January 2009
- 6 worst Apple products ever, Mac
growth slowing?, chip choice delays next iMac, and more, Mac News
Review, 01.30. Also your oldest working Mac, Mac performance
comparison, font control in Leopard, free iWorkServices removal tool,
and more.
- Apple's notebook shift, loose
hinge on Unibody MacBook Pro, MBP video issues, and more, The 'Book
Review, 01.30. Also glossy displays too reflective, an SSD tailored for
the MacBook Air, the netbook 'problem', beautiful Unibody MacBook,
bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
- Use 1G iPhone without a service
plan, $22.5 million iPod nano scratch settlement, and more, iNews
Review, 01.30. Also Apple patents auto-volume for iPhone ringtones,
Cooliris makes sharing photos easy, Palringo adds distance calculation,
and more.
- Wikipedia: The Missing
Manual available as book and wiki, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous
Ramblings, 01.29. If you're at all interested in contributing to
Wikipedia, this book should teach you everything you need to know.
- Reset an unknown admin password,
cheap dialup on the road, $999 MacBook updated, and more, Charles
Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.28. Also a Pismo that won't enter
Target Disk Mode and connecting a PowerBook 170 to the Internet.
- Golden Apples: The
25 best Macs to date, Michelle Klein-Häss, Geek Speak, 01.27.
The best Macs from 1984 through 2009, including a couple that aren't
technically Macs.
- Today's Macs:
Many descendants from a common ancestor, Dan Knight, Mac Musings,
01.27. The Macintosh legacy as it shows itself in notebooks, consumer
desktops, and pro models.
- Eudora 8 beta 5 making
progress, not quite ready for prime time, Charles W Moore,
Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.27. "Eudora 8 is making gradual progress,
and in a pinch I think I could use it, although not happily at this
point...."
- Plastic or
aluminum: What's the better MacBook now?, Charles W Moore, 'Book
Value, 01.26. Last week Apple updated the polycarbonate MacBook with
the same graphics processor as the Unibody MacBook. Which is more
compelling?
- StealthMac: 2 hardware
solutions for Mac OS X on Windows PCs, Anne Onymus, Rumor Mill,
01.26. Apple has been working on hardware to put a Mac inside a Windows
PC for over a decade. The latest developments, according to our
MacMole.
- 25 years: The
Macintosh legacy, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.23. On
January 24, 1984, the world said hello to a new kind of computer that
reshaped the personal computer industry.
- $999 MacBook goes Nvidia, MacBook
sales up 34%, MacBooks overpriced (or not), and more, The 'Book
Review, 01.23. Also 15" MacBook Air rumors, Apple dual-link DVI adapter
incompatible with non-Apple monitors, MatteBook upgrade for 15" MacBook
Pro, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
- End for the iMac?, Nvidia Mac
mini rumored, best Mac ever, a Mac White House, and more, Mac News
Review, 01.23. Also Opera comes out on top in browser comparison, three
things OS X should learn from the Classic Mac OS, another Eudora 8
beta, and more.
- iLounge Pavilion planned for
CES, Apple says no to iPhone nano, Sanctuary charging station, and
more, iNews Review, 01.23. Also iPhone and gloves don't mix, new
apps for the iPhone and iPod touch, handsfree iPod viewing while
traveling, and more.
- The Nvidia
MacBook White value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.22.
Moving the MacBook White to GeForce 9400M graphics and doubling memory
while retaining FireWire and Mini DVI make this a hands-down
winner.
- Why Mac desktop
sales are on the decline, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.22. Apple
believes that desktops are unimportant, and by not offering updated
models regularly, it makes them unimportant to potential buyers.
- How should The Italian
Job have ended?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.22.
The original Italian Job had great chase scenes, lots of auto carnage,
and featured a computer. How should it have ended?
- Succeeding Steve Jobs
at Apple: The Moneyball approach, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market,
01.21. Steve Jobs saved Apple and has a great team in place. It may
never be necessary for him to come back as CEO.
- iPod touch and
Pismo: Perfect Together, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 01.21.
With a USB 2.0 card and Tiger, a 9-year-old Pismo PowerBook works
beautifully with a new iPod touch.
- Camino pros and cons, notebook
video reliability, overheating since 10.5.4, and more, Charles
Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.21. Also the joy of a 'Big Al'
PowerBook, Unibody MacBook Pro a work of art, recycling an iMac for a
cat, 64-bit PowerPC support, and password needed to install
software.
- The value of the
overlooked $999 2.1 GHz MacBook White, Charles W Moore, 'Book Value,
01.20. The Unibody MacBook has been getting most of the press, but the
$999 MacBook White with its SuperDrive and proven design provides great
value.
- Steve Jobs' Health: MYOB,
Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.19. We have laws to protect personal
medical information. Wahy can't we just leave Steve Jobs alone?
- Camino,
Firefox, and Opera reconsidered, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous
Ramblings, 01.19. Camino 1.6.6 seemed promising, but increasing
sluggishness and lockups meant going back to Firefox, Netscape
Navigator 9, and Opera.
- Was the Macintosh
IIci the best Mac ever?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.19. Introduced
in 1989, the Mac IIci was fast, had integrated video, included 3
expansion slots, and could be upgraded in myriad ways.
- The
misunderstood Macintosh Portable, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.19.
Often ridiculed for its nearly 16 lb. weight, people forget that the
Mac Portable wasn't designed to be a laptop computer.
- Palm Prē to challenge
iPhone, NSC seeks to ban mobile use while driving, mic for iPod nano,
and more, iNews Review, 01.16. Also Apple's future is the iPod
touch, beware high phone bills when traveling, new browsers for the
iPhone, and more."
- 8 hour battery changes
everything, Apple sweeps InfoWorld tech awards, tiny OQO handheld, and
more, The 'Book Review, 01.16. Also SSD prices vary a lot, Macs in
politics, OLPC cuts staff, antiglare film for glossy 'Books, bargain
'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
- USB 3.0 will kill FireWire and
eSATA, Apple IQ test, former MacUser editor goes Linux, and
more, Mac News Review, 01.16. Also post-Expo Apple event likely,
Apple IQ test, prospects for Macworld without Apple and for Apple at
CES, new email client, and more.
- Do G4 Macs have
what it takes to remain useful in a multicore world?, Simon Royal,
Tech Spectrum, 01.15. With dual-core Intel CPUs running beyond 2 GHz, is
any G4 Mac a practical choice?
- OS
robustness, Mac reliability, and the upgrade cycle, Charles W Moore,
'Book Value, 01.15. This user has no compelling reason to upgrade from
his 5- to 9-year-old PowerBooks, yet he finds the Intel 'Books
alluring.
- Estimating the impact
of tiered pricing on iTunes Store profits, Frank Fox, Stop the
Noiz, 01.15. Neither Apple nor the recording industry have shared a lot
of details, but educated guesses point to tiered pricing being good for
both parties.
- Apple announces
Mac OS X licensing, Anne Onymus, Rumor Mill, 01.14. Apple decided
it would rather switch policies than fight Pystar and others. OS X
licensing program could change Psystar's future.
- Psystar spews more
nonsense in its bid to commoditize the Mac, Dan Knight, Mac
Musings, 01.14. Psystar claims it has a right to install and resell OS
X on computers because it legally purchased copies. That violation of
copyright could eventually ruin the Macintosh.
- Overheating PowerBook, 7200 rpm in
a G3 iMac, getting online during blackouts, and more, Charles
Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.14. PowerPC support in iLife 09 a
pleasant surprise, no overheating issues with 7200 rpm drive in an
iMac, and dialup access as a good backup plan for power failures.
- MSI X320 a cheap MacBook
Air copycat, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.13. The new slim 13"
notebook has more ports than the MBA and copies its design, but it's
thicker, heavier, and runs slower.
- Apple Retail
visit numbers are dropping, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market,
01.13. Foot traffic is down everywhere, but Apple is uniquely
positioned to build its numbers.
- 2 compact
portable USB 2.0 hubs, Charles W Moore, 'Book Value, 01.12. Compact
hubs from Targus and Proporta make a great complement to your notebook
computer. Each accepts a third-party AC adapter to provide bus
power.
- AppleTalk,
LocalTalk, and PhoneNet, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 01.13. Apple's
first networking protocol was AppleTalk, which used LocalTalk cabling
or, later on, PhoneNet.
- The road
ahead: Snow Leopard, Windows 7, and Mac OS X 10.7, Simon Royal, Tech
Spectrum, 01.12. With 'Snow Leopard' expected to be a minor upgrade to
'Leopard', don't expect significant changes until Mac OSX 10.7, which
should arrive a bit after Windows 7.
- Software should
come with a fresh date, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.09. Sooner or
later, some hardware or OS update will probably break a program you
own. Software vendors should be up front about how long they'll support
it.
- Hooked on classic Macs,
Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.09. Tommy Thomas is back with a
renewed focus on Macs that can run the 'classic' Mac OS.
- BYO $240 Hackintosh, HyperCard
resurrection, USB 3.0 10x as fast, SlimBlade trackball, and more,
Mac News Review, 01.09. Also the brilliance of the Macworld keynote,
businesses embracing Macs, Picasa for Mac available, Toast Titanium 10
ships, and more.
- MacBook keyboard among best ever,
glass trackpad less than intuitive, TiBook desktop mod, and more,
The 'Book Review, 01.09. Also $179 to change battery in 17in MacBook
Pro, argument for an Apple netbook, MacBook Air SuperDrive hacked for
any Mac, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
- iPhone reaches Vermont, 15
iPhone tips, Apple's iGlove, first editable office app for iPhone, and
more, iNews Review, 01.09. Also WebEx collaboration on the iPhone
3G, hands-free visor kit from Kensington, portable iPod and iPhone
power, new cases from Speck, and more.
- Surprise, average
broadband throughput is lower than maximum throughput, Dan Knight,
Mac Musings, 01.08. If a service is advertised as 8 Mbps maximum, it
shouldn't surprise anyone that the average speed is below that
number.
- Waterfield
first with SleeveCase for new 17" Unibody MacBook Pro, Charles
Moore, 'Book Value, 1.08. Waterfield has a reputation for top quality
bags at appropriate prices, and it's already designed a sleeve for the
new 17" Unibody MacBook Pro.
- Heat management for 'Books
and the last Mac to run OS 9.1, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness
Equation, 01.08. Tips on keeping a first-gen MacBook Air from
throttling back with CoolBook, using G4FanControl with a G4 PowerBook,
and the fastest Mac that can boot Mac OS 9.1.
- The 17"
Unibody MacBook Pro value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.07.
The new model is a bit faster, a bit smaller, a bit lighter, and has an
incredible 8-hour battery life.
- How netbooks impact
Microsoft and Apple, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 01.07.
Netbooks are keeping Windows XP alive, which may slow adoption of
Windows 7, and perceived value keeps the Mac market share growing at
the expense of Windows.
- Blackouts and Web access, death of
a Kanga, the future of PowerPC Macs, and more, Charles W Moore,
Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.07. Also another email client suggestion
and whether a G3 iMac can handle a 7200 rpm hard drive without
overheating.
- Apple's half-baked
support for DisplayPort, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.06. The
DisplayPort specification supports audio, so why does Apple use USB to
route sound to the LED Cinema Display?
- Adventures with an
overheating PowerBook, the 10.5.6 update, and other things, Charles
Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.06. After three years of reliable
service, the PowerBook began to run so hot that the fan was almost
always on. What was causing the problem, and what would fix it?
- No, an overgrown iPod
touch is not a netbook, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.06. BlackBerry
pretends its Storm is a netbook, but a netbook needs to be big enough
for a typable keyboard.
- Intel's quad-core mobile CPU,
prevent OS X 10.5.6 crashes, 'netbook' name under fire, and more,
The 'Book Review, 01.05. Also the Age of the Notebook, build a
cardboard laptop stand, MacBook reviews, bargain 'Books from $170 to
$2,299, and more.
- 9.6% Mac market share, Quanta to
supply new iMac, new Mac mini a go, Macintosh at 25, and more, Mac
News Review, 01.05. Also what's missing from Apple's product line?,
unattended online backup with MyOtherDrive, first USB 3.0 storage
solutions, Find Any File, and more.
- Large form iPod coming?, touch
screens a 'huge mistake', EarBud Yo-Yo, and more, iNews Review,
01.05. Also iPhone now at Walmart, iPhone trounces BlackBerry Storm for
satisfaction, iPod video conversion software for Mac, and more.
- Steve Jobs must
die, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.02. Steve Jobs has held the role
of Savior of Apple for a dozen years. It's time to let others take
public leadership roles.
- Happy birthday,
Macintosh, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.02. January 2009 marks the
25th anniversary of the Macintosh. Here's how Low End Mac plans to
celebrate the event.
Editorial Archives
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2008 Dec., Nov.,
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2007 Dec., Nov.,
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2002 Dec., Nov.,
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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 �
