About.com Focus on Macs

MacHeist Giveaway: 5 (Maybe 6) Mac Applications for Free

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:40:26 +0000

MacHeist, well-known for bundling 12 applications and selling them at a very low price, is offering a new 6-application bundle it calls the nanoBundle. The nanoBundle includes the following:

ShoveBox
WriteRoom
Twitterrific
TinyGrab
Hordes of Orcs
Mariner Write

All of the items in the nanoBundle are being offered for free for a limited time. The sixth application, Mariner Write, is being offered free with a provision. License codes for Mariner Write will only be distributed if 500,000 people participate. At the time of this writing, only 99,539 people have downloaded the nanoBundle. There are only 6 days left before the nanoBundle is no more.

Of course, MacHeist is probably attempting to build its user base so it can attract more developers to its unusual method of marketing. You must register to download the bundle, but registration is pretty basic: just your name and email address. So I say go for it, and enjoy 5 free applications, and with enough participants, maybe 6 applications.

MacHeist Giveaway: 5 (Maybe 6) Mac Applications for Free originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 18:40:26.

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Steve Jobs Takes Fortune�s �CEO of the Decade� Title

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:20:25 +0000

Fortune magazine has declared Steve Jobs the 'CEO of the Decade.' Describing him as a 'CEO celebrity,' Fortune credits Steve with not only turning Apple around, but also having a far-reaching impact on three industries that were originally outside of Apple's influence.

In the past 10 years alone he has radically and lucratively reordered three markets -- music, movies, and mobile telephones -- and his impact on his original industry, computing, has only grown.

Looking back at the last decade, it's important to remember that in 2000, Apple was worth close to $5 billion, its market share was plummeting, and there was a real possibility of bankruptcy or takeover by another company. Hardly a month went by without rumors of who would acquire Apple. When asked what could be done about Apple, Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Computers, responded with this famous quote.

"What would I do? I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."

Today Apple is worth around $170 billion, has $34 billion in cash reserves, and could buy Dell at a whim if it was so inclined. It's been a remarkable turnaround and most of the reason for Apple's success rests squarely on Steve Jobs' shoulders.

Steve Jobs Takes Fortune�s �CEO of the Decade� Title originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 19:20:25.

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Is It Art or Malware?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:36:21 +0000

A new Mac game based on the old-school Space Invaders franchise has been released by artist Zach Gage. The game, called Lose/Lose, deletes files in your home directory for every alien you shoot down.

The game starts off with a warning, in large red letters, of the consequences of playing the game.

PLAYING LOSE/LOSE WILL LIKELY RESULT IN FILES ON YOUR HARD DRIVE BEING DELETED//

KILLING IN LOSE/LOSE DELETES YOUR FILES

I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILTY FOR LOSS OF ANY DATA//

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

So, it's unlikely that most users would be unaware of the consequences of playing the game. Yet it's certainly possible that someone may ignore or not believe the warning, or that the game may be played by young children who don't understand the warning.

Needless to say, I don't recommend that anyone try this game, and I'm not posting links to the artist or the game.

But I do want to ask this question.

Is It Art or Malware? originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 18:36:21.

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Apple Rolls Out New EasyPay Hardware For Its Retail Stores

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:16:16 +0000

If you've been to an Apple retail store, you've seen the sales staff using handheld terminals to ring up your purchase and get you on your way. If you happened to take a gander at one of the terminals, you may have noticed it was running Windows CE (Windows Embedded Compact; yes, I know the initials seem backward, but hey, it's a Microsoft product).

According to AppleInsider, Apple will be replacing the Windows CE-based handheld terminals with a new system based on the iPod touch. Dubbed EasyPay, the system will let Apple Store staff process credit or debit cards as well as cash transactions.

The iPod touch will be equipped with a barcode scanner as well as a magnetic strip reader, and the point-of-sale software will be able to understand complex sales that result when a single bar code scan produces multiple items on a receipt.

Still missing from the new point-of-sale system is easy printing of receipts. As with the current system, sales associates will ask if you want a printed receipt or if they can email it to you instead. If you request a printed receipt, they have to run off to the backroom to get it.

Also, debit card processing is still somewhat cumbersome, requiring customers to use special terminals to swipe their card and enter their PIN number. It's unclear why the EasyPay system cannot process this directly, although I think this is a limit imposed by the backend system Apple has contracted with to process credit and debit cards, and not the actual EasyPay software.

Hopefully, all the bugs will be shaken out before holiday season sales get underway.

Apple Rolls Out New EasyPay Hardware For Its Retail Stores originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 19:16:16.

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TV Subscriptions May Be Coming To iTunes

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:42:15 +0000

Peter Kafka, writing for All Things Digital, suggests that Apple may be pitching an iTunes subscription service to TV network executives. The basic idea is that for $30 a month, subscribers could watch unlimited content posted by TV networks to the iTunes Store. Revenue would be shared between Apple and the content providers.

Courtesy of Apple

There haven't been any takers so far, probably due in part to a reluctance to anger cable providers and upset an important revenue stream. There may also be some of the typical reluctance to try something new. I can imagine network execs on the golf course saying, "You go first." "No, you go first."

Peter thinks the most likely candidate to go first is Disney, which owns ABC. Disney already has a relationship with Apple, and provides content to iTunes. The fact that Steve Jobs is the largest Disney shareholder may also play a part.

Peter thinks Apple wants to launch the iTunes TV subscription service sometime in the first half of 2010. We'll have to wait and see what develops.

TV Subscriptions May Be Coming To iTunes originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 18:42:15.

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Magic Mouse Not Working For Some

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:04:54 +0000

Apple's new Magic Mouse combines a sleek, streamlined look with a flashy surface that supports multi-touch gestures. Drag or swipe a finger or two across the Magic Mouse's surface, and your Mac will respond in a way that seems almost like magic. But when the multi-touch feature fails to work, which seems to be the case for a number of users, the Magic Mouse becomes just another two-button mouse, like the one you probably threw out many years ago.

Courtesy of Apple

Individuals who purchased a Magic Mouse separately (not as part of a Mac system) are reporting problems with either the installation of the Wireless Mouse software or the use of the Mouse preference pane, which the Wireless Mouse software is supposed to update with the new gesture support required by the Magic Mouse.

It appears that the Wireless Mouse software is being applied, but after the Mac is rebooted, the system fails to detect the Magic Mouse. The preference pane can't provide gesture support to a mouse it can't see, so the Magic Mouse ends up working like a two-button mouse; it doesn't even support scrolling.

The problem is believed to be a conflict with other preferences, such as a third-party keyboard or USB preferences used by other devices. In my case, the Magic Mouse works fine on a fresh install of Snow Leopard (updated to 10.6.1, plus the Wireless Mouse software), but fails to work on the same Mac Pro when I boot from my usual startup drive, which contains preference panes for many third-party products and applications. Trying to figure out which piece of software is causing the conflict has been an exercise in frustration. Even after I removed every third-party preference pane, the Magic Mouse continued to behave as a magic-less mouse.

According to various postings on Apple's Discussions forum, some users have been able to get the Magic Mouse to work by removing one or more of the following third-party preferences panes: USB Overdrive, Microsoft Keyboard, Logitech Control Center. No such luck for me, but I was able to use the Magic Mouse with the fresh install, so you'll be seeing a full review of the Magic Mouse soon.

Magic Mouse Not Working For Some originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 19:04:54.

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Default Folder X: Tom�s Budget Software Pick

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:01:01 +0000

Default Folder X gives you quick access to folders you use often from within any Open or Save dialog box. You can assign a default folder for each application, so your work is always saved in the same place. You can also use a list of your favorite locations, recently used locations, or all currently open Finder windows, on the assumption that one of them is likely to be where the document you are currently working on is stored.

Default Folder X also provides access to your Mac file system through a quick hierarchical menu that is faster than the method used in the standard Open/Save dialog box. Additionally, the application provides a host of file features that allow you to work with the Mac's file system without leaving the Open/Save dialog box. For example, if you notice that a file name is incorrect, you can correct it without leaving the Open/Save dialog box. You can also get info on a file and see larger previews than the ones displayed in the standard Open/Save dialog box.

Default Folder X is a real time saver; the latest version is now compatible with Snow Leopard.

Default Folder X is $34.95. A 30-day demo is available.

See other software choices from Tom's Budget Software Picks.

Default Folder X: Tom�s Budget Software Pick originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 18:01:01.

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27-inch iMacs May Have Performance Issues

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:36:41 +0000

Engadget reports that Apple's latest iMac, specifically the 27-inch Intel Core 2 Duo model, has been the subject of a rash of performance-related complaints on the Apple discussion boards. Some users are reporting Flash video playback as jerky or hesitant when viewing YouTube and other online video sites.

Courtesy of Apple

The other issue commonly being cited is hard drives entering sleep mode, even when drive activity should be keeping the drives awake.

Although the Apple support discussion about the slow Flash video problem is somewhat long, it appears the problem is not universal and may only be affecting a very small set of users. The unifying issue hasn't been determined yet.

If you have a 27-inch iMac, let us know how it is working for you.

27-inch iMacs May Have Performance Issues originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 18:36:41.

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Apple TV 3.0 Software Released

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:15:49 +0000

Apple TV 3.0 has a new, simpler user interface, and is now compatible with all of the latest iTunes features, including iTunes LP, iTunes Extras, Genius Mixes, and Internet radio playback.

Courtesy of Apple

The Apple TV hardware remains unchanged. While the new software offers new features, they are mostly just minor enhancements and user interface changes. Even with this new software, the Apple TV remains one of the older Apple products. It was last updated in May of 2007, with a larger hard drive.

Apple TV has great potential, but not in its current hardware form. Come on, Apple. Either invest some resources in updating the Apple TV hardware or add the technology to the rest of the Mac lineup.

Apple TV 3.0 Software Released originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 18:15:49.

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Magic Mouse Finally Starts Shipping

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:27:23 +0000

Apple's Magic Mouse may have a little magic in it but it was difficult to tell because so far, it had mostly been invisible.

Courtesy of Apple

Until yesterday, the only way to get a Magic Mouse was to purchase one of the new iMacs that comes bundled with the mouse. That changed with the release of the Wireless Mouse Software 1.0 yesterday. You can now use the Magic Mouse with Snow Leopard 10.6.1 and Leopard 10.5.8 or later.

Apple has also started shipping the Magic Mouse. Many individuals who pre-ordered the mouse have reported that they've received an email notice of shipping. The Apple Store still shows a 5-7 day shipping delay, but that should change soon as Apple catches up with Magic Mouse back orders.

Magic Mouse Finally Starts Shipping originally appeared on About.com Focus on Macs on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 11:27:23.

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