[MyAppleMenu] Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu Newsletter
Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003

MyAppleMenu : News
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Flash MX 2004 Gets Performance, Stability Tweaks (Dennis Sellers, MacCentral)
<http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2003/11/11/flash/index.php?redirect=1068531446000>
Macromedia has updated Macromedia Flash MX 2004 and Flash MX Professional 2004 to version 7.0.1, which includes performance and stability improvements as well as expanded documentation.

New Snapz Pro X 1.0.9 Works Better With Panther (TidBITS)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07427>

Experts: Wireless Network Risk Overhyped (Elise Ackerman, San Jose Mercury News)
<http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/7228869.htm>
In reality, computer security experts say that the security risks of wireless networks are no greater than those of regular networks -- provided that the wireless networks are properly configured, their users are authenticated and the data they carry is encrypted.

MyAppleMenu : Opinions
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The Middleman's Dwindling Value (Bambi Francisco, CBS MarketWatch)
<http://www.nydailynews.com/business/marketwatch/story/135573p-120716c.html>
The value of the online middleman is declining rapidly as the Internet evolves into a place where our needs and wants are perfectly understood, and geography matters less and less.

First iTunes, Then The World? (Stephanie Losi, E-Commerce Times)
<http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/32096.html>

MyAppleMenu : Reviews
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iBook G4 Versus Other Apple Laptops (Bare Feats)
<http://www.barefeats.com/ibG4.html>
If cost is no object and best performance is your goral, it's hard to beat the 15" or 17" Aluminum PowerBooks.

Apple iTunes Proves Addicting (Michael J. Himowitz, Monterey Herald)
<http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/business/7234286.htm>
As a player and music manager, iTunes is a virtual clone of the software Mac users have raved about for months -- and it's a good one.

Puzzle Pro v2 (Gary Coyne, Applelinks)
<http://www.applelinks.com/pm/more.php?id=80_0_1_0_M>
The interface is a tad confusing, complicated by a manual that explains just about everything but how to use the program, and all that I find is missing is a simple Preview button more similar to how Photoshop's Preview buttons work.

Mac OS X 10.3 Panther (John Siracusa, Ars Technica)
<http://www.arstechnica.com/reviews/003/panther/macosx-10.3-1.html>
Like Jaguar before it, it is nearly impossible to recommend against upgrading to Panther. Mac OS X's development process is a train that's leaving the station with or without you. The message to users is clear: "Get onboard."

Panther Application Improvements (Jeff Carlson, TidBITS)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07432>
In this article, I want to look at some of the application and utility changes that give Panther some of its sheen.

TiVo Alternatives: EyeTV (Jeff Porten, TidBITS)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07431>
In short, while the EyeTV is a great gadget and I'm quite happy with it, its deficiencies don't take long to surface.

Rendezvous Picture Transfer With Panther (Derrick Story, O'Reilly Network)
<http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2003/11/10/rendezvous_images.html>
There are many clever features in Mac OS X 10.3 that don't appear on the cover of Apple's Panther page. One of my favorites is the new Image Capture application that enables you to network images directly from your digital camera to others who can view them with a Rendezvous-enabled browser.

Secure Your Network (And Hack It) With MacAnalysis (John F. Braun, Mac Observer)
<http://www.macobserver.com/columns/macgadget/2003/20031109.shtml>
MacAnalysis is the most comprehensive security tool that we've seen on any platform, and should be a part of the security toolbox of any Mac user.

MyAppleMenu : Wintel News
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Universities: A Marriage Of Convenience (John Borland, CNET News.com)
<http://news.com.com/2009-1023-5103748.html>
"The bottom line is that universities tend to be very beholden to industry. To some extent, they are bought off."

Defiant Microsoft Seeks Deal With EU (Associated Press)
<http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/1111microsoft11.html>
Two days before key hearings, Microsoft Corp. said Monday that it was still seeking a settlement of its antitrust case with the European Union. But the software giant struck a defiant tone in defending itself.

Internet Explorer To Stomp Pop-Ups (Stefanie Olsen, CNET News.com)
<http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-5105139.html>
Microsoft plans to add pop-up blocking features to Internet Explorer next year as part of its Service Pack 2 update for Windows XP, a move that would go far toward stamping out the Web advertisements.

More Wintel news at <http://www.myapplemenu.com/wintel/>

MyAppleMenu Tomorrow: News & Opinions
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Singapore Airlines Taxis For Wi-Fi Takeoff (Richard Shim, CNET News.com)
<http://news.com.com/2100-7351_3-5105736.html>
The Asian airline announced on Tuesday that it has signed a letter of intent with Boeing's wireless technology unit to give passengers access to a broadband connection on some of its long-haul flights next year.

Judges Hear Do-Not-Call Registry Case (Lois Romano, Washington Post)
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24066-2003Nov10.html>
Government lawyers Monday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to uphold the constitutionality of the "do-not-call" list, saying it is necessary to protect consumers' privacy from unwanted telemarketing calls.

What's Putting Wind In Wireless' Sails (BusinessWeek)
<http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2003/tc20031111_5142_tc135.htm>
Pieces of technology, particularly network software and new applications, that have been in the works for years are now coming together.

IBM Helps Promote Linux (Steve Lohr, New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/technology/11blue.html>
IBM and the Open Source Development Lab, whose membership includes Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Intel, are beginning a drive to promote Linux as an alternative to Windows on the desktop. One indication of their more aggressive approach came yesterday when an IBM executive, Samuel J. Docknevich, delivered a speech at a technology conference outside Boston titled "The Time Is Now for Linux on the Desktop."

F.C.C. Backs Phone Number Portability (Matt Richtel, New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/business/11call.html>
Starting Nov. 24, consumers will be able to switch their home telephone numbers to their mobile phones, the Federal Communications Commission ruled yesterday. The order sets the stage for a scramble by traditional phone companies seeking to keep their customers as they face fierce competition from cellular providers and a growing threat from Internet-based phone services.

Wireless Mesh Networking Gathers Momentum (Patrick Mannion, EE Times)
<http://www.commsdesign.com/story/OEG20031110S0077>
Wireless ad hoc mesh networking will get a boost on two levels this week with the unveiling of startup PacketHop Inc. and the announcement that wireless home networking and automation proponent Zensys A/S has entered into a business partnership with Intel Corp.

Spam Harmed Economy More Than Hackers, Viruses (Tim Lemke, Washington Times)
<http://dynamic.washtimes.com/print_story.cfm?StoryID=20031109-103641-5567r>
Spam caused more economic damage than hackers and viruses last month, despite indications that the amount of unwanted e-mail actually declined.

Supreme Court To Hear Intel-AMD Document Case (Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com)
<http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103_2-5105362.html>
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a foreign governmental body can view documents that were provided to U.S. courts under confidentiality agreements.

Clock Ticks For Web On A Wristwatch (Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com)
<http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-5104954.html>
Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT), which the company unveiled last year right before the Comdex trade show, is still in testing, according to a company representative, who declined to give an estimated release date. Microsoft earlier said the technology would be launched in the fall.

Computer-In-A-Computer Idea Gains Ground (Stephen Shankland and Ina Fried, CNET News.com)
<http://news.com.com/2100-7784_3-5104541.html>
Software giant Microsoft and start-up VMware are bringing closer to mainstream use a technology for running multiple instances of an operating system on a single Intel-based computer.

MyAppleMenu Reader: Science & Tech
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Where Is The Real Matrix? (Shy Shoham and Sam Hall, Salon)
<http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/11/11/real_matrix/index_np.html>
Neural implant devices are now a reality. But misguided federal policies are keeping them from the people who need them.

Does Science Matter? (William J. Broad and James Glanz, New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/science/11MATT.html>
There are new troubles in the peculiar form of paradise that science has created, as well as new questions about whether it has the popular support to meet the future challenges of disease, pollution, security, energy, education, food, water and urban sprawl.

What Is Gravity, Really? (Dennis Overbye, New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/science/11GRAV.html>
Gravity is our oldest and most familiar enemy, the force we feel in our bones, the force that will eventually bury us, sagging our organs and pulling us down, but for all its intimacy, it is a mystery. What really is the law?

MyAppleMenu Reader: Life
------------------------
The Things They Wrote (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/opinion/11INTRO.html>
Observation this year of Veterans Day comes as about 130,000 troops -- 102,000 active military and 28,000 reserve -- remain on duty in Iraq. As of yesterday, according to the Pentagon, 394 have died in the war. Below are excerpts from among the final letters home of some soldiers who died there.

The Birth Of Science Times: A Surprise, But No Accident (John Noble Wilford, New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/science/11ANNI.html>
Twenty-five years ago, editors of The New York Times had a big problem: what to do about Tuesdays?

Unplugging The Matrix (Matt Feeney, Slate)
<http://slate.msn.com/id/2090943/>
Why the sci-fi franchise went south.

MyAppleMenu SingaporeSurf : Top Stories
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LTA To Let Go Of EZ-Link At The Right Time (Laurel Teo, Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstories/story/0,4386,219277,00.html?>
Unpopular new $5 charge will remain, despite MP Wang Kai Yuen's spirited criticism of the fare-collection system.

MyAppleMenu SingaporeSurf : News & Opinions
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Consumer Protection Bill Lacks Bite: MPs (Chuang Peck Ming, Business Times)
<http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/sub/premiumstory/0,4574,99314,00.html?>
The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Bill tabled in Parliament yesterday may guard against unfair sales tactics, but some said it may not have all that much bite.

AirAsia Plans To Launch Budget Airline In Singapore (Beth Jinks, Business Times)
<http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/sub/premiumstory/0,4574,99344,00.html?>
Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia is planning to launch a new no-frills airline in Singapore to tap the lucrative Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route, possibly in a joint venture with a local partner.

Singapore Wants Clampdown On Unregulated Chat Rooms (Charles Farrar, AVN)
<http://www.avnonline.com/issues/200311/newsarchive/news_111003_6.shtml>
Saying Microsoft's recent move to close unmoderated Internet chatrooms was a positive step against abuse by sex predators, Singapore's information and communications minister called for Internet access providers to follow the software giant's lead.

Singapore Govenrment GIven Sweeping Powers To Monitor Computer Activitiy (Associated press)
<http://www.securityfocus.com/news/7412>
Singapore's Parliament has approved plans to give the government sweeping powers to monitor all computer activity in the city-state and act against anyone it believes could use computers to threaten national security.

Too Many Credit Cards? Government Still Studying Issue (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,4386,219308,00.html?>
The Government is studying the issue of Singaporeans carrying several credit cards, but Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that it has yet to find a way to curb the habit.

No Lifiting Of Race Quotas For HDB Flats (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,4386,219272,00.html?>
Governtment aware of difficulties of minority races trying to downgrade, but maintains that policy is vital for racial integration.

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MyAppleMenu is edited by Heng-Cheong Leong. This site is not affiliated with Apple Computer, Inc., or any other companies in any manner. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, PowerBook, iMac, iBook, iPod, and eMac are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. All other brands or product names are trademarks of their registered holders. Copyright (C) 1996-2003 Heng-Cheong Leong. All rights reserved.