[MyAppleMenu] Jun 17, 2010

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple: 600,000 iPhone 4 Pre-orders In One Day <http://www.macworld.com/article/152079/2010/06/iphone_4_preorders.html?lsrc=rss_main>
David Chartier, Macworld

**** Apple, AT&T Apologize For Massive iPhone 4 Preorder Meltdown <http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/06/apple-att-apologize-for-massive-iphone-4-preorder-meltdown.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica

Both AT&T and Apple have sent out statements Wednesday acknowledging yesterday's iPhone 4 preorder meltdown. According to AT&T spokesperson Seth Bloom, preorder sales for the iPhone 4 were 10 times higher than the first day of preorders for the iPhone 3GS last summer. Apple has also publicly acknowledged that things did not go smoothly, apologizing to would-be customers who weren't able to get an order in before the iPhone 4 sold out.

**** Keep Kids Safe Online <http://www.macworld.com/article/151943/2010/06/parentalcontrols.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

It’s the unwise parent who grants their young child unguarded access to the Internet. Thankfully, Mac OS X provides some protection with its built-in Parental Controls. If you’re concerned about what your child might see online—or are simply interested in limiting the time your Mac-obsessed spawn spends in front of the computer—join us on this tour of Snow Leopard’s Parental Controls.

**** Is The Mac Mini The New Apple TV? <http://www.macworld.com/article/152081/2010/06/mac_mini_apple_tv.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

When Apple released a Mac mini that bears an HDMI port on Tuesday, it took mere minutes before people suggested that this new mini was the next-generation Apple TV in disguise. And for some, it may be. We’ll take a deeper look as we have more time to test out the new Mac mini, but here’s a look at some of areas that separate the two.

**** Flagship Apple Shanghai Megastore Now Under Red Curtains <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/16/flagship_apple_shanghai_megastore_now_under_red_curtains.html>
AppleInsider

Apple's cylindrical glass tower entrance to the new underground retail megastore in Shanghai China, set to open mid July, is now decked in red curtains, signaling close proximity to launch. 

**** Apple Selling Unlocked iPhone In Canada, Europe <http://www.macworld.com/article/152087/2010/06/unlocked_iphone_canada_europe.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Marco Tabini, Macworld

According to an FAQ published on Apple’s Canadian and British Websites, customers in those countries—as well as in France and Germany—will be able to buy an iPhone 4 handset for full price but without any commitment or carrier lock. This means that they will be free to choose any GSM carrier that uses frequencies compatible with the company’s phones without having to be subject to a long-term contract—and with the ability to swap carriers at any time without having to replace their devices.

**** Apple Releases iTunes 9.2 <http://www.macworld.com/article/152090/2010/06/itunes.html?lsrc=rss_main>
David Chartier, Macworld

iTunes 9.2 adds a handful of features, chiefly compatibility with iOS 4 and iPhone 4, both of which are slated for release next week. In addition, the update introduces book syncing and reading with an iPhone or iPod touch running iBooks 1.1, and support for organizing and syncing PDF documents as books.

**** Adobe Knocks Apple For Serving Up Outdated Flash Player <http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9178140/Adobe_knocks_Apple_for_serving_up_outdated_Flash_Player?source=rss_operatingsystems>
Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

"10.6.4 update for Mac OS X includes Flash Player, but not the latest version," said Brad Arkin, Adobe's director of security and privacy, in a message on Twitter Tuesday shortly after Apple issued the security and performance update.

Apple can, in response, issue a new patch that removes all Flash player once and for all. :-)

**** Review: Five iPhone Twitter Apps <http://www.macworld.com/appguide/article.html?article=152080&lsrc=rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld

And as nice an app as TwitBird is in all its incarnations, I don’t find that it offers anything better than the free Twitter app. HootSuite, however, succeeds by coupling its very elegant app with its data-driven approach, since that’s a unique service Twitter’s own client doesn’t provide.

**** Phone Smart: 2 Apps Let iPad Users Perform Actual Work <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/technology/personaltech/17smart.html?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Bob Tedeschi, New York Times

Neither app is enough to make me scrap my laptop — Documents To Go needs to work out some bugs, and Quickoffice is the slicker and more reliable of the two — but now that I can get some work done on the iPad, I plan to pick up an external keyboard.

**** Children's Book Apps Get Curiouser And Curiouser <http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100616/childrens-book-apps-get-curiouser/?mod=ATD_rss>
Nick Wingfield, Wall Street Journal

After sampling several early examples of these books apps, I’ve seen some tantalizing hints of the creative possibilities for authors and publishers who recast themselves as app makers.

**** ATandT Investigating User Account Complaints By iPhone 4 Customers <http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/ATandT-Investigating-User-Account-Complaints-by-iPhone-4-Customers-375228/>
Brian Prince, eWeek

AT&T said it is investigating reports that customers were able to view other people’s information when placing advance orders for Apple iPhone 4.

**** Should Apple Allow English Porn iPad App? <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20007909-71.html>
Chris Matyszczyk, CNET News

If the Playboy app has already been approved--one that has surely far racier content--how can the Sun be denied? Moreover, perhaps the Apple approval committee also understands the peculiar cultural context inhabited by the Sun in the less than sunny isles.

**** Georgetown Apple Store Finally Ready To Open <http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-opinions/2010/06/apple_store_finally_opens_in_g.html>
Topher Mathews, Washington Post

This Friday night, Apple will finally open its store at 1229 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Georgetown. It's the culmination of a saga stretching back two and a half years to when the technology giant bought the building that housed the French Connection clothing store.

Demolition of the building began in November, meaning that it took Apple approximately eight months to physically build the store. That's less than half the 19 months it took for Apple to get design approval for the new building.

**** iPad Shines Due To Deft Touch <http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/iPad+shines+deft+touch/3163713/story.html>
Vito Pilieci, The Ottawa Citizen

So, why does the iPad work? It's because someone at Apple, and that someone is likely Jobs, said on Day One of the iPhone's development that the software powering the device needed to be made with fingers in mind.

**** Apple's Bozo Attacks On Its Developer Lifeblood <http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/apples-bozo-attacks-its-developer-lifeblood-448>
Bill Synder, InfoWorld

I supported Apple CEO Steve Jobs when he trashed Flash and banned it from the iPhone's and iPad's iOS. I agreed with him when he was tough on the Website that purchased (probably illegally) a lost iPhone 4 prototype. But Apple has crossed the line at least twice this month, prohibiting app developers from using AdMob and Google's advertising services on the iPhone and censoring sexual content in iPhone and iPad apps.

Taken together, Apple's bozo moves threaten to deprive developers -- the lifeblood of any platform -- of needed income, and they place Jobs & Co. in the role of a digital ayatollahs, dictating what types of content users will access on their own hardware. Neither action is good for Apple's business, and they smack of monopolistic bullying.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Words <http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2010/jun/17/words/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nybooks+%28The+New+York+Review+of+Books%29>
Tony Judt, The New York Review of Books

I was raised on words. They tumbled off the kitchen table onto the floor where I sat: grandfather, uncles, and refugees flung Russian, Polish, Yiddish, French, and what passed for English at one another in a competitive cascade of assertion and interrogation. Sententious flotsam from the Edwardian-era Socialist Party of Great Britain hung around our kitchen promoting the True Cause. I spent long, happy hours listening to Central European autodidacts arguing deep into the night: Marxismus, Zionismus, Socialismus. Talking, it seemed to me, was the point of adult existence. I have never lost that sense.



SingaporeSurf
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**** When Parts Of Singapore Were Under 2 Metres Of Water <http://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/when-parts-of-singapore-were-under-2-metres-of-water/>
The Long and Winding Road

The flooding that occurred yesterday morning brings to mind some massive floods that hit Singapore previously which had resulted in much devastation and damage. Looking back in time, yesterday’s flooding pales in comparison to the monster flood that affected much of the island some 40 years ago on 10 December 1969.

**** WP's Low Pursuing Political Objectives: Grace Fu <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100617-0000113/WPs-Low-pursuing-political-objectives--Grace-Fu>
Leong Wee Keat, Today

The relationship between upgrading and maintenance - as Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang had painted - "is not a direct one", senior minister of state for national development Grace Fu said yesterday.

"If you have lift upgrading, originally you have two lifts, now you have six or eight lifts, surely after that you need to have cleaners to clean the lifts," she explained. "In some areas, there may be savings, but in others, there may be an increase in workload of town councils."

**** Good Counterpunches By Workers’ Party Chief <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/good-counterpunches-by-workers-party-chief/>
Yawning Bread

It’s THE emblematic divide between the PAP and the opposition. One appealing to selfish instincts and gain, the other appealing to larger themes of justice and transparency. One using both craftiness and the advantage of incumbency in making its case, the other the disadvantaged with little going for it but its wits.

Do not underestimate the appeal of fairness.

**** Aware Membership Falls <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_541492.html>
Cassandra Chew, Straits Times

Membership at women's advocacy group Aware has plummeted to about 550, from a peak of 3,000 last year when its numbers surged amid a controversial takeover. But executive director Corinna Lim, 45, is not perturbed, as the number is twice the old membership figure.

**** Singapore Faces More Rain After Orchard Shopping District Flood <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-16/singapore-faces-more-rain-after-orchard-shopping-district-flood.html>
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg

Singapore faces more rain in coming days after downpours yesterday caused the worst flooding of the Orchard Road shopping district in 26 years. About 70 people were rescued from buses and cars in the worst flooding of the shopping strip since 1984, while no injuries were reported.

**** No Repeat At Bt Timah <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_541570.html>
Hoe Pei Shan, Straits Times

Efficient flood gate management and a new water level sensor helped ensure that Bukit Timah was yesterday spared a repeat of last November's severe flooding.

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) attributed the lighter effects of yesterday's rain to the opening of a canal flood gate, which helped mitigate flooding in the area.

**** æ˜¯å¦æ³¨é”€è¢«æ‹–æ¬ æ‚è´¹ 市镇会可按自身情况决定 <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp100617_014.shtml>
周殊钦, 联合早报

后港区议员及这一区市镇会主席刘程强前天在声明中提到国家发展部曾在2008å¹´å‘å‡ºå…³äºŽå¸‚é•‡ä¼šæ³¨é”€ä½æˆ·æ‰€æ‹–æ¬ æ‚è´¹çš„å‡†åˆ™è¿™ä¸€ç‚¹ï¼Œå›½å®¶å‘å±•éƒ¨å‘è¨€äººæ˜¨å¤©å—è¯¢æ—¶è¡¨ç¤ºç¡®æœ‰æ­¤äº‹ï¼Œå¹¶æŒ‡å‡ºå½“æ—¶å‘å‡ºè¿™é¡¹å‡†åˆ™çš„ç›®çš„æ˜¯å¸Œæœ›å€Ÿæ­¤è®©å…¨ä½“å¸‚é•‡ä¼šé’ˆå¯¹æ‹¨å‡ºå‡†å¤‡é‡‘å’Œæ³¨é”€æ¬ æ¬¾é‡‡å–åˆ’ä¸€æ ‡å‡†ï¼Œè€Œå„å¸‚é•‡ä¼šçš„å®¡è®¡å¸ˆä¹Ÿéƒ½ç†Ÿæ‚‰è¿™é¡¹å‡†åˆ™ã€‚

**** 本地豪雨事件簿 <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp100617_008.shtml>
联合早报

乌节路上一回发生大淹水，已经是1984å¹´5月22æ—¥çš„äº‹ã€‚å½“å¤©ä¸¤ä¸ªå°æ—¶çš„è±ªé›¨ï¼Œé€ æˆä¹ŒèŠ‚è·¯ã€è·å…°è·¯åŠæƒ ç‰¹é‡Œè·¯ç­‰14个地区淹水，水深及腰。植物园一带的降雨量纪录达125毫米。

**** æ»¨æµ·å ¤åæŽ’æ°´åŠŸèƒ½æ­£å¸¸ã€€å²ä¸¹ç¦æ°´é“æ²¡æ³›æ»¥ ç§¯æ°´åŽŸå› éœ€ä»”ç»†è°ƒæŸ¥æ‰æœ‰ç»“è®º <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp100617_006.shtml>
赵琬仪, 联合早报

æ ¹æ®åˆæ­¥è°ƒæŸ¥ï¼Œæ˜¨å¤©æ»¨æµ·å ¤åæœªå‘æŒ¥æœ€å¤§çš„æŽ’æ°´åŠŸèƒ½ï¼Œ9个闸门，只开动了6ä¸ªã€‚è¿™æ˜¯å› ä¸ºæ»¨æµ·è“„æ°´æ± çš„æ°´ä½æœªè¶…æ ‡ï¼Œå› æ­¤æ»¨æµ·å ¤åæ— é¡»å¯åŠ¨æ‰€æœ‰é—¸é—¨åŠ é€ŸæŽ’æ°´ã€‚

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**** 'Only A Few Are Written Off' <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_541563.html>
Jeremy Au Yong, Teo Wan Gek & Andrea Ong, Straits Times

A sneaking suspicion by Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang that PAP town councils were writing off arrears in service and conservancy charges (S&CC) was dispelled yesterday by the managers and MPs of those councils.

Seven of them told The Straits Times they write off only a tiny amount of unpaid S&CC, typically around 0.1 per cent.

**** Protecting Pedestrians From The Rain In Singapore <http://dormgrandpop.blogspot.com/2010/06/protecting-pedestrians-from-rain-in.html>
Dormgrandpop

**** Downgrade By The US On Human Trafficking? <http://dotseng.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/downgrade-by-the-us-on-human-trafficking/>
Dotseng

What puzzles me no end is how positive ratings are usually milked right up to the hilt by both the government and the state controlled media to showcase how life is beautiful. But when it’s a negative rating, the response goes the other way.

**** Temasek's Commodities Binge Continues <http://www.corporateobserver.com.sg/news.php?reg_id=452>
The Corporate Observer

**** Shops Begin Massive Clean-Up after Orchard Road flood <http://kentridgecommon.com/?p=6988>
Christopher Ong, Kent Ridge Common

The worst hit stores include the Starbucks outlet and Massimo Dutti boutique at Liat Towers. Lucky Plaza was also not spared. Among the worst hit stores include the front-row shops that line the heavy-traffic pavement stretching from Orchard Paragon to C.K. Tangs — Giodarno, Bossini and the adult store House of Condoms. Electronic and tourist souvenior shops that populate the lower basements were equally affected.

**** Morning After Wild, Wet Day <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_541648.html>
Hoe Pei Shan, Straits Times

Starbucks was one of the worst-hit retailers in the area, which bore the brunt of the of the floods, turning the intersection outside Liat Towers into tea-coloured canals within three hours of Wednesday's morning downpour.

**** RI May Lower Gas Export To Singapore <http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/17/ri-may-lower-gas-export-singapore.html>
Alfian, The Jakarta Post

Indonesia may cut down its gas export to Singapore in a bid to cope with the shortage of gas supply in the domestic market, energy and mineral resources minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

**** Singapore Exports Rise On Electronics, Aiding Rebound <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-17/singapore-exports-rise-on-electronics-aiding-rebound-update1-.html>
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg

Singapore’s exports rose for a seventh month in May as a surge in electronics shipments offset declining overseas sales of pharmaceuticals.

**** Bright future For JB-S'pore Bridge And Rail Links, Says Minister <http://www.mmail.com.my/content/40221-bright-future-jbspore-bridge-and-rail-links-says-minister>
Shahrim Tamrin, The Malay Mail

Johor Baru member of Parliament Datuk Seri Shahrir Samad believes a high-speed rail link and a full bridge between Johor Baru and Singapore may see the light of day in the near future.

**** Johor To Gain Most Of Investment Flow With Improved Malaysia-Singapore Ties <http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/17/business/6485311&sec=business>
Zazali Musa, The Star

Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) senior director (investment) Phang Ah Tong said Johor would always be the preferred destination for Singaporean investors due to its close proximity with the republic.

**** Choked Drains Caused Massive Flooding In Orchard Rd: PUB <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1063889/1/.html>
Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia

A choked drain caused the massive flooding in Orchard Road on Wednesday. This was revealed by Singapore's national water agency, PUB, a day after floods wreaked havoc in the downtown area.

Investigations found that the downpour led to a heavy build-up of debris trapped in an underground drain known as a "culvert".

**** Opposition MP Urges MND To Reveal Town Council Benefits From Upgrading Programmes <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1063920/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Opposition MP for Hougang, Low Thia Khiang, has called on the Ministry of National Development to let the public know how much each town council has benefited from various upgrading programmes from the time they were started.

**** Insurance Claims From Orchard Road Flood Estimated To Be At Least S$6m <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1063967/1/.html>
Julie Quek, Janice Teo, Channel NewsAsia