Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A Post-Macworld Apple Event? - History Would Seem to Suggest So
Will Windows 7 Stymie Mac OS X's Growth?
Nebraska State Senators' MacBook Airs The Apple Of Their Ayes
How Much Microsoft Tax Do You Pay?
Does Searching Google Damage The Environment?
Forget Google Rationing: Only Lighting Farts Can Save The Planet
Apple IQ Test Posted
Replacing the Battery in your MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)
1984: The First Macs
Jan. 1984: How Critics Reviewed The Mac
We've Come a Long Way Since 1984: Looking Back at Macworld's Premier Issue
The Overpriced Mac in 1984
The Mac Is a Personal Computer, not a PC
Google Chrome Test Shell Now Available For Mac
CES 2010 will have an Apple-related area, but what about Apple?
Apple In The Enterprise: Inevitable, But Still Not Easy
Mac OS X 10.5.6: Disk Utility Functioning Incorrectly?
Create High-resolution Displays For OS X
LG Display To Supply Flat Panels To Apple
Should Your Email Live In The Cloud?
A Post-Macworld Apple Event? - History Would Seem to Suggest So
AllThingsD Online's John Paczkowski says:
Macworld 2009 is over, but the rumors that prefaced it and were then left unaddressed remain. Two in particular: an updated iMac and a redesigned Mac mini - both of which failed to make an appearance during Phil Schiller's Macworld keynote, though it was widely believed that they would. After all, both are long overdue for a refresh....
nd they may get one, yet. Applehas on many occasions uncrated new products on the heels of Macworld....
For the full commentary, click here.
http://tinyurl.com/7n47wv
Will Windows 7 Stymie Mac OS X's Growth?
CNET's Don Reisinger says:
As of December, Apple's Mac OS X commanded 9.63 percent of the OS market, according to Net Applications, while Microsoft still led the way, accounting for more than 88 percent of the operating-system market.
But the real story behind those figures is Apple's meteoric rise in the market. Just one year prior, in December 2007, Apple controlled just 7.3 percent of the operating-system space--a record at the time....
And most assuredly, part of the reason for Mac OS X's success is Windows Vista. Although it currently controls 21 percent of the market, it was a failure on many levels for Microsoft.....
But now, as a new Microsoft operating system starts making its way to store shelves, it's incumbent upon us to forecast its expected impact. And after downloading the Windows 7 beta and immersing myself in its environment, I think I can say, both as a Mac user (I'm writing this on my iMac) and what some may call an Apple nut (I own just about every Apple product released over the past five years), Windows 7 will not only stymie Mac OS X's growth, it will push Apple's market share back down to pre-Vista levels.....
For the full commentary, click here.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10140575-17.html
Nebraska State Senators' MacBook Airs The Apple Of Their Ayes
The Omaha World-Herald's Paul Hammel reports:
Does size really matter?
Issues of size versus extra cost have been raised about the purchase of new laptop computers for Nebraska state senators - although the purchase has plenty of defenders within the Capitol.
About 70 new Apple MacBook Air computers were purchased this session for state legislators at a cost of $1,524 each......
At least one state senator, Tony Fulton of Lincoln, has questioned the purchase, saying the Legislature could have managed with less than "designer laptops," particularly during these tough economic times.
The state might have been able to buy laptops for $400 to $500 each, said Fulton, an engineer......
For the full report, visit:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10534817
How Much Microsoft Tax Do You Pay?
MicrosoftWatch says:
Last week's Microsoft guerrilla-marketing campaign accused Apple of premium pricing - a tax - on new Macs. Oh? Isn't there also a Microsoft Tax?....
Several Microsoft Watch commenters have asked about the Microsoft Tax. Yes, there is one, or so I say. Actually there are several worth calling out as global economies weaken and IT organizations pull back technology spending. But any tax, whether from Apple or Microsoft, is one of perception, too. Some people spend more on a Mac because they see more value there. The previous post looked at how Microsoft offers value to enterprises. There's a case to be made there. But looked at another way, perceived differently, there are several Microsoft taxes. They are...
You can check it out at:
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/corporate/how_much_microsoft_tax_do_you_pay.htm
Does Searching Google Damage The Environment?
PC World's Daniel Ionescu reports:
Two Google searches produce the same amount of CO2 as bringing water to a boil on your stovetop, according to research from Harvard University. Google claims that the Harvard study is flawed. The Harvard study was first published in British newspaper The Sunday Times.....
