[MyAppleMenu] Mar 17, 2010

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple Delays iPad Keyboard Dock, Power Adapter Until May <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/16/apple_delays_ipad_keyboard_dock_power_adapter_until_may.html>
AppleInsider

Originally scheduled to ship soon after the iPad launch in April, both the keyboard dock and 10W USB power adapter for Apple's tablet computer now have estimated ship dates sometime in the month of May.

**** Apple Offers Updates For Samsung, Brother Printers <http://www.macworld.com/article/147123/2010/03/samsung_brother_printer_drivers.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Philip Michaels, Macworld

**** NPR, WSJ Plan Flash-free Web Sites For Apple iPad <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/16/npr_wsj_plan_flash_free_web_sites_for_apple_ipad.html>
AppleInsider

In addition to new App Store software, National Public Radio and The Wall Street Journal also plan to create specific versions of their Web sites completely devoid of Adobe Flash for iPad users.

**** 25 Things You Can Remote Control With Your iPhone <http://www.businessinsider.com/25-things-you-can-remote-control-with-your-iphone-2010-3>
Dan Frommer, Business Insider

One of the more interesting things you can do with Apple's iPhone and iPod touch is to use it as a remote control for other devices.

Since the iPhone App Store launched almost two years ago, developers have created hundreds of remote control applications.

**** A Television Project That Might Make Steve Jobs IRate <http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/a-television-project-that-might-make-steve-jobs-irate/?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Dave Itzkoff, New York Times

If Steven P. Jobs wants relief from one of his more merciless satirists, a television set may not be the best place to turn. On Tuesday, the cable channel Epix and the studio Media Rights Capital said they had struck a development deal for a new series called “iCon,” to be written by Dan Lyons, a Newsweek contributor who has sent up the Apple chief executive on his popular blog, The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs, and in his novel “Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs – A Parody.”

**** Apple Adds Sharing Features, iPad Interface Tweaks To iWork.com Beta <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/17/apple_adds_sharing_features_interface_tweaks_to_iwork_com_beta.html>
AppleInsider

Apple this week quietly announced a handful of enhancements to its fledgeling iWork.com beta service, including the availability of new sharing features and improvements to the online service's user interface tailored for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** If The Desktop Is Dying, Mobile Sync Is King <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10468655-16.html?part=rss&amp;subj=news&amp;tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Matt Asay, CNET News

Google has proclaimed that the conventional PC will become "irrelevant" within the next three years, and it insists that it puts mobile first in development.

That's a bold statement indicating just how much Google is betting on the mobile Web. But it's also an indication of just how critical synchronization technology is going to become--especially syncing to an open web.

**** Startups Aim To Reinvent Local Advertising <http://www.technologyreview.com/business/24825/?ref=rss>
Erica Naone, Technology Review

Advertising has been a killer Internet business model, making billions of dollars for Google and others. But a number of startup companies think there's a huge untapped market in providing automatically tailored display advertising to thousands of local businesses.

**** Creating Apps Just For Cars <http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/24824/?ref=rss>
Technology Review

If you have a smart phone, chances are good that you add to its functionality pretty often by downloading new software apps. But updating the computer systems built into your car usually requires a long visit to the dealership, where company technicians install new software using special interfaces.

Ford has begun changing that paradigm with its Sync and MyFord Touch systems, and by opening the Sync programming interfaces to mobile app developers.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** What's In A Name? A Lot, When It Comes To Fantasy <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/mar/16/fantasy-character-names?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Imogen Russell Williams, The Guardian

Portentous apostrophes and incongrously-named characters (hands up Terry Goodkind and Anne McCaffrey) drive me wild when I'm reading — authors should learn from the naming skills of Ursula Le Guin and Alan Garner.

**** The Story Of O In Design <http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/mar/16/story-of-letter-o-design?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
John Crace, The Guardian

The letter O has always provided designers with a bit of fun, especially in posters, but there's more to the vowel than that.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Market Unlikely To Sell Pork <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_502999.html>
Nur Dianah Suhaimi, Straits Times

Muslims who worry pork sellers will set up shop at Geylang Serai market were assured by the area's MP yesterday that the government harbours no plans to force such a move.

If one parse carefully what was reported, the government seems unlikely to intervene any non-halal businesses from setting up business there.

**** PR Quota Hit In Some Areas <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_502998.html>
Esther Teo, Straits Times

PRs will not be able to buy flats in certain areas in Jurong West, Choa Chu Kang, Sembawang, Sengkang or Bukit Batok unless they are prepared to pay a premium over the asking price in the hope of enticing other PRs to sell.

**** Chee Claims ZB Interview Implied He Was Anti-S'pore <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_502938.html>
Chee Soon Juan, Singapore Democratic Party, Straits Times

In all my years of service to this country, I have always worked with one and only one objective in mind: To speak up for my fellow citizens and empower them so that they can stand up for themselves.

In what way do I harm Singapore's interests by fighting for democracy and the political rights of Singaporeans?

**** Solve The 'New' Traffic Problem Quickly <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_502940.html>
Amit Nagpal, Straits Times

Lately, some cyclists have managed to successfully instil fear in the minds of many pedestrians with their reckless riding on the pavements. And it is because of some cyclists, who ride at high speeds on the pavements, zigzagging their way through crowds, that most of us feel that walking on the footpaths is akin to walking on busy roads.

**** Cycling Here Is Not That Dangerous <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_502937.html>
Rodney Hogan, Straits Times

Cyclists here tend to rely on the skill and goodwill of motorists to keep them safe, but fail to demonstrate a standard of road craft that motorists may easily relate and respond to. International research findings, however, clearly show that to ride safely side by side with motor vehicles, cyclists must actively assist motorists to accommodate them.

Commuting by bicycle in Singapore is not as dangerous as anecdotally made out to be. Motorists and cyclists are not at war. Each has something to offer the other in a civilised road environment. Indeed, competent cyclists present a persuasive argument for societal acceptance of cycling as a safe means of transport.

**** HDB Flat Prices To Remain High, COV To Stay <http://callantham.org/blog/2010/3/17/hdb-flat-prices-to-remain-high-cov-to-stay.html>
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp

Putting the blame on the free market, and trumpeting the value of HDB flats as growing assets, shows an abject failure in supplying a basic need for Singaporeans, and not understanding that housing is a need that must be satisfied instead of an asset to be cashed in.

**** Singapore, Temasek, Good Governance And The Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index <http://imranwrites.blogspot.com/2010/03/singapore-temasek-good-governance-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FZobK+%28The+Grand+Moofti+Speaks%29>
Imran Ahmed, The Grand Moofti Speaks

For Singapore's Temasek to be ranked third by the Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index is good PR but overrates success. Given Singapore's commitment to transparency and good governance, the Republic should act as a catalyst for greater openness by SWFs. Voluntary disclosure by GIC and Temasek beyond that required by the index will boldly challenge other SWFs.

**** The Bogeyman Of The "West" <http://callantham.org/blog/2010/3/17/the-bogeyman-of-the-west.html>
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp

**** ST And LHZB Censor Chee's Letter On PAP Undermining Singapore's Interests <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/3500-st-and-lhzb-censor-chees-letter-on-pap-undermining-singapores-interests>
Singapore Democrat Party

Dr Chee replied to the newspapers, pointing out that it was the PAP Government that was undermining the interests of Singaporeans through its so-called foreign talent policy, its continued pandering to MNCs, and its use of foreigners in the National Wages Council.

The newspapers, however, insisted that they would publish the SDP leader's letter only if these points regarding the PAP were deleted.

**** Why Do We Need So Many PAP Strawberries MPs In Parliament? <http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/03/17/why-do-we-need-so-many-pap-strawberries-mps-in-parliament/>
The Temasek Review

Since the PAP MPs keep exhorting Singaporeans to be “cheaper, faster and better”, why can’t they walk their talk and show us how to be “cheaper, faster and better” themselves first?

**** Why Bloggers Must Disregard Cooling Off Day <http://seelanpalay.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-bloggers-must-disregard-cooling-off.html>
Seelan Palay

It's bad enough that there's so much censorship in Singapore, and that all the media is monopolized by the government. Should we, as bloggers who might be the only available source of independent and alternative news in this country, then practice so much self-censorship on a matter as simple as who we voted for and why?

**** Can Countries Innovate? Case Study: Singapore’s Aerospace Industry <http://timnovate.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/can-countries-innovate-case-study-singapores-aerospace-industry/>
Shlomo Maital, TIMnovate

**** Singapore's Export Growth Accelerates As Recovery Strengthens <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-17/singapore-s-export-growth-accelerates-as-recovery-strengthens.html>
Stephanie Phang, Bloomberg

Singapore’s exports grew at a faster pace in February as electronics and pharmaceutical shipments gained, boosting the island’s economic recovery.

**** Singapore Telcos Talk LTE: Should You Care? <http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,62061945,00.htm>
John Chan, CNET Asia

**** In Asset Shift, Temasek Checks Out Tech Sector <http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62G1LM20100317>
Saeed Azhar, Reuters

Singapore state investor Temasek, which manages assets of more than $120 billion, may be looking to snap up stakes in technology companies, joining other big institutional investors in turning bullish on the sector's improving outlook.

Temasek, which recently bought shares in search-engine firm Yahoo Inc, is not only looking at blue-chips, but may also consider buying private companies ahead of them listing on global exchanges such as Nasdaq, said sources familiar with the plans.