Sonnet announces price cut on Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Sonnet Technologies has cut the price on the Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34, a two-port SATA host controller designed for video capture and editing in the field, studio, or office. It’s now being offered for US$199.99 instead of $299.99.

Sonnet drops Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34 price by $100

SATA card supports sustained data throughput of up to 200 MB/sec

Sonnet Technologies has announced that it has reduced the price of its Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34 to $199.95, cutting the price by $100.

Barefeats Tests the NVidia GeForce GTX 285

After XLR8Yourmac, Barefeats also released its test of the new NVidia GeForce GTX 285 Mac Edition. First test performed at high resolution 2560x1600, illustrate the raw power hosted in this card, and makes its shinning more than what we could have imagined it from the test released by XLR8Yourmac.

In summary, the card is the fastest native Mac graphic ard on the market, especially with applications/games relying on open GL 2.0. It appears to be 5 to 25 % faster than the Radeon HD 4870. We have tested our Radeon HD 4890 PC version with the Open GL benchmark, and it ranks second behind the GTX 285 but it is 25 % faster than the HD 4870. However, one should keep in mind that the Radeon HD 4890 Pc version cost 50 % less than the GeForce GTX 285!

For additional details about this test: http://www.barefeats.com/nehal11.html

First Test of the GeForce GTX 285 Mac Edition

XLR8Yourmac published a first test of the NVidia GeForce GTX 285 Mac Edition. In summary, this card is faster than the Radeon HD 4870 for games, however it remains slower for all Apple Pro applications. this is the usual biased results with NVidia graphic cards: poor performance level with Open GL which is mostly used by Apple Pro software.
Overall, the performance gain in games provided by the GF GX 285 is rather limited and we have been a bit disappointed as we were expecting more from this new GPU. Again drivers might help to improve figures, and it could also changed when both cards will be compared on a hardware running Snow Leopard.

June 6 in LEM history

00: A love of simple elegance - Always have a backup plan - 01: From MacPaint to JPEG - 02: Carbon Copy Cloner - 5 free online tools - 03: Macs more flexible, more friendly than PCs - Simulating space flight on a Mac - Internet sharing - 05: Apple going Intel - XLR8 MAChSpeed Control 3.4 squeezes top performance from Macs - 1990-92: The Windows threat - 06: Application switchers for the classic Mac OS - 07: June 2007 MacBook Pro value equation - Lisa's DNA all over modern computing - A whisper quiet notebook drive
Read more [Low End Mac]

Problems with ATI Radeon 3870 with Mac OS X 10.5.7

According to readers from Xlr8yourmac, the Radeon 3870 (retail card sold by ATI) behaves strangely since the recent Mac OS X 10.5.7 update: it is more noisy than with the Mac OS X 10.5.6.
After several tests, some readers identified that one could bring back the noise level to the original one by adding the old set of extension entitled: "ATIRAdeonX2000". If this solution seems to work, we are a bit surprised. Indeed, those extensions have no effect on the fan rotation speed, as it is managed automatically by the graphic card depending on the temperature of the chips. We suspect that the new extension set delivered with Mac OS X 10.5.7 might have a bug at the power management level which could explain such a behavior. Only in-depth tests will allow us to conclude.

EchoFX announces USBVision, Videoglide updates

Posted by Dennis Sellers

EchoFX has released USBVision For Mac OS X 1.4.0 and VideoGlide for Mac OS X 1.4.0—software support for USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 video digitizing devices from Belkin, Dazzle, KWorld, Pinnacle, Plextor, VideoHome, XLR8 and many others.
 

Advisor Products Releases CRM Interface

Advisor Products has unveiled an interface with the XLR8 for Salesforces CRM application.
Read more [TechWeb]

Apple: Final Cut Pro 6.0.6

"...improves real-time playback capabilities with Mac Pro (Early 2009) models and Xserve (Early 2009) models when working with complex sequences or high-bandwidth media formats."
Read more [MacInTouch]

Review: Xserve (2009)

Apple's 2009 Xserve is that rare upgrade that delivers on all fronts: this server is undeniably faster than the previous generation, uses less power, and exudes less heat.That combination doesn’t happen very often.


Read more [Macworld]

Apple: Final Cut Pro 6.0.6

"...improves real-time playback capabilities with Mac Pro (Early 2009) models and Xserve (Early 2009) models when working with complex sequences or high-bandwidth media formats."
Read more [MacInTouch]

IBM, Cray lead Top 500 supercomputer rankings, no sign of Apple

Apple no longer figures in Supercomputer ranking

Just a few years ago, Apple figured in the Top 500 supercomputer list with the Virginia Tech cluster. Now the Mac maker is no where to be seen in the list, announced on Tuesday. Back in July 2006 five of the world's top 500 supercomputers were based on Apple Xserve systems.

Apple Released New Updates

Apple released 3 updates for Time Capsule, AirPort Base Station and Final Cut Pro 6.

Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.4.2

The Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n* Firmware 7.4.2 update provides several fixes, including:

• Fixes some problems with extending and maintaining connectivity with extended networks

• Fixes an issue with clients that enable 802.11 "Power Save"

• Fixes connectivity issues with some third-party devices

• Fixes an issue when the base station is configured for PPPoE

• Fixes some Back To My Mac issues with connectivity and support for third-party routers

Final Cut Pro 6.0.6

Final Cut Pro Update released

Posted by Dave Merten

This update fixes problems with real-time playback in Final Cut Pro with Mac Pro (Early 2009) models and Xserve (Early 2009) models.

Apple updates Final Cut Pro, Time Capsule and AirPort firmware

Apple on Tuesday released Final Cut Pro 6.0.6 to address playback issues on certain Mac Pro and Xserve systems. Separately, the company also issued a bug fix update for Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Stations that include 802.11n support.
Read more [AppleInsider]

Apple details Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date Program

As promised, Apple on Tuesday updated its website with information on how customers purchasing a new Mac or Xserve before the release of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard in September can request a copy of the new operating system for just $10 in shipping and handling.
Read more [AppleInsider]

Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date Program

If you purchased a qualifying system or Xserve on or after June 8, 2009 that does not include Mac OS X Snow Leopard, you can upgrade to Mac OS X Snow Leopard for $9.95
Read more [Applelinks]

Apple announces Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date Program

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Apple has announced its Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-to-Date program. If you purchased a qualifying system or Xserve on or after June 8 that doesn’t include Mac OS X Snow Leopard, you can upgrade to Mac OS X Snow Leopard for US$9.95.

Lithium plug-in set available as 5.0 beta update

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Lithium Corp. has released a beta version of its Lithium Console 5 Lithium is a suite of network, server and storage monitoring applications with support for industry standard SNMP and proprietary monitoring protocols including those used by Apple’s Xserve, Xsan and Xserve RAID devices.The upgrade is compatible with Apple’s upcoming...

What It Would Really Take For Apple To Crack the Enterprise Market

Outside of the iPhone brouhaha, much of the buzz at WWDC today has been about whether the system-level support for Microsoft Exchange e-mail and calendaring in OS X Snow Leopard and various encryption options for Mac and iPhone would finally allow Apple to make serious in-roads in corporate America. Well, at least if corporate IT guys will give them a chance, that is.

In spite of Lonnie’s optimism, I think Apple is just as far today from mainstream adoption in big business as it was yesterday and pretty much every day of its entire history. As I’ve written before, the Steves founded Apple in large part because they thought that the IBMs and HPs of the world were holding back the potential of computers to transform our society.

Consequently, the organization’s entire self-image and frame of reference over time has been that big business is all too willing to adopt mediocre technologies based solely on a reputation for reliability. Macs have long provided superior tools for creative endeavors like graphic design and video editing, which is why Macs have a huge niche in corporate marketing departments, but the same can’t be said for other business pursuits.

Apple has a huge opportunity right now to make serious in-roads in the enterprise market while corporations resist upgrading to Windows Vista and don’t yet know whether or not they can trust Windows 7. But Apple won’t make big gains unless they take more drastic measures, three of which I outline below. Bear in mind, I’m not saying this is what Apple should do, just that this is what it would take to succeed in business.

Start making cheap computers with standardized parts.From the early 1990s until the sale to Lenovo, IBM’s ThinkPad line of notebooks defined the look, feel and attitude of computers for business. They were black, rugged, and nearly identical in industrial design. A machine from 1999 looked pretty much the same as one from 2003. Corporate IT managers loved ThinkPads because people generally couldn’t tell if their co-workers had a newer or better machine than theirs — the exterior was always a constant. All that, and frequently replaced parts like batteries and power supplies were common across the decade. If it worked on one, it worked on another.

Recent years have seen the trend that IBM began extrapolated upon in the corporate market. These days, it’s not just that corporations prefer to buy identical machines for employees at all levels — they’ve also chopped their budgets for PCs dramatically while increasing spending on servers and data centers. And that means that low-cost strategy players like Dell and HP are winning with large-screen machines for less than $500 (or significantly less at large volumes). If Apple wants to even think about competing, it would need to get cheap quickly and make compromises that the company has diligently avoided over the years. And do you really think business wants a line-up of laptops without replaceable batteries? Not in this galaxy.

Partner with a company with real enterprise credibility.
One of the qualities that makes Apple an amazing company is its single-minded pursuit of excellence. The company has long-since come to realize that outsourcing any of its marketing or design to another organization inevitably fails to live up to the brand’s standards (even in necessary marriages like AT&T…). Usually, Apple’s unique to the PC market combination of hardware and software is a strict competitive advantage. But that’s just not the case with corporate IT, where playing well with others matters more than playing well.

Transforming Apple on this front would require the company to partner up closely with IBM, HP, or Oracle to tailor the software on their servers and data centers to play better with Macs. As appealing of a concept as a massive data center made entirely of xServes might be, it’s just not a realistic option for most companies. And standard administration tools for big iron today is just not made to work effectively with Macs. Unless Apple’s ready to get cozy with an organization it has made abundantly clear it doesn’t much respect, this will be a major stumbling block.

Provide complete transparency about upcoming product releases.
OK, the other two points are tough, but this flat-out won’t ever happen. In the enterprise market, it’s absolutely essential that PC-makers show tech analysts and major corporate customers upcoming hardware and software before it ships so that companies can appropriately budget for significant purchases. If there’s a new line of business laptops shipping in June, IT needs to know about in last November.

Apple, meanwhile, thrives on secrecy, surprise, and delight. Can you imagine how underwhelming it would be to know about the latest iPhone nine months before its release date? Or how small an impact unibody MacBooks would have made if your IT department had gotten a call from the local Apple rep before Steve could take the wraps off of it? This is a compromise too far. Never happening.

