Apple and Tech News Mash-ups: Week 11

Both 17- and 20-inch models of the iMac G5 are no longer available in the UK online Apple Store but availability of the Macbook Pro improves.

Computerworld's Ken Mingis says though the new Intel iMac is not as fast as the Power Mac G5, it's fast enough that those with older Mac computers to consider upgrading to the Intel iMac. After Mingis's review, he had to return the iMac, but he gave up the Power Mac and went out to purchase himself a Macbook Pro. Color him pleased.

Stephen Wildstrom of BusinessWeek says the Macbook Pro and Intel Mac mini are products that are easy to use and "please the heart and the eye as well as the brain and the budget," setting them apart from what Dell and HP could ever offer.

Bob 'Dr. Mac' Levitus gets a loaner and reviews a souped-up Macbook Pro with Logic Pro installed.

Geekbench compares the performances the different iMacs; from iMac G3 up to the present Core Duo.

Bare Feats have posted an updated for their 2.0 GHz bonanza shootout. This is where they compared the performances of a Powerbook upgraded to 2.0 GHz, a 2.0 GHz Macbook Pro, a 2.0 Macbook Pro with one core disabled, a 2.0 GHz iMac Core Duo, and a 2.0 GHz Dual Core G5. The Macbook Pro held itself up against the iMac Core Duo and is much superior than the upgraded Powerbook. Intel Macs still takes a hit from non-Universal Binary applications. Matching memories can help but not so much. A fast PC means a fast CPU, speedy HD, and large RAM.

Windows XP booting up on an iMac, the Movie. Up for grabs: $12,994. (Update: The movie was confirmed real. Hackers have managed to boot Windows XP on an iMac and they've won a total of $13,854.) Ars Technica has a short description on the process of booting XP on an Intel Mac. PC World has gone and install Windows on their Intel iMac.

Max look at the mini series:art one, two, and three. Plus, the author's "big problem" when he tried to max the mini's to RAM to 2GB and the results of his 2GB RAM upgrade (1GB RAM is enough). Included are finding on how peripherals fared when used with the mini.

Pimp your Mac mini!

Macs Only states that the Mac mini Core Duo can do well on only 512MB of RAM but the Mac mini Core Duo has poorer AirPort reception as compared to a 867MHz 12" Powerbook G4. Doom 3 and Call of Duty are barely playable which is attributed to the integrated graphics chip.

After all the boos and hisses thrown at the Intel Mac mini upon its introduction, sobriety has returned to the Mac community. Apple Matters' Chris Howard talks about how the reviews have revealed how much more capable the Intel Mac minis are and how he now wants to get two Mac minis.

Intel Mac mini Bluetooth and AirPort issues have begun cropping up.

Time has named the iPod Hi-Fi as its Gadget of the Week. Last week, it was the MacBook Pro that was named as Gadget of the Week. (Do you think that I'd toot my own horn? You bet I would! MacDailyNews and TUAW, baby! Two of my favorite Mac sites.) But Vern Seward of The Mac Observer can't understand what's with the iPod Hi-Fi. He believes that there are better (and cheaper) alternatives to Apple's speaker system.

Fortune magazine write Peter Lewis says Apple has improved upon "two of the best computers on the planet" and that Apple "has built a better foundation for the future." Macsimum News gives the Macbook Pro 1.83GHz 8 out of 10. Same old complaints of a slower SuperDrive, lack of modem port, and slow apps under Rosetta.

Mike Wendland calls the Macbook Pro "the finest portable computer I have ever owned," and that it is "just a little ahead of itself; software and hardware companies need to catch up."

South by southwest's (or SXSW) press room is lined with brand-new Macbook Pros. Yummy! This year's SXSW is held in Austin, Texas and will end on March 19. The panel discussion that garnered that most interest was about what went on behind the scenes in the design of the user interface for the Mac OS X and Windows XP/Vista. CitizenPod is there to cover SXSW.

