[MyAppleMenu] Jul 14, 2009

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** VirtualBox 3.0: Free Virtualizer Is Almost Grown Up, Alan Zisman, Mac 2 Windows <http://lowendmac.com/mac2win/09m2w/virtualbox-3.html>
by Alan Zisman, Low End Mac

**** iPhone Games For 99 Cents? Meet EA's 8 Lb Gorilla <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=d46f5ca4277672894eb7d748da6b2272>
by Matt Peckham, PC World

What's about to make Apple's iPhone quick and tiny and cheap all over? Electronic Arts, that's what, with their maverick new micro-studio, cutely dubbed 8 lb Gorilla. The plan? 99-cent iPhone games to appear in pint-sized installments on a semi-monthly basis.

**** Worms Strategy Game Slithers Onto iPhone <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=fb596828d33ba233565ab0c90d6ec26f>
by Peter Cohen, Macworld

Worms is the classic turn-based strategy game in which you control warring worm armies. It's turn-based and 2D, though it features richly illustrated cartoon graphics. Essentially an artillery game, you must use the right ammunition to destroy your opponents.

**** Safari 4: Back To The Bench <http://www.pheedcontent.com/click.phdo?i=a80330c61dbd62112e296d2b23e673b2>
by The Mac Observer

My Web browser of choice is OmniWeb from The Omni Group. It may not share the same high profile as Safari and Firefox, but for me it's reliable, is plenty customizable, and fits my work style like a glove.

**** Review: Doom Resurrection For iPhone <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=8e7121afa40fbc5485d262a4262b2968>
by Chris Holt, Macworld

Doom Resurrection captures the close-quarters combat, terrifying atmosphere, and gunplay of the Doom series pretty well. It’s a far cry from a true first person shooter but it’s by no means a quick cash-in. That said, you still feel like John Carmack and company could have done more with this title.

**** Developer Claims Apple Blocking Push Notifications On Unlocked iPhones <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AppAdvice/~3/Pvok0nT9qBU/>
by Tyler Tschida, App Advice

According to PoweryBase, push-enabled iPhone apps contact Apple’s servers to request an ID to establish a connection, but if you are using an non-official wireless carrier, the connection can’t be made.

**** Speculation Intensifies On Apple Touch-Screen Tablet <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218500142&usg=AFQjCNH6-QyJ-_N8nSQ1qC_m85j1ccalbw>
by Antone Gonsalves, InformationWeek

Speculation on an Apple tablet PC heated up on the Web Monday as Taiwanese news sources reported that the Mac maker has placed orders related to the device with manufacturers.

**** iBASIC <http://www.myapplemenu.com/2009/07/14/LM035255/>
by Heng-Cheong Leong, MyAppleMenu

There's Applesoft on the Apple II, and I think's there's MS BASIC on the Mac. Even the Mac OS X featured, at one time, Visual Basic for Application in MS Office. (Or you can go RealBASIC, if you really want some other experts to interpret your BASIC programs.)

So, where's BASIC for the iPhone? A younger Bill Gates would already be in Steve Jobs' office, trying to convince Apple why Microsoft should be the one to supply a BASIC interpreter for the iPhone platform. Why isn't Steve Ballmer picking up where Gates left off, putting a BASIC interpreter on every desktop, laptop and palmtop?


:-)


Actually, what I really want is a simple programming or scripting environment on the iPhone for the 'rest of us'. Think BASIC or Hypercard -- and not the Objective-C/Cocoa Touch/Xcode thing that requires a Mac and a $99 payment.

The iPhone is the first truly always-on computer in my pocket. Too bad it can't run my own cron jobs.

How about it, Apple?

**** My Son Bought A Mac <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350135,00.asp&usg=AFQjCNETQeKFo1BbN6AW7DJWsmXpQ1FlRw>
by John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine

His was a smart move, since he was following the advice of pundits, technology writers, and everyone who ever gave advice about what to buy and why: "Buy solutions, not hardware." In his case, the solution was a stunning piece of software called DEVONthink, which he needs for a book he's writing.

**** China Risks Apple's Reputation By Letting Factories Flout Law <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=avXC8Im_FK5I>
by William Bi, Bloomberg

Apple Inc., which relies on Chinese manufacturers for its iPhones and iPod music players, found 45 of the 83 factories it audited last year didn’t pay proper overtime and 23 provided less than minimum wage, according to its 2009 progress report on supplier responsibility.

**** Justifying Non-removable Batteries <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/zdnet/Apple/~3/nza1yfOFxto/>
by Jason D. O'Grady, The Apple Core

I couldn’t be happier with the battery life in my new MacBook Pro 15-inch and haven’t missed the removable battery - yet.

**** Apple's In-Ear Headphones Receive A Subtle Upgrade <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/07/14/apples_in_ear_headphones_receive_a_subtle_upgrade.html>
by AppleInsider

**** App Store Counts 1.5 Billion Downloads In First Year <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=677500f0b11053e10741566a37bfc73b>
by Peter Cohen, Macworld

Apple announced Tuesday that more than 1.5 billion applications have been downloaded from the App Store in its first year of operation.

**** How Apple's App Store Got To 1.5 Billion Downloads <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/redirect.jsp?url=http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/07/14/how-apples-app-store-got-to-1-5-billion-downloads/&usg=AFQjCNFx7SZAcSFLt-TsjyyYEenOl7jj5Q>
by Philip Elmer-DeWitt, Fortune



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Socialtext Offers Enterprise Microblogging In A Box <http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-10285803-248.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Josh Lowensohn, CNET News.com

As a follow-up to its free, 50-user microblogging product, Socialtext is launching a new paid service for large to enterprise-sized companies that lets them run the Twitter-like service behind the firewall, and with many more users.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Canon Fodder <http://www.newyorkreviewofideas.com/2009/06/canon-fodder/>
by Ian Crouch, The New York Review Of Ideas

Sean Shesgreen fires a shot at the Norton Anthology of English Literature.

