[MyAppleMenu] Dec 12, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================

**** Clever iPhone 4S Tricks: Look At Your Own Ear <http://www.tuaw.com/2011/12/11/clever-iphone-4s-tricks-look-at-your-own-ear/>
Erica Sadun, TUAW

Have you ever wanted to look in your own ear? Or at the nape of your neck? Or behind furniture? If you own an iPhone 4S and an Apple TV, you can wirelessly beam the picture from your camera to your large screen TV.

**** Is Apple Using Patents To Hurt Open Standards? <http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/12/is-apple-is-using-patents-to-hurt-open-standards.ars>
Peter Bright, Ars Technica

Haavard's conclusion is that there is a pattern of behavior here; that Apple is trying to disrupt the standards process with its patent claims. He references the touch specification in particular—this is plainly an area where Apple has lots of expertise and interest in the technology, but the company opted out of working on the specification. If Apple had worked on the specification, it would have had to disclose sooner and offer licensing, and Haavard believes that avoiding this commitment is why Apple refused to work on the specification.

**** iCal In Snow Leopard Can Participate In iCloud <http://tidbits.com/article/12669?rss>
Adam C. Engst, TidBITS

Hang on a second, isn’t Apple’s own iCal in Snow Leopard a CalDAV client? If iCal could connect to the CalDAV-based MobileMe, why can’t it connect to iCloud? The short answer is, it can; Apple just doesn’t make it easy.

**** Motorola Secures Europe-wide Sales Ban On iPhone, iPad <http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/motorola-secures-europe-wide-sales-ban-on-iphone-ipad/1435>
Zack Whittaker, ZDNet

Unless Apple can secure a stay until a higher regional court can hear an appeal, the iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet could be barred from being sold in Europe.

**** Apple’s Mac App Store Downloads Top 100 Million <http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2011/12/12Apples-Mac-App-Store-Downloads-Top-100-Million.html?utm_source=loopinsight.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+loopinsight%2FKqJb+%28The+Loop%29>
Apple

**** Five Unexpected Uses For The Option Key <http://www.macworld.com/article/142580/2011/11/optionkey.html>
Sharon Zardetto, Macworld

The Option key is the unsung hero of the keyboard. Since the earliest days of the Mac, it has provided access to special font characters; revealed alternative commands in menus; and let you Option-drag to create a copy of something, such as a Finder icon or a graphic selection (from MacPaint to Photoshop CS5!). Its capabilities have only increased with time, so it’s always worth pressing Option to modify a click or drag, just to see what might happen. Here are five of my favorite Option-key tricks.



MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================

**** The Unread: You’ll Never Read Every Book; Perhaps That Should Be Cause For Hope <http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/12/09/the-unread-youll-never-read-every-book-perhaps-that-should-be-cause-for-hope/>
Mark Medley, National Post

Instead of looking at our shelves and collapsing under a sense of hopelessness, perhaps our unread books should be cause for celebration. After all, there will always be another book to read.

**** iPhones Vs. The Police <http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2011/12/iphones-vs-the-police.html>
Caleb Crain, New Yorker

So why invent police? What are they for?



SingaporeSurf
====================================

**** Are Bus Service Lapses Really So Uncommon? <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_743860.html>
Richard Seah, Straits Times

**** SG Changi Axed From Motorsports Hub Project: Sources <http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC111212-0000032/SG-Changi-axed-from-motorsports-hub-project--Sources>
Ian De Cotta, Today

The axe has finally fallen on SG Changi, the consortium which was contracted to build Singapore's first permanent race track. Sources have told Today the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) has exercised its contractual rights and terminated the agreement with SG Changi.

**** Shoppers Still Spending Big Despite Gloomy Outlook <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1170732/1/.html>
Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia

**** Johor Umno Calls For ‘Crooked Bridge’ To Be Revived <http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/johor-umno-calls-for-crooked-bridge-to-be-revived/>
Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

Johor Umno called on the federal government yesterday to revive the ‘Crooked Bridge’ mooted by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to replace the 88-year-old Causeway to Singapore.

**** When Will Malaysia Be Like Singapore? <http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/45689-when-will-malaysia-be-like-singapore>
Zaid Ibrahim, Malaysia Today

An UMNO Senator says that the DAP will take this country and turn it into Singapore. If the DAP can indeed do that, then I urge all Malaysians, including the Malays, to vote for the DAP. 

Why not? We would be a first-world country, our economy would be strong and our education and judiciary would be world-class. Corruption would be almost negligible, and the Malays could be proud that their country has climbed into the ranks of first-world nations. They would even be able to speak English better. And if, by chance, a Malay topped his class or secured a contract, everyone would know that merit and ability got him there and nothing else.

**** UOB App Lets User Draw Cash At ATMs <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_744023.html>
Irene Tham, Straits Times

After logging in with the same user name and password used for Internet banking, customers can take out money by clicking on a 'mobile cash' feature. They can even get their friends or family to withdraw cash from their accounts without having to lend them their ATM cards.

**** Can A Taxi Driver Earn $3,000 A Month? <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_744015.html>
Royston Sim, Straits Times

It's down to hard work and knowing where to find customers: Insiders.

**** SMRT Taxis Seeks To Revise Fares Following Comfort DelGro's Lead <http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-3/Story/STIStory_744011.html>
Lin Wenjian, Straits Times

**** Fewer Passengers Following Taxi Fare Hike, Say Cabbies <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1170792/1/.html>
Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia

Cabbies said there were 20 per cent fewer passengers during the extended hour.  But they noted that this is not an accurate reflection of numbers, as December is the school holiday period.

**** 不属公共交通却有政治代价 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl111212_003.shtml>
吴俊刚, 联合早报

å¾·å£«å¯ä»¥è¢«å®šä¹‰ä¸ºéžå…¬å…±äº¤é€šå·¥å…·ï¼Œä½†é™¤éžå…¬å…±äº¤é€šèƒ½è¾¾åˆ°ç»å¤§å¤šæ•°äººæ»¡æ„çš„ç¨‹åº¦ï¼Œå¦åˆ™å…¬ä¼—å°±ä¸åƒè¿™ä¸€å¥—ï¼Œå¸‚åœºæ— æ³•è§£å†³çš„é—®é¢˜ï¼Œæœ€ç»ˆè¿˜æ˜¯å¾—ç”±æ”¿åºœæ¥å¤„ç†ï¼Œæˆ–ä»˜å‡ºä¸€å®šçš„æ”¿æ²»ä»£ä»·ã€‚

**** 10 Years On, Will PAP Slaughter Sacred Cows? <http://www.publichouse.sg/categories/topstory/item/313-10-years-on-will-pap-slaughter-sacred-cows?>
Andrew Loh, Publichouse.sg

**** SG Changi, SSC End Motorsports Hub Contract <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1170863/1/.html>
Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia

**** Why Singapore's Youth Unemployment Rate Is So Low <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16134451>
Mariko Oi, BBC

**** SMRT Taxis Announces Fare Revision <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1170892/1/.html>
Hoe Yeen Nie/Evelyn Choo/Sara Grosse, Channel NewsAsia

SMRT Taxis will revise its cab fares from 20 December. The changes are broadly in line with what has been announced by ComfortDelGro.

SMRT Taxis says it has to keep pace with other operators, so that its drivers will not feel "deprived of a better income opportunity".