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- In Pursuit of Quality: The Apple "Fanboi"
For quite a while (heck, pretty much forever), the knock on Apple has been that it’s overpriced, that the same thing can be had for much less elsewhere.
A much more recent complaint is that somehow Apple never gets any critical reviews, it’s all just shoddy reporting. A couple of big hitters on the other side have jumped on this latest argument. I’ll leave it for others to attack the attackers, so to speak, but I believe it gives the topic more credibility than it deserves, and leads down a path that neither side can possibly “win” anyway.
What’s especially funny is that the day after Paul Thurrot’s screed he published a two-part review of Microsoft’s Windows Live Essentials proclaiming it to be “awesome” and “excellent.” These are just the mail, chat, etc. apps recently unbundled from Windows. I’ve been running them for a few months now. They’re OK, but there’s nothing particularly special here. If they’re “awesome,” then their Mac equivalents must be super duper, fantastic, magical, and other-worldly. It’s funny how Paul railed against “bad reporting” and a company having “too many friends in the media,” yet then provided examples of both in a review that gave four stars to what’s essentially the old Outlook Express app with a facelift and botox. Bad reporting, indeed.
Concern About Being Labeled a “Fanboi”?
Getting back to the whole “fanboi” thing, one of the more recent Apple hardware introductions is their LED 24″ monitor. While I’ve seen great reviews of it, they’re frequently tempered with an almost apologetic tone, as if the author is sorry he’s not slamming Apple for an overpriced fashion accessory.
I swear, every time I read an article that begins something like “I’m not an Apple fanboi, but…” I want to puke. What’s with the disclaimer? What are you afraid of? Being branded? Paul Thurrott writing bad things about you? Dan Lyons yelling at you? Please. Do you like the product or not? For Pete’s sake show some backbone and stop whimpering already.
It seems to me such disclaimers try to fend off the “fanboi” label, or to appear as not lacking objectivity (some articles nit-picking Apple masquerade as “proof” of the latter). As if simply by praising an Apple product you must be in the RDF, worship Steve Jobs, be incapable of critical thought, etc. You know, the kind of name-calling we thought we’d left behind on the third-grade playground.
Apple Quality
The truth is, if you like an Apple product or service or, heaven forbid, buy one, Apple-bashers will label you a “fanboi” regardless of your protestations to the contrary. It’s what they do. Trying to be pro-active about it won’t help; I think it just makes the writer sound wishy-washy.
Apple quality and value are not that hard to find for those who look. Whether they matter to you is another thing altogether. Different people want different things. But to state that, say, Dell, is making the exact same thing at half the price is laughable.
For example, some claim a Dell monitor’s 8ms response time makes it better than Apple’s monitor at 14ms. The problem with such a simplistic comparison is that manufacturers typically don’t even specify the standard they used to derive the spec, and where they do it’s usually the “easier” grey-to-grey measurement. Comparison of response times are generally meaningless, and there’s more to a monitor than a single number anyway.
Apple’s 24″ LED Display
What matters, obviously, is the product itself. Apple’s 24″ LED is getting glowing (heh, pun intended) reviews. If you haven’t compared such screens side by side, have you been in an electronics store and had the chance to look at LCD TVs? Ever wonder why two screens of the same size and “specs” can look so different? It’s the total package, it’s engineering, it’s sweating the details. Apple does this. You do not have to appreciate it. You don’t even have to be willing to pay for it. But you’ll forgive me if I’m unmoved by the name-calling. You have your criteria, and I have mine.
Apple’s monitor also includes:
- Single-cable for a dock-like connection to the unibody Macs
- Speakers and “subwoofer”
- Microphone and web cam
- USB ports
- It’s LED, with the attendant advantages of “instant on” and energy savings
And there’s also Apple’s great customer support, and support system of the Apple Stores, to consider. The total experience of all this is quite compelling.
Another example of Apple’s differing approach to quality is to consider the recent move by many manufacturers to the 16:9 screen ratio (cheaper due to being used in TVs) that further reduces the already too-small vertical size of a screen. Dell and others are bringing many of these to market, but I was happy to see that with the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and LED display Apple resisted that temptation, staying with the 16:10 ratio. Yes, it means Dell is introducing still cheaper monitors, but they display less for the same screen size.
Conclusion
It would be wrong to see this article as a slam on Dell or others. I’m not saying Dell’s hardware is crap. By most accounts they’ve made hardware representing decent value for years. I couldn’t care less if anyone who is primarily price-sensitive went that route. After all, price is a very valid criterion.
However, unlike what the Apple-bashers seems to think, this is not all or nothing. There’s no reason to believe that in order to praise Apple’s value proposition I must denigrate the other guy’s. That’s the whole point. I’m saying there is value (frequently a lot of it) in Apple’s offerings. The idea that those who go that route are just “rich,” or in the RDF, or “fanbois,” or “smug,” or not technical enough to know better, and on and on, is pure BS.
Sticks and stones, people. Sticks and stones. I’m well-versed in both sides and have no turf to defend. Buzz off. I’ll make no apology for what I like or the criteria I use.
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Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Reading Between the Lines: Some Takeaways From Apple's Q1 2009 Conference Call
Apple’s quarterly earnings call is primarily a retrospective affair. They report their numbers for the previous quarter, discuss strengths and weaknesses (and what made them strengths and weaknesses), and spend a little bit of time talking about how they plan on continuing and repeating success next time out. In the end, the only clear message they present is that they’ll keep doing what’s working, and improve on what isn’t. At the same time, they’re dropping hints about the future. Here are some of those hints, and what I think they mean.
We Love the $199 Price Point
On the subject of iPhone pricing, Tim Cook, Apple COO standing in as CEO while Jobs is recuperating, made clear that their $399 and $199 price points were working well for the company. Quite specifically, he emphasized the company’s love for the $199 price point, which is clearly leading to high sales numbers. Interestingly, he didn’t talk about storage size, just pricing.
We could see a pricing move based on strong sales and a shrinking consumer smartphone market that may result in a $199 price point for the 16GB iPhone to stimulate sales. Whether this also leads to a lower cost 8GB phone or a 32GB model, I can’t guess, but we will mostly likely see a pricing change when sales start to dip.
We Have Some Ideas, But Right Now We Think Those Products Are Inferior
The netbook saga/flirtation/denial continues. They’re spot on about the hardware deficiencies when they point out that the keyboards on these devices are still too small, and about the software not being well-tailored to the platform as of yet. Which shows that they’re thinking much more deeply about those issues than the offhand remarks would seem to suggest.
Make no mistake, Apple is developing a device for this space. And they’ve targeted the specific issues their competitors have so far failed to address, which means they probably intend to come to the market late but with a superior product. This could be the reason they sought to separate “OS X” from the “Mac” moniker, if they’re preparing a version of the OS specifically designed to run on netbook hardware.
