Publisher: Microsoft
Software Version: 6.0
Price: FREE
Processor: Universal (Intel/PPC)
More Information: Microsoft Messenger 6.0

Today, Microsoft released a new version of their instant messaging app, Messenger, version 6.0. This version brings Intel based Mac support as a universal binary, and packs a other new and notable features:
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Just as we suspected… Software Update just alerted me to the availablity of iTunes 7.0.1. According to the note it says, “iTunes 7.0.1 addresses stability and performance issues with Cover Flow, CD importing, iPod syncing, and more.”. So what are you waiting for, go grab it and let me know what is fixed and what isn’t.

To get iTunes 7.0.1 , just run Software Update or you can get it here. The update requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, or Windows 2000/XP.

Update: CoverFlow now seems to scream on my Dual Core Mac Mini. Anyone else?

An important aspect of learning to drive is knowing and understanding the signs and symbols we see when on the road. Your operating system also has many signs and symbols. The more you understand and can read those signs the better driver you will become. This a series will offer you quick little “driving” tips for OS X. In each lesson I will take a quick look at just one element of OS X and give you a little lesson in maximizing it’s functionality.

Traffic Lights

Being OS X users we are all familiar with OS Xs traffic signal. You know, those little red, yellow and green “lights” at the top left of each window? You are probably familiar with the basic functionality of these buttons. But these little guys are more tricked out than you would think.

Red means stop

You probably already know that clicking the red button on your window will close it. You many also know that holding down the ‘Option’ key while clicking the red button will close all the windows, but there is one more trick up reds sleeve. The “red light” also provides a bit of info that I find extremely helpful. Just like it’s real life counterpart it lets you know when to stop. It alerts you when it might be time to stop and save your file. In many applications if you notice a little black circle inside the red button it is the OSes way of letting you know you are between saves. Once you save your file the black dot will disappear and then come back when you make your next change.

One of the real strengths of OS X is how information given to one app is be pulled into another automatically. This post will build on the previous one, showing how another apps that come with Mac OS X, in this case Mail, can use all the contact information you’ve already painstakingly added to Address Book. Let’s have a look, shall we?
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Well guess I’m batting 1,000 in the bad luck department. Just as I get my MacCast.com hosting issues resolved and finally push out a new show, Libsyn.com starts having issues. You see I actually have 2 hosting companies. GoDaddy.com hosts this site, but beacuse of the large amount of bandwidth required for my podcast the MP3 and AAC files for the show are served up by Libsyn. Just after I posted todays show the emails started. Some of you are reporting getting 404 errors and are unable to access the show. My first thought was, “Oh no, here we go again”, but in checking the new GoDaddy dedicated server everything seems to be humming along just fine. So then I chek the Libsyn support blogand see this message, “Sunday Update On Network OverloadIt looks like we are still experiencing overload on parts of our network. The connections are swamping the media nodes and this is causing the 404s you may be experiencing”. Well I guess Sunday has rolled into Monday and the issue is still not resolved. Wholy dung beetle Batman! Sorry for all the trouble folks. The errors appear to be pretty widespread, but some of will luck out an might actually get the show (I was able to downlaod both the MP3 and ACC editions right after I uploaded them). Please DO NOT harass Libsyn about this issue. They are well aware and working to fix it. They don’t need a bunch of email distracting them from the task at hand. Dave and the guys over there are good friends of the show and have always been outstanding. I will update you as soon as I have more info.

[audio:http://media.libsyn.com/media/maccast/MC20060925.mp3]
Download today’s show here!
MC20060925.mp3 [22.3mb 00:48:34 64kbps]

A podcast about all things Macintosh. For Mac geeks, by Mac geeks. Show 159. I’m Back! iTunes 7 offers a bad experience for some. Mac Pros are CPU upgradable. Next Apple event planned for Sept. 25th. iTunes generates $1 million for Disney in the first week. Apple unveils new store design. Apple releases security and Airport updates, was the MacBook WiFi hack legit? Is Apple trying to claim ownership of “podcast”? iTunes 7. Bugs, fixes and workarounds. View your pix from card or camera directly in iPhoto. The MacBook Random Shutdown Syndrome (RSS), the fix. How to get horizontal scrolling from a plain vertical only scroll-wheel mouse. Why there are no Blu-ray drives in Macs. iPod Texas Hold ‘Em lets you play the game listening to your own music. Correction on procedure for battery cycling. iPod can’t do all Canadian time zones. The “GoDaddy” report. Podcast Expo is this weekend.

New music, Set Me Free by Anthony Rankin

“There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese. “ — Teen Wolf (1985)

Shownotes: HTML or OPML
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Podcasters who use the Mac are very familiar with Rogue Amoeba‘s respected Audio Hijack Pro utility, which provides an excellent interface for recording Skype calls, iChat sessions, and similar internet communications applications directly to audio files. Once those streams are stored safely on disk, the next logical step is to edit captured audio to construct a completed program. Rogue Amoeba is positioning its new Fission utility as a lightweight audio editor capable of editing MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless and AIFF audio files. A typical application might include cutting and splicing files, but one very nice feature is the ability to produce a smooth crossfade between regions. Crossfades are used in audio editing to produce a smooth transition between audio events, and help prevent awkward splices and annoying audio pops when making transitions.

Rogue Amoeba notes that Fission can also be used to break up long audio recordings, create ringtones, and remove unwanted portions from audio files. Fission costs USD$32.00 direct from Rogue Amoeba’s online store. Existing users of Audio Hijack Pro can upgrade for USD$18.00 and both programs can be purchased together in a software bundle for USD$50.00. Fission 1.0 is released as a Universal Binary and a trial version is available for download at http://www.rogueamoeba.com/fission/download.php.

For many years now I have been a fan (and user) of LaCie hard drives. They have always proved to be reliable, the build quality is superb and if you ever need to ask them a question, support is very good too. So, I was please to learn that on September 12th LaCie announced increased capacities for it’s LaCie Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche. To quote from their press release, “New drives reach a phenomenal 500GB in a small, sleek case created exclusively for LaCie by the renowned agency Porsche Design GmbH. Exhibiting world-class style and elite performance, LaCie Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche allow people to easily add massive storage to a desktop computer. New USB drives are shipping now, and FireWire drives ship in October.”

LaCie Senior Product Manager Olivier Mirloup said, “LaCie’s awarded Design by F.A. Porsche hard drives are quiet, easy to carry and stack, and now have some of the largest capacities available at a low price per gigabyte. These drives are the fastest, easiest way to add storage to your computer, making room for lots of additional video, audio and music files. And our 1-Click Backup Software simplifies data protection.”

LaCie Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche offer the choice of a USB or FireWire interface for use with Windows, Mac OS or Linux. Cables are included for immediate use. Drives are durable and lightweight for transporting from one machine to another, and multiple drives can be stacked thanks to secure rubber feet underneath.

I hope to bring you a full review of a Lacie offering very soon.

Link to the new Lacie 500Gb Hard Drive.

To say I feel honored is an understatement, but when I  took the new 2nd generation iPod Nano out of the shipping box my jaw dropped. The new transparent packaging is fantastic and I  now know why Steve Jobs mentioned it in his keynote. Not thinking my jaw could get any lower I  removed the Nano from it’s packaging and was once again amazed at how much sleeker it felt than the previous generation.

This is the first review where I  just felt that I  wanted to give you two pages (or more) of high resolution photographs. They say “a picture is worth a thousand words” and with the new Nano those words could not be more fitting. The case of the Nano is now all anodized aluminum and is so nice to touch, a real smooth feel, no worries about fingerprints either, which is fantastic news. Colors have been introduced with the 2Gb model being available in silver only, the 4Gb version available in silver, green, blue and pink, and the new higher capacity 8Gb model in a sexy black. All have this wicked metallic look.
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iPodulator Pro 2 from ThePlaceforitAll.com is an application for taking content form a variety of sources and making it available as Notes on your iPod.

The interface for the program is fairly simple to use although not rising to the level of elegant. The first thing you do is change your iPod settings so that it can be used as a disk and then select the iPod from iPodulator.
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