[MyAppleMenu] Jun 14, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================
**** Baidu To Share Revenue With Apple On China iPhone Search ****
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-14/baidu-to-share-revenue-with-apple-on-china-iphone-search.html>
Mark Lee, Bloomberg


> Baidu Inc. said Apple Inc. will be entitled to a share of advertising sales after the Chinese company’s search-engine was added as part of a software upgrade for iPhones in China.

> The revenue-sharing agreement with Apple follows similar accords between Baidu and manufacturers of handsets that use Google Inc.’s Android operating system, Wang Jing, vice president at Beijing-based Baidu, said in a phone interview today. He declined to disclose the commercial terms.



**** Apple MacBook Pro With Retina Display Review (Mid 2012) ****
<http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/13/apple-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-review/>
Tim Stevens, Engadget


> This is a laptop that stands poised to kill an existing one, one that Apple has dominated. The new Pro is good enough to make the old Pro (even the updated version) look and feel obsolete. It pushes and redefines the category, raising the bar higher than even its brethren can jump. If you can afford the premium and aren't set on a 13-inch model there's no reason to buy any Pro other than this Pro.



**** 'Retina' Screen On New MacBook Is Sharp ****
<http://www.courier-journal.com/viewart/20120613/BUSINESS/306130089/-Retina-screen-new-MacBook-sharp?>
Peter Svensson, Associated Press


> It’s not easy to describe in print, but a look at the screen tells the whole story. It’s like putting on glasses and realizing you’re near-sighted. Much like the screen on the latest iPad, the new display makes all other screens look dull and fuzzy.



**** Time Inc. To Sell Its Magazines On Apple’s Newsstand ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/business/media/time-to-offer-magazines-on-apples-newsstand.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all>
Amy Chozick, New York Times


> Time Inc., once the magazine industry’s most ardent opponent of selling subscriptions through Apple, will make all of its magazines available via Apple’s newsstand, the two companies said Wednesday.

> The move is a significant shift for Time Inc., the largest magazine publisher in the United States. Even as competitors like Condé Nast and Hearst quickly struck deals to sell subscriptions through Apple, Time Inc. approached the Apple newsstand with caution, chafing at some of the restrictions Apple wanted to impose.



**** Reeder 3.0 Review ****
<http://www.macstories.net/reviews/reeder-3-0-review/>
Federico Viticci, MacStories



**** Review: Reeder 3 For iPhone ****
<http://shawnblanc.net/2012/06/review-reeder-3-for-iphone/>
Shawn Blanc



**** Reeder 3.0 For iPhone ****
<http://brooksreview.net/2012/06/reeder-3/>
Ben Brooks, The Brooks Review



**** Nothing Can Be Fixed Anymore ****
<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405770,00.asp>
John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine


> None of this is Apple's fault. It is just trending ahead of the curve. We're all doomed to be dependent slaves doing what we are told by the Geniuses and Gurus.



**** MacBook, A Point Shy Of Perfect ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/technology/personaltech/apples-macbook-pro-is-just-short-of-perfection-state-of-the-art.html?_r=1>
David Pogue, New York Times


> The new Apple laptop that went on sale Monday hits an impressive number of those high notes in one radical swoop. As you might guess, the one it misses by the biggest margin is “inexpensive.”



**** Apple's Siri Buttons On Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar Steering Wheels? Automakers Think Different ****
<http://www.fastcompany.com/1840149/driving-miss-siri-inside-apple-iphone-integration-with-mercedes-benz-bmw-general-motors>
Austin Carr, Fast Company


> At WWDC, Forstall promised that "a number of auto manufacturers have already committed to delivering eyes-free Siri integration in the next 12 months." Yet of all of the automakers that Apple featured (Mercedes, BMW, GM, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler, Honda), just a few could confirm they were indeed working on delivering the technology within that timeframe. One automaker even seemed unaware that Apple had held an announcement.

Apple <i>is</i> doubling down on secrecy.


**** Why It’s Increasingly Tough To Compare Macs And PCs ****
<http://techland.time.com/2012/06/13/why-its-increasingly-tough-to-compare-macs-and-pcs/>
Harry McCracken, Time


> When I sat down to review Apple’s new Retina-display MacBook Pro, I instinctively wanted to compare it to similar Windows laptops. I wanted to discuss how the specs stacked up and whether the price seemed fair. I hoped to contrast its industrial design with those of its closest counterparts.

> Then it dawned on me: There are no similar Windows laptops.

Rather than comparing by spec sheet, how about comparing them by what you can do with them, and how efficient and enjoyable to do them?


**** Review: New MacBook Pro Is 'Powerfully Robust' ****
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/story/2012-06-12/new-macbook-pro/55555442/1>
Edward C. Baig, USA Today


> Not everyone needs or can afford the new MacBook Pro. But I wouldn't blame anybody who fancies one.



**** What Apple’s Small Announcements Add Up To In The Big Picture ****
<http://go.bloomberg.com/tech-blog/2012-06-13-what-apples-small-announcements-add-up-to-in-big-picture/>
Peter Burrows, Bloomberg


> More important than the new MacBook Pro with retina display was the slew of mostly common-sense improvements to its underlying software that Apple hopes will make its products easier to use and more helpful. Taken together, they solidify what may be Apple’s biggest advantage: the user experience of its overall platform.



**** Apple And Oracle Release Simultaneous Java Updates For OS X ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/06/apple-and-oracle-release-simultaneous-java-updates-for-os-x/>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica


> Apple may be stepping up its efforts to push out Java updates faster, even though Oracle has largely swooped in to take care of Mac users by issuing security fixes. The two companies released simultaneous Java updates for 10.7 Lion and 10.6 Snow Leopard on Tuesday, signaling that the two-month delay associated with the spread of Flashback malware could be a thing of the past.



**** A Moment Of Sanity In The Applesphere ****
<http://kensegall.com/blog/2012/06/a-moment-of-sanity-in-the-applesphere/>
Ken Segall's Observatory


> It’s possible that Apple gets a break here because WWDC is an event for software developers, and isn’t the usual place to unveil the big revolutions. It’s also possible that the majority of those covering Apple actually do get it now.



**** Why Game Center For Mountain Lion Is A Big Deal ****
<http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/06/13/why-game-center-for-mountain-lion-is-a-big-deal/>
Peter Cohen, The Loop


> This is a really big deal for gamers, because for the first time in Apple’s history, the company is providing its users with a social networking framework for games.



****  ****
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/2012/06/14/article01/>


The tortoise and the hare are both <a href="http://littlebigdetails.com/post/25021211540/ios-the-feature-speak-selection-on-settings">present in iOS</a>, and it's a tradition that dates back to the <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/9173">Control Panel for Mac</a>.


**** Check Out How Insane This Tiny New Detail In iOS 6 Is ****
<http://gizmodo.com/5917967/you-wont-believe-how-insane-this-tiny-new-detail-in-ios-6-is>
Sam Biddle, Gizmodo


> Apple actually modified the app so that it'll detect the phone's slight shifting of position and create an artificial gleam on a virtual knob meant to replicate a design feature from the 70s. Functional? Nope. Entirely superfluous? Yep. Impressive? Yep again, if only for its lunacy.

This feature will not work on the 3GS, right? :)


**** Change Hidden iTunes Preferences Lets You Tweak iTunes Options ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1167259/change_hidden_itunes_preferences_lets_you_tweak_itunes_options.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Dan Frakes, Macworld


> Like OS X itself, iTunes has a good number of hidden settings that affect how the program works and what options are available to you—some of them letting you revert to the behavior and appearance of older versions of iTunes.



**** iOS 6: What You Need To Know ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1167252/ios_6_what_you_need_to_know.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Macworld



**** Mountain Lion: What You Need To Know ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1165460/mountain_lion_what_you_need_to_know.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Macworld



**** Mountain Lion Features You May Have Missed ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1167251/mountain_lion_features_you_may_have_missed.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld



**** Retina MacBook Pro – Five First Impressions ****
<http://ihnatko.com/2012/06/13/retina-macbook-pro-five-first-impressions/>
Andy Ihnatko


> The first thing I noticed was how much lighter it felt than the 15″ MacBook Pro I bought last year. I have plenty of experience toting that thing around the house and it truly feels like what my MacBook would weigh if it had no screen.

And as one who is spoilt by the lightness of the MacBook Air 11", I can't wait for this screen to be cheap enough for a really smaller and lighter laptop.





The Tomorrow Weblog
====================================
**** Google Brings New Meaning To The Web ****
<http://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/internet/google-brings-new-meaning-to-the-web>
David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum


> Google’s Knowledge Graph adds a new dimension to searches, because the company now keeps track of what many search terms mean. That’s what allows the system to recognize the connection between Margaret Thatcher (the person) and Grantham (her place of birth)—not because the two strings show up together on a lot of Web pages.






MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================
**** Review: 'The Good Food Revolution' Details A Black Farmer's Journey ****
<http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-book-20120613,0,6726064.story>
Mary MacVean, Los Angeles Times


> His book could have been another look at the problems of the industrial food system, the lack of healthful food in many poor communities and ideas to reverse course. And it is that, but it's also told through the painful but important lens of the African American experience.






SingaporeSurf
====================================
**** Allegations Of DPM Teo Being Dodgy And Dismissive Were Simply Swept Under The Carpet ****
<http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7690>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net


> Both the DPM and the mainsteam press had simply declared that Reuban Wang was wrong both in his criticisms and in the manner by which he delivered his criticisms. All the various points raised by Reuban, minus the vulgar portions, were simply shielded from public scrutiny.

> There is a huge difference between encouraging students to think on their own feet, and being dodgy and dismissive. That is the difference that DPM Teo and the mainstream press have totally ignored.



**** Courts Shouldn't "Undermine Intent For Casino Self-exclusion Order" ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1207626/1/.html>
Today


> Too harsh a punishment for an offence, which consists of breaching or attempting to breach a self-exclusion order, will only dissuade those vulnerable to the temptation of gambling from applying for a self-exclusion order in the first place.

> Chief Justice (CJ) Chan Sek Keong made these points in a written judgement released on Thursday as he explained why a man's two-month jail term was "wrong in principle, inappropriate and manifestly excessive".



**** Sticker Lady Spawns New Debate: Is ‘Sanctioned’ Art Cool? ****
<http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2012/06/14/sticker-lady-spawns-new-debate-is-sanctioned-art-cool/>
Sam Holmes, Wall Street Journal



**** Singapore Economy Seen Growing 3 Percent In 2012 ****
<http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9VC1DUO0.htm>
Bloomberg


> Singapore's central bank says a survey of analysts shows the economy will likely grow 3 percent this year, more than the previous estimate.

> The survey predicts the inflation rate will probably fall to 4.2 percent this year from 5.5 percent last year while the exchange rate will end 2012 at 1.24 Singapore dollars per U.S. dollar from a current SG$1.28.



**** Why Does (In)equality Matter? ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/06/why-does-inequality-matter/>
Luke Lu, The Online Citizen



**** Singapore Won’t Take Undeclared Swiss Deposits, SBA Says ****
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-12/singapore-won-t-take-undeclared-swiss-deposits-sba-says.html>
Giles Broom, Bloomberg


> The Swiss Bankers Association said Singaporean money managers aren’t luring away undeclared assets from the Alpine nation as governments crack down on people who deposit money outside their home countries to avoid taxes.



**** The Real Economic Trade-offs For Singapore.... ****
<http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2012/06/real-economic-trade-off-for-singapore.html>
Diary Of A Singaporean Mind



**** 继一些热门小学后 ä¹èµ›å­¦æ ¡åœæ­¢å½•å–å®¶é•¿ä¹‰å·¥ ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp120614_006.shtml>
王珏琪, 联合早报


> é™¤äº†ä¹èµ›å­¦æ ¡ï¼Œå…¶å®žä¸€äº›è¾ƒå—æ¬¢è¿Žçš„å°å­¦å·²å¤šå¹´ä¸å½•å–å®¶é•¿ä¹‰å·¥ï¼Œä»–ä»¬åŒ…æ‹¬ä¼Šä¸½æ²™ç™½å…¬ä¸»å°å­¦ã€è©æå­¦æ ¡ã€åœ£å©´å¥³æ ¡ï¼ˆå®¢æ´›ï¼‰ã€åœ£å©´å¥³å­å°å­¦ï¼ˆå¤§å·´çª‘ï¼‰ã€è‹±åŽå­¦æ ¡ï¼ˆé™„å°ï¼‰ã€è‹±åŽå­¦æ ¡ï¼ˆå°å­¦ï¼‰å’Œåœ£è‹¥ç‘Ÿä¹¦é™¢é™„å°ã€‚



**** Well-paid Flexi-work Hard To Come By ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_810653.html>
Lorraine Boon, Straits Times



**** Give Me Your Talented, Your Skilled, Your Huddled Creatives... ****
<http://www.leadingcreatives.com/2012/06/give-me-your-talented-your-skilled-your.html>
Leading Creatives...


> I know what it's like to be a foreigner living and working in another country, but I'm one of the lucky ones. Singapore's immigration system, at least for skilled foreign talent, is a pretty easy one to navigate. Though there has been some public backlash against importing foreign talent, the government seems to understand that with a declining population caused by a less-than-replacement level birthrate and 2% unemployment, there's a need for a relatively simple immigration policy. Other countries, such as Great Britain (and of course, the US), haven't quite figured it out.



**** PAP Supporters Risk Being Replaced By New Citizens ****
<http://www.tremeritus.com/2012/06/13/pap-supporters-risk-being-replaced-by-new-citizens/>
TR Emeritus


> A quick look at PAP policies will reveal that they are  more suited for foreigners and  new citizens than native born citizens. This is obvious because the policies such as CPF withdrawal is  suited for backdoor exit out of Singapore  to another country. And the ease of getting PR and citizenships is another issue which is a tell tale sign.



**** Loving Resentment: A Sober Homage To Singapore ****
<http://www.thegadflypress.com/2012/06/loving-resentment-sober-homage-to.html>
Saiful Saleem, The Gadfly Press


> And so while I admit that I miss my country at the moment, while sitting here in this Parisian café avoiding the strange looks the waiter occasionally throws my way, I realize that I will resent her when I am there. And this is how things will be for as long as my homeland is run by soulless individuals who care less about their people than they care about the bottom line.



**** The Difficulty Of Unity ****
<http://alvinenator.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/the-difficulty-of-unity/>
Work Suspended


> Personally, I am persuaded by the argument that continued growth, and hence a business-friendly climate remains essential, although I find his implicit assertion that low wages are largely the result of poor productivity and lower taxation leads to higher revenues unimpressive. However, the point is that even if we agree broadly with the government’s vision, we have to acknowledge and address the fundamental schism in society between the utopian socialists, the constantly vexed champions of more and more growth, and the unambitious mass that desire nothing more than a simple, comfortable and agreeable lifestyle. However, depressingly, it may be a problem without a comfortable compromise, solvable only by edict or decree, for the ties that bind disparate people to a single “national cause” are really imaginary.



**** Of Rhetoric, Profanity, And Teachable Moments ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/06/of-rhetoric-profanity-and-teachable-moments/>
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen


> But if there is a “teachable moment” in all of this, perhaps I can share one: Teo was not conducting a lesson at the Pre-U Seminar, much less one that requires him to provide solutions to problems. At the base, he could have taken it that the students asked him for his views on issues. He either has one or he doesn’t. If he has one, then in respecting a frank and open exchange of ideas, share it. Only by coming to a table of equals with our own ideas and a willingness to defend them, will we promote serious and innovative thought on difficult issues. It is also the only way to win the respect of others – being a minister and accepting apologies won’t.



**** Ez-link Card Not Like A Credit Card, Takes 48 Hours To Deactivate ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120614-0000041/Ez-link-card-not-like-a-credit-card,-takes-48-hours-to-deactivate>
Johanna Toh, EZ-Link Pte Ltd, Jasmine Kwok, People's Association, Today


> The PAssion ez-link card, like other ez-link cards, is a stored-value card and was designed for quick, offline micropayment transactions that do not perform real-time verification like a credit card.