***

So there you have it: three major hurdles to the enterprise market for Apple that it will almost certainly never overcome. Being a player as a business supplier means major compromise — and Apple hates compromising. And that’s great — that’s why I love them, and probably why you do, too. I mean, would you really want to use a Mac optimized for running Microsoft Office? Perish the thought.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Apple Introduces Mac OS X Server Snow Leopard

SAN FRANCISCO—June 8, 2009—Apple® today unveiled a Developer Preview of Mac OS® X Server Snow Leopard™, the next major release of the world’s easiest to use server operating system. Snow Leopard Server is a full 64-bit UNIX server operating system based on open standards that is up to twice as fast as its predecessor.* Snow Leopard Server includes innovative new features such as Podcast Producer 2, for automating the creation and publishing of podcasts, and Mobile Access Server with secure access to firewall-protected network services for iPhone™ and Mac®. Snow Leopard Server is priced more affordably than ever at $499 with unlimited client licenses and will ship in September 2009.

“Snow Leopard Server is our best and fastest server operating system ever, and unlimited client licenses make it an incredible value for any size business,” said Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “With easy to use new features like Podcast Producer 2 and Mobile Access Server, anyone can set up and manage its powerful services with just a few clicks.”

Snow Leopard Server is a full 64-bit operating system designed to take advantage of multi-core processors and address massive amounts of memory, while remaining fully compatible with 32-bit applications. Up to twice as fast as its predecessor, Snow Leopard Server easily handles the most demanding server operations including web and application hosting, file sharing and mail.

Podcast Producer 2 includes the new Podcast Composer application, which automates the entire production process, making it easy to create podcasts with a customized, consistent look and feel. With just a few clicks, Podcast Composer creates a workflow to add titles, transitions and effects, save to a desired format and share to wikis, blogs, iTunes®, iTunes U, Final Cut® Server or the new Podcast Library.

The new Mobile Access Server is a convenient, easy way for iPhone and Mac users to access secured network services, including corporate websites, online business applications, email, calendars and contacts. Without requiring additional software, Mobile Access Server provides strong encryption and authentication between the user’s iPhone or Mac and a private network.

Additional new features in Snow Leopard Server include:

• Wiki Server 2, which improves its online collaboration with the ability to view wiki content on iPhone and preview attachments with Quick Look on any modern browser;
• the new Address Book Server, based on the CardDAV open standard, which provides a central location for users to store and access personal contacts across multiple Macs and synchronized iPhones;
• iCal® Server 2, based on the CalDAV open standard, which includes web-based calendar access and the ability to view meeting invitations and details on iPhone using iPhone OS 3.0;
• a new Mail Server engine that supports push email so users receive immediate access to new messages;
• QuickTime® X HTTP Live Streaming, which allows dynamic adjustment of movie playback quality to suit the available network speed;
• NetRestore, a new feature in System Image Utility, that allows easy custom image restore over a network; and
• iPhone Configuration Utility, which simplifies the setup of multiple iPhones with configuration information, security policies, mail settings and certificates needed to connect to and communicate with enterprise systems.

Pricing & Availability

Mac OS X Server version 10.6 Snow Leopard will be available in September 2009 through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $499 (US), and includes unlimited licenses for Mac, Windows and Linux clients. The Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server Up-To-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Xserve® system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller between June 8, 2009 and the end of the program on December 26, 2009, for a product plus shipping and handling fee of $9.95 (US). Users must request their Up-To-Date upgrade within 90 days of purchase or by December 26, 2009, or whichever comes first. For more information please visit www.apple.com/macosx/uptodate. Snow Leopard Server can run on any Mac computer with an Intel processor, a minimum 2GB of RAM and at least 10GB of available disk space.

Lithium Console 5 network software suite enters beta

Lithium Corp has launched a beta version of Lithium Console 5, a set of network, server and storage monitoring applications. Lithium provides support for industry standard SNMP and proprietary monitoring protocols, such as those used by Appleís Xserve, Xsan, and Xserve RAID devices. The beta version offers improved incident reporting and e-mail alerts, a new Module Builder application for creating...


Read more [iPodNN]

June 5 in LEM history

00: What is Apple's long-term strategy? - Options for '040s - 01: Bruce, Fred, Victoria cast out of garden - More 'curmudgeon' feedback - 02: XServe and the improved iBooks - 06: Power strategies for using your 'Book in the field - Free and low-cost software for Macs in the recording studio - Upgraded Pismo vs. 12" PowerBook G4 - 07: 15" MacBook Pro (LED Backlit) - 17" MacBook Pro 2.5 GHz - The $399 Mac
Read more [Low End Mac]

ITV builds broadcasting site with SATABeast Xi storage for Xserve, Mac Pro systems

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Nexsan, a provider of long-term disk storage, says ITV, the biggest commercial television network in the UK, has increased the storage capacity and performance for its online broadcasting site, ITV.com, by 20 percent with the high-density SATABeast Xi, Xserves and Mac Pros.

Apple Xserve/Mac OS X Server Provides Appliance-Like Convenience

The Apple Xserve running the Mac OS X Server operating system is among the first servers we've seen at eWEEK Labs running the new Intel Xeon 5500 family of Nehalem processors. The hardware/operating system combo works well, and IT shops that have concentrations of Mac users should put the device high on their evaluation list for the ease of integration for services such as Time Machine backup, iChat, and other group collaboration and productivity tools. The appliancelike fit and finish of the Xserve/OS X Server combo eliminates the driver and firmware headaches often associated with running other operating systems, including Windows and Linux, on the wide variety of available hardware for those OSes.
- ...

InfoWorld: Apple’s Xserve the fastest, most cost-effective dual-socket 1U rack server on the market

From the start, Apple's Xserve has ranked best-in-class in build quality, engineering, durability, and serviceability...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Report: Xserve

disk/directory recovery success
Read more [MacInTouch]

MacSlash: We Shall Rise Again!

MacSlash has been working to revive their 9 year old website. The authors recently took a hiatus while they worked "regular" jobs, and most recently MacSlash's main Xserve suffered a horrible hardware failure. Luckiily, many backups exist and the long-promised revival of MacSlash is fast approaching. Sign up at http://macslash.org. to be notified when a re-launch date is set.
Read more [MacSlash]

Apple: Xserve LOM Firmware Update 1.2

Xserve LOM Firmware Update 1.2 brings fixes to the Lights-Out Management environment of the Xserve (Early 2008).
Read more [MacInTouch]

May 15 in LEM history

00: Advantages of a small market - Just different - 01: Restoring after reformatting - 02: Xserve G4 - Laptops need docks - 03: Don't break up Apple - Upgrades for slot-load iMacs - 06: Old Macs fun and productive - Is OS 9 still a player? - 07: 2.16 GHz MacBook - 8 free apps - 08: Beyond the Mac mini
Read more [Low End Mac]

Apple: Xserve LOM Firmware Update 1.2

Xserve LOM Firmware Update 1.2 brings fixes to the Lights-Out Management environment of the Xserve (Early 2008).
Read more [MacInTouch]

May 7 in LEM history

98: iMac nearly perfect - 99: A smaller, lighter PowerBook without compromise - 01: 5 pounds of genius - NeXT: Apple's right choice - 02: Optimize Classic - eMac musings - 03: 2003 eMac value equation - Downloading Mac software on a PC - 07: Canada a 'haven for pirates'? - 08: Xserve: Power and value - Lid closed mode
Read more [Low End Mac]

Apple posts Xserve LOOM Firmware Update 1.2

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Apple has released LOOM Firmware Update 1.2. This update includes changes to the Lights-Out Management environment of the Xserve (Early 2008). It addresses issues that cause frequent power supply and fan notifications to be sent.

iPhone 3GS Overheating, Battery Life App, 240 GB Upgrade for 5G iPod, Total Baby App, and More, iNews Review

Also low cost international calls, U-verse remote DVR control, Sync Blocker USB-to-Dock cable, Rocket Taxi improved, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

ClubMac offers special 4th of July deals on Apple Macs, iPods, and more

ClubMac is offering special 4th of July deals on Apple Macs, iPods and iPod accessories, and more...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Apple: MobileMe service updates

Apple posted a list of recent MobileMe service updates that includes the ability to forward or reply to HTML email without losing formatting, searching of messages on the MobileMe server from an iPhone or iPod Touch, and support for iPhone 3GS users to publish video to Gallery albums.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Review: Flip MinoHD

Like an iPod for video recording, the MinoHD combines friendly simplicity with effective media processing in a remarkably tiny device at an attractive price. [Includes HD video sample.]
Read more [MacInTouch]

Update: QuicKeys 4.0

Startly Technologies' automation software adds abbreviations, Web Actions to automate web site pages and web applications in Safari, a QuicKeys Anywhere remote control app for the iPhone/iPod Touch, batch processing, and more.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Apple: Apple TV 2.4

The update includes gesture control from an iPhone or iPod Touch, Flickr search, and more.
Read more [MacInTouch]

New: Apple Juicz External Battery for the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPod

QuickerTek introduced a 2200 mAh external battery for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and all iPods with a 30-pin dock connector.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Review: iPod Shuffle 3G

The new Shuffle has just one button: off/play. Everything else is controlled by earbuds, proprietary Apple controller chips and synthesized voices....
Read more [MacInTouch]

Report: iPod Video

display problems
Read more [MacInTouch]

First Looks: iPlay Music Chords for iTunes is a Good Beginner’s Tool

What it is: iPlay Music, a Mountain View, CA company, produces music learning software and operates a web-based store in the iTunes mold that just launched an innovative Chords for iTunes app that gives musicians an easy way to synchronize music in an iTunes library with a Quicktime video showing the chords to play along with a particular song.

Why it’s cool: The Chords for iTunes app is a promising tool for learning to play popular songs, whether you are a guitarist or keyboard player, and offers easy to read visual cues to the chords of songs such as Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay, Proud Mary, Refugee, When I Come Around, and more.

At present there are but 26 songs available to download for free, but the iPlayMusic Store offers a host of additional paid downloads that teach everything from 12 Bar Blues to Reggae strumming to Swing and Rock chord formations. The catalog of downloadable lessons is a bit thin in the early going, but many of the basics that underly a strong foundation in musicianship are covered and for those just beginning to learn an instrument, iPlay Music products and services are well worth checking out.

A couple of cool features of the software allow you to slow down a song while remaining in pitch so you can play along at the speed you need to learn the song, and an Export to iPod feature, that allows you to put the lessons on your iPod or iPhone so you can take them with you on the go.

Where to Get It: All the info you need is available on the web at the iPlay Music site. The Chords for iTunes (Beta) app is a free download, and many of the lessons available on the iPlay Music Store are available for free as well.