We Feel Extremely Good About Our Product Pipeline
This comment was made in reference to their projections about iPhone seasonality. They also made a followup comment noting that Apple has fear in terms of the danger of the economy affecting smartphone adoption, considering the higher monthly rates that come with them.
References to the product pipeline in this context are extremely tantalizing. What does Apple have in its pocket to offset the threat of smartphone contract prices? Two possibilities come to mind. Either they think that upcoming iPhone iterations will be impressive enough to attract consumers anyway, or they’re planning on moving away from the smartphone market to take advantage of lower contract costs. In either case, references to product pipelines should not be taken lightly.
That’s my take on some of the more salient points of the Q1 conference call, the content of which I reviewed thanks to CNNMoney’s transcript of their live blog of the event. You may think some of my predictions are reaching or far-fetched, but they all come from an analysis of the context within which the statements were made. Whether you agree with me or not, share you own interpretations below.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - ShiveringKittens: iPhone Game Presents Mild Risk of Frostbite
I like puzzle games on my iPhone, and I like Tetris. With that in mind, I approached ShiveringKittens ($2.99, App Store) fairly optimistically since, since it is a puzzle game which resembles Tetris. Certainly, other apps for the platform have used this recipe to great success, like ngmoco’s Topple. Maybe I was making unfair comparisons with outstanding games, but ShiveringKittens left me a little cold.
The game from developer GiantCrayon features, appropriately enough, frozen kittens as the core gameplay component. There are also unfrozen kittens, and kitten-free blocks of ice, too. These three different types of blocks appear at the top of the screen in varying configurations (i.e., “L”-shaped, etc.), and proceed to slowly descend to the bottom of the screen. You can move and rotate the block, with the object of creating groups of five or more unfrozen kittens, at which point those blocks will disappear.
To rid yourself of the remaining blocks, you’ll have to make a solid horizontal row of either type, ie. frozen blocks or frozen kitten blocks. Unlike in Tetris, when a shape hits the bottom of the screen, blocks without any support underneaht do not hang in the air, and instead fall to the lowest level possible.
In theory, it sounds like an interesting enough twist on the basic Tetris concept to keep veteran players interested, but in practice, I found otherwise. Starting out on the easiest possible level, I figured the game would be simple enough to get the hang of. That was not the case.
Right away, I found the mechanics unnecessarily difficult and poorly thought out. Controls were awkward, especially the down swipe, which doesn’t simply accelerate the fall of the piece you’re working with, but sends it directly to the bottom. Getting kitten groups together while still trying to arrange ice blocks and frozen kittens in screen-spanning horizontal lines proved immensely complicated, too much so for the first skill level. I did manage to get a grouping of five kittens eventually, but by that time my screen was so cluttered and disorganized that it would’ve been impossible to dig myself out of the hole I’d created.
In the end, ShiveringKittens is too complicated to be a distraction, and not substantial enough to make me want to meet the significant challenge it presents. I’m not opposed to a good, difficult game, but this one just seems poorly designed, not intelligently tricky. If I were you, I’d take a pass on ShiveringKittens, even if you happen to be a cat person.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Daily Apple: Pencils + Elastics = Fun, Money Talk, and Candy
Make Your iPhone Stand On the Super Cheap - I was very disappointed when I opened up my brand new 3G iPhone and didn’t find a little plastic bit that would hold it up on my desk while I watched movies (this happens all the time). Now I’m less disappointed, since I can prop it up using pencils and erasers.
iPhone Now Used to Help Stutterers - No simple app could accomplish it alone, but entirely reprogrammed iPhones are being used by folks at the Hollins Communication Research Institue to help treat people plagued by persistent, chronic stuttering. The software evaluates and scores coping behaviors taught in therapy.
DopeWars Makeover Brings it App Store Acceptance - Unsurprisingly, App Store reviewers didn’t let an iPhone optimized version of DopeWars make it into the App Store, but developers remained undeterred and took it back to the drawing board and came up with Prohibition 3: Candy Wars. You can probably guess what they changed.
Apple Hinting at Legal Action vs. Palm Over Pre? - Part of the Apple conference call, towards the end, has PC Magazine thinking that Apple may be planning to take Palm to court over their recently released Pre smartphone. In no uncertain terms, Tim Cook says they’ll hunt them down like dogs if it turns out they stole Apple IP.
Conference Call Summary: iPod/iTunes Success - Here’s a good breakdown of what the Apple Q1 fiscal conference call was all about, courtesy of The Washington Post. Also, retail is slowing. No big surprise in this economy. We’ll see next time around how the Steve Jobs
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Updated White MacBook vs. Entry Unibody MacBook
With today’s news about the great update Apple made to the entry white MacBook, there are a couple things to wonder about.
One, of course, is why was the model updated as opposed to being phased out like many thought would occur?
I won’t dwell too much on this, but it doesn’t surprise me that Apple wanted to keep a “low-end” MacBook in the lineup, and of course they’d update it from time to time. As for why they used the newer NVIDIA chipset and graphics, it seems to me that ultimately it becomes cheaper for Apple to use the same guts in the entire lineup. Better negotiating on price due to better volumes, and of course one less old part to deal with.
The bigger issue, to me, is discussing the relative “worth” of the $1,299 unibody MacBook in comparison to the updated white model. This comparison is interesting, and as someone who owns both a white MacBook (one year old) and a new unibody I can offer my personal experiences as well.
Overall View
At first glance there may seem little to choose between them:
- Same 2.0 GHz C2D processor
- Same front-side 1066 MHz bus
- Same NVIDIA 9400M graphics
- Same amount of RAM
This is in fact a significant upgrade to the white MacBook, and at $999 is a great value.
It should be noted that the RAM is actually the slower DDR2 667MHz variety instead of the unibody’s fast DDR3 memory. That difference may come out in benchmarks, but one wonders whether a user would actually notice it. I suspect DDR2 was used because it remains lower cost.
Also note that the white model only employs a 120GB hard drive, which is pretty small by today’s standards. Updates are readily available as build to order components, however. If you get the white model with the same 250GB drive as the entry unibody, then the price delta shrinks to only $150.
Differences
First, for some people there is one thing the white model has that may make it especially appealing:
- FireWire
For those that made a big deal out of its removal from the unibody models, here’s your chance to get the newer technical updates while keeping the FW port.
The remaining differences all fall on the side of the unibody:
- Unibody construction
- Slightly smaller and thinner
- Half a pound lighter
- 30 minutes more battery life
- Mini Display Port
- Much better LED screen
- Glass trackpad
While the slightly smaller dimensions may not mean much, the half-pound weight loss is quite nice. Combined with the bullet-proof nature of the unibody this makes for a more durable machine. For me, the white model feels almost “fragile” to me now.
