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  • Swad

    The Official "Showtime" Thread

    By Swad, in OSx86,

    As has been our tradition with Apple events in the past, I'm starting our dedicated thread for Apple's "Showtime" event. It's here that you'll find live updates (posted by our members from all the vast corners of the Web), pithy commentary, and a darn good time.
     
    Check out The Mac Observer's live feed for all the latest.
     
    InsanelyMac's "Almost Live Commentary Thread" - It's like being there. Only you're not actually there.
  • Colonel

    Today's Showtime schedule?

    By Colonel, in OSx86,

    A last-minute rumor has been floating around about the schedule of today's media event. TUAW has the timeline.


    ...Let's just say I have been informed by a little reliable birdy about Tomorrow's event. The line-up will follow this similar structure:
     
    * Welcoming of Media Members
    * Discussion on iTunes software, iTMS integration into iTunes, and iTMS sales and facts.
    * Announcement of iTunes version 7.0
    * Announces better search feature for Music Store
    * Announces Movie Store. Available Immediately will be movies from Disney and Pixar, among other studios.
    * New iPod Nano Announcement (nice brushed casing, while it will have same features as first gen, only a longer battery life)
    * New iPod Announcement (Widescreen, Bluetooth, and featuring virtual touchweel. Does not include Wi-Fi, or any other protocols)
    * One More Thing....TubePort. A $99 2-piece set that includes a dongle that connects via USB to your mac, and another dongle that connects via included HD cables or regular Component cables to your TV. The movie is accessed on your Mac via an iDisk-like storage component hosted by Apple.
     
    Jobs will then explain the pricing structure of the Movie Store. Movies will be available as either a smaller iPod-format (which will cost $9.99 per movie), or as a larger, streamed movie to be streamed to your TV via TubePort. This cost $14.99 per movie. To purchase an iPod-formatted movie and a streamed version of the same movie, it will cost you $19.99. Just keep in mind that all this is hearsay, so there's no guarantee it is accurate. "Tubeport?" Please let that name be fake. Showtime begins in a few hours...
     
    Mash's Edit: Note that the "iTunes Store" (and while you're noting, note that name change) is down due to "upgrading."
  • Swad
    AppleInsider is breakin' someone's NDA again with news that 10.4.8 will bring some big boosts to Rosetta and other OS X components.


    Apple Computer this past weekend released to its developers the second external builds of Mac OS X 10.4.8 Update, a stability and performance upgrade to its Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger operating system.
     
    It's reported that on Friday, the Mac maker seeded Mac OS X 10.4.8 Update build 8L2122 for Intel Macs and build 8L122 for those systems with PowerPC processors.
     
    Once again, Apple asked developers to focus their testing efforts on system components such as AFP, DVD Player, Graphics, Fonts, iCal, iPhoto, Mail Printing, Networking and Safari.
     
    It also asked that developers extensively test scientific applications under the Rosetta PowerPC emulation environment, which has seen significant performance enhancements.
     
    With the latest seeds, Apple is reported to have addressed issues with Image RAW, ImageIO, ColorSync, Xsan, Xsan File Manager, CoreImage and web images.
     
    Mac OS X 10.4.8 is reportedly one of two maintenance updates that will be made to Mac OS X before the end of the calendar year.
  • Colonel

    iPods missing in Sunday ads

    By Colonel, in OSx86,

    In today's issue of the New York Times there was an unusual lack of iPod advertisements. A reader at Gizmondo was quick to notice the iPod absence.


    Just finished reading my Sunday New York Times. Intersting fact, every electronics ad--Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.--had zero iPods listed...Strange, given that every week, for months now, there have been iPods for sale. I think the big retailers know something we don't. Why would Apple be holding off on the iPod ads this week? Could it be because of some (insanely) great new product they'll be releasing on the 12th? Showtime is coming...
  • Swad

    CoreDuoTemp 1.0 Released

    By Swad, in OSx86,

    If you're wondering just how hot your blazing new Intel processor is running, check out the newest version of CoreDuoTemp. 1.0 finds CDT chillin' in the menubar with many of your Mac's most vital stats. There's also a new widget for those among us who are more Dashboard inclined.
     
    Both are free and are available for download here.
  • kevin_4e
    If you've ever wanted Azureus (or any other download client) to automatically shut off after finishing a download, then give the free beta of GoodNight a try... Check out MenuPics or iColon to change the look (and color) of your menubar icons... Learn how to dress like a Mac with LifeClever’s guide based off the popular "Get a Mac" ads... And speaking of those “Get a Mac” ads, it looks like Mac is also trying another medium of advertisement; a 14 page accordion-fold booklet.
     
    If you’re familiar with the popular forum userbars, you'll be excited to see DaxTsurugi’s custom InsanelyMac userbar... This week’s featured blog is Sportman’s Tips, Tricks, Reviews and More. The title basically says it all... If you’re looking for one more reason to switch to the upcoming Windows Vista, then this video may not be what you’re looking for. Try this
    instead. And since Vista is always good for a laugh, check out this guy’s tattoo (full video). Talk about fanboy.
  • Swad

    How to get started with a new Mac

    By Swad, in OSx86,

    It’s a moment that’s not easy for a geek to forget. For days you’ve been anxiously tracking your new Mac as it makes its way through the FedEx/UPS/DHL labyrinth. Finally, the day arrives - your Macintosh is here. If you’ve never owned a Mac, cutting open the packing tape brings an unsettling reminder... you’ve... uh... never actually used one of these things before...
     
    For all you Switchers, converted OSx86 “Homebrew” users, or pre-OS X users, I present a few thoughts from my experience with my new MacBook which I hope will guide you along as you start using your new Mac.
     

    Before Buying
    1. Set out a budget (especially for laptops).
    It’s quite easy to justify the purchase of a new computer when you just look at the price of the unit itself. Once you start adding RAM upgrades, cases/bags, bluetooth accessories, etc... the actual price you’re paying for the computer can jump quicker than OJ Simpson’s lawyer fees. Make sure that you set aside enough money for all these things.
     
    2. Check around for prices on RAM.
    Apple knows that they can gauge users on RAM upgrades, so be sure to hunt around for better deals on RAM. By the time you buy RAM elsewhere and sell the stock sticks on eBay, you will have saved quite a bit of cash. The exception to this rule is Mac Pro RAM, which is specialized enough that your safest bet is to buy from Apple. Third party stores are beginning to stock it, however.
     
    It’s also worth noting that as I bought my iMac a few days ago, I discovered that the 2 GB upgrade was competitively priced... within a few dollars of a Newegg upgrade.
     
    3. Always buy more RAM when possible.
    The more RAM you throw at OS X, the happier you’ll be. Trust me. 1 GB should really be the minimum for casual usage or 2 GB if you're a power user.
     
    4. Check eBay.
    Ah, eBay - the nirvana of geeks, insomniacs, and closet QVC watchers (you know who you are). If you’re patient and careful, it’s here that you can find some simply amazing deals. I recently purchased the 2.0 Ghz MacBook I’m typing on now for $1150 (shipped), including 3 year Applecare coverage. That’s a huge savings over the retail price. The key to eBay is never feeling pressured to buy anything and always checking the seller. Investigate the product early, bid late.
     

    After Buying
    1. Enjoy removing your new Mac from its packaging.
    There’s a ritual we Mac lovers go through after each new Apple product introduction: we wait until some lucky so-and-so actually gets said product and posts pictures of unpacking his new toy. Why? Because Apple puts a lot of effort into good packaging and presentation. Savor each piece of styrofoam you remove.
     
    2. Don’t worry about an immediate reinstall.
    If you’re like me, one of the first things you did with a new Windows PC was to make sure it booted and then promptly wipe the hard drive to remove all the free trials you didn’t need. With OS X, that’s not necessary. If you need to remove the preinstalled software, use AppZapper to help cleanse your hard drive. Monolingual will also help reclaim some hard drive space taken by extra languages you won’t use.
     
    3. Install Apple software updates.
    Before you get too carried away installing new applications, go ahead and install all the updates found in Software Update. To get there, click on the blue Apple at the top left of your screen and go to “Software Update.” Install all the recommended updates. Restart. Go back to Software Update and see if there are any more. Rinse. Restart. Repeat as necessary.
     
    4. Install essential applications.
    Digg is constantly filled with Top 10 lists of “must have OS X applications.” These lists are inherently subjective, but here’s a list of the first apps I install on any new Mac.
     
    Essential
    AppZapper - Fully deletes applications
    Adium - Great open-source instant messaging app
    iWork - The only Universal office suite at the moment
    Path Finder - Absolutely essential Finder replacement
    Quicksilver - Application launcher and so much more (I’d have its children if I could)
    Onyx - Ultimate tweaking utility for OS X
    Saft - If you’re going to stick with Safari, do yourself a favor and grab Saft.
    Toast Titanium - CD/DVD burning app
    Growl - Pleasant messages to let you know what your Mac is doing
     
    Recommended
    Flip4Mac - Integrates WMV files into Quicktime
    Monolingual - Reclaim hard drive space from default installation
    Senuti - Copy/backup music from your iPod (in case you need to change from Windows fomatting)
    NetNewsWire - Powerful RSS reader
    Jumpcut - Menubar clipboard collector
    Menuet - Great menubar iTunes app
    Candybar - Change icons to make OS X your own
    Dockstar and Mail.appetizer - Two small apps to help make Mail.app more accessible
    Parallels - Enjoy the eery experience of running Windows on your Mac
    MenuMeters - Keep track of your Mac through the Menubar
    WeatherDock - Free (highly customizable) weather app that will keep you well-informed
     
    5. Make the Mac yours.
    Take the time to make the computer your own. Change the desktop by using some of the great images found at InterfaceLIFT. Swap out some icons with Candybar. Sort through the System Preferences and customize the feel of your computer.
     
    One of the first things I do is change the drag-and-drop behavior in OS X. It’s a quick fix that makes the experience what it should be. You’ll find many more hints like this in our Forum.
     
    6. Play
    You deserve it. See how far and how fast your new Mac will take you. I have the feeling you’ll be impressed.
     
    7. Share
    If you’ve found other great things to do with your new Mac, share them with others! Our Forum is a great place to start. We love to hear your ideas!
  • REVENGE
    As previously predicted, Apple has finally filed patents for their next multi-function handheld device, which has in the past few years been rumored to be an iPod/Smartphone combination device.
     
    Highlight features listed in the patent include the ability "to receive simultaneous inputs from different inputs devices and perform actions based on the simultaneous inputs", the ability to classify "one or more touches as a primary touch or a secondary touch; filtering out the secondary touches; differentiating whether the primary touch is a light touch or a hard touch; initiating a control event if the primary touch is a light touch; and implementing a selection event if the primary touch if a hard touch", and the ability for the handheld to include multiple functions such as "PDA, mobile phone, music player, camera, video player, game player, "handtop" (whatever that is), net terminal, GPS and remote control" capabilities.
     
    Smartphone all-in-ones are not really news these days, as multiple cell phone and PDA manufacturers offer devices that allows one to call home, play music, manage information, play games, and much more. However, many believe that it is in design and usability that Apple can outshine the competition. Given the reputation of the iPod, it should be relatively easy for Apple to promote and sell a new product of this type to all kinds of people… whether they need all of those functions or not.
     
    Expect Smartphone and PDA makers to have sweaty foreheads in light of this news.
     
    UPDATE: To address the issue of how much progress Apple has made towards the production of a "Convergent Handheld" device, I have conveniently stumbled upon an article analyzing claims by analyst Shaw Wu of American Technology Research. Wu says that his company's research indicates that on the issue of an iPod/Mobile phone device, Apple has progressed from a concept to a functional prototype, with the design being finalized for production imminently. While this may or may not be a device with all of the capabilities listed in the patent filing, I think it's not outlandish to assume that the device will do more than just play music and make phone calls...
  • Swad
    Still looking for a little cross-platform love? The new Update Release Candidate of Parallels might just suit your fancy, adding support for up to 3.5 gigs of RAM on the Mac Pro as well as Leopard (as in "works on" not "make a virtual machine of") and Vista compatibility.
     
    Highlights from the changelog:


    Support for new quad-processor Mac Pro towers outfitted with up to 3.5GB of RAM
    This addition means that Parallels Desktop for Mac is now compatible with all Intel-powered Apple computers, which in addition to the Mac Pro includes the MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini!
    Compatibility with developer build of Mac OS X 10.5, code-named “Leopard”
    Experimental support for Windows Vista
    An improved Parallels Tools package
    Better video output improvement and acceleration
    Added multi interface USB devices support (including Windows Mobile 2005 devices)
    Added isochronous USB devices support (including WebCam devices)
    Minor USB fixes
    Keyboard support improvement: Eject CD key support, left/right Shift/Ctrl/Alt (Option)/Windows keys difference support
    Added virtual disk cache policy option: Mac OS X performance optimized or guest OS performance optimized
    Optimized disk cache policy for Suspend/Resume feature
    Minor GUI fixes and improvements Now, when will we be able to run Leopard as a virtual machine?
  • Swad

    No Merom notebooks until 2007?

    By Swad, in OSx86,

    Although we won't claim that the Inquirer is a great pillar of 'net journalism, it does pass along some interesting information. Today, they're claiming that Apple won't release a Merom-based notebook until sometime in 2007.


    Sources deep within Intel tell us everything is going swimmingly for the new MCW cores, but Apple won't produce a laptop with Merom until 2007. The delay is most likely due to a convergence of two things, production and Apple's limited range.
     
    So, said trickle means that you don't put the few Meroms you get in anything but the highest end lowest volume models of your lineup. If you have a dozen models, you might pick one to be graced by the new wondercore. If you are Apple with two or four models, depending on how you count, then you can't really get enough to supply even one model.
     
    What this means is Apple is faced with putting out laptops that have cases made of real unobtanium, or they can wait and roll it out right. Since it is mole migration season, I have been asking many of the little critters streaming past my house, and they all say that iMeromBooks are a 2007 product. There are a few reasons why this might make sense. First, it would be somewhat odd for Apple to update the iMac and Mac Mini lines yesterday while holding off on a Merom notebook that was ready to ship. Secondly, the notebook lines are doing quite well without Merom, so Apple may simply lack motivation.
     
    There are still 115 days left in 2006, however, each one bringing the opportunity for a manifestation of Steve's whims. We'll see what happens.
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