Dec 8, 2008 Dec 10, 2008 Tuesday December 9, 2008
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Intel's 32nm chips ready for MIDs and netbooks in 2009
In 2005 Intel revealed its 65-nm manufacturing process, then 45-nm in 2007. Today, in keeping with its "tick-tock" strategy, Intel is announcing a further shrinkage to its manufacturing process as it ends the development phase for 32-nm chip circuitry. That puts the chips on a production schedule for Q4 2009 -- interesting as Intel's rumored 32-nm Medfield chip wasn't expected until the first half of 2010. According to Intel, the new chips incorporate second-generation high-k + metal gate technology with transistors that switch 22% faster than its current 45-nm Penryn chips. Why should you care? Well, the smaller chips are cheaper to manufacture which should translate to consumer savings. They also require less power than Intel's notoriously power-friendly Atom-class chips. As an interesting side note, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Intel has also disclosed a variant of its 45-nm process (the Lincroft-based Pineview we presume) "that is tailored to create chips for portable computing devices that require low power consumption." Uh, those wouldn't be targeting ARM by any chance would they Intel? Wink wink, nudge nudge. [Via Wall Street Journal]Filed under: Handhelds, LaptopsIntel's 32nm chips ready for MIDs and netbooks in 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Vertus cuts price on Fluid Mask 3
Posted by Dennis SellersVertus, a graphics and imaging software developer, has announced that its award-winning Fluid Mask 3 image extraction tool, the professionals' choice for image masking, will now be available for US$149, a savings of almost 40 percent from its original cost.
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Tonight on the 'Your Mac Life Show'
Posted by Dave MertenOn newsstands now is a “replica” of the original Macworld magazine cover shoot—Steve Jobs in an iconic pose. David Bunnell was there for that cover shot and he'll tell the story of not only how it came to be, but how it almost never made it!
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'MacVoices' looks at the MWSF exhibitor, Cultured Code
Posted by Dennis SellersOn the new MacVoices, the “Road to Macworld” series continues.
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MacMerc.com's Rick Yaeger interviewed on Typical Mac User and Mac OS Ken Day 6
I had the honor of being interviewed twice last week about the launch of MacMerc.TV. The first interview was with Victor Cajiao of the Typical Mac User Podcast. He allowed me to plug the show and also share a few of my favorite Mail.app add-ons. Typical Mac User is a great audio podcast for any Mac user looking to learn new tricks and tips and expand your "Mac horizon." Victor also does a lot of great interviews with cool people in the Mac community. Such a great show and a great host. The second interview was with a good friend from back in the Wizards of Technology days, Ken Ray. Ken has his regular 5 day a week free podcast, Mac OS Ken, where he covers all the Mac news that matters in a way that makes it accessible and fun. My interview appears as part of Ken's Day 6 which is the pay side of his podcast. A subscription costs $10 per month and it helps support all of Ken's podcasting efforts. Day 6 gets you a recap of the week's news, as well as conversations around Apple's past, present, and future. It also gets you interviews with people like me or, better yet, super-awesome-cool people like Greg Grunberg from NBC's Heroes. (As much as I want you to check out Ken's interview with me, his interview with Greg Grunberg about Band from TV is one you simply must hear...seriously...pay the $10). Thanks to both Victor and Ken for welcoming me on their shows. I had an awesome time and I'm really proud of the way the interviews turned out.
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Gefen releases Ethernet over Power Line Cable Extender
Posted by Dennis SellersGefen has released the US$199 GefenTV Ethernet over PLC Extende, which offers a method of Ethernet distribution. Users can access the Internet from any room in the house without rewiring or running new cables.
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Podcast #68: Hidden SDK Features and Steve Jobs' Celebrity Playlist
The iPhone's super-secret TV out feature gets the staff all excited about future possibilities. We learn that, allegedly, Steve Jobs hand picks the music featured in iPod commercials and we wonder if Steve could work his magic on the iTunes free single of the week.read more
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Nvidia adds OpenCL to GPU computing toolkit
Posted by Dennis SellersNvidia has announced its full support for the newly released OpenCL 1.0 specification from the Khronos Group. OpenCL (Open Computing Language) is a new compute API (application programming interface) that allows developers to harness the parallel computing power of the GPU (graphical processing unit).
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REAL Software ships REALbasic 2008 Release 5
Posted by Dennis SellersReal Software, creator of REALbasic, a cross-platform development environment for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux developers, has begun shipping REALbasic 2008 Release 4. The upgrade adds over 100 improvements and a few new features, including both the ability to print source code in color and to duplicate methods, properties...
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Hero of Sparta available for iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersGameloft has released Hero of Sparta for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's available for US$9.99 at the Apple App Store.
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Daily Apple: More Macros, Mous-iversary, Psystar, iPhone Advertising & OpenCL
Keyboard Maestro 3.5 Released - The Mac macro software gets a big update today, bringing in support for their new iPhone and iPod touch app, which allows you to execute macros remotely from your device. Combined with new iTunes control actions, it nicely supplements Apple's own Remote app. The Computer Mouse Approaches Middle Age - Our little human interface device grew up so fast! Where does the time go? Stanford researcher David Engelbart revealed his creation this day in 1968. It was a three-button device, which means Apple actually took two steps back with their original one-button design. Psystar Saga Continues - The first Mac cloner (there's now a second, in case you hadn't heard) continues its legal battle with Apple. Today, Psystar dropped their counterclaim, which held that Apple was in violation of anti-trust laws. They've instead shifted their strategy slightly, saying that Apple is going beyond the bounds of their copyright by trying to shut down hardware that is merely compatible with their OS, which is what Psystar claims to be making. Amobee Media Systems Optimizes Ads for iPhone and iPod Touch - Google isn't the only one trying to get ads onto your iPhone. Amobee Media Systems is now providing a holistic solution for adding advertising support to apps. Thank goodness! I'm always forgetting what to buy. OpenCL Goes Beyond Apple - An industry consortium ratifies the Open Computer Language 1.0, a 3D graphics and computer audio standard that originally began as an Apple proposal. Some consortium members include heavyweights like Electronic Arts, IBM, Intel, and many more. Concentric Hosted IT Solutions and Web Hosting Click here to save cost on your IT demands
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Broadcasters have license to kill movies at iTunes, Netflix
Apple and Netflix are being treated as if they compete against TV broadcasters. That's why some film titles are disappearing from iTunes and Netflix.
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Softhing releases FTP Maker 1.0 for Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersSofthing has released FTP Maker 1.0 for Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. It lets your clients and co-workers upload their files on your FTP server via drag and drop.
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equinux presents e-mail templates for the holidays
Posted by Dennis Sellersequinux has introduced the Season's Greetings '08 Collection for Stationery Pack. The collection expands Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Mail with a total of 12 e-mail templates with 22 different designs for Xmas and New Year's greetings.
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Snow Leopard Sharpens Claws on New OpenCL Standard
The Khronos Group has released OpenCL 1.0, a new open, royalty-free specification standard for cross-platform parallel programming for modern processors. To put it more simply, OpenCL is the key that's going to unlock processors and help Apple unleash Snow Leopard, the company's next Mac OS X version. "In plain English, they hope to unleash the considerable power contained in the GPUs and multi-GPUs used for graphics processing in devices ranging from gaming consoles to game-focused PCs to smartphones," Charles King, principal analyst for Pund-IT, told MacNewsWorld.
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Join O'Reilly Media at Macworld
Posted by Dave MertenJoin O'Reilly Media at Macworld, January 5-9 in San Francisco. Don't miss this chance to see your favorite O'Reilly authors and find our about our newest books, news, and other offerings at our booth (#2210). Presentations throughout the show include David Pogue, Deke McClelland, Lesa Snider King, Derrick Story, J.D....
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Allegations, denials of 'bad' Nvidia chips in Apple MacBook
A U.K. tech site claims that Apple MacBook Pros have bad Nvidia chips. Nvidia says no way.
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Apple-proposed OpenCL 1.0 spec ratified
Posted by Dennis SellersThe Khronos Group, an industry consortium creating open standards to enable the authoring and acceleration of graphics and dynamic media on a variety of platforms and devices, has announced the ratification and public release of the OpenCL 1.0 specification, which they say is the first open, royalty-free standard for cross-platform,...
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Apple software updates for Dec. 9
Posted by Dennis SellersMacvide has updated their VideoFlash Converter, a video to Flash conversion utility for Mac OS X, to version 2.0. The upgrade offers a new user guide and fixes some bugs.
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Military concerns leave Egyptians with crippled iPhone GPS
Apple has apparently disabled GPS in Egyptian iPhones due to government concerns. If Apple is willing to do this for Egypt, what will it do for China?Read More...
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'Macsimum Recommended Reading' for Dec. 9
Posted by Dennis Sellers“Psystar Moves to Amend Counterclaims Against Apple: Unauthorized Mac clone maker Psystar has filed a motion for permission to amend its counterclaims against Apple Inc in its battle to defend itself against claims that it is violating copyright and Digital Millennium Copyright Act restrictions.”—MacObserver
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Google Gives AdWords Mobility
Maybe you've seen more of them during your Christmas shopping jaunts at the neighborhood mall this holiday season than you did last year; people using smartphones while in stores to do Web searches on products, price comparisons, or even to place orders. It's a sight that Google hopes will soon be as prevalent as bell-ringing Santas in front of Salvation Army kettles, thanks to its decision Monday to extend its AdWords product to the iPhone, T-Mobile G1 and any mobile device that allows HTML Web browsing.
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Stand Out From 13M Others With Infectious iPhone Art
Since the Zunes inception, for all its faults, one thing that it did that seemed worth emulating was its Originals line, which are devices etched with original artwork from an array of designers. There's no doubt that, even before comparing it to the Zune, or even the iPod nanos for that matter, the iPhone doesn't offer a lot in the way of expressing ones individuality. Thankfully, Infectious (see disclosure at bottom) is happy to fill that lack of identity with its line of iPhone Art adhesive decorations. Featuring artwork from well known illustrators and graphic designers like David Lanham, Jeremy Prasatik (aka JP33), Emil Kozak, and MAD, among many more, Infectious currently offers 38 designs to adorn your iPhone with. Each comes with a full and mini sticker that covers the full back of phone (with a cut-out for the camera lens) and the bottom portion of the front, respectively; as well as an Infectious logo sticker for good measure. (more…) Concentric Hosted IT Solutions and Web Hosting Click here to save cost on your IT demands
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Mrs. P reads classic children’s stories on iTunes
Posted by Dennis SellersMrs. P, a new entertainment web site for kids starring actress Kathy Kinney as “quirky redhead” Mrs. P, announced today that its stories are now available on the iTunes Store.