For the full report, visit:
http://www.macworld.com/article/138142/2009/01/google_environment.html
Forget Google Rationing: Only Lighting Farts Can Save The Planet
The Register's Lewis Page says:
Assertions by a Harvard University environmentalist and green-website promoter that two Google searches cause carbon emissions equivalent to boiling a kettle appear to be based on questionable numbers. Building on the new research, the Reg can also exclusively reveal that three days of normal human farts cause the same amount of damage to the planet as a Google search. Google, however, say that a use of their search engine is only equivalent to farting once......
....Maybe we shouldn't use computers and IT so much. Or anyway, if we do, we should give... some guilt money to green up our websites....
Or, more usefully, we could simply take to lighting our farts.
No, really. Farting and failing to burn off the resulting methane is incredibly environmentally irresponsible..... methane... is a vastly more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 - 25 times as bad for the planet, in fact.
For the full commentary, click here.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/12/google_kettle_green_it_cobblers/
Apple IQ Test Posted
InfoWorld says:
You take calls on an iPhone, watch your Apple TV, never leave home without your MacBook Air, and still grin with satisfaction when you fire up your Mac Pro with dual 30-inch Apple displays. But how well do you really know the house that Jobs and Woz built? Answer these 20 questions and find out how you stack up on all things Mac....
You can check it out at:
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/infoworld/20090112/tc_infoworld/122092_1
Replacing the Battery in your MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)
Apple Support answers:
How do I replace the battery in my MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)?
The battery in your MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009) is a consumable item, which means it will require replacement at the end of its useful life. A replacement battery can be purchased directly from Apple. The price of the replacement battery includes installation of your new battery and environmentally responsible disposal of your depleted battery....
Battery replacement prices are based on your region:
United States $179 pre taxes
Canada CA$219 pre taxes
Europe 179 inc. VAT
United Kingdom 139 inc. VAT
Japan 19,800 inc. taxes
Australia A$299 inc. vat
China 1498 RMB inc. vat
Battery replacement service may be available at your local Apple Authorized Service Provider.
For more information, visit:
http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/service/battery/
1984: The First Macs
Low End Mac's Dan Knight says:
On January 24, 1984, Apple announced the Macintosh to its Board of Directors - and to the world. The tiny computer was a radical departure from the large Lisa with it's 12" screen, just as the Lisa itself had been a huge departure from the Apple II series and the growing family of MS-DOS computers on the market.
To read more, click here.
http://lowendmac.com/history/1984dk.shtml
Note: Low End Mac is embarking on a special 25 Days/25 Years of Macintosh coverage, even starting with 1984 and doing one year per day for the next five weeks. The first day covered the original Macintosh, System 1.0, MacWrite 1.0, the 1984 ad, Hertzfeld, Raskin, and Sculley. You can check it out at:
http://lowendmac.com/
Jan. 1984: How Critics Reviewed The Mac
Apple 2.0's Philip Elmer-DeWitt says:
Anticipating the 25th anniversary of the Macintosh - unveiled by Apple in a Super Bowl ad on Jan. 24, 1984 - AAPLinvestors has assembled some choice quotes from the first wave of critical reviews.
Below, a sample from their collection, to which we've added a few of our own (from Owen W. Linzmayer's Apple Confidential 2.0).
Our favorite: John Dvorak's blistering critique of that newfangled pointing device called a "mouse."
You can check it out at:
http://tinyurl.com/8qta6p
We've Come a Long Way Since 1984: Looking Back at Macworld's Premier Issue
Low End Mac's Kev Kitchens reports:
On Monday, I started the 2008-09 school year. What I didn't expect was what waited for me at school.
Our vice principal is a big fan of garage sales, and he told me on the first day that the next day he was bringing me a special Mac artifact that he had picked up over the summer for $1.
I wondered what it could be. A Newton? An old Performa?
He refused to tell me what it was until the next day, when he presented me with one of the best gifts I have ever gotten: an almost mint condition copy of the first ever issue of Macworld. I carefully read through the entire issue and found that it was no longer just a magazine, it was a time machine looking back on the birth of the Macintosh, which will have its 25th anniversary in January 2009......
For the full commentary, click here.
http://lowendmac.com/ed/kitchens/08kk/macworld-premier-issue.html
The Overpriced Mac in 1984
Low End Mac's Dan Knight reports:
There are a number of myths surrounding the Macintosh: It's only for artists. There aren't enough programs. It's slow compared to Windows PCs. It's terrible for gaming. And it's always been overpriced.
Today we're going to address the last question, but first let me say that Macs are for anyone but high-end gaming addicts, have almost any kind of software you'd ever want to run on a computer (and so far none of the viruses or spyware that nobody wants), hold their own against Windows XP performance, and really are decent gaming machines for anyone but the most rabid gamers.
In recent weeks, there's been a lot of discussion about a rumored $500 headless Mac. Should Apple release such a product, it will go a long way in dispelling the myth that Macs are overpriced.
Let's look at the origin of that myth.....
To read more, click here.
http://lowendmac.com/musings/05/0110.html
The Mac Is a Personal Computer, not a PC
Low End Mac's Dan Knight says:
PC Magazine's Lance Ulanoff says, "Macs are PCs, dammit!" He then goes on to explain that the "PC" at PC Magazine stands for personal computer.
I am not convinced....
For the full commentary, click here.
http://lowendmac.com/musings/08mm/the-mac-is-not-a-pc.html
Google Chrome Test Shell Now Available For Mac
MacLife's Danny Estrada reports:
We here at Mac|Life like Firefox and Safari as much as the next guy. Still, we can't help but feel left out when some Window's using jerk walks by and purposely raves about how "AWESOME!" Google Chrome is. All we can do is look upon him like helpless little sea kittens, and just wish Google would show us Mac users some love. Well, Google has been listening, and it looks like Macs won't be Chrome-less much longer.....
For the full report, visit:
http://www.maclife.com/article/news/google_chrome_test_shell_now_available_mac
CES 2010 will have an Apple-related area, but what about Apple?
Macworld's Dan Moren says:
One of the more persistent rumors on the Expo show floor this past week - besides the one saying that Jobs would parachute onto the stage during the keynote in order to prove that he's fit as a fiddle - was that Apple would be ditching Macworld next year for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which also took place last week.
Adding fuel to that fire comes news from the Consumer Electronics Association, the organization behind CES, that they're planning an area of the 2010 show focused around "Apple-related CE [consumer electronics] manufacturers."....
For the full commentary, click here.
http://www.macworld.com/article/138147/2009/01/apple_ces.html
Apple In The Enterprise: Inevitable, But Still Not Easy
Computerworld's Mary Brandel reports:
Eighteen months ago, Serena Software Inc. began exploring the feasibility of supporting Apple MacBooks as an option for its users, most of whom are developers. It was interested in lowering its support costs and increasing satisfaction among employees who used Macs at home, including the CEO.
Today, half of Serena's workers opt for MacBooks over Lenovo laptop PCs when they're hired or due for a hardware refresh, bringing the number of Apple users to about 100 out of 800 globally, according to Ron Brister, senior manager of worldwide IT operations at the Redwood City, Calif.-based maker of application development tools. Users like having a choice, and the number of support calls has declined....
For the full report, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/8smmj5
Mac OS X 10.5.6: Disk Utility Functioning Incorrectly?
MacFixIt reports:
It appears that, under Mac OS X 10.5.6, Disk Utility seems to have a few quirks, namely a glitch in which it does not properly format some drives. Many users have attached both external and internal drives to their Macs, and have not been able to build an OS X volume on the drive....
For the full report, visit:
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20090111225651243
Create High-resolution Displays For OS X
The Register's Dave Jewell says:
OK, I lied. Last time I said I'd continue our exploration of symbolic hotkeys. That can wait, though, as since then I found myself buried in the guts of Apple's new CoreUI framework and found a pressing need to talk about it.
What exactly is CoreUI, you ask?
As you may know, Apple is moving towards a fully-scalable, vector-based, resolution independent implementation that lets OS X take full advantage of high-resolution displays....
For the full report, visit:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/12/mac_secrets_coreui/
LG Display To Supply Flat Panels To Apple
The Associated Press reports:
LG Display Co. has reached a long-term deal with Apple Inc. to supply flat panels to the iconic maker of computers, music players and smart phones.
The contract between the two companies is for five years...
For the full report, visit:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/12/business/AS-SKorea-LG-Display-Apple.php
Should Your Email Live In The Cloud?
Forrester's Ted Schadler asks:
Should your email live in the cloud?
Colleague Chris Voce and I have written a pair of reports to answer that question from the perspectives of an information and knowledge management professional and an infrastructure and operations professional. For many firms, the answer is "yes," certainly for some users or some email support services.
For the full commentary, click here.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/forrester/?p=131
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