Most paid content sells for 99¢ and multi-lesson packages and Family Packs can go for up to $29.95.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Video Review: iKlear Complete Cleaning Kit

The kit is ideal for cleaning desktops, monitors, keyboards, mice, iPods, iPhones, and any other electronic device.
Read more [Insanely Great Mac]

Apple, MacMall offer special deals on Apple Macs, iPods in Fourth of July sales

MacMall has announced their Fourth of July Weekend Super Sale with special deals on Apple products...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

iHanWel releases iDay Deluxe 2.3 for the iPhone, iPod touch

Posted by Dennis Sellers

iHanWel has released iDay Deluxe 2.3, an update to their day calendar and event utility for the iPhone and iPod touch. It’s available for US$4.99 at the Apple App Store.

Duh: Aerospace Workers Banned From Using iPods

Image courtesy Marshall Aerospace

Feel slightly bad for the folks at Marshall Aerospace out on the tarmac, using forklifts or putting planes together who got used to listening to ambient or Vegan-a-Go-Go podcasts while on the job.

Following the advice of a health and safety expert,  the 1,500 employees of the Cambridge, UK company have been banned from using iPods at work.

“There have been no particular incidents,” said an unnamed spokesman in a press release. “But on our site there are aircraft, forklift trucks and so on moving around - and we are a precision engineering firm. We feel that people should always be concentrating fully.”

He added: “We don’t get middle-aged employees wearing iPods but we do see employees in their 20s who listen to music while working.”

Comforting to know the young ‘uns won’t be distracted on the job.

What other professions should be banned from using iPods at work?

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

MacOSG: How to monitor iPhone/iPod touch power consumption

Posted by Dave Merten

Today I’m going to show you a way to monitor the power consumption of your iPhone/iPod touch running the OS 3.0 software. This can be used to troubleshoot the draining of an iPhone/iPod touch’s battery. A lot of new iPhone 3G S models are overheating, and monitoring power consumption may...

UK Bank pushes iPhone e-commerce forward

Owners of the iPhone or iPod touch in the U.K. will be able to use their phone to both buy and pay for goods using a new application from MoBank.


Read more [Macworld]

Ngmoco releases Rolando 2 for iPhone, iPod touch

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Game creator and publisher ngmoco has released Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid. It’s available for US$9.99 at the Apple App Store.

MoBank app takes shopping to the iPhone in the UK

The app works with iPhone, iPod Touch and gives users the advantage of convenience, MoBank says

iPhone and iPod Touch owners in the UK will be able to use their devices to buy and pay for goods using a new application from MoBank.

Apple considers 'active' packaging for handhelds

Future iPhones and iPods from Apple could come in "active packaging," a recently-published patent application hints. Apple observes that while standard product packaging serves its essential purpose, it is also subject to limitations, such as an inability to showcase electronics in action without completely draining batteries. Similarly, should firmware updates become available, a store's invent...


Read more [iPodNN]

Milebug 1.4 released for the iPhone, iPod touch

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Izatt has updated MileBug—an iPhone/iPod app designed to help those driving their own vehicles for business, charity, medical, or other reasons receive their reimbursement and/or tax deduction—to version 1.4. The upgrade is compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, includes a new icon, access to the MileBug blog, and more.

New Silicon Case For iPod Touch 3G Hints at Camera (It’s BS Though)

Unfortunately this is bunk, but it’s worth posting anyway because, well, I guess a ton of other websites will publish it.

A new non-slip rubber case for the “Apple iPod Touch 3″ on a junk accessory website hints that the soon-to-be-updated device will have a camera. The rubbery red case has two holes on the back, presumably for a camera.

The third-generation iPod touch is expected in September, and is rumored to include a camera, which would be an obvious upgrade for the device.

However, the tip came from a reader “Jenny,” who has also tipped off CrunchGear and I4U News. Best guess is that Jenny represents the accessory website, Uxsight.com, and is trying to drum up traffic and Google juice.

In her email to CoM, she makes sure to mention the case’s low, low price. “Can’t vouch for the
creditability of the source,” she writes, “but I guess $1.69 is not much of a risk.”

Plus, why are there two holes — one bigger than the other? And why two versions of the case, one with the camera on the left, the other with the camera on the right? UPDATE: As readers kindly point out, I’m as blind as a bat. That’s the inside and outside of the case.

Link to the store.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Leaked case reveals camera on next-gen iPod touch?

The big difference between this and other cases? A hole at the top back...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Ngmoco releases Rolando 2 for iPhone, iPod touch

Golden Orchid also links to Ngmoco's recently introduced Plus+ Network

Ngmoco has announced the release of Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid, a new game for the iPhone and iPod touch priced at £5.99.

First Jailbreak for iPhone 3GS Released, Windows Only

A screenshot of the purplra1n website, which offeres the first jailbreak app for the iPhone 3GS.

The first jailbreak application for the iPhone 3GS has been released by premier iPhone hacker George Hotz.

Named “purplera1n,” the unlocking software is Windows-only. Hotz says a jailbreak for Mac is “coming shortly.”

Hotz’s application requires an iPhone 3GS running the 3.0 OS, and the latest version of iTunes — 8.2. Hotz warns that the unlock s beat and to back up the iPhone before running it.

The unlocking process seems straightforward. Writes Hotz on his blog: “Connect your iPhone normally. Click ‘make it ra1n.’ Wait. On bootup, run Freeze, the purplera1n installer app. Hopefully you’ll figure out what to do from there.”

There is another jailbreaking application for the iPhone 3.0 from the iPhone Dev Team (The 19-year old Hotz was associated with the group, but split with it). The Dev Team’s app will not work on the iPhone 3GS.

Jailbreaking allows an iPhone and iPod touch to to run unapproved apps through unofficial installers like Cydia and Icy.

Jailbreaking is not unlocking, a different, distinct process that frees the iPhone from the current carrier and makes it available for use with other wireless networks.

Needless to say, Apple sanctions neither process. Both have their risks and have been known to “brick” devices.

Hotz gained fame in 2007 when he became the first person to unlock the original iPhone. Using a combination of software and hardware hacks, the then 17-year-old tried to sell the hacked iPhone on eBay, but pulled the auction when jokers raised the bid price to more than $100 million.

He shortly traded the unlocked iPhone for three locked iPhones and a Nissan 350Z with Terry Daidone, founder of Certicell, a phone repair company in Louisville, KY.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

News: iPodweek newsletter coming shortly

iPodweek, iLounge’s weeky newsletter recapping the latest news, reviews, and more, will be hitting inboxes later today—but if you haven’t yet signed up, there’s still plenty of time. Just use the simple form below to submit your email address, and be on the lookout for the giveaways and discount offers from various companies. Sign up for the iPodweek Newsletter: Email address: IMPORTANT: Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Earthlink…
Read more [iLounge]

Apple Tops in Satisfaction Again, Slim Profits on Mac mini, Ultimate Photo Setup, and More, Mac News Review

Also tips for cloning hard drives and moving files from old Macs, Clickfree Transformer turns USB drive into a backup drive, maximum Mac Pro RAM, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

ATPM 15.07 - Segments: Small Macs: The Next Generation

Segments: Slices from the Macintosh Life
Article Title: Small Macs: The Next Generation
Author: Matthew Glidden

What’s it like to skip Mac generations entirely? We examine a jump from 1999’s retro-small Mac Cube to the aptly named 2009 Mac mini.
Read more [About This Particular Macintosh]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Wednesday, July 1, 2009

• Optimized Software Builds Bring Out the Best in Your Mac • Intel's Promise Fulfilled: More Processing Power per Processor Cycle • Recycling a Mac mini • Jonathan Ive Reveals Apple Design Secrets • Methods For Shutting Down Or Restarting Your Mac • The Register Reviews The New MacBook Pro 15in • Apple SD Cards Fuel (More) Mac Tablet Chatter • Tips On Moving Files From Old Mac • Firefox 3.5 - It's Not A 'Web Upgrade' • The Ultimate Mac Setup for Photographers (50 Apps) • Asustek Lowers Prices To Clear Stocks Of 7-, 8.9-Inch Eee PCs • Acer Leaps From Unknown to PC Phenomenon • Independent Developer Pavilion Launches at Macworld 2010 • The Mac Night Owl: The Snow Leopard Report: Ready for Greatness or Boredom?
Read more [Applelinks]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Monday, June 29, 2009

• Create An SD Card Startup Disk For New MacBook Pros • Apple MacBook Pro Firmware Update Causing More Problems With Third-party HDDs • Side Effects of the MacBook EFI 1.7 Update • More Affordable iMacs Expected By Fall • Mac mini Uses MacBook Components, Carries $376.20 Bill of Materials - iSuppli • Apple's Profit Margin On Mac minis Slimmer Than Usual • Is Apple's Mac mini a MacBook inside? • Windows 7 versus Snow Leopard: How Much Do Upgrades Really Cost? • Windows 7 Priced Below Vista, To Allow Upgrades From XP • Microsoft May Be First To Offer OS on USB Drives • Mac Users Suffer Safari 4 Woes • Low-end Mac & Cheese • MacBook Pro Upgrade Project Complete • CreativeMac Reviews 13-inch MacBook Pro • Computers And Cars More Powerful, Cheaper Than 20 Years Ago • Copyfraud: Poisoning The Public Domain • Apple Beats HP and Dell in Customer Satisfaction, Study Finds • Open Source And Apple (Design) Envy • Apple's Latest High-end MacBook Air Slower Than Predecessor • Is the New Macbook Air Actually Slower Than the Last One? • The Tech Night Owl! Satellites Slowly Taking Over
Read more [Applelinks]

Is Apple's Mac Mini a MacBook inside?

Apple's latest Mac Mini desktop uses parts designed for mobile PCs, according to iSuppli.
Read more [News.blog: Apple]

Is Apple's Mac Mini a MacBook inside?

Apple's latest Mac Mini desktop uses parts designed for mobile PCs, according to iSuppli.
Read more [CNET News.com]

Good Deals on the Refurb Store

We spotted interesting deals on the Refurb Store:

• Mac mini 9400M entry level model: 499 €
• Mac mini 9400M high-end model: 679 €
• MacBook White 9400M: 729 €. Be careful the model tagged 769 € is powered by the Intel GMA X3100, this is not a good deal.
• iMac 20" from 829 €
• MacBook Air from 949 €
• ...

Quickest way to your local Refurb Store: Refurb Store 

Mac mini teardown suggests unusually slim profit margins for Apple

Apple's new entry-level $599 Mac mini carries a bill-of-materials of...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

The Mac Mini's Power Adapter Costs Apple More Than Its RAM [Teardowns]

It's by no means the most timely report, but apparently Apple actually has a less profitable margin on the Mac Mini than much of their other hardware, according to iSuppli, as the base Mac Mini...
Read more [Gizmodo]

Apple's profit margin on Mac minis slimmer than usual

Apple's latest Mac mini continues to demonstrate the company's capacity to develop personal computers that are both smaller and more attractive than those of its rivals, but achieving its sleeker design footprint comes at the expense of razor-thin profit margins, a new tear-down cost analysis reveals.
Read more [AppleInsider]

Good News For Mac Users: Boxee Media Platform Is Going Windows

The popular Boxee media center software is the rare app that starts on the Mac before going to Windows. CC-licensed pic by Matt Grimm.

Here’s some good news for Mac users of Boxee, the popular media platform for Macs and Apple TV: The software is going Windows.

At a developer event on Tuesday night in San Francisco, Boxee released its first version for Windows PCs.

This is good news for Mac users because the Boxee platform will have a much larger user base for developers to create plug-ins for. Significantly, the software will run on Windows Media Center PCs, which is by far the biggest installed base of computers connected to TVs.

Boxee is free software for playing movies, TV shows, music and photos, either from the users personal collection, or streamed from the Web.

Boxee was launched on the Mac (and Linux) in early 2007. It is one of those rare pieces of software that launched on the Mac first before moving to Windows. In most cases, the migration between platforms is the other way around.

“We’re all Mac users,” explained Avner Ronen, Boxee’s founder and CEO, speaking by phone from New York recently. “The Mac is a lot of early adopters. It’s a savvy audience, people like us.”

Since then, Boxee has grown fast, thanks mostly to its open architecture.

Unlike the Apple TV and Apple’s Front Row software, Boxee is an open platform. It allows developers to add plug-ins for content anywhere on the Web, from the Weather Channel to the adult-oriented BoXXXee.

Ronen said the company is hoping for 1 million Boxee users by the end of the year – most of the new users coming from Windows – and a slew of new plug-ins. At Tuesday’s developercmeetup, Boxee announced new plug-ins for MLB.tv, Digg, Tumblr and Current TV.

Boxee now boasts more than 500,000 users, most on the Mac. About 100,000 users run Boxee on an Apple TV; 50,000 users are on Linux; and the remainder are on Mac minis or Mac laptops, most connected to HDTVs.

“Running on a Mac Mini is the most popular setup,” said Ronen.

Based in New York, Boxee got a lot of notice earlier this year when the streaming TV site Hulu blocked it. (Hulu is once again available on Boxee courtesy of a RSS hack).

“It’s a shame. We should be allies,” said Ronen. “We have similar vision.”

The vision is getting Web media on TV with easy-to-use software, Ronen said, that’s wide open for developers to innovate on.

“The goal is to be the Firefox for the living room,” he said. “Boxee could be the first meaningful platform for the living room to be completely open. No gatekeepers or committees or convincing people at big companies that your ideas have merit.”

Launching on the Mac first was a great move, Ronen explained.

“The Mac is a great playground,” he said. “We’ve learned a lot of lessons on the Mac, and a lot of these lessons will be implemented on Windows. Mac users are very friendly. We got great feedback.”

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

High-end Mac mini on the Refurb Store

Apple offers for the first time on the Refurb Store the high-end Mac mini model, the fastest one currently available. It is powered by a 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo, GeForce 9400M and sports 2 GB of RAM and 320 GB of storage space. Its price: 679 Euro, in other words 120 Euro less than the retail model which is now overprice when compared to the MacBook White that now comes with faster hardware and back-lighted keyboard for only 150 Euro...

24" LED display by LG: Best Friend of MacBook Owners?

When releasing its Apple Cinema Display LED 24" 8 month agao, Apple was among the first to adopt such ecological back lighting technology in its display offer. Today, several models are available, and while the premium price asked by Apple could be justified at that time, it is not anymore today.

LG just launched its 24" LED display in Japan:

It offers a dynamic contrast of 2,000,000:1, while the static contrast is 1,000:1. It features 1920x1200 pixel resolution, two HDMI, one DVI-D and one D-Sub inputs.
The most impressive parameter is its price: around 30,000 Yen, so 220 Euro, in other words 25% of the price asked by Apple. Of course it does not have the same slick design, it does not offer mini-DisplayPort (but is it a problem), nor integrated speaker or USB hub, but it could be the perfect companion for a mac mini or a MacBook...

Revisiting the Midrange Mac Minitower in a Down Economy

All things being equal, you’d expect more and more Mac notebooks to sell in the months and years to come, at the expense of desktops. Some day, not even the iMac would have any reason to exist, and might disappear in favor of a few portable models with larger screens — or at least that’s [...]
Read more [The Mac Night Owl]

So What About a Cheap Mac?

The critics say Apple needs to reduce the price of Macs. Apple says they won’t build junk. So between these two extremes, is there a happy medium that would make your next Mac more affordable? Today’s Mac begins at $599, for the entry-level Mac mini. You can customize it after a fashion with a larger hard [...]
Read more [The Mac Night Owl]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Sunday, June 7, 2009

• Jobs Ready to Return to Apple Helm • Steve Jobs Could Return For iPhone Speech This Week • 13-inch MacBook/2.13GHz (White) Updates Improve Performance And Add Value • Apple OS X 10.5.7 Overheats Some Macs • What Hardware To Build a Mac for boot-132? • A Week with a Mac mini • Why Enterprise Networks Run Windows, Not The Mac • The Non-Terminal Users Guide to Not Using Terminal: Part 2 • Tackling LCD "Burn-ins", And Dead/Stuck Pixels • Developers take Mac, Linux-friendly Chrome for a spin • Mozilla: 7 Years Old And As Idealistic As Ever • GM, Chrysler Could Learn From Apple's Resurgence • The Mac Night Owl: After the WWDC
Read more [Applelinks]

Via Amos 3000 Fan-Less PC Is Half the Size of a Mac Mini [PCs]

The Via Amos 3000: A monitor-mountable Pico ITX board running at 500Mhz, with 1GB of RAM, gigabit ethernet, four USB, and DVI video, in a cool metal case with no fan. It can probably grill burgers...
Read more [Gizmodo]

Vuulu increases inventory by 100 items including the iPhone - 95% Off

Burbank, California - Vuulu has added around 100 new products to its inventory to fill its continued sale this month. We are 30% Off All Bid Packages, as well as free shipping. Please sign up while there are great deals. Vuulu has added around 100 new products to there inventory, consisting of laptops, iPhones, cell phones, desktops, Cash, gold, platinum, Cruises, Plane Tickets, Complete vacations, and more! Cash bundles are in 250, 500, 750, 1000, and 2000 dollars. They can be deposited into your Paypal, bank account, or mailed. Prices on precious metals in the auctions may differ day to day.

Some items in which sold
* LG 42 LCD HDTV - $25.21
* MacBook(R) Pro 15.4″ - $31.84
* Mac Pro 2.66GHz - $22.49
* iPod nano(R) 8GB - $4.32
* Casio - XGA DLP Projector $11.56
* Sony - Cyber-shot 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera - Pink $9.06
* Apple(R) - Mac Mini 2.0GHz - $12.23
* Dynex(R) - 42″ 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - $19.88

With around 150 products sold a day and a 550 person user base many users are flipping products in this ecoconomy to support themselves. That means 1 out of every 5 users win something everyday. Vuulu has noticed many users want mac products thefor Vuulu has added many new items.

Vuulu
Register

Vuulu is a California-based company that offers electronics products in auctions. Our main offices and storage facility are located at 557 South Glenoaks Blvd. in Burbank, CA. Copyright 2009 Vuulu. All Rights Reserved. Apple, and the Apple logo, are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Vuulu announces 1 in 5 people win products every day with 95% off msrp

Burbank, California - vuulu is a new online bidding website that allows it’s members to bid on products for very low cost. In these economic times people are starting to use Vuulu to win products in auctions. They are then selling these items as soon as they recieve them for instant profit. Some users are winning items at 95% off, and winning around 3-5 items per day.

Vuulu has just launched and has added a wide range of Apple iPods, and desktops to the mix for extremely low costs to celebrate the launch. Every day Vuulu sells brand new, top-name products at incredibly low prices in auctions due to it being pay per bid. Its 50 cents per bid, with free shipping. The total value of bids pays for the item allowing them to sell for example a ipod of 230 dollars for around 7 dollars in a penny auction.

With sometimes 150 products sold a day and a 550 person user base many users are flipping products in this ecoconomy to support themselves. That means 1 out of every 5 users win something everyday. Vuulu has noticed many users want mac products thefor Vuulu has added many new items.

Items which just sold:
* LG 42 LCD HDTV - $25.21
* MacBook(R) Pro 15.4″ - $31.84
* Mac Pro 2.66GHz - $22.49
* iPod nano(R) 8GB - $4.32
* Casio - XGA DLP Projector $11.56
* Sony - Cyber-shot 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera - Pink $9.06
* Apple(R) - Mac Mini 2.0GHz - $12.23
* Dynex(R) - 42″ 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV - $19.88

Join while there is free shipping. At random some orders will be selected for free items. 1 out of 9 orders will get money back for there items.

Vuulu
Register

Vuulu is a California-based company that offers electronics products in auctions. Our main offices and storage facility are located at 557 South Glenoaks Blvd. in Burbank, CA. Copyright 2009 Vuulu. All Rights Reserved. Apple, and the Apple logo, are registered trademarks of Apple Computer in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Report: Displays

Mac Mini dual display question
Read more [MacInTouch]

May 29 in LEM history

01: The original Macintosh - Picking MP3 software - The OS X curmudgeon grumbles again - 02: Macs don't die, they get upgraded - PowerBook 1400, Kanga, and WallStreet reflections - 03: 30 signs your school is abandoning the Mac - 07: Running Tiger from flash on a PowerBook G4 - What will replace the Mac mini? - Bean: Free word processor is fast and lean - Making new Mac users with old iMacs and Tiger
Read more [Low End Mac]

Hulu’s Desktop Wants You to Keep Internet TV Out of the Living Room

Hulu’s newly released Desktop application may or may not put Boxee on the ropes, but it could end up being the best thing that ever happened to the Mac mini.

Released Thursday by the popular television content aggregator whose major partners also happen to be some of the biggest Hollywood content producers, Hulu Desktop signals a major move away from the “online only” model that once served as a thin veneer of protection against the ire of cable companies that pay good money to get content from Hulu’s partners.

Still trying to have it both ways, Hulu issued comical Terms of Service with the desktop product that purport to prevent users from using the software on “Prohibited Devices,” to whit:

“You may not download, install or use the Hulu Software on any device other than a Personal Computer including without limitation digital media receiver devices (such as Apple TV), mobile devices (such as a cell phone device, mobile handheld device or a PDA), network devices or CE devices (collectively “Prohibited Devices”).”

