[MyAppleMenu] Jan 27, 2006

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

[News]

*** Senator Queries The iPod's Role In Hearing Loss
<http://www.theage.com.au/news/breaking/senator-queries-the-ipods-role-in-hearing-loss/2006/01/27/1138319423873.html>
The Age

*** Analysts: Apple To Benefit From Disney's Pixar Buy
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/26/aapldis/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Peter Cohen, Macworld

*** Google May Be Close To Developing iTunes Competitor
<http://www.forbes.com/2006/01/26/google-apple-0126markets08.html?partner=yahootix>
Peter Kang, Forbes

[Opinion]

*** Yahoo's New CPO Loves His Mac
<http://gigaom.com/2006/01/26/yahoos-new-cpo-loves-his-mac/>
Om Malik's Broadband Blog

*** Sigh. More Bad tech Reporting
<http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/analysts/wilcox/archives/013313.html>
Joe Wilcox, Jupiter Research

My problem isn't with that other firm's data but how CNET News.com used it to make something out of absolutely nothing.

*** Is It Time To Consider An Apple Macintosh?
<http://www.getthenetresults.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19&m>
Justin Powell, Get The NET Results

*** Rants, Radio, And The AM iPod
<http://playlistmag.com/weblogs/ipodblog/2006/01/amipod/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Christopher Breen, Playlist

[Review]

*** Apple iTunes 6
<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1915909,00.asp>
Rick Broida, PC Magazine

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that iTunes still offers no music subscription option to match other flat-rate services.

*** Mac Performance In The Raw - Wow! The Intel iMac Is Almost As Fast As The Quad Core Power Mac - How Macworld Pulled A "Not So Fast" One...
<http://macspeedzone.com/html/hardware/machine/performance_in_the_raw/06/1_23.shtml>
MacSpeedZone

A multiprocessor machine will provide the user with more flexibility. However, truth be told, for most of us, most of the time, it is over-kill.

*** Acropolis
<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/gameroom/2006/01/acropolis/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Peter Cohen, Macworld

Acropolis is a rare treat -- a puzzle game built for wordsmiths. Best of all, it's fun and challenging to play.

*** Pages 2: New Version Of Word Processing And Page-Layout App Fixes Bugs And Adds Features
<http://www.macworld.com/2006/01/reviews/pages2/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Jeffery Battersby, Macworld

While Pages lacks a full-featured spreadsheet application, it is a versatile and powerful program that will fill a multitude of educational, personal, and professional needs without making you wish that you had something more.

[Sidetrack]

*** Question Of The Day
Heng-Cheong Leong

Has Apple moved its WWDC 06 to Disneyland yet?

*** The Microsoft Decision
Heng-Cheong Leong

Microsoft has figured out that in order to deliver a good game machine, you'll need to build the whole widget. And Xbox is selling very well -- at least outside of Japan.

Microsoft has probably figured out that, technically, in order to deliver a good portable music and video player, you'll need to build the whole widget. Just like Apple's iPod. The problem, I think, is that Microsoft cannot figure out the business model yet.

But when they do, it will launch a tidal wave. What's next after the Microsoft MP3 player, once the business model has been figured out? How about Microsoft PDA? Microsoft Phone? Microsoft Server? Microsoft PC?

Does this mean that if you are a HP, O2, Dell, or Lennova, you really should start thinking about creating the whole widget youself too?

*** Bye Bye, Job Security
Heng-Cheong Leong

For someone <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0713214/> who has been working for direct-to-DVD animation sequels for almost his entire career at Disney, the purchase of Pixar by Disney must sound like really bad news.

Oh, and Toy Story 3 has been cancelled <http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=filmNews&storyID=2006-01-26T214328Z_01_N26309315_RTRIDST_0_FILM-MEDIA-DISNEY-TOYSTORY-DC.XML&archived=False>.

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

[News]

*** Venture Capital Blogs? They're About Anything But
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/27/business/27venture.html?ex=1296018000&en=e8b0fc2285954e85&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
Matt Richtel, New York Times

Thanks to the internet, the venture capital world -- one of the most insular of industries -- has sprung a leak.

*** A Policy Of Neutrality, For Now, In The Music Gadget Wars
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012502020.html>
Leslie Walker, Washington Post

I have a bad case of mobile-media paralysis.