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★ Deep Green
Joachim Bondo’s Deep Green chess game for the iPhone is out. What’s cool about Deep Green isn’t just that it’s the best chess game yet for the iPhone, but that Bondo’s original Deep Green was the best chess game for the Newton. To be clear, this is not a port but a complete rewrite, with the same attention to detail, graphics, simplicity, and fun that marked the Newton version. For example, Deep Green for iPhone lets you move pieces either by drag-and-drop or by tapping a piece, then tapping the square you wish to move it to. (The tapped piece jiggles while waiting for you to tap the destination square.) Deep Green is the one indie Newton app that I was most hoping would make the jump to the iPhone. When I met Joachim at WWDC this year and he told me he was working on it, I was delighted. I’ve been beta testing Deep Green for the last few weeks, and I’m not sure what to say about it other than that it looks and feels exactly how an iPhone chess game should. (I can’t speak to its strength as a serious chess engine; it kicks my ass even when taking no more than one second to move. I don’t recall ever beating Deep Green on the Newton either, but it seems stronger now, if only because my brain hasn’t kept pace with the increase in CPU speeds over the past decade.) Deep Green exemplifies my fundamental rule for iPhone UI designers: Figure out the absolute least you need to do to implement the idea, do just that, and then polish the hell out of the experience. Configuration is kept to a minimum but everything essential is there. It even launches fast. Via email, Bondo told me: When I compare the various iPhone chess apps (I bought them all), Deep Green offers pretty much the same functionality as the rest, and sometimes more, but with a fraction of the UI. Achieving this is why I’m 4 months later than the rest. It takes more time and more effort to make software with a simpler UI, but it’s worth it. On his web site, Bondo writes: I first released Deep Green 10 years ago, in April 1998, for Apple’s Newton. In a matter of days hereafter, Steve Jobs terminated the Newton altogether. Somehow I don’t think he’ll have that problem with the iPhone. Deep Green is available in the App Store for an introductory price of $4.99 through the end of December; after that, it goes to $7.99.
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Free Mathematica Player 7 adds Mathematica 7 engine
Posted by Dennis SellersWolfram Research has released Mathematica Player 7, a free download that allows anyone to interact with dynamic documents and applications using new Mathematica technology.
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Mac Office users greeted with security, stability updates
Users of Office 2004 and Office 2008 for Mac will find themselves being asked to update their software today, as Microsoft has issued a few stability and security fixes. Read More...
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TuneWear announces new iPod products
Posted by Dennis SellersTuneWear has announced new iPod products. The PRIE Slim for the iPod nano 4G (shown) is a US$24.95 nappa leather carrying case for iPod nano 4G. It provides protection for the device against dirt and scratches and comes with a TuneFilm screen protector.
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New bundles would make Sonos unstoppable
With the October release of the iPhone controller for the Sonos multiroom system, their main bundle with included remote control no longer makes sense. But I'd sure love a cheaper bundle with a wireless bridge instead.
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Dejal introduces SmileDial 1.0 for iPhone
Posted by Dennis SellersDejal Systems has released SmileDial Lite and SmileDial Pro 1.0 for the iPhone. It lets you call someone by touching their smile, or send them a text message by touching their eyes.
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Is the Microsoft Empire Cracking?
Interesting news: the share of computers with Microsoft Windows OS surfing the web dropped below 90% (article here).Of course, Microsoft (MSFT) is still an enormous cash machine. It still has a near monopoly on corporate desktop and laptop market. Many investors might assume that the company still can produce great returns. But I think the Empire is cracking.
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Ironic releases Deep 1.0—Image Search for Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersIronic Software has released Deep 1.0—Image Search for Mac OS X. It's US$34 software that implements technology to allow the searching of images by color and palette. Picking a specific spot color from a web page or anywhere else will show all your images with this color.
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eStarling's ImpactV digiframe does video, WiFi, handstands
It usually takes a lot to get us stoked on a digiframe -- after all, there are so many, and they all pretty much do the exact same thing. That said, the new ImpactV from eStarling doesn't seem so shabby. Of course, we've seen some of these features on prior models (such as an 8-inch display, WiFi, the ability to email pictures to the frame, photo scheduling, and RSS feeds), but DVD quality video playback (up to 4 minutes), a custom iPhone app, Photobucket and YouTube search, and Facebook support are all very interesting. Retailing for $199, the PR we received may be stretching things a bit when they call it "an exciting evolution in furniture," but that's OK. They've probably never seen the RoboStool. Filed under: Digital Cameras, DisplayseStarling's ImpactV digiframe does video, WiFi, handstands originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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CNET News Daily Podcast: Making sense of the changing cell phone constellation
Motorola's pain has been Apple and RIM's gain. Meanwhile, Android continues to pick up new adherents. It's part of a bigger, interconnected story.