In the real world, however, don’t be surprised to see news of an AppleTV hack by this weekend (if not before); and Mac mini users who employ that device’s excellent media server capabilities with a connection to plasma screens in their living rooms should be sitting pretty, too.

Will you use Hulu Desktop or stick with your web browser? Will you keep the content on your computer screen or take it into the living room? Let us know in comments below.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Russian Mac Clone, Macs at Walmart?, Quiet Mice, Using ADC Displays with Intel Macs, and More, Mac News Review

Also 5 troubleshooting tools you already have, maximize your Mac mini, restore OS 9 desktop click behavior, USB device sharing with D-Link routers, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

Making the move from an Apple Mac Pro to a Mac mini

Almost 8 months ago, I wrote about how my Mac was fast enough, and how...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

May 25 in LEM history

99: OS X and the econoMac - iMac iMpact - 00: Is a Mac better than a PC? - 01: 1993: PowerBook vs. ThinkPad - Old files on a new Mac - 05: Mac minis in classroom a big hit - Of mice and keyboards - 06: The best 'Book for my needs - 07: More RAM vs. matched RAM - Running OS X from flash memory
Read more [Low End Mac]

Apple Tops in Satisfaction Again, Slim Profits on Mac mini, Ultimate Photo Setup, and More, Mac News Review

Also tips for cloning hard drives and moving files from old Macs, Clickfree Transformer turns USB drive into a backup drive, maximum Mac Pro RAM, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

July 4 in LEM history

00: When Randy met Mac - 08: Wouldn't life be great with an iSlate? - Mac Pro overclocking, Windependence with Darwine, Blu-ray for Macs, and more
Read more [Low End Mac]

Voyager Q Review

Robert Mohns examines the quad-port SATA hard drive dock, with detailed performance benchmarks across FireWire 400/800, USB 2 and eSATA on a Mac Pro, finding it fast and effective for backup, testing and many other storage tasks.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Apple: Final Cut Pro 6.0.6

"...improves real-time playback capabilities with Mac Pro (Early 2009) models and Xserve (Early 2009) models when working with complex sequences or high-bandwidth media formats."
Read more [MacInTouch]

News: Uncomfirmed Reports Say Apple & Nvidia On The Outs

Uncomfirmed reports say that Apple and Nvidia are on the outs, with the Mac maker banishing Nvidia from future Mac products for the next three to four years. SemiAccurate reported Thursday that Apple is tense with recent Nvidia proposals, characterizing them as arrogant and full of bluster.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

Trans introduces Pro Cable for Mac Pros

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Trans International, a company known for “maximizing Macs,” has introduced the Pro Cable for all models of Mac pros as an internal storage solution. According to Sid Raza of Trans, the cable gives freedom and total control to Mac Pro owners to manage internal storage by selecting third party fast...

Trans International Pro Cable for Apple Mac Pro [All Models]

Pro Cable gives the freedom and total control to Mac Pro owners to manage internal storage by selecting third party fast SAS/SATA Host Adapter of their choice
Read more [Applelinks]

OWC Memory Upgrades for 2009 Mac Pro “Nehalem” Models Offer More Options, More Total RAM

OWC Memory Kits for Mac Pro Quad-Core available for up to 16GB vs. factory max of 8GB, Kits for 8-Core Mac Pro up to 32GB offer savings of up to 79% vs. factory options
Read more [Applelinks]

That iPhone OS On a Mac Video? Fake

Unfortunately, the world's biggest iPhone is a fake.

A couple of weeks ago the Swedish site Dreamfeld.se posted a video showing the iPhone operating system running on a Mac Pro and a big multitouch screen.

The video was pretty impressive. It looked like the world’s biggest iPhone running on a 24-inch monitor. The video soon went viral on blogs, YouTube and Twitter. It’s been watched more than 300,000 times and is still being passed around.

But the whole thing is a fake; a viral video experiment to see how many hits could be generated.

How did they do it?

According to the crew at Dreamfeld.se, a video production house, the video was made with Apple’s video effects package, Shake, and included elements from the iPhone SDK to make it look authentic. It was tweaked in Photoshop; and edited in Final Cut Pro.

To make it look interactive, the filmmakers put a crew member in front of the monitor and had him touch the screen at the right moment to make it look like he was controlling it — but he just had to hit the screen at the right time.

“Shooting was deliberately poor so that more people would believe that it was computer geeks only, and not film effects people,” the Dreamfeld crew now admit. “To increase the credibility even more, an error message was implemented as the home screen appears.”

Full details here, including a high quality version of the fake iPhone OS.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Product News: New Memory Upgrades for Mac Pro “Nehalem” Models from OWC

Other World Computing announced its full line of high performance multi-channel 1066MHz DDR3 72-bit ECC memory upgrades for 2009 Mac Pro "Nehalem" models on Friday.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

Info needed on woodworking solutions for the Mac

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Our next Macsimum Migration Kit will look at Mac products used by travel agencies. If you use or know of such goodies, drop us a line (dsellers@macsimumnews.com) by Wednesday, July 1.

Analysis: An Incredible Mac Pro Demo: Takes Breath Away

Some benchmarks have numbers and tables. Some have bar graphs. They're all very nice, but I just revisited a demo that I used to do at Apple, and the results on a Mac Pro will take your breath away. Buckle up, because you may not have seen this amazing visual demo ever before.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

Apple: Final Cut Pro 6.0.6

"...improves real-time playback capabilities with Mac Pro (Early 2009) models and Xserve (Early 2009) models when working with complex sequences or high-bandwidth media formats."
Read more [MacInTouch]

Apple Released New Updates

Apple released 3 updates for Time Capsule, AirPort Base Station and Final Cut Pro 6.

Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.4.2

The Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n* Firmware 7.4.2 update provides several fixes, including:

• Fixes some problems with extending and maintaining connectivity with extended networks

• Fixes an issue with clients that enable 802.11 "Power Save"

• Fixes connectivity issues with some third-party devices

• Fixes an issue when the base station is configured for PPPoE

• Fixes some Back To My Mac issues with connectivity and support for third-party routers

Final Cut Pro 6.0.6

Final Cut Pro Update released

Posted by Dave Merten

This update fixes problems with real-time playback in Final Cut Pro with Mac Pro (Early 2009) models and Xserve (Early 2009) models.

Apple updates Final Cut Pro, Time Capsule and AirPort firmware

Apple on Tuesday released Final Cut Pro 6.0.6 to address playback issues on certain Mac Pro and Xserve systems. Separately, the company also issued a bug fix update for Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express Base Stations that include 802.11n support.
Read more [AppleInsider]

New: RocketRAID eSATA for Mac

The RocketRAID eSATA for Mac is a dual eSATA port PCI-E RAID controller that features PCI-Express x4 bus speed for transfer rates up to 1000 MB/second for the Mac Pro.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Trouble-free Mac tech support

It's gratifying to be the one friends, relatives, and coworkers turn to when they’re faced with Mac problems. But must they call you about every single little thing? Christopher Breen gives his three top tricks for providing tech support without going crazy.


Read more [Macworld]

Info needed on travel agency solutions for the Mac

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Our next Macsimum Migration Kit will look at Mac products used by travel agencies. If you use or know of such goodies, drop us a line (dsellers@macsimumnews.com) by Wednesday, June 24.

Product News: Apple Releases Bluetooth Firmware Update 2.0 for Some Macs

Apple released Bluetooth Firmware Update 2.0 for some of its Mac product line Wednesday, an update that improves compatibility with Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse and Apple Wireless Keyboard.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

PowerMac G5 and SSD: Performance/Incompatibility Issue?

Hereafter is a report from Marc:

Without getting access to the PM G5 we do not have any explanation for such probleme. We know that the SATA format in PM G5 was not always behaving as expected, and some HDs could not be installed. So, if you have installed SSD on a PM G5 and have carried out some performance tests, we would be happy to hear about it in order to define if the above report is an unfortunate issue, or if there is a general issue with SSD and PM G5.

Apple Comes Through, Resolving Overheating iMac Problem, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync

After frustration with the local Apple Store, customer service came through by authorizing a repair - and then a replacement when the problem persisted.
Read more [Low End Mac]

EVGA GeForce GTX 285 Graphics Card For Mac Pro

For maximum performance with graphics-intense applications, upgrade to the EVGA GeForce GTX 285 graphics card for the Mac Pro. Perfect for single or dual displays of up to 2560x1600 resolution, it offers 1GB of GDDR3 memory and 240 processing cores to unlock extra performance so you can get better gaming, motion graphics, 3D modeling, rendering and animation
Read more [Applelinks]

New: RocketRAID eSATA for Mac

The RocketRAID eSATA for Mac is a dual eSATA port PCI-E RAID controller that features PCI-Express x4 bus speed for transfer rates up to 1000 MB/second for the Mac Pro.
Read more [MacInTouch]

GeForce GTX 285 PC in a Mac Pro

If you do not feel like waiting for the NVidia GeForce GTX 285 Mac Edition to finally arrive in mass, or would like to have it cheaper, you can use the extension set released by Netkas that will give you the ability to use a PC version of this card in a Mac Pro without requiring flashing its ROM.
Netkas even offer an universal extension able to work with most Pc version of Radeon and GeForce cards with Mac OS X Leopard:
http://rapidshare.de/files/47461448/Enabler_for_Nvidia_and_multiple_ATI_cards.pkg.html

Warning, this is a report only, as we did not validate it on our side. For the GeForce GTX 285 as well as the 260 and 275 models, you will need the specific drivers, not included yet in Mac OS X, you should be able to get them from the IRC channels (here).

We are amazed by the work released by those developers. It gives us the freedom to use any graphic card and to avoid being tight to Apple's decision to support the release of only very few graphic card models. However, you should not forget to carefully read the procedure as well as engage in such adventure if you are skilled enough to.

July 3 in LEM history

00: Best sounding games - 01: Bumper snickers - Overheated IBM leads to air cooled iMac - 03: Panther: Pull the plug on the beige G3 - 1.1 GHz PowerPC 750GX - 08: Mac Portable started a notebook revolution
Read more [Low End Mac]

OWC Memory Upgrades For iMac Core 2 Duo Offer Up To 70% Savings Over Factory Upgrade

OWC 4GB Module & 6GB Kit offer additional options, 4GB Kit offers savings up to 70% vs. same size factory upgrade and come backed by lifetime warranty & money back guarantee, plus FireWire External Storage Solutions Up To 4TB Starting At $165.99
Read more [Applelinks]

NVIDIA Preps GeForce 9400M Successor

As you know Apple uses NVIDIA GeForce 9400M chipset since October 2008 in MacBook and iMac. This chips did not evolve as NVIDIA has left Intel graphical chipsets in the dust. However, as one should not expect that Intel will not react, NVIDIA is preparing the successor of its Atom-dedicated GeForce 9400M (known as ION platform). Improvements should be significant as the new version should have have much faster graphics and much more shaders (at least twice more than the GF9400M). In addition the power consumption should not change as thinner engraving should help to control it.

