[MyAppleMenu] Jan 26, 2010

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple Defends AT&T, Downplays Talk Of Multi-carrier Inevitability <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/01/25/apple_stands_by_att_as_an_iphone_partner.html>
AppleInsider

Despite a howl of complaints and even lawsuits filed by some disgruntled iPhone users, Apple reiterated that it supports AT&T as a great mobile partner, despite rumored moves to expand its iPhone partnerships in the U.S.

**** Why Computers Should Be More Like Toasters. <http://www.slate.com/id/2242556/?from=rss>
Farhad Manjoo, Slate Magazine

Why are computers so hard to use?

**** Apple Releases Keyboard Firmware Update <http://www.macworld.com/article/145893/2010/01/keyboard_firmware.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Philip Michaels, Macworld

Aluminum Keyboard Firmware Update 1.1 improves battery performance of Apple's aluminum wireless keyboard when it's used with another Bluetooth device and tackles an issue where a key might repeat unexpectedly.

**** A Little More Sleep Can Extend Battery Life <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6835132.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Ftechdrmac+%28HoustonChronicle.com+--+Dr.+Mac%29>
Bob LeVitus, Houston Chronicle

**** Quietly, Apple Keeps Growing In Austin <http://www.statesman.com/business/technology/quietly-apple-keeps-growing-in-austin-193575.html>
Kirk Ladendorf, Austin American-Statesman

Dell Inc. is by far the biggest tech company in the area, with about 16,000 workers in Central Texas. IBM still counts more than 6,000 workers in the area. But Apple Inc., which launched a satellite customer and business service operation in Austin 18 years ago, is the one that's growing.

**** Legendary Advertising Man Behind Apple’s “1984″ Commercial Dies <http://www.cultofmac.com/legendary-advertising-man-behind-apples-1984-commercial-dies/27672?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cultofmac%2FbFow+%28Cult+of+Mac%29>
John Brownlee, Cult of Mac

**** Review: VirtualBox 3.1.2 <http://www.macworld.com/article/145879/2010/01/vbox312.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Rob Griffiths, Macworld

Overall, VirtualBox 3 works well for typical office tasks in Windows and Linux. Support for mulitple CPUs and OpenGL 2.0 in both Windows and Linux are both welcome additions, as are the revamped settings screen and toolbar in full-screen mode. VirtualBox is also the least expensive virtualization app for the Mac.

**** Review: Fusion 3.0.1 <http://www.macworld.com/article/145880/2010/01/fusion301.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Rob Griffiths, Macworld

Fusion 3 improves on Fusion 2 in numerous ways, including faster performance, lower memory usage, and features that improve productivity and usability in both Windows and Linux guests. Overall performance lags behind that of Parallels, especially if you need OpenGL acceleration in Windows 7. Its handling of Windows HD media, on the other hand, is excellent—it matches Pararllels’ in playback quality, and does so with lower CPU utilization.

**** Review: Parallels 5 (build 9308) <http://www.macworld.com/article/145881/2010/01/parallels59308.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Rob Griffiths, Macworld

Parallels 5 is, by both subjective and objective measures, the fastest virtualization application I’ve used. While Fusion isn’t slow by any means, Parallels both feels faster, and its test results show it is faster. This speed advantage isn’t in any one particular area, either—Fusion and VirtualBox only had a handful of wins in my testing, with the vast majority of the wins going to Parallels.

**** Google Voice Is Back On The iPhone, Mostly <http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/google-voice-is-back-on-the-iphone-mostly/>
David Pogue, New York Times

Have an iPhone? Tired of waiting for a Google Voice app? There's a workaround from the folks in Mountainview.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** In China, Relearning Eating Etiquette <http://food.theatlantic.com/abroad/in-china-eating-etiquette-outwits.php>
Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, The Atlantic

After living in the U.S. for 16 years, I saw this as a journey to learn about my ancestors and, in the process, myself. That, of course, turned out to be exactly what happened.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Is Merger The Answer? <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100126-0000041/Is-merger-the-answer?>
Leong Wee Keat, Today

Participants debate what Singapore must do to make it as a global city.

**** Adding More Trips Doesn't Necessarily Increase Commuter Comfort <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_481867.html>
Tan Shao Yi, Straits Times

**** $100 For Mammograms Is A Lot For An Unemployed Senior Citizen <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_481869.html>
M. Lukshumayeh, Straits Times

It seems Mr Khaw has focused more on avoiding use of Medisave than the purpose of health screenings, including mammograms.

**** Axing Casino Staff Sends Wrong Message <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_482041.html>
Andrea Kwan, Straits Times

It seems ironic that we go out of our way to integrate foreigners when we deny the same to our own citizens.

**** PM Lee: Complete Loss Of Perspective At Singapore Perspectives Forum <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=3782>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

**** Transport Minister Announces Next Phase Of Circle Line Will Open On Apr 17 <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1033048/1/.html>
Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

The second phase of the Circle Line will open to passengers on April 17. The 11-station stretch, from Bartley to Dhoby Ghaut stations, will start operations almost a year after the first five stations were opened to the public last May.

**** “政府不急于举行大选” <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp100126_001.shtml>
周殊钦, 联合早报

政府需要时间落实之前所提出的政治制度改革，以在下一次大选前使各方面的工作准备就绪，但这并不代表大选即将举行。李显龙总理昨天在“2010å¹´æ–°åŠ å¡é€è§†è®ºå›â€ä¸Šè°ˆåˆ°æ”¿æ²»åˆ¶åº¦çš„é©æ–°æ—¶è¯´ï¼ŒçŽ°åœ¨è·ç¦»ä¸¾è¡Œä¸‹æ¬¡å¤§é€‰çš„æœŸé™å°šæœ‰ä¸¤å¹´ï¼Œå› æ­¤æ”¿åºœâ€œå¹¶ä¸æ€¥äºŽä¸¾è¡Œâ€ã€‚

**** Number Of Retrenchments Last Year Significantly Lower Than 1998: Gan Kim Yong <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1033092/1/.html>
Mustafa Shafawi, Channel NewsAsia

Manpower minister Gan Kim Yong said the number of retrenched workers in Singapore for the whole of last year is likely to be significantly lower than the record level of 29,000 in 1998. 

**** Medisave & Mammogram <http://mohsingapore.blogspot.com/2010/01/medisave-mammogram.html>
Khaw Boon Wan, Health Minister Says

I acknowledge the benefits of prevention and early screenings and will see how Medisave can be used to help pay for such expenses, subject to withdrawal limits and other essential conditions. This requires careful study.

Meanwhile, MOH has tried to reduce the cost of essential screening, like mammogram, by subsidising it heavily, for those in the lower income group. With various subsidy and assistance programme, a mammogram costs below $50.

**** An U-turn In PAP’s Economic And Population Policies? We Shall See. <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=3785>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

The strain on the fabric of Singapore’s society brought about by flawed PAP policies over the past decade has indeed been felt by the electorate, and that is probably why the PAP is rushing to assure Singaporeans that the rate of import of foreigners will be controlled and more priority given to Singaporeans in areas such as education. However the announcements and changes made thus far have been cosmetic.

**** Singapore's Manufacturing Output Increases In Dec 09 <http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/news_lite.php?id=471267>
Bernama