[MyAppleMenu] Apr 5, 2005

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

[News]

*** Man Creates 'Fauxmercial' iPod Tribute
<http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/business/article/0,1375,VCS_128_3672951,00.html>
Tamara Chuang, The Orange County Register

*** iPod Nation
<http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050405/ENTERTAINMENT/104050016>
Jen O'Callaghan, Nashua Telegraph

If a decade is to be defined by its musical gadgets, Apple is poised to make the 2000s the iPod years.

*** Six Apart Adobe Reveal Weblog Alliance
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=11219>
Macworld UK

Weblog application publisher SixApart and Adobe have got together to build support for weblogging into GoLive CS 2.

*** Duke iPod Porgramme Sees 1.6% Success Rate
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=11218>
Karen Haslam, Macworld UK

In its roster of more than 1,000 courses, Duke has only fully integrated the iPod into the coursework of 16 -- that's 1.6 per cent of classes.

*** You Are What You Listen To
<http://sheknows.com/about/look/5580.htm>
SheKnows.com

Co-workers sharing digital music in the workplace via Apple's popular iTunes form impressions of each other based on their musical libraries, according to a new study by human-computer interaction researchers.

*** iPod Shuffle Packs Quality Components
<http://neasia.nikkeibp.com/neasia/000854>
Motoyuki Oishi, Nikkei Electronics Asia

Apple's care is obvious in the appearance of the components, and innovations to improve how the unit feels when you use it. The firm didn't hesitate to use expensive components when required.

*** Despite Claims, Apple Could Honor Warranties
<http://www.sptimes.com/2005/04/04/Technology/Despite_claims__Apple.shtml>
Dave Gussow, St. Petersburg Times

The warranty situation has frustrated some of Apple's loyal customers.

*** Where's The FireWire?
<http://www.itbusiness.ca/index.asp?theaction=61&lid=1&sid=58519>
Grant Buckler, ITBusiness.ca

Apple's decision to bundle iPods with only USB cables has some predicting the end of the competing standard. Experts tell us which one will win. (Hint: maybe both, but maybe neither)

[Opinion]

*** Mac Or PC, No Longer A Problem
<http://washingtontimes.com/technology/20050404-095509-3515r.htm>
Mark Kellner, Washington Times

There is a blurring of lines between computer platforms these days, and it might be good news for computer users of all stripes.

*** Longhorn Not Threatened By Mac 'Halo' Effect
<http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/index.php?p=1234>
David Berlind, ZDNet

Not only won't Microsoft feel the halo effect of Apple's iPod, it may only be a matter of time before Apple is feeling the halo effect of Windows Media.

*** Point, Counterpoint: Mac OS X Is Great For Fortysomething Unix Hackers
<http://daringfireball.net/2005/04/point_counterpoint>
John Gruber, Daring Fireball

Mac OS X is the intersection of almost everything that's good about the old Mac OS and the open source Linux desktops.

*** Macintosh Vs. Windows
<http://www.asuherald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/04/04/425168a5a5148>
Dustin Faber, Arkansas State Univeristy Herald

While the argument may not end anytime soon, examining your personal goals and tastes, not to mention your wallet, may help solve the debate inside your head and at the cash register.

[Review]

*** OpenOSX Office 1.5.1: Microsoft Office ALternative Has Some Hits, Many Misses
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/03/reviews/openosxoffic151/index.php>
Rob Griffiths, Macworld

*** Apeiron X
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/03/reviews/apeironx/index.php>
Peter Cohen, Macworld

Apeiron X is as satisfying today as it was ten years ago. If you enjoy arcade action, you should certainly check it out.

*** QuicKeys X3: Automation Utility Sports Improved Interface, More Programming Tools
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/03/reviews/quickeysx3/index.php>
Frankin Tessler, Macworld

If you can afford the high cost and time investment, QuicKeys is an excellent way to reduce the drudgery fo repetitive tasks.

*** FireWire Hard Drives: Portable, Desktop Storage Devices Compared
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/03/reviews/mayfwharddrives/index.php>
James Galbraith and Jeffy Milstead, Macworld

*** TextWrangler 2.0: Text Editor Gains Features, Now Free Of Charge
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/03/reviews/textwrangler2/index.php>
Andrew T. Laurence, Macworld

TextWrangler 2.0 is a text editor for anyone who has to handle large volume of text -- clerical tasks, code writing, or Web site maintenance. It doesn't share BBEdit's advanced authoring and code management tools, but you can't argue with the price.

*** FireWire 800 RAID Storage
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/03/reviews/fw800raid/index.php>
Anton Linecker, Macworld

*** Hit The Road, Mac
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/04/features/macmobility/index.php>
Christopher Breen, Adam C. ENgst, Dan Frakes, Joe Kissell, Doris Smith and Macworl Readers, Macworld

What to take, what to leave behind, and how to travel smart.

*** Building A Holiday DVD
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08050>
Jeff Carlson, TidBITS

*** Replacing eFax With MaxEmail
<http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08049>
Adam C. Engst, TidBITS

I've been extremely happy with MaxEmail so far because it has just worked.

*** Laptop Listening: Laptop USB Speaker Systems Compared
<http://playlistmag.com/reviews/2005/04/usbspeakers/index.php?lsrc=mwrss-0405>
Dan Frakes, Playlist

In terms of sound quality, the least expensive model, the Sound Bite, surprised me by offering the best overall balance without being the best in any one area.

*** Aquadot!red
<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/gameroom/2005/04/aquadot/index.php?lsrc=mwrss-0405>
Peter Cohen, Macworld

It's perhaps not as light and humorous as a tradtional Pac Mac game, but it's certainly memorable.

*** Instant-Messaging Software: iChat AV Has Nearly Perfected The Art Of Chat
<http://www.macworld.com/2005/04/reviews/imsoftware/index.php?lsrc=mwrss-0405>
Mathew Honan, Macworld

[Sidetrack]

*** The Synergy Will Annoy You
Heng-Cheong Leong

A local mobile phone carrier is partnering up with a local cinema operator here in Singapore to sell advertisement <http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/050405/15/3rp29.html>... What the hell are they thinking?

The last thing I wanted to be reminded of when going to the movies is that my enjoyment of the movie has been killed by the great service of the mobile phone carrier.

*** I WIll Blog For An iPod Shuffle -- Or Two
Heng-Cheong Leong

Dominic Basulto <http://www.corante.com/newyork/archives/2005/04/04/the_cia_discovers_the_ipod_shuffle.php>: People will do just about anything for an iPod...

[Wintel]

*** Microsoft Concdes On Most EU Demands
<http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/11308154.htm>
Associated Press

*** Attack Of The Anti-iPods
<http://www.time.com/time/insidebiz/article/0,9171,1044714-1,00.html>
Time Morrison, Time

With flash and fancy features, new digital-music players are trying to pare Apple.

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

[News]

*** Swenden Becomes A Piracy Battlefield
<http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-ft-sweden4apr04,1,6315670.story?coll=la-headlines-technology&ctrack=1&cset=true>
Nicholas George, Financial Times

A crackdown is underway in a country where file swapping is accepted as the norm.

*** Increasingly, The Bells See Their Future On A Screen
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/04/business/04iptv.html?oref=login>
Matt Richtel and Ken Belson, New York Times

In the coming months, the Bell telephone companies, including SBC and Verizon, will start selling television programming in their most recent effort to crack a market in which they have had almost no presence.

*** Google Queues Up Video
<http://news.com.com/Google+queues+up+video/2100-1025_3-5653879.html?part=rss&tag=5653879&subj=news>
Jim Hu, CNET News.com

Google will begin archiving personal video clips as part of its ever-expanding search service, company co-founder Larry Page said Monday.

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

[World]

*** Schiavo Case Tests America
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4400865.stm>
Justin Webb, BBC News

It is common to mock at American attempts to export Jeffersonian democracy, but after these two weeks the mocking should stop.

[Tech & Science]

*** It Orbits A Star, But Does It Qualify For Planethood?
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/science/space/05plan.html?8hpib>
Dennis Overbye, New York Times

At issue is a reddish object that appears to be orbiting GQ Lup, a very young star about 450 light-years from here in constellation Lupus.

[Life]

*** Keeping Up With Pontiff Wasn't An Easy Assignment
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/03/MNG74C2GK21.DTL>
Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle

Pope John Paul's traveling press entourage was the most international (and for many years the largest) in the world. That meant that the questions were asked in five or six languages, and often answered that way by the multilingual pope. That could be a problem for English-only reporters on a tight deadline. You never knew if the answer given in Spanish, French, German or Polish was going to be the real news, or one of the English answers you were able to understand.

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

[News]

*** War Memorial Acquires CHangi Cell Door
<http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1338651.htm>
ABC News

A 250 kilogram door from Changi Gaol has been given to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

*** Five Foreign Banks Launch New Shared ATM Network
<http://www.asia1.com.sg/st/st_20050405_309620.html>
Lorna Tan, Straits Times

A newly formed shared ATM network combining the reach of five foreign banks was launched yesterday, giving customers immediate access to 118 cash machines islandwide.

*** 42 SGH Patients Have ANtibiotic-Resistant Bug VRE
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/140901/1/.html>
Debra Soon, Channel NewsAsia

*** Is Singaproe A Truly Intenational City?
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/43608.asp>
Tor Ching Li, Today

Food, love, tropical plants and less planning may hold key.

[Opinion]

*** Gap A Threat To Disabled
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/43612.asp>
Benjamin Chia, Today

The gap and the height difference between the train entrance and the platform may not seem like much of a problem for able-bodied commuters but, for wheelchair users, it is an accident waiting to happen.

*** Why Charge So Much For Six-Month-Old?
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/43614.asp>
Michael Williams, Today

I want to ask how Singapore Airlines can justify charging $713 for a return ticket to Christchurch for a six-month-old child.

*** Assistance Comes Too Late For Bank Robber
<http://sg-comment.blogspot.com/2005/04/assistance-comes-too-late-for-bank.html>
Singapore Commentator

MyAppleMenu Shuffle
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/podcast/>
Life is random. More tunes, less talk.

[Tunes]

*** The Problem With April
<http://www.ofmontreal.net/audiolounge.html>
Of Montreal, Horse And Elephant Eatery: No Elephants Allowed
<http://www.ofmontreal.net/mp3s/problemapril.mp3>

*** Hello From Inside A Shell
<http://www.ofmontreal.net/audiolounge.html?>
Of Montreal, Coquelicot Asleep In The Poppies: A Variety Of Whimsical Verse
<http://www.ofmontreal.net/mp3s/helloshell.mp3>