[MyAppleMenu] Jun 24, 2010

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Thu Jun 24 18:59:00 EDT 2010


MyAppleMenu
====================================

**** Checking In On The iPhone 4's Video Quality <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/06/23/checking-in-on-the-iphone-4s-video-quality/>
Mike Schramm, TUAW

**** Apple Approves Erectile Dysfunction App <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20008634-71.html?part=rss&amp;subj=news&amp;tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Chris Matyszczyk, CNET News

The effect, it says, is close to that of Viagra. And all you have to swallow is the developer's rationale. The app allegedly "makes a kind of high-frequency alpha wave to synchronize with your own brain wave."

**** Developers Bet On Apple Now, Google Later <http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/open_source/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=225701253&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News>
Thomas Claburn, InformationWeek

Software developers believe Google's Android platform has a better long-term outlook, better technological capabilities, and greater openness than Apple's iOS platform. These are some of the findings of a survey of 2,733 developers conduct between June 15 and 17 by Appcelerator, maker of the Appcelerator Titanium Developer Platform.

**** Apple iPhone4: An Object Of Rare Beauty That Leapfrogs The Competition <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jun/23/iphone4-first-review-stephen-fry>
Stephen Fry, The Guardian

Apple has once more leapfrogged the competition. HTC Android handsets still impress and offer a viable alternative for many, but iPhone 4's star quality is irresistible.

**** Apple Knew iPhone 3G Owners Would Run Into iOS 4 Upgrade Problems, Customer Claims <http://news.softpedia.com/news/Apple-Knew-iPhone-3G-Owners-Would-Run-Into-iOS-4-Upgrade-Problems-Customer-Claims-145332.shtml>
Softpedia

One of the many iPhone owners trying to upgrade to iOS 4 with no luck has an interesting story over at Apple’s Discussions forums, in which he alleges that Apple had anticipated upgrade problems with iPhone 3G handsets, and that the company’s top priority is offering iPhone 4 customers the best experience possible.

**** Japanese Fans Queue Up For Apple's New iPhone <http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100623/tc_afp/usitjapancompanytelecominternetiphone>
AFP

Braving summer rains and tweeting about their excitement, dozens of Apple fans queued outside a Tokyo cellphone store Wednesday, the eve of the global launch of the latest iPhone.

**** iPhone Review: The Footnotes <http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/iphone-review-the-footnotes/>
David Pogue, New York Times

**** Hackers Release 'Jailbreak' Of IOS 4 For Apple's iPhone 3GS <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/23/hackers_release_jailbreak_of_ios_4_for_apples_iphone_3gs.html>
AppleInsider

Users can now run unauthorized code on their iOS 4-equipped iPhone 3GS, as well as iPhone 3G and iPod touch, thanks to the latest software "jailbreak" released by hackers.

**** Hands On With iBooks <http://www.macworld.com/article/152208/2010/06/ibooks_iphone.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld

With the launch of iBooks for iPhone, Apple has taken time to improve upon the app’s text presentation from its original iPad incarnation. The Georgia font has been added, and it looks very good on the iPhone’s screen. Additionally, you can now disable right-justified text, which is an even more welcome change (though annoyingly, accessible only within the Settings app). Justified text on a screen the iPhone’s size requires often-ridiculous word spacing when hyphenation isn’t available, and indeed iBooks doesn’t hyphenate.

**** Share An iPad But Not Your Gmail With Mailboxes <http://www.macworld.com/article/152238/2010/06/mailboxes_ipad.html?lsrc=rss_main>
David Dahlquist, Macworld

Lilliput Labs has released Mailboxes for the iPad, a multi-user Gmail client that provides an easy and secure way to access your Gmail or Google Apps email on a shared iPad.

**** Apple Says White iPhone 4 Won't Arrive Until Late July <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/23/apple_says_white_iphone_4_wont_arrive_until_late_july.html>
AppleInsider

"White models of Apple's new iPhone 4 have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected, and as a result they will not be available until the second half of July," Apple said in a statement. "The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected."

**** What Is Fast App Switching? <http://db.tidbits.com/article/11378?rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tidbits_main+%28TidBITS%3A+Mac+News+for+the+Rest+of+Us%29>
Matt Neuburg, TidBITS

The app is both backgrounded and inert; but it is still running, in the sense that its resources and interface are still present, so that it doesn't have to be relaunched from scratch in order to resume. That way, when you come back to that app, no matter how, the app can simply pick up doing what it was doing when you left off, instantly.

**** iPhone 4 Rollout A Mess -- But Will Anyone Care? <http://www.macworld.com/article/152241/2010/06/iphone_rollout_mess.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Jonathan Seff, Macworld

So yes, it’s been somewhat of a mess (and we’re not even at launch day yet). But the question here is, how much difference will it make?

**** Review: Mac Mini (Mid 2010) <http://www.macworld.com/reviews/product/552852/review/mac_mini_mid_2010.html?expand=true&lsrc=rss_main>
Dan Frakes, Macworld

The Mac mini remains an impressive feat of hardware engineering and design, fitting decent computing power and a solid set of features in a tiny package. And apart from the slow stock hard drive, there’s not much to complain about with the latest model—this is as full-featured a computer I’ve seen in a package this small, and the new enclosure looks great and is built like a tank.

**** iPhone 4 Early Shipments Include Some Defective Retina Displays <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-early-shipments-include-some-defective-retina-displays/>
Keith M, TUAW

Several folks who've received an iPhone 4 early are tipping us and reporting to Apple that the fancy, new Retina displays on their new iPhones are defective and showing odd, colored splotches near the bottom edges of the screen.

**** Apples Files Second Lawsuit Against HTC <http://www.macworld.com/article/152244/2010/06/second_htc_suit.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Dan Moren, Macworld

As with the previous litigation, the complaint was filed in a Delware district court. Both of the new patents—6,282,646 and 7,380,116—have the same description, referring to a “System for real-time adaptation to changes in display configuration.” Both seem to deal with what happens when you plug in an additional video input or output into a device.

**** Glass Back Of iPhone 4 Review Unit Collects 'Incredibly Minor' Scratches <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/23/glass_back_of_iphone_4_review_unit_collects_incredibly_minor_scratches.html>
AppleInsider

A review unit sent out by Apple has managed to collect "incredibly minor" scratches on its back made of hardened glass after just a few days of heavy use.

**** Braving The Crowd: Getting An iPhone 4 Without A Reservation <http://www.macworld.com/article/152245/2010/06/iphone4_buying_launchday.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Serenity Caldwell, Macworld

If the pre-order process is any indication, this is going to be moderately more difficult than showing up on launch day for past Apple products. How difficult, you may ask? Well, before you rush out the door with a tent, chair, and your choice of soon-to-be-obsolete electronic gadget to pass the time in line, here are a few tips, tricks, suggestions, and warnings regarding your impending journey.

**** iPhone 4 Cell Reception Suffers When Picked Up? <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-cell-reception-suffers-when-picked-up/>
Victor Agreda, Jr., TUAW

Reception drops once your hands cover the metal bits of the iPhone 4. Metal bits which happen to be the antennas.

**** iPhone 4: How Does It Perform For Video Recording? <http://www.boingboing.net/2010/06/23/iphone-4-how-does-it.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boingboing%2FiBag+%28Boing+Boing%29>
Xeni Jardin, Boing Boing

**** Apple, Give Us A "Freedom Of Choice" Button <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/06/eff-nothing-new-about-iphones-closed-platform?>
Shari Steele, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Apple claims it needs to build a walled garden to protect users. From where we’re sitting, however, the walled garden looks very much like an effort to control the user and re-set traditional expectations about what you can do with the products you buy.

**** On Eve Of iPhone 4, Apple Resentment On Display <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20008664-501465.html?>
Charles Cooper, CBS News

Based on the overwhelming pre-orders, Apple likely has another a mega-hit on its hands. All of which is likely to further stir the envy and concerns of rivals watching this former upstart morph into the new Goliath.

**** iMovie For iPhone 4 Is Now Available <http://www.tuaw.com/2010/06/24/imovie-for-iphone-4-is-now-available/>
Michael Jones, TUAW

**** Review: iBooks For iPhone And iPad <http://www.macworld.com/appguide/app.html?id=460630&lsrc=rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld

Like the Kindle app, iBooks is an excellent e-reader that feels impressively like the future—while simultaneously feeling a heck of a lot like an actual book. Right now, Amazon’s dominating selection renders it the top dog in the iOS e-reading world. But if the book you’re after is available for iBooks at a good price, the app provides an immersive and thoroughly pleasant reading experience, particularly on the iPad.

**** Crowds Queue Up Across U.S. For iPhone 4 <http://www.macworld.com/article/152276/2010/06/iphone4_uslaunch.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Serenity Caldwell, Macworld

After a global launch that saw the iPhone 4 land in Japan, Germany, France, and the U.K., U.S. customers had their chance to get their hands on Apple’s newest smartphone Thursday morning. And, despite early shipment to some customers and limited iPhone supplies, the crowds still turned up at Apple Stores across the country for the iPhone 4’s official release.

**** Mac Gems: The Best Gems Of 2010...so Far <http://www.macworld.com/article/152258/2010/06/bestgemsfirsthalf2010.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Macworld

**** iOS 4's Hidden Features <http://www.macworld.com/article/152234/2010/06/ios4_hidden_features.html?lsrc=rss_main>
David Chartier, Macworld

Now it’s time to explore more of the finer details of iOS 4—the new features and polish that may not make it to Apple’s product pages, but may still make someone’s day.

**** Apple Debuts iPhone 4 To Sprawling Lines, Lengthy Waits <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/24/apple_debuts_iphone_4_to_sprawling_lines_lengthy_waits.html>
AppleInsider

Across the globe, Apple launched the iPhone 4 in five countries Thursday, generating long lines and unparalleled buzz, as only an Apple product launch can do.

**** iPhone 4 Released Today! <http://appadvice.com/appnn/2010/06/iphone-4-released-today/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AppAdvice+%28AppAdvice%29>
Joe White, App Advice

Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone 4 hits stores today! Queues have been forming all around the world, with 600 people having queued outside London’s Regent Street Apple Store by 07:00am!

**** Developers Weigh In On iOS 4 <http://www.macworld.com/article/152267/2010/06/ios4_developers.html?lsrc=rss_main>
David Chartier, Macworld

Apple’s iOS 4, released this past week, may boast 100 new features for end-users. But it’s the features most users don’t see that could end up having the more lasting effect on how they use their mobile devices.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Software Might Know If You're Depressed <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20008486-1.html?part=rss&amp;subj=news&amp;tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Leslie Katz, CNET News

A software program under development in Israel can supposedly detect depression in online communication, and not just through obvious indicators like "I'm sitting here alone in the dark mulling how much my sorry life sucks."



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Epistles At Dawn: The Dying Art Of Letter Writing <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/jun/23/epistles-letters-writing-saul-bellow?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Peter Geoghegan, The Guardian

Way back in 1898, the New York Times dubbed the long-dead Lord Byron the greatest letter writer in the English language, celebrating his letters' "natural eloquence, their audacious humor, the force and spirit of their substance, the grace and purity of their style". Saul Bellow's forthcoming epistles might not be remembered quite so fondly 70 years from now, but chances are that, by then, the entire genre of collected writers' letters will have disappeared completely – leaving readers (and literary estates) markedly poorer for their loss.

**** In ‘Blockade Billy,’ King Drifts Back Into Baseball <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/sports/baseball/21king.html?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Richard Sandomir, New York Times

In the season of Stephen Strasburg comes another phenom, a fictional one created by Stephen King. William Blakely is weird and not all that smart. He’s out of sync with his New Jersey Titans teammates and, being a King character, he possesses a horrible secret.

**** Bubbles, Bread And Beer <http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/bubbles-bread-and-beer/?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Olivia Judson, New York Times

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as baker’s yeast, is one of the most useful beings known to humans. We rely on it for making bread and beer; but it is also a denizen of the laboratory, one of the most studied organisms on the planet. Which is why I’m nominating it for Life-form of the Month: June.

**** From ‘Less Than Zero’ To More Anomie <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/books/24book.html?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Bret Easton Ellis’s “Imperial Bedrooms” can be described euphemistically as an extension of, sequel to, meditation on or deliberately cobwebby meta-reworking of “Less Than Zero,” the debut novel that put its disaffected young author on the map 25 years ago. It can also be seen as an act of desperation, and it may be all of the above. Whatever its genesis, what this vacant new book does best is demonstrate that there are more ways to be bored and boring in Los Angeles in 2010 than there were in 1985.



SingaporeSurf
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**** 新加坡式“吸星大法” <http://money.163.com/10/0624/01/69THIFC000253B0H.html>
时代周报

了解新加坡对中国移民有极强吸引力的原因,或能揭开中国移民潮的一个侧面。

**** Meal Ticket To Ride In Singapore <http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1998972,00.html>
Neel Chowdhury, Time

Singapore does a creditable job in presenting a lively food culture to tourists, however the reality is that the advent of branded fast food, and the proliferation of more lucrative careers for the descendants of food-stall owners, is pushing that culture to slow extinction.

**** 李光耀撰文述當年‧“東姑先提出馬新分家” <http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/165620?tid=2>
星洲日報

新加坡內閣資政李光耀說,當年是大馬首相東姑阿都拉曼先提出分家的建議。

**** S'pore Looks To Emerging Tech For ICT Boost - Business - News <http://www.zdnetasia.com/s-pore-looks-to-emerging-tech-for-ict-boost-62200978.htm>
Kevin Kwang, ZDNet Asia

The Singapore government's upcoming IT investment will likely revolve around seven key themes, among which emerging technologies such as cloud computing and Web 2.0 initiatives will take precedence, according to a new IDC report.

**** Score Update - FT 1, Singaporeans 0 <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2010/06/score-update-ft-1-singaporeans-0.html>
Singapore Notes

**** No Impact On Imports Expected From Lower Toll Charges At Second Link <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1065213/1/.html>
Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia

Importers in Singapore do not expect the lower toll charges at the Second Link to lead to cheaper goods from Malaysia. That's because toll charges make up a small portion of transport costs.

**** MM Lee Kuan Yew The "Forecaster" <http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/2010/06/mm-lee-kuan-yew-forecaster.html>
Singapore Recalcitrant

He is paid more than $3 million a year from taxpayers' money to do what he himself has described as "forecasting". His position is a sinecure and he has so much time on his hand that he jets around the world, not infrequently, on taxpayers' funds to overwhelm his gullible audiences with his irresitable charms, making booboos in the process.

**** Isn't It Time To Release The Electoral Boundaries? <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/3846-isnt-it-time-to-release-the-electoral-boundaries->
Singapore Democrat Party

There is no reason for the PAP to withold information about the redrawn boundaries except to cripple the opposition's planning and campaigning. This is just one of the many dubious practices that the PAP has instituted to ensure "victory".

**** Sand Pirates: Millions Floated Out Of The Country Via Sungai Johor <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/24/starprobe/6537751&sec=starprobe>
Elan Perumal and Stuart Michael, The Star

Sand worth millions of ringgit is being illegally “floated” out of the country daily via Sungai Johor here. And this has been going on for the past three years. A Starprobe team investigating this lucrative trade found that the sand ends up in Singapore, despite a ban on sand export imposed by the Malaysian government.

**** 新马关系日趋稳定 有学者仍持谨慎态度 <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp100624_025.shtml>
联合早报

东南亚研究院资深研究员黄基明博士在肯定新马两国关系回暖,降低两地通关费能带来诸多好处的同时,指出马国政治充满暗流,经常会出现变数。黄基明说,两国最高领导人最近的互动,清楚显示两国关系正在回暖,但因马国政治漂浮不定,有些事很难预料。

**** Straits Times Finally Admits: New Citizens Overwhelmingly Support PAP <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=4145>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

All the Straits Times article does is to assure us that the government will not do anything major to drastically reduce the import of new citizens in the name of increasing productivity.

You can be rest assured that the status quo will continue, no matter how the government seems to be changing its tune every now and then.

**** Former RP Chairman Sets Up New Political Party <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/06/former-rp-chairman-sets-up-new-political-party/>
The Online Citizen

Mr Ng Teck Siong, former chairman of the Reform Party, has confirmed with The Online Citizen that he is in the midst of setting up a new political party.

**** We Need A Safer Way To Transport Foreign Workers? Wait For Another 2 Years! <http://politicssg.blogspot.com/2010/06/we-need-safer-way-to-transport-foreign.html>
Sex Sells, So Does Politics

**** Singaporeans Left Holding The Bill (And Vomit Bag) After The Stuy Town Party <http://singaporeuncletrader.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/singaporeans-left-holding-the-bill-and-vomit-bag-after-the-stuy-town-party/>
Temasek Hedge

**** MCYS' Video On Filial Piety: A Euphemism For Soft Authoritarianism And Total Subordination <http://thinkingbetterthinkingmeta.blogspot.com/2010/06/mcys-video-on-filial-piety-euphemism.html>
Sam Ho, Sam's Thoughts

Textually, the MCYS video is strangely aligned with the political rhetoric and strategies of the PAP government. Like the old woman who once unconditionally care for her son, loved him in a way a son’s love for his mother can never match a mother’s love for her son, the PAP government often invokes history to put its citizenry in its place.

**** Hsien Loong's Follow Up Visit To KL <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2010/06/hsien-loongs-follow-up-visit-to-kl.html>
Chua Chin Leng , My Singapore News

Where were the other ministers, notably Muhyiddin and Hishammudin? Is their absence an indicator that strong disagreements within UMNO is surfacing?

**** Singapore Netizens Up In Arms Over Rental Of HDB Flat By YPAP Leader Sinha Shekhar <http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/06/23/singapore-netizens-up-in-arms-over-rental-of-hdb-flat-by-ypap-leader-sinha-shekhar/>
The Temasek Review

Surely the YPAP will not be so stupid to use the same excuse again to wriggle themselves out of the situation.

**** Worker's Safety - Are We Serious? <http://gigomole.blogspot.com/2010/06/workers-safety-are-we-serious.html>
The Gigamole Diaries

If measures are unsafe, they should be stopped dead in their tracks. Full stop. Is the MOM and the LTA really serious about workers health and safety?

**** Are Singaporeans Paying For Monkeys? <http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/06/23/are-singaporeans-paying-for-monkeys/>
The Temasek Review

At the moment, it seems that we are not only paying millions of dollars for monkeys who keep screwing up and who are not willing to take responsibility for these screw-ups, but we’re also paying for monkeys who scatter and go awol when the trees fall.

**** The Politics Of Cats And Dogs <http://www.mysinchew.com/node/40843>
Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew Jit Poh

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's newly acquired Persian kitten recently received a scratching post and toy ball from Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. Such a tender gesture shows the attentiveness of the Singapore prime minister while conveying a message: that the island republic is paying close attention to every move of Malaysia, including such a small matters like keeping a pet.

**** Fancy A Tropical Oasis In The Sky? <http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsbusiness.php?id=508402>
Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama

Fancy a tropical oasis in the sky? This is what literally a Singapore hotel is offering to its guests. The newly-opened Marina Bay Sands Singapore today officially launched its 1.2-hectare park, Sands Skypark, sitting 60-storey high on three hotel towers like cricket-stumps.

**** Debris Traps For Canal <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_545033.html>
Grace Chua, Straits Times

The PUB is spending $25,000 to install five debris-trap gratings at Stamford Canal to prevent future floods. All five will be in place by Friday.

**** Highest Paid SMRT CEO <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_545212.html>
Christopher Tan, Straits Times

Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, 55, was paid $1.67 million last year, including stock options, making her the highest-grossing chief executive that public transport operator SMRT Corp has ever employed.

Remuneration for the company's top five executives, excluding Ms Saw's, totalled $3.2 million - 17.2 per cent higher than the previous year's. SMRT's total wage bill grew by 6.3 per cent to $294.8 million over the same period.

**** Reveal PM Lee's Terms, 'Worried' Azmin Urges Najib <http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/barisan-nasional/7205-reveal-pm-lees-terms-worried-azmin-urges-najib>
Free Malaysia Today

The government has been urged to disclose to Parliament the details of Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong's “specific proposal” on the land swap deal before the two nations ink an agreement.

**** HDB Replies To Netizen’s Query On Rental Of Resale Flat By YPAP Leader Sinha Shekhar <http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/06/24/hdb-replies-to-netizens-query-on-rental-of-resale-flat-by-ypap-leader-sinha-shekhar/>
The Temasek Review

"HDB flats are primarily for home ownership purpose. However, lessees who have fulfilled their requisite occupation period (5 years for flats purchased directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF Housing Grant; and 3 years for flats purchased from the open market without a CPF Housing Grant) may apply to sublet their whole flats subject to HDB’s written approval and subletting terms and conditions."

Not much of a reply.

**** The Born-To-Rule Mentality <http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/06/24/the-born-to-rule-mentality/>
Nanaghan, P.M. News

I will give an example of how Singapore solved a lopsided educational disadvantage against the Malays of that country and turned it into an asset of inestimable value.






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