Extra battery life is always nice, especially when you can pull it off with no weight gain.
I list the mini Display Port as an advantage because this thing can drive up to a 30″ monitor, which the white model cannot do.
As for the remaining two items, I know the unibody’s screen was criticized as not being quite as good as those in the MacBook Air or the MacBook Pro. This was silly to me because why would you compare the new screen to models that cost $500 or more than the unibody? The only thing the new screen should be compared to is the white model’s it replaced, and in this comparision there is no contest.
I frequently have the two models side by side, with the unibody unplugged (and screen therefore somewhat dimmed) and at 90 percent, and it’s still brighter than the plugged in white model at 100% brightness. It’s pretty obvious side by side and, trust me, once you get used to that screen on a day to day basis the while model’s looks even more flat and washed out. No, the white does not have a crappy screen, but the unibody is a vast improvement.
As for the glass trackpad, I can’t even begin to tell you how frustrated I am with the old trackpad on the white model now. When I use it my finger just seems to “drag” since it’s nowhere near as smooth. I miss the additional three- and four-finger gestures tremendously, as well as clicking anywhere. Much like with the screen, it was nice at first, but after much day to day use it’s now much more than “nice,” it’s nearly indispensable.
Conclusions
Far be it for me to dole out buying advice since everyone’s needs and budget vary. If a thousand bucks (not an insignificant amount), is your budget, you can get the white MacBook and no longer feel as if you’re buying yesterday’s model. Snap up this model because it represents a great deal.
Further, if FireWire is critical to you, then that may push you in the white’s direction.
However, I believe the $300 delta to the entry unibody is easily justified (remember, half of that is represented by the hard drive alone). In fact, if you’re thinking of the white with a bigger drive, than your budget is already greater than $1,000 and I’d recommend the entry unibody. The refinement of the total package is excellent. As much as I like the white model, I don’t particularly enjoy using it now, the new model is that much better.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Running QuickBooks for Windows on Your Mac
QuickBooks is one of those key business applications that many people who are considering a switch to the Mac are worried about leaving behind. While QuickBooks 2009 for Mac might be the perfect answer for many, others do not want to give up some of the key features of the Windows version.
Intuit provides a list of key differences, and I think the most important ones are the industry-specific editions of QuickBooks Premier, multi-user access, and the ability to create an Accountant’s Copy of your company file. If you need any of those features, then you’ll want to continue to run the Windows version of QuickBooks.
Fortunately, there are several good methods to accomplish this feat that won’t break the bank or leave you pulling your hair out. Just remember that you are still running Windows (with one exception pointed out below). You will need to make sure that you are protected from viruses and spyware. You might be tempted to turn off networking entirely to avoid the anti-virus tax, but QuickBooks receives frequent updates over the Internet and many people use the DirectConnect features to pull down their financial statements through the intertubes as well.
Boot Camp
You can use Boot Camp, a feature of Mac OS X Leopard, to run Windows on your Mac. This solution allows you to shut down your Mac and reboot into Windows natively. You can’t use your Mac applications while Windows is running, though. In this scenario, you are running Windows on your Mac just like you would run it on a PC. Compatibility is excellent because you really are just running Windows. The downside of this approach is that you can’t take your Mac email and documents and easily copy and paste or import that information into QuickBooks. Likewise, it can be hard to get to the Windows files when you are in the Mac side unless you install MacFUSE to read the NTFS filesystem.
CrossOver Mac
CrossOver Mac is a WINE project that tricks some (but not all) Windows software into thinking that it is talking to Windows XP and passes those requests along to Mac OS X. Because of this trickery, it doesn’t work for every application. If you search the compatibility list for “QuickBooks” you’ll see that CrossOver Mac is listed as “known not to work” for the most recent versions. It could be a good choice if you are running QuickBooks Pro 2004, but not if you have already upgraded to 2007 or 2009. Since it runs in Mac OS X, you can still pull information from your email or other documents on your Mac. And since it’s not actually Windows, you don’t have to worry so much about viruses and spyware.
CrossOver Mac is $40 for the Standard version and $70 for the Pro version. A free trial is available to download, but I can’t really recommend it until it is updated to work with the latest versions of QuickBooks for Windows.
Virtualization
Virtualization provides a way to create a virtual machine (VM) where another guest OS can run inside Mac OS X. In contrast to CrossOver, you are actually running Windows inside the VM.
There are three major virtualization packages – VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, and xVM Virtual Box. The convenience of these virtualization solutions is great because you still have access to all your Mac OS X applications and features while the virtual machine is running alongside your other Mac software. You can even hide the Windows desktop and only view the QuickBooks application window itself and use Exposé and all the other cool windowing features of OS X.
While, virtualization is not a good solution for 3D design software or computer games (as these types of software want to talk directly to the hardware rather than a virtual machine), it works great for QuickBooks and is the solution that I recommend to most users. Because you are essentially running two complete OS installs on one machine, it’s best to have at least 2GB of RAM.
One potential benefit of VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop is that they both provide Windows software to convert the entire hard drive of your existing PC into a virtual machine file that you can use on your Mac. This is great if you have a nice, lean Windows install with only the files that you need to bring with you to the Mac. It’s not so great if your PC is having problems and Windows is not running well. You’ll bring all those problems with you when you create a new VM file. If QuickBooks is the only Windows software that you need to run, I would recommend a clean install of Windows, Anti-virus software, and QuickBooks in a brand new VM.
VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop are both $80 and free trials are available to download. xVM Virtual Box is a free solution supported by Sun Microsystems. Be sure to read TheAppleBlog’s take on VMware vs Parallels and our review of Virtual Box.
Remote Desktop Client
Another solution is to continue to run QuickBooks on a PC, but access it over the network from your Mac. Remote Desktop Client from Microsoft provides a simple way to remotely control a PC running Windows XP Pro or Vista Business or Ultimate and it works just like screen sharing in Mac OS X Leopard. The killer feature is local printing so you can make hard copies of QuickBooks reports using a printer that is connected to your Mac. This can be a great solution if you already have a PC running QuickBooks on a required version of Windows and you don’t want to spend any more money on virtualization software. You can still access your Mac applications and documents and transfer information back and forth between the remote PC and the Mac you are sitting at while you work. The downside is that it’s difficult to set up to use over the Internet if you travel away from the PC with a portable Mac. Remote Desktop Client is a free download.
Specific Scenarios
I need to run the multi-user version of QuickBooks.
