Week 5 in review

Hrmpf.com tells of the new patent applications from Apple which mentions user interface for an Apple tablet and iPod-like UI elements. The abstract reads, "Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multipoint sensing device such as a multipoint touch screen where the data pertains to touch input with respect to the multipoint sensing device, and identifying at least one multipoint gesture based on the data from the multipoint sensing device." The application lists Jonathan Ive as one of the inventors. The application mentions multipoint gestures as a way to navigate around the operating system and doing tasks such as scrolling and zooming. the iPod-like UI will pop-up anytime it's needed and will enable the user to perhaps control iTunes and some other program very much like how one controls an iPod today. A virtual keyboard is also mentioned in the patent. I don't know when this patent will become an actual product, IF it will ever become an actual product. But is Apple will ever make an iTablet or an iSlate or a MacTablet or MacSlate or whatever it is they will call it, I'll be one of first to get it.

Other rumors: 13-inch iBook with Front Row in the works? What about 1GB nanos? Black then red? Again, red iPods are all the rage in rumor sites ever since Bono was overheard talking about a red credit card (from American Express) and a red iPod. Both products are supposed to be for support in the fight against AIDS. There are also rumors that Apple will hold another special music event late in February. Perhaps to launch the red iPod and the 1GB nano?

Personal Computing World says the upgrades in iLife 06 makes it the best version of the home creative suite yet. Deep Thought wraps up its review of iLife 06. The newest addition to iLife, iWeb, is not for advanced web designers. Instead, iWeb was made for those who have little or no background in creating personal web pages. It's RapidWeaver vs iWeb on on February 8. Garageband 3 is great for podcasters and for home video producers. iLife 06 is "better than ever," says Thurrott. He also highly recommends the latest iMac but wrongly states that the iMac comes in 17" and 21" models.

Flash! (February 3, 2006) 17" iMac G5 are out of stock.

Boston Herald calls iWork as "really sweet," as a Sydney Morning Herald writer pines for the spreadsheet application that never came.

Macsimum News's Sellers gives the news Intel iMac a 9.5 out of 10 but says it is a perfect machine if running optimized software. Business Week calls the Intel iMac as an "iMac on steroids" and echoes Macsimum News sentiments that software developers need to catch up. Pioneer Press does a Mac vs Dell. The verdict? Go get a Mac. BusinessWeek rates the 5G iPod a 4 stars out of 5 but warns users to treat it with kid gloves. The Apple iPod Radio Remote gets an "excellent" rating from PC Mag. The Apple Remote can control Apple applications other than Front Row.

The iMac G5 and the Intel iMac butt heads in Anandtech. Interesting read.

Apple grabs the number one spot in Europe in education sales. Apple now has 15.2% marketshare in Western Europe, having a huge 54.4% market share in Switzerland. The Swiss knows a good product when they see one. A Comedy Central stand-up special has taken the top download spots from Lost in iTMS. Apple drops $200 off their 20" iMac G5s.

Portables with Intel Core Duo chips and running Windows may be losing an hour's worth of battery life due to buggy drivers. This problem might also extend into the MacBook Pros since Apple refuses to release the battery life of their new portables. So this might be more of a hardware bug rather than a software or driver issue.

New ESPN and ABC Sports programs available in iTMS. Networks are now selling TV shows in iTMS before they are broadcasted. Another iTunes phone from Motorola, the SLVR. Does anyone care anymore? Watch over 300 Apple related movies from The Different District. The iPod economy grows as sales from iPod accessories, from cases to docking stations, reached $850 million last year and is predicted to reach $1 billion this year. As Google Video flops, will CBS cave in and offer their shows in iTMS? An ExtremeTech writer loses his Zen. It's Superbowl time, and companies are offering downloads of their TV ads right after being shown during Superbowl. Dell gets run over by Apple's Click Wheel. They are dropping their expensive Digital Jukebox players. They are, however, keeping the DJ Ditty to compete with the iPod shuffle. I wonder what will happen to the Ditty if Apple does release a 1GB nano? Rob and MDN agreeing?

Apple trademarks Mac Pro. Pogue at Macworld. Apple gets sued, again. This time by a man who allegedly suffered hearing loss due to his iPod. What really stinks is that his lawyer is a Microsoft retainer. In the first place, do hot plates need warnings not to put your hands while it's turned on? Americans are getting dumber by the minute. Must be all the junk food they've been eating. The Street looks at Apple as a stock from all different angles.

Read what are the 5 things Steve Jobs lied about during the last 30 years. Is Jobs really taking over the world with the Disney-Pixar deal? A former Apple board member talks about Jobs.

CoconutWiFi lets you sniff out open wireless networks easily. Webnote Happy bookmarks webpages and lets you add notes to the pages you've saved. NeoOffice is version 1.2. GL Browser, a free image browser. POS for Mac and open source medical software.

How to...
... tweak iTunes. The article has a lot of tips and tricks that would make exploring iTunes interesting.
... drag and drop and quit apps with Exposé. (Command-Tab then "Q").
... navigate around Keynote using your keyboard (aka Keynote keyboard shortcuts).
... install an iTrip into a Mac mini.
... partition effectively.
... check your Mac's warranty status.

Sell your Apple stuff using LoopRumors Classified.

Yahoo calls the iPod a "white-and-chrome bully" as iRiver shows signs of pulling out of Europe.

Worm to wreck havoc on Windows machine of February 3. Macs are unaffected. But if you really want security against viruses, worms, trojans, etc you should get Windows Vista. *snicker* A security consultant accuses Mac users as being smug as 90% of the world reels from virus, trojan, and worm attacks. Us, smug? You bet we are. Food for thought from the FBI: $67.2 billion is lost per year because of virus-magnet Windows. More food for thought from eWeek: even with the switch to Intel, Macs are still secure and some people have their hats on too tight. Suggestions for Windows users on how to protect themselves. USA Today doesn't know that there are other operating systems available for PCs.

Which language for teaching computer science? Loftcube. Cool CGIs. As a Mac user, which non-Mac notebook would you get?

How to make Windows run effectively. Good luck.