**** David Foster Wallace Lives On For An "Infinite Summer" <http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2009/07/14/infinite_summer/index.html>
by Joe Coscarelli, Salon

One giant book, 92 days, thousands of readers -- and the world's most ambitious reading group.

**** 40 Years On, Reflections In A Sliver Of The Moon <http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=b141d48c913569145d41546b94651f42>
by Dennis Overbye, New York Times

If we learned anything at all from Apollo, it was just how hard and expensive and dangerous it would be to cross space in rockets. We didn’t conquer space that July day 40 years ago. We only thought we did.

**** Biopsy <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/slate/~3/QYkXIfhrzXQ/>
by Sophie Cabot Black, Slate Magazine

Once he lies down, he says, he is afraid
There is no getting back up. Maybe
It will be that nothing ever



SingaporeSurf
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**** New NMP Calvin Cheng’s Reply To TODAY Betrays His Lack Of Sense Of Accountability And Political Acumen <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=3402>
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

I am truly amazed at Calvin Cheng’s lack of a sense of accountability as well as his almost complete lack of political acumen.

**** “Non-partisan” NMPs? Did We Miss Something? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/07/non-partisan-nmps-did-we-miss-something/>
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen

What we have now is a PAP-infested Select Committee which has picked, to be NMPs, a YPAP member, a NTUC member and 5 people who idolise MM Lee! Good grief!

**** Restaurant Patrons Outside Singapore Do Ask For Tap Water - And Get It <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_402621.html>
by Cassell R. Meyers, Straits Times

**** Goh's Propaganda <http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/component/content/article/2552-gohs-propaganda->
by Singapore Democrats

It might be better for Mr Goh to look at his own house before sermonizing to others about the benefits of free and fair elections. You know what they say about people who live in glass houses.

**** MTI Expects Less Severe Contraction For S'pore's 2009 Economy <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/442214/1/.html>
by Channel NewsAsia

Singapore's economy is expected to contract four to six per cent this year, up from an earlier projection of a six to nine per cent fall, due to less severe contraction in the first half of the year. 

A statement by Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Tuesday said the adjustment reflects an upward revision in first quarter performance, as well as strong second quarter growth.

**** Singapore GDP Boosts Hopes Of Asian Q2 Revival <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSSP48367920090714&usg=AFQjCNGPsneVymxn4uBQp7jqVFrIdK2ASQ>
by Nopporn Wong-Anan and Wayne Cole, Reuters

Singapore's economy roared out of recession in the second quarter and a measure of Australian business conditions jumped in June, raising hopes Asia will lead a broader global recovery in the second half of 2009.

**** BN Unveils Its Secret Weapon – Lee Kuan Yew <http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/32224-bn-unveils-its-secret-weapon-lee-kuan-yew-to-manek-urai->
by Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider

Less than 12 hours before polling begins in this rural constituency, Barisan Nasional (BN) put up banners showing picture of Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat shaking hands with Lee Kuan Yew in an attempt to drive the Malay voters away from the Kelantan Mentri Besar.

**** Lee Kuan Yew And Corruption - Singapore Style <http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/24276/84/>
by Shahidan Said, Malaysia Today

The very structure of the PAP, which has ruled Singapore since independence, is totally corrupt.

**** State Media’s Spin On Elderly Working Full-time <http://wayangparty.com/?p=10476>
by The Wayang Party

**** Massive Computer Upgrade Underway For Singapore's Govvernment <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/168355/massive_computer_upgrade_underway_for_singapores_govt.html&usg=AFQjCNEagQfRAEESywS9rHwj0flimauuUA>
by Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service

A massive upgrade to computers and networks used by government agencies in Singapore is underway and on schedule, according to the agency that oversees the program.

**** Resorts World At Sentosa To Stage First Event In December <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/442308/1/.html>
by Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia

The integrated resort at Sentosa is expected to open early next year, but it is already planning to stage its first event ahead of the soft launch. Resorts World at Sentosa has teamed up with children's charity, ChildAid, to host its fifth concert at the Festive Grand Theatre in December.

**** Recession Forces MINDs To Cut “Allowances” Paid To Disabled <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/07/recession-forces-minds-to-cut-%e2%80%9callowances%e2%80%9d-paid-to-disabled/>
by Tng Ying Hui, The Online Citizen

**** Baaaad Language <http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2009/07/baaaad-language.html>
by Mr Wang Says So

That's so ... quaint. This is the army, my dear. The boys are supposed to learn how to shoot the enemies, bomb them to bits, kill them with a bayonet etc. No, there's nothing very elegant or gentlemanly about war.

**** Haze To Come And Go <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_403050.html>
by Straits Times

Expect more grey skies and stuffy conditions as a mixture of scrub fires in Indonesia and El Nino's impending weather shift brings more haze to Singapore. These conditions will continue over the next few months, predict weather experts.

**** Auditor-General's Report Critical Of Lapses In Procurement Procedure, Expenditure <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/442348/1/.html>
by Desmond Wong, Channel NewsAsia

The Auditor-General's report for the financial year 2008/9, which was released on Tuesday highlighted millions of dollars that could have been spent more prudently.