OK. You definitely need QuickBooks for Windows. What I recommend here is buying a cheap PC and installing QuickBooks for Windows with the “Install Database Server Only” option. This PC will then host your multi-user company file(s) which you can access over your office network from other computers running QuickBooks for Windows. Now you just need to make sure that you put your backup plan in place for the company file(s) hosted on that PC. For licensing, the host computer does not count as a user if it is running in “Database Server Only” mode. Of course, if you already have a desktop PC that is running QuickBooks, you can make that the host by configuring multi-user mode. Just make sure that you leave it turned on with QuickBooks running.
As an alternative, if you already have Windows Small Business Server 2008 in your office, you could set up a second machine as a Terminal Services host and use RDC to open sessions on that machine. That way you don’t even need to install QuickBooks on each computer, just on the terminal services host machine.
I want to backup my QuickBooks data to Time Machine (or MobileMe).
One of the amazing features of Leopard is Time Machine. If you want Time Machine to grab a copy of your QuickBooks for Windows data, then I recommend you use virtualization and then configure QuickBooks to save a backup copy of your company file to a shared folder on the Mac side so it gets picked up by Time Machine. Incidentally, this also works if you are using Backup.app to make offsite copies of critical files in the cloud.
I already have Boot Camp setup and don’t want to spend more money.
Alright, alright. I won’t force you to switch to virtualization, but this is probably the only situation where I would use Boot Camp. You would have a lot more benefits with virtualization (flexibility, convenience, snapshots, accessibility of files in either environment, etc.), but I will let you keep the Boot Camp setup you have already made.
Recommendations
If you need or want to run the Windows version of QuickBooks from your Mac, each of these four methods will help you accomplish that goal. CrossOver is hard to recommend because it will not support the latest versions of QuickBooks. Remote Desktop Client works great if your PC is working fine and is sitting in the same office as your Mac. BootCamp is simple and straightforward and included with Leopard. One important consideration is that Intuit is more likely to support a BootCamp or Remote Desktop solution because you are running Windows natively, either on your Mac with BootCamp or on a PC using Remote Desktop.
Virtualization is by far the most convenient way to take advantage of the best of both worlds. However, support can be hard to come by because you are running an Intuit product in a Microsoft OS inside a 3rd party virtual machine on an Apple computer. That’s four companies that might all try to pass the buck when you have a problem or failure. That said, I’ve found virtualization to be stable, relatively fast, and easy to manage. I love that I can hide the Windows desktop and just look at the application that I need. When I don’t need that application, I can quit the VM and continue to enjoy all the merits of Mac OS X.
Frankly, isn’t running OS X why you bought a Mac in the first place? Now you can still get all your work done and play with the shiny new toys from that store with the ginormous glowing fruit sign. Ahhh, such sweet joy to have your cake and eat it too. Or at least your Mac and QuickBooks for Windows.
Since I recommend virtualization for most users, I have some tips and tricks for you to use that I will share with you. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another helping of advice on how to run QuickBooks for Windows effectively.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - My Book Drive "Turbo" Hardly the Case
In early December of last year, the folks at Western Digital released some new USB/Firewire “Turbo” drivers for their My Book line of external storage devices. There was no mention of this news, nor was there a press release issued from the company.
For my own storage purposes, I own a My Book Pro II (1TB) drive. I use it to backup my audio (iTunes) and video (Sony HD Camcorder) content. This drive is connected to my iMac via FireWire 800.
When I stumbled upon the Turbo Drivers a month ago, I decided to take the risk and install them. There is no readme included with the installer, although from the download page, here is the information Western Digital provides:
“This installer - WDMacTurboDrivers.dmg, contained within the WDMacTurboDrivers.zip file installs custom Western Digital performance based Turbo drivers and drive icons for WD USB and FireWire enabled external hard drives under Macintosh computers.”
So what happened after I installed the drivers? Other than the icon changing (see below), I can’t see any performance benefits. After recently performing a search on the Western Digital support site, here is what I found:
Question:
Why is there no performance gain using the WD Macintosh Turbo Drivers for a My Book Premium II, Pro II, or Studio II while connected by FireWire?
Cause:
The My Book Premium II, Pro II, and Studio II Edition hard drives use a Macintosh based performance driver already included in the Macintosh Operating System. This Macintosh based performance driver has the same performance as the WD Macintosh Turbo Drivers.
Resolution:
There is no resolution for this as there is no performance gain or loss due to the usage of either the Macintosh based performance drivers or the WD Macintosh Turbo Drivers.
OK, who isn’t confused by this explanation from Western Digital? What is the value of creating these custom “turbo” drivers, other than changing the icon? Is it just for branding? Why did Western Digital spend the software development cost to implement a useless driver? In these economic times, I would think that Western Digital would be more cost conscious.
By the way, here is the visual change for the disk icon:
Before:
After:
Impressed by the visual change? I would hope not, but then, we all have different aesthetic values.
Overall, I am pretty disappointed by this offering from Western Digital. My expectations were that I would see improved read/write performance from this driver. Instead, and clearly stated from Western Digital, there is none.
For what it’s worth, I didn’t do any formal speed tests comparing the standard Apple FireWire driver vs. the new Western Digital Turbo driver. I mistakenly fell into the marketing trap of “ooh-faster-from-company-must-be-better-than-Apple-nonsense.”
Thankfully, I have neither seen any impact to my overall system stability, nor any negative impact to the My Book Pro II drive itself. If anyone else has tried these drivers, I would love to hear your feedback and see if you have received any benefit from installing them. Otherwise, you can thank me for being your guinea pig.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - QuickTime 7.6 Released
Get ready QuickTime junkies — Apple is taking care of you. If you check Software Update, you’ll notice a new flavor of QuickTime is available today.
From Apple’s support document, here is what we can expect in this update.
Video:
- Improves single-pass H.264 encoding quality
- Increases the playback reliability of Motion JPEG media
Audio:
- Improves AAC encoding fidelity
- Audio tracks from MPEG video files now export consistently
Application Support:
- Improves compatibility with iChat and Photo Booth
You can download the new version right now via Software Update. Just note that you’ll have to Restart upon completion of installation, as QuickTime is a system component.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Say Cheese: 3 Screen Capture Tools Reviewed
Do you have a need to capture screenshots for personal or work use? If so, you are in luck as the market for these tools is improving. In case you did not know, Apple provides default screenshot capturing within OS X (via command keys) and also provides an enhanced free tool (Grab). However, if you need more control than what Apple provides, you will want to read on and see what else is available to you.
We’ll be taking a look at three different screen capture tools. A longtime standard of mine has been Ambrosia’s Snapz Pro X. Another very popular tool is Plasq’s Skitch. And a short while ago, the folks at RealMac software released LittleSnapper, a new tool that takes a different approach to screenshot capturing.
Let’s take a look at what each tool provides…
Snapz Pro X - $69 (Ambrosia)
This is a very powerful tool, although the UI is a little dated. However, the rich functionality plus simple operation makes it a great choice, depending upon your needs. Of course, the price is very high at $69. However, when you compare the functionality to the price, Snapz Pro X is a great value.
