[MyAppleMenu] Feb 12, 2010

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** David Pogue Kicks Off Expo <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=17e428deea3109be8dde38ddbb88a5a7>
David Chartier, Macworld

David Pogue was in true Pogue-ian form today in “Late Night with David Pogue,” the kick-off feature presentation before opening the Macworld Expo showroom floor. After a brief tongue-in-cheek introduction by Paul Kent as “Steve Ballmer,” (“Rock the new era,” indeed!), Pogue wasted no time in cracking jokes.

**** Microsoft Announces Office For Mac 2011 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=cec4e1f74924be69cf19e32121fa9b38>
Dan Miller, Macworld

New suite will ship by end of 2010, including better compatibility with Windows version, improved collaboration tools, Visual Basic, and Outlook.

**** MacPractice Shows Off Updated Software <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=52b33237e2c470bf05960d9930e7de18>
Philip Michaels, Macworld

MacPractice is using this week's Macworld Expo to show off version 3.7 of its practice management and clinical software for doctors, dentists, chiropractors, and optometrists.

**** Macworld Show Floor Is Packed On Opening Day <http://www.cultofmac.com/macworld-show-floor-is-packed-on-opening-day/29850?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cultofmac%2FbFow+%28Cult+of+Mac%29>
Leander Kahney, Cult of Mac

Much to my surprise and delight, the crowds are showing up in droves for Macworld. Though the gates opened just 30 minutes ago, the show floor is already crowded with attendees.

**** Apple Counts Down To 10 Billionth Song Download <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10452216-37.html?part=rss&amp;subj=news&amp;tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Jim Dalrymple, CNET News

Apple on Thursday began the "Countdown to 10 Billion Songs," a contest with a $10,000 gift card as a reward.

**** Apple, Microsoft Sued For Patent Infringement <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10452151-37.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-Apple>
Jim Dalrymple, CNET News

Apple and Microsoft are being sued for allegedly infringing on another company's patent that describes an HTTP streaming server.

**** Apple Offers Fix For Audio-related Mac Pro Performance Issue <http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/apple/~3/83QZYTwjASw/apple-offers-fix-for-audio-related-mac-pro-performance-issue.ars>
Chris Foresman, Ars Technica

Apple has released a kernel extension to address unusual heat and performance issues related to audio tasks on Nehalem-based Mac Pros. Mac Pro Audio Update 1.0 is designed to address CPU utilization issues caused by tasks such as listening to tracks in iTunes or using FireWire or USB-based audio interfaces.

**** Apple Of My Eye <http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/2/11/more-windows-apple-both/>
Eugene Kim, The Harvard Crimson

**** Why Apple’s Design Approach May Not Work With The iPad <http://venturebeat.com/2010/02/11/why-apples-design-approach-may-not-work-with-the-ipad/>
Venkatesh Rao, VentureBeat

**** Macworld Without Apple Is Diminished But Undaunted <http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14385273?nclick_check=1>
Patrick May, San Jose Mercury News

The only thing about this week's Apple-less Macworld Expo that hasn't been downsized is nostalgia for the Steve Jobs-dominated, bigger-than-life geek-fest it used to be. With Apple gone, the trade show's 26th year opened this week with fewer exhibitors, smaller crowds, a venue clipped down in size like a bonsai, and a lot of Apple faithful looking over their shoulders for a glimpse of the good old days.

**** Apple’s Geolocation Threat: Defining “Beneficial,” Apple Style <http://www.storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/apples-geolocation-threat-defining-beneficial-apple-style/>
Evan Schuman, StorefrontBacktalk

The problem is how Cupertino is defining both the good (“provide beneficial information”) and the bad (“deliver targeted ads”). Who’s to say that a cleverly targeted ad doesn’t, in fact, potentially provide beneficial information?

**** Join The iPad Gold Rush - But Strictly On Apple's Terms <http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0212/1224264267094.html>
Danny O'Brien, Irish Times

To take part in that success, just as thousands of other developers reaped the reward of the iPhone, is a great temptation. But after the decade or so of freedom that coders have enjoyed, I know many who will wait on the gold rush, and seek out somewhere that isn’t just the same old company town.

**** Review: ArtRage Studio Pro 3 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=ee16bbb7af3e01d951ff2059384abd13>
Chris McVeigh, Macworld

ArtRage Studio Pro 3.0.5 does an excellent job of recreating the subtle nuances of natural media on a digital canvas, and it's easy enough to learn and use quickly. Although it has a number of interface quirks and some brushes can be slow, it’s certainly worth considering if you’re a traditional artist looking to trade in your messy paint tubes for a tablet.

**** First Looks At Aperture 3 <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=d5f0e9adf5e7507f625b3528f0f4ba24>
Heather Kelly, Macworld

During the development of Aperture 3, Apple let a select group of professional photographers try out a beta version of Aperture 3. We spoke with some of those testers, to find out which of Aperture 3's features they found most useful.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Go Fishing For Online Music With Radio Tuna <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10451388-2.html?part=rss&amp;subj=news&amp;tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Jasmine France, CNET News

Radio Tuna let's you easily search thousands of online radio stations based on the artists played, the genre, or the name of the station.

**** Beaming Broadband Across The Room <http://feeds.technologyreview.com/click.phdo?i=ac1cbe47fae34e6b0bb52f2474d17716>
Erika Jonietz, Technology Review

Wireless optical networks could provide gigabit-per-second data transfer.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Shylock, My Students, And Me <http://www.theamericanscholar.org/shylock-my-students-and-me/>
Paula Marantz Cohen, The American Scholar

What I’ve learned from 30 years of teaching The Merchant of Venice.

**** Once A Writer, Always A Writer? <http://feeds.guardian.co.uk/~r/theguardian/books/rss/~3/NZAIv4LOptc/once-a-writer-always-a-writer>
Jean Hannah Edelstein, The Guardian

Just because an author writes a well-liked book shouldn't mean they are required to carry on forever.



SingaporeSurf
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**** The Final Nail In The “HDB Affordability” Coffin? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/02/the-final-nail-in-the-hdb-affordability-coffin/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

As the HDB celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, instead of just the HDB determining affordability, I would like to suggest that an independent third party be engaged to study the affordability of HDB flats.

**** 回家的理由 <http://www.zaobao.com/special/china/zaodian/pages2/zaodian_jx100212.shtml>
曾昭鹏, 联合早报

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**** Local Education Advocate Brings New Ideas Back From Singapore <http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/singapore-31615-new-confirmed.html>
Mike Wilder, The Times-News

A trip to Singapore confirmed Allison Gant’s belief that the United States needs to do more to study how other countries approach education.

**** HDB Resale Prices: Don’t Just Find A Scapegoat <http://trulysingapore.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/hdb-resale-prices-dont-just-find-a-scapegoat/>
Yours Truly Singapore

We cannot think short term without looking at long term implications. We cannot just think about our own selfish gains without considering the burden this places on others. We should recognise that money doesn’t drop from the sky and that wealth due to rising flat prices is not real wealth being created but merely wealth taken from the poor buyer forced to pay higher prices.

**** Singapore's December Retail Sales Decline More Than Forecast <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a2AW05EJ9HA8>
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg

Singapore’s retail sales fell more than economists forecast in December as motor-vehicle purchases slumped after the government gave out fewer permits for cars, motorcycles, vans and lorries.

**** Temasek Considers Bond Sale <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703382904575060382875544478.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines>
P.R. Venkat and Costas Paris, Wall Street Journal

Singapore's state investment fund, Temasek Holdings Ltd., is considering selling US$2 billion to US$3 billion in global bonds by the end of March, people familiar with the situation said Friday.

**** Homeless People Are “Defective”, Needs “Rehabilitation”? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/02/homeless-people-are-defective-needs-rehabilitation/>
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen

Clearly, the rising number of homeless people taking shelter in our public areas (which do not just mean our public parks) shows that MCYS, the HDB and NParks are not addressing the issue effectively, despite its claim to the contrary.

**** Police Say Youths Involved In Facebook Racism Incident Will Be Given 2nd Chance <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1037202/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

Police said the youth who started the Facebook group that stirred feelings of unhappiness and resentment against other races would be placed on a Guidance Programme. And the two youths who acted as administrators of the site have been cautioned and will not have any record of criminal conviction.