This evolution should be available by the end of the year. Unfortunately for NVIDIA, at the same time period, Apple should have adopted the new Intel mobile architecture based on Nehalem, an entirely different hardware in which Intel did not let any third party to be involved.

Product News: OWC Boosts RAM Options for White MacBook, iMac

Other World Computing announced new memory module kits for white MacBook and iMac Core 2 Duo Aluminum (Early 2008/Penryn) models. The new modules allow users of these Macs to boost their RAM to 6GB, a 50% increase than the original factory options.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

OWC offers memory upgrades for iMac Core 2 Duo

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Other World Computing (OWC) has announced that OWC DDR2 800MHz Memory Upgrades are now available up to 6GB for iMac Core 2 Duo Aluminum (Early 2008/Penryn) models. They’re available as:

Next round of iMacs to get price cuts, new features?


Posted by Dennis Sellers

According to AppleInsider, Apple will follow its high successful laptop revamp (with price cuts) with the same strategy for its iMac line this fall (though some are predicting an update in August). I think AppleInsider is right: Apple’s most popular desktop will be revved and see price cuts. But what...

Dream Job: Apple Advertising For 3D Modeler To Make Concept Products

Apple is advertising for a rare job inside its design studio. The studio is ultra secretive. The new design documentary, Objectified, from which this still of Jonny Ive is taken, is one of the few films to shoot inside the studio.

Apple is advertising a rare job in its storied design department — and it’s a cool one.

Apple is looking for a computer modeling expert to make 3D renderings of concept products.

“CAD sculptor/digital 3D modeler needed to create high quality CAD models used in the industrial design and development of new products,” says the job posting on the Dezeenjobs website.

Headed by Jonny Ive, Apple’s design department is one of the most famous industrial design groups in the world. Employing about a dozen world-class designers, the studio is responsible for a string of trendsetting products, starting with the original iMac (which launched an industry see-through electronics) to the iPod and it’s iconic white earbuds.

Whoever gets the job will be one of the first people in the world to get a peek at whatever Apple is working on. Only CEO Steve Jobs and a handful of top executives get to see products in development.

The vast majority of Apple employees don’t see a final product until the day it is launched, even if they helped build it. Software programmers never see the actual hardware, and hardware engineers work on bulky prototypes housed in big polypropylene boxes.

Only the design department gets to see the final shape of the new product, and the studio is ultra-secretive. Housed in a nondescript building off Apple’s main campus, entry is limited to a chosen few. Even Apple’s previous CEO, John Sculley, was denied entrance. His electronic badge wouldn’t let him (he threw a fit).

The job sounds cool, but the job posting warns it is not a design job, nor a stepping-stone to a design job. Too bad.

The full job posting after the jump:

Dezeenjobs: Apple in California are looking for a CAD sculptor/digital 3D modeler:

CAD Sculptor/Digital 3D Modeler

CAD sculptor/digital 3D modeler needed to create high quality CAD models used in the industrial design and development of new products. This is not a design position.

The CAD sculptor is responsible for interpreting and defining the design intent of the industrial designer using Alias software while working with mechanical engineering, manufacturing and tooling requirements. 3D CAD data is used to develop product concepts and details for appearance models and renderings as well as production level surfaces used for engineering and tooling.

This position requires an advanced understanding and use of 3D surface modeling software, preferably Alias Studio or Rhino. Also helpful if the candidate is familiar with rendering/ visualization software tools, various CAD file format translations, and mechanical design of molded plastic parts.

The CAD Sculpting team is integral to the design and development of current and future Apple products. Candidate must have excellent problem solving and interpersonal skills and must be deadline-driven. At least one to three years experience in industrial design, model making, and product design, or related field is desired; however, a recent graduate with the right skill set will be considered.

Proficiency in Alias Studio or a similar surface modeler is required, and an understanding of Unigraphics or other solid modeling CAD packages is preferred. BS or BA in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, 3D Animation/Modeling, Fine Arts or Engineering desirable.

Candidates must keep in mind that this is not a designer position nor is it a stepping-stone to a designer position.

Please submit resume and portfolio to email hidden; JavaScript is required /* */

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Update: Apimac Slideshow 9.5

The slideshow and presentation program adds a Flash video export option, interface improvements, and fixes for all known bugs.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Monday, June 29, 2009

• Create An SD Card Startup Disk For New MacBook Pros • Apple MacBook Pro Firmware Update Causing More Problems With Third-party HDDs • Side Effects of the MacBook EFI 1.7 Update • More Affordable iMacs Expected By Fall • Mac mini Uses MacBook Components, Carries $376.20 Bill of Materials - iSuppli • Apple's Profit Margin On Mac minis Slimmer Than Usual • Is Apple's Mac mini a MacBook inside? • Windows 7 versus Snow Leopard: How Much Do Upgrades Really Cost? • Windows 7 Priced Below Vista, To Allow Upgrades From XP • Microsoft May Be First To Offer OS on USB Drives • Mac Users Suffer Safari 4 Woes • Low-end Mac & Cheese • MacBook Pro Upgrade Project Complete • CreativeMac Reviews 13-inch MacBook Pro • Computers And Cars More Powerful, Cheaper Than 20 Years Ago • Copyfraud: Poisoning The Public Domain • Apple Beats HP and Dell in Customer Satisfaction, Study Finds • Open Source And Apple (Design) Envy • Apple's Latest High-end MacBook Air Slower Than Predecessor • Is the New Macbook Air Actually Slower Than the Last One? • The Tech Night Owl! Satellites Slowly Taking Over
Read more [Applelinks]

Remainders - Things We Didn't Post [Remainders]

...Adam Savage's Savage Phone Bill...A Proverbially Dumb Doorknob...Undead Robot Mickey...Cheaper iMacs Imminent... MythBuster and Giz amigo Adam Savage got back from a trip to Canada, only to...
Read more [Gizmodo]

RUMOR: Apple to cut prices on next-gen iMacs

Apple, which recently shaved down the cost of its popular Mac notebook lines...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Briefly: more affordable iMacs from Apple expected by fall

Apple, which recently shaved down the cost of its popular Mac notebook lines, remains on track to pass on similar treatment to its all-in-one desktop line by this fall.
Read more [AppleInsider]

June 25 in LEM history

01: Connect your Mac to your stereo - Making a trifold brochure - 02: Are Mac users losers? - 03: G5 enough to entice switchers? - 04: Add FireWire and DVD to a tray-load iMac - 05: Network admin tools for OS X - 08: Snow Leopard: The most important OS X release ever
Read more [Low End Mac]

ScreenRecycler 1.3.2 Lets You Use Your Old Mac As A Second Display

If you own two computers with separate screens you can use ScreenRecycler. Even your laptop can be used as second screen for your main machine. Recycle your old iMac, Powerbook or even Windows PC
Read more [Applelinks]

June 24 in LEM history

98: iMac truly revolutionary - 02: Overclocking your Mac - My convoluted upgrade path - Website automation with PHP and MySQL - 03: Power Mac G5 value equation - Troubleshooting iChat AV - Windows user's guide to talking with a Mac user - 05: Thinking through the iPhone - Is Apple's product line too simple or too complex? - Widescreen iBook rumors - Last single CPU Power Mac discontinued
Read more [Low End Mac]

Apimac Slideshow for Mac OS X adds ability to export to a Flash Video file

Posted by Dennis Sellers

Apimac has released Apimac Slideshow 9.5 for Mac OS X, a new release of their shareware slideshow and presentation tool for multimedia files. The new version sports the ability to export any created slideshow to a Flash Video file and some user interface improvements.

Museum Pieces: Smithsonian Wants Your Apple Gear

In a bid to preserve some of the best modern industrial design for future generations, Smithsonian’s National Design Museum, the Cooper-Hewitt, is asking Apple fans to donate their old and not-so-old devices.

Aptly, webmaster William Berry calls the request a “wish list:”

Newton Message Pad (1993)
iBook (2001, white)
iPod, 1st generation (2001)
iMac G5 (2004)
Macbook Pro (2006)
iPhone, 1st generation (2007)
Macbook Air (2008)

While you can get rid of something that has given up the ghost, your device should still be in excellent (external) condition, with original parts and power cords or batteries.  All donors will be listed on the credit line whenever the works are displayed or published.
The  generous-minded can get in touch with Cynthia Trope, Associate Curator of Product Design and Decorative Arts, at email hidden; JavaScript is required /* */ .

What, if anything, would you be willing to part with for a museum?

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

June 22 in LEM history

99: Something to remember - iMac talks to PowerBook - 00: Bottlenecks - 01: Would Apple have thought different in 1983? - 05: Bring out your iPods - 07: World going notebook crazy
Read more [Low End Mac]

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 and iMac EFI Firmware 1.4 Update released

Posted by Dave Merten

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 addresses an issue using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the MacBook Pro introduced in June 2009. This update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5Gbps, however Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac portable computers, and...

Apple releases MacBook Pro, iMac firmware updates

Apple on Monday released EFI firmware updates for both the mid-2009 MacBook Pros and the early 2009 iMacs.


Read more [Macworld]

Apple releases MacBook Pro, iMac firmware updates

Apple on Monday released EFI firmware updates for both the mid-2009 MacBook Pros and the early 2009 iMacs.



Read more [MacUser]

iMac EFI Firmware 1.4 Update Available

Apple released a firmware update for the iMac (iMac EFI Firmware 1.4 Updates) aiming to fix a bug experienced by owners of the Radeon HD 4870-based iMac:

iMac EFI Firmware 1.4 Update addresses issues where iMac computers with ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics intermittently stop responding and addresses wake-from-sleep issues in Boot Camp.

Directl link to the support download webpage: http://support.apple.com/downloads/_iMac_EFI_Firmware_Update_1_4

Deal Brothers: Apple Refurbished iMac 24-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo $1,199.00

The Deal Brothers found a deal from Apple on a refurbished 2.16 GHz 24" iMac for $1,199, with free shipping and one year of AppleCare.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

June 21 in LEM history

99: Tomorrow's iMac - Used 7500 or beige G3? - 00: Make a bootable restore disc - 01: Why Windows is important - 02: 'Real People' overlooks key audience - 04: Time to increase .mac email space - VueScan 8 - 07: First impressions of a MacBook Pro - Why Macs die
Read more [Low End Mac]

iMac or MacBook Pro—when I upgrade, which route should I take?


