[MyAppleMenu] May 17, 2008

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** The iPhone Connection <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_238513.html>
by Grace Chng, Straits Times
A vibrant ecosystem of hackers, software developers and accessor retailers has sprung up to support a growing Apple iPhone user base in Singapore.
This is amazing, given that the most talked-about cellphone is not even officially available here yet.

**** Will A 3G iPhone Really Be That Much Better? <http://ennui.jonathanwthomas.net/?p=6>
by Ennui

**** Macs Defy WIndows' Gravity <http://blogs.eweek.com/applewatch/content/channel/macs_defy_windows-gravity.html>
by Joe Wilcox, eWeek
Consider this: Apple's retail market share is 14 percent, and two-thirds for PCs costing $1,000 or more.

**** Studios, Networks Ally With Apple <http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985942.html?categoryid=20&cs=1>
by Ben Fritz and Diane Garrett, Variety
For years, Steve Jobs had a simple message for Hollywood: It's my way or the highway. But in recent weeks, he seems to have adopted Burger King's mantra: Have it your way.

**** Apple's Largest U.S. Store Highlights Growth Plan <http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN1450629120080517>
by Jason Szep, Reuters
Apple unveiled its largest U.S. store on Wednesday, a glass-facade building sheathed in steel that a senior company official said reflects Apple's plans to expand retail ventures at home and abroad.

**** Is Bento The Solution For Your Personal Database And Organizer Needs? <http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/is_bento_the_solution_for_your_personal_database_and_organizer_needs_review/>
by Charles W. Moore, Applelinks
If you're looking for an application to help organize your life, but don't want to climb the learning curve (or pay the cost of admission to the FileMaker world) and are familiar with the way iTunes and iPhoto work, Bento is well worth checking out.

**** Apple Store Boston - Boylston Street Grand Opening Reflection <http://theilife.com/2008/05/16/apple-store-boston-boylston-street-grand-opening-reflection/>
by Adam Epstein, The iLife

**** Don't Kid Yourself - Apple Is A Software Company <http://www.itworld.com/Comp/1184/apple-software-company-dr-080515/>
by Don Reisinger, ITworld.com
Could the company have the kind of success it does today without the software it provides on all of its products? I don't think so.
/WIll the iPhone be a success if it is thick as a phone book? Of course not. Will the Macintosh be a success (today) if all the hardware looks like an IBM XT? Of course not./
/Apple is not a hardware nor a software company. As Steve Jobs said, Apple today is a Macintosh company, an iPod company, and an iPhone company./

**** Apple Files First Lawsuit In Defense Of "Made For iPod" Licensing <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/05/16/apple_files_first_lawsuit_in_defense_of_made_for_ipod_licensing.html>
by Aidan Malley, AppleInsider
The first test of Apple's licensing system for iPod accessories has come with the launch of a complaint by the company against Atico International, whose speakers allegedly infringe on patents behind the "Made for iPod" label.

**** Office 2008 For Mac: The Straw That Broke The Backs Of Microsoft's Windows Developers? <http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=1757>
by David Morgenstern, ZDNet.com
The issue isn't the talent or commitment of the programmin by Microsoft's team. It's the on-again, off-again strategy.

**** TapDex 3.3.2 <http://www.macworld.com/article/133510/2008/05/tapdex.html>
by Dan Frakes, Macworld
It's a simple and easy-to-use way to access your contact data without having to open Address Book.

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** How Open Is Microsoft? <http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207800220>
by J Nicholas Hoover, InformationWeek
Our survey shows that business technology pros aren't convinced that Microsoft is doing enough to shed its old proprietary habits.

**** Conde Nast/Wired Acquires Ars Technica <http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/16/breaking-conde-nastwired-acquires-ars-technica/>
by Michael Arrington, TechCrunch

**** Cellphone Innovations Rival Web <http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0517tech-android0517.html>
by Brian Bergstein, Associated Press

**** OLPC Laptop Gets Windows <http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20788/>
by David Talbot, MIT Technology Review

**** HisSpace <http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806/ambinder-obama>
by Marc Ambinder, The Atlantic
How would Obama's success in online compaigning translate into governing?

**** Taking Your Laptop Into The US? Be Sure To Hide All Your Data First <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/15/computing.security>
by Bruce Schneier, The Guardian
I know this all sounds like work, and that it's easier to just ignore everything here and hope you don't get searched. Today, the odds are in your favour. But new forensic tools are making automatic searches easier and easier, and the recent US court ruling is likely to embolden other countries. It's better to be safe than sorry.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Story Of William McGonagall, The Worst Poet In The History Of The English Language <http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-story-of-william-mcgonagall-the-worst-poet-in-the-history-of-the-english-language-829993.html>
by Andy McSmith, The Independent
It is not the quality of his poetry that has immortalised McGonagall, but rather the British love of heroic failures.

**** Can Money Buy Happiness? <http://www.american.com/archive/2008/may-june-magazine-contents/can-money-buy-happiness>
by Arthur C. Brooks, The American
Money doesn't buy happiness, but success does. Capitalism, moored in values of hard work, honesty, and fairness, is key.

**** In The Basement Of The Ivory Tower <http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806/college>
by Professor X, The Atlantic
Sending everyone under the sun to college is a noble initiative. To oppose such a scheme of inclusion would be positively churlish. But one piece of the puzzle hasn't been figured into the equation, to use the sort of phrase I encounter in the papers submitted by my English 101 students. The zeitgeist of academic possibility is a great inverted pyramid, and its rather sharp point is poking, uncomfortably, a spot just about midway betwen my shoulder blades.

**** Teddy Stole My Panties <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/13/AR2008051302255.html?nav=rss_print/washpostmagazine>
by Gene Weingarten, Washington Post
And other hot news tips from The Post's 'in' basket.