Other problems have been noted in the Macbook Pro aside from the whine which is purported to be coming from the processor. For people to get an idea on how bad the problem is, someone has created a video where one can definitely hear a loud high-pitched buzzing noise. The noise disappears when screen is turned off.

The Macbook Pro runs cooler than a Powerbook according to ZDNet.

Front Row with Bonjour exemplifies Apple's drive to integrate solutions seamlessly and seemingly invisible.

Bud Tribble, Apple's vice president of Software Technology, says the level of threat to Mac security is "minimal." He adds that Apple is very serious about security concerns and that users must not be complacent about the security of their own machines.

Shoud Apple sell Mac OS X for biege (or blue or black or whatever new-fangled color) boxes? An essay in Mac Geekery explains that they shouldn't. Interesting read. Really.

New iPod ad!

A Microsoft blogger ends his iPod envy and his search for the better alternative to the iPod+iTunes system. He ended up buying an iPod nano and installing iTunes in his Windows PC.

Yet another tale of the "iPod halo effect" in effect. With his nom de plume, an IT guy tells his own narrative of switching; how Apple's own switch (to Intel) and the elegance of Mac OS X pushed him to get the Macbook Pro.

Can you define the iPod in twenty words or less?

Playlist's eight iPod hacks. From installing Linux to getting Wikipedia into the ubiquitous digital music player.

Basic misconceptions about the iPod abound. One of the misconsceptions is that you can only get music from the iTunes music store (you can rip your CD collection and upload it to your iPod). There's also the misconception that you have rip the entire CD and you cannot select those you want to rip.

Sara Ellis of the San Francisco Chronicle writes about the self-righteous backlash by people against iPod users. We are being called "socially irresponsible," "i-Snobs," "white-earphone brigade," and "pod-botherers" just for the want of peace and quiet against people who thinks the cellphone has given them all the right in the world to shout and scream, and be heard within a 1-mile radius.

A report predicts that Apple will ship $4.2 billion worth of wireless iPods or WiPods by 2010, which will shove mobile-phone makers aside.

An alternative to InvisibleSHIELD (or Bestskinsever): Macally's Clear Protective Overlay for the iPod nano.

The first iPod movie festival have started at Flux.

The iPod box video parody was made by Microsoft to highlight to their packaging team the problems they faced in their branding and packaging of Microsoft's products.

Canadian Radio consider the iPod and satellite radio threat to their existence (and pockets). Speaking of pockets (and money), advertisers have started to invade the private space of iPod owners.

The National Institutes of Health said that more research is needed to determine whether the iPod does increase the risk for hearing loss. Peter Burrows thinks that Apple should be more proactive when it comes to the hearing-loss issue, either through improved design on their earbuds or do research on the problem or perhaps both.

The $109 Shure E2c gets an unflattering review because it's such a pain in the ear.

So far this is the ugliest knock-off of an iPod mini I have ever seen. Can't the Chinese come up with anything original?

Apple's iTunes is predicted to shoot pass RealPlayer in mid-2006 as a client for streaming media. However, Windows Media Player still occupies the top spot with 80 million as compared to iTunes's 30 million by mid-2006.

San Jose State University will soon offer podcasts in iTunes.

The iTunes Music Store will start selling condensed versions of the games from the 2006 NCAA Division Basketball Championship. Fans can either buy each condensed game for $1.99 or they can use the new "Season Pass" service. The "Season Pass" feature will let customers buy the entire 63 games at a lower cost as compared to buying the games individually and they will receive the games the day after they are played. The first full-length movie has also been released in the iTMS. The High School Musical is a Disney Channel made for TV movie with a running time of one hour and forty minutes and can be downloaded for $1.99. (I had the idea that the first movie download would most likely come from Disney). Free download for Top Chef's pilot episode and new Showtime shows are also now available. (Update:
Some sites have reported that the High School Musical briefly disappeared from the iTune Music Store. It later returned but at a more expensive price tag of $9.99. People think the price is a rip-off. A DVD will cost about the same with full features and a better resolution). A father had to cough up the $9.99` Steve Jobs is asking for the High School Musical for a little peace and quiet.

