[MyAppleMenu] Jul 23, 2009

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** CNBC: Willfully Ignorant? <http://www.macjournals.com/news/cnbcjul2009.html>
by John Gruber, Daring Fireball

Expert opinion is welcome—but for the love of dogcow, can you please start with a foundation of facts?

**** Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 <http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/command_conquer_red_alert_3>
by Zack Stern, Mac Life

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 succeeds by inserting lots of value and variety into its repeating structure. Even with technical problems, we had fun conquering the world three ways.

**** Mac Sales In Education, Business Markets Lag For Apple <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/07/22/education_business_markets_lag_for_apple.html>
by Sam Oliver, AppleInsider

While the consumer market continues to shine for Apple, bringing the company to another record quarter, sales in the education and professional markets have suffered for the Mac maker during the ongoing economic recession.

**** Back Up iPhoto's Faces Database <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=e82ce91989da2f9ace503fc4552efb6d>
by Derrick Story, Macworld

Using the Faces feature in iPhoto ’09 to assign names to the people in your photos can take a good bit of time. And one small glitch in the database that tracks all of that information could set you back to square one. Which is why I recommend protecting your work from database corruption by backing up your Faces database files.

**** Apple Cuts $500 Million Flash Memory Deal <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10292813-64.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Brooke Crothers, CNET News.com

Apple said Tuesday that it has made a $500 million prepayment to Toshiba for flash memory chips and indicated the market is stabilizing.

**** iPhone 3GS: Fantastic But Flawed <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13846_3-10293146-62.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Dave Rosenberg, CNET News.com


>From a software and cloud perspective, the iPhone represents an ideal world of development functionality mixed with an ability to use mobile services. However, the App Store approval process and AT&T's wonky network will still prevent us from reaching nirvana.


**** Five Apple Stores To Visit Before You Die <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cultofmac/bFow/~3/2XSuiK7dYyU/13482>
by Nicole Martinelli, Cult of Mac

The top five must-see Apple stores, as per travel site Jaunted, are London, Tokyo, Sydney, New York — and Scottsdale.

**** Apple Can't Meet iPhone Demand Amid Record Profits <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/168828/apple_cant_meet_iphone_demand_amid_record_profits.html&usg=AFQjCNHsC2fcX1Y3UKayzKZJo92lAMSadw>
by David Coursey, PC World

Global recession? Not for Apple, whose Wall St. financials are blissfully unaware of Main St. reality. Apple's sadness? They can't keep up with demand.

**** Apple Backs Down On Bluwiki Threats <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/07/apple-backs-down-blu?FORM=ZZNR4>
by Fred von Lohmann, Electronic Frontier Foundations

Apple has retracted its legal threats against public wiki hosting site Bluwiki, and, in response, Electronic Frontier Foundations (EFF) is dismissing its lawsuit against Apple over those threats.

**** Sorry Apple Fans--The Mac Business Is Still Shrinking <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/hdchqN7pjrM/henry-blodget-sorry-apple-fans-the-mac-business-is-still-shrinking-2009-7>
by Henry Blodget, Business Insider

**** Is Apple Succeeding In Pushing The iPhone Into The Enterprise? <http://gigaom.com/2009/07/22/is-apple-succeeding-in-pushing-the-iphone-into-the-enterprise/>
by Jordan Golson, GigaOM

**** Apple's Q3: Analyzing The Analysts <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/redirect.jsp?url=http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/07/22/apples-q3-analyzing-the-analysts/&usg=AFQjCNH9I50_KZp-mSNCbAVLG6b3U5Lu0g>
by Philip Elmer-DeWitt, CNNMoney.com

Tuesday was not a good day for professional analysts as a class — and Merrill Lynch’s in particular.

**** Whatever Happened To The Apple TV? <http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350644,00.asp?FORM=ZZNR>
by Sascha Segan, PC Magazine

It's time for Apple to take up their hobby again, forge back into the living room, and start talking about Apple TV.

**** Apple Releases New Final Cut Studio <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10293675-37.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Jim Dalrymple, CNET News.com

Apple introduced on Thursday a new version of Final Cut Studio, the company's high-end video production suite.

The suite comes with six applications in all, including Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, Color 1.5, Compressor 3.5, and DVD Studio Pro 4. Most of the work in this release was spent on the flagship app of the suite, Final Cut Pro.