*** Geeks In Toyland
<http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.02/lego.html>
Brendan I. Koerner, Wired

Lego built a global empire out of little plastic blocks, then conquered the wired world with a robot kit called Mindstorms. So when the time came for an upgrade, they turned to their obsessed fans -- and rewrote the rules of the innovation game.

*** No Booze Or Jokes For Googlers In China
<http://news.com.com/2100-1030_3-6031727.html?part=rss&tag=6031727&subj=news>
Declan McCullagh, CNET News.com

Google's new China search engine not only censors many web sites that question the Chinese government, but it goes further than similar services from Microsoft and Yahoo by targeting teen pregnancy, homosexuality, dating, beer and jokes.

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

[Life]

*** On The Far Side Of The World, Watching Her Sister's Back
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012502346.html>
Jenny Spinner, Washington Post

When your twin goes off to war, she never really returns. And you are the one left desperate, grasping for an arm, a leg, anything familiar to hold onto, to push her back into the womb you once shared.

*** For The Year Of The Dog, Beijing's Big Bang Will Be Perfectly Legal
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/27/international/asia/27china.html?_r=1>
Jim Yardley, New York Times

This year, Beijing becomes the latest Chinese city to rescind a ban on fireworks during the Lunar New Year.

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

[News]

*** DPP Won't Contest Joo Chiat, East Coast GRC
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/190403/1/.html>
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

*** Large Charities Urged To Reveal Top Wages In Bands
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/190372/1/.html>
Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia

*** Opposition SDA Joins In Debate Over WP's Manifesto
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/190302/1/.html>
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore Democratic Alliance urged the public not to be swayed by criticisms levelled by the People's Action Party at the manifesto, saying this is an election tactic.

*** Malaysia Plans 'Crooked' Bridge
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4652984.stm>
Jonathan Kent, BBC News

One Malaysian politician told the Star newspaper that the shape of the bridge would be a reflection of relations between the two countries. Singaporean sources told the BBC that this statement implies the Singaporeans are straight while the Malaysians are crooked.

*** 'Yes, Bridge Will Be Built'
<http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/National/20060127083920/Article/index_html>
Jason Gerald and Mimi Syed Yusof, New Straits Times

Yes, the Johor Strait bridge will be built. Both Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Works Mnister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu confirmed this today.

*** Move Lauded But Call For Talks To Go On
<http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/National/20060127084005/Article/index_html>
New Straits Times

Malaysia's decision to start work on the new Causeway bridge was generally welcomed by the public today, but there were also calls for the government to continue discussions with Singapore on the project.

*** Green Light For Scenic Bridge
<http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/1/27/nation/13234708&sec=nation>
The Star

Malaysia will proceed to build a bridge across its half of the Johor Strait, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The Deputy Prime Minister said that while construction of the bridge costing RM2bil was going on, negotiations to get Singapore to complete the project would continue.

*** Malaysia To Go Ahead With Half-Bridge
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/97734.asp>
Today

In response to media queries, a spokesman from the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Republic was surprised by the New Straits Times report, since "there is an ongoing progress in place, agreed to by Singapore and Malaysia, to discus the bridge and other bilateral issues. Singapore will seek clarification from the Malaysia authorities on this matter."

*** Mahathir Happy 22-Year Wait For Bridge Is Over
<http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/1/27/nation/13232303&sec=nation>
The Star

"I have waited 22 years, and we still have not gotten the permission to even raise (the price of raw water sold to Singapore) from 3 sen to 4 sen. So if you want to wait, you can wait until kingdom come."

*** WP Chairman Lim Is Playing By The Book
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/97733.asp>
Teo Hwee Nak, Today

"I feel it's rather strange that the ruling party is trying to tell us how to write our manifesto. If you don't agree with us on the issues, the you come out with your own manifesto! Being the Opposition, we don't expect them to agree with us, and neither should they presume that we should share their views."

*** NKF Shortlisting At Least 4 Firms To Seek Legal Recourse
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/190220/1/.html>
Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia

The new NKF board has shortlisted at least four legal firms to help it seek legal recourse against the organisation's former CEO and chairman.

[Opinion]

*** Catherine Lim's Critique Of PAP Is Removed From Reality. Hers Is Just 'An Intellectual Pursuit'
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,5562,367351,00.html?>
Chia Hern Keng, Straits Times

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

[Tunes]

*** Now Is Not The Time
<http://sinistrals.stevedix.de/downloads.html>
The Simpletons
<http://sinistrals.stevedix.de/downloads/nowisnot.mp3>