[MyAppleMenu] Jan 3, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

**** iPad Publishing: Time To Switch To V2.0 <http://www.mondaynote.com/2011/01/02/ipad-publishing-time-to-switch-to-v2-0/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+monday-note+%28Monday+Note%29>
Frédéric Filloux, Monday Note

It would be unfair to blame publishers such as Condé Nast for the the disappointing performances of their iPad first steps. Six months to adjust to a completely new medium seems acceptable. And the current experiences still produce some helpful lessons.

**** iPhone = Mac 2.0 <http://www.mondaynote.com/2011/01/02/iphone-mac-2-0/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+monday-note+%28Monday+Note%29>
Jean-Louis Gassée, Monday Note

**** What Can You Redownload From Apple's iTunes Store? <http://tech.kateva.org/2011/01/what-can-you-redownload-from-apple.html>
John Gordon

The rules variation is a bit confusing. 

**** Confirmed: New Year’s iOS Alarm Bug Does Fix Itself <http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/01/confirmed-years-ios-alarm-bug-fix/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AppAdvice+%28AppAdvice%29>
Alexander Vaughn, AppAdvice

**** Apple Woes Continue As Some Oversleep In Asia And Europe <http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTOE70201A20110103?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews>
Kelvin Soh And Tarmo Virki, Reuters

Some iPhone users in Asia and Europe complained of malfunctioning alarms on the first working day of 2011, even after Apple reassured users that its phones' built-in clocks will work from Monday.

The problem was not limited only to the iPhone, with some owners of other Apple products, such as its iPod music players, also complaining of a similar problem with their alarms.

**** Layar 4.0 Brings Interactive Features, New Interface <http://www.macworld.com/article/156819/2011/01/layar_augmented_reality_games.html?lsrc=rss_main>
David Chartier, Macworld

Information about the currently selected location is now displayed in a tighter, more polished interface. If you easily succumb to sea-sickness while traveling, the Camera View also takes advantage of the iPhone 4’s gyroscope to stabilize the view.

**** Rhyme Time <http://www.macworld.com/appguide/app.html?id=83577&lsrc=rss_main>
Ben Boychuk, Macworld

Ben Turley’s Rhyme Time helps fill the bill as a simple but reasonably sophisticated rhyming dictionary for the iPhone and iPod touch. The interface is what you might expect of a dictionary: drab and utilitarian. You tap the search bar and up pops the keypad. Type in your word and the app will return a range of word selections.

**** Will Businesses Find A Place For iPads In 2011? <http://www.macworld.com/article/156797/2011/01/ipad_place.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Brad Reed, Network World

While businesses have warmed to the iPad more quickly than they did with the iPhone, some say they’re still figuring out what to make of the device.

One big issue is deciding how best to utilize iPads in the enterprise space. Sure, they’re light, accessible and employees love them—but are they really a replacement for either smartphones or laptops? The answer to both questions is so far “no,” at least for most workers. 

**** Restoring Angry Birds Saved Game Data <http://www.macworld.com/article/156802/2011/01/angry_birds_saved.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

What you want to do is move a copy of the highscores.lua file from her iPad to your Mac and then replace the copy of this same file on your iPad with her copy.

**** Hate The Finder? Get A Finder With Super Powers <http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/hate-the-finder-get-a-finder-with-super-powers>
Ron McElfresh, Mac360



MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================

**** The Incredible Shrinking Sound Bite <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/01/02/the_incredible_shrinking_sound_bite/>
Craig Fehrman, Boston Globe

The sound bite, they argue, stems less from a collapse in standards or seriousness than from the rise of a more sophisticated and independent style of journalism — which means the sound bite might not be such a bad thing. Letting politicians ramble doesn’t necessarily produce a better or more informative political discourse.

**** How To Make A Decent Cup Of Tea <http://www.slate.com/id/2279601/>
Christopher Hitchens, Slate

Ignore Yoko Ono and John Lennon, and heed George Orwell's tea-making advice.



SingaporeSurf
====================================

**** Getting Around The New Regime <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110103-0000160/Getting-around-the-new-regime>
Esther Ng, Today

MediaCorp has learnt that real estate agents whose applications had not been approved have been approaching their registered counterparts to transact deals illegally on their behalf. 

**** Singapore's Widening Income Gap Is Back On The Agenda <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110103-0000164/Singapores-widening-income-gap-is-back-on-the-agenda>
Teo Xuanwei, Today

Last year, a United Nations report noted that income inequality here, which has been rising steadily since 2000, is now the second largest among the world's developed economies, behind Hong Kong. 

DBS economist Irvin Seah said: "The government has to ensure that lower-income groups are not significantly worse off so it has to reallocate resources and wealth in the economy to distribute the dividends of the strong economic performance across the population."

**** 6.5m People, More Or Less? <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110103-0000139/6,5m-people,-more-or-less?>
Ng Ya Ken, Today

Should we not do the same as Hong Kong, so that a common population forecast and its accompanying assumptions can be used for planning purposes among the various ministries in the government? 

In projecting long-term population figures, we are forced to take a harder look at factors and possible scenarios affecting not only population growth but also economic growth and other aspects of our future.

**** MOM: Real Average Monthly Earnings Of Singaporeans Continue To Decline <http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/01/03/mom-real-average-monthly-earnings-of-singaporeans-continue-to-decline/>
Temasek Review

Despite the heavy dose of propaganda in the mainstream media exulting the ’spectacular’ performance of Singapore’s economy which grows by an almost ‘unbelievable’ 14.7 percent last year, the gains from the growth aren’t quite transferred to the pockets of ordinary Singaporeans.

**** My Boyfriend, Our Army, My Barf. <http://kirstenhan.me/2011/01/03/my-boyfriend-our-army-my-barf/>
Funny Little World

**** Who Provides A Better Deal? <http://mohsingapore.blogspot.com/2011/01/who-provides-better-deal_03.html>
Ministry Of Health, Singapore Government

**** HDB's Resale Price Index Increases Another 2.4% <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_620113.html>
Linette Lin, Straits Times

Prices for resale HDB flats continue to rise as the fourth quarter 2010 Resale Price Index (RPI) stands at 171.9, an increase of 2.4 per cent over the previous quarter.

**** Singapore Property Prices Rise To Record High <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-03/singapore-property-prices-rise-to-record-high.html>
Associated Press

Singapore says housing prices edged up to a fresh record high in the fourth quarter as the city-state's economy surged almost 15 percent last year.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority said Monday in a statement that private residential property prices rose 2.7 percent in the October-to-December period, down slightly from 2.9 percent growth in the third quarter.

**** Council Expedites Casino Exclusion Process <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1102478/1/.html>
Mustafa Shafawi, Channel NewsAsia

The National Council for Problem Gambling (NCPG) said applicants would now have the orders issued in just two weeks, following tweaks made to its process.

The previous process required families to go through counselling and for a social report to be completed before a hearing date is fixed.

**** General Election... One Step Closer <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1102479/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Singapore's Registers of Electors are being revised once again. According to a Government Gazette notification, the prime minister has directed the registration officer to do the revision and complete it on, or before February 28 this year.

**** Singapore Looks To Tourism, Casinos To Fuel Growth <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=132613943>
Associated Press

Singapore's two huge casino resorts, which together cost more than $10 billion to build, are at the center of a decade-long effort to diversify the island's economy toward services such as tourism and finance and lessen dependence on manufacturing. The casinos have created more than 20,000 jobs, helped attract record visitors and fueled 14.7 percent economic growth last year, likely the second-highest in the world behind Qatar.

Local media have reported increasingly aggressive harassment of debtors by loan sharks, and police last year began a crackdown on illegal lending, which often targets desperate gamblers. The government has banned about 194 problem gamblers from casinos at the request of family members and more than 2,000 people have asked to be excluded.

**** Damage Caused By The GRC System <http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/2011/01/damage-caused-by-grc-system.html>
Tan Kin Lian

A friend who migrated and became a citizen 20 years ago made this observation. In the past, the MPs in Singapore were responsive to the needs and views of the people. They had to serve the people well to get re-elected.

Their changed gradually under the GRC system. They did not have to have to bother with the people and only need to please one or two persons at the top. The situation has got to be quite bad over the years.

**** Why Voting Out A New PAP Team Will Not Affect Our Future? <http://singapore-lighthouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-voting-out-new-pap-team-will-not.html>
Singapore Social And Political Thoughts

**** S’pore Inc: Are Local Talents Emigrating Too Fast? <http://atans1.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/spore-inc-are-local-talents-emigrating-too-fast/>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor