[MyAppleMenu] Oct 8, 2004

Fri Oct 8 13:15:00 EDT 2004

MyAppleMenu Newsletter
Friday, October 8, 2004

MyAppleMenu
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/index.html>
Mac News for Mac Users

[News]

*** Students Get Schoolbooks, iBooks
<http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1097227261123771.xml>
by Dawn Kent, Birmingham News
Cahaba Heights Community school distributed laptop computers to its sixth-graders Thursday in the launch of a pilot program called the first of its kind in Alabama.

*** Is Apple's Closed Shop Lawful In Europe?
<http://www.out-law.com/php/page.php?page_id=isapplesclosedsh1097232113&area=news>
by Out-Law.com
Apple has refused to license the digital rights management (DRM) software in its iPod to competitors, resulting in an antitrust complaint to French authorities. But analyst firm Reckon suggests it unlikely to fall foul of European competition law.

*** Podcasts: New Twist On Net Audio
<http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,65237,00.html?tw=rss.TOP>
by Daniel Terdiman, Wired News
For anyone who loves listening to the wide variety of internet audio programming, but can't always listen to their favorite shows when they're scheduled or take the time to download them manually, help has arrived.

*** Microsoft Confirms Virtual PC RAM Issue; Update Coming
<http://www.macminute.com/2004/10/08/virtual-pc/>
by MacMinute
Microsoft has confirmed that its recently released Virtual PC 7 will not work with Power Mac G5s with more than 2GB of RAM installed.

*** Jonathan Ive's Apple Cube Still Considered A Work Of Art
<http://apple.weblogsinc.com/entry/8412076875453843/>
by Laurie Duncan, Unofficial Apple Weblog
The Museum of Modern Art reopens in Novvember... "and Apple's G4 Cube computer will greet the public."

*** Apple Is 'Clear Winner' Of PCWorld Retail Survey
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2004/10/07/pcworld/index.php/?lsrc=mcrss-1004>
by Brad Cook, MacCentral
"In contrast to the cluttered warehouse feel of many tech superstores, The Apple Store had a Zen-like simplicity."

[Opinion]

*** Supporting The Mac Is Required For Social Computing
<http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2004/10/08/supporting_the_mac_is_required_for_social_computing.html>
by Danah Boyd, Apophenia
You can build enterprise software that doesn't work on a Mac but you cannot build social technologies that don't work on the Mac.

*** Soho Apple Store
<http://www.mrbarrett.com/mt/archives/2004_10_07.html>
by Damien Barrett, MrBarrett.com
Has the Apple Store in SOHO become a victim of its own success? Every single time I've been there, it's been wall-to-wall with people. Purchasing something as simple as a box of blank DVD's is an exercise in frustruation because so many people in the checkout queue use it as a way to circumvent the endless lines at the Genius Bar.

*** Microsoft Surrounded?
<http://zdnet.com.com/Microsoft+surrounded%3F/2100-1104_2-5401661.html?type=pt&part=itpapers&tag=feed&subj=news>
by David Berlind, CNET News.com
Despite the clear advantages of OS X, the trajectory of improvements to desktop Linux, and Sun's ability to field a technically competent player, all three operating systems sorely lack the one thing that will likely be a factor in decisions by AT&T and other businesses to stick with Windows: a tier-one hardware partner as the sales channel.

*** In Defense Of The iEmpire
<http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2004/commentary04100702.htm>
by Tim Beyers, Motley Fool
Apple is a classic Rule Breaker.

*** Apple Is Rotten
<http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2004/commentary04100703.htm>
by Seth Jayson, Motley Fool
The Borg-like fidelity of Mac zealots, coupled with misplaced enthusiasm for the firm's nifty gadgets and a giant dose of media hype, has conspired to push the stock far beyond a rational valuation.

*** Still Not Much Of A Joke
<http://daringfireball.net/2004/10/still_not_much_of_a_joke>
by John Gruber, Daring Fireball
Ballmer clearly claimed that most music on iPods is "stolen", and implies that the iPod's support for non-DRM-protected music is a "problem."

[Sidetrack]

*** Broken iPod Remote 
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/2004/10/08/#20041008bg000002>
by Heng-Cheong Leong
Not broken, as in cannot be used, but broken, as in, who came up with this horrible, stupid broken design.

This Is Broken<http://broken.typepad.com/b/2004/10/apple_ipod_remo.html>: "When you have [the remote] in your pocket or out of sight, and you want to change the volume, skip or pause a song, you actually have to look at the remote to see which direction it is facing, or run the risk of htting the wrong button."

*** Firstly, Someone Need To Buy Me An iPod 
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/2004/10/08/#20041008bg000004>
by Heng-Cheong Leong
Dave Winer<http://archive.scripting.com/2004/10/08#When:12:16:05AM>: If you want to understand podcasting, get an iPod, get the software, subscribe to some feeds. Then go for a drive, ride a subway or an airplane, take a walk, do something away from the computer and take the iPod with you. Listen to one of the new programs. Then let me know if it works.... Nike says just do it. The iPod commands: Use it.

*** Stopping Winking The Wrong Way 
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/2004/10/08/#20041008bg000001>
by Heng-Cheong Leong
There is only one way to wink, and that's our way, claims Microsoft<http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39169435,00.htm>. :-)

Actually, the beta of Microsoft's latest MSN Messenger 7.0 (for Windows, I believe) has been delayed because "testers found it had the potential to send rogue 'winks'," or non-MSN approved emoticons.

I've to wonder: is this feature even necessary in the first place?

*** Rumor Today: 60GB iPod To Pack Photo-Viewing Features 
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/2004/10/08/#20041008bg000003>
by Heng-Cheong Leong
Think Secret<http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0410photoipod.html>: The new iPod will pack Toshiba's new 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive, a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, iPhoto synchronization, audio/video-out capabilities, and will sell for $499.

And I wonder, is iPhoto for Windows coming too?

[Wintel]

*** Word Mangled By Unpatched Security Hole
<http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/10/07/HNwordhole_1.html>
by Laura Berrill, Techworld.com
A highly critical and unpatched security hole in Microsoft's ubiquitous Word for Windows software could be used to launch a denial of service attack and give system access.

The Tomorrow Weblog
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<http://www.myapplemenu.com/tomorrow/index.html>
Emerging Technology. Innovative Applications. New Economy.

[News]

*** One Grid To Rule Them All
<http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3262402>
by The Economist
Efforts are under way to create a computer the size of the world.

*** Do You Take Cash, Credit Or Chip?
<http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,65263,00.html?tw=rss.TOP>
by Wired News
A leading Japanese electronics company is developing memory cards that can be used to make cashless payments, open locks and read identification with a simple flick.

*** Yahoo Readies Ads For RSS
<http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1668385,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594>
by Matt Hicks, eWeek

*** 'Pure' Outsourcing Model Falls From Favor
<http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/10/07/HNpureoutsourcing_1.html>
by John Ribeiro, IDG News Service
The purely offshore outousrcing model is out of favor, and Indian business process outosurcing companies are finding that they need U.S. facilities and staff to run operations for their American clients.

*** The Car That Can Read Road Signs
<http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/10/06/roadsign.recognition/index.html>
by Simon Hooper, CNN
Inattentive drivers who fail to pay attention to road signs could soon find their cars pick up on their bad habits.

[Internet]

*** AOL Shifts Strategy To Attract More Advertisers, Users
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16112-2004Oct7.html?nav=rss_technology>
by David A. Vise, Washington Post
For years, America Online grew steadily into the nation's biggest Internet service by treating subscribers to exclusive content and services it hoped would produce the sort of captive audience that advertisers crave. But now, with users departing for faster or cheaper online competitors, company officials are re-thinking their "walled garden" strategy.

[Linux]

*** Open Source Is 'Below The Radar' Of Local Government
<http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/linuxunix/0,39020390,39169464,00.htm>
by Ingrid Marson, ZDNet UK
The London mayor's IT adviser says that the use of open-source software such as Linux is a pretty low priority for IT managers in local government.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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The other things in life

[World]

*** Radio Karabagh, The Station With Local Identification
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/interactives/afghandispatch/afghan100704.html>
by Philip Kennicott, Washington Post
The letters that arrive at the three-room studio of Radio Karabagh are small works of folk art.

*** Can You Buy Votes With Underwear?
<http://slate.msn.com/id/2107900/fr/rss/>
by Brendan I. Koerner, Slate
Regardless of the briber's intentions, paying for turnout is illegal in federal elections.

[Life]

*** When Women Wore Heels To The Market
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/07/nyregion/07matters.html>
by Joyce Purnick, New York Times
But Marion Crane. Oh, her morality!

*** You Can Buy A Seat, But Can You Fit In It?
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/theater/newsandfeatures/08SEAT.html?oref=login&ex=1254974400&#38;en=be4cf85fb00e4661&#38;ei=5088&#38;partner=rssnyt>
by Jesse McKinley and Joel Topcik, New York Times
Unlike major movie chains, which have introduced all sorts of cushy innovations (stadium-style tiering, reclining capabilities, cup holders), or the airlines, which advertise their legroom like barkers at a circus, many Broadway theaters have lagged behind (pun intended) when it comes to the most basic of audience amenities: their seats.

SingaporeSurf
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<http://www.myapplemenu.com/singapore/index.html>
Life in the city

[News]

*** Signs Of An Election?
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/27293.asp>
by Jose Raymond, Today
Recent flurry of electoral procedure-related activites fuels speculation.