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News: Click Wheel iPod releases: Tiger Woods, Slyder, Real Soccer 2009
Three new games have been released for the fifth-generation iPod, iPod classic, third- and fourth-generation iPod nano. Electronic Arts has released Tiger Woods PGA Tour, a golfing simulation game. Users can choose to play as Tiger, other PGA Tour pros, or create their own golfer, using the Click Wheel to navigate through well-known courses such as Pebble Beach, collecting Trophy Balls for in-game achievements. The game offers two modes: practice…
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Digital Anarchy releases ToonIt! photo cartooning software
Posted by Dennis SellersDigital Anarchy has released ToonIt! Photo 2.0 for Photoshop. It's software for creating cartoon-like images from photographs. The filters use algorithms from Toonamation to create cartoon shading and outlines in Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.
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Zevrix introduces automated PDF output solution for Microsoft Word
Posted by Dennis SellersZevrix Solutions has released BatchOutput DOC 2, which provides solutions for demanding enterprise and office publishing environments through automation of printing and PDF output.
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OWC announces new internal super drive for 17-inch MacBook Pros
Posted by Dennis SellersOther World Computing (OWC) has announced two new OWC Mercury SuperDrive Internal Upgrade Kits for MacBook Pro 17-inch notebooks. The new OWC Mercury SuperDrive Internal Upgrade Kits provide low-cost options for adding faster read/write for DVD+/-R/RW, Dual-Layer DVD, DVD-RAM, and CD-R/RW, and burn speeds of up to 8X for DVDs...
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BeLight Software ships Labels & Addresses
Posted by Dennis SellersBeLight Software has released Labels & Addresses, a rebranded version of Mail Factory, a tool to design and print labels, envelopes and postcards with advanced merge printing functionality.
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How Many iPhones Could Wal-Mart Sell?
So, let's assume that the stories are right (they seem pretty convincing) and that Wal-Mart (WMT) stores will start selling Apple (AAPL) iPhones by the end of calendar 2008. How many iPhones can Wal-Mart actually sell? Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster did some back-of-the-envelope math on that question and concluded that the answer is “a lot.”
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How Branded Terms Play a Role in Paid Search
A few weeks ago, we used Compete intelligence on paid and natural search to show how Yahoo! outperformed Google (GOOG) in paid click efficiency. Now that the Yahoo!-Google search partnership has gone down the tubes, we're taking another look at paid search – this time at how a few well-known brands drive PPC traffic to their sites. For this analysis, we looked at paid referrals from the Top 5 search engines (according to Compete's Search Market Share) to 4 well-known brands. We chose these brands somewhat arbitrarily: they don't compete against each other, but we can gain some interesting insights into PPC by comparing them.
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New MacBooks said to have issues with maxed out RAM, faulty NVIDIA GPU
While most of the complaints about the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros have focused on things like the screen or the absence of a certain much-loved port, it appears that another problem has been bugging some folks that went ahead and maxed out the RAM on their shiny new laptop. Apparently, loading 4GB of RAM (either from Apple or a third party) has caused at least a few MacBooks and MacBook Pros to freeze up randomly which, for the time being at least, can only be remedied by dialing things back to 2GB or 3GB of RAM (something tested by jkOnTheRun). While Apple isn't saying anything publicly about this just yet, one member of the Apple support forum claims to have heard from an Apple engineer who says that Apple is, in fact, aware of the problem and that a software update is on the way to fix it, possibly within a few days.In related MacBook news, The Inquirer is now reporting that the new MacBook Pro's NVIDIA 9600M GPU suffers from the same so-called "bad bump" problem that has plagued previous generation MacBook Pros (and provided plenty of fodder for The Inq) which can, in some cases, lead to blank screens and other video errors. It's not clear, however, if the problem affects all MacBook Pros or just a bad batch, although there does appear to be a somewhat sizable number of complaints cropping up.Read - jkOnTheRun, "MacBook fussy memory situation- maybe 4 GBs is too much"Read - the Inquirer, "Inquirer confirms Apple Macbook Pros have Nvidia bad bump material"[Via Electronista] Filed under: LaptopsNew MacBooks said to have issues with maxed out RAM, faulty NVIDIA GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: Mix: Scandyna, Ferrari GT, Monopoly, App Store pricing
Scandyna Speakers has introduced its new Pink Dock Pack for iPod. The new speaker pack (pictured), exclusive to Saks Fifth Avenue, includes a pink iPod Dock, seven inserts for various iPod models, a 2x15 Watt RMS amplifier, two Micropod SE speakers, stereo line output for connecting a subwoofer, and a remote control. The Scandyna Pink Dock Pack is available now and sells for $300. Gameloft has released its new Ferrari GT: Evolution game for the iPhone…
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Savage 2 goes freeware, Mac client released
Posted by Dennis SellersS2 Games has announced that Savage 2: A Tortured Soul is now freeware. There are no longer demo restrictions of any kind and all players can enjoy the game for free. In addition, S2 Games has also released a Mac OS X clien
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ProteMac announces ProteMac Meter 2.0 for Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersProteMac has announced ProteMac Meter 2.0, an update of their network Activity monitor and network traffic logger utility for Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. The upgrade adds a new engine, preferences for an application monitoring list and a data cleanup interface.
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Exclusive ‘Watchman’ footage available at iTunes
Posted by Dennis SellersBeginning today, iTunes customers can watch special Watchmen features exclusively available as free downloads on the iTunes Store). They include: an exclusive Watchmen film sequence, previously only shown at San Diego's Comic-Con Convention; the Essential Watchmen app for iPhone and iPod touch; multiple behind-the-scenes video journal podcasts; film clips; trailers;...
