Category Archives: Apple

Google & Apple’s iPhone

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There is an interesting article over on CNET about Google and Apple outsmarting all of the cell phone companies over the next 5 years. Google is coming out with the “gPhone” (either a phone OS or an actual phone) and Apple has its iPhone. Now, when the iPhone was first coming out Kyle and I talked about how cool it would be to just run Skype on the iPhone over WiFi and just circumvent the cell company. Basically VoIP, but mobile. Super neat!

Well, this now gets more interesting. With Google aimed to bid on the 700MHz spectrum in January, the cell phone landscape could change dramatically. Now we have wide spread WiFi, available at a low cost. You can use your “gPhone” or iPhone to talk to anyone and everyone over this WiFi network. What does this mean? No more traditional cell companies. No more crazy cell phone charges and taxes (granted, there will probably be government WiFi taxes). No more 2 year term agreements that bind you to crappy devices on an even crappier network.

At the end of they day, I think this article has pretty much hit the nail on the head in saying that in the next 5 years, Google and Apple will have snookered the cell business really good. They’ll be the ones left out in the cold.

Apple vs. NBC – iTunes Saga

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I’m sure most people are aware of NBC pulling its content from Apple’s iTunes store a few months back. A new article on Apple Insider sheds some more light on NBC’s “position”. Jeff Zucker, Chief Executive of NBC, claims that they wanted to increase download prices for its shows to $2.99 from $1.99. The reason being that they had ONLY earned about $15 million from the service last year. ONLY?!?! ONLY?!?! Jeff, that’s $15 million you wouldn’t have earned on T.V. episodes without iTunes. I’d love to make $15 million without lifting a finger on the back of someone ELSES platform.

You sound like the RIAA claiming that downloadable music is killing the recording industry. Uh, no. Its just killing your profits, so you’re going to take your ball and go home, no matter how much it could affect what you COULD make in the future.

Jeff goes on to claim that Apple made millions by selling its hardware on the back of NBC’s content, money NBC never saw. Uh, yeah, right. Jeff, Apple makes a superior product that people see value in, hence they buy it. Show me some numbers on that claim and I’ll listen. Reading comments such as these only get me more excited that recording artists (and I’m sure we’ll see something similar with film in the future) are taking control of their own content and controlling how its distributed. Tell me Jeff, when NBC can’t make money on commercials anymore, will you take your bat home too and take my DVR away from me?

Camino Web Browser

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A while back I finally had it with Google apps in Firefox on my Windows box at work, so I switched to viewing my Gmail and other Google applications on my MacBook with Firefox.  It didn’t take long to get fed up with the speed of Firefox even on my MacBook.  So I decided to give Camino a try.  It’s powered by the Mozilla engine, but its only made for the Mac.  The first thing I noticed was how fast it loaded and how fast it loaded the web pages that I visited the most.  The one thing that’s been tough is some of the keyboard shortcuts that are different between Firefox and Camino.  But all in all, its been a great experience and I honestly don’t see myself going back to Firefox unless I’m doing development.

CoRD – Windows RDP Client For OSX

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For the longest time I was frustrated with the lack of an Windows Remote Desktop client for OS X. It was actually easier to fire up Parallels to use the build it RDP Client in Windows XP than it was the mess around with what Microsoft had released for OS X (read, lack of multiple sessions, even with the new Beta which claims to support them). So I did some hunting around and found CoRD. Its really easy to use and offers multiple sessions, which is key. It even lets you tab them in a sense giving you a left toolbar with your saved and connected sessions. Cool! Exactly what you expect from a useful OS X application. It’s pretty responsive too, a bit better than I’d say the Microsoft RDP client is.

A couple of complaints though. The drawing of icons and windows is a bit fuzzy. I’m not sure if this is a setting I can tweak. I haven’t dug into it enough to find out. Also, it seems a little bit unstable. Using it tonight, it crashed on me twice. Once out of nowhere and the second when I was logging off of one of my servers. All in all though, I’d say its a great improvement over what I’ve been using.

Update:  I saw in CoRD’s bug fix log that there was a bug supposedly fixed in the 0.4.1 release where CoRD would crash when logging off of a server. I updated to a development release, 0.5.0, and it seems to have subsided. If you experience the same issue, I suggest trying a development version.

The New iMac

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Apple unveiled the new iMac the other day. Its definitely thiner than the older model and with its new glass screen and black matte border, it looks really sexy. My first impression is that Apple hit another home run, packaging a useful tool in a slick package. The price points, for what you get anyway, are pretty good too. The low end is $1,199 for the 20″ model and the high end 24″ model is $2,299.

I’m not sure I’d actually buy one though. I agree with this article that its frustrating to have the monitor tied to the computer itself (though you have the same issue with a laptop, but I think the mobility of the device makes that a little easier to swallow). Also, you can’t hook up multiple monitors to an iMac either. That’s something as a developer that I find to be a huge productivity increaser (I have 4 monitors on my desk at work). If I was to buy a Mac that isn’t a laptop, I’m not sure what’d I’d buy. The mini doesn’t have enough connections (see multiple monitors again) and the Mac Pro is just overkill. I agree with Don, where’s the Mac?

My Poor MacBook Pro

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I’m a huge fan of Apple products. I’ve owned 3 computers (PowerMac 8600/300, PowerBook Pismo, MacBook Pro 17″), convinced my brother to get 2 (PowerMac G4, MacBook Pro). The 8600/300 and PowerMac G4 both still run today (I sold the Pismo)!

I think Apple, in general, do things better than other computer manufacturers and Microsoft. The products a sleek and the OS is solid. Except for my MacBook Pro. About 6 months after I got my MacBook, I started having issues with the battery. It wouldn’t power on without the AC cord plugged in and I’d always see a black X through the battery icon. I called Apple and they sent me a new battery. Everything was fine for a few days, then the same thing. So I had to send it in. All they did was put another new battery in it. Got the MacBook back and again, it was fine for a week or so. Now I’m sending it in again for a second time for the same issue.

It’s nice that Apple reps are pleasant on the phone and are understanding of my situation. I hate being without my MacBook as I use it for work all the time. In fact, I probably use it for work more than I do just browsing the internet. Hopefully they get it right this time around. Which makes me wonder. At one point will they just send me a new MacBook if they can’t fix it?

Update: SpeckProducts MacBook Hard Case

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A while back I wrote about SpeckProducts MacBook Hard Case and how great it was. Well, I went on my first airplane trip with my MacBook and I’ve got to say, the hard case comes in handy. Since you have to take you computer out when going through airport screening, not worrying about TSA scratching it up on you is great. And, when you’re on the plane, you can easily close it and not worry about anyone spilling ice or drinks as they’re passed over you. One added bonus I found was, since I have a 17″ MacBook which takes up the entire seat tray, I could simply close it and put a drink on it and not worry about my MacBook. Water or soda easily wipes off and cleans up off of the hard case. Well worth the $50 if you don’t have one yet!

SpeckProducts SeeThru MacBook Pro 17″ Hard Case

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Recently, Kyle, knowing that I’m an anal bastard when it comes to my MacBook, turned me on to a nifty product from SpeckProducts for my beloved 17″ MacBook Pro. It’s called the SeeThru Hard Shell Case. He had just purchased one and said it was great, so I went to their site and ordered one. Its a great little product (although its a little pricey), that easily snaps on to your MacBook Pro and protects it from scratches, spills, etc. There are cut outs for all of the ports and the SuperDrive slot. I was able to install it in less than a minute and now my MacBook is fully protected, which should help it retain a little more of its resell value if and when I decide to sell it and upgrade to a new MacBook.

Microsoft Could Learn From Apple

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It seems these days, even with Apple’s personal computer marketshare below 10%, Microsoft is playing catch up. They weren’t first to market with portable music players and Vista is supposedly based on the success of OS X. Regardless, I think there are plenty of things MS could learn from Apple, and #1 on my list is the way Windows updates itself opposed to OS X. A huge annoyance is how you basically have to run Windows Update until you get all of the updates. They have updates to their updates. OS X on the other hand, will roll them all into one and once you’re done, you’re really done. Microsoft, stop making me update your updates time and time again. Make things simple!

Licensing iPhone OS & Multitouch?

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I just read this article over at CrunchGear about how there’s a rumor circulating about Apple licensing their upcoming iPhone operating system and multitouch technology. I’m not a Mac rumor expert, I just use their products and keep up on the latest (real) news out of one of my favorite companies.

That said, I have to say I don’t care where this rumor came from, I think its complete bunk. Steve Jobs himself has said that Apple’s success is attributed to the fact that they control their entire environment. Nobody else builds anything for the iPod other than an accessory and nobody else can use the iPod technology for their own MP3 player. If Apple bought into this business model, don’t you think they’d do it with OS X? They’d make a ton more money licensing OS X than they do now selling it on their own (see Dell wanting to license it) and definitely more than they would by licensing the technology that will come with the upcoming iPhone.

The article suggests that this is a HUGE rumor and don’t read anything into it. My educated guess is you won’t see it. Ever. That said, go buy some Apple stock. Make some Mad Money!