Applelinks Tech Web Reader - Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Is DRM in Mac OS X Anything to Fear?
Avon's Andrea Jung Joins Apple's Board of Directors
This Old Pismo
Apple's Flash Sub-notebook Rumours Fuelled - Samsung Sings
Canuck Record Labels Accuse Tunesmiths Of Smoking Opium
Intel Fires Up 45nm Laptop Chip Assault
Hey, iTunes, Move Over
My Leopard Install Disaster
Paramount Denies Report It Will Drop Toshiba's HD DVD
Mac Pro & Mac mini Fast Start: The New User's Guide to the Mac
Will You Recognize the Next Apple?
Simple Mac Troubleshooting
EU To Rule On Apple On Thursday
Syncing Palm devices with the Mac via Bluetooth
Will DRM-Free Movement Bite Apple?
Apple Safari Browser for Windows - Is It a Failure ?
PC Mag: Intel Launches 5 New Mobile Penryn Processors
ExtremeTech: HD-DVD's Bad Spin
PC Mag: Best of CES 2008: Intel's New Penryn Processors, Motorola's Morphing Touchscreen, and More
eWEEK: Recession Fears Spoil CES
eWEEK: Torvalds Still Will Not License Linux Under GPL v3
eWEEK: Microsoft Gets Up to Speed on Enterprise Search
eWEEK: How to Avoid the 10 Worst Internet Scams in 2008
Hess Memorial Macworld Events List - Ready And Willing
The Mac Night Owl: Is Apple Moving Away From Pro Computers?
Is DRM in Mac OS X Anything to Fear?
Low End Mac's Dan Knight says:
There's been a huge buzz in the past week about an Apple patent application for "Run-Time Code Injection To Perform Checks", which many liken to Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program and speculate could result in Mac OS X and Apple apps including the kind of serialization and headaches that Windows users are familiar with....
Throughout the history of the Mac, and unlike the highly protected Lisa, the Mac operating system has never been copy protected. From System 1.0 through 7.0.1, Apple even allowed stores and users to freely copy their Mac OS system floppies for others. There was no cost for operating system updates unless you wanted to buy a shrink wrapped package....
I don't think DRM in OS X need be anything we Mac users fear. If it's nothing more than a way of making sure that it's running on Apple hardware, we'll still have an operating system that can be copied, cloned, moved between Macs, and so forth while refusing to run on non-Apple hardware or in virtualized environments.
Time will tell if and how Apple decided to implement this, but based on the company's history, I don't see this as insidious.
To read more, click here.
http://lowendmac.com/musings/08mm/apple-mac-os-x-drm.html
[Editor's Note: I hope Dan is right, but I'm still apprehensive, which I expand on here:
http://lowendmac.com/misc/08mr/mac-os-x-drm-linux-bsd.html
CM]
Avon's Andrea Jung Joins Apple's Board of Directors
[Press Release]
Apple has announced that Andrea Jung, chairman and chief executive officer of Avon Products, was elected to Apple's board of directors. Andrea also serves on the board of directors of the General Electric Company and is a member of the New York Presbyterian Hospital board of trustees and the Catalyst board of directors.
"Andrea is a strong CEO and marketer and we look forward to benefiting from her insights and experience as a member of Apple's board," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Andrea will be our eighth board member, and I think she will add a new dimension to our already lively board discussions."
"Apple is clearly one of the most innovative companies in the world today," said Andrea Jung, chairman and chief executive officer of Avon Products. "I feel privileged to join this exciting and dynamic team and look forward to working closely with Steve and the board during the next phase of Apple's growth."
At Avon, Andrea is responsible for developing and executing all of the company's long-term growth strategies, launching new brand initiatives, developing earnings opportunities for women worldwide, and defining Avon as the premier direct seller of beauty products. She was elected president of global marketing in 1996, an executive vice president in 1997, president and a director of the company in 1998, chief operating officer from 1998 to 1999, chief executive officer in 1999 and chairman of the board in 2001. Previously, she was executive vice president of Neiman Marcus and a senior vice president for I. Magnin.
Andrea is a magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University, is fluent in Mandarin and was the first woman elected chair of the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association in March 2001, a role she held until early 2005.
Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with almost $9 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in well over 100 countries through over five million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Avon Solutions, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, Mark, and Avon Wellness. Learn more about Avon and its products at:
http://www.avoncompany.com
This Old Pismo
Low End Mac's John Hatchett says:
Whenever you buy or find an older (or classic) item, there tend to be some repairs or modifications that will turn your treasure into a more usable object..
This is very evident in the purchase of an old house or car. You've got to replace that old furnace or engine, give it a new paint job, and replace some pieces of trim. The same is true with that old Pismo that you're reclaiming from the dustbin of planned obsolescence .
My Pismo came with a lot of extras, but there is a complete list of neat stuff that will enhance the Pismo experience and allow the old dog to learn a few new tricks. ..
For the full report, visit:
http://lowendmac.com/myturn/0801my/this-old-pismo.html
Apple's Flash Sub-notebook Rumours Fuelled - Samsung Sings
The Inquirer's Nick Farrell reports:
Flash memory maker Samsung is doing nothing to change our minds that that Apple will be releasing a sub-notebook based around its drives next week..
Now Samsung has announced that it will be releasing the world's first 128GB Flash memory card in 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch versions.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/01/08/apple-flash-sub-notebook
Canuck Record Labels Accuse Tunesmiths Of Smoking Opium
The Register's Cade Metz reports:
Canadian songwriters want to give the entire country unfettered access to any and all online music for a flat monthly fee. Meanwhile, the major Canadian record labels want the songwriters to quit smoking opium.
The Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) has proposed a plan that would charge every Canuck internet user a flat monthly fee for sharing tunes on the web. To wit, anyone in the country could download tunes via P2P without running afoul of the law.
But in an interview with Reuters, the president of the Canadian Record Industry Association (CRIA) - the organization that represents the country's largest labels - was less than optimistic about this plan....
Insert link name here
Intel Fires Up 45nm Laptop Chip Assault
The Register's Ashlee Vance reports:
Intel has kicked an already down AMD by celebrating the arrival of 16 new chips across its laptop, PC and server lines.
The fresh chip dump marks the arrival of Intel's first laptop chips manufactured with a 45nm process that allows for faster, more energy efficient products. Intel CEO Paul Otellini emphasized the mobile strike at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where chip-filled gadgets are all the rage. Along with the laptop parts, Intel pushed out a number of new 45nm desktop and server processors that complement parts released in November.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/08/intel_45nm_mobile/
Apple guns Xserve and Mac Pro to 11 - Er, make that 8
The Register's Ashlee Vance reports:
Screw all the namby-pamby gadgets being dished out by weaklings at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Big Iron - not gizmos - is where it's at, as far as Apple is concerned.
Apple has popped fresh four-core chips from Intel into a new Xserve and new Mac Pro. The eight core, dual processor machines may not count as Big Iron at, say, SGI or Sun Microsystems, but they do at Steve's house.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/08/apple_eight_core_xserve_macpro/
Hey, iTunes, Move Over
BusinessWeek's Peter Burrows says:
There's no doubt that Apple, with its elegant 99˘-per-download formula, is the dominant force in digital music. But it's next to impossible to find an industry expert who thinks that Apple's current approach will remain the only game in town forever. Now there are signs rivals will help shape the future of digital music as well.
Some of the most immediate pressure is coming from Amazon.com , which launched its Amazon MP3 store on Sept. 25. The store offers a few things Apple doesn't....
Insert link name here
My Leopard Install Disaster
MyMac's Donny Yankellow says:
I finally got Leopard for my Intel iMac. I've never had a major install issue, so I didn't expect one with Leopard. Just in case, I did a full back up to my external hard drive. Good thing I did.
The install started out like normal, and I selected an archive and install. I let the machine go and came back a while later expecting Leopard waiting for me when I came back. Instead I got an error message that one of the packages could not be verified (or something to that effect). This cancelled the installation.
Not only did it cancel my installation, but it wiped my hard drive! I could not boot from the hard drive anymore. I booted to my external, ran disc utility and formatted the internal hard drive. I booted from the Leopard DVD and tried to install again. This time a different package could not be verified, and I had to start fresh again.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.mymac.com/showarticle.php?do=something&id=2373
Paramount Denies Report It Will Drop Toshiba's HD DVD
Bloomberg's Andy Fixmer and John Liu report:
Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures denied a newspaper report that the studio is poised to follow Time Warner Inc. in abandoning Toshiba Corp.'s HD DVD technology.
"Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format," Brenda Ciccone, a spokeswoman for Paramount, said in an e-mail today.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aZzib5lwheBc
Mac Pro & Mac mini Fast Start: The New User's Guide to the Mac
A new Apple Knowledge Base article says:
Got a new Mac Pro or Mac mini? This handy Fast Start guide will help you set up your computer and get you on your way to working and playing in no time.
You can check it out at:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303637
Will You Recognize the Next Apple?
Motley Fool's John Reeves says:
How did Apple do it? My son recently asked me for an iPod for his birthday. I figured he really meant to say that he wanted an MP3 player of any type, and I asked him if he wanted to try a Zune or maybe another PC-based player. "Oh, no, Dad," he said in response. "It has to be an iPod."
And that explains why no other company has been able to crack Apple's vise grip on the MP3 industry. It simply has to be an iPod.
Insert link name here
Simple Mac Troubleshooting
MacInstruct's Stephen Korecky says:
Macs have a reputation for being user-friendly and easy-to-use personal computers. And, generally speaking, they live up to that reputation. Most Macs perform flawlessly for years. However, every Mac occasionally misbehaves. You might know what we're talking about. Sometimes programs on your Mac won't launch, wireless hotspots won't appear in the menu bar, or applications keep crashing. Things just act wacky.
Macs have come a long way since they were capable of displaying the infamous "Sad Mac" image, but things can still go wrong on your new Mac.
Before you run your Mac down to the local Apple Store, read this guide. We'll show you basic troubleshooting tips that you can perform in a matter of minutes, from the comfort of their own home. With any luck, you won't have to call Apple!
For the full report, visit:
http://www.macinstruct.com/node/244
EU To Rule On Apple On Thursday
Bloomberg News reports:
European Union regulators will rule Wednesday on whether Apple, the maker of the iPod media players, broke EU rules by varying prices at its iTunes music stores in different countries, the EU competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes, said Tuesday.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/08/technology/apple.php
Syncing Palm devices with the Mac via Bluetooth
commandlinemac.com says:
Until I figured out how to sync my Palm based Treo smartphone with the Palm Desktop on my iBook, I had no use for bluetooth. Before then, bluetooth was one of those technologies that was around but that I largely ignored. Now, the thought of syncing via USB cable seems so 20th century. As a bonus, I cover how to transfer camera images from the Treo to the Mac via bluetooth.
This article documents all the steps needed to set up wireless syncing via bluetooth between a Treo and Palm Desktop the Mac. Since there are a variety of Palm based devices and OS X versions, it is offered as is. Just because it "works for me" doesn't mean it will work for you. At the least, you may get some useful hints for your situation.
For the full report, visit:
http://www.commandlinemac.com/article.php/20080106132442362
Will DRM-Free Movement Bite Apple?
newsfactor.com's Frederick Lane says:
Nearly a year ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs boldly called for the music industry to abandon its practice of using digital rights management (DRM) software to protect its content.
"Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats," Jobs wrote in a post on the Apple company blog. "In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat."
Jobs pointed out that most music sold is DRM-free, because no effective system was ever developed for audio CDs. But he argued that the major music companies were unwilling to license their content to Apple for download without the implementation of a DRM system.
For the full commentary, click here.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20080108/bs_nf/57614
New Machine, Old Design
BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl says:
Perhaps hinting that it has more products in its pipeline that can comfortably fit into a single Steve Jobs keynote — now a week away — Apple bowed an updated version of its MacPro desktop machine, this one bearing two Intel Quad Core Xeon Processors, making eight cores standard. It's a powerful machine to be sure, and is aimed mostly at Apple's creative pro user segment who really needs that power for multimedia production.
To read more, click here.
Apple Safari Browser for Windows - Is It a Failure ?
labnol.org says:
Apple introduced Safari for Windows around six months ago calling it the fastest web browser that is almost twice as fast as IE 7 or Firefox 2.
Since then, Apple has released couple of minor upgrades for Safari 3 that are mainly bug fixes and the browser is still in beta stage.
For the full commentary, click here.
PC Mag: Intel Launches 5 New Mobile Penryn Processors
"At CES 2008 and for the rest of the year, it looks like laptops will be using a new transistor formula. The mobile "Penryns" or Intel's latest Core 2 Duo architecture officially launches today with 5 new processor models, including 4 Intel Core 2 Duos with higher frequencies and an Extreme processor X9000 (2.8Ghz) processor for game enthusiasts. The new processors deliver new SSE4 instructions, up to 6MB L2 cache, and higher levels of energy efficiency with Deep Power Down technology. Consumers, according to Intel, will experience up to 70% higher performance when encoding high definition video, 30% faster performance for apps like Adobe's Photoshop CS3, and better battery life."
To read more, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2245966,00.asp
ExtremeTech: HD-DVD's Bad Spin
"Is HD DVD really dead?
Toshiba execs must be feeling a bit like Hillary Clinton after the Iowa Caucus right now. Although not necessarily a favorite, HD DVD had an even chance to win the format war. It was cheaper, came to the market first, and had solid industry support. And overnight, all that changed. Just days before the show started, as much of the industry was boarding planes to Las Vegas, Warner Home Video announced it would no longer release movies on HD DVD and would back Blu-ray exclusively.
The reason the company gave is pretty basic: Consumers just don't know what to buy. As Barry Meyer, the Chairman & CEO of Warner Bros. stated in the company's official release: "The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger." No kidding.
Warner Bros is just one studio, but this switch creates a supreme-court like shift in power. Blu-ray now has a 5 to 2 advantage in major studio support. Blu-ray will simply have more movies from which to choose."
To read more, go to:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2246132,00.asp
PC Mag: Best of CES 2008: Intel's New Penryn Processors, Motorola's Morphing Touchscreen, and More
Monday at CES upped the ante on everything from digital cameras and HDTVS to cell phone touchscreens and TiVo.
To read more, go to:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2246334,00.asp
eWEEK: Recession Fears Spoil CES
An increasing number of consumers are having trouble just paying for the roof over the heads, much less a new PC, 150-inch television or digital camera.
To read more, click here.
eWEEK: Torvalds Still Will Not License Linux Under GPL v3
The Linux creator said copyright owners would have to agree to licensing changes, and those who didn't would have to rewrite code.
To read more, click here.
eWEEK: Microsoft Gets Up to Speed on Enterprise Search
The software giant buys Norway's Fast to better compete with Google and IBM.
To read more, click here.
eWEEK: How to Avoid the 10 Worst Internet Scams in 2008
Most experts agree that 2007 was a record year for Internet scams, and 2008 will be even worse. However, Audri and Jim Lanford, co-directors of ScamBusters.org, explain that you don't have to take things lying down, or sitting down at your computer. Instead, by being aware of how the most common online scams work you can avoid being "taken."
To read more, click here.
Hess Memorial Macworld Events List - Ready And Willing
[ Press Release]
ilene Hoffman, Macintosh Consultant, writer, and photographer, is pleased to announce that the incomparable and unique Hess Memorial Macworld Events List is ready for your listings and support. The list already sports over 100 events you probably did not know were happening.
In its thirteenth year of publication, the Hess Macworld Events List turns 23 in January! It is *the only* source for events and press functions held during Macworld Conference & Expo week, Jan. 14- Jan. 18, 2008. This distinct web page that also boasts pass along readership! That means for every page hit, two others also see the page at the show. There's no reason to be left out just because you're not in San Francisco, check the list for related Internet events and podcasts too!
Companies and individuals are encouraged to send listings for the Hess Events page from the links on the site, so that users can get a head start on the best places to visit at the show. Special booth goodies are welcome on the page too. Contributions that help offset the costs of keeping up the list are always welcome. Limited banner advertising space for companies is still available also.
Find the parties and events at:
<http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partylist.shtml>http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partylist.shtml <http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partyregis.html>http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partyregis.html for "Ilene's Machine," a very sporadic newsletter.
Special thanks go out to Bare Bones Software, Boinx Software, DriveSavers, MacSpeech, Micromat, Mark/Space, Small Dog Electronics, Kerio Technologies, NRG Software, and Xsilva Systems, Debrorah Shadovitz, and the LA Final Cut User's Group for supporting the party list! Please support these vendors by clicking on their banners!
The Hess Memorial Events List is updated every time a new event is received, so please let us know about your events at Macworld. Users should check the page every day during the show, so that you don't miss a thing.
Background
The author, Ilene Hoffman, took over the events list when the original author, Robert Hess of MacWeek, passed away in 1996. It is a memorial and tribute to his hard work in the Macintosh community.
These pages are made possible by ilene's dancing fingers and your generous support. While some may find the banners "annoyingly commercial," there is no staff here, just me, and your contributions support my efforts, which are delivered to you all for free. Please help if you can and click the Contributions link. Contributors in the U.S. who also fill out the Ilene's Machine registration form are automatically entered into a gift drawing.
Hess Macworld Event Site Comments
- "...your great list [has] been very helpful all the years." MACNOTES.DE, 2007 - "The Hess Memorial Macworld Events list is always the first place I look when finalizing my Macworld itinerary. I have yet to find a more comprehensive resource for planning both my work and leisure time for the week." Laurie Duncan, MacSamurai Consulting, 2006 - "The list is such a great resource for the expo!" Jim Deas, 2006 - "I can't schedule MacWorld without it. " Michelle Steiner, 2005 - "Great site Ilene. . . thanks." (ATTO Technology, Inc.) - ... readers note that "the Hess Party Events list is an excellent resource for Macworld Expo events." (MacNN) - "The definitive party list!" (Avid Technology)
The Mac Night Owl: Is Apple Moving Away From Pro Computers?
I'm sure many of you were blindsided when Apple quietly upgraded the Mac Pro and the Xserve to use the new Intel "Harpertown" Xeon chips, code-named Penryn. Now it's perfectly clear that this is a worthwhile upgrade. The new chips are not only faster, but cooler running, consuming less power.
Here's the link to the story:
http://macnightowl.com/2008/01/08/is-apple-moving-away-from-pro-computers/
Notes: You can also access our RSS feed, available at
http://www.macnightowl.com/rss
Or our Atom feed at:
http://www.macnightowl.com/atom
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
|
|
|
|
| |