[MyAppleMenu] Dec 21, 2004

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/>
Mac news for Mac people

[Top Stories]

*** Will Apple Flash iPod Rock Market?
<http://news.com.com/Will+Apple+flash+iPod+rock+market/2100-1041_3-5496110.html>
Ina Fried, CNET News.com

Competitors hope an Apple flash player will ignite sales for all concerned.

[News]

*** Turning The Digital Tables
<http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/12/20/spark.mp3ing/>
Julie Clothier, CNN

Instead of turntables and endless sleeves of vinyl, the music playing out of the speakers is sourced from an iPod.

*** Apple Subpoenas Mac Rumor Sites Over Audio Product
<http://www.macobserver.com/article/2004/12/20.7.shtml>
Brad Gibson, Mac Observer

A California Superior Court has granted a request by Apple to serve subpoenas on three Mac rumor Web sites seeking information on who leaked facts about an un-announced audio hardware product code named "Asteroid" or "Q97".

*** Ambrosia Releases WireTap Pro
<http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/ambrosia_releases_wiretap_pro/>
Dennis Sellers, Macsimum

Ambrosia Software has announced WireTap Pro, an "all purpose" digital recording solution for recording audio on your Mac.

*** Glitch Blocks Some iTunes Music Sales
<http://news.com.com/Glitch+blocks+some+iTunes+music+sales/2100-1027_3-5498628.html?tag=nefd.top>
Ina Fried, CNET News.com

Some users of Apple's iTunes for Windows say a glitch is causing the program to crash whenever they try to purchase songs.

*** Bluetooth Gadget Turns iPod Into Stereo Remote
<http://news.com.com/Bluetooth+gadget+turns+iPod+into+stereo+remote/2100-1041_3-5498571.html>
Ina Fried, CNET News.com

A new Bluetooth device turns the iPod into the ultimate remote control for a home stereo.

*** Apple's Xsan Falls Behind Schedule
<http://news.com.com/Apples+xSAN+falls+behind+schedule/2100-1012_3-5498360.html?part=rss&tag=5498360&subj=news.1012.20>
Ina Fried, CNET News.com

Apple said Monday that it will miss the deadline for shipping its Xsan storage management software. THe $999 product, which serves as a file system for storage gear, was scheduled to launch by Monday.

*** iPod's Popularity A Boon To Synaptics
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/10460336.htm>
Dan Lee, San Jose Mercury News

Executives at Apple aren't the only insiders cashing in on the company's hot-selling iPod music player. Just ask executives at Synaptics, the San Jose maker of elecronic instruments that turns out iPod's scroll wheel.

*** Proposal By iPod
<http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/cultofmac/index.blog?entry_id=565104>
Leander Kahney, Cult Of Mac

Forget diamonds, popping the question by iPod is the wayt o go when proposing marriage.

*** Computer, Microphone, iPod Make Broadcasting Personal
<http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/12/20/computer_microphone_ipod_make_broadcasting_personal/>
Peter J. Howe, Boston Globe

Podcasting is promising to let everyone with a microphone and a computer become a radio commentator.

*** Apple Continues To Extend iBook Logic Board Program
<http://www.macnn.com/news/27353>
MacNN

*** Apple Updates AirPort Express, Extreme Firmware
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2004/12/20/airport/index.php?lsrc=mcrss-1204>
Peter Cohen, MacCentral

[Opinion]

*** Airport Express Picking Up FM
<http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/wireless/wifi/airport-express-picking-up-fm-028079.php>
Gizmodo

"I suspect this has nothing to do with the wireless part of the airport/airtunes, but is more likely that something isn't grounded properly in the electrical system."

*** Microsoft And The iPod... It's Not As Simple As You Think
<http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/analysts/gartenberg/archives/005538.html>
Michael Gartenberg, Jupiter Research

Unless Microsoft get into the player business on the hardware side (which will not happen) Microsoft will continue to be at the mercy of the hardware OEMs and there's no way that they can play favorites and leverage off their business model.

*** Talking Through Our Hats
<http://playlistmag.com/weblogs/todayatplaylist/2004/12/hattalking/index.php>
Christopher Breen, Playlist

Jumping to conclusions based on insufficient or faulty data serves no one.

[Review]

*** It's Not Rocket Science -- It's Worse
<http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/story.jsp?story=595009>
Deborah Ross, The Independent

The iPod is brilliant. I don't understand why they're not more popular.

*** Restoring Order
<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/mac911/2004/12/restoreorder/index.php>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

When you move the System Preferences application to the root level of your hard drive and then attempt to move it back into the Applications folder you're allowed to do so -- sort of.

*** Ten To Avoid -- The Worst Products Of The Year
<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1735287,00.asp>
Jim Louderback, PC Magazine

The eMac is slow, underpowered, and pathetic.

[Sidetrack]

*** The Many Faces Of iTunes For Windows
Heng-Cheong Leong

Microsoft Windows have a philosophy, it seems, to offer one thousand and one UI choices to do any single thing. This may not be the best UI implementation, but, hey, it's interesting that Apple's iTunes is taking this philosphy to heart.

On the Mac, you can show iTunes as a full-fledge window, as a mini-window, or hide the iTunes window.

On Windows, here's what you can do...

1) Display as a full-fledge window, just like the Macintosh version.

2) Display as a mini-window, just like the Macintosh version.

3) Minimize the window, so that it appears as a button on your task bar.

4) Also show the iTunes icon on the system tray, so that you can right-click on it to access common iTunes menu items. (To enable this option, open the preference dialog, choose "Advanced", and select "Show iTunes icon in system tray." Now, minimize the iTunes windows.)

5) Show the iTunes icon on the system tray, but don't show the iTunes button on the task bar. (To enable this option, open the preference dialog, choose "Advanced", and select both "Show iTunes icon in the system tray" and "Minimize iTunes window to system tray." Now, minimize the iTunes windows.)

6) Don't show the iTunes icon on the system tray and don't show the iTunes button on the task bar. Instead, show a mini-mini player on the task bar itself. (To enable this option, open the preference dialog, choose "Advanced", and unselect "Show iTunes icon in the system tray." Right click on an empty area of your task bar, select the "Toolbars" sub-menu, and then select the "iTunes" menu item. Now, minimize the iTunes window.)

*** Best Of 2004
Heng-Cheong Leong

Wall Street Journal has selected <http://www.lostremote.com/archives/003295.html> Apple's U2-iPod ad as one of the best of 2004.

The Tomorrow Weblog
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<http://www.myapplemenu.com/tomorrow/>
Emerging Technologies. Innovative Applications. New Economy

[News]

*** Cellphones In Flight: The Story Is Data, Not Chatter
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/21/business/21connected.html?ex=1261371600&#38;en=220da7d8c04a9373&#38;ei=5088&#38;partner=rssnyt>
Joe Sharkey, New York Times

"The real interest and opportunities lie in using our mobile phones or BlackBerrys for text messaging, e-mail and even the Internet."

*** Google Patches Desktop Search Flaw
<http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1744115,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594>
Ryan Naraine, eWeek

MyAppleMenu Reader
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/reader/>
The other things in life

[Life]

*** See Spot Run
<http://slate.msn.com/id/2111242/fr/rss/>
Seth Stevenson, Slate

Are commercials really bad for kids?

SingaporeSurf
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<http://www.myapplemenu.com/singapore/>
Life in the city

[News]

*** AIDS Ignorance High In Singapore -- Survey
<http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20041220T210000-0500_71815_OBS_AIDS_IGNORANCE_HIGH_IN_SINGAPORE___SURVEY.asp>
AFP

*** Singapore Leader Doubts Economic Union
<http://www.forbes.com/associatedpress/feeds/ap/2004/12/20/ap1722210.html>
Associated Press

East Asia is so diverse that it would take a long time for the region to craft an economic community similar to that of the European Union, Singapore's founding father said.