NBC has a FAQ for downloading their shows from iTunes.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is now available in the iTunes Music Store.

The Bismarck Tribune tells its readers that there are alternatives to the iTunes Music Store which may turn out to be cheaper and a better deal.

Steve Jobs has been getting a $1 salary for several years. Last year was no different.

Create your own Steve Jobs Keynote address. Hilarious! Kudos to d-kathy!

Apple is number one in the "Most Admired for Innovation" list. Fortune magazine compiled the list from the Hays Group's survey of 8,600 executives and analysts from 23 countries. Apple also took the ninth place in the list of 50 most admired companies in the world. But is Apple scrimping on R&D?

Ever wondered why Apple hasn't advertised the Mac OS X on TV? John Martellano in his new column for The Mac Observer says that it's difficult for Apple to explain and sell the Mac OS since to most people an operating system is an abstract concept. To a typical computer user, all OSes and their eye-candy are the same and even though Mac users will argue the Apple's OS is superior in user-friendliness and ease of use, it is very difficult if not downright impossible to convey those features in 30-seconds.

PC Magazine's Lance Ulanoff explains what the "Apple Effect" is. In a nutshell, it is Apple's ability to generate hype and a blanket of coolness around the iPod and the associated industry around it. Apple's next move should be to create the effect around the Macs.

Apparenty PC Magazine has adopted ZDNet's penchant in speading misinformation and lies. One blogger notes that PC Magazine blatantly posted an erroneous price of Apple's Power Mac G5 Quad. Rather long rant. Go and see if you can be persuaded by his findings and arguments.

Rupert Murdoch says newspapers need to embrace the iPod generation.

Daring Fireball officially calls Paul Thurrott Dipshit of the Week. Wish I caught that. MDN is there.

SanDisk CEO blows his own horn and boasts he will beat Apple with their new iPod nano killer. Their products are obviously above par because it has a built-in radio and voice recorder.

Microsoft's coming in a little too late. Are they a 21st-century has-been?

Fair use under fire as France pushes to legalize cracking of DRM. (Update: France voted to lightly penalize pirates but cracks down hard on DRM crackers. Apple goes scot free for now).

The fight over copyright and piracy is all about money, power and control and the big record companies are not willing to give up any of those. Laws should be able to quickly evolve to reflect the current state of technology and of the world. Laws on copyright are antiquated but the record companies prefer it this way. It's time for users to look for an alternative. Open-source software, independent artists, and podcasting are just signs of the times.

Several reactions to some issues surrounding the iPod and iTunes; regarding Victory Records' refusal to license its music to Apple because iTunes "steals the soul of music," Janet Mayer of Apple Matters thinks that the company's assumptions and worries are baseless for now and iTunes might actually help the music industry thrive. Christopher Breen of Playlist gives his two cents on France's move to legalize DRM cracking. The bill will ensure consumers who will crack DRM won't be prosecuted.

To one Linux admin, he realized the that OS doesn't matter after spending time with a Mac mini.

How to...
... play an audio file in iTunes without adding it to the library and making a copy of the audio file in the iTunes folder library.
... make Safari go sideways.
... use the Treo as a bluetooth modem with a Macbook Pro.
... track your emails with Google Earth.
... revive a corrupted CF card.
... become an Xcoder.
... start coding in PHP and AJAX.
... make digital bookmarks on your audio files.

Eye candy for your Mac. Get icons from InterfaceLIFT and IconFactory to customize the look of your desktop and Finder.

The new version of the Adobe/Macromedia Flash Player (version 8.0.24.0) and is said to close a security vulnerability found in earlier versions. This version is however not for Intel-based Macs.

MacNN reviews RapidWeaver 3.2.1 and gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Apple Matters on AppZapper.

Mango Studio 3.0: for all of your Manga and comic illustrations needs.

Shootout among the multi-IM clients for the Mac: AdiumX, Fire and Proteus.

Portable OS X applications.

MacMerc features some AJAX apps and Web 2.0 links.