Some of the key highlights for Snapz Pro X include:
- Capture screen, objects (menus, windows) and selection.
- Save your image to a variety of formats (PNG, BMP, etc.).
- Live preview what you are about to capture.
- Add watermarks to the image and change borders.
- Change the bit depth of the image from color to grayscale to black & white.
- Record movies of your clicks for screencasts with voiceovers using your Mac’s microphone.
On the downside, Snapz Pro X neither has any additional editing tools nor the ability to share images to services like Flickr or an FTP site.
Note: I had to use LittleSnapper to take a screen capture of the Snapz Pro X UI. I thought this was strange and thus appropriate to share (Snapz Pro X cannot capture its own UI).
LittleSnapper - $39 (Realmac Software)
LittleSnapper was released in late 2008 to a flurry of pretty positive reviews. The application has a ton of functionality and has a very modern UI. The price is more reasonable than Snapz Pro X, and the initial purchase guarantees free upgrades until version 2.0.
Here is a list of LittleSnapper’s key functionality:
- Capture complete web pages, or capture specific elements (via the HTML DOM).
- Capture screen, objects (menus, windows) and selection.
- Collect, tag and rate images. One of the unique features of LittleSnapper is its ability to organize all of your images, rather than leaving them loose in a folder.
- Edit your images via non-destructive tools. Yes, you can add information (text, arrows, blurring, etc.) without negatively impacting the image itself.
- Share your captured images with others via Flickr or via the QuickSnapper service (included with the product).
As I mentioned, LittleSnapper is very easy to use. It has a rich set of capturing tools for both the web and desktop. The file management features are exceptional, as you can group images by project or by rating. In fact, you can even create smart collections based upon specified criteria.
Compared to Snapz Pro X, this tool is much more modern. However, you can’t capture video/screencasts. Depending upon your needs, this might not be an issue.
Skitch (beta) - FREE (Plasq)
Skitch has been in public beta on the market for a little while now. The folks at Plasq have built a Mac screen capture tool that enables you to send the images to the web via their own service, Skitch.com.
My biggest beef with Skitch is that the UI is just completely non-standard. It’s meant to be fun, and you can argue that it is, although some of it just feels clumsy and busy.
Let’s take a look at Skitch’s core functionality:
- Capture screen, objects (menus, windows) and selection.
- Edit your images with text or drawing. Skitch automatically smoothes any drawing.
- Leverage existing iPhoto images and make edits.
- Share your captured images with others via email, Flickr, MobileMe or Skitch.com (included with the product).
Skitch is still in beta and it is unknown what the price will be once it officially launches. I know a lot of folks who swear by Skitch. However, given the user experience, I did not prefer it.
Conclusion
In researching the apps for this review, I came across many other tools that were either freeware, shareware or commercial. However, many appear to have become abandonware, having not been updated in over a year. So, I focused this review on current offerings.
For the money, I really have to say that LittleSnapper wins in this round-up of tools. When it comes to capturing, managing and sharing screenshots, LittleSnapper really takes the lead on all three fronts. Even though Skitch is free, it is also in beta and its UI is clumsy.
I will say that each company’s web site has excellent visual examples and video tutorials on how to use their respective products. Further, each company also has a downloadable trial, so that you can test the software for yourself before making a purchase.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - White MacBook Gets NVIDIA, Better Specs
They didn’t cry it from the mountain, but Apple this week did indeed update some hardware. Specifically, the 13-inch white MacBook, a holdover from previous models, now ships with the same NVIDIA GeForce 9400M of its bigger, aluminum unibody siblings. Not only that, but it also gets a processor bump up to the 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 1,066MHz frontside bus that’s found in the next model up, and a boost in the base ram up to 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 instead of just one.
Since Apple upgraded the optical drive to an 8x SuperDrive when they originally refreshed the line, the entry-level white MacBook now packs a lot more bang for your buck compared to older models, especially considering the unchanged, $999 price tag. It does still come standard with a 120GB hard drive, which is what you’ll see on a lot of netbooks if you don’t opt for SSD, but a DIY upgrade to a 320GB drive won’t set you back much more than $100, so it doesn’t detract much from the overall value.
Two things that remain in the white MacBook that people may be happy about are the FireWire 400 and Mini-DVI ports. Many users complained about the lack of FireWire in the new aluminum unibody line. The cable standard is useful in transfers that require a steady transfer speed, as from a video camera. Buyers wanting to updgrade from their existing plastic case MacBook will appreciate the use of Mini-DVI, as well, since they won’t have to pay $40 each for new display adapters.
Apple’s decision to upgrade the white MacBook may be related to the difficult selling market, representing a desire to offer consumers a better value proposition. It might also be that they actually listened to the excessive groaning at the launch of the new MacBooks and are trying to reach out to customers who weren’t thrilled about some of the changes. Either way, it’s a good move, and a good deal for those who were holding out for something more affordable.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Preview iPhone Apps With AppTheater
AppTheater is a new site with an interesting concept — provide videos of iPhone/iPod touch applications allowing you to thoroughly preview before you buy. Hundreds of videos are already available, and the site has a respectably wide coverage of most popular App Store games.
The creators of the site provide a little more background about the idea for the site:
How many times have you bought an app on the App Store only to regret it? AppTheater is the premiere video sharing site devoted to iPhone and iPod Touch games. We’re here to promote games and save you money — preview games before you buy them.
How Does the Site Work?
In a very similar way to YouTube, you’re able to browse videos by application category, tag, or through a search facility. Clicking on “Channels” will show all the various categories of application — at present, almost all the videos featured are games, with very few (if any) in other categories such as finance, travel and sports.
This isn’t necessarily a problem, as games are certainly the most difficult apps to appreciate without a video demo — it’s fairly obvious from screenshots how a currency converter or weather application will function when purchased. Links to various apps are included from within the interface, taking you directly to the App Store.
The more you dig down into the site, the less populated and ‘busy’ it would appear to be, with only a few members in various categories. Hopefully this will change as popularity grows and additional applications and filmed and uploaded. As with any socially orientated site, as the user base increases it will have a great deal more value.
I’ll be interested to see how AppTheater expands, and whether it becomes a useful tool for researching iPhone/iPod touch apps before purchase.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Daily Apple: Something for Snipers, Seagate, and Selling Second-hand
Because Sometimes You Have to Wait A Long Time for Your Mark - No more long, boring stakeouts for you would-be assassins. This handy iPod mount for your sniper rifle will let you watch some YouTube, play a game, or check out the scores at the game you’re missing because you have to kill this guy.
