[MyAppleMenu] Dec 30, 2004

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

[News]

*** Podcast Bring DIY Radio To The Web
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4120773.stm>
Clark Boyd, BBC News

An Apple iPod or other digital music players can hold anything upto 10,000 songs, which is a lot of space to fill. But more and more iPod owners are filling that space with audio content created by an unpredictable assortment of producers.

*** Feed Your Head
<http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/dont_quote_me/multi-page/documents/04366122.asp>
Dan Kennedy, Boston Phoenix

Podcasting is DIY radio for programmers and listeners alike. Will it save us from corporate radio? Or further isolate us inside our own miniature media worlds?

*** Pass The 'Pod And Pour The Pernod: Podtender v2.0 Released
<http://apple.weblogsinc.com/entry/1234000950025345/>
Barb Dybwad, Unofficial Apple Weblog

*** iPod BeamDock Coming In February
<http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/ipod_beamdock_coming_in_february/>
Dennis Sellers, Macsimum

Networkx has released the iPod BeamDock, a wireless sound solution for the iPod.

[Opinion]

*** Why iPod/iTunes Won't Be Killed Anytime Soon -- It's About "Style" But It's Also About Cluetrain And "Long Tails"
<http://www.rexblog.com/2004/12/29#a5440>
Rex Hammock, rexblog.com

*** Apple's 2005 Challenge: Surpass The iPod
<http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1746007,00.asp>
Andreas Pfeiffer, ExtremeTech

The company needs to take its knack for making products desirable in a new direction.

*** My Opinion On The "iCheap"
<http://www.backupbrain.com/2004_12_26_archive.html#a004336>
Dori Smith, Backup Brain

I just don't see it. Something's missing. Apple likes to sell soup-to-nuts solutions, and pairing a $499 computer with a $1299 monitor ain't it.

[Review]

*** Bose SoundDock: iPod Speaker System Lacks Features But Offers Impressive Sound Quality For Its Size
<http://www.macworld.com/2004/12/reviews/sounddock/index.php>
Dan Frakes, Macworld

At $300, the SoundDock is more expensive than competing systems. However, it's currently the best sounding of the all-in-one speaker systems we've tested, and its uncluttered elegance and ease of use make it an appealing offering for those willing to plunk down the change.

*** Myst IV: Revelation -- Another Round Of Challenging Puzzles And Gorgeous Graphics
<http://www.macworld.com/2004/12/reviews/mystiv/index.php>
Peter Cohen, Macworld

Myst IV: Revelation builds on what has made past Myst games so good.

*** FrameForge 3D Studio: 3-D Application Creates Elegant Video And Film Storyboards
<http://www.macworld.com/2004/12/reviews/frameforge3d/index.php>
Ben Long, Macworld

*** MovieWorks Deluxe 6.0.2: Mutlifaceted Multimedia-Authoring Package Makes You An Interactive Auteur -- Without Blowing Away Your Budget
<http://www.macworld.com/2004/12/reviews/movieworks/index.php>
Galen Fott, Macworld

Despite the lackluster performance of its supporting applications, MovieWorks Deluxe is an excellent tool for creating interactive audiovisual presentations on a limited budget.

*** How-To Record On Your iPod (For Free)
<http://ipod.hackaday.com/entry/1234000147025394/>
Hack A Day

*** 7 FileMaker Power Moves
<http://www.macworld.com/2004/12/secrets/janworkingmac/index.php>
Chris Kubica, Macworld

Here are seven powerful ways to take advantage of FileMaker Pro 7.

[Sidetrack]

*** New Creation
Heng-Cheong Leong

People are already thinking of new ways of using the headless iMac -- as a beautiful home server <http://www.atmasphere.net/wp/archives/2004/12/29/headless-imac-beautiful-home-server>, a product that is "announced" only in the rumormill so far.

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

[Top Stories]

*** Pay-Off From A Social Web?
<http://praxagora.com/andyo/ar/social_network_innovation.html>
Andy Oram, praxagora.com

Even more interesting is the role social networking can play in doing exactly what Web Services would like to do and cannot: connect Internet users with new goods and services.

*** Customer Service: The Hunt For A Human
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/technology/circuits/30serv.html?oref=login&ex=1262062800&#38;en=e60af187c314489a&#38;ei=5088&#38;partner=rssnyt>
Katie Hafner, New York Times

Many consumers have developed any number of tricks for reaching a sentient being.

[News]

*** The Tech Year So Far
<http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/011145.shtml>
Dan Gillmor, San Jose Mercury News

Google, Oracle, Mars, voting.

*** They're Not Worthy
<http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.01/view.html?pg=5>
Lawrence Lessig, Wired News

Why extend the copyright on works that no longer have commercial value?

*** Cities Should Control Their Wi-Fi Fates
<http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1746067,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594>
Carol Ellison, eWeek

Pennsylvania has given Big Broadband too much control over municipal wireless installations. Other states should not repeat the error.

*** Why The Web Is Often Woeful
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4131793.stm>
Bill Thompson, BBC News

Too much of today's wired world is based on old computer science and technical compromises that are no longer necessary.

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

[Life]

*** A Brief History Of Time Balls
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/opinion/30huler.html?ex=1262149200&en=4fcda5081dd2f1b8&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt>
Scott Huler, New York Times

New York City's annual ball drop is probably the greatest single moment of public timekeeping in the world. Yet the Times Square ball is not the world's most important time ball -- nor was it the first.

*** New York Is So Crowded, Everybody's Deserted It
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/nyregion/30york.html?ex=1262062800&en=0e119e4841f17a08&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt>
David W. Chen and Jennifer 8. Lee, New York Times

It should come as no big shock, of course, that New York often takes on a different personality during certain holidays. But this year, it seems, New York has become even more a best-of-times, worst-of-times kind of place, depending on geography and other factors.

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

[News]

*** 7 Singaporeans Confirmed Dead, 18 Still Missing In Tsunami Disaster
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/124885/1/.html>
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singaporeans had to be realistic and realise that out of the many uncontactable, some may not return.

*** Singapore Tries To Placate Casino Critics
<http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/12/29/bloomberg/sxsing.html>
Linus Chua, Bloomberg

It vows to curb gambling by locals amid concern over social impact.

*** Look Up! It's A Speed Camera
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub/singapore/story/0,5562,293081,00.html?>
Goh Chin Lian, Straits Times

Traffic police are using mobile cameras on bridges.

*** To Get Into A Casino, Pay $100 A Day Or $2,000 A Year
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub/topstories/story/0,5562,293069,00.html?>
Glenys Sim and Kelvin Wong, Straits Times

Singaporeans and permanent residents will have to pay $100 a day or $2,000 a year to get into the casino if one is built here. The Trade and Industry Ministry yesterday said that the entrance fees were a signal that gambling was not a way to make a living.