[MyAppleMenu] Jun 27, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** iPad: The “Magic” Is In The User Interaction <http://www.razorianfly.com/2011/06/27/ipad-the-magic-is-in-the-user-interaction/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+razorianfly%2FuSug+%28RazorianFly%29>
Razorianfly

Sure, market competitors probably thought Apple had simply attached a gimmicky slogan to the device to sell it in volumes, but when we take a look at the iPad today, we see exactly what Apple meant by its claim of “Magic”. The iPad’s hardware itself wasn’t magic, nor was the software the iPad ran magic, so what gave Apple the right to call the device “Magical”? — User Interaction.

**** BestBuy.com Runs Out Of MacBook Airs As Refresh Near <http://www.macrumors.com/2011/06/27/bestbuy-com-runs-out-of-macbook-airs-as-refresh-nears/>
Arnold Kim, MacRumors

BestBuy.com has stopped shipping MacBook Airs to customers ahead of expected revisions to the MacBook Air.

**** Final Cut X Debate: The Backstory <http://oynk.com/2011/06/final-cut-x-debate-the-backstory/>
Oynk

There are def i nitely  prac ti­cal impli ca tions for peo ple who’ve built a busi ness around Final Cut.  But there is also a feel ing of betrayal that is fuel ing some of the most heated crit i cism.   I think some of that has to do with how Final Cut devel oped into some thing much larger than a soft ware prod uct.  For many peo ple, Final Cut Pro is part of their cre ative and pro fes sional iden tity.  And, for now, they are not sure who they are, or who they will be a year from now.

**** Google Fined By Taipei Over App Refund <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gw75Pzb_SYmQ-gnluLJ7rEjK-V5Q?docId=CNG.8266a86d362d8dac78468430ed78b970.171>
AFP

Taiwan's consumer protection law stipulates that consumers are entitled to a seven-day trial period after purchasing any products via Internet, including cell phone software applications. The capital city's government found that Google and Apple had violated the law and on June 8 ordered them to alter their trading rules.

"Google refused to change its rules," Betty Chen, the head of a consumer protection at the city government, said. Apple changed its rules.

**** Mac IT Guy: What Lion Means For Businesses <http://www.macworld.com/article/160748/2011/06/lion_businesses.html#lsrc.rss_main>
John C. Welch, Macworld

Mac OS X Lion has more than 250 new features; a few of them will really matter to businesses and IT. What will they mean? Here’s what I think.

**** DTerm 1.5 <http://www.macworld.com/article/160445/2011/06/dterm15.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Dan Frakes, Macworld

DTerm is a great utility for the sort of quick, in-and-out Terminal work many power users perform. 

**** How Apple Could Fix Final Cut Pro X, In 187 Words <http://www.technovia.co.uk/2011/06/how-apple-could-fix-final-cut-pro-x-in-187-words.html>
Ian Betteridge, Technovia

Write a letter.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Companies Are Erecting In-House Social Networks <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/technology/27social.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Verne G. Kopytoff, New York Times

What would Facebook look like without photos of drunken nights out and tales of misbehaving cats? It might look a lot like the internal social network at the offices of Nikon Instruments.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Rise And Fall Of Pseudonyms <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/books/review/essay-the-rise-and-fall-of-pseudonyms.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Carmela Ciuraru, New York Times

Perhaps what’s most remarkable about the nom de plume, and rarely talked about, is its power to unlock creativity — and its capacity to withhold it. Even when its initial adoption is utilitarian, a pen name can assume a life of its own. Many writers have been surprised by the intimate and even disorienting relationships they have formed with their alter egos. The consequences can prove grievous and irrevocable.

**** Poem Of The Week: Mimi Khalvati <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/jun/27/poem-of-the-week?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Carol Rumens, The Guardian



SingaporeSurf
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**** Group Showed No Respect At Kranji War Memorial <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_684206.html>
Margaret Carleton, Straits Times

My husband and I were not the only people visiting the site but the fun-lovers were pushing their way around the walls with no respect or, I suspect, awareness of the symbolism of this beautiful and (usually) serene place of memory.

I watched the members carefully and not one even gave a glance at a single headstone. I cried as I walked between the rows of young people who gave their lives and I became quite angry.

**** Consider Islandwide Ban On Smoking In Public Places <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_684205.html>
Raymund Koh, Straits Times

**** The Moral Authority Of The Elected President <http://guanyinmiao.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/the-moral-authority-of-the-elected-president/>
Guanyinmiao's Musings

Most importantly, the President of Singapore must have the moral tenacity – and thorough knowledge of policy developments – to withhold assent to bills or assorted socio-economic proposals based on personal discretion and consultation with the Council of Presidential Advisers. The electorate would definitely be more appreciative if the President and his advisers are not too closely associated with the ruling People’s Action Party; therefore, any form of endorsement – even through unofficial speeches or press interviews – might compromise the hopeful’s chances. Candidates can expect Singaporeans to be relentless in the search of their past speeches, actions and endeavours, so as to effectively determine the aforementioned.

**** The Myth Of An Independent Elected President <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/06/myth-of-independent-elected-president.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

More of such self serving reasonings and institutions will go down, one after another, when the people decide to put on their thinking caps and not allow other people to think for them. This must be good, or bad to some, depending on which side of the equation one belongs.

**** The Rail-y Good Chapati Joint <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/6/27/nation/8972261&sec=nation>
Nelson Benjamin, The Star

Former Malaysian high commissioner to Singapore Datuk N. Parameswaran said he would miss the chapati and keema served at the train station the most.

Parameswaran said one of the milestones he remembered during his tenure was taking down the “Welcome to Malaysia” signboard at the entrance of the Tanjung Pagar station in 2004, adding that this was later moved to the High Commissioner's residence in Singapore.

**** A Send Off At The Weekend For Our Old Friends … <http://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/a-send-off-at-the-weekend-for-our-old-friends/>
The Long And Winding Road

The outpouring of feeling is perhaps driven by the sense of loss not just for a railway that has served us for so long, but also for a landscape that could change drastically once the railway stops operating through Singapore.

**** Hollow Men <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/06/hollow-men.html>
Singapore Notes

It looks like social media and the current crop of politicians don't mix too well. Intended to overcome the inconveniences of queuing for inexorably long hours at Meet the People Sessions, and spare the parliamentarians from irate constituents carrying flammable liquids, the kind of responses found in MPs' Facebook pages will probably boost blood pressure several points higher. 

**** Resorts World Sentosa: Petition By 650,000 People To Let Dolphins Go Not Received <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/06/rws-petition-650000-people-let-dolphins-g/>
The Online Citizen

**** Our Responsibility As Citizens <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/06/our-responsibility-as-citizens/>
Ghui, The Online Citizen

Moving on from the watershed May 2011 elections, we the citizens should therefore continue to keep the pressure on the government. We should continue to question and engage the various government agencies in meaningful dialogue. What we should not do, is sit back and expect information to be fed to us and then blame the government for not being accountable when something goes wrong.

**** COV For HDB Resale Flats Rises Again <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/cov-hdb-resale-flats-rises-again-031450388.html>
Alicia Wong, Yahoo!

The COV is now close to the official record of $30,000 logged in the third quarter of 2010.

**** Assuaging Singapore’s Obsession With Comparative Ranking <http://www.economywatch.com/in-the-news/assuaging-singapores-obsession-with-global-rankings.27-06.htm>
Economy Watch

**** Ultra-nationalism, Xenophobia, Rage And Hatred <http://www.raviphilemon.net/2011/06/ultra-nationalism-xenophobia-rage-and.html>
Ravi Philemon

**** The Certificate Of Eligibility Irony <http://newasiarepublic.com/?p=30059>
Chan Jia Hui, New Asia Republic

**** Badly Needed CPF Reforms .... <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/06/badly-needed-cpf-reforms.html>
Diary Of A Singapore Mind

Singaporeans have the 2nd highest savings rate in the world  of about 20% (China took over us as the highest) due to the CPF yet do not have enough to retire. What has gone wrong?

**** Flood Of Endorsements For Tony Tan <http://thesatayclub.net/2011/06/flood-of-endorsements-for-tony-tan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flood-of-endorsements-for-tony-tan>
Nigel Tan, The Satay Club

It is thought that Dr Tan and the PAP government are wary of the fact that being seen as the PAP-endorsed candidate might actually work against him, seeing as many citizens are clamouring for more robust checks and balances to guard against one-party dominance in government.

**** SBS Transit, SMRT Made Improvements To 17 Bus Services <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1137397/1/.html>
Mustafa Shafawi, Channel NewsAsia

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said SBS Transit and SMRT have made improvements to 17 bus services between April and June this year.

**** The Whitest Shade Of White <http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/06/27/the-whitest-shade-of-white/>
Cheryl Chan, The Temasek Review

In the first place, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam’s description of himself as an “independent candidate” is really quite superfluous, because all Presidential candidates are independents. One of the requirements for eligibility is that the candidate cannot be a member of any political party.

But Dr Tan career has been so closely intertwined with the highest echeleons of the ruling elite that any attempt to paint himself as “independent” will almost certainly ring hollow, to all but the most ignorant of voters.

**** Dr Tony Tan – Used “Funny” Numbers Of Justify CPF Cuts <http://singstatistician.blogspot.com/2011/06/dr-tony-tan-used-funny-numbers-of.html>
Thoughts Of A Singapore Statistician

**** NKF Reserves Can Last Forever? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/06/nkf-reserves-can-last-forever/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

**** Why Dr Tan Cheng Bock Is Still My Choice To Be The Elected President <http://www.raviphilemon.net/2011/06/why-dr-tan-cheng-bock-is-still-my.html>
Ravi Philemon

**** 3-D Erotic Film To Screen In Singapore From July 21 <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_684528.html>
Ashutosh Ravikrishnan, Straits Times

According to a media report, it will be screened uncut.

**** S'pore-Johor Rapid Transit Link By 2018 <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1137439/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore and Malaysian governments plan to open a rapid transit link between the city-state and the neighbouring city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia's south by 2018, both governments said in a joint statement on Monday.

"It is targeted that the RTS link will be operational by 2018. The RTS link will have a co-located (customs, immigration and quarantine) facility in Singapore and another co-located CIQ facility in Johor Bahru so that commuters need to clear immigration only once for each way of travel."

**** Guns, Grenades And iPads For Singapore Soldiers <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ifHAUJ5i33vM8yCkcBmxIxDhvGFw?docId=CNG.b339308483fcb47f9fe5b1ed8a6e4f6b.481>
AFP

The defence ministry said Monday it will be issuing "about 8,000" of the sleek, touch-screen tablet computers -- already wildly popular with the city-state's tech-savvy youth -- to recruits from November.

Troops can use the iPad's built-in camera to take photos and video clips in the field which can be uploaded to the SAF's online platform, LEARNet. Soldiers can use these photos and videos to carry out post-mission assessments, the newspaper said.

**** Singapore Casinos Defy Odds <http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/MF28Ae01.html>
Muhammad Cohen, Asia Times

But seeing Marina Bay Sands just in terms of money misses much of the story. "There is no doubt that the two integrated resorts have added a new sense of vibrancy to Singapore," University of Nevada-Las Vegas Singapore campus dean Andy Nazarechuk said. "In the past you would hear comments about Singapore being conservative or boring - you don't hear those comments any more."