[MyAppleMenu] Jan 25, 2005

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/>
Mac news for Mac people

[News]

*** Pepsi's Free iTunes Promo Bottles Hit Store Shelves
<http://www.macnn.com/news/27824>
MacNN

*** Gunning For iTunes
<http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/01/wo/wo_hellweg012505.asp?trk=top>
Eric Hellweg, MIT Technology Review

Don't look now, but the world of digital music is about to get rocked.

*** Macs Power Sundance Channel Festival Dailies
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01/24/sundance/index.php>
Jim Dalrymple, MacCentral

"Everybody here has a PowerBoook. The whole facility is powered by Apple gear in one way or another."

*** Mac Media Center Project Aims To Transform Mac Mini
<http://www.macnn.com/news/27818>
MacNN

*** iTunes Music Store Downloads Top 250 Million
<http://www.macminute.com/2005/01/24/itunes-250-million/>
MacMinute

Apple says iTunes users are now downloading one and a quarter million songs per day, which is an annual run rate of almost half a billion songs per year.

[Opinion]

*** How Apple's iPod/iTunes Combo Could Demolish Microsoft's 'Play For Sure' Initiative
<http://lowendmac.com/musings/05/0126.html>
Dan Knight, Low End Mac

*** Macintosh Market Share
<http://www.debris.com/journal/1195>
Debris.com

"It's Wintel's rapid upgrade cycle that's been getting progressively more and more out of line with norms..."

*** Play That Funky Music, White Toy
<http://www.fortune.com/fortune/articles/0,15114,1019936,00.html>
Peter Lewis, Fortune

Apple's $99 iPod shuffle suggests a new, "less is more" strategy for the rebounding music, er, computer company.

*** Taking Stock Of Apple
<http://www.mymac.com/showarticle.php?id=1917>
David K. Every, MyMac.com

Why do I think Apple is a good stock.

*** Apple Must Evolve Or Face Extinction
<http://www.vnunet.com/comment/1160733>
Rory Reid, vnunet.com

As more music formats and audio players emerge, is the iPod nearing the end of its reign?

*** iTunes 2005 Revenue Could Equal 5 Percent Of U.S. Music Sales: Call It A Powerhouse
<http://fortt.com/blog/2005/01/itunes-2005-revenue-could-equal-5.html>
Jon Fortt, Technofile

[Review]

*** Apple's iWork Software Needs Some Work
<http://www.freep.com/money/tech/techcool25e_20050125.htm>
Mike Wendland, Detroit Free Press

Neither the Keynote 2 presentation software nor the new Pages word processor are as full-featured as one would like.

*** Tricks Keep Apple iPod In Tune On Windows PC
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2005-01-24-komando_x.htm>
Kim Komando, USA Today

Connecting the iPod to your computer to transfer tunes and manage your music library isn't always simple -- especially if your computer runs Windows.

*** The iMac Mini: Apples And Oranges, A Follow-Up
<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2005/01/miniapplesandoranges2/index.php>
Dan Frakes, Macworld

To reiterate: What the article was trying to demonstrate is not that the Mac mini is the cheapest computer on the market; rather, that it's clearly price-competitive with the budget brand-name Windows PCs, especially once you look at what you get for the money.

*** Why Go Pro (Audio Hijack Pro, That Is)
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07961>
Matt Neuburg, TidBITS

*** iPod Shuffle Big On Performance
<http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/95-01242005-437786.html>
Ron Harris, Associated Press

The latest flavor, the diminutive iPod shuffle, proves that fewer bells and whistles can be just as good as more.

*** Building A Website With TInderbox
<http://www.greynotebook.com/blog/?p=689>
Grey Notebook

*** An Inside Look At iWork 05
<http://www.detroitmac.com/index.php?content=iwork05review>
Louie Z. Pierce, DetroitMac, Inc

*** Mac Minis Could Make Converts
<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/24/scitech/pcanswer/main668781.shtml>
Larry Magid, CBS News

While the Mac Mini won't suddenly make Macs a more popular platform than Windows, I think it may tempt many Windows users who are curious about the Mac and/or frustrated with Windows which is far more prone to spyware, viruses and security problems.

