MacCast 08.14.2007 - Show #195
Media/Links
V Opening
V Opening Music
* Music is Say Anything by Manda and the Marbles
* Mandaandthemarbles.com
www.mandaandthemarbles.com
V Sponsor
V Circus Ponies
* Welcome newest sponsor
www.circusponies.com
* NoteBook
* Great tool for getting back to school. Organize class schedules, take notes, compile research and organize projects. Clipping are and easy way to quickly dump content from web, email, and documents without leaving the app.
* Try it out with a free 30-day test drive at circusponies.com.
www.circusponies.com
V News
V A couple bumps in the iPhone road
* Apple Insider is reporting on an issue where a small number of iPhone users are reporting "dead strips" on their iPhone touch screens
* The area is typically a strip half an inch away from the top or bottom of the iPhone's display.
* Resets and recent iPhone update doesn't fix the issue. Apple is said to be replacing faulty units and giving loaners.
V In a Marketwatch piece, one analyst is concerned there may be a bigger problem looming here
* Nomura International analyst Richard Windsor told clients that the intellectual property rights for the touchscreen in the iPhone were purchased from a now bankrupt Finnish company.
* The technology used a chemical deposition to provide touch sensitivity based on heat, but there was a flaw. Within 3 to 6 months of extensive use the film would degrade and lose it's sensitivity.
* Apple would have been aware of the issue and it makes sense to assume they fixed it, but the recent problems do raise concerns.
* The other issue mention in the report is fail AC adapters. Can still charge via USB, but not while sleeping.
V Universal DRM-free, not on iTunes
* Report from Electronista
* An experiment with some artists and tracks on services like Real Networks, Wal-Mart and Amazon, but not iTunes
* iTunes as a "control" to gauge interest in the tracks.
V Not sure how you can guage interest when you don't use the most popular services
* Gizmodo's Matt Buchanan points out if iTunes is a "control" then why not DRM-free tracks on Zune Marketplace or eMusic.
V Universal may be testing id DRM-free tracks are enough to break the iTunes monopoly. Will consumers follow the music or the service?
* Looking for leverage against Apple?
V Software Update onslaught continues
* Aperture 1.5.4 improves compatibility with iLife '08
* iPhoto 7.0.1 to fix an issue with publishing photos to .Mac Web Gallery
* Front Row 1.3.1, improved iPhoto compatibility.
V iMac Software Update 1.0
* This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for 20-inch and 24-inch iMac models with 2.0, 2.4, or 2.8GHz processors.
V Mac Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.1
* adjusts fan behavior in Mac Pro systems
V Boot Camp 1.4 beta
* Adds support for keyboard backlighting on MacBook Pros, Apple Remote pairing, updated graphics drivers, an improved Boot Camp driver installer, improved international keyboard support, localization fixes and an updated edition of Windows Help for Boot Camp
V MacBook Pro Software Update 1.1
* This update provides important bug fixes and improves stability with Motion 2 and Motion 3. It is recommended for all 2.2/2.4GHz MacBook Pro models.
* About Keyboard Software Update 1.1, enable special features on Apple's new keyboards
* My iTunes Widgets, flash widgets to display recent purchases, your reviews, and your favorite artists (based on your purchases).
MyiTunes Widgets
V AirPort Base Station Update 2007-002
* Includes general fixes and compatibility updates for AirPort Utility, AirPort Disk Utility, and AirPort Base Station Agent
V New iPhone Ads
* New ads are 'Instead' and 'Amazing'
iPhone Ads
* 'Instead' focuses on carrying all your media in your phone rather than multiple devices
* 'Amazing' what fits in your pocket.
V iTunes TV and Movies finally cross the pond?
* ArsTechnica clamis to have "trusted sources" inside Apple that say the content should make it's way to the UK iTunes store in the new few weeks.
* Back in April Apple's European VP told a French newspaper movies would come to iTunes Europe by the end of the year.
V Sponsor
V The Gadget Locker
V Pick of the week
* ElGato EyeTV 250. Turn your Mac into a DVR.
* Maccast Special price of $159.99, save $40
* More Maccast specials
thegadgetlocker.com
V Feedback, Comments and Commentary
V Credit where it's due
* Last show I suggested Apple borrowed the concept of "contextual" toolbars from Microsoft.
* Listener Adam, great name BTW, reminded me that Claris Works had contextual toolbars (palettes) back in the day.
* So Apple really borrowed from themselves in essence.
V Maccast One Minute Tip - Customize Toolbar
* Play One minute tip
* Can also simply drag items into the Finder toolbar. Command+drag them out or to re-organize
* More at OneMinuteTip.com
www.oneminutetip.com
V Things to know about the new iLife
* Puts it's icons into the Dock without asking. iWork also does this. Annoying.
V iMovie requires a G5 1.9GHz or better machine. All other apps will run on a G4 or better and iDVD needs at least 733MHz G4.
* Will not install or run on a G4.
* There is a hack. Involves some package contents editing and HexEdit. Maybe OK on faster G4 systems?
Hack iMovie '08 on G4
* iLife will not be included with Leopard
* iMove HD and it's projects are left in place. FX, themes, and plug-ins are not part of '08.
* iPhoto Library in the Pictures folder now appears as a single file and not a folder.
* It installs iTunes 7.3.2 (the latest) and QuickTime 7.2. Listener Charles pointed this out. As he had been waiting on installing 7.3. The packaging and installers barely make mention of iTunes.
V Requires QuickTime 7.2
* QuickTime 7.2 causes functionality problems on some Intel-based Macs -- particularly an inability to launch and crashes -- with Carbon CFM (Code Fragment Manager) applications.
* MacFixit tracked the source of the issue, an error during the system's pre-binding phase of the installer (optimizing). They recommend making sure no other apps are running during install.
* Can be fixed by updating the pre-binding which you can do from a Terminal command or by simply re-installing the latest combo-updater for your Mac
* AppleWorks still for sale on Apple's On-line Store. Appleworks page seems to re-direct to the iWork page.
* Educational pricing on iLife and iWork suites have increased. Previously priced at $49 each, the titles are now priced at $71 each
V Something to say... Missile Launching Macs
* Play segment with David Wilson
* OS X USB Missile Launcher Software
dgwilson.wordpress.com
* Buy Launchers at Think Geek.com
Buy USB Missle Launcher
* Cocoa Dev Central
www.cocoadevcentral.com
* Mac Dev Center
www.macdevcenter.com
V Maccast RSS Screen Saver
* Listerner Constantinos used Quartz Composer (part of Developer tools) to create a Maccast screen saver.
* Link to Maccast ScreenSaver.
Maccast Screen Saver
V iDisk bigger, HD smaller.
* Several listeners reported suddenly reporting running out of disk space after Apple announced the upgraded iDisks
* 1GB to 10GB of storage.
* Had iDisk syncing turned on.
* Mac OS X did alert the customers that the iDisk size needed to be adjusted.
* File in ~/Library/Mirrors
* My only question is why doesn't Apple use a sparse image?
* Can reduce by going into settings and allocating storage away from iDisk to Mail or groups.
* I simply don't use the iDisk sync feature.
V iPhoto to manage photos
* Cole is a frustrated with iPhoto management. He says he just doesn't get it.
* Still using Picassa under Parallels
V The biggest issue seems to be iPhoto always making copies of the originals as you make edits.
* Allows you to restor ethe original.
* This will be an issue as we get higher res cameras
* Copy images into iPhoto, can turn the feature off (he knows that).
V Use the "Apple Way" and you'll will see it is a pretty nice solution.
* iPhoto Library in the Pictures folder now appears as a single file and not a folder.
* Finder replacements. Manages "your" content. iTunes, music, tv, movies, etc. , iPhoto images, iMovie, your home video.
V Closing
V Podcast Marketplace
V Thanks to my sponsors
* The Gadget Locker
The Gadget Locker
* Audible.com
www.audible.com—maccast
* Circus Ponies, Notebook
www.circusponies.com
* Smile on my Mac, textexpander, PDFpen
www.smileonmymac.com
V Possible German Meetup
* I will be in Germany the second week in September
* Email if you would be interested in a meet-up.
* Suggest possible locations?
V Keep emails coming. Audio comments.
* maccast@gmail.com
V 206-222-2788 (20-MACCAST-8)
* PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
* MacCast Forum
forum.maccast.com
V New music, "Am I Awake" by They Might Be Giants
* Not exactly indie, but an awesome band
* Courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network
music.podshow.com
* Band site
theymightbegiants.com
* Get EP on iTunes
Buy on iTunes