[MyAppleMenu] Aug 25, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple And The Burden Of Being A Behemoth ****
<http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/23/us-column-apple-idUSBRE87M0I920120823>
John C. Abell, Reuters


> Microsoft did not have a strategic motive to innovate, only one to iterate.

> Apple, on the other hand, has always been a consumer company. The dynamic is reversed: Apple caters to a whimsical, easily distracted crowd, winning it over one person at a time. Much tougher. To pull that off you have to be not only a serial innovator but also correct most of the time.



**** A Verdict That Alters An Industry ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/technology/a-verdict-that-alters-an-industry.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Brian X. Chen And Lisa Alcalay Klug, New York Times


> Microsoft and its main hardware partner Nokia, at the very least, should have an easier time of it. Robert Barr, executive director of the University of California Berkeley’s Center for Law and Technology, said that the user interface — the icons and other features that users see and touch — of the Nokia Windows phones look distinctly different from the iPhone. Nokia, a longtime maker of phones, also has a thick portfolio of patents to protect itself.

> Things could get tougher, however, for Google, or any phone maker using its Android software.



**** Tim Cook Tells Apple Employees That Today’s Victory ‘Is About Values’ ****
<http://9to5mac.com/2012/08/24/tim-cook-tells-apple-employees-that-todays-victory-is-about-values/>
Mark Gurman, 9 To 5 Mac


> Cook notes that Apple seemingly did not want to go to trial with Samsung. These events only occured after Apple repeatedly asked Samsung to stop copying. Cook ends his email to employees by saying how proud he is of the work of each employee and that “values have won.”



**** Check, Please: Experts Say Apple, Samsung Face Sky-High Legal Fees ****
<http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2012/08/24/check-please-experts-say-apple-samsung-face-sky-high-legal-fees/>
Jennifer Smith, Wall Street Journal


> Court documents show that some Morrison Foerster partners and of counsel billed a median rate of $582 an hour for work on portions of the case, while some Quinn Emanuel partners billed on average $821 per hour. Spokeswomen for both law firms did not immediately respond to requests for comment.



**** Mountain Lion Update Can Improve Battery Life For Some Mac Notebooks ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/08/mountain-lion-update-can-improve-battery-life-for-some-mac-notebooks/>
Chris Foresman, Ars Technica


> Apple's release notes for the OS X 10.8.1 update released on Thursday made no mention of widely reported issues with laptop battery life under the initial shipping version of Mountain Lion. However, our testing reveals that the update can indeed significantly improve the runtime of Apple laptops over the original shipping version of Mountain Lion.

> That's the good news. The bad news is that battery life may still not be as good as it was under Lion (OS X 10.7.4). And according to scattered reports from readers, the fixes that accompany the update may not fix the situation for everyone.



**** Apple Creating Better Hearing For Users ****
<http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/press-here/Apple-Creating-Better-Hearing-for-Users-167219145.html>
Barbara E. Hemandez, NBC Bay Area


> Apple unveiled that its iOS 6 will introduce its new  "Made for iPhone" hearing aids that will give the hearing-impaired a better digital experience, and now it's applying for two patents to do just that.



**** Apple Decisively Wins Samsung Trial: What It Means ****
<http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/24/3266571/apple-decisively-wins-samsung-trial-what-it-means>
Nilay Patel, The Verge


> In the long term, we're sure to see lots of UI behaviors change across Android — most companies have already moved away from the bounceback scrolling behavior protected by the Apple patent in this case, and we're sure to see tap-to-zoom and multitouch scrolling behavior affected on new devices as well. We're also sure to see new handsets adopt highly differentiated designs, as Apple has proven both its design patent and trade dress claims are strong enough to persuade a jury. That's already happening, and it's a good thing; Samsung's the only phone maker Apple has sued for copying the iPhone's design, and its more recent devices like the Galaxy S III already have unique designs. More differentiation in the market is ultimately good for consumers.



**** Exceptional Apps ****
<http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/2765/exceptional-apps>
Daniel Jalkut, Red Sweater


> As Apple becomes increasingly involved in the vetting of which software should be sold to, or allowed to run on customers’ computers, it’s worth considering whether they will be tempted to use these powers for less honorable goals. I would not have been surprised if Apple’s blacklisting here had been for non-technical reasons, but in spite of my initial paranoia, the Exceptions.plist file seems to only contain amendments that are genuinely for the good of users and developers.



**** Official: Apple Vs. Samsung Jury Has Reached A Verdict, Finds Predominately For Apple ****
<http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/24/3254422/apple-samsung-trial-verdict>
Bryan Bishop, The Verge


> After a surprisingly short time, court officials informed us that the jury in the Apple v. Samsung case had reached a verdict — and when it came, it wasn't good news for Samsung. The jury found in Apple's favor almost overwhelming, deciding that Samsung had infringement upon Apple's intellectual property with multiple devices. Apple won't be getting the more than $2.5 billion it had asked for, but it will be getting at least $1,051,885,000.

> The jury didn't think much of Samsung allegations of infringement, either. They didn't feel that Apple had committed a single count of infringement — at least not anything that Samsung had demonstrated — against either Samsung's standards-essential or utility patents. As such, the company will be receiving nothing for its troubles.

Also:
• <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/24/3266391/apple-samsung-patent-damages-verdict">Jury awards Apple $1.05 billion in Samsung patent dispute ruling</a> (Scott Lowe, The Verge)
• <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/24/3266547/samsung-awarded-no-damages-apple-patent-dispute">Samsung awarded no damages in Apple patent counter-suit</a> (Scott Lowe, The Verge)


**** Turn Your Saved Instapaper Articles Into Podcasts With Readomator For Instapaper ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1168265/turn_your_saved_instapaper_articles_into_podcasts_with_readomator_for_instapaper.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Karissa Bell, Macworld


> Launch Readomator, sign in with your Instapaper account, and you are greeted with a list of your saved Instapaper articles. Turn on the podcast switch, and iTunes launches and begins to convert your saved articles into podcasts, which you can then download in iTunes.



**** Under The Hood: Rebuilding Facebook For iOS ****
<http://www.myapplemenu.comhttps://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-engineering/under-the-hood-rebuilding-facebook-for-ios/10151036091753920>
Jonathan Dann, Facebook


> Today we released a new version of Facebook for iOS that's faster, more reliable, and easier to use than ever before. The development of this new app signals a shift in how Facebook is building mobile products, with a focus on digging deep into individual platforms. To understand how we approached this shift, let's take a look at how Facebook has evolved on mobile.






MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Suicide Isn’t Painless ****
<http://www.salon.com/2012/08/24/suicide_isnt_painless/>
Richard Brown, Salon


> Those who have never felt those moments of hopelessness can’t understand what they are like. I’ve heard people tell me that they could never take their own life, and in their words, I hear naiveté. There is no way to predict how people will act once they make that descent into utter despair. I always think of Fran, the least likely suicide I’ve ever known.



**** The Lighthouse By Alison Moore ****
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/aug/24/the-lighthouse-alison-moore-review?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Jenn Ashworth, The Guardian


> <i>The Lighthouse</i> is a spare, slim novel that explores grief and loss, the patterns in the way we are hurt and hurt others, and the childlike helplessness we feel as we suffer rejection and abandonment. It explores the central question about leaving and being left: even when it feels inevitable, why does it hurt so much, and why is this particular kind of numbness so repellent to others? The brutal ending continues to shock after several re-readings.






SingaporeSurf
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**** Singapore Inflation Slows As Scope For Monetary Easing Rises ****
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-23/singapore-inflation-slows-as-scope-increases-for-monetary-easing.html>
Shamim Adam and Sarina Yoo, Bloomberg


> Singapore’s inflation slowed to a 20-month low in July, giving the central bank room to ease monetary policy as the faltering global economy threatens growth.



**** Tan Cheng Bock: I'll Run Again If I'm Relevant ****
<http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120825-367534.html>
AsiaOne


> The 72-year-old, who lost the race for presidency by a razor-thin margin, said: "So long as I'm relevant, and so long as my health permits and people still want me, I will continue."



**** In The News, Singapore-Style ****
<http://katemate.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/in-the-news-singapore-style/>
WTF Mate


> As amusing as all these headlines are, what I honestly love best is that this shows how freaking good life really is here. Considering U.S. headlines reduce me to tears on a near-daily basis (see: shootings, “legitimate” rape, the ailing economy, the rise of “Honey Boo Boo” and so on), I’ll take binge-drinking young women and rude parents parking illegally any day of the week.



**** Returning Singapore To Singaporeans? Dare We Wish? ****
<http://gigomole.blogspot.sg/2012/08/returning-singapore-to-singaporeans.html>
The Gigamole Diaries


> It looks fantastic on paper, but only on paper. The reality is that the local content has been severely hollowed out.



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<http://www.nhzy.org/index.php/archives/6766>
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**** Pastor Uses Woffles Wu Case To Argue Against Jail Term For Providing False Information ****
<http://temasektimes.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/pastor-uses-woffles-wu-case-to-argue-against-jail-term-for-providing-false-information/>
The Temasek Times


> The Woffles Wu case has opened a Pandora’s box for the judicial system in Singapore with subsequent offenders of similar offences now using it as a precedent to appeal against a jail sentence.



**** Living In The Richest Country ****
<http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2012/8/25/columnists/insightdownsouth/11910451&sec=Insight%20Down%20South>
Seah Chiang Nee, The Star


> Yet, there is no denying that the majority of Singaporeans are living better than they ever had. Singapore has been transformed into a middle class society and now has the dubious title of being the wealthiest in the world.

> But in the past five years, living standards have taken a turn for the worse for many people despite the collective affluence.



**** Sovereign Wealth Fund Not Always The Correct Answer ****
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/309292/sovereign-wealth-fund-not-always-the-correct-answer>
Bangkok Post


> Dr Balding, an expert in sovereign wealth funds, said they have created a question of whether they truly serve their original mandate, for in many cases the goal of long-term investment has been sidetracked by political aims.



**** Singapore Film Festival Melbourne 2012 ****
<http://www.meldmagazine.com.au/2012/08/singapore-film-festival-melbourne-2012/>
Diane Leow, Meld Magazine


> Since its debut in 2010, Melbourne’s Singapore Film Festival has come a long way. Over the years, the organising team has learned the ups and downs of running an event like this – from the amount of organising that goes into a film festival to learning about various film formats.

> The event’s producer, Lydia Teh, says they’re now putting that knowledge to good use,  promising audiences a bigger and better festival this year than any they’ve held in the past.



**** Native Singaporean: I Have Given Up Hope In Singapore ****
<http://temasektimes.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/native-singaporean-i-have-given-up-hope-in-singapore/>
The Temasek Times



**** Is Singapore Focussing On The Wrong Things? ****
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-flipside/disciplinarian-culture-stop-041632259.html>
Belmont Lay, Yahoo!



**** What Does Easing Inflation Mean For The Singaporean economy? ****
<http://community.nasdaq.com/News/2012-08/what-does-easing-inflation-mean-for-the-singaporean-economy.aspx?storyid=166760>
NASDAQ


> As a result of the global slowdown stemming from the European debt crisis, the Singaporean economy has stalled ; unlike its regional peers, Singapore has not benefited from a substantial increase in domestic spending to make up for the drop off in export demand from developed countries. GDP growth in the Singaporean economy has dipped to a mere 1% for FY 2012.

> With European problems unlikely to resolve themselves in the near future thanks to continued bickering and contrasting worldviews, the Singaporean economy's important export sector will likely suffer as a result.



**** Increase In High-ranking Public Officers Committing Graft? ****
<http://www.raviphilemon.net/2012/08/increase-in-high-ranking-public.html>
Ravi Philemon



**** Why The Double Standard? ****
<http://feedmetothefish.blogspot.sg/2012/08/why-double-standard.html>
Feed Me To The Fish


> If "such prejudicial views are not acceptable", why did Shanmugum kept his mouth shut when Lee Kuan Yew went ballistic with comments on the Malays/Muslim, "Will your Malay neighbour give you the last few gains of rice or will she share it with her family or fellow Muslim? He also told that Singapore could "integrate all religions and races except Islam".



**** Foreign Patients Put A Heavy Strain On Local Blood Resources ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/08/foreign-patients-put-a-heavy-strain-on-local-blood-resources/>
Edumund Lim, The Online Citizen



**** After A Watershed Election: Paradoxes, Perils, Promises ****
<http://publichouse.sg/categories/topstory/item/747-local-writer-catherine-lim-argues-why-ge2011-marked-the-beginning-of-a-post-lee-kuan-yew-landscape-and-surveys-the-legacy-of-a-great-man>
Catherine Lim, Publichouse.sg


> The unavoidable and, to me, dismaying truth about Lee’s brilliance, genius and vision   is that, somewhere along the way, he allowed it to harden into inflexibility, intolerance and vindictiveness. Because his knuckleduster approach had worked so well in the early years of his rule when he gave order to a young Singapore beset by threats from all sides - from Communist sympathizers, communalists, racist newspaper editors, intransigent trade unionists, rioting students, triads and gangsters -  he had come to believe that it should work for all time, under all circumstances.  His vision had narrowed into a singularly monolithic, undifferentiated one, trapping him in a time warp.

> It also gave him a sense of his infallibility, which had two distinct consequences. Firstly, it blinded him to his own faults while amplifying those of others. Secondly, it gave a particularly vicious quality to the way he treated all those who dared to oppose him openly. Indeed, his hatred of his political opponents was so intense that he had no qualms about incarcerating them for years, even decades, bankrupting them or forcing them to flee into permanent exile. In short, his vision had taken on a dark side that   had no place for those human qualities that we normally like to associate with even our sternest leaders, qualities such as empathy, magnanimity and humility. Mr Lee had become his own worst enemy, his own nemesis.