**** Apple's Logic Studio Audio Suite Includes Major Updates <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10293712-37.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Jim Dalrymple, CNET News.com

Apple released on Thursday the next major version of Logic Studio, the company's suite of professional audio applications.

I was given early access to the new version and have been using it for some time now. I can say the new features will not only improve your workflow, but will also improve the sound of your music.

**** Review: Motion 4 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=ce28be92563d7da0e1992127b9ebb3cd>
by Mike Curtis, Macworld

Final Cut Studio motion graphics module adds shadows, reflections, and depth of field.

**** Review: Final Cut Pro 7 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=d96b64516bc9642d5b65d213e1e54cf4>
by Mike Curtis, Macworld

It has been more than two long years since Apple released Final Cut Pro 6 (), its flagship pro-level nonlinear video editing app. While there are a few extremely sexy new features in Final Cut Pro 7— among them new ProRes flavors, iChat Theater, and Easy Export that will attract lots of attention—the main focus of this new version seems to be enhancing stability, speed, and productivity.

**** Review: Color 1.5 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=bfd348d7dea47bc57edf5e9a58f5868d>
by Mike Curtis, Macworld

Workflow improvements boost value of video color corrector.

**** Review: Soundtrack Pro 3 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=2e9edbb7a5e55b47b115880a903b4ff3>
by Mike Curtis, Macworld

Audio for video app is faster, sleeker, better.

**** Plants Vs. Zombies <http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/view.php?ID=1055>
by Michael Scarpelli, Inside Mac Games

Plants vs. Zombies is a heck of a game. There’s enough content to keep you playing for days, and then when that’s done there’s content enough to entice you to play even longer. The game looks great, sounds great and has a pitch-perfect sense of humor about itself. This is a game that I feel very confident saying that you will not regret purchasing.

**** Review: Compressor 3.5 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=6c21da096d1416cfe308fde01b8d1ff4>
by Mike Curtis, Macworld

More video encoding with less work.

**** Where In The World Are Those 18.6 Million iPod Touches? <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/redirect.jsp?url=http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/07/23/where-in-the-world-are-those-18-6-million-ipod-touches/&usg=AFQjCNHZV3ox9XC6XwhVd84LQ27e7cOoSw>
by Philip Elmer-DeWitt, CNNMoney.com

**** Sorry, Henry, Apple's Mac Business Is Not Shrinking,, Dan Knight, Mac Musings <http://lowendmac.com/musings/09mm/henry-blodget-link-bait.html>
by Dan Knight, Low End Mac

**** Does Apple Have A Magic Formula? <http://www.macnightowl.com/2009/07/does-apple-have-a-magic-formula/>
by Gene Steinberg, The Mac Night Owl

Far too many companies don’t seem to understand how to exploit the talent their employees possess, and that may be the biggest disadvantage of all.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Laptop? Check. Student Playlist? Check. Classroom Of The Future? Check. <http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=67523bcac64d5304d041c368aaa1e80d>
by Jennifer Medina, New York Times

The seating arrangements are compared to airport traffic patterns. The student schedules are called playlists. And lesson plans are generated by a complicated computer algorithm for the 80 students in the class.

This could be the school of the future, according to the schools chancellor, Joel I. Klein, who visited Middle School 131 in Chinatown on Tuesday to promote a pilot program, the School of One.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Van Gogh Of The Gross-Out <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/arts/design/23basil.html?_r=1>
by Holland Cotter, New York Times

If you were a preteenager in the 1950s and had precocious friends or a with-it dad, it’s a good bet you knew the cartoons of Basil Wolverton, the Michelangelo of Mad magazine, even if you didn’t know his name.



SingaporeSurf
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**** As It Is Spoken <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TymBlogsToo/~3/raZ3UKt8I38/as-it-is-spoken.html>
by Too Many Thoughts

One of the first things my friend visiting from Australia asked me on Sunday was, "So what language do people speak here?"

**** Ideal Govt - Balanced Model <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_406704.html>
by Aaron Low, Straits Times

Singapore's model of governance is one that tries to achieve a balance between delivering quality leadership and giving people the opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction with Government policies, said prime minister Lee Hsien Loong.

