Top Links: October 2004

Mac News Today

Link Archive: October 2004

Links Around the Web

MacInSchool: What I learned taking donated computers to kids homes, Phil Shapiro, MacUsingEducators, 10.31. "A friend and I delivered 80 computers over a 2 year period. That's a lot of computes to keep running...."
Tech: Super-tough coating for cellphones and discs, New Scientist, 10.30. "...a tough, transparent polymer coating developed by chemists in Japan is set to make scratched phone screens and scuffed discs a thing of the past."
Opinion: Pro or con? iPod photo - Apple's first iPod mistake, Mac360, 10.29. Apple's first iPod mistake? Jack D. Miller thinks so. Tera Patricks thinks not.
Opinion: iPhoto the next iApp likely to go cross platform, Dennis Sellers, Macsimum Perspective, 10.29. "...for PCs, iPod photo syncs with My Photos folder. So rolling out a Windows version of iPhoto seems to be the next logical step."
Advice: The top 7 Mac power utilities you can't live without, Tera Patricks, Mac360, 10.28. What makes DragThing, SuperDuper, JAlbum, GraphicConverter, CopyPaste Lite, WeatherPop, NetNewsWire Lite, and NewsFire great software.
Rights: Lexmark suffers setback in DMCA case, John Leyden, The Register, 10.28. "Lexmark filed a lawsuit claiming that SCC's Smartek 520/620 chips violated the US's controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act laws in December 2002."
Opinion: Has Apple fully abandoned the low end?, Tera Patricks, Mac360, 10.27. "I'll argue as forcefully as anyone that Apple products are strong on quality (Macs and iPods) and strong on value."
Benchmarks: Do matching pairs of memory make the iMac G5 go faster?, Bare Feats, 10.27. Although matching pairs benchmark up to 29% faster, real world tests show no significant difference in performance.
Software: New in iTunes 4.7 - Show Duplicate Songs, O'Grady's PowerPage, 10.27. "iTunes 4.7 includes support for copying photos to an iPod photo and a cool new feature: the ability to show duplicate songs in your library."
Review: MacFreePOPs 1.5 Web based email to POP3 utility, Charles W. Moore, OS X Odyssey, Applelinks, 10.27. Freeware lets users download Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, and some other services to select OS X email programs.
AAPL: Apple stock hits new 4-year high; closes at $50.30, Brad Gibson, Mac Observer, 10.27. "Shares in Apple Computer (AAPL) closed Wednesday at a new 52-week high of US$50.30, the first time the stock has been above $50 in more than four years."
Dark Side: Even I didn't know that Windows had gotten this bad, Bill Palmer, BillPalmer.net, 10.26. "I've heard...horror stories of people's Windows PCs falling into...a nearly unusable state due to the ad-ware, spy-ware, and mal-ware...but I never could have imagined that it was this bad."
Opinion: The iBook speed bump; can PowerBook updates be far behind?, Charles W. Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 10.26. Why it's likely that Apple will bump the PowerBook line past 1.5 GHz with the PowerPC 7448 CPU in January.
Software: New iTunes utility spots duplicate songs, Mac Observer, 10.25. It's free and it works better than what's in iTunes 4.7. Best of all, it lets you decide which track to delete.
News: Firefox 1.0 limbers up for launch, Lucy Sherriff, The Register, 10.25. "The organisation says it aiming for 10 million downloads in the 100 days after inauguration, sparking much discussion of a return to the days of the browser wars...."
Opinion: Poll: Stopping junk mail - how do you beat spam?, Tera Patricks, Mac360, 10.24. "How about you? How many junk mail messages do you receive, home or work, each day?"
Deal: Logitech Cordless Access Duo keyboard and mouse for $18 after rebate, dealmac, 10.22. Wireless keyboard and mouse for about the price of a mouse. $28 before rebate, shipping extra.
Deal: Iomega Zip 100 USB for $30, dealmac, 10.22. This appears to be the bus-powered version, so no power brick necessary. Time to dust off those old 100 MB Zip disks!
Virus: "Opener" malware, MacInTouch, 10.22. Up-to-date information on the "Opener" script, a Trojan that appeared on at least one Mac last week.
Opinion: Tiger can wait; just fix Panther first, Charles W. Moore, OS X Odyssey, Applelinks, 10.22. "This is one exceptional instance where I am not going to waste any time downloading and applying the update, and saying goodbye to buggy OS 10.3.5."
Advice: Uncovered: Three secret slick tips for your Mac, Tera Patricks, Mac360, 10.22. How to put your Mac to sleep in 2 seconds, launch applications at startup, and put a file back where it came from.
Opinion: The forgotten Safari, Marc Zeedar, Less Tangible, Mac Opinion, 10.22. "...where at one time I never even thought about trying another browser, now I'm started to be tempted."
Software: NetNewsWire 2.0b6 released, Ranchero Software, 10.22. Updated versions of Lite and full versions of NetNewsWire, a great RSS news reader for Mac users. (The Lite version is free.)
Tech: Intel continues Wireless USB push, TechWorld, 10.22. "Intel is backing the 128-bit AES encryption protocol for securing Wireless USB connections, which it hopes will replace cables for connections over very short distances."
Dark Side: The security paradox, David Pogue, New York Times, 10.21. "Not only are viruses and other attacks coming more and more frequently, but the hackers are writing them faster after we patch each security hole."
News: Older iTunes versions being shut out, Apple warns, Ina Fried, Cnet, 10.21. "Those trying to buy music using versions other than the current iTunes version 4.6 are prompted with a warning and urged to upgrade to the latest iTunes."
Advice: Getting a grip on yourself, Garry Barker, Sydney Morning Herald, 10.21. "Surprisingly, many Mac users have yet to employ iSync to the full extent of its power, or even use it at all."
Software: Adium X: Multi-service IM client, Leander Kahney, Cult of Mac, Wired, 10.21. "0.7 update includes a major revamp of the contact list, improved group chat support, contact grouping, Rendezvous support and numerous other additions and improvements."
Advice: Free music videos from iTunes Music Store. 1 click, Tera Patricks, Mac360, 10.21. How to find and save those QuickTime music videos from the iTunes Music Store.
Software: MYOB introduces AccountEdge 2005, MacMinute, 10.21. "...Payroll Forms Service that brings the ability to print and electronically file over 250 US Federal and State tax forms, including forms W-2, W-3, 940, and 941 directly from the software."
Deal: Mac OS X 10.3 Panther for $59, dealmac, 10.21. Still using OS X 10.1 or 10.2? Haven't tried OS X yet? Give Panther a try! (Shipping additional.)
Deal: Apple 48x DVD/CD-RW for $39, 52x CD-ROM for $14, dealmac, 10.21. Internal IDE Combo drive for Power Mac G3 or G4 lets you burn CDs, watch DVDs.
Deal: Mac OS 9.1 for $37, dealmac, 10.21. Full Install CD OEM Gray. Compatible with an Apple Model that either has a stock G3 or G4 processor or has been upgraded with a G3 or G4 processor. $3 more with OS X 10.1.
Deal: 16 MB EDO DIMMs, 75¢ each, dealmac, 10.21. 16MB 5V Mac 168 Pin 60NS DIMM 2K EDO for 64/65/73/75/85/86/95/9600s & Compatibles. Used, Tested Good, 30 Day Warranty.
Dark Side: ATMs in peril from computer worms?, John Leyden, The Register, 10.20. "Some anti-virus firm are trying to carve out a new market for their technology by trying to persuade that banks Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) running Windows need protecting...."
News: Apple bumps iBook speed to 1.33GHz; AirPort Extreme built-in to all, Brad Gibson, Mac Observer, 10.19. New iBooks faster, include AirPort Extreme, and prices now start at just US$999.
News: Apple adds 1.8 GHz model to Power Mac G5 line at $1,499, Brad Gibson, Mac Observer, 10.19. "Apple Computer announced Tuesday the addition of a 1.8 gigahertz (GHz) single processor Power Mac G5 desktop priced at US$1,499."
Opinion: Can Apple ever reclaim the marketshare it had in 1993?, Dennis Sellers, Macsimum Perspective, 10.19. "There are lots of people disgruntled with Windows right now - and I don't see that changing in the near future."
Advice: Pismo LCD lamp and display replacement, Charles W. Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 10.19. Options for replacing the whole screen or just the backlight on the Pismo PowerBook G3.
Dark Side: It doesn't have to be this way, Damien Barrett, MrBarrett.com, 10.17. Windows PCs: "About 50% of the computers I scanned had one or more viruses on them. And every single one (without exception) had some type of spyware installed."
News: I see an iMac and I want it painted black, Laurie Duncan, Unofficial Apple Weblog, 10.15. "Thanks to the folks at ColorWare, you can now order an iMac in virtually any color you want."
Advocacy: I want my gMac!, Gary Randazzo, iPontificate, Mac Observer, 10.15. "Apple has an opportunity to sell iMacs to gamers, if they would only market a high-end iMac as a great option for gaming."
Review: Seagate's Savvio 2.5" SCSI hard drive, Geoff Gasior, The Tech Report, 10.15. Would you believe a 10,000 rpm 2.5" SCSI hard drive? 36 GB for $447, 73 for $838. Wonder if you could put it in an old PowerBook....
Opinion: Brushed metal and the HIG, John Gruber, Daring Fireball, 10.14. "The HIG states, 'Don't use the brushed metal look indiscriminately', but indiscriminate is precisely the word to describe Apple's use of it."
Forum: If Windows came to PPC, would you switch?, Slashdot, 10.14. "actually there was a PPC port of NT years ago. It was dropped beacause...the answer is no. No one will switch"
Opinion: Netscape is 10, not a 10. Here's the #1 Mac browser, Alex Kayhill, mac3, 10.14. "It was just over 10 years ago that the first official version of Netscape for Mac and Windows was released."
Tech: Intel kills plans for 4GHz Pentium, Michael Kanellos, Cnet, 10.14. GHz isn't everything - "Intel is dumping plans to release a Pentium 4 processor that runs at 4GHz, saying it will boost performance on next year's chips using other means than clock speed."
Analysis: Licensing Fairplay would dilute, not strengthen Apple's position, Mark White, osViews, 10.14. "Apple doesn't need to license their technology to be successful and I would argue that licensing could conceivably dilute their leading position...."
AAPL: Apple blows away Q4 analysts' consensus earnings estimate by 44 per cent with $106 million profit, Macs Only!, 10.14. Revenues up, margin up, profits up, and iPod sales way up - 500% over the same quarter last year.
News: Walmart wants $10 CDs, Rolling Stone, 10.14. The biggest U.S. retailer - responsible for 20% of CD sales - wants record companies to cut them a special deal.
Review: Safety Shootout: Top backup utilities side by side, Tera Patricks, Mac360, 10.14. Ten backup programs - which shareware app takes top honors as the best OS X backup utility?
Review: XRG 1.0 system/weather/stock monitor mini-review, Charles W. Moore, OS X Odyssey, Applelinks, 10.14. "This is one review utility that I think I'll keep using."
Opinion: A bitter Apple replay?, Alex Salkever, Byte of the Apple, BusinessWeek, 10.14. "...over the long haul, sowing the seeds of mass adoption of its DRM standard and its iTunes music software will help ensure that Apple's own future hardware offerings aren't marginalized."
Analysis: A month with a Mac: A die-hard PC user's perspective, Anand Lal Shimpi, Anand Tech, 10.08. "This is, quite possibly, one of the most difficult articles to write; for starters, it's not a review of hardware ... it is a review of an experience."
Low End: Macs for the budget-constrained, Charles W. Moore, Applelinks, 10.08. "You really can get a usable Mac setup for $100-$200 complete."
Opinion: Odd Mac utilities I don't use, can't throw away, Bambi Hambi, Mac360, 10.08. "There's nothing wrong with any of the applications on this list. For whatever reason, they just don't get used like I thought they would."
Opinion: Supporting the Mac is required for social computing, Zephoria, Apophenia, 10.08. "In a sociable technology economy, it is no longer acceptable to treat Mac users as second-class citizens."
Opinion: The best digital camera ever for the Macintosh, Jack D. Miller, Mac360, 10.07. "The Canon EOS 20D is the very first digital camera with controls Mac users can fully understand."
Analysis: Love DRM or my family starves: why Steve Ballmer doesn't Get It, John Lettice, The Register, 10.07. "It's kind of difficult for a company to combat something if it don't have some understanding of it, but that's pretty much what Microsoft is trying to do."
Opinion: Fool vs. Fool: Apple is rotten and Macs suck, so there!, Bryan Chaffin, The Back Page, Mac Observer, 10.07. "The Motley Fool's stable of writers usually make a good argument on whatever topic they are writing, and when it comes to Apple, it's not hard to get strong opinions...."
Low End: Euro particle accelerator run with old Mac IIs, Leander Kahney, Cult of Mac, Wired, 10.06. HERA particle accelerator in Hamburg, Germany, uses a lot of old Macs to control the collider.
Rights: Spyware bill passes House, Jason Tuohey, MacCentral, 10.06. "The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday aimed at making spyware illegal, and the bill could be made law as soon as this week, according to one congressman."
Opinion: The term 'user', Zephoria, Apophenia, 10.06. "When it comes to using blogs or wikis or Friendster, I'm not a user.... I am a producer, a consumer, and a user."
Rights: Barred from the Apple Store, Leander Kahney, Wired, 10.05. "Last week, Apple barred webmaster Robert Morgan from using the Macs at his local Apple Store as a performance test lab - right after Morgan published tests results for the iMac G5...."
Upgrade: Titanium PowerBook processor upgrades, Charles W. Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 10.05. "If you have a 400 MHz or 500 MHz Ti, the Daystar upgrade will take it to 550 MHz. If your machine is a 550 MHz 'Onyx' Ti, it will be bumped to 667 MHz." US$269.
News: Microsoft's Ballmer blasts Apple; most iPod-saved music "stolen", Mac Observer, 10.04. "Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer . . . categorized the majority of music stored on Apple's portable music players as 'stolen.'"
Analysis: LinuxInsider: Macs are faster, Bryan Chaffin, Mac Observer, 10.01. "The short answer can be based entirely on raw hardware capabilities, and that answer is pretty simple: the Mac wins hands down."


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