shownotes_20061215

Opening
  Opening Music
    Music is Say Anything by Manda and the Marbles
    Mandaandthemarbles.com
News
  Are iTunes sales slumping or not?
    According to a recent survey by research group Forrester, they claim iTunes revenue is down 65% from January to June of this year. The report is based on a decline of 58% in the number of monthly iTunes transactions coupled with a 17% decline in the average size per purchase on the store.
    Apple denies the report and other analysts agree
      Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster that said the number of songs sold per week on iTunes had risen 78 percent in the first nine months of 2006 compared with the same period in 2005.
      Digital media research firm comScore Networks on Wednesday released a report showing that revenue from Apple’s iTunes Store rose 84 percent in the first three quarters of 2006 versus the same period a year ago.
    A CNBC Holiday Central survey estimates that Apple will sell 17 million iPods this holiday, that adds up to $2.7 billion in sales. What are people going to put on those iPods?
  Apple may be carrier for iPhone service
    UBS analyst John Hodulik believes Apple may serve as their own carrier for the rumored iPhone.
    Apple would become a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), purchasing wholesale capacity from Cingular Wireless.
    Disney operates as an MVNO with their Disney Mobile Service.
    Brian Lam an editor for Gizmodo and former assistant editor for Wired magazine "guarantees" an iPhone will be released on Monday. Gizmodo has not had a good track record at making Apple predictions and Lam has been tricky with Apple fans before alluding to releasing a major gadget review on the eve on an Apple product announcement. The gadget... TiVo Series 3. Note Lams says an iPhone, but not an Apple iPhone, is there any other?
    Citing unnamed sources, Morgan Stanley analyst Rebecca Runkle said she has "high conviction" that the iPhone will launch in the first half of 2007. The specs:
      $599 for 4GB and $649 for 8GB
      Wider than the iPod nano, but thinner than the iPod Video approximately 4/10ths of an inch thick.
      Full screen 3.5 inch LCD and will include a virtual click-wheel
      Made of Metal and available in multiple colors, but at least including black, white, and silver
      Cingular Wireless is likely carrier in the U.S.
    This pricing is much higher than what was reported by Kevin Rose who has been accurate with predications before.
  Three new iPods for 2007?
    First the full screen video iPod.
      Jobs is not committed to marketing the device until he gauges interest in iTunes Movies and iTV.
    No details on what the other two new iPod products would be. iPhone?
  Adobe to release Universal CS3 BETA on Friday
    Adobe will release a beta of Photoshop CS3 on Friday, December 15.
    The free beta can be downloaded at Adobe’s Web site and used without restriction by any user with a valid Creative Suite 2 or Photoshop CS2 serial number. Anyone can tryout the Beta for 2 days with or without a serial number.
    A MacWorld report claims Adobe has seen a 40 percent speed increase on an Intel MacBook Pro. This is over and above the 30 percent increase seen under Rosetta with the 10.4.8 update.
    Recommended system requirements for Adobe Photoshop CS3 beta are Mac OSX 10.4.8 or 10.5, a 1GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 processor or an Intel based Mac.
    According to Adobe, the beta will expire soon after the launch of Photoshop CS3 in spring 2007.
    According to Adobe, the beta will expire soon after the launch of Photoshop CS3 in spring 2007
    The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) also released a comprehensive CS3 Learning Center offering 12 online video tutorials. The site also offers a free 7-day online CS3 training course.
Feedback, Comments and Commentary
  Correction on the show number
    This is actually show 170.
  Exporting a disk catalog list from the Finder
    A listener looking for a way to export a disk catalog data to a Excel file or database.
    Listeners Jeremy and Dave reminded me that many of the Disk Cataloging apps have a save or export to text feature. He likes and uses FileBuddy.
    Many other pointed out Terminal tricks using commands like 'ls' combined with pipes, grep, etc. There are also Shell script solutions offered. I have a link to a forum thread with these solutions.
  Explaining the different "types" of memory in OS X
    Listener Rob was having a look at the activity monitors memory usage and wondering about the different types of memory there.
    Wired memory
      This information can't be cached to disk, so it must stay in RAM. The amount depends on what applications you are using.
    Active memory
      This information is currently in RAM and actively being used.
    Inactive memory
      This information is no longer being used and has been cached to disk, but it will remain in RAM until another application needs the space. Leaving this information in RAM is to your advantage if you (or a client of your computer) come back to it later.
    Free memory
      This memory is not being used.
    One more type... Virtual Memory, represented by "VM Size". Basically equal to the amount of free space on your HD since VM uses your hard drive as RAM
      Slow
      "Page ins/outs" refers to the number of times Mac OS X has moved information between RAM and disk space. If you are doing a lot of page outs, then it may be time for more RAM or to run less apps concurrently.
      A "page" is a memory in uniform units of a minimum size (usually 4K). Pagein is anytime a memory unit is moved "swapped" into RAM (say when a application is lunched and loads into RAM), page out is when RAM is "swapped" out to disk.
      Note the numbers in activity monitor are for pageins and outs since the Mac was last restarted so high numbers don't indicate a need for RAM. The Pageins number should be significantly higher than the pageouts, if not you may need more RAM.
      A better test is to run 'top' from the terminal
        Launch Terminal, located in the Applications > Utilities folder.
        At the prompt, type top and press Return.
        Examine the output generated by top.
        In the VM: line (6 lines down) note the pageins and pageouts in the last or VM (virtual memory) line. Specifically the number in the (), these indicate the number of pageins or pageouts performed in the last one second. If that number when you are running typical applications — especially pageouts — is consistently in the range of 25 to 50 or more, then the system is thrashing and it may be time for more RAM
        Type Control+C in the terminal to exit the 'top' program
  Apple explanation and fix for "blue tint" issue
    Listener Martin pointed out this article on Apple's support site
    " After installing the Mac OS X 10.4.8 update, some MacBook computers will have a new color profile that is more consistent with other MacBook and MacBook Pro computers but may appear to have a blue tint when compared to the previous profile."
    You can determine which profile you're using by opening the folder /Library/ColorSync/Profiles/Displays/. If you see a file named "Color LCD-4271780.icc" then you have the newer profile.
    Solutions are to re-load the old profile. Instructions and a download of the profile is in the support article or you can also create a custom profile by clicking the Calibrate button in the Color tab of the Displays preference pane.
  Re-download old iTunes Podcasts without re-subscribing
    This comes from listener Henry from a tip he found on 99ShadesOfGrey blog
    If a podcast download fails, goes bad or you accidentally delete a podcast and want to re-download it you can use this trick rather than unsubscribing and re-subscribing.

    How down the [Option] key on the Mac or [Shift] key on a PC while
    clicking the expand/collapse triangle expander next to the list of podcasts. After the list opens, release the key and the missing episode(s) should appear. Click the respective [Get] button to download the episode.

  iPod Shuffles losing their authorizations?
    Listener Mark is having this issue where his iPod Shuffle suddenly won't play purchased music. Pointed me to some threads. Also had a listener with a 5th Gen iPod that did the same thing?
    There is an Apple TIL that addresses this and offers solutions. Update your software, Deauthorize and reauthorize your account in iTunes, restore the iPod, Recreate the iTunes Library.
    None of these worked and emails to iTunes Store support are slow and unresponsive.
    Apple is currently offering live chat support to current Shuffle owners, http://www.apple.com/support/chat/
    Update: Mark called AppleCare and checked the Product ID under high speed USB in System profiler. The ID there listed for the iPod (0x1300) which indicated that something was wrong and Apple is replacing the Shuffle free of charge.
    The rep didn't indicate what the bad ID indicated. I don't actually think that was it. My guess is it had more to do with the iPod serial number being in a know bad batch.
  Comprehensive list of Keyboard shortcuts
    Listener Dan pointed out this web site which has a great list of OS X keyboard shortcuts.
    One example... Hit Apple+Space to quick do a Spotlight search. Press Apple+Enter to open the top result. Works well as a quick application launcher.
  Can't curl up in bed with a good 17" MacBook Pro
    Listener 'zeus' from the forum reports on an issue with the 17" MacBook Pro hinge that is confirmed by many sources, including some Mac technicians I know.
    The hinge tension is not strong enough to hold the lid closed when it is at about 135° angle. Problem when you have it at a 90° angle in bed laying down and then lift your knees the lid will snap shut.
    Apple says it is normal and the issue doesn't exist on the 15" model. Weight of the larger display may be to blame, but I have not seen reports of the same issue on the 17" PowerBook
    There is no way to adjust the spring/hinge tension.
  Review of Disco
    Play question from James
    Play review from Andrew
    Checkout Andrew's review on MacCast.com
Closing
  MacCast at Macworld
    Still working on a Mac podcaster meetup. Leo Laporte is in and will try to bring some other friends from the MacBreak crew. Also confirmed is Ken Ray from Mac OS Ken, Bill Palmer from iProng and Shelly Brisbin from Shelly's Podcast. More to come hopefully.
    Looks like the meetup will start Thursday night at 6:00 PM at the SF Apple Store with a panel discussion of the coolest new products and announcements from MacWorld. Since it is Thursday give you a chance to go back and hit any booths you may have missed.
    After that we will all convene to a local bar or lounge where you will have an opportunity to mingle with the Podcasters. It should be a lot of fun.
    Need a RSVP Count. Send email with 'MacWorld Meetup' as the subject.
  Play 2nd Anniversary comment
    A well wish from Kevin Crossman
    We are at show 170, so 200 is around the corner.
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  "I Love My IPod" by Daphne Kalfon
    She id the "I love my Mac" Song last year.
    Both songs are available on iTunes.
    More info on the web site www.ilovemyipodthesong.com