**** MOF Says It Is Not Involved In Temasek's CEO Appointment Decision <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/444107/1/.html>
by Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

Singapore's Ministry of Finance(MOF) said it was not involved in the decision by Temasek Holdings to terminate the planned leadership transition.

**** Singapore Anchorages <http://www.theartofdredging.com/singaporeanchorage.htm>
by Marc Van de Velde, The Art Of Dredging

It was yet another reminder on "safe anchoring" in these crowded Singapore parking lots.

**** Tighten Labour Laws To Protect Older, Vulnerable Workers <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/07/tighten-labour-laws-to-protect-older-vulnerable-workers/>
by Gilbert Goh, The Online Citizen

**** 公共走廊也应划为禁烟区 <http://www.zaobao.com/yl/yl090723_009.shtml>
by 陈思谦, 联合早报

希望有关当局若要考虑扩大禁烟区，应把公共走廊和人行道也设为禁烟区。

**** In The Dark In Singapore <http://www.telecomasia.net/article.php?id_article=14301>
by Robert Clark, Telecomasia.net

IDA chief Ronnie Tay declines to say how much of this money has been spent and how and by whom, and says he has no intention of doing so. For someone whose air-conditioned office, government-issued vehicle and generous salary are part if not wholly taxpayer-funded, this seems ungrateful to say the least.

**** Q+A-Temasek: Bruised, Or Battered By Goodyear's Exit? <http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSSIN15759920090722>
by George Chen, Reuters

Goodyear's decision to leave likely was made after a board meeting last week when he put in a list of proposals and changes he wanted to make after taking the helm on Oct. 1, sources with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters.

But the proposals ran into trouble with the board, the sources said. It must have become clear to Goodyear then that running a state-linked firm is a much bigger challenge than running a privately-held company.

**** At Temasek, A Foreign CEO-To-Be Won't <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124816971715467759.html>
by Peter Stein and Costas Paris, Wall Street Journal

Already, some of Mr. Goodyear's initiatives to bring about change had met with a poor reception. His proposals for the firm's new strategic direction were considered too risky by some, a person familiar with the situation said.

In addition, this person said Mr. Goodyear planned changes in senior management that weren't well received by Temasek's board.

**** Dunkin' Donuts Opens In Singapore <http://paced.blogspot.com/2009/07/dunkin-donuts-opens-in-singapore.html>
by Pacey's Tots

**** The Problems Of Linguistic Development In Singapore <http://mengwong.livejournal.com/74243.html>
by Mengwong

This is a culture that has been lobotomized twice.

**** June CPI Down Over Previous Month And A Year Ago <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/444220/1/.html>
by Channel NewsAsia

The consumer price index for June 2009 fell by 0.5 per cent compared to a month earlier, but was 0.2 per cent higher compared with May 2009 on a seasonally adjusted basis. The decline in June was attributed largely to lower costs of housing due mainly to lower service and conservancy charges (S&CC).

Isn't June the month where the government subsidized the S&CC charges?

**** Bak Chor Mee: Singapore's Contribution To The Culinary World <http://www.abcsingapore.com/2009/07/bak-chor-mee-singapores-contribution-to-the-culinary-world/>
by Eddie Sng, ABC Singapore

**** Thin Is In For Singapore Youth <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5inFMAc377mCsIFPM7DD65jZKwWKQ&usg=AFQjCNH7Lg7nu9pSk6H_srhKzBP2A7c0rw>
by Philip Lim, AFP

Thin is in among Singapore teens and young adults, but experts warn that the fad is behind a worrying spike in the number of people developing eating disorders.

**** NTUC's Recreational Arm Abandons Plan For S$45m Resort Devt In Sentosa <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/444310/1/.html>
by Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia

The labour movement's recreational arm has scrapped plans for a S$45 million resort development in Sentosa.

**** CASE To Step Up Checks On Education Providers <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/444329/1/.html>
by Channel NewsAsia

**** Singapore's Goodbye Guy <http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1974&Itemid=233>
by Singapore News

The resignation of Charles "Chip" Goodyear halfway through the period between his appointment in March as chief executive designate of Temasek and his assumption of the post in October is yet another illustration of a long established principle: never disagree with a member of the ruling family.