get great buzz from the very little information they provide. A poster gets hung, or a patent application is found and people go atwitter. But once the real story comes out, polarization happens and sometimes people don't buy what Apple is selling. It happened with the Cube, now some are saying the same about MacBook Air. Time will tell. In the meantime, it's all good escapists fun to be part of the buzz machine and feel connected to something big. Even a giant monster loose in Manhattan.
-
Expo Notes: MYOB reaps rewards from 2007 Expo
At this year's Macworld Expo, MYOB was showing off the upcoming release of Checkout, a point-of-sale application that was first demoed for the company by now-partner Sofa a year ago.
-
Article: Ask iLounge 1-18-08
This week's Ask iLounge topics: Macworld Expo 2008 Special Edition: Questions about the new iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV features, including Time Capsule and the Apple TV, Renting HD Movies from iTunes, Transferring rented movies to and from the iPod, Fifth-generation iPods and movie rental support, AirTunes support on Apple TV Take Two.
-
NEAT Receipts for Mac shown at Macworld
Filed under: Macworld, HardwareThe personal-organizer scanner space on the Mac has been fairly quiet since the departure of the Visioneer PaperPort from the platform (we miss you, guys!), but one of the leading new vendors is coming over to the Mac -- NEAT Receipts for Mac is here at the show and will be shipping later this year. NR's slim scanner and software bundle lets you scan and organize all your paper receipts on your computer, keeping records for expense/business and tax purposes without the clutter and mess.The final pricing and availability for NR Mac isn't published yet, but what I heard at the booth is $180/$80 (with the scanner hardware or software only) shipping in Q2; you can use the software in standalone or watched-folder mode with most other Mac-compatible scanners. If you've got an envelope full of paper records that need the scanning treatment, check it out.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Macworld.Ars: the death and life of Apple gaming
One would think that with the advent of Intel Macs, gaming would best be done through boot camp. At Macworld 08, one would be wrong.Read More...
-
Expo Notes: Add some color to your iMac
Speck, which makes the SeeThru covering for Mac laptops, is coming out with a new version for the latest iMac.
-
Macworld 2008 is winding down, but our coverage continues
Filed under: Macworld, TUAW BusinessFrom the entire TUAW team here at Macworld (left to right: Chris, me, Mike, Nik, and Victor) a big thank you to all you TUAW readers and fans out there. Covering Macworld wouldn't be half as much fun if no one read/watched what we did.Just because today is the last day of Macworld Expo, that doesn't mean that today will be the last day of our Macworld coverage. We've got lots more footage 'in the can' that we'll be posting in the coming days.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Macworld.ars: 1Password announces first iPhone form filler
No longer will creating super secure, 20-character passwords for websites be a burden to iPhone owners, thanks to a clever new feature coming to 1Password.Read More...
-
US, UK Taxpayer groups object to EC’s efforts 'to undermine the free market'
Posted by Dennis SellersCitizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) and the British TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) havespoken out against the European Commission's (EC) “draconian attempts to regulate and stifle business.” The groups predicted in September 2007 that the EC's ruling on the Microsoft antitrust case would open the floodgates for a tsunami of lawsuits and...
-
MWSF: Mariner Software releases MacJournal 5
Posted by Dennis SellersMariner Software released MacJournal 5.0, the latest version of the journaling software, at this week's Macworld Conference & Expo. Totally redesigned and built for Mac OS X 10.5 (“Leopard”), it allows users to add any kind of content, PDFs, QuickTime movies, images, and text.
-
iPhone 1.1.3 frameworks documentation is live
Filed under: iPhoneIf you're hungry for more inside information about the iPhone 1.1.3 firmware, be sated: the frameworks documentation for the new version is up and readable over at a familiar site. We were wondering why Erica had rigged for silent running over the past 36 hours, and apparently it's because she's been working at a furious pace to check out the revised frameworks on the iPhone. You can read the details over at Erica's site now. She declined to say exactly where she got the firmware she's documenting.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
MWSF: Kill Monty game now Universal Binary
Posted by Dennis SellersFreeverse released Kill Monty 1.1 at this week's Macworld Conference & Expo. The update is now fully Universal Binary so runs natively on both for Intel and PowerPC Macs. Other new features include a new “Assault” gameplay mode, an online high score list, and a complete rebalancing of the weapons.
-
Smart Loops releases SL MultiTracks Volumes 5, 6 and 7 in REX 2 format
Posted by Dennis SellersSmart Loops has released the SL MultiTracks Volume 5, 6 and 7 Drum Loop libraries in REX 2 format for compatibility with even more Mac and PC software samplers and audio software. Previously the loop collections were only available in ACID WAV and Apple Loops formats.
-
Show floor video: Panic's Coda provides one-stop Web authoring
Filed under: Macworld, Software We've talked about Coda plenty here, but it was nice to find the Panic crew on the show floor and get a quick overview of Coda's interface and capabilities. If you're looking for a single tool to do web authoring, check out Sandvox, Rapidweaver, and Coda for your needs.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Expo Notes: Acura show its drive at Expo
You expect to see lots of hardware exhibitors at Macworld Expo—but a car maker? Rob Griffiths finds out what Acura was doing with a booth in Moscone West.
