[MyAppleMenu] Jul 30, 2008

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** SoundSource 2.0 <http://www.macworld.com/article/134252/2008/07/soundsource2.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Christopher Breen, Macworld
This simple utility adds a menu-bar item that lists all available Input, Ouput, and System audio options.

**** Apple's Cult Of Secrecy Begins To Bug Its Developers <http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/07/30/apples_cult_of_secrecy_begins_to_bug_its_developers.html>
by Charles Arthur, The Guardian
Consider that there's an estimate 1,000+ aps on the iPhone App Store - of which about 100 are reckoned to be even worth the disk space. How is Apple going to improve the ratio? Not via an NDA.

**** Apple Finishes Restoring MobileMe Mail <http://www.macworld.com/article/134748/2008/07/mobilemestatus.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Jim Dalrymple, Macworld
Apple has completed the process of restoring mail service to MobileMe customers that found themselves without email over the past week or so.

**** How To Configure And Deploy The iPhone 3G For Business, Part 1 <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9110882&source=rss_topic123>
by Ryan Faas, Computerworld
Here I offer advice on how best to activate, configure and deploy the iPhone.

**** Apple Should Take Its Retail Act On The Road <http://www.macworld.com/article/134747/2008/07/airport_applestores.html>
by Philip Michaels, Macworld
Airports offer a nice opportunity to Apple to open a new front for its retail efforts.

**** CampTune Shuffles Space Between Mac, Windows Partitions <http://www.macworld.com/article/134738/2008/07/camptune.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Peter Cohen, Macworld
CampTune helps Mac users with Intel-based systems running Boot Camp to redistribute free space between their Mac and Windows partitions.

**** Forget The E-mail Woes - MobileMe Simply Too Pricey For What It Does <http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/appleaday/blog/2008/07/forget_the_email_woes_mobileme.html>
by David Zeiler, Baltimore Sun
Adding a few more apps would go a long way toward fulfilling th epromise of a fee-based Apple-run online service.

**** Apple Admits New MobileMe Problem <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9110959&source=rss_topic123>
by Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

**** This, That, And The iTunes Store <http://www.macworld.com/article/134739/2008/07/anotheritunesstore.html>
by Christopher Breen, Macworld
Random thought son recent iTunes Store happenings.

**** Five Lightroom 2 Features That Should Excite You <http://www.macworld.com/article/134745/2008/07/lightroom2_features.html>
by Rick LePage, Macworld

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** 50 Years, 50 Gaint Leaps: How Nasa Rocked Our World <http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/features/50-years-50-giant-leaps-how-nasa-rocked-our-world-879377.html>
by Rob Sharp, The Independent
Today, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration marks its first half-century of exploration and discovery. But missions to the Moon and beyond are only part of the story. Without Nasa's scientists, life on Earth would be very different indeed.

**** HP, Intel And Yahoo Shoot For Clouds <http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2222784/hp-intel-yahoo-shoot-clouds>
by Shaun Nichols, vnnet.com
Three of the biggest names in the tech world are joining forces for a new cloud computing initiative.

**** Finders And Seekers <http://www.livemint.com/2008/07/29222645/Finders-and-seekers.html>
by Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, Livemint.com

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Touched By A Vampire <http://www.salon.com/books/review/2008/07/30/Twilight/>
by Laura Miller, Salon
Preteen girls &mdash; and their grown-up moms &mdash; are sinking their teeth into Stephenie Meyer's gothic "Twilight" books by the millions. Move over, J.K. Rowling.

**** The Rise And Rise Of The First Novel <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/jul/30/bookerprize?gusrc=rss&feed=books>
by Claire Armitstead, The Guardian
The novel, we have always been told, is a form that requires patience, perseverance and the sort of life experience that is unavailable to most twentysomethings.

**** Out Of Sight <http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-08-01/feature3-1.php>
by Pamela Colloff, Texas Monthly
For the 140 students lucky enough to attend the Texas School for the Blind, life is about team sports, class plays, /American Idol/ parties, and prom night. In fact, it's the one place where they can see themselves for who they areally are: typical teenagers.

SingaporeSurf
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**** Avoid Swimming At Pasir Ris Beach For A Year As Water Is Unclean: NEA <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_262796.html>
by Shobana Kesava, Straits Times
The water there carries a high level of Enterococcus - a bacteria found in faeces.

**** RSI. Audld Lang Syne. <http://www.cruzteng.com/2008/07/30/rsi-auld-lang-syne/>
by Woohoo

**** Ruminations Of An Overseas Singaporean <http://blogs.channelnewsasia.com/maria-siow/2008/07/30/ruminations-of-an-overseas-singaporean/>
by Maria Siow, Channel NewsAsia
A country that begins with a clean slate and no historical baggage (except with our cloest northern neighbor) is a great recipe for nation building. But willi t be an equally good recipe for nation-bonding, and nation-togetherness in the midst of turbulence and turmoil?

**** Stop All NETS Admin Fees! <http://sovietmole.com/2008/07/nets_fees/>
by The Moley Prophet
NETS said that charging an administrative fee to consumers is against its policy, yet it did not stop ComfortDelgro from doing it.

**** SPH Gets Niche Licence For Web TV Service <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_262757.html>
by Bryan Lee, Straits Times
Razor TV will focus on local content offering both live and vide-on-demand programmes.
/Will SPH learn from its previous mistakes?/

**** Merging Of Mainstream And Social Media? <http://coolinsights.blogspot.com/2008/07/merging-of-mainstream-and-social-media.html>
by Walter Lim, Cooler Insights
Contrary to popular belief, many young folks do get their news from mainstream media players in Singapore.

**** Temasek Ploy Pays Off At Bank's Cost <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fdf35c0e-5d8f-11dd-8129-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1>
by Sundeep Tucker, Financial Times
Announcing Teamsek's landmark $4.4bn capital injection in Merrill Lynch last December, John Thain, the bank's chief executive, hailed the Singapore state investment agency as "savvy investor with a proven track record of achieving strong investment returns". Seven months later and Mr Thain has been proved right &mdash; though at a heavy cost to the troubled US investment bank.
Temasek had negotiated a reset clause, which meant that if Merrill were to issue new stock at less than $48 a share within 12 months, the bank would compensate the Singapore investor for the ddifference for each share held. The result was that Merrill had to hand back $2.5bn, which Temasek plans to re-invest immediately along with a fresh capital injection of $900m.

**** Heartland Shoppers Hit Hardest By Nets Fee Hike <http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_262613.html>
by Jessica Lim and Daryl Tan, Straits Times
Some mom-and-pop stores in the heartland are passing on an increase in Nets fees to consumers, despite being barred from doing so.

**** NSP Wants To Rejoin Opposition Alliance? <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/267770.asp>
by Loh Chee Kong, Today
According to sources, the NSP made the unofficial approach last month to SDA chairman and veteran Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong.

**** Morning Shift And Being Singaporean <http://blogs.channelnewsasia.com/joanne-leow/2008/07/29/morning-shift-and-being-singaporean/>
by Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia
Funnily this always makes me acutely aware of being in Singapore, this waking before dawn and before your circadian rhythms tell you to.