Mac Menus For Multiple Monitors - I use my TV as a second display for watching movies, playing games, etc. Which means that not having menus on either one or the other display really cramps my style. Thanks to jkOnTheRun, I now have at least one option, even if it’s not ideal (that would be a top menu on each screen).
Microsoft to Tango With MobileMe - If you want to cut in on a competitor’s territory, the best place to strike is where they’re weakest. Apple knew Vista was disappointing, so they targeted the OS in their ad campaign. Microsoft may have learned that lesson, since they’re set to release a MobileMe competitor.
Seagate Drives Prone to a Slight Case of Not Working - Barracuda series drives that are used in some Apple computers are developing a nasty case of the fails. The good news is that the data can be saved on failed drives. The bad news is that an application which could warn you of imminent failure doesn’t run on Macs.
Apple Now Selling Used Products in China - Apple computers aren’t selling like hotcakes in China, which now represents a major market, even with the global economic turmoil going on right now. They’re probably hoping that offering used/refurb deals will net some more customers.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Quad-Core iMac Now a Stronger Possibility
It may not have arrived at Macworld, as some thought possible, but it looks like we could yet see a quad-core iMac from Apple in 2009.
The rumors have gained renewed strength based on news from Intel regarding new, low power quad-core processors that they’ve just released. The new processors are designed for desktop use, in contrast with the existing low-power notebook chips, and as such would represent a departure for the iMac line, which typically uses mobile processors.
The new Core 2 Quad processors introduced by Intel are low power, but they still use far more energy than the existing Core 2 Duo mobile chips used in current models, and generate far more heat. Intel, however, clearly is thinking about the chips with the iMac or iMac competitors in mind, saying they’re designed for “sleek and cool desktops.” I can’t think of many other machines that fit that description, can you?
Of course, there’s a big difference between wishful thinking on Intel’s part and what Apple will actually do. Even if affordable, do quad-core iMacs make sense from Cupertino’s perspective? Basic logic would seem to suggest that the move from duo to quad-core processors would be a natural next step, but there’s the question of what it would mean for Apple’s clearly delineated product categories.Quad-core iMacs would probably sap some entry-level power users away from the Mac Pro line of desktops, since, if Apple stays true to form, pricing levels will not change with hardware improvements. It is true that eventually the line will probably have to go that way, but Apple generally makes sure that their higher-end products stand enough apart from their more widely appealing computers that corporate buyers for media professionals know where they have to put their money.
As evidence that the quad-core iMacs could indeed be based on these new chips, AppleInsider cites older rumors that suggested Apple was working on new cooling methods for their all-in-one desktop that could handle the excess heat generated by the more power-hungry chips.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Reasons to Stick With QuickBooks for Windows
Yesterday, I looked at QuickBooks 2009 for Mac and while the new version is an improvement in many areas, it does not replace the Windows version in all situations. In fact, there are a number of good reasons to continue to use the Windows version of QuickBooks despite your desire to switch completely over to the Mac. Here are the major reasons to stick with QuickBooks for Windows.
Multi-user QuickBooks
If you have multiple people in your company that need access to QuickBooks (maybe AR, AP, controller, CFO or CEO) then you have to use the Windows version. The Mac version simply does not support multiple users. Period. You could also consider using the online version of QuickBooks, as long as you can live with the limited feature set.
QuickBooks Premier
QuickBooks Premier is really five industry-specific flavors of QuickBooks: Contractor, Manufacturing & Wholesale, Nonprofit, Professional Services, and Retail. If you need the extra features to support these industries, then you will only find them on Windows. Some of the features are pretty compelling, so I would recommend you take a hard, long look at the product description before you pass on Premier.
Inventory Assemblies
The big example that gets trotted out whenever this discussion comes up is the additional inventory tracking options in QuickBooks Premier. Specifically, you can create and track “assemblies” in Premier that consist of other items that are assembled to make a product. The benefit of assemblies is that you can track the components and either combine them into assemblies or break them apart into individual items for sale as needed and QuickBooks will still keep an accurate count of all your inventory, and help you prepare the correct invoices for these items.
QuickBooks Premier Accountant Edition
If you are a CPA or an accountant for hire that supports several firms, then you have to get the Windows version. Intuit has a special version of QuickBooks Premier Account Edition available just for you that allows you to easily work with multiple companies and prepare all the reports and statements that your clients may need.
Payroll
Do not be misled here. Intuit gives a blanket warning about payroll to people considering switching to the Mac version. The real truth is that you cannot use Intuit’s Payroll Service that is fully integrated with the Windows version of their software. You can use QuickBooks Payroll for Mac to accomplish the same thing. However, if you are committed to Intuit’s service, you will want to stick with the Windows version of QuickBooks.
Merchant Services
QuickBooks for Windows allows you to process credit cards directly in the application. This feature is not available in the Mac version. If you are using Intuit’s Merchant Account Services, then you will want to stick with the Windows version.
Online Bill Pay and Funds Transfer
Again, this is a feature that is built in to the Windows version that is not available directly inside the Mac version of QuickBooks. There are a number of other ways to pay bills online through your bank’s website or CheckFree, etc. You just need to decide how much you like Intuit’s service and if you want the convenience of accessing this service and scheduling payments from QuickBooks itself (admittedly, a great convenience).
So Now What?
You have looked over the list and you have found that you had better keep using QuickBooks for Windows. Do not despair! The options for running the Windows version have increased significantly over the last couple years and it is fairly simple to do this from your Mac. Tomorrow, I will start a two-part series explaining the different options to run QuickBooks for Windows on your Mac. I can promise that one of those options will meet your needs and you will be able to keep the best of both worlds.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Mac Clones Revisited: Some Companies Know the Difference
I wrote earlier about Mac clones and where Apple may draw the line. A recent example I gave of the sheer bravado of the cloners was the story of EFI-X USA selling a dongle with PCs as pseudo-Mac clones. The company that supplies the dongle did not approve of this, and I mentioned in my article how EFI-X USA admitted as much.
Well, today comes a report that the company making the dongle (Arts Studios Entertainment Media) has officially severed ties with EFI-X USA as their North America distributor. According to the article:
The whole situation was triggered when EFI-X USA LLC (unrelated to ASEM as a company) started peddling generic PCs with pre-installed OS X and the EFI-X dongle. This upset ASEM which sought to block the American shop from selling machines. A falling out of sorts ensued and, as of the 12th of January, ASEM has come forward and denounced the EFIX USA business model as breaching its NDA and terms & conditions.
Good for them. As they had shown before, they see a difference between selling an item for a one-off Mac installation on PCs, and wholesale distribution of what are essentially Mac clones. As explained in my post, Apple has little history of going after one-off “Hackintoshes,” but are not likely to stand around while anything resembling a ready-made Mac is being sold to the public at large.
Keep in mind that the dongle in question is still available. ASEM has simply picked a more, shall we say, ethical, distributor:ASEM has appointed a new EFI-X partner in the US. It’s named Express HD, a newly-founded hardware etailer that’ll take over selling ASEM’s EFI-X UEFI dongle.
Lest there be any doubt this was a case of ASEM knowing the difference between enabling a thing, and selling it ready-made as a “Mac,” comments from ASEM’s CEO should make it clear:
Not peddling hardware pre-installed with OS X and not pitching itself as a competitor to Apple is what sets the EFI-X apart from the likes of Psystar and other clone makers, says [ASEM CEO David] Rutigliano.
Exactly.
Obviously, I don’t know what Apple’s future intentions are regarding the practice of bypassing the Mac OS X EULA and installing it on non-Apple hardware. Maybe at some point they’ll decide ASEM’s dongle makes it a little too easy, and try to shut it down as well. But I tend to think they won’t, certainly not anytime soon, and will continue to focus their efforts on the Psystars of the world.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - A Unibody MacBook, VMware Fusion, and Windows 7 Beta
A couple of days ago I installed Windows 7 beta (32-bit, Ultimate version) on my 13″ unibody MacBook, and I thought I’d recount my installation experience in case some of you are curious how the other half (OK, the other 95 percent) live.
Alas, this exercise afforded little opportunity to dazzle anyone with my technical acumen. I have no stories of incompatible hardware (even my five-year old HP printer is fine), no BSODs, no failed installations. Heck, I can’t even brag about hitting up Microsoft’s knowledge base and then going to the four corners of the Internet to download various drivers to make it all work.
Make no mistake, I was still in the Windows world, and got a reminder of that pretty quickly, which I’ll explain shortly, but the bottom line is this was about as uneventful an installation of Windows as you could ask for.
Here’s how I installed:- Hit the MS web site and download the beta. It comes in the form of an ISO image file. As an aside, MS warns you that it may take “many hours” to download the file — it’s 2.44 GB. Ha! They laughed at me when I ponied up extra dollars each month for Cox Cable’s special premium high-speed connection. The fools! Who’s laughing now? Thirty-seven minutes for the download.
- In VMware 2.01 create a new virtual machine. My existing VM is Windows XP, which Windows 7 will not upgrade, but I didn’t want this beta software on the existing machine anyway. Hey, it’s beta folks, the beauty of VM is you can have a new “PC” whenever you want it. For the new machine I chose Windows 2008 Server as the “base.” I used the ISO file as the installation media.
- I did not choose the Easy Install option. I suspected a scripted easy installation might not work until VMware has a bona-fide Windows 7 option. Since I was using Windows 2008 Server as a surrogate, I figured I’d just handle the install prompts myself.
- Replied to the usual prompts, and the installation took off. It was done in under 40 minutes.
- Installed the VMware Tools.
That’s really it. After this was done I changed the desktop to 1280 x 800 and ran it full screen. Internet, sound, trackpad, graphics, all just worked. I didn’t even have to configure my printer, it was just there as my default. Smooth.
For those who didn’t know, Microsoft has unbundled the basic mail, chat, photo, etc. software from Windows 7. Therefore the installation is pretty spartan. So the first thing you should do is download the Windows Live Essential apps to fill that gap. I’ve been running these in beta on XP for quite a while, and they were taken out of beta status just a couple weeks ago.
It was at this point I hit my first snag. I used VMware to share my Mac’s Pictures folder, and then pointed Windows Live Photo Gallery to that share. It created a couple picture thumbnails, and then froze. I could force quit the app, but every time I opend it it would try to process the share, and freeze.
So I removed the share, thinking the app would balk at it being missing and I could just get rid of the reference. Nope, it still tried to handle the share and would freeze. Bummer.
OK, I uninstall the app and re-install it. Sadly, it remembered the share and still froze.
So I dug into the Registry to see if I could find where the string for this share was stored within the photo app so I could delete it manually. It was at this point I really remembered I was in WIndows. Put simply, the registry blows. Anyway, my searches turned up negative so I needed to take another tack.
I re-established the share and decided to try using the brief delay between the app opening and when it tries to process the share to delete it via the app’s interface. I couldn’t quite right-click the share and hit Delete fast enough on the first two tries, but on the third I got it. Now all is well.
While the registry serves as a Windows reminder, I don’t really blame anyone for this issue. Is it the VMware share? Is it Win 7? Is it the photo app? It doesn’t matter much since right now VMware does not claim support for Win 7, and I’m sure it’s not yet a tested config for Microsoft either. For what it’s worth, I’m using another VM share for a folder between the Mac and the VM machine in Windows Explorer with no problems, so it may be the photo app.
The only other glitch I had was that after a few hours that first evening, I lost sound. I tried rebooting and a couple other things, but it was getting late and I resolved to tackle it the next day. However, the next day (yesterday) it was working again, and has been since.
So what’s it been like in use? My short time so far with Win 7 has been positive. I do not have the Aero “see-through” windows or previews (the VM graphics do not support them), but even lacking those the interface is decent. Hovering over an app in the dock taskbar pops up the names of the windows (or tabs in IE), and overall response seems to be close to my XP SP3 VM.
As I get more familiar with Win 7 in comparison with Mac OS X and Win XP I’ll likely post more bits and pieces of my experiences. For now, however, I’m off to a good start.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Serial No Longer Required for iWork '09
Interestingly, Apple has made the decision to no longer require a serial number for the retail copy of iWork. It doesn’t require any online activation, and — in the same fashion as iLife — would seem to have no piracy prevention as such.
Apple notes that:
iWork ‘09 retail boxes no longer come with a serial number. Install iWork ‘09 from the enclosed disc and you’re ready to go.
Obviously a serial is still required if you choose to download and activate the iWork trial via the Apple website.
Though retail versions of iWork ‘09 no longer come with serial numbers, you will need a serial number if you are using the iWork ‘09 trial version and decide to purchase the fully-functional version of iWork ‘09
Potential Reasons Why
There are a number of different reasons why Apple may have chosen to take this route. Firstly, it could simply be that the method of using a serial key is a fairly ineffective anti-piracy tool. Serials soon become widely available online, making it easy to steal the software without purchasing a license.
Secondly it could be that Apple is planning to take iWork down the same route as iLife, bundling the application as standard with a new Mac. This is a move I would have already expected Apple to make, as it’s a logical step towards generating widespread use of their software. When faced with a choice between iWork and Microsoft Office for Mac, consumers are likely to choose the option they are already familiar with. If iWork is bundled for free, however, it is a no-brainer to at least give the software a try before electing to purchase Office.
Why Does This Matter?
It may seem as though this change in policy is a fairly trivial concern, and one not likely to make any difference to you. However, this type of minor shift can tell a story about what is happening behind the scenes at Apple. In this case, they would seem to be accepting that anti-piracy isn’t worthwhile (if people see their software worth stealing, it must be a sign that it’s good!). This puts them in a very different camp to Microsoft, who has been inventing ever more elaborate methods of protecting Windows Vista and Office in recent years.
It will be interesting to see how long companies continue the cat and mouse game of copy protection before accepting that it is a phenomenon of the software world that they will struggle to battle against.
iWork Details
At present, purchasing iWork costs $79, and includes Keynote ‘09, Pages ‘09 and Numbers ‘09. I expect that the price will remain the same for a reasonable period on account of the new version just being released; it could be another year before any move to bundling it with a Mac is considered.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Health Cubby Tracks Realistic Goals
From the coders who brought you Trip Cubby and Gas Cubby (both of which I use weekly), comes Health Cubby.
If you’ve used either of the aforementioned iPhone and iPod touch apps from App Cubby you’re already aware of the kind of data collection they are known for, and the subsequent graphs of that data. After playing with Health Cubby over the past couple of weeks, I can honestly say that it carries on the tradition of quality design.
After some hang-ups in the App Store approval process, Health Cubby is now here to help you track your New Year’s resolutions. But unlike many of the other Exercise/Health tracking applications for the iPhone and iPod touch, Health Cubby focuses on less detail and more realistic goals (more on this later). The feature that makes Health Cubby the most interesting of the Health apps I’ve tried, is the ability to sync your progress with friends, using it as a sort of buddy support system — or bragging rights, if you want to use the built-in messaging feature for such things.
Health Cubby’s trackable metrics are sort of an enigma. On the one hand there are very specific bits of data that you can track, such as weight (obviously), body fat percentage (if you have easy access to that sort of data), and various body part measurements. These are all very specific metrics that will help you have a full understanding of the progress (or lack there of) that you are making in your diet and exercise regimen.On the other side of this coin are Meals and Vices. Tracking meals is just a free form entry of whatever it is you’ve eaten, logging the meal type, a description, notes, and a rating. Vices are the other part — decide how many vices you’ll allow yourself each week, and then log them as you cave. Again, you’ll log the vice type (donuts, fast food, etc) along with a description or note if you see fit. From my perspective tracking such vague details does little good in helping me achieve my goals — I’m more the calorie counting type, but as with anything, your mileage may vary greatly from my own. Of course Health Cubby also tracks your weight exercises and cardio time too.
The true redeeming value of Health Cubby comes with the ability to share your results with friends, and track their progress as well. Whether you’re competing in some sort of ‘Biggest Loser’ competition, or just working out together, it’s a great way to see how the numbers stack up. Of course no App Cubby application would be complete without some snazzy graphs representing the data, and it does this very nicely — both with your personal data, or combined with any friends with which you’re syncing results.
If you prefer to count your calories and know specific numbers from your diet and exercise efforts, Health Cubby probably is not going to be for you. But if you just need to be reminded that you’ve already eaten a dozen donuts and had 15 Big Macs this week, and want to be able to share that with others (so they can either ridicule you or encourage you to enter competitive eating contests), then $4.99 for Health Cubby will be well spent.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - Daily Apple: Magic Keyboard, Giving Spirit, U.K. Tease
Unlocked iPhone 3G Briefly On Sale in U.K. - It was only live for a second, but U.K. site Pixmania advertised today an iPhone for sale, unlocked and SIM-free for £499, which is pretty pricey. But that price buys you freedom to bring the phone to any carrier. The iPhone was pulled minutes later, and it’s not clear whether it’ll ever be back.
Apple Keyboard + iPhone Match Made in Heaven - Gizmodo posted this concept today that makes so much sense it’ll never ever get made. If, and this is asking for way too much, you could also use the keyboard as an input device for the docked iPhone, I would never ask for anything again.
App Store Over the Hill? No, Says One Blog - The more pessimistic folks in the crowd have been saying since Apple reached the 500 million apps downloaded milestone that the App store’s success has peaked. Apple 2.0 provides a nice counterpoint as to why that probably isn’t the case with this article.
The Cost of Exclusivity = $80 Million - Did Apple leave $80 million on the table when they wrote up the contract between themselves and AT&T that prevented them from selling the iPhone to gift-givers over the holidays? That’s the argument over at Ad Age, though they don’t really say Apple made the wrong move overall.
Apple Earnings Call Wednesday - Those who invest more than just time, effort, and emotion into Apple Inc. will want to pay close attention in two days when Apple holds their quarterly earnings conference call for Q1 2009. That’s 5 EST, 2 PST, for those setting their alarms.
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать - BurnAgain FS Updated: Improved Interface and Stability
If you’re in the market for a DVD/CD burning solution for your Mac, you may be interested to hear that Freeridecoding has released an update to BurnAgain FS.
The app is a CD/DVD multisession burning utility for Mac OS X, making it possible to repeatedly change the content of a data CD or DVD directly in the Finder. You can re-mount a CD or DVD as you would a USB drive to add, change or remove files. Disks burned with BurnAgain FS are readable without additional software on all platforms. As BurnAgain FS doesn’t erase the disk each time, changing the content of the media is much faster than burning a new disk.
It provides a great way to make CD burning a whole lot more useful, rather than treating disks as a use-once throwaway commodity.
The update to 1.2 brings several important improvements to the application including interface enhancements that make BurnAgain FS even easier to use, improved handling of file permissions, improved reliability when renaming or moving large number of files, overall improved performance and the option to disable the creation of AppleDouble files.
A few of the highlights cited by the developer include:
- Burn multiple sessions without creating multiple volumes
- Change the content of a CD/DVD like on a hardisk
- Change disk title at each burn
- Preserve Mac file attributes
- Platform independent format
The software doesn’t erase the disk during the burn, it just adds new or changed content and overwrites the removed items to make them inaccessible. While using a little more space, it makes the process of editing and updating files much more efficient. This explains why the app is also able to support CD-R disks as well as CD-RW.
Requirements and Pricing
BurnAgain FS requires OS X Tiger or later, and an Apple supported CD/DVD Writer (it doesn’t necessarily need to be a SuperDrive). It comes in both English and German, priced at $22 for a home license and $48 for a family license (up to 5 installations). Business and educational discounts are also available.
To make sure you find the software useful, the trial download will allow you to test it out with 20 trial burns before requiring you make a purchase. Full details and the download can be found at the app’s website.
I’m interested to hear your thoughts on how useful software such as this is. Does a demand exist for using CD/DVD’s in such a way with inexpensive USB keys now on the market? I wish I’d come across BurnAgain a few years ago before removable storage was so widely available!
Click here to save cost on your IT demandsПереслать
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