[MyAppleMenu] Oct 31, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Hands On With iBooks Author 2.0 ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/2013246/hands-on-with-ibooks-author-2-0.html>
Serenity Caldwell, Macworld



**** Apple Delays Australian Maps Navigation ****
<http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/apple-delays-australian-maps-navigation-20121031-28jb9.html>
The Sydney Morning Herald


> In another blow to the credibility of Apple Maps, the company has delayed the turn-by-turn navigation feature in Australia, making us the last country to receive the upgrade.



**** How To Use Custom Vibration Alerts On Your iPhone And iPad ****
<http://www.imore.com/how-set-custom-alert-vibrations-or-disable-them-your-iphone-and-ipad>
Allyson Kazmucha, IMore



**** Address Document-handling Frustrations In OS X ****
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57542404-263/address-document-handling-frustrations-in-os-x/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=MacFixIt>
Topher Kessler, CNET


> Occasionally in some setups, opening even standard document filetypes can result in odd and frustrating errors.



**** iPad Mini Review ****
<http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/30/3576178/apple-ipad-mini-review>
Joshua Topolsky, The Verge


> I can't think of another company that cares as much about how its products are designed and built — or one that knows how to maximize a supply chain as skillfully — so something tells me it's no accident that this tablet isn't selling for $200. It doesn't feel like Apple is racing to some lowest-price bottom — rather it seems to be trying to raise the floor.

> And it does raise the floor here. There's no tablet in this size range that's as beautifully constructed, works as flawlessly, or has such an incredible software selection.



**** Review: iPad Mini ****
<http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/10/30/review-ipad-mini/>
Jim Dalrymple, The Loop


> I was really surprised with how much I used the iPad mini in my daily routine — more than the 10-inch iPad.

> The iPad mini is a well thought out device and it’s exactly what you would expect from Apple.



**** The iPad Mini ****
<http://daringfireball.net/2012/10/ipad_mini>
John Gruber, Daring Fireball


> The actual iPad Mini display is not terrible. It’s exactly what you think: it feels like an iPhone 3GS display cut to iPad size, including the fact that the pixels seem deeper from the surface of the glass. (It does seem brighter and more vibrant than a 3GS display, perhaps because it uses an IPS panel.) And after a week of using it as my main iPad, the individually discernible pixels are no longer jarring to my eyes. The non-retina resolution is the one and only significant complaint I have with the iPad Mini, and it’s an issue that is only apparent to those of us who already own a nearly-new iPad.



**** Apple Blocks Siri's Prostitute-finder Function ****
<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-10/29/content_15855212.htm>
Xinhua



**** Display Menu Brings Back OS X's Displays Menu ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/2013295/display-menu-brings-back-os-xs-displays-menu.html>
Dan Frakes, Macworld



**** Review: iBooks 3 Is The Best iBooks Yet ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/2013168/review-ibooks-3-is-the-best-ibooks-yet.html>
Lex Friedman, Macworld


> With its latest update, and the iBookstore’s continued growth, iBooks 3 offers an excellent reading experience, if you don’t mind limiting your ebook reading to iOS devices.



**** Apple iMessage Down On iOS And OS X For The Second Time In A Week ****
<http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/30/3578062/apple-imessage-outage-late-october>
Nathan Ingraham, The Verge



**** Apple Delays iTunes Refresh ****
<http://allthingsd.com/20121030/apple-delays-itunes-refresh/>
Peter Kafka, All Things D


> Here’s spokesman Tom Neumayr’s take: “The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right. We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November.”

Take your time, Apple.





The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Killing The Computer To Save It ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/science/rethinking-the-computer-at-80.html?_r=0>
Peter G. Neumann, New York Times


> Many people cite Albert Einstein’s aphorism “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Only a handful, however, have had the opportunity to discuss the concept with the physicist over breakfast.

> One of those is Peter G. Neumann, now an 80-year-old computer scientist at SRI International, a pioneering engineering research laboratory here.






MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** A Natural History Of Ghosts By Roger Clarke: Review ****
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/9633275/A-Natural-History-of-Ghosts-by-Roger-Clarke-review.html>
Lewis Jones, Telegraph


> <i>A Natural History of Ghosts</i> is not about whether ghosts exist or not – just as well, since the subject is “not much of a science” – but “about what we see… and the stories we tell”.



**** The Beauty Of Penguin Books ****
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/oct/30/beauty-penguin-books?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Oliver Wainwright, The Guardian


> This rigorous application of colour and geometry, as well as that wonky penguin, hastily drawn from life at London Zoo by the office junior, put design right at the centre of the brand from the very beginning.



**** The Man Who Made Star Wars ****
<http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1979/03/the-man-who-made-star-wars/306228/?single_page=true&src=longreads>
Lynda Mile and Michael Pye, The Atlantic


> The idea was to make a high adventure film for children. The result was the box-office hit of all time. The man responsible was George Lucas.

(This article is from March 1979.)





SingaporeSurf
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**** Education Ministry To Review PSLE: Heng Swee Keat ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1234530/1/.html>
Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia


> He said: "There are a number of key pieces we're working on, including the review of the PSLE, and how we use the results of the PSLE. But let me emphasise that we should not be looking at the exams in isolation, but rather as part of a broader review of the different parts of our education system."

> "Let us not rush into this, let us look at the pros and cons of the different options, and then we can make a decision later. At the same time, let us make sure that we align this with what we want to achieve in the long run. This is not a short-term quick-fix."



**** The Curious Case Of A Weak Economy And Strong Job Numbers ****
<http://www.singapolitics.sg/views/curious-case-weak-economy-and-strong-job-numbers>
Aaron Low, Straits Times


> Before we celebrate creating thousands of jobs every three months, it is also important to ask what kinds of jobs are being created.

Also, how many of these jobs pay above a minimum liveable wage?


**** PAP Government Always Looking For Ways To Increase Rentals ****
<http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7816>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net


> The main factor is a government-sponsored rentier economy that has allowed one small segment, namely property owners, to benefit disproportionately, whilst punishing the rest of the population.

> There is no incentive for the government to move to change this set of circumstances as the PAP party cadres and other insiders benefit greatly from this arrangement.



**** MRT: The $8.7B Question? ****
<http://leongszehian.com/?p=1987>
Leong Sze Hian


> We need a more detailed breakdown and accounting as to “Half of this $8.7 billion increase was attributed to a sharp rise in construction cost, with the other half linked to a number of changes to the project”.



**** ‘S$7k A Month Driving A Taxi? Possible, But They’ll Burn Out’ ****
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/‘s-7k-a-month-driving-a-taxi--possible--but-they’ll-burn-out’.html>
Jeanette Tan, Yahoo!


> “Taxi drivers should not push their physical limit by spending more hours on the road to earn more,” he said. “I spoke with some of the more experienced taxi drivers and they have indicated that earning a net income of $6,000 is almost what two drivers take in with extra hard work. It is hence rather uncommon to achieve that kind of amount driving alone,” he added.



**** Singapore: A Glimpse Of The Future ****
<http://www.digitalmarket.asia/2012/10/singapore-a-glimpse-of-the-future/>
Rohit Dadwal, Digital Market Asia


> Everyone involved in the mobile ecosystem should be keeping an eye on Singapore, as one vision of a digital future. Operators, particularly, are likely to be shaken by Ovum’s research, and would probably need to consider their own revenue streams if mobile data availability and increasing device sophistication erode takings from more traditional services like SMS.



**** Could China Use The Singapore Strategy On The New York Times? ****
<http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/10/29/will_china_sue_the_new_york_times>
Isaac Stone Fish, Foreign Policy


> Singapore's successful authoritarianism has long been seen as a model for China. China's market is also much larger than Singapore's. For the sake of press freedom, here's hoping that the <i>Times</i> is not forced to apologize to China.



**** Singapore's Q3 Jobless Rate Remains Low, But Employment Growth Slows ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1234476/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia



**** Attempted Suicide Should Not Be A Crime ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC121031-0000050/Attempted-suicide-should-not-be-a-crime>
Li Hai Yu, Today


> When they have calmed down, they may feel regretful for attempting suicide and should thus get a second chance through counselling, which could help give them confidence.

I agree.