John Martellaro

Apple has often chosen to release new software that seems limited, but is strong on a new way of doing things. Later, as users become accustomed to the app, evolutionary additions come, in a transparent way. That keeps the app fresh and simple, but incrementally adds power. This is what Apple is doing with iWork…

At Macworld yesterday I was chatting with Rob Griffiths who mentioned that a friend of his just doesn’t “see” the reflections. He wonders what the problem is that others complain about. On the other hand, Rob himself sees every tiny light bulb reflected in the display, and it drives him crazy. As soon as he…

Even though Macs are easy to use, for most users, simply plugging in massive hard disk isn’t a solution, rather, it’s just the beginning of what can be a frustrating management experience, especially if there are other drives using different connection protocols. Here are some tips I’ve learned throughout the years that may help. Step…

Also at Computerworld was a great article by Mac OS X expert Ryan Fass on how to slim down and speed up your Mac right now . (For those who can’t wait for Snow Leopard.) Some of the ideas will take some work, other may unpalatable. Fortunately, in his usual style, Mr Faas describes step-by-step…

Macintosh security is a hotly debated subject for various reasons, including the scarcity of viruses. In fact, the number and severity of viruses is just a very small piece of the big picture. Those who really understand security know that a comprehensive security profile for the Mac is required to deal with threats via the…

Mr. Gottheil listed these benefits: It will provide web access, e-mail, media playing, and essential applications at a single low price. Computer beginners will be able to start using it quickly and easily. Users will have fewer questions, problems, conflicts and security breaches, as the device will be less intimidating than both PCs and Macs.…

For example, today there was an article at Online Media Daily that reaffirmed that the mobile Internet isn’t going to be dominant in 2009. Or 2010. A study, “Future of the Internet III,” surveyed 600 Internet experts who assessed the change over to Internet access via mobile phones. Mobile phones won’t be the dominant device…

On Tuesday, Mozilla released Thunderbird 3, Beta 1 for testing. It includes the long-waited integration with the Mac OS X Address Book. This Quick Look review briefly introduces the Thunderbird e-mail application and compares it to Apple’s Mail App. People generally have strong feelings about their e-mail program. One can get very attached to a…

One of the curses and blessings of the Apple iPhone SDK is that anyone who has the experience and skill to build a small application for the iPhone can do it. The curse part is that developers who believe that developing the app, submitting it to Apple, and sitting back to wait for the checks…

Seeker is a graphical, 3D simulation of the solar system from Software Bisque. Using high resolution graphics, animation, and astronomical data and photos, the program allows the user to build tours of the Sun’s solar system, visit planets, asteroids, and other objects. Pre-programmed tours showcase the possibilities. Think of having a spaceship that you can…

Section 18 of the amended complaint says:   18. On information and belief, persons other than Psystar are involved in Psystar’s unlawful and improper activities described in this Amended Complaint. The true names or capacities, whether individual, corporate, or otherwise, of these persons are unknown to Apple. Consequently they are referred to herein as John…

The most recent data from Net Applications shows that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has dropped to less than 70 percent on the Internet. The decline is a steady, monotonic decline, which begs the question of what market and mathematical forces can lead to that kind of decline. A monotonic function is one that steadily decreases or…

In times like these, it wouldnit be a bad idea for Apple to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate. While some major companies are staggering from the effects of the recession or out of business completely, Apple is wealthy beyond imagination. It has been a long tradition for companies or individuals that do…

In consumer electronics, the most complicated endeavor of mankind is a PC operating system. With 40-60 million lines of code and deeply nested routines, it it all but impossible for lay people to assess an OS based on anything but an intuitive feel. Itis like sizing up a date gone bad. Or understanding Halis motivations…

Writers are obsessive about tidbits of data that they might be able to use someday. Keeping a useful archive of collected data helps if one can both document the provenance of the information and successfully search for items saved. This mini-review looks at three scrapbook or organizer programs, Caboodle, EagleFiler and Yojimbo, with a focus…