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GiantCrayon WordSoup game comes to Mac OS X Leopard
Posted by Dennis SellersGiant Crayon Games has released GiantCrayon WordSoup, a new word/vocabulary game for Mac OS X 10.5 (“Leopard”). It offers a way to tackle word puzzles and increase your vocabulary at the same time.”
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Steve Picks the Songs That Make the Whole World Groove
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Ring Tone Apps
Craig Hockenberry on the economic dilemma facing large-scale iPhone apps: set the price high enough and your app won’t make the best-seller list, and if you don’t make the best-seller list too few people will see the app. What Apple could do is weight the best-seller list by revenue rather than unit sales. That way a $10 app with 1,000 sales could get ahead of a $1 app that sells 5,000. ★
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Video, memory issues with MacBooks being reported
Owners of the newly redesigned MacBooks and MacBook Pros are reporting issues with video playback and memory chips, although it's not clear if the problems are widespread.
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App Store’s 300 Million Downloads is Remarkable No Matter How You Look at It
Click image enlarge This past Friday, Apple advertised iPhone apps in the New York Times and also mentioned that there have been 300 million app downloads. While most people realize this is pretty amazing, there are some comments quickly rushing to pour water on the app store’s fire… How many of those 300 million were free apps? Apparently this is supposed to matter since it would show that Apple isn’t making a lot of money here. So what? It wasn’t Apple’s plan to make a lot of money on the app store. This should be obvious from the fact that they take only 30% of the cost of sold apps, and host free ones for nothing. That's hardly a model designed to make a big profit. The app store is about content, and people using that content to make the device better for them. (more…) Concentric Hosted IT Solutions and Web Hosting Click here to save cost on your IT demands
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101 Most Essential iPhone Apps of 2008
It seems like only yesterday a young Steve Jobs sheepishly took the stage and announced that the iPhone and iPod touch would have native third-party applications. We danced in the streets when we heard the news. We figured a few hundred apps would be released. We'd play a few games, send a few tweets from the road, and make a few Facebook friends while waiting in line at our favorite taqueria. read more
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MacFUSE file system plugin gets 64-bit support in 2.0 update
The Mac version of the Swiss army knife of file systems has been updated to version 2.0, adding 64-bit support, a pref pane, a tons of developer goodies. "Highly experimental" Snow Leopard support is also included.Read More...
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OpenCL goes beyond Apple
OpenCL specification, an open industry standard for 3D graphics and computer audio that started as an Apple proposal but has gained many supporters, has been ratified.
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Motorola maintains US mobile phone dominance in 2008, but position fading fast
Posted by Dennis SellersMultiMedia Intelligence projects that Motorola will remain the most successful mobile handset manufacturer in the US market in 2008, but that share is rapidly fading. According to recent research by MultiMedia Intelligence, Motorola is projected to provide 21 percent of all handsets consumed in the consumer market in the US....
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BackBlaze announces private beta version of its Mac software
Posted by Dennis SellersBackBlaze has announced a private beta launch of its Mac back-up software today. And the company is offering Macsimum News readers a chance to test it drive by going here.
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December 18 is Free Shipping Day; Apple to participate
Posted by Dennis SellersHoliday shopping procrastinators now have a day designed especially for them. The inaugural Free Shipping Day— which is set for Dec. 18, 2008, and will be an annual event. On the day, participating merchants give free shipping to online shoppers with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve.
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Jeff Raikes to join Costco board
Apparently, saving the world isn't taking up all of Jeff Raikes' time. Jeff Raikes(Credit: Microsoft) The former Microsoft executive and current CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is joining the board of directors of Costco Wholesale, the giant retail chain. "We are very pleased to welcome ...
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ShowStoppers to provide viral content to exhibitors at Macworld event
Posted by Dave MertenShowStoppers today announced it is partnering with Inside Media Networks (IMN) to produce custom audio or video segments for each exhibiting company that introduces or sneak previews new products during ShowStoppers at Macworld, the press-only event set for Jan. 5, 2009 in San Francisco. IMN will record 7-to-10-minute audio interviews...
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Backblaze: online Time Machine for Mac, and we have invites
Backblaze is a remote backup service with a few twists, including a "set it and forget it" approach and the ability to overnight a hard drive to you when you really need it. Now, the service has a Mac client in beta, so we scored invites for Ars Technica readers to try it out.Read More...
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Softpress to exhibit Eddy award-winning Freeway Pro at Macworld Expo
Posted by Dave MertenThe Softpress team will be at Macworld Expo San Francisco, January 6-9, 2008, eager to show-off all the great features in Freeway 5 Pro and Freeway 5 Express. A limited number of free passes are also available. Both products will be available for a special price at the show. Famous...
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Article: The Complete Guide to Backing Up your iTunes Library
The single most common question we get from our readers by far is how to recover their content from their iPod back onto their computer. These questions are usually precipitated by users suddenly discovering that their iTunes library has become corrupted or erased, or that their computer has suddenly died on them. Although we've covered the process of recovering your content from your iPod extensively in our tutorial on Copying Content from…
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Rumors of iTunes' DRM demise may be greatly exaggerated
There have been rumors that Apple will announce DRM-free tracks from the three biggest music labels today, essentially eliminating DRM from iTunes music. However, others believe that such a deal won't be happening just yet, and probably not before the end of the year.Read More...
