[MyAppleMenu] Apr 27, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================
**** Apple Extends iTunes Account Security, Confuses Users ****
<http://tidbits.com/article/12963>
Adam C. Engst, TidBITS


> What bothers me is that many of the questions Apple asks don’t have solid answers that I would necessarily give twice in exactly the same way, or answers that I could be certain of typing correctly.

For a company that prides itself on providing the best user experience, this is simply unacceptable.


**** Apple Retail Stores Replace iMacs With iPads For Kids ****
<http://www.imore.com/2012/04/25/apple-retail-stores-replace-imacs-ipads-kids/>
Rene Ritchie, IMore


> Apple Retail Stores have replaced the iMacs that traditional served as their “kid’s table” with iPads. The tables, which had previously been decked out with a quartet of iMacs, now sport 4 iPads instead.



**** A Look Behind Apple's App Store Curtain ****
<http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/27/technology/carriercompare-apple/index.htm>
David Goldman, CNNMoney


> But an interview, SwayMarkets founder Amos Epstein said many developers have reported similar circumstances: An app is approved, goes viral, hits the Top 25, and then gets removed for some previously unforeseen coding goof that Apple later discovered.

> That has led the general developer community and Epstein to believe that overworked Apple reviewers, with thousands of apps waiting in the approval queue, likely don't test apps too thoroughly at first. But once they gain popularity, the Apple team gives them a closer look.



**** New App Watches Your Every Move ****
<http://www.technologyreview.com/web/40303/>
Rachel Metz, Technology Review


> Once in a while, you might feel like you're being watched. Lately, I know I am, thanks to a smart-phone app that stealthily tracks my every move, no check-ins required, with greater accuracy than common geolocation tools.

> Called Placeme, the free app takes advantage of the smart phone's sensors and its GPS and Wi-Fi capabilities to figure out where I go and for how long, and stores this data in a private log on my iPhone.



**** Apple's iBooks Author: The iTunes Of Self-publishing Apps? ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2012/04/apples-ibooks-author-the-itunes-of-self-publishing-apps.ars>
Dave Girard, Ars Technica


> I've been putting iBooks Author through its paces in the hopes that the interactive iBook will bring me some added sales of a recently self-published e-book. I wanted to get this review out sooner, but you can't really know how well this program works unless you actually have something to publish. A bird's-eye view of a publishing tool doesn't do it justice—you have to use it in production to really see its strengths and weaknesses.



**** Hands On With SkyDrive ****
<http://www.techhive.com/article/2000050/hands-on-with-skydrive.html>
Lex Friedman, TechHive



**** Apple Needs To Rethink Its WWDC Approach ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1166574/apple_needs_to_rethink_its_wwdc_approach.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Philip Michaels, Macworld



**** Apple Gets Green Light For New 21,468-Square-foot Cafeteria In Cupertino ****
<http://www.mercurynews.com/cupertino/ci_20481367/apple-gets-green-light-new-21-468-square>
Matt Wilson, San Jose Mercury News


> Apple Inc. is building another place to feed its legion of employees. The pervasive high-tech giant received city approval to construct a new 21,468-square-foot cafeteria exclusively for Apple workers.

> "We like to provide a level of security so that people and employees can feel comfortable talking about their business, their research and whatever project they're engineering without fear of competition sort of overhearing their conversations," Dan Whisenhunt, Apple's director of real estate facilities, said at Tuesday's meeting. "That is a real issue today in Cupertino because we've got other companies here in our same business."

Strictly for Apple employees who are working near, but not in, Apple campus. No tourists allowed.
Wonder if you can buy food to go, someday.


**** Address Desktop Wallpaper Reverting In OS X ****
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57422309-263/address-desktop-wallpaper-reverting-in-os-x/>
Topher Kessler, CNET



**** Overcoming Safe Mode Not Working In OS X ****
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57422406-263/overcoming-safe-mode-not-working-in-os-x/>
Topher Kessler, CNET


> While in a Mac's default configuration, Safe Mode will work, there are some instances where special configurations or errors may prevent it from working.



**** MacMate Offers Replacement Service For MobileMe ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1166565/macmate_offers_replacement_service_for_mobileme.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Jeff Porten, Macworld


> MacAce unveiled a new MobileMe replacement service called MacMate on Wednesday—an all-in-one service designed to replace the Apple-hosted MobileMe that is scheduled to pine for the fjords on June 30.



**** NPD: iPad Quickly Eclipsing iPod As People's First Apple Product ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/04/npd-ipad-quickly-eclipsing-ipod-as-peoples-first-apple-product.ars>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica






The Tomorrow Weblog
====================================
**** Another Crowdfunding Player Enters The Fray: Apps Genius Launches GetFunded.com ****
<http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/26/another-crowdfunding-player-enters-the-fray-apps-genius-launches-getfunded-com/>
Ingrid Lunden, TechCrunch


> This may not have been the U.S. government’s exact intention when when it passed the crowdfunding-friendly JOBS Act, but you have to wonder if it has also jumpstarted the number of crowdfunding sites out there competing for entrepreneurs’ and consumers’ attention. The latest comes from the social and mobile games developer Apps Genius — (in)famous for its scatological riff on Angry Birds, “Angry Turds” — which today announced that it is launching a new crowd-sourced funding site, GetFunded.






MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================
**** The Reading Renaissance ****
<http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/the-reading-renaissance/>
Timothy Egan, New York Times


> Publishers need to reinvent their own future. They could offer packages. They could partner more with communities of interest, from environmentalists to religious conservatives. And, most important, they could start believing in tomorrow, instead of being afraid of it.



**** Marblehead ****
<http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/243898>
Rebecca Lindenberg, The Poetry Foundation



**** Let’s Do Lunch ****
<http://www.slate.com/articles/life/a_fine_whine/2012/04/don_t_eat_lunch_at_your_desk_americans_should_do_what_the_french_do_and_embrace_the_long_leisurely_lunch_break_.html>
Rachael Levy, Slate


> There is a French expression, cracher son venin, that translates to “spit one’s venom.” It conveys exactly what I feel like doing to America around 1 p.m. every work day. As much as it pains me to admit that foreigners do things better than us, I have to hand it to them on this issue: The French know how to take a lunch break.






SingaporeSurf
====================================
**** COI Focuses On Bus Bridging Services ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1197842/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah, Channel NewsAsia


> Irregularities in the bus bridging services to ferry affected commuters during the December 15 train service disruption appear to have added to commuter woes.

> Service operations manager Tan Pheng Foong, who was at Orchard Station, said during the disruption on 15 December, about three to four buses had gone to the wrong bus stop.

> Another service operations manager, Mr Anbazagan Manickam, who was at Bishan Station, pointed out that commuters at his station had to wait for more than 40 minutes before about 10 buses arrived at the same time.



**** Give It A Rest, Yaacob ****
<http://andrewlohhp.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/give-it-a-rest-yaacob/>
Andrew Loh


> Yet, Yaacob Ibrahim, like ministers before him, continues to bury his head in the sand and praises the mainstream media to the high heavens.

> It just tells me, and everyone else, how woefully inadequate his understanding of public sentiments is.

> It is this which makes me reject any intrusion into the online space by the government, no matter how well-intentioned its purpose may be. There is a great distrust of the government among online practitioners. And this is another thing which Yaacob Ibrahim does not understand.

> The more he pushes for a code of ethics, the more he and the govt will not be trusted.



**** On A Quiet Hill ****
<http://poskod.sg/Posts/2012/4/27/On-a-Quiet-Hill>
Melanie Lee, Poskod.sg



**** A Code's Not Gonna Bring Civility To Cyberspace ****
<http://www.raviphilemon.net/2012/04/codes-not-gonna-bring-civility-to.html>
Ravi Philemon


> We are never going to have a gracious society until and unless we become more conscionable. So yeah, reform the laws and policies to be more conscionable and greater graciousness and civility will follow - both in the online as well as the offline world.

> Until then, <i>please leave the internet alone</i>!



**** Can Meritocracy And Equality Co-exist? ****
<http://singaporekopitok.blogspot.com/2012/04/can-meritocracy-and-equality-co-exist.html>
Singapore Kopi Tok


> Pay is decided by a combination of factors – productivity is one factor, but the level of training/investment required and demand/supply for the said abilities/skills are also determinants of one’s income. Consequently, some jobs pay more than others.  

> And because people have different abilities and take on different roles, a meritocratic society is inherently an unequal society. 



**** Singapore Output Contracts In March But Underlying Momentum May Pick Up ****
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304723304577367011828784778.html?mod=googlenews_wsj>
Gaurav Raghuvanshi, Dow Jones



**** Show Us You Mean Business ****
<http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2012/04/show-us-you-mean-business.html>
Siew Kum Hong


> If the PAP and the Government are genuine and sincere that they do not seek to restrict content by advocating such an online code of content, then they can take concrete steps to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining free speech online.



**** Singapore Girl’s Charms Fade As Airline Battle Heats Up ****
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-26/singapore-girl-s-charms-fade-as-airline-battle-heats-up.html>
David Fickling, Bloomberg


> Singapore Airlines Ltd. (SIA) is missing the party in its own home. Tourist spending in the city jumped by half since 2008, aided by two new casinos and a 23 percent rise in passenger traffic through Changi Airport.

> That growth hasn’t been reflected in the carrier’s passenger numbers, which are down by 2.2 million in the period. The 12 percent drop is the largest of the 12 biggest publicly traded full-service airlines in the Asia Pacific, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Persian Gulf rivals are vying for premium passengers and low-cost operators are poaching budget travelers.



**** Oops, The Economy Broke: Reasons For Singapore’s Inflation Scare ****
<http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/oops-economy-broke-reasons-singapore-160000931.html>
Ryan Ong, Yahoo!


> Government policies have made cars unaffordable, while raising public transport costs. It’s like the person-in-charge Googled: “Inflation and How to Cause It”, and started taking notes.



**** Chuan-Jin, There'll Always Be Inequities ****
<http://www.raviphilemon.net/2012/04/chuan-jin-therell-always-be-inequities.html>
Ravi Philemon



**** Administering Fairness ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/04/administering-fairness/>
Wong Wee Name, The Online Citizen



**** HDB May Stop Releasing All Cash-over-valuation Data ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_793147.html>
Rachel Chang, Straits Times


> The Housing Board (HDB) may be relooking its policy of releasing official cash-over-valuation (COV) figures of resale Housing Board flats, according to top executives of some property companies.

> They say the board has signalled through its actions and in private conversations its intention to stop publishing these figures altogether, a move that would put the final nail in the coffin of a measure that is criticised for pushing up prices in the resale market.



**** Singapore Sees More Workers Laid Off In 2011 ****
<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2012-04-26/content_5776319.html>
Xinhua


> Although amid moderate economic growth, more workers were laid off in 2011, especially in the fourth quarter of the year, said Singapore's Ministry of Manpower on Thursday.

> However, the overall incidence of redundancy continued to decline to a new low due to a larger employer base, according to the key findings from the "Redundancy And Re-entry Into Employment, 2011" report released by the Ministry of Manpower's Research and Statistics Department.



**** BBC's World To Expand In Asia Pacific ****
<http://www.smh.com.au/business/bbcs-world-to-expand-in-asia-pacific-20120426-1xnxm.html>
Kirsty Simpson, Sydney Morning Herald


> BBC World News is expanding into the Asia Pacific, doubling its staff in Singapore and launching a new Singapore-London co-hosted news show.



**** SMRT's Mr Quah Hits It Right On Its Head ****
<http://www.publichouse.sg/categories/topstory/item/576-smrts-mr-quah-hits-it-right-on-its-head>
Andrew Loh, Publichouse.sg


> The question is: will the problems with the transport system end by pumping in S$2 billion dollars, without the government also addressing the population issue? It would seem that the White Paper may indeed look into this. However, very few would expect the government to reduce the population numbers so drastically just to relieve the strain on infrastructure.

> The real culprit  of all these infrastructural problems facing Singaporeans now are, truth be told, vague government policies. Policies which details the government is not sharing with Singaporeans.

22 years after Goh Chok Tong promised a more consultative government, we've come to this: even the left-hand of the government doesn't know what the right-hand of the government is doing.


**** Unlike HK, Singapore Has Easy Access To Cheap Foreign Labour ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_792910.html>
Paul Chan, Straits Times


> What strikes me most is that despite the four times higher wages in Hong Kong for construction workers, they can still get a decent bowl of wonton noodles for HK$20 (S$3.20) and a plate of rice with mixed vegetables and meat for HK$30 at street stalls.

> Fair wages should be commensurate with the prevailing cost of living and should precede productivity.



**** Replace MCs With Honour System ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_793022.html>
David Tan Hsien Yung, Straits Times


> It is ridiculous that people who are entrusted with carrying firearms, administering medication, making financial decisions on behalf of others or educating our young are not trusted to call in sick on their own without having to visit a doctor first.

> Often, patients just need a day of rest with some medication which they can easily obtain from a pharmacy before going back to work reinvigorated.

Singaporeans and the obsession of little slips of paper.


**** Insufficient Care Given To The Elderly And Chronically Ill In Singapore ****
<http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7535>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net



**** Has PAP Really Changed...for The Better Or Worse? ****
<http://singaporealternatives.blogspot.com/2012/04/has-pap-really-changedfor-better-or.html>
Goh Meng Seng, Singapore Alternatives


> This may sound "trivial" incident at first because politically speaking, these residents may constitute to about a few votes. However, if we think deeper on the implications of the whole little saga, it is not difficult to conclude that PAP and its machinery are more interested to cover their own mistakes instead of getting to the bottom of the root cause of the problems.