[MyAppleMenu] Jul 12, 2001

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu Newsletter

== AppleSurf (News) ===============

Iomega: Announcements, Demos At Macworld (MacNN)
<http://www.macnn.com/feature.php?id=268>
Peerless is a high capacity removable storage solution that claims to combine hard drive speed and performance, pocket-sized 10GB and 20GB disks, and a reliable sealed disk design.

OpenOffice For Mac OS X Faces Uphill Battle (eWEEK)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2784625,00.html?chkpt=zdnn_rt_latest>
Even as Apple Computer Inc. prepares a coming-out party for Mac OS X at next week's Macworld Expo/New York--with Microsoft Corp. demonstrating a Mac OS X-native version of its Office 2001 productivity suite--a loose band of developers is struggling to port OpenOffice to the next-generation OS.

New Beta Of AIM For Mac OS X Released (MacCentral)
<http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0107/12.aim.shtml>
The latest version of the chat client adds AIM Buddy icons and an account settings interface.

"Sex And The City" To Feature Mac Vs. PC Differences (The Mac Observer)
<http://www.macobserver.com/article/2001/07/12.7.shtml>
And what timing! A New York-themed television program discusses Macintosh just a few days before MacWorld Expo New York!!

The Flat Screen Gets Unplugged (Straits Times)
<http://it.asia1.com.sg/newsdaily/news003_20010712.html>
"When I shoed it to Bill Gates, he was very excited. Steve Jobs was shocked, even."

== AppleSurf (Opinion) ===============

Switching To A New Computer Platform (MacOPINION)
<http://www.macopinion.com/columns/tangible/01/07/12/index.html>
If a new startup introduces something better, I'm not such a Mac fanatic that I won't switch.

== AppleSurf (Reviews) ===============

Revamped iBook Raises The Bar (Sydney Morning Hearld)
<http://it.mycareer.com.au/techlife/reviews/2001/07/10/FFXXBVKZZOC.html>
Apple has come to its senses and restyled its entry-level notebook and beefed up the features to make it a definite must-see.

== The Wintel Empire (Top Stories) ===============

MS Surrenders! IE Not Integrated With WinXP After All (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/20327.html>
And if it had happened a couple of years ago, then all of this might not have happened, and Netscape might still be an independent company pitching for business around its browser.

== The Wintel Empire (News) ===============

Microsoft TO Offer Online Music Service (Reuters)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6555399.html?tag=lh>
Microsoft jumped into the online music fray Thursday with a deal to offer Pressplay, an online service formed by music giants Vivendi Universal and Sony, on its MSN network.

Microsoft's Olive Branch (Gartner Viewpoint)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-201-6555701-0.html?tag=lh>

MS To Netscape: Get Well Soon (Industry Standard)
<http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,27857,00.html>
Microsoft says it will let computer makers open their desktops to the competition, and the press says, what competition?

Can WinXP Product Activation Be Reversed Engineered? (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/20337.html>
At the very least, this opens up intriguing possibilities.

The Flat Screen Gets Unplugged (Straits Times)
<http://it.asia1.com.sg/newsdaily/news003_20010712.html>
"When I shoed it to Bill Gates, he was very excited. Steve Jobs was shocked, even."

MS Surrenders! IE Not Integrated With WinXP After All (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/20327.html>
And if it had happened a couple of years ago, then all of this might not have happened, and Netscape might still be an independent company pitching for business around its browser.

Big News, Or Windows Dressing? (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,45182,00.html>
The computer manufacturers' non-specific responses lent credence to the theory -- being proffered by folks all over the Internet at this very moment -- that Microsoft's announcement was mostly an empty bit of PR puffery.

Microsoft Shares Jump On Outlook (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-6548681.html?tag=owv>
Microsoft on Wednesday said it would report better-than-expected sales for the fourth quarter, but added it would log an investment loss of $2.6 billion.

== Breaking Barriers (Top Stories) ===============

Internet World A Void (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,45198,00.html>
Declan McCullagh's pictures speak for themselves.

Use P2P, Go To Jail. Any Questions? (O'Reilly Network)
<http://www.openp2p.com/pub/a/p2p/2001/07/10/mcowen.html>
The state claims that the Distributed.net client cost the state $415,951.49 in bandwidth charges. The cost of bandwidth, the state says, is 59 cents per second.

New Front Opens In Web Standards War (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5094009,00.html>
Web standards advocates are declaring victory in their battle over browsers, but as they turn up the heat on their next adversary it's clear that their longstanding crusade on behalf of elegant design principles is far from over.

Who Is Using The Wireless Web? (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5094003,00.html>
The struggling wireless Web has a new worry: Nobody really knows how many people are using it.

== Breaking Barriers (News) ===============

New Beta Of AIM For Mac OS X Released (MacCentral)
<http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0107/12.aim.shtml>
The latest version of the chat client adds AIM Buddy icons and an account settings interface.

Microsoft TO Offer Online Music Service (Reuters)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6555399.html?tag=lh>
Microsoft jumped into the online music fray Thursday with a deal to offer Pressplay, an online service formed by music giants Vivendi Universal and Sony, on its MSN network.

Internet World A Void (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,45198,00.html>
Declan McCullagh's pictures speak for themselves.

Well-Heeled Web Marketeer Takes A Hike (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6553667.html?tag=owv>
Viralon, a San Francisco Web marketing start-up founded and backed by a number of Silicon Valley nabobs, has suspended operations.

MS To Netscape: Get Well Soon (Industry Standard)
<http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,27857,00.html>
Microsoft says it will let computer makers open their desktops to the competition, and the press says, what competition?

Webvan Founder Sold Shares Before It Folded (Reuters)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5094041,00.html>
Former Webvan Chairman Louis Borders sold 45 million common shares of the online grocer shortly before Webvan announced it was closing down, a Securities and Exchange Commission filing said.

Yahoo! Q2! Revenues! Fall! (The Register)
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/23/20333.html>

Internet Surfing At Work Is Booming: Survey (Reuters)
<http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2091145,00.html>
Investors may have given up on the Internet, but office workers with itchy mouse-clicking fingers are logging onto the medium in increasing numbers and for longer periods of time than a year ago, Nielsen//NetRatings has said.

Napster Is Told To Remain Shut (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/12/technology/ebusiness/12NAPS.html>
A federal judge today ordered that the Napster music- sharing service remain shut down until it can prove that it can more effectively filter copyrighted material.

Use P2P, Go To Jail. Any Questions? (O'Reilly Network)
<http://www.openp2p.com/pub/a/p2p/2001/07/10/mcowen.html>
The state claims that the Distributed.net client cost the state $415,951.49 in bandwidth charges. The cost of bandwidth, the state says, is 59 cents per second.

Congressional Hearings Focus On Whois (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5094032,00.html>
The launch of seven new top-level domains is again highlighting concerns about the thoroughness and privacy of publicly searchable databases.

New Front Opens In Web Standards War (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5094009,00.html>
Web standards advocates are declaring victory in their battle over browsers, but as they turn up the heat on their next adversary it's clear that their longstanding crusade on behalf of elegant design principles is far from over.

Who Is Using The Wireless Web? (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5094003,00.html>
The struggling wireless Web has a new worry: Nobody really knows how many people are using it.

Start-Up Auction Site Sues PayPal (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-6548694.html?tag=owv>
Start-up auction company NoBidding.com has sued PayPal, charging the online payment company with breach of contract and defamation.

Free IM Not To Be Trusted (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-201-6547684-0.html?tag=owv>
Businesses that use instant messaging are introducing serious risks not yet widely recognized or properly addressed.

== SingaporeSurf (Top Stories) ===============

No Early Polls, And Here's Why (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/primenews/story/0,1870,56780,00.html?>
The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee has not been set up yet, and no decision has been taken on when it will be set up.

== SingaporeSurf (News) ===============

Singapore Shifts Dollar Policy To Bolster Economy (Reuters)
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010712/3/196hs.html>
Singapore's central bank made a pragmatic and surprise shift to a neutral exchange rate policy on Thursday as the city state's trade-driven economy slides into recession.

Auditor-General Raps MCDS, MOM Over Tenders (Channel NewsAsia)
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010711/5/194nb.html>
Eight tenders for government contracts submitted after the closing date for the bids were accepted in the last financial year - two by the Ministry for Community Development and Sports, and six by the Ministry for Manpower.

No Early Polls, And Here's Why (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/primenews/story/0,1870,56780,00.html?>
The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee has not been set up yet, and no decision has been taken on when it will be set up.

Crowded Bus Routes May Be Opened To Private Firms (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,1870,56725,00.html?>
This may happen if the two public bus companies, SBS and Tibs, are unable to ease overcrowding on some routes.

Coming Term Of NMPs Will Be Short (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,1870,56675,00.html?>
The forthcoming term for an NMP will be a very short one as Parliament will have to be dissolved by the first half of next year.

== SingaporeSurf (Entertainment) ===============

Prices Of Original VCDs Are Reasonable (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,1870,56767,00.html?>
Average prices of between $6.90 and $23.90 are not unreasonably high because distributors of original videos incur costs like censorship fees, copyright royalties, government taxes and marketing expenses.