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Yahoo Needs an Experienced Brawler
Former Vodafone head Arun Sarin may or may not become Yahoo's next chief executive, as the Wall Street Journal is reporting today, but one thing is for sure: he's no Jerry Yang. In fact, he may be the Anti-Yang. Sarin's reputation as a tough, military-trained former boxer stands in stark contrast with Yang's image as a cerebral, mild-mannered software engineer. The 54-year-old Sarin was recently praised by India's Economic Times for his "near-legendary pugnacious ability to stand up to sustained battering," a quality that could very well be required of Yahoo's next chief executive.
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9 iPhone Puzzle Games to Keep You Entertained
Continuing with our round up of iPhone/iPod touch apps, here are 9 puzzle games (in no particular order) worth checking out. Each item on the list links to a full review with feature and pricing information. Quordy Find the most words, get the high score. Smiles Two games in one. Play the Drop mode for Bejeweled-like game play or the Zen mode for a Solitaire-esque game. Spin Rotate the object to match the silhouette. Puzzloop Endless Fend off a non-stop barrage of colored balls. MetaSquares Compete against the computer or another player in capturing the most squares. Dizzy Bee Use your touch device's accelerometer to control Dizzy Bee and save its fruit friends. Lumen Use mirrors and colored filters to guide a laser beam through check points. Imangi It's Scrabble meets the Rubick's cube. Amazing Sudoku A flashy, stylized version of the cult game. Concentric Hosted IT Solutions and Web Hosting Click here to save cost on your IT demands
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Apple should add books to the iTunes Store
With Tribune Company’s announcement yesterday that it is seeking bankruptcy protection it’s hard to find much good news in the world of print publishing these days. One glimmer of hope is the migration of traditional media from atoms to bits. The combination of rising cost and the worldwide economic slowdown are forcing print publishers to find [...]
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Instaviz - shape recognition and automated graph layout on the iPhone
Posted by Dave MertenPixelglow Software today announced Instaviz, a new graph sketching application for the iPhone. Instaviz turns roughly sketched shapes and lines into aesthetically pleasing graphs, great for drawing concept maps and flowcharts, or just simple note-taking and brainstorming. Instaviz features two functions new to the iPhone platform: advanced shape recognition and...
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ReaddleDocs
Take your work home or your home to work. The future is confusing.read more
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Navicat Holiday Offer: MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL DB management tools
Posted by Dave MertenNavicat is celebrating the holidays this year by offering a discount on all its Database Administration Tools for a limited time. The 2008 Holiday Discount allows customers to buy Navicat products at 20% discount off and is available through December 15. Customers can enjoy up to 50% discount off by...
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Free help desk software announced by Web Help Desk
Posted by Dave MertenWeb Help Desk, a cross-platform help desk software solution, announced a Free Edition for small business, K-12 institutions, and small government organizations. The Free Edition has no trial period or expiration date, is completely free from ads, and includes one full year of help desk software upgrades.
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MoneyWell 1.4 for Mac released with direct downloads, new UI
The latest version of Mac personal finance application MoneyWell is out. New features include direct downloads from your bank, better importing capabilities, and a new UI.Read More...
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Adobe InDesign CS4
Live preflighting highlights potential problems as you work. read more
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Toggle 'Show Cover Page During 2-up' in Acrobat
When viewing book PDFs with the facing-pages (two-up) view option, one usually wants left-facing pages to be on the left so that spreads are viewed as they would be in a printed copy. Unfortunately, Acrobat 8 often defaults to the opposite. This simple AppleScript toggles the View menu option Show Cover Page During 2-up:--Toggle 'Show Cover Page During 2-up' optiontell application "Adobe Acrobat Professional" activate tell front document tell application "System Events" tell process "Adobe Acrobat Professional" tell menu bar 1 tell menu bar item "View" tell menu 1 tell menu item "Page Display" tell menu 1 click menu item "Show Cover ...
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Prevent HDMI signal drops from Apple TV to Samsung TV
If you have a Samsung LCD TV and an Apple TV connected to it, it's possible you'll occasionally lose the HDMI signal from the Apple TV -- in particular when you turn off/on the TV. I corrected this problem on my set as follows (thanks to Marco in Apple's Discussion Forum for the help). Note that you'll have to access the Service Menu on your TV.IMPORTANT: Be careful! This Menu has very important parameters which you should not change at all. You could 'brick' your TV if you change the wrong parameter!Turn off the TVIf you have a 52" Series 6 model (my case), press 'Mute -- 1 -- 8 -- 2 -- Power.' If you have a Series 5 model, try 'INFO MENU MUTE POWER.'The TV will start and you will be in the service menu (give it a few extra seconds to get there).Using the arrows/enter buttons, go into 'Option Table (Service)'Turn off the following parameters: hotplug and hotplugctr.
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Rescue garbled attachments sent from 10.4 to Gmail
There seems to be some issue with the way IMAP in Gmail handles attachments sent via Tiger's Mail.app -- they often appear as generic "mime-attachments" with no apparent way to decode them on the receiving end. While I'm not sure of where exactly the problem is being introduced, I have found a way to rescue these attachments.The key comes from this hint. However, trying to use openssl on the mime-attachment will fail until you remove the headers. You need to delete the parts above the encoded data that look like this:--Apple-Mail-3-1071339734Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64Content-Type: application/applefile; name=file.docContent-Disposition: attachment; filename="file.doc" Take note of the filename, and then use it in the command referenced in the earlier hint like this:openssl base64 -d -in mime-attachment -out file.doc[robg adds: I ...
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New Tap Tap iPhone game includes tracks by Moby, Daft Punk
Tapulous, the maker of the Tap Tap Revenge iPhone game, has been working with EMI to launch a new game, Tap Tap Dance. Think Moby, Daft Punk, the Chemical Brothers, and Basement Jaxx. A digital soundtrack for the game will be available on iTunes as well.Read More...
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New Package helps Mac owners make cash in any economy
Posted by Dave MertenMillard Grubb and Backyard Gazette Publishing have released a new product for Mac owners that will help make their Christmas a little brighter. Macintosh Cash: Confessions of a Die-Hard Mac Entrepreneur looks at using a Macintosh specifically to grow an information business right from your home. This package explains how...
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News: Tunewear unveils iPod nano 4G cases, mobile charger
Tunewear has introduced two new cases for the fourth-generation iPod nano, along with a new car charger. The Prie Ambassador for iPod nano 4G is a leather case featuring a removable hook that doubles as a stand, velvet interior lining, open access to the headphone jack, Dock Connector, Click Wheel, and hold switch, and an included Tunefilm screen protector. Available in black or white leather with a variety of stitching colors, the Prie Ambassador…
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Latest Mac OS X 10.5.6 developer build brings over 100 fixes
Just when we thought it was safe to begin relentlessly pounding Software Update's refresh button in anticipation of 10.5.6, our bubble gets burst. At least it's for a good cause.Read More...
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mophie's iPhone 3G Juice Pack unboxed and tested: high marks all around
Curious to know if your Benjamin will be well spent on mophie's iPhone 3G Juice Pack? TestFreaks is out to make sure you have an accurate answer to that, and judging by their report after two solid weeks of usage, the response is an emphatic "yes." Not only was the device sleek enough to not be incredibly cumbersome, but it actually performed as advertised. Reviewers were able to get their iPhone 3G from near-death to fully charged (twice!) on a single mophie charge, leading them to conclude that it "basically doubles the run time of the iPhone 3G" in a worse case scenario. Granted, even they couldn't overlook the particularly large price tag, but if you've been running bone dry with any level of frequency, we suspect the asking price won't matter nearly as much.[Thanks, Kristofer]Filed under: Cellphones, Peripheralsmophie's iPhone 3G Juice Pack unboxed and tested: high marks all around originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Scandyna Speakers intros $300 retro-inspired iPod Pink Dock Pack
Scandyna Speakers isn't pushing out just another iPod dock with its Pink Dock Pack, as evidenced by the retro-inspired design, $300 price tag and a sales deal with Saks. The set includes a stylish pink motif, 2 x 15-watt Class T amplifier, stereo line output, dock inserts to fit a variety of dock-connecting iPod models, a remote and a pair of Micropod SE speakers. Call us crazy, but we're guessing these would sell quite a bit better if that PMP there was included and we could purchase one in a color not called pink. Full release after the break.Continue reading Scandyna Speakers intros $300 retro-inspired iPod Pink Dock PackFiled under: Peripherals, Portable AudioScandyna Speakers intros $300 retro-inspired iPod Pink Dock Pack originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Keyboard Maestro 3.5
Remote control your Mac from your iPhone using Keyboard Maestro’s new iPhone companion program. I’ve been beta testing it — works like a charm. ★
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Backblaze Online Backup Service
These days our lives revolve around our computers — for better or worse. We keep our finances there, photos, purchased music, and much much more. It seems like a no brainer that we should all be backing up our data regularly, but it still surprises me how often I hear from a friend that they've lost everything. I've written about the importance of backups before — illustrated by my own dead drive experience – so don't write this off as something that can't happen to you. All you need to backup your computer is software, external storage space, and the will to set the two up. From my experience, the last of the three represents the greatest barrier to entry. Whether it be a lack of understanding or possibly a fear of how to setup the actual backup, and which files to choose for inclusion, I'm not sure — maybe both? Well friends, I present you with Backblaze. For $5 per month (that's the price of Starbucks for one day after all!) you have an internet based exclusion (that means you only choose what NOT to save) backup solution with unlimited storage space. That's correct — there is no limit to the amount of data you backup with Backblaze. Ever. Your data is stored securely (via AES, military grade encryption) in the 365 Main datacenter, and can be further protected with your own private password. Versions are kept for 4 weeks in the event you overwrite something accidentally. And then when it is time to retain your backed up files, you have three options for doing so: Download a zip file, have DVDs burned of your data, or order a USB drive to be sent to you. (more…) Concentric Hosted IT Solutions and Web Hosting Click here to save cost on your IT demands
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Volitans Software announces 'Holiday Hard Drive Giveaway'
Posted by Dave MertenVolitans Software today announces a Holiday Hard Drive Giveaway. In the spirit of the holidays, Volitans Software is giving away one free hard drive to a lucky winner. The winner will have the choice between a 1.5TB desktop hard drive or a 500GB laptop hard drive. To enter, fill out...
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The best mice aren't always mice
Dan Frakes uses the mouse's 40th anniversary as an excuse to, ahem, point out his favorite mice and mouse alternatives.
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News: iHome rolls out Color Changing iH15W Stereo for iPod
iHome has introduced its new iH15W LED Color Changing Stereo System for iPod. The iH15W features a built-in iPod dock on top, two Reson8 stereo speakers, a passive subwoofer, a line input for connecting other audio sources, and four color change settings for the translucent cabinet. Users can select a single favorite color, or let the iH15W cycle through multiple colors. The iHome iH15W is available now and sells for $60. ...
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Visual phrasebook released for iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersJourist Verlag in Hamburg now offers travelers an illustrated phrasebook that can be used with their iPhone and iPod touch. The phrasebook turns both Apple devices into an interpreter that users can use abroad to communicate with the locals without needing any language skills at all.
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A Mac Lovers Favorite Gift Guide
Still searching for that perfect gift for your favorite Mac user? The 2008 TidBITS Gift Guide is a Christmas list with a twist.
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Rumor: iTunes music to go DRM-free today
A report originally published by French technology site ElectronLibre says that Apple will spark new interest in its music store by removing DRM from tracks published by Sony, Universal and Warner on December 9th – which is today. AppleInsider notes: The site doesn’t point to specific sources but is careful to note that Apple is moving cautiously [...]
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Real People Reviews: ZOOM H2 handy recorders
Posted by Daniel EastIf you are a musician, public speaker, or even recording lectures and presentations, good quality recordings are far easier than ever before. New compact devices offer better quality with the technologies available today to record on anything from your phone to your MacBook and beyond. A far cry from the...
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Cramer's Stop Trading! Apple Calls Wal-Mart (12/8/09)
Stocks discussed on Jim Cramer's Stop Trading! TV program, Monday December 8. Is Disney (DIS) Moving Too Fast? Cramer said Monday's rally was due to short covering and “Obama magic.” However, he said 10% jumps are “wearing on me” and some stocks like Disney are moving too far too fast.
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Apple: Trading on the Cheap
At Valuecruncher we have looked at Apple (AAPL) twice over the last six-months. In June, with the $AAPL share price at US$186.10, we produced a valuation of US$146.70. Then in September with the $AAPL share price at US$131.05 we had a valuation of US$163.98. We are now in early-December and $AAPL has continued to head south - with the market generally. $AAPL is now trading at US$94.00 - just over half the price we first looked at in June. We felt it was time to revisit the valuation of $AAPL from an intrinsic value perspective - and most importantly the assumptions that we are using. We have also completed some high-level comparator analysis looking at the current price of $AAPL against some broad peers using a range of metrics.
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WinMagic launches SecureDoc full-disk encryption for Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersWinMagic has launched SecureDoc for Mac. It lets you deploy enterprise-class full-disk encryption throughout an organization to protect all data stored on Mac systems running Mac OS X 10.4.x and 10.5.x
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The iPhone's Red-Hot Branding Iron
Stumped for a Christmas present? Target suggests giving that iPhone a shake. A new Target-branded downloadable application for the Apple handset lets users search for gifts in the Minneapolis-based retailer's database. Select a gender and age and then agitate the iPhone to activate its internal accelerometer. Presto -- the "Target" app provides a gift tip, via a nifty snow-globe effect. Target is among a stampede of corporations, celebrities and other prominent entities lending their names to iPhone apps, which typically also work on Apple's iPod touch.
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Amid recession, developer finds hope in the Apple App Store
Dennis Hescox has been around the games industry for years. Now, as the economy founders, he is trying to turn to iPhone games as a way to make a living. The challenges are huge.
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Time for an Apple ebook reader?
Posted by Dennis SellersI've long been a proponent of more Apple support for ebooks, perhaps in some sort of next-gen, iPod touch inspired device.
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Cellphone vendors could exit business if economy remains bleak
Prince McLean, AppleInsider Mobile phone makers are sounding alarms to their investors cautioning that mobile sales are down and likely to only get worse in 2009. However, Apple’s iPhone is uniquely positioned within the safer smartphone market, a segment that is expected to continue to grow next year. Cellphone vendors could exit business if economy remains bleak
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Zagat To Go '09
Zagat To Go gives you the low-down on where to ho-down.read more
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Mac OS Ken: 12.09.2008
Rumor from Europe on DRM-Free iTunes Moves Today / CNETâs Sandoval Takes a Mallet to the DRM-Free Rumors / Reuters, NY Post: iPhone Headed to Wal-Mart by End of December / Deutsche Bank: iPhone/iPod Touch to Grab 30% Portable Gaming / Market Share in 2008 / Global Equities Research: Apple to Intro New Class of Device in 2009 / CNETâs Krazit: Nuts to the Global Equities Non-Rumor / Broadcom Announces 802.11n Combo Chip for Smartphones in 2009 / Acer Plans Acer Branded Smartphone / Google Adds AdWords to âRealâ Mobile Internet Browsing / December 9th, 1968: The Mouse and Hyperlinks Go Public
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The Mac Night Owl: 'The Night Owl's favorite Mac'
Posted by Dennis SellersOn today's commentary, Gene “Mac Night Owl” Steinberg talks about his favorite Mac.
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SemantiNet announces support for Yahoo! Fire Eagle and Yahoo! search BOSS
Posted by Dennis SellersSemantiNet, which makes Semantic technology—has announced that its headup Semantic Web plug-in now supports the new Fire Eagle and BOSS (Build your Own Search Service) technologies from Yahoo!.