[Sidetrack]

*** The End Is Near. Spring Is Coming.
Heng-Cheong Leong

It's winter, and we just had one whole stash of snow being dumped in the backyard. What would Calvin <http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1431989> (of the Calvin & Hobbes fame) build?

*** History, Corrected
Heng-Cheong Leong

We all know that Apple wasn't the first company to produce an MP3 player, but do you know who created the first MP3 player <http://news.com.com/Bragging+rights+to+the+worlds+first+MP3+player/2010-1041_3-5548180.html?part=rss&tag=5548180&subj=news.1041.20>

*** The Launch Of The Macintosh
Heng-Cheong Leong

Were you there at the launch of the Macintosh? Now, you can <http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/24/1945223>, thanks to the magic of QuickTime.

(P.S. Here's a list of mirrors <http://www.kottke.org/05/01/jobs-macintosh-video>.)

*** Lullabies From The Axis Of Evil
Heng-Cheong Leong

Today's podcast here at MyAppleMenu <http://www.myapplemenu.com/podcast/> features two tunes from the album Lullabies from the Axis of Evil <http://www.hrmusic.com/artists/axis.html?>.

*** Open-Source Your Journalism
Heng-Cheong Leong

Scott Rosenberg <http://blogs.salon.com/0000014/2005/01/24.html#a823> has an interesting idea: "Major open source projects maintain public bug databases. Anyone can come along and post a bug report... The model doesn't map perfectly onto journalism, but it's not too far off: Let people file "bug reports" if they believe your publication has published something in need of correcting. The publication can respond however it seems appropriate."

*** Tips For Your Next Cheese Party
Heng-Cheong Leong

You'd never know when you'll be next invited to a cheese party where you'll have to bring your own cheese, and where there's a contest for the best and most interesting cheese. So, here are some tips <http://blogs.msdn.com/rick_schaut/archive/2005/01/24/359836.aspx> just for you.

[Wintel]

*** Microsoft Backs Off Appeal On EU Sanctions
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01/24/mseu/index.php?lsrc=mcrss-0105>
Simon Taylor, IDG News Service

Microsoft has decided not to appeal a ruling by an European Union judge that upholds sanctions imposed on the company by the European Commission, a spokesman for the firm confirmed on Monday.

The Tomorrow Weblog
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/tomorrow/>
Emerging Technologies. Innovative Applications. New Economy

[News]

*** Memo To Media Establishment: Ignore Blogs At Your Peril
<http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/01/ap/ap_012505.asp?trk=top>
Frank Bajak, Associated Press

*** How Legislation, Lawsuits Are Shaping Technology's Future
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/10729005.htm>
Dawn C. Chmielewski, San Jose Mercury News

*** Software Watching While You Work
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4188747.stm>
BBC News

Software that can not only monitor every keystroke and action performed at a PC but also be used as legally binding evidence of wrong-doing has been unveiled.

*** Google Rolls Out TV Search Prototype
<http://news.com.com/Google+rolls+out+TV+search+prototype/2100-1032_3-5548834.html?part=rss&tag=5548834&subj=news.1032.20>
Stefanie Olsen, CNET News.com

Google introduced late Monday a prototype of a service to search TV programming, an anticipated move to broaden its search franchise for broadcast.

*** At Google, Not Quite Partying Like It's 1999
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33784-2005Jan24.html?nav=rss_technology>
Ariana Eunjung Cha, Washington Post

No one wants to invoke the specter of excess.

*** Computer Viruses And Chilling Speech
<http://news.com.com/Computer+viruses+and+chilling+speech/2061-1009_3-5548686.html?part=rss&tag=5548686&subj=news.1009.20>
Robert Lemos, CNET News.com

In some countries, posting the source code to a virus is illegal; in the U.S., it's not. That may change in the near future, if certain security companies and some lawmakers have the wherewithal.

*** Why Is Silicon Valley Still Losing Jobs?
<http://news.com.com/Why+is+Silicon+Valley+still+losing+jobs/2061-1022_3-5548168.html?part=rss&tag=5548168&subj=news.1022.20>
Ed Frauenheim, CNET News.com

Could the tech industry's own creations be the main reason Silicon Valley is still losing jobs? Or is offshoring to blame? It's a combination of both, according to Russell Hancock.

[Linux]

*** IBM Goes Silent On Linux Desktop Effort
<http://www.infoworld.com//article/05/01/25/HNibmsilent_1.html>
Robert McMillan, IDG News Service

Big Blue mum about progress of the company's move to open source clients.

MyAppleMenu Reader
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/reader/>
The other things in life

[Tech & Science]

*** Brace Yourself! Here Comes Einstein's Year
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/25/science/25eins.html?ex=1264395600&en=19bd6399f3263bb5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt>
Dennis Overbye, New York Times

Einstein has been dead for 50 years this April, but he is still the scientist most likely to have his picture on the front page of the newspaper, perhaps famously sticking out his tongue. It is still Einstein's universe, and in honor of his "miracle year" in 1905, physicsts, universities and government organizations have laid on a gantlet of celebrations, conferences, books, concerts, contests, Web sites, lectures, games and a controversial intercontinental light show.

[Life]

*** The Mac In front Of The Curtain
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/25/opinion/25martin.html?ex=1264395600&en=8300d14dc4530edd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt>
Steve Martin, New York Times

Thank you for the opportunity you gave me and others, and thank you -- despite divisive wars and undulating political strife -- for the one hour a night across 30 years of American life when we were entertained purely, delightfully and wisely.

[Expressions]

*** Possibility: An Assay
<http://slate.msn.com/id/2112616/fr/rss/>
Jane Hirshfield, Slate

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

[News]

*** Singapore Airlines Hit For 'Double Standards'
<http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/01/24/1106415527616.html?oneclick=true>
Scott Rochfort, The Age

The head of Asia's largest low-cost airline has accused Singapore Airlines of double standards in its long-fought campaign to gain access to Qantas' lucrative Sydney-Los Angeles route. Singapore Airlines claims it does not enjoy the same rights to fly on certain routes out of Australia as Qantas has to fly out of Singapore -- but AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said Singapore had hindered his airline access into the island state.

*** Johor Unwilling To Drop Bridge Project
<http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/NST32220795.txt/Article/indexb_html>
Ravi Nambiar, M.K. Megan, Chong Chee Seong and Arman Ahmad, New Straits Times

Johor will strongly resist any move to abandon the proposed bridge to replace the Causeway, Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman made it clear today.

*** MediaCorp Promises Quality TV
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub/singapore/story/0,5562,297393,00.html?>
Asad Latif, Straits Times

The end of MediaCorp's 'debilitating competition' with MediaWorks will help it focus on quality programmes that will give viewers the choice they want, its chairman Ho Kwon Ping said yesterday.

*** Singapore, Australia Close To Air Deal
<http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/01/24/bt.sing.aust.air.deal.reut/>
Reuters

Singapore and Australia are close to signing an open skies pact that would give flag carrier Singapore Airlines Ltd. long-sought access to lucrative U.S.-Australian routes, a Singapore official has said.

MyAppleMenu Shuffle
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/podcast/>
Life is random. More tunes, less talk.

[Tunes]

*** Luna, Luna
<http://www.hrmusic.com/artists/axis.html?>
Mayada Killisly, Lullabies From The Axis Of Evil
<http://sf1000.registeredsite.com/~user396443/ra/axisluna.mp3>

*** Stars Are Rising
<http://www.hrmusic.com/artists/axis.html>
Sun Ju Lee, Lullabies From The Axis Of Evil
<http://sf1000.registeredsite.com/~user396443/ra/axisstars.mp3>