SingaporeSurf
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**** The iPhone Connection <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_238513.html>
by Grace Chng, Straits Times
A vibrant ecosystem of hackers, software developers and accessor retailers has sprung up to support a growing Apple iPhone user base in Singapore.
This is amazing, given that the most talked-about cellphone is not even officially available here yet.

**** Countries Must Accept Autonomy Of Myanmar, China When Extending Helping Hand <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/348405/1/.html>
by Maria Siow, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore foreign minister George Yeo has said that even as regional countries extend a helping hand to Myanmar and China, they have to accept the autonomy of these countries. That is because only they know their internal situations better.

**** SMRT - The Best Passenger Experience Award - My Experience <http://www.aaronpeng.org/?p=1213>
by Aaron Peng, A New Beginning

**** OFWs In Singapore <http://www.mb.com.ph/OPED20080517124824.html>
by Romeo V. Pefianco, Manila Bulletin

**** Film On Lee Kuan Yew Seized By MDA <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/05/film-on-lee-kuan-yew-seized-by-mda/>
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen

**** Censors And Police Seize Video At Private Screening <http://singaporerebel.blogspot.com/2008/05/censors-and-police-seize-video-at.html>
by Martyn See, No Political Films Please, We're Singaporeans

**** Wearing Of Seat Belts On Small School Buses To Be Made Mandatory <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/348375/1/.html>
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
The wearing of seat belts on small school buses is to be made mandatory. Transport minister Raymond Lim revealed this on Saturday, saying the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is currently working out how best to do this.

**** The Ugly SIngaporean <http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2008/5/17/columnists/insightdownsouth/21271268&sec=insightdownsouth>
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
Have affluent, educated Singaporeans become too self-centred and insensitive to other people's plights? Can Singapore be considered a First World city with such boorishness? A mature, developed country isn't defined only by wealth and education; it is also about humanity and concern for others.

**** Singapore Redux <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1806587,00.html>
by Liam Fitpatrick, Time
These days, Singaporean film relishes the themes of alienation, sexuality and dysfunctionality, challenging viewers to see beyond the city-state's straitlaced stereotypes, and exploiting to the full a more relaxed attitude among Singapore's censors. Time's Liam Fitzpatrick spoke to Khoo (whose last feature, /My Magic/, has just been accepted into the main competition at Cannes), as well as to Ekachai Uekrongtham (the only other Singaporean director to have shown at Cannes) and one of the city-state's most promising young directors, Brian Gothong Tan.

**** Singapore's Nondisclosure On UNSW: Fail <http://diodati.omniscientx.com/2008/05/15/nondisclosure-unsw/>
by Elia Diodati, E Pur Si Muove
Shortcircuiting the checks and balances in democratic institutions for whatever reason, including "efficiency", represents a blatant violation of the fundamental tenets of democracy and a failure to appreciate the distinction between a functioning democratic society and the populist tyranny of the majority.

**** Number Of Burmese - It's Top Secret, Silly <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/05/number-of-burmese---it&#8217;s-top-secret-silly/>
by Selene Cheng, The Online Citizen
The number of Burmese, though, is not the real issue. THe real issue really is this: there's a lack of transparency from the bureaucracy.

**** HDB Also Wants To Do A Rap Video, Just Like MDA <http://blog.dk.sg/2008/05/17/hdb-also-wants-to-do-a-rap-video-just-like-mda/>
by DK

**** Fare Cheat Figures: A Poser <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_238093.html>
by Chan Whye Chuen, Straits Times

**** Guit And Innocence: Ask The Right Questions <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_238320.html>
by Cheung Phei Chiet, Straits Times
Should we even have different shades of innocence (or guilt)?
/Innocence and guilt must be binary description, otherwise, the idea of "innocence until proven guilty" doesn't work. But it must work./

**** Pulau Batu Putih Judgement Will Be Carried 'Live' By RTM <http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=333562>
by Bernama
Viewers can catch the 'live' telecast on RTM1 at 4 pm, a Broadcasting Department statement said Friday.

**** The World's Most Competitive Countries <http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080516_388650.htm?chan=globalbiz_europe+index+page_top+stories>
by Jennifer Fishbein, BusinessWeek
The U.S. is still No. 1, but not for long, according to IMD's annual list. With Singapore leading the way, Asia looks like an unstoppable force.

**** A Vote On The Wild Side <http://aidilomar.com/2008/05/17/a-vote-on-the-wild-side/>
by Sheep City
Who is Shin Leong trying to kid?

**** Yaw Shin Leong Is Right! <http://kwayteowman.blogspot.com/2008/05/yaw-shin-leong-is-right.html>
by The Kway Teow Man
The fundamental reason why Yaw Shin Leong is right is: nation before party, principles before dogma.

**** Singapore Has Few Avenues For Whistleblowers: Survey <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/254316.asp>
by Esther Fung, Today
Singapore ranks little better than Russia when it comes to the number of companies with measures in place to protect corporate whistleblowers.

**** SMRT To Run 700 More Train Trips From Tuesday <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_238027.html>
by Maria Almenoar, Straits Times

**** LTA To Roll Out 4 New Road Safety Initiatives <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_238011.html>
by Maria Almenoar, Straits Times
This includes an electronic signboard to tell motorists their speeds, lane markings to indicate an upcoming pedestrian crossing, triangular lane markings to get motorists to slow down and dotted lines at pedestrian light crossings.

**** Predictions Of The iPhone's Impact In Singapore <http://harmlessbananas.blogspot.com/2008/05/predictions-of-iphones-impact-in.html>
by Brian Koh, Harmless? Bananas!