-
Show floor video: Likewise Enterprise brings Macs into AD
Filed under: Macworld, Enterprise When your corporate IT department says "Sure, we like the Mac, but we can't manage it through Group Policy, so it's inherently evil," you can offer several alternatives: Centrify, ADmit Mac, and Likewise (formerly Centeris) -- all will provide smooth integration of your Macs into AD and give the central command and control guys the feeling of power they crave. We caught up with Steve from Likewise on the show floor and got a quick walkthrough.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Show floor video: Tilestack aims to bring HyperCard stacks into the future
Filed under: Macworld, Software, Cool tools Sometimes the most interesting ideas are ones that fall out of favor and come back again years later. Witness Tilestack, a technology preview on the floor at Macworld that allows importing and instant web-enabling of vintage HyperCard stacks, as well as advanced interactive web applications with minimal coding. Check out the video and the Tilestack site for more info.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
MacBook Air processor situation gets explained
Filed under: Laptops We already knew the basic details about the processor at the heart of Apple's MacBook Air, but those itching to know exactly how Apple and Intel managed to cram everything into that oh so small package may want to head over to AnandTech, which has pieced together a fairly thorough report on the matter. As the site reports, the processor is based on Intel's 65nm Merom architecture and packs an 800MHz bus, yet it uses the significantly smaller chip package that Intel had originally only planned to debut with the launch of its Montevina laptop platform later this year. That combination, along with the Intel 965GMS chipset with integrated graphics, allowed for a 60% reduction in total footprint size, and a TDP rating of just 20W, as opposed to 35W from the regular Core 2 Duo processor. If that's still not enough MacBook Air minutia you, you can hit up the link below for the full rundown.[Via AppleInsider] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Macworld.ars: Laptop bag roundup
Ars Technica conducts our end-of-Macworld 2008 laptop case roundup. New bags from Crumpler take the top prize.Read More...
-
Apple Gazette Daily 191 - Thank Goodness My Shoes Didn’t Explode
A story about airport security and shoes, and a little bit of news. You can subscribe via iTunes, or by RSS feed, or… you can listen to the episode right here: In addition to that, you can also download the Apple Gazette Daily Widget and listen to every episode of the show right on your Dashboard. Click Here to download.
-
Show floor video: ecamm networks with iLidz and more
Filed under: Macworld, Video The gentlemen at ecamm networks have a slew of products already in production: iGlasses, Call Recorder, and plenty more. Watch the video for demos of iLidz, iPhone Disk, and an unreleased video hack that's got to be seen to be believed.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
MacBook Air: thinnest but not lightest
When Steve Jobs introduced the world to the new MacBook Air here on Tuesday he accurately referred to it as “the world’s thinnest notebook.” While that statement is true, it comes with a small caveat–it’s the world’s thinnest currently shipping notebook. In his keynote address Jobs showed the graphic above comparing the MBA to the previously [...]
-
Expo Notes: Another Web site-filtering option
Blue Coat has put out a free beta of its Internet filtering software, which uses a database the company maintains for its corporate server-based product.
-
TUAW Interviews Merlin Mann
Filed under: Macworld, VideoWandering the floor of Macworld you're bound to run into all sorts of folks. As we were taping behind the Apple booth we saw Merlin Mann talking to the Panic guys. He was kind enough to take a moment from his busy (but organized) schedule and talk to us.Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Macworld.Ars: myvu beefs up its wearable video offerings
We checked out myvu's new wearable video offerings on the last day of Macworld '08, and were impressed by the improvements over myvu's older models.Read More...
-
Explaining the Macintosh Surge
What's behind the surge in Apple's computer sales? Could it be. . .Vista?
-
Greenepeace Much Pleased? Haters Still Hating on AppleTV While Lovers Still Loving iPhone, Indie Labels iTuning, and More
MacBook Air makes Greenpeace happy, or does it? And pundits punch Apple TV and laud iPhones, while Indie labels iTunes Plus’ing it, and more.
-
8 Macworld 08 Predictions - a Post Macworld Recap
Back in December I posted an article with 8 Predictions for Macworld 2008. I tried to look at the current rumors, seep through the stuff that I thought was ridiculous and pick out the things that I actually thought we would see, and threw a few of my own ideas in as well. I thought now that the Keynote is over and I'm back home, that I should take a look at those predictions and see how I did… 1. iTunes Update - We did get an iTunes update, although I was expecting higher priced movie titles, which hasn't happened (yet). 2. Apple TV Update - We did get an AppleTV update including iTunes purchases and rentals directly on the device, although there were no larger capacity AppleTVs released. 3. The Strongest Holiday Season Ever - Jobs didn't get too much into the numbers on holiday sales at the Keynote. I do still expect great numbers on the 1st quarter sales call. 4. Updated Macbooks - What we got was the Macbook Air, which features a 13.3 inch screen, has an aluminum body, and fits in a manila envelope. It is not a sub-notebook, and Apple isn't calling it one, but it was not an updated Macbook. It was an addition to the Macbook line. 5. No iTablet - No surprise. No iTablet announced. 6. iPhone and iPod Touch Software Updates - We did get software updates for both of these devices, although my long desired native iChat application was not a part of the update. 7. iPhone SDK - the iPhone SDK was mentioned…and it's still coming in February. 8. One More thing…Mac Nano - Nope, didn't happen. Still no next generation mini. So, there it is - some hits, some misses, and some half-rights. I think I did ok, but it doesn't really matter what I think. What do you think? How did I do?
-
'Macsimum News' adds additional news articles and comments
Posted by Dave MertenHave you noticed anything different here at Macsimum News in the past few days? We've extended the number of news articles in the first column, along with the number of comments to the right of them, on our homepage.
-
The Big Picture
Up or down? That's what this week's Macworld show came down to for most news organizations. Would the new Apple products make the company's shares go up or down? They went down. Macworld was a bust, we were told repeatedly, as if it really mattered. I don't own Apple stock so I couldn't care less whether it goes up or down, nor could most customers. Apple was supposed to introduce another iPod or iPhone, or iSomething that would sell four million or 10 million copies in the next 200 days, driving share prices higher. But it didn't happen. Apple introduced some cool stuff, but nothing that would sell four million units this year, hence the letdown. Hogwash. A bunch of day traders that used to making a quick 10 percent on their money during Macworld week didn't make that 10 percent this year, so they were disappointed. A bunch of reporters eager to write about those day traders making their 10 percent were disappointed, too. Meanwhile, the rest of us who don't care about day traders were left without much perspective on what any of these announcements actually mean. So I'll do the heavy lifting here and gratefully get back to something non-Apple next week. First let's look at the MacBook Air, which is a cool product with a bad name, though I guess it worked well for Michael Jordan, so what the heck. It is very doubtful that Apple will sell a million Airs in the next year. It is doubtful Apple will sell even half a million Airs and Steve Jobs knows this. What's important here is not the subnotebook computer but the bits of it that will likely make their way into much more interesting Apple products to come. Take that specially packaged Intel CPU, how did that come about? Steve Jobs didn't beat the heck out of Intel CEO Paul Otellini to get a little CPU that would go into fewer than half a million boxes. Steve did what he always does. He beat the heck out of Paul Otellini with the promise that this little CPU -- for which we can expect Apple will hold some exclusive for the next six months -- will end up in millions and millions of Apple products, nearly all of them costing a lot less than a MacBook Air. Apple is very important to Intel. Though nobody says it out loud, Apple is the last of the major computer companies that uses 100 percent Intel processors. And Apple's ability to do more with less has to be a continual inspiration to its competitors. As Apple slides further and further into the consumer electronics and networking markets, Intel will be right there, too. I still expect we'll see an Apple tablet this year, for example, and it will use this same Intel CPU. How about that new trackpad with the multi-touch interface? Could that be the first look at that mouse replacement I predicted would be coming from Apple this year? Maybe. You can be sure we'll see a lot more of that baby. What about the Air's lack of an optical drive? It's hard to find a place for an optical drive in such a thin computer, but isn't Steve Jobs the guy who when he returned to Apple railed against notebooks without removable media, like the PowerBook 100 and 2400 and the various PowerBook Duos? Why did Steve change his mind now? Because Steve wants to replace optical drives of any sort with bits provided over the network, preferably from iTunes. That's also why we didn't see an Apple Blu-ray announcement this week and -- if Jobs has his way -- we'll never see one. Let's turn now to the second-generation Apple TV and the question I seem to be the only one asking: why did they drop the price to $229? Had they dropped the price to $99 I'd say, "Okay, they've decided to lose money on this thing to grow the rental market." But why $229? Did some focus group tell Apple there was price resistance to the Apple TV above $230? It's a set-top box! People don't want to pay anything for a set-top box and if they do pay something they sure don't want to pay $299 OR $229. The entire Apple TV category is a minefield for Steve Jobs. It's a tiny Macintosh, remember, though with its innate Macness carefully hidden. Steve COULD HAVE blown the doors off Macworld if he had simply allowed the Apple TV to BE a Mac, albeit limited to HDMI displays. If you could buy a Mac that attaches to your HDTV for web surfing as well as all the other Apple TV functions, even at the original $299 price, it would have been a HUGE hit. But it might also have hurt Mac Mini and iMac sales, so Steve couldn't bring himself to do it. In the long run I think the whole Apple TV product category will be subsumed into the television, itself. Here, too, is another minefield because people replace their computers a lot more often than they replace their televisions, so Apple going into the TV business (like Dell and HP have) might help sales at first but later hurt. The more likely move for Apple, therefore, is to eventually create the Apple TV Nano, which is an Apple TV built into a CableCard. This is technically feasible right now and 18 months from now it will be a no-brainer. The big HDTV vendors would jump on that one like crazy since it would drive CableCard-equipped HDTV sales, which have been less than stellar. Apple's movie rental service offers a lot to talk about, too, though the part I find most interesting is simply the likely impact on broadband ISPs. It's not just Apple, but also Amazon, Netflix, and others that will drive this impact, though those competing efforts are accelerating right now because of Apple. The broadband ISPs are already jostling for advantage, talking about limiting throughput and making people pay $30 for the bandwidth to download an HD movie. They simply don't want to pay for the additional backbone capacity required to support this level of traffic. But the even bigger reason why the ISPs are moving right now is they perceive a perfect storm that will allow them to RAISE PRICES. Whether we are talking about a cable company or a phone company, these ISPs make more profit from selling broadband than they do from selling their original service, whether it is phone or TV. Cable prices keep going up, true, but nearly all of that goes for increasing costs for content. Internet content costs an ISP nothing, but that doesn't mean they won't try to charge us more if they can. What's crazy about this is that most of the HD content we're getting upset about is static. It is perfectly reasonable to put every movie ever made on a server and put just such a server in every cable company or DSL machine room and never have to touch the Internet backbone for that content, which is exactly what I've explained the big ISPs are already starting to do through IP multicast. But now they'll want to be paid for it. The dark horse here is Google, which has spent a couple years positioning itself to offer to handle this service on behalf of ISPs and consumers alike in exchange for us watching some commercials. If it is up to consumers, Google will succeed. And Steve Jobs knows this, because with their interlocking boards, Apple and Google have to know precisely what the other is up to. So Macworld was just another step in a very measured plan to establish global media dominance for Apple and probably for Google, too. But it's a plan that requires patience, which the press can't -- or doesn't want to -- understand. So it is up to us as individuals to decide whether this is good or bad. I'd say the jury is still out on that one.
-
Expo Notes: Chill out with Serene Saver
The $30 Serene Saver 2HD places calming video loops on your OS X Desktop.
-
Show floor video: Polar Bear Farm demos iPhone search utility
Filed under: Macworld, iPhone It takes a pretty strong constitution to exhibit native apps for the iPhone on the Macworld show floor (and probably a fairly hefty bankroll -- booths ain't free), but the Polar Bear Farm guys are up to the challenge. We caught a demo of the Search tool for iPhone, available only for jailbroken phones at the moment but expected to ship for unmodified devices shortly after the SDK becomes public. Check out the video for the details.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Microsoft puts its mouse in Mac clothing
Redmond hopes more Apple buyers will be interested in its Bluetooth notebook mouse now that it's offered in Mac-centric packaging. Inside, the mouse is exactly the same.
-
Expo Notes: Looks like a flask, works like a hard drive
One look at the latest pocket drive from Iomega, and you'll see why it got the code-name whiskey.
-
Video: Macworld 2008 “Best of Show� Awards
The Editor's at Macworld have picked their “Best of Show” for 2008 and presented to us in a lovely video format - the first 2:30 of the video are filled with their own little awards show opening comedy bit…so keep that in mind if you want to skip it, but the video itself is well done, and a nice presentation for the “Best of” products. If you'd rather skip the video, the winners are listed after the jump. (more…)
-
Ask TUAW: Kernel panics, automatic filing of downloads, changing the boot icon and more
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAWThis time in Ask TUAW we'll look at a kernel panic problem, how to change what appears in iTunes audiobooks sidebar, hot to change the Apple boot icon, how to monitor network traffic, how to automatically file downloads and more.As always your suggestions are most welcome, and questions for next week should be left in the comments. And now, to the questions!Continue reading Ask TUAW: Kernel panics, automatic filing of downloads, changing the boot icon and moreRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
News: Imoeba releases eco-friendly cases for iPod classic, nano 3G
Imoeba has introduced its new Alpine line of environmentally-friendly iPod cases. The cases are made from bonded leather, a man-made material comprised of leather scraps. “Our Alpine iPod cases are ideal for consumers wanting to make more green lifestyle choices,â€? says Lawrence Leung, Chief Executive of Imoeba. “The look, feel, quality and durability of the cases is as close to genuine leather as you can get, does not harm animals and are incredibly…
-
Apple giveth: Firmware 1.1.3 un-bricks iPhones
Unlocked iPhones that were bricked after firmware updates can now get restored to original, working condition.Read More...
-
Malware and Market Size
Ian Betteridge: They simply refuse to believe the “security through obscurity” line which states that the Macs low market share helps it safe. This is largely because they have an outdated view of what malware is produced for - they simply don’t understand that a lot of malware is produced not for kudos but for profit, and when you’re going for profit it makes more sense to hit the biggest possible market (i.e. Windows). There’s no doubt this is partly true. If you could somehow prove that Mac OS X and Windows were, in fact, equally “secure” from a technical standpoint, Windows would still suffer from more malware because of its dominating market share. But, and I’ve argued this before, it doesn’t explain why the Mac has none. If it’s true that malware developers who want to make money will only write software for the vastly larger Windows market, then why doesn’t the same logic apply to non-malware commercial developers? There are two halls full of commercial Mac developers here at Macworld Expo. I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s not just Windows’s massive market share advantage. ★
-
News: iPhone 1.1.3 update fixes bricked iPhones
According to several reports, iPhone software version 1.1.3 has the ability to restore functionality to phones that were bricked during a past update. Because the software performs a complete rewrite of phone's baseband, removing/writing over anything written by unlocking solutions, it allows users with bricked iPhones to restore the device's original functionality, although after the update the device will once again be locked to…
-
TUAW Interviews Robert Scoble as Scoble interviews TUAW
Filed under: Macworld, VideoLeave it to Scoble to livestream us taping him an hour or so after the keynote. Will he be buying a MacBook Air?Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
News: Proporta debuts new cases for iPhone, iPod touch
Proporta has introduced two new cases for the iPod touch, as well as a new case for the iPhone. The Dual Skin Silicone Case is available for both the iPod touch and iPhone, and offers two layers of silicone for added protection, with cut-outs in the upper layer that act as grips. Both layers also have cut-outs for access to all ports and controls, and the case features an open-face design and also includes a removable lanyard. Both models are available…
-
Jobs Wows Apple Faithful, Oracle Seals the Deal, Exploding Batteries
I guess not every Macworld can have an iPhone of its own. Crowds of Apple fans packed the Moscone center in San Francisco Tuesday to hear CEO Steve Jobs detail new products and offerings for 2008. There was indeed plenty to talk about -- the MacBook Air, new iPhone and iPod touch applications, a major software update for Apple TV, iTunes movie rentals, and a wireless access point/storage device called "Time Capsule." All good stuff, perhaps, but nothing that really shook the world the way the iPhone did last year.
-
Jobs speaks frankly about the Zune being a “worthy alternative� to the iPod
Recently Microsoft's Robbie Bach made a statement that the Microsoft Zune was a “worthy alternative” to the iPod. When Steve Jobs was asked about his thoughts on this statement at Macworld this week during a post-Air announcement interview his response was, while slightly harsh, funny as all hell. “Was he inebriated?” Jobs asked CNBC reporter Jim Goldman, and then continued with, “Do you even know anyone who owns a Zune?” Now, personally, I don't know anyone with a Zune…but I'm sure some of you do…right?
-
Winter driving tips from Porsche
Featured links from the CNET Blog Network And now you can sell things with open source, too. Introducing Magento -- Open source now does ecommerce, too. Does China need international cooperation with online infringement? -- Internet-based copyright infringement is pretty much the only way people can keep track of TV and movies from abroad in Beijing. Macworld: Video recording, search function and P2P iPhone applications from the Kiwis -- New and upcoming iPhone applications Winter driving tips from Porsche -- Tips for driving in low-traction conditions, even for non-Porsche drivers.
-
Which notebook to get: MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro?
The MacBook Air is an interesting addition to Apple's notebook lineup, but how does it compare to Apple's existing notebooks, and who should get one?Read More...
-
Firmware 1.1.3 Unbricks iPhones!
It’s now been confirmed by Gizmodo and a number of other users that installing the iPhone Firmware 1.1.3 will make your previously bricked iPhone pull a Lazarus and rise from the dead. It looks like all of those users who got the raw end of the stick when…
-
GeForce 8800 GT upgrade causes headaches for some Mac Pro users
Filed under: Desktops It looks like Mac Pro users wanting to get in on some of the latest and greatest action without ditching their old system altogether are still out of luck, despite a recently released "upgrade kit" from Apple that got some of their hopes up, and caused some consternation for anyone that actually took the plunge on one. As a number of users have reported on various discussion forums (one of which is linked below), the $349 GeForce 8800 GT upgrade kit only works in the newest Mac Pros, and not the older models, due to their lack of support for PCI-Express 2.0. That little detail was indicated as requirement by Apple, although many apparently assumed the cards would work because of the inherent backwards compatibility in PCIe 2.0. As you might expect, many users are none to pleased with Apple actions on the matter, with some claiming that the company's interested only in getting customers to buy a new system instead of prolonging the life of their old one. Shocking, we know.[Thanks, John] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Macworld.ars: Skitch beta goes public
The picture snapping and sharing application finally opens up to the public.Read More...
-
This Day: January 18, 2001: Dual G4 Chips Arrive
Comparing the clock speed of two radically different chips and coming to a conclusion about their performance isn’t the most accurate metric in the history of computing. Still the “Megahertz Myth� was compelling to consumers; after all bigger numbers are always better when comparing computers, right? Apple knew…
-
iPhone speaker too quiet? Stab it with needles
Filed under: Cellphones If you're like us, you feel more than a little annoyed with iPhone's speaker volume. Yes, whether you're waiting for a call, trying to have a speakerphone conversation, or just listening for sweet DTMF tones -- the thing kind of stinks. Perhaps it's time to take extreme measures, as some owners have resorted to... like sticking a needle through the holes in the speaker enclosure. Yes, according to daring "modders," it's possible to get a 40-percent increase in volume via this simple-yet-destructive trick of perforating the thin plastic which covers the speaker. Apparently, the phone gets so loud post-surgery that the volume is actually startling to some users. Feeling like you're brave enough to really void that warranty? Let us know the results![Thanks, Michael] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
MWSF: XtremeMac releases InCharge FM for Apple’s iPod models
Posted by Dave MertenXtremeMac today announced its InCharge FM™ transmitter and car charger for Apple's iPod. InCharge FM will charge an iPod while simultaneously transmitting audio from the iPod wirelessly to any FM radio.
-
Macworld.ars: LaCie brings tiny, tiny hard drives
Drives even smaller than the iPod's have reached large capacities. LaCie has jumped on the opportunity to get them in your pocket.Read More...
-
Macworld 2008: Back Home
I'm back at home finally. Macworld is still going on today, of course, but initially I didn't think it was going to take the full four days of the Expo to get everything done that I needed to do. I was wrong, of course, and there were still some booths I didn't get to, and a Mac Podcasters Meetup on Thursday night that I would have loved to attend - but “ah, well”. It was a learning experience, and next year I will be locked in for the full week of coverage. I have some more photos to post and things like that, and I will get to them today, but I am really feeling the effects of flying, walking, and driving so much in the last few days. I'm very pleased with my 2008 Macworld experience, even if the Keynote and the Macbook Air were kind of forgettable (to me, anyway). I met lots of great companies, and made some good contacts. I think we're going to be doing some interesting things in 2008.
-
Expo Notes: Everything old is new again for Software MacKiev
The software developer with a knack for breathing life into aging or abandoned software has two new makeovers on display at Expo: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and HyperStudio.
-
Editorial: the Apple home server where is it!?
Posted by Dennis SellersBy Atze Zwirs Really nice, an 8-core Mac Pro. It causes all us iPod people to want to render some self-made style Pixar scenes on our home computer! Apple changes its name from Apple Computerto just Apple but remains focused on a Mac Pro on steroids, which is pretty cool,...
-
Editorial: Is the MacBook Air too expensive?
Posted by Dave MertenWhen Steve Jobs announced the price of the new MacBook Air, I was a little surprised at the $1799.00 price tag—especially for an entry-level model. It's no secret that Apple was rumored to introduce a new notebook smaller than a MacBook at Macworld, but I had one pegged for around...
-
Greenpeace approves MacBook Air (pretty much)
Posted by Dennis SellersGreenpeace, which has been a harsh critic of Apple in the past, overall likes the eco-friendly features of the new MacBook Air. Here's what the environmental agency has to say about the new machine: 

-
10.5: Protect certain windows when collecting in Spaces
If you activate Spaces (by pressing F8, by default), then use the "C" key to gather all open windows into the first space, windows of hidden applications won't be affected. Neither will minimized windows.So, to prevent some windows from being moved when using that shortcut, minimize (Command-M) the windows you wish to remain in their current spaces, or hide the apps (Command-H, usually) to which they belong, before invoking Spaces' F8 overview mode.
-
Another way to create a secondary click
If you have two-finger trackpad tap set to function as a secondary click, you can also just hold two fingers down on the trackpad and click the track button for a secondary click. This works in 10.5 Intel and PowerPC. I'm not sure if it works in 10.4, but I'm guessing it will work fine on Intel and PowerPC.[robg adds: This method of clicking can be useful if you're using two fingers to scroll; you don't have to lift them and then tap when you want a contextual menu. Just click the mouse button with the fingers still on the pad, and you'll get a control-click.]
-
Best OS X 10.5 Hints contest winners revealed!
After some delays due to both Macworld Expo and hearing back from all of the winners, I'm please today to announce the 10 winners in our Best Leopard Hints contest. The winners were chosen by rankings from both the public voting, and votes from the Macworld editorial team (yours truly excluded). We then took the average of both groups' scores, and used that number to create the final rankings. Note that this is the first time the winners will see what they've won -- as of now, they only know that they've won something. So without further ado, here's how things wound up...iPod Shuffle winners:10th: Enable data detectors in iChat -- Zach S. from New York, NY. 9th: Use Help to select menu items via keyboard -- Aaron J. from Beaverton, OR (and no, I don't know him!). 8th: ...
-
Remove the Google search box in Safari 3
I love URL keywords in Firefox, but I use Safari. Thankfully there are a handful of Safari plug-ins that bring keyword functionality to Safari (Sogudi, Keywurl, Saft, etc). These make the search box somewhat redundant. Previous to Safari 3, we were able to remove the search bar by just deleting it from the toolbar's NIB file. This doesn't work with Safari 3, however. I did a little poking around, and figured out a way to get it to disappear. Note: You must have Apple's developer tools installed, specifically Interface Builder. Here's what to do:Locate Safari.app in the Applications folder, control-click (or right-click) on it and choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu.Open Contents » Resources » English.lprojMake a backup copy of T...
-
News: Ambrosia plans iToner updates, expansion
Ambrobia Software's iToner, one of several programs that enable iPhone owners to create and manage their own ringtones from their choice of music and other audio files, will soon see major upgrades, according to the company's president Andrew Welch. Due shortly, a new version of the Mac OS X program will hurdle the latest limitations Apple has placed on iPhone ringtones, enabling MP3 and other audio files to be automatically converted…
-
The MacBook Air Is a Horrible, Horrible Product
I'm not one to immediately write off any product as horrible without considering what it can do, but in all honesty, I think the MacBook Air is a misplaced product. The whole point of an ultra portable is to be just that: easy to carry and easy to…
-
TUAW Interviews Christopher Breen
Filed under: Macworld, VideoChristopher Breen knows a thing or two about iPods, iTunes and the Apple digital media ecosystem. We asked him about the limits of the newly-enabled Apple TV purchases, HD content and the fragile-yet-sexy Macbook Air.Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
MWSF: TheSkyX Student is new Mac OS X astronomy tool
Posted by Dennis SellersSoftware Bisque has released TheSkyX Student, a US$99 Mac OS X or Windows Vista/XP application that comes equipped with all the basic tools to “bring depth and breadth to your astronomy pursuits.”
-
Stanton launches first digital control system for DJs
Posted by Dave MertenStanton DJ, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of professional audio products for DJs, Live Sound Reinforcement and install applications, today announces the launch of the SC System, the company's new set of digital controllers for the professional DJ.
-
Expo Notes: Screenshot sharing
TechSmith shows off its currently free Jing Project, which offers a way for users to quickly share screenshots and videos with each other.
-
The MacBook Air is an ideal product -- in the right market
Blogs worldwide are moaning about the MacBook Air's deficiencies, ranging from its slow processor, its lack of an optical drive and wired ethernet, its lack of a user-replaceable battery, and of course, its high price. All we need now is someone predicting that it will be the death of Apple and the second coming of Microsoft, and the moaning will be complete.Frankly, it strikes me that these people who about the feature set are a bit like the thsose who complain that Ferraris don't have enough trunk space. Apple's going to sell if not a gazillion, at least a few million MacBook Airs in its first year. Why? Because Apple has identified an untapped and very profitable market niche for the MacBook Air that will expand its market share: fashion designers and luxury hospitality companies.If you're an executive at Ralph Lauren or Prada, the ugliness of carrying around a Dell laptop would give you hives. For these people, style and design isn't a luxury; it's an essential job requirement. And its a category of people whom the computer industry has not served well to date with boxy designs, techie jargon, and a general rejection of the value of fashion. Said another way, how many computers look good with an Armani suit?The same could be said for the concierge desk at the Four Seasons, or the reception area at the W Hotel. In the hospitality industry, there are two types of products: those for the front of the house (customer-facing) and those for the back of the house (production). Most computers are designed for the back of the house. But you could put a MacBook Air on a glass desk in any one of those front of house environments, and it would fit right in. It's a product designed for this market.To give you a better concept of this target market, let's do a quick rundown of the published MacBook Air deficiencies with a synthetic fashion executive who is looking for a new laptop, and has admired the design of a MacBook Air:Slow processor: "Seems fast enough to me. I have people who can do spreadsheets if it doesn't suit my needs."No optical drive or wired ethernet: "I don't want to have to lug around extraneous baggage, and wires and physical media are so last century."No user replaceable battery: "If I need it replacing, I'll send it out. I like the fact that the Apple store will service it for me."High price: "Expensive? It costs less than my suit."Fashion isn't about gigahertz and feature sets. It's about design, elegance, and lifestyle -- said another way, it's about focusing on a few, essential and beautiful things, and leaving everything else out. And for the fashion industry -- and the hospitality industry and TV shows and countless other image-driven businesses -- the MacBook Air will be right at home.Technorati Tags: Apple, Fashion, MacBook air, Marketing
-
Office for Mac 2008 coming for Enterprise on Feb 1
Filed under: Macworld, SoftwareA TUAW reader from a company with an Enterprise license from Microsoft wrote in to ask if we had any solid information on when Office for Mac 2008 was being released to licensees. Well, our man on the floor managed to get a comment from a Microsoft rep to the effect that the English, Spanish, and French localizations will be released on February 1, with more languages coming on March 1.Interestingly, the campus computer folks at my university report the same February 1st date for the universities, but that is apparently for IT deployment on university computers. My campus bookstore is saying that the student and faculty site licensed version will not be available until April. However, I suspect your mileage may vary at other universities.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Expo Notes: Make a smooth move to the iPhone
Nova Media's Fone2Phone offers an alternative to OS X's built-in syncing tools when it comes to moving information from your old smartphone to an iPhone.
-
MWSF: Toshiba introduces new MFP series
Posted by Dennis SellersToshiba America Business Solutions (TABS) has introduced the e-STUDIO 353/453 multifunction product (MFP) series. This digital MFP series, built with Toshiba's e-BRIDGE architectural design, offers networking features and device management capabilities.
-
North of Northeast: Jobs delivered 'rounded, positive and mature keynote'
Posted by Dennis SellersIt hardly seems like a year has passed since the last time I wrote an article about Steve's Macworld keynote. About how over-expectations and pre-show hype results in a perfectly reasonable, wonderfully presented, and product-rich presentation, full of good news, results in moans and complaints of how much better it...
-
Under The Radar News - Friday
IBM conference call highlights. IBM (IBM) said Thursday acquisitions remain a strategy for the company due to the business's solid cash generation. IBM said it has substantial flexibility to make investments where its sees the best opportunities. IBM also noted its significant exposure to fast-growing economies; in Q4 65% of revenue was from outside the U.S.
-
Matrix M6001 watch uses bars, not hands
Filed under: Wearables Yeah, we've seen wristwatches that did their duty with nary a hand in sight, but few have looked as striking (or peculiar, we can't decide) as this one. Truthfully, the Matrix M6001 is arriving to the oversized watch face party a tick too late, but we're almost willing to forgive the tardiness thanks to its clever method of telling time. Atop the face sits the hours, while minutes (in increments of five) are listed beneath; put simply, bars on the LCD are lit above the corresponding number(s) as the day whisks away, leaving those freaked out by perpetually moving sticks with nothing to fear. 'Course, you won't find this thing for sale on US soil just yet, but it can be had in South Korea for â‚©69,000 ($74). Now, if only it played Pong...[Via UberReview] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
1.1.2 iPhones now unlocked... 3 days too late
Filed under: CellphonesTeenager George Hotz, aka GeoHot, the original iPhone unlocker is back. In a post to his personal blog he states that he has successfully unlocked a 1.1.2 firmware and bootloader 4.6 iPhone. Better yet, he posts the not-for-dummies version of the instructions to downgrade the bootloader to version 3.9 in preparation for running AnySim. We haven't tried this ourselves so remember, as GeoHot himself states, this hardware method "could brick your iPhone." You haven't upgraded to 1.1.3 already have you? If so, you're stuck with AT&T.Update: We're now hearing that a software unlock for 1.1.2 / 4.6 iPhones is right around the corner. So don't crack that case just yet kids.[Thanks, fantastico] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Expo Special: Free Time Capsule and iPod Touch Apps
There's nothing like the excitement of a MacWorld Expo Keynote. But after the lights fade, the our empty wallets remind us that all those pretty things come at a price. So, what if you want the convenience of backing your Mac up to another over the network or some new features on your iPod Touch you are going to have to get creative. Join me for this week's Freeloader Expo special: we'll roll... [read more at MacMerc.com]
-
Zimbra offers Safari 3 support
Filed under: Internet Tools, Open SourceI'm not ashamed to admit that I love Safari. Unfortunately, not all web developers are hip to it, especially when it comes to Ajax-based web apps. In fact, I'd have trouble naming very many web-based, "WYSIWYG" editors, let alone full collaboration suites, that work well with Safari. That's why I was pleased to hear that the Leopard-loving folks at Zimbra, the open source messaging and collaboration suite, have announced expanded support for Mac users, including Safari compatibility. To the best of my knowledge (and according to their press release), this makes them the first major collaboration suite to support Safari. And the support, especially in the document editor, is good. It uses valid XHTML tags and CSS to create cross-browser compatibility. I think the feature I love the most right now is the full support for rich text pasting (and no font tags). If you're using Firefox, you get page previews, monetary conversions and more when hovering over different bits of information. These seem to be missing on Safari, but that could be on account of an odd setting in my configuration. In addition to Safari support, Zimbra has also added support for CalDav, allowing iCal 3 to sync and share calendars through its server. And for the mobile set, they've added a mobile HTML client that makes the suite iPhone compatible. With the preexisting Zimbra Connector for iSync, Zimbra users can sync their email, address books and calendars to their iPhone. You can catch Zimbra at Macworld in booth W-4348. Zimbra is available for free as the ZCS 5.0 Open Source Edition. They also offer a Network Edition with commercial support, educational discounts available. And for the curious, you can demo the suite online at their website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Huh? Greenpeace calls the MacBook Air "a winner"
Filed under: LaptopsApple and Greenpeace haven't exactly been the best of buds. However, MacWorld seems to have changed all that, at least for Greenpeace. In a statement issued on their US website, Greenpeace says the following:"The MacBook Air is a strong entry in the race to build a green PC. As a mercury and arsenic free laptop it exceeds European Standards (RoHS directive exemptions) and raises the bar for the rest of the industry."Sure, the Greenies still had their nits to pick with the use of PVC and BFRs. Yet they did give a nod of approval at their reduced usage. Had Greenpeace's statement not been laced with condescending phrases like, "It's a big step for Steve," the whole week might have ended with some herb being passed around the Kumbaya circle -- 'ere 'ippie, gimme a 'ug.[Via Macworld] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Quanta said to be manufacturing MacBook Air
Quanta has apparently been tapped to manufacture the MacBook Air.Read More...
-
Lotus Notes on the iPhone
Filed under: Software, iPhoneAccording to Information Week, sources "with knowledge of IBM's plans" have confirmed that IBM will be releasing a version of its email client, Lotus Notes, for the iPhone (and iPod touch) at the Lotusphere conference next week. Plans for this were announced in October last year after Steve Jobs announced an iPhone SDK coming in February. Notes has been previously available on your Mac, but this release would give iPhone users mobile access to all of the Notes tools, including e-mail, calendars and databases. The Notes news, along with IBM's Wednesday announcement that it will be porting its Informix 11 'Cheetah' database server to Leopard, and reports that Symphony (the productivity suite based on the OpenOffice.org project) is headed for OS X give rise to speculation that IBM may be gearing up to take a bite out of Microsoft via some strategic partnering with Apple. And for Apple, support from IBM could lead to gaining ground in the enterprise arena. Would more IBM software on the Mac (and iPhone) cause a stir in the Microsoft-dominated business world? I guess we're about to find out.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Something's in the Blogs: MacBook Air
The Apple- and Mac-focused blogosphere has been dominated by Macworld and the Steve Jobs MacBook Air announcement. For those who've been hiding out in a snow cave all week, the MacBook Air is a new super-thin, super-light notebook. Even though the elegant new Mac is far from Earth-shaking, it seems like everybody has something to say about it. Arnold Kim, editor of the popular MacRumors.com site, incorporated a special Macworld blog section this year that's been covering the show, the new products, and the conference buzz.
-
Reporter's notebook: And so we come to the end of another Macworld
Posted by Dennis SellersMy brain is tired and my dogs are barking. Still, I'm almost sorry to see the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo end. It's been a great show, and I've had lots of fun. I hope you've enjoyed the coverage; Macsimum has had over 230 stories (and counting) this week).