Posted by Dennis Sellers

For years now my main computer has been an iMac. I also keep a MacBook on hand for the times when I travel. However, the next time I upgrade my equipment (which, alas, may be a while—times are tight for us all) I’m thinking of going with one computer: a...

Refurb MacBook Pro Deal, Fastest Mac Browser, 256 MB Modules for WallStreet, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings

Also more Safari 4 feedback, praise for Camino, MacBook cracks, looking for Craigslist software for Macs, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

Review: MacBook Pro 15" (LED)

We've added some benchmark results charts (with more to come later) in a thorough review of Apple's latest laptop from Robert Mohns, covering technical advances, the overall experience, and an audio quality issue.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Report: MacBook Pro

non-standard screws, 17" experience
Read more [MacInTouch]

ATPM 15.07 - E-Mail

E-Mail

We’d love to hear your thoughts about our publication. We always welcome your comments, criticisms, suggestions, and praise. Or, if you have an opinion or announcement about the Macintosh platform in general, that’s OK too. Send your e-mail to editor@atpm.com. All mail becomes the property of ATPM.

This month, responses to: Controlling Your Mac, Switching to ADSL2+, font management software, on-screen font rendering, Posterino, and the new MacBook Pro’s keyboard.
Read more [About This Particular Macintosh]

ATPM 15.07 - Welcome

Welcome
Author: Robert Paul Leitao

Warm up to each issue of ATPM with a brief welcome by Robert Paul Leitao and a spin of what’s been going on that could affect your personal computing experience. This month, Snow Leopard, name that iPhone, Pre-Mature, a new MacBook Pro, and more.
Read more [About This Particular Macintosh]

How-to: Reset a noisy optical drive in the Mid-2009 MacBook Pro

While playing with my new 3GHz “Mid 2009” MacBook Pro I noticed that it made that weird optical drive load/unload sound three times in a row, instead of the usual one, any time the drive was used. If you don’t have a CD or DVD handy you can invoke the sound by clicking on System Profiler [...]


Read more [The Apple Core]

Apple: MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7

"...addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro."
Read more [MacInTouch]

Colorware Limited Edition Stealth MacBook Pro

Colorware have announced the limited edition Stealth MacBook Pro, a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 15" unit with a custom matte display, a 256GB solid-state drive and a smooth-textured, zero-gloss black finish reminiscent of the livery used on the U.S. Air Force's F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter stealth fighter and B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber aircraft. Ten examples only units will be produced selling for (are you sitting down?) $5,999.00
Read more [Applelinks]

Apple Still Won’t Play the Game — Well, Mostly

It’s fair to say that the fairly decent price reductions of the MacBook Pro series will have an impact. People who complain that Macs are too costly will have less ammunition to assert their case. Microsoft will have to recast its lame laptop buyer spots to recognize the new reality. Or maybe not. While not unexpected, [...]
Read more [The Mac Night Owl]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Wednesday, July 1, 2009

• Optimized Software Builds Bring Out the Best in Your Mac • Intel's Promise Fulfilled: More Processing Power per Processor Cycle • Recycling a Mac mini • Jonathan Ive Reveals Apple Design Secrets • Methods For Shutting Down Or Restarting Your Mac • The Register Reviews The New MacBook Pro 15in • Apple SD Cards Fuel (More) Mac Tablet Chatter • Tips On Moving Files From Old Mac • Firefox 3.5 - It's Not A 'Web Upgrade' • The Ultimate Mac Setup for Photographers (50 Apps) • Asustek Lowers Prices To Clear Stocks Of 7-, 8.9-Inch Eee PCs • Acer Leaps From Unknown to PC Phenomenon • Independent Developer Pavilion Launches at Macworld 2010 • The Mac Night Owl: The Snow Leopard Report: Ready for Greatness or Boredom?
Read more [Applelinks]

Apple Stock Watch: Analyst: Mac Shipments Rose in May, MacBook Pro “Catalyst for Growth”

Mac shipments are up, rising 25% in May compared to April, and Apple's new MacBook Pro units are a "catalyst for growth," according to Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty. Ms. Huberty's analysis is based on numbers from NPD and from comments from unnamed suppliers.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

Matte Black MacBook Pro Looks Like a Deadly Stealth Ship [Customized]

This $6000 Colorware MacBook Pro isn't just impressive because of its price, it's impressive because it looks like what a real matte black MacBook Pro from Apple would look like. There are only ten...
Read more [Gizmodo]

Does Apple’s inclusion of SD Card slots in MacBook Pros hint at future Mac tablet?

The evidence lies with the SD Card adoption by MacBook Pros...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Apple's Mac shipments rebounding sharply in recent weeks

An aggressive back-to-school promotion and a more affordably-priced overhaul to Apple's MacBook Pro notebook line are boosting Apple's personal computer shipments to levels not seen since last October, shortly before the economic climate caught up with the Mac maker in earnest.
Read more [AppleInsider]

'Slow' SATA in New MacBook Pros Fixed, MacBook Pro Display Issues, Macs Hold Their Value, and More, The 'Book Review

Also Apple acknowledges some MacBooks lack 'ignore trackpad' option, business card USB flash drive fits wallet, gigabit Powerline, bargain 'Books from $179 to $2,150, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

Apple SD Cards fuel (more) Mac tablet chatter

SanDisk love-in

A SanDisk investment commentator, blogging as Savolainen, reckons Apple is going to introduce a tablet or netbook-type Mac. Yes, you've heard this before. But this time, the evidence lies with the SD Card adoption by MacBook Pros.…

Maine's expanded MacBook program the 'largest of its kind'

The Maine Department of Education said Tuesday that it plans to expand to high school students a program that has provided Apple notebook computers to all of the state's middle school students for the past 7 years, creating "the world's largest educational technology program of its kind."
Read more [AppleInsider]

Maine expands Apple MacBook program to high schools; 71,000 MacBook order is largest of its kind

Thousands of Maine high school students will receive new laptops this fall through an expansion...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Maine expands MacBook program to high schools

The state of Maine is expanding its successful laptop program from middle schoolers to high schoolers.


Read more [Macworld]

Mac Geek Gab Podcast: MGG 209: The Long and Short of Mac Questions & RunCore SSD

Dave and John answer reader questions about b/g clients degrading 802.11n networks, hard drive troubleshooting, ExpressCard slot uses, stalling downloads, virtual memory on the iPhone, and Dave talks about his experience using a RunCore SSD drive on his MacBook Pro. Subscribe today for free and enjoy!



Read more [The Mac Observer]

T3 reviews Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro: There’s never been a better time to buy

Apple's new 13-inch MacBook Pro offers far more than new and returning...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Monday, June 29, 2009

• Create An SD Card Startup Disk For New MacBook Pros • Apple MacBook Pro Firmware Update Causing More Problems With Third-party HDDs • Side Effects of the MacBook EFI 1.7 Update • More Affordable iMacs Expected By Fall • Mac mini Uses MacBook Components, Carries $376.20 Bill of Materials - iSuppli • Apple's Profit Margin On Mac minis Slimmer Than Usual • Is Apple's Mac mini a MacBook inside? • Windows 7 versus Snow Leopard: How Much Do Upgrades Really Cost? • Windows 7 Priced Below Vista, To Allow Upgrades From XP • Microsoft May Be First To Offer OS on USB Drives • Mac Users Suffer Safari 4 Woes • Low-end Mac & Cheese • MacBook Pro Upgrade Project Complete • CreativeMac Reviews 13-inch MacBook Pro • Computers And Cars More Powerful, Cheaper Than 20 Years Ago • Copyfraud: Poisoning The Public Domain • Apple Beats HP and Dell in Customer Satisfaction, Study Finds • Open Source And Apple (Design) Envy • Apple's Latest High-end MacBook Air Slower Than Predecessor • Is the New Macbook Air Actually Slower Than the Last One? • The Tech Night Owl! Satellites Slowly Taking Over
Read more [Applelinks]

Firmware update enables faster storage on new MacBook Pros (maybe)

Apple this week released an EFI Firmware update for the just-shipped MacBook Pro models that enable 3Gbps transfer rates with some third-party hard disks.


Read more [The Apple Core]

Create an SD card startup disk for the new MacBook Pros

In this video, senior editor Roman Loyola will show you how to create an SD card startup disk for the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros.


Read more [Macworld]

MacBook Pro Firmware Update Doesn't Care For Third Party Hard Drives [Apple]

To their credit, Apple addressed complaints about a downgraded, slower SATA interface on their new MacBook Pros fairly quickly. Unfortunately, that hasty firmware update seems to be causing much more...
Read more [Gizmodo]

Refurb MacBook Pro Deal, Fastest Mac Browser, 256 MB Modules for WallStreet, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings

Also more Safari 4 feedback, praise for Camino, MacBook cracks, looking for Craigslist software for Macs, and more.
Read more [Low End Mac]

Intel's Promise Fulfilled: More Processing Power per Processor Cycle, Dan Knight, Mac Musings

Apple promised improved CPU efficiencies when it announced the move to Intel in 2005. Three years of MacBooks show the progress.
Read more [Low End Mac]

Review: MacBook Pro 15" (LED)

We've added some benchmark results charts (with more to come later) in a thorough review of Apple's latest laptop from Robert Mohns, covering technical advances, the overall experience, and an audio quality issue.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Report: MacBook Pro

non-standard screws, 17" experience
Read more [MacInTouch]

Report: MacBook Air

battery tips
Read more [MacInTouch]

Review: MacBook Air

Our MacBook Air review digs into details of its design, features, performance, compatibility and suitability for various customers. Includes benchmark test results.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Review: Aluminum MacBook

We have added photos and discussion about a matte screen film to our detailed review of the new, aluminum MacBook, which covers design, features, issues, performance, pros and cons, with links for more info, and a gallery of photos.
Read more [MacInTouch]

Apple: MacBook Air SMC Firmware Update 1.2

"...adds compatibility for the latest service replacement batteries."
Read more [MacInTouch]

‘The Tech Night Owl’ looks at PR Mac, new MacBook Airs, more

Posted by Dennis Sellers

On the new Tech Night Owl broadcast, Gene “Mac Night Owl” Gene Steinberg and guests explore one of the best ways for Mac companies to announce and beta test their new products with Ray Barber of PR Mac.

Updated: Employee Confirmed Shot In Violent Armed Robbery at Virginia Apple Store

Police at the Apple Store Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia, where an employee was shot during an armed robbery. Picture by Fox 5.

Updated: Police have confirmed that a 26-year-old female Apple employee was shot in the shoulder and injured at the Apple Store Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia, during a “violent armed robbery” at about 10.15AM.

The suspect rang a doorbell at the back service entrance and shot a female employee as soon as she opened the door, the Washington Post reports. A police spokeswoman said it is unclear if the employee had words with the shooter or put up resistance to the robbery.

According to the Post, only two employees were in the store at the time, the shooting victim and another employee who was in the main showroom. The other employee called police as soon as they heard the gunshot. It’s unclear if there were customers in the store at the time, the police said. The shooting occurred about 15 minutes after the store opened.

The shooting victim was injured in the shoulder. The injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said.

The suspect is described as a medium build black male, aged between of 35 and 45, with facial hair. He was wearing a dark baseball cap, a light-colored shirt and pants. He fled on foot, carrying a handgun.

Security camera footage of the shooting may be released to the public to help the search, police said.

The store is located in the tony Market Common outdoor shopping district, which is considered a quiet, safe area.

“I think it’s a sign of the times, the economy, when you have someone desperate enough to rob an Apple store in an area like this,” said a shopper who was planning to buy a new MacBook.

Shots have reportedly been fired at the Apple Retail Store Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia, according to AppleInsider. One person was wounded in the shoulder, the site says, and taken to hospital in an ambulance. Police are searching for the shooter.

AppleInsider reports:

“Someone was just shot at the store and just were carted out in an ambulance,” that person said. “Unsure what happened but the store is closed down and there are police everywhere.”

Witnesses report hearing a loud bang coming from the back room followed by a woman screaming. A thin-framed, black male believed to be in his twenties and wearing a fake beard was seen fleeing from the rear of the store.

Local authorities have called in air support to help search for the suspect, who was reportedly clad in beige. The victim, whose gender and identity have yet to be identified, is believed to have been shot in the shoulder.

On Twitter, use TyroneFord appears to confirm the report:

“A friend was just in the Apple Store in Clarendon, Va and he claims there were gunshots and screams from the store room,” he tweeted.

The local ABC affiliate is confirming the report: One Confirmed Shot at Arlington Apple Store.

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

The correct way to use your MacBook's battery

Recently a battery completely failed in a two-year old black 2.16GHz MacBook that was covered under AppleCare. It worked fine one day, went completely dead the next. It wouldn’t charge and no LEDs would light up. When I brought it into the genius bar at my local Apple Store I learned something interesting about the [...]


Read more [The Apple Core]

ATPM 15.07 - E-Mail

E-Mail

We’d love to hear your thoughts about our publication. We always welcome your comments, criticisms, suggestions, and praise. Or, if you have an opinion or announcement about the Macintosh platform in general, that’s OK too. Send your e-mail to editor@atpm.com. All mail becomes the property of ATPM.

This month, responses to: Controlling Your Mac, Switching to ADSL2+, font management software, on-screen font rendering, Posterino, and the new MacBook Pro’s keyboard.
Read more [About This Particular Macintosh]

ATPM 15.07 - Welcome

Welcome
Author: Robert Paul Leitao

Warm up to each issue of ATPM with a brief welcome by Robert Paul Leitao and a spin of what’s been going on that could affect your personal computing experience. This month, Snow Leopard, name that iPhone, Pre-Mature, a new MacBook Pro, and more.
Read more [About This Particular Macintosh]

Apple’s Mac sales surge due in part to Microsoft’s ill-conceived ‘Laptop Hunters’ ads?

I notice that Microsoft has yet to change its TV 'Laptop Hunter' ads since Apple lowered MacBook prices...
Read more [MacDailyNews]

How-to: Reset a noisy optical drive in the Mid-2009 MacBook Pro

While playing with my new 3GHz “Mid 2009” MacBook Pro I noticed that it made that weird optical drive load/unload sound three times in a row, instead of the usual one, any time the drive was used. If you don’t have a CD or DVD handy you can invoke the sound by clicking on System Profiler [...]


Read more [The Apple Core]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Thursday, July 2, 2009

• Steve Jobs: Trust the Art, Not the Artist • Why Bother Getting A Mac? • Apple Poised To Drop NVIDIA Chips? • Apple May Drop NVIDIA Chips In Macs Following Contract Fight • Kace Pledges End To Mac Discrimination • MacBook Air Firmware Update V1.2 Not Installing • Mac Shipments On The Rise • Apple's Mac Shipments Rebounding Sharply In Recent Weeks • Does Apple Really Have The Greenest Notebooks? • Firefox 3.5 performs at 251% the speed of 3.0, At Least On Windows - Report
Read more [Applelinks]

Apple: MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7

"...addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro."
Read more [MacInTouch]

Macs Sales Growing Faster Than PCs

Apple Mac sales growth outstripped PCs even before Apple cut prices and introduced new MacBooks last month.
Read more [TechWeb]

Colorware Limited Edition Stealth MacBook Pro

Colorware have announced the limited edition Stealth MacBook Pro, a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 15" unit with a custom matte display, a 256GB solid-state drive and a smooth-textured, zero-gloss black finish reminiscent of the livery used on the U.S. Air Force's F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter stealth fighter and B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber aircraft. Ten examples only units will be produced selling for (are you sitting down?) $5,999.00
Read more [Applelinks]

Mac OS X 10.5.7 Update Incorrectly Signed? Had to use Combo Update File

My 1st generation MacBook didn't like the 10.5.6 update. And, now it doesn't like the 10.5.7 update. Fortunately, the Combo Update file for each release saved the day in each case. Todd Ogasawara 2009-05-14T09:50:59-08:23
Read more [O'Reilly Mac DevCenter Blog]

NVIDIA Preps GeForce 9400M Successor

As you know Apple uses NVIDIA GeForce 9400M chipset since October 2008 in MacBook and iMac. This chips did not evolve as NVIDIA has left Intel graphical chipsets in the dust. However, as one should not expect that Intel will not react, NVIDIA is preparing the successor of its Atom-dedicated GeForce 9400M (known as ION platform). Improvements should be significant as the new version should have have much faster graphics and much more shaders (at least twice more than the GF9400M). In addition the power consumption should not change as thinner engraving should help to control it.

This evolution should be available by the end of the year. Unfortunately for NVIDIA, at the same time period, Apple should have adopted the new Intel mobile architecture based on Nehalem, an entirely different hardware in which Intel did not let any third party to be involved.

Apple Still Won’t Play the Game — Well, Mostly

It’s fair to say that the fairly decent price reductions of the MacBook Pro series will have an impact. People who complain that Macs are too costly will have less ammunition to assert their case. Microsoft will have to recast its lame laptop buyer spots to recognize the new reality. Or maybe not. While not unexpected, [...]
Read more [The Mac Night Owl]

Apple Receives Middling Marks In GreenPeace Green Computing Survey

Despite touting its green credentials, Apple is ranked fairly low in Greenpeace's latest survey of green electronics.

Despite touting its green credentials in new TV ads, Apple is ranked fairly low in Greenpeace’s latest survey of green electronics.

Greenpeace’s quarterly green scorecard was released on Wednesday, and while Apple got high marks for reducing toxic chemicals, it got low marks for not supporting global recycling initiatives or using more recycled plastics.

Overall, Apple scored 4.7 out of 10, putting it in the lower half of a pack of 18 electronics manufacturers. Nokia came top with a score of 7.45, and Nintendo came bottom with a score of 1.

Apple has been advertising the green credentials of its new MacBook line in TV ads — proclaiming them the greenest laptops ever.

Greenpeace’s 12th Guide to Greener Electronics ranks tech companies on three main criteria: reducing overall environmental impact, eliminating toxic chemicals, and recycling efforts.

Apple scored higher than rivals like Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo, which all came near the bottom for failing to eliminate toxic chemicals like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their products.

Apple has mostly removed PVCs and BVRs, which Greenpeace rewarded with high marks.

Greenpeace also praised Apple for:

Toxics: Apple generally gets high marks for removing PVCs and BFRs, and for planning to remove all chlorine and bromine.
Recycling: Apple operates recycling programs in countries where more than 95% of its prodcuts are sold, including countries where no recycling laws exist.
E-Waste Reporting: Apple recycled 30.5 million pounds of electronics; a recycling rate of 38% in 2008, as a percentage of sales seven years ago.
Green Advertising: Greenpeace praised Apple’s new ads highlighting the green credentials of its new MacBooks.

But Greenpeace criticized Apple for:

Eliminating More Toxins: Apple’s provided no timeline for eliminating nasties like beryllium and arsenic.
Global Recycling: Apple has not pledged support for the Individual Producer Responsibility program, which pressures firms to take responsibility for the lifetime of products, cradle to grave.
Recycled Plastics: Apple doesn’t use enough.
Global Greenhouse Gas Reductions: Apple doesn’t support mandatory reduction of global greenhouse emissions.
Renewable Energy: Apple doesn’t disclose the amount of renewable energy it uses.

Apple in the past has been targeted by Greenpeace, mostly for failing to on its environmental performance. But in 2007, Steve Jobs posted an long, detailed statement about Apple’s green performance and goals. Greenpeace has also been criticized for its green electronics reports. The group — which is clearly activist — uses published results to compile its surveys. So Apple may be running its HQ entirely on solar power, but receives poor marks if it fails to report this.

Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Below is a copy of Greenpeace’s explanation of Apple’s score in more detail (PDF).

And here’s Greenpeace’s full Guide to Greener Electronics - 12 (PDF).

This article is copyright Cultomedia Corp.

Product News: OWC Boosts RAM Options for White MacBook, iMac

Other World Computing announced new memory module kits for white MacBook and iMac Core 2 Duo Aluminum (Early 2008/Penryn) models. The new modules allow users of these Macs to boost their RAM to 6GB, a 50% increase than the original factory options.



Read more [The Mac Observer]

Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Wednesday, July 1, 2009

• Optimized Software Builds Bring Out the Best in Your Mac • Intel's Promise Fulfilled: More Processing Power per Processor Cycle • Recycling a Mac mini • Jonathan Ive Reveals Apple Design Secrets • Methods For Shutting Down Or Restarting Your Mac • The Register Reviews The New MacBook Pro 15in • Apple SD Cards Fuel (More) Mac Tablet Chatter • Tips On Moving Files From Old Mac • Firefox 3.5 - It's Not A 'Web Upgrade' • The Ultimate Mac Setup for Photographers (50 Apps) • Asustek Lowers Prices To Clear Stocks Of 7-, 8.9-Inch Eee PCs • Acer Leaps From Unknown to PC Phenomenon • Independent Developer Pavilion Launches at Macworld 2010 • The Mac Night Owl: The Snow Leopard Report: Ready for Greatness or Boredom?
Read more [Applelinks]