A pple is getting some bad publicity in the form of consumer complaints about the iPod and the dual-USB iBooks. Reuters has published a story that has been picked up by many news outlets about campaigns to start class-action lawsuits against Apple for problems that some are saying is widespread. Neither campaign is new, but…
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Ex-Apple Engineers Reduce Tech-Support Call Waiting
While the Holiday Season will be full of fond memories and happy gift giving, this year may also introduce many to the darker side of technology; Technical telephone support. As many of you will be getting new gadgets this year, getting those gadgets to work properly may require longs waits for tech-support with your phone…
SilverNetworks Updates Spy With Bug Fixes And More
SilverNetworks today released a significant update to itis remote screen capture tool, Spy. Spy allows you to run a small server on your Mac, that when accessed by any normal Web browser, allows people to see your screen, as well as information about your Macintosh. But it doesnit stop there – they can look at…
IT Business: Apple Canada Ready For IT Business
Apple has made some impressive strides in marketing its products to IT shops here in the States, many companies suffering from shrinking budgets and bad karma from Microsoft are finding Apple’s offerings to be good for what ails them. That’s fine, but Apple doesn’t only exist in the US marketplace. What of our northern neighbors?…
MDG Computer Services Shipping Web Server And WS4D/eCommercce Version 4.0
MDG Computer Services, Inc, a leading developer of Web and eCommerce tools for Macintosh announced today that it shipped version 4.0 of Web Server 4D and WS4D/eCommerce, its a single application that includes a full featured Web server, shopping carts, storefronts, credit authorization, virtual domains, and database publishing. Whatis New With Version 4.0? Web Server…
Inside Wal-Mart's Online Music Store & Digital Rights Management
A nalysts viewed Wal-Martis announcement Thursday of its foray into online music distribution as a potential threat to Apple, but it would appear that for the time being the service compares more so with the likes of BuyMusic.com than the iTunes Music Store. The sufficiently titled “WalMart.com – Music Downloads” service offers all songs for…
Blue Mango Shipping New QuickTime Editor
Blue Mango Multimedia, LLC is now shipping Enhanced QuickTime External. Enhanced QuickTime External is a utility designed for expanding the standard QuickTime feature set. The app ships with QuickTime movie editing support and audio level control. According to Blue Mango Multimedia, LLC: Blue Mango Multimedia, LLC today announced the Enhanced QuickTime External, which extends the…
EV Nova Update Zaps Some Bugs
Ambrosia Software, Inc. has released an update for Escape Velocity Nova, bringing it to version 1.0.7. Escape Velocity is a space action/rpg game designed to destroy tedium with laser fire. The update fixes several bugs and improves Panther compatibility. According to Ambrosia Software: EV Nova 1.0.7, for the Mac, has been released. EV Nova is…
Computing With Bifocals - It's All About The MUG, Zoom, & Rechargeable Batteries
Previously in this column, I have made mention of the fact that since my retirement I have joined the local Macintosh User Group (MUG). There is a loose affiliation of user groups across the US and, as far as I know, in other countries as well. These groups meet periodically to share information, fellowship, and…
BusinessWeek Calls Apple Stores Zen-Like
Been Christmas shopping? Even the most war-hardened shopper can tire of fighting the crowds just to save a few pennies on gifts that the intended recipient may not want. Stores like Wal-Mart during the Christmas buying season can easily be compared to midwestern stockyards, where cattle where herded before becoming last night’s dinner. An article…
AstraPix 540: Digital Chimera
A pple bills itself as the supplier of the hub of the Digital Lifestyle. Macs, for many, are at the center of the digitized snippets of the lives their owners lead — from music to pictures to movies and more — but what of the devices that gather all of these isnippetsi? There are digital…
Canadian Consumers Could Pay Dearly For Their Next iPod
The next time you buy a pack of blank CDs or scroll through the playlist on our iPod you’ll think of our northern neighbors after reading this: Canada currently collects a tariff on media that can be used for recording music; cassette tapes, blank CDs, and similar items. The purpose of the tariff is to…
Court Rules SCO Must Show Offending Code
SCO has made quite a name for itself in recent months, not because of technical excellence, but because of its attempts to wrangle licensing fees from anyone using Linux, and possibly other *nix variants such as BSD and its descendants. The company has also made a splash because of its lawsuits against those who’ve refused…
Intelli Innovations Shipping New Portable Barcode Scanner
Intelli Innovations, Inc., developers of innovative hardware and software for Macintosh, today introduced the IntelliScanner Scanabout, a multi-functional addition to its expanding IntelliScanner USB Barcode Reader product line. IntelliScanner Scanabout is a flexible new barcode scanner built for both tethered and portable use. Users can use the product at their desk as a wired reader…
HP To Launch Online Music Store, MP3 Player (With Analysis)
It seems that everyone wants to follow Apple into the space that Apple says can’t make money. Reuters is reporting that HP is going to be the latest me-too company in the music download business, following such runners-up as Roxio, MusicMatch, BuyMusic.com, and Dell Computer. Like Dell, HP is also going to be selling its…
ComputerWorld: Xserve Cluster Crunches Bio-data For Lab
We hear a lot about Apple’s latest desktops and notebooks these days — even ganged PowerMac G5s have been making headlines — but we seldom hear news of the Xserve and how businesses are using them. Here’s a story from ComputerWorld Singapore about a laboratory that has recently installed Xserves. Temasek Life Science Laboratory needed…
Do You Want to Know Why The (Windows) PC Stinks?
C an I be frank with you? Are we at that level yet, you and I? Here, sit down, can I talk to you? Because Iive got a problem, and itis a really big problem. You see, Iive always been a Mac guy. No, Iim not one of those Mac guys who will play the…
DealsOnTheWeb Annouces iSight Giveaway
Our DealsOntheWeb.com Web site has announced a free drawing for Apple’s iSight webcam. It’s fairly simple, you just have to register to be included in the drawing, and it’s an easy registration. From DealsOnTheWeb: Here’s your chance to get a Free Apple iSight Camera just in time for the holidays. Register up to once per…
Dell To Move Some Support Centers Back To US
Eh? What’s that you say? Even if you don’t work in the Information Technology (IT) business you likely know that many companies have been moving some of their IT services, like call-center help, engineering, and design offshore to save money. Businesses like Dell, who offer around the clock customer support, reduced operating costs by setting…
Aussie Business Dumps Windows For Apple Because It Was Cheaper
One of the myths many Mac users encounter every day is the idea that Macs are more expensive than PCs. Today we have a story from Aussie magazine Australian IT that offers a bit of first-hand proof that this is a myth. The magazine has published an article about an Aussie business that dumped its…
Michael Dell Defends His Company's R&D Record
One might think that Michael Dell is getting tired of hearing that Apple’s R&D is better than Dell’s. In an interview with C|Net, Mr. Dell responded to questions that compared Dell’s R&D efforts to that of Apple. In his responses, Mr. Dell defends his company’s R&D legacy by emphasizing that it’s supposed to be good…
Endorphine.com: A Site To Behold
M ost people who sit in front of a computer, by either need or nerd, often enjoy their sessions at the keyboard. The problem with watching pixels dance across a screen is that you tend to miss the beauty of the world around you, you know, the outside world. If you are unlucky enough to…
Apple Offers G5-Optimized Versions Of Final Cut Pro, Shake, & DVD Studio Pro
Apple has unveiled new G5-optimized versions of three of its professional creative apps. Final Cut Pro 4, Shake 3, and DVD Studio Pro 2 have all been updated to take specific advantage of the G5 processor in Apple’s Power Mac G5. The updates are free to owners of the current versions of those apps. From…
Apple Drops Price Of 1.6 GHz G5, Makes 1.8 GHz G5 Dual Processors
Apple has announced a couple of major changes to the Power Mac G5 line. First up, the company has lowered the price of the entry-level 1.6 GHz model to US$1,799, a US$200 reduction. The machine remains unchanged otherwise. Apple has also made the 1.8 GHz model a dual-processor unit, keeping the same price of US$2,499.…