The Small Wave.

Apple .Mac: Grading the Service, What to Add Next.

Tom — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:54:43 +0000

With the rumors of a revamped .Mac perhaps coming out with iPhone 2.0, it’s worth talking about what I think of the service and what I’d like to see in terms of improvements. First, I got .Mac for $69 at the same time I bought my iMac...

Kabloona

Tom — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:49:49 +0000

I haven’t been writing much lately. There are a number of reasons for this, chief among them that my day job has been keeping me very busy of late, and I have other priorities at night so this “labor of love” comes somewhat further...

Apple iMac Graphics Firmware Update for ATI HD 2600? Maybe Not.

Tom — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:49:56 +0000

So Apple releases a firmware update for iMacs with ATI Radeon HD Graphics. OK, I run Software Updater but it doesn’t register. No biggie, maybe they just haven’t rolled it to the auto-updater yet. I’ll check it out and download...

Updated Apple iMac is Interesting in More Ways Than Just the Speed Bump.

Tom — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:34:38 +0000

[UPDATE:] Read this. It’s true Apple has chosen a processor that generates more heat, but they may not have gone all the way to the desktop line. A quick summary: That they broke the 3GHz barrier is nice. That they now have a 512MB graphics...

Apple Airport Express: A WiFi Hotel Room Network.

Tom — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:33:23 +0000

As I mentioned in my review of the Airport Express, I bought it solely for the purpose of using Airtunes to stream my upstairs computer with my downstairs living room stereo. It does so flawlessly. However, since I knew I as going on vacation I...

Thoughts on Business Switching Windows Desktops to Linux Instead of Mac OS.

Tom — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:35:29 +0000

There’s an article on Roughly Drafted about a pilot program at IBM “designed to study the possibility of moving significant numbers of employees to the Mac platform.” The article is a worthwhile read, and includes comments from...

Quick and Dirty RIM Blackberry vs. Apple iPhone Observations.

Tom — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:04:52 +0000

The title says it all. This is not in any way, shape, or form meant to be a review. These are just some observations I gathered watching Blackberry usage last week. On vacation I saw lots of iPhones and BBs (FYI, I don’t recall seeing a single...

Psystar Mac Clone Not the Deal They Make it Out to Be.

Tom — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:05:06 +0000

There’s lots of talk about Psystar and their selling a cheap PC as a Mac, complete with Leopard. That last part is important, because without Leopard it’s not a Mac anyway, and yet some articles quote the base price of $399 even though...

Apple Store Support: My New iPhone.

Tom — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:13:40 +0000

A week ago Thursday — just one day before leaving for a week-long vacation — I noticed my iPhone was not connected to my WiFi network. The other iPhone in the house was on it, as was the iPod Touch, iMac, and MacBook, so I knew the...

I Am Back.

Tom — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:55:46 +0000

Here’s what I learned (or confirmed) on my vacation: Disney World is fine, but I have a new-found respect for Disneyland. My limit for consecutive days at amusement parks is four (and that’s pushing it). Sadly, I did five. The weather...

Apple Income From Google Referrals.

Tom — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:26:13 +0000

Om Malik and John Gruber appear interested in what Apple’s pulling down from Google search referrals from Safari. I’m not sure why this is; it’s not a lot of money for Apple’s bottom line, and I believe their primary goal...

Windows 7 Sometime in 2009…

Tom — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:42:44 +0000

Bill Gates says Windows 7 may be released “sometime in the next year”. Of course it will! I mean, at the very least, they’ll say it will. I wrote this before. Mind you, whether it’s actually delivered by the end of 2009 is...

Vacation! And WordPress 2.5!!

Tom — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:59:39 +0000

Starting tomorrow I’m off for a week of vacation. It’s a family thing, and I’ll be doing my part to keep Walt Disney’s ghost rich (after all, the man built an empire, somebody has to feed it). Will probably not post anything...

The Era of Consumer Computing: Of Apple, Microsoft, and the Future.

Tom — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:21:09 +0000

Bear with me a bit as I lead into what gives this article its title. If you check my About page, you’ll see that since August of last year I’ve switched my household entirely to Apple. A 24-inch iMac Extreme, a 2.2 GHz MacBook, a Time...

Out of Internet.

Tom — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:13:11 +0000

Hi, I will be out of the Internet on 4/1, returning on 4/2. If you need immediate assistance in finding bad April 1st humor, I suggest Google. Regards, Tom

Amazon, eMusic, iTunes, and Other Digital Download Thoughts.

Tom — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 06:55:35 +0000

Much has been made of the “news” that Amazon’s MP3 store is now the #2 online retailer in digital music. You can absorb some various thoughts on this in these articