December 2005
- 2005 was a good year for Apple,
Mac Users, and Low End Mac, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 12.23.
It started with the Mac mini, survived the shock of the Intel
announcement, and saw the greatest growth in the history of our
website.
- Apple to rule notebook roost,
PowerBook users most satisfied, ongoing screen problems, and
more, Charles W Moore, The 'Book Review, 12.23. Also a pitch for
a "cheap" laptop, Nortel to sponsor "One Laptop per Child"
initiative, new PowerBooks are winners, The Laptop Stand, bargain
'Books from $319 to $1,299, and more.
- Reasons Apple is better, big
mini announcement expected at Expo, a 1.7 GHz dual G4 upgrade, and
more, Charles W Moore, Mac News Review, 12.23. Also few PC
manufacturers excel, Apple leads the way in consumer electronics, 8
GB flash drive, 2 TB inside a Power Mac G5, and more.
- Picking a Mac mini, Consumer
Reports' Mac coverage, and the power of Mac Mail, Ed
Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 12.09. Further thoughts on
choosing a new mini over repairing an old iMac, how Consumer
Reports could better cover the Mac, and additional tips for
using Apple's Mail app.
- Microsoft, Intel, and the back
ends of two horses, Dan Knight, The Lite Side, 12.23. North
American railroad gauge is rooted in British tramways, which in
turn were based on English wagons, which had to run in the ruts
created by Roman chariots. Intel and Microsoft work the same
way.
- Apple needs to offer keyboards
and mice you won't want to replace, Adam Robert Guha, Apple
Archive, 12.23. Apple sells several third-party mice and keyboards
at its own stores. Why doesn't AppleDesign and sell a better
variety itself?
- A scrounger's guide to equipping
the Mac mini: Choices for the budget conscious, Hardy Menagh,
Empowered, 12.22. How to add a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and stereo
sound to your Mac mini for little or no money.
- 1 GB nano coming?, iPod mini
hot on eBay, $10 DIY iPod stand, iDrops iPod polish, iPod workouts,
and more, Charles W Moore, iPod News Review, 12.22. Also
'Godcasting' gaining followers, President Bush's iPod, new nano
cases and covers, tiny all-in-one iPod speaker system, auto videos
at iTMS, and more.
- Will Apple market 'Intel
Inside'?; 'Napa' platform popular, but will Apple use it?; and
more, Charles W Moore, The Macintel Report, 12.22. Also the
pressure is on Apple to release the first Macintel hardware and NEC
shows the first 'Yonah' notebook.
- 500 days at the helm: The rise
and fall of Gil Amelio, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 12.21. Gil Amelio
came to Apple with a reputation earned by turning around National
Semiconductor. Little did he suspect that he would be turned out
500 days later.
- Fedora Core and Yellow Dog Linux:
Two more good choices for Mac hardware, Leaman Crews, Plays
Well with Others, 12.21. Fedora Core Linux is on the leading edge
of development, but Yellow Dog Linux has better support for older
Mac hardware.
- How Apple could make iBooks and
PowerBooks even more attractive, Charles Webb, PowerBook Beat,
12.21. Apple's notebooks designs are aging and ready for an
overhaul. Some suggestions for improvements that would help reach a
wider audience.
- When did a computer's visual
appearance become more important than the hardware inside?, Ted
Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 12.20. Apple's iMac played a big role
in moving computers from ugly beige boxes into visual
statements.
- Software that worked during my
months in Iraq with my PowerBook, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout
Shelter, 12.20. Two operating systems and over a dozen programs
that made life better while deployed in Iraq.
- Microsoft to drop Windows support,
refocus on core markets, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 11.02.
Microsoft to give up on patching Windows, concentrate on Xbox and
Office - even port Microsoft Office to Linux.
- Pismo screen, WallStreet keyboard
problems; Amplified Bible and MacSword; sorry state of Mac OCR; and
more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 12.19. OS X and
the "one laptop per kid program", "should I wait for a 64-bit
'Book?," and more.
- The other switchers: Linux
users coming to OS X, Kostas Theofilis, Mac Bastion, 12.19.
Apple's "Switch" campaign may have aimed for Windows users, but a
lot of Linux users are also coming to the Mac platform.
- Simple, cheap, low-end Mac backup
addendum, Scott K Brown, Random Advice, 12.19. Oops, step 2 in
last week's column (since fixed) wasn't quite right. Here's what it
should have said.
- The best browsers for PowerPC
Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing
Obsolescence, 12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern
and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older
Macs.
- The Facebook: A great way for
students to connect, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 12.16.
The Facebook makes it easier to get in touch with other students,
find those with shared interests, and form study groups.
- Woz slams Apple for 'worst
software', FireWire not dead but on life support, 'I Love My Mac'
song, and more, Charles W Moore, Mac News Review, 12.16. Also the
iMac G5 as a business computer, Samsung's fast graphics memory,
using restore discs, Mac mini mounts, and more.
- Intel down on AMD-powered $100
laptop, iBook keyboard devolution, widescreen iBook coming?, and
more, Charles W Moore, The 'Book Review, 12.09. Also Quanta to
build $100 laptop, PowerBook speed comparison, small EX-Reach
keyboard, bargain 'Books from $419 to $1,799, and more.
- Yes, you can get a 'free' Mac
mini - but is it worth the hassles?, Hardy Menagh, Empowered,
12.15. You've seen the offers for free iPods, Palms, gift cards,
and Mac minis. What's the catch?
- Podcast 'word of the year',
nano among best of 2005, 8 GB in an iPod mini, A Christmas
Carol for free, and more, Charles W Moore, iPod News Review,
12.15. Also Creative's latest attempt at an "iPod killer",
PocketDock giveaway, new iPod cases and covers, iPod guitar
lessons, sync lyrics with music, and much more.
- Yonah to launch in January, new
Macs to follow?, widescreen iBook rumors, and more, Charles
Moore, The Macintel Report, 12.15. Also a Macintel transition
special report, Apple shines for Intel, new CPU technology from
Intel and AMD, and more.
- Getting Ubuntu Linux up and
running on a PowerPC Mac, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others,
12.14. Ubuntu may be the easiest Linux to install on your Mac. It
only requires you burn one CD and have an Internet connection.
- OS X is holding back the
Mac, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 12.14. As nice as Mac OS X is,
Apple's choice of the Mach microkernel makes it slower than it
could be.
- iChat with iSight makes for pretty
good video conferencing, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 12.14.
It's not perfect yet, but Apple has given us video chat with high
enough quality that it's practical.
- Configuring a PowerBook for
months in Iraq without Internet access, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout
Shelter, 12.13. "What do you need to keep yourself entertained and
be able to work for months without Internet access? A Mac."
- Radius Rocket: Far more than a
Mac accelerator, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2005.12.13.
The unique Radius Rocket has amazing capabilities but challenges
the user to take full advantage of them. Here are three modern
options.
- Simple, cheap, low-end Mac
backup: Do it or else, Scott K Brown, Random Advice, 12.12.
It's not a question of if you'll lose your important data, only
when. Be prepared - backup regularly.
- Why you should use Mac OS 7.6 to
get the most out of vintage Macs, Thomas Ahart, The Productive
Mac, 12.12. Although you may be able to run OS 8 or 9 on your old
Mac, you'll generally find better performance using Mac OS
7.6.
- Textpander 1.2: A powerful, free
text macro utility, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings,
12.05. Macro utilities can make you more efficient and productive,
and the latest version of Textpander brings it head-to-head with
TypeIt4Me.
- The 'Pismo' PowerBook is a great
value and handles Tiger nicely, Charles Webb, PowerBook Beat,
12.09. If you're looking for an affordable PowerBook with FireWire
that works comfortably in OS X, the 'Pismo' PowerBook might be just
what you need.
- Making Mac Mail
work for you, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 12.09.
With a few extras, the free Mail application Apple gives you with
Mac OS X could be all the email software you need.
- Smooth sailing or choppy seas
for Apple's Intel transition?, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive,
12.09. Apple's transitions to a PowerPC Mac OS and to OS X have
been less then smooth. Can we expect the move to Intel Macs to be
any better?
- Negative synergy: Godaddy redirect
problematic with Safari, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 12.09.
Godaddy's redirect service works well with almost any browser, but
a lot of Safari users are finding that it doesn't work for
them.
- Sub-$900 iBooks?, new
PowerBooks 'picture perfect', PatchSleep enables deep sleep on
'Books, and more, Charles W Moore, The 'Book Review, 12.09. Also
OS X and 'Books easier on the eyes, filter provides laptop display
privacy, LED backlighting shows promise, 10" plastic SVGA display,
bargain 'Books from $350 to $1,799, and more.
- Mac mini vs G4/800 dual,
completely washable mice, PatchBurn enables unsupported burners,
and more, Charles W Moore, Mac News Review, 12.09. Also FastMac
cuts drive prices, Iomega's MiniMax drive, 1W AirPort transceiver,
SteerMouse driver, Zeta OS comes to US, and more.
- Entourage, the best overall
email software on the market, Michel Munger, iBasics, 12.08.
Microsoft's email client is easy to use, integrates with Office, is
sluggish, and can only be purchased as part of Office.
- Innovative Macintosh System
1.0, Andrew Conachey, Classic Mac Nostalgia, 12.08. The first
Mac OS brought a graphical user interface to the masses, and a lot
of it looks familiar to long-time Mac users.
- Oboe puts your iTunes on the
Internet, first iPod compatible bed, unleash iPod's extended
capabilities, and more, Charles W Moore, iPod News Review, 12.08.
Also iPod diluting Apple's focus on the Mac, Carleton University
offers courses through iTunes, Sonnet iPod battery review, compact
AC charger from Griffith, free online video service, and much
more.
- January Macintel debut or not,
PowerPC and Linux in Apple's future?, Intel's 8-core CPU plans, and
more, Charles W Moore, The Macintel Report, 12.08. Also how Apple
could combat OS X hacking, Yonah performance preview, Intel's
codename plans end Pentium, and more.
- Two browsers, an email client,
and a 68k Mac, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 12.07.
WannaBe, iCab, and SweetMail - programs that let your vintage Mac
work with the modern Web and current email services.
- Thoughts on two-fingered scrolling,
Mighty Mouse, and optical mice, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report,
12.07. A tip about two-fingered scrolling, pros and cons of Apple's
Mighty Mouse, and the end of gunked up mechanical mice.
- Using Linux to give an aging Mac
more zip, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others, 12.07. Older
Power Macs and newer versions of OS X can be a sluggish
combination. Linux can perk up your old Power Mac and still let you
use a graphical interface.
- 10 things new classic Mac
owners should know, Paul Brierley, The 'Book Beat, 12.06. New
to compact Macs? Ten things you really should know before get too
confused.
- Lombard: A great $400 field
computer, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter, 12.06. Rugged,
reliable, and feature-laden, this G3 PowerBook also fully supports
OS X and is available at decent prices.
- The Joy of Six: Apple's fast,
svelte, reliable, and still usable System 6, Tyler Sable,
Classic Restorations, 12.06. System 6 was small enough to run
quickly from an 800K floppy yet powerful enough to support 2 GB
partitions, 24-bit video, and the Internet.
- 4 offbeat Mac games, John
Martorana, That Old Mac Magic, 12.05. A look at Apeiron, Meat Gone
Mad, Postman Pat, and Pocket Tanks - four unusual games for Macs
new or old.
- Guest PC: A more affordable way
to put Windows on your Mac, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 12.05. If
you need to run Windows now and then and don't want to buy a
Windows computer, Guest PC will let you run Windows on your Mac,
albeit slowly.
- MacSword 1.2: A solid free Bible
program made even better, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous
Ramblings, 12.05. This free, open source Bible research and study
program keeps improving. This time around the search function is
vastly improved.
- Firefox 1.5: Getting better all
the time, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 12.02. Whether you
use Macs or Windows, there's a faster, modern, and customizable
alternative in Firefox.
- 15" PB screen woes, Intel
laptops and iBook price cuts in January?, NEC's drive-free laptop,
and more, Charles W Moore, The 'Book Review, 12.02. Also debating
upgrades, time to retire PowerBook, Newer Tech's battery rebate and
recycling program, laptop drive comparison, bargain 'Books from
$320 to $1,799, and more.
- 10 things new Macs users should
know, first display designed for Mac mini, classic Mac emulator
improved, and more, Charles W Moore, Mac News Review, 12.02. Also
iMac with iSight 'a new gold standard', a Linux user's take on OS
X, LaCie Brick drive looks like building blocks, Guest PC updated,
and more.
- The PowerBook 190: Still a great
little laptop, Caleb Cupples, My Turn, 12.01. The PowerBook 190
is relatively small, relatively light, fast enough, and cheap
enough to carry everywhere.
- Eudora, the Mac's most powerful
email client, Michel Munger, iBasics, 12.01. If you're looking
for lots of power and don't mind an unconventional interface, give
Eudora a try.
- Holiday iPod demand may
outstrip supply, knit your own iPod mittens, iPod Book updated,
kids' stories, and more, Charles W Moore, iPod News Review,
12.01. Also Navio cloning Apple's FairPlay DRM, Neuros updates
recorder for iPod, iWriter iPod notes utility, and PopTune wrapper
for video iPod.
- Intro to OS virtualization,
flash-based Macs rumored, end of media drives, Intel invests in
flash memory, and more, Charles W Moore, The Macintel Report,
12.01. Also BBEdit ready for Macintels, will Apple rush Macintels
to market?, and the road ahead for Intel's P4, Celeron, and
Centrino.
Editorial Archives
2009 Dec., Nov.,
Oct., Sept., Aug., July, June, May, Apr., Mar., Feb., Jan.
2008 Dec., Nov.,
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2007 Dec., Nov.,
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2006 Dec., Nov.,
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2005 Dec., Nov.,
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2004 Dec., Nov.,
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2003 Dec., Nov.,
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2002 Dec., Nov.,
Oct., Sept., Aug., July, June, May, Apr., Mar., Feb., Jan.
2001 Nov.-Dec., Sept.-Oct, July-Aug.,
April-June, Jan.-Mar.
2000 Sept.-Dec., May-Aug., Jan.-March
1999 July-Dec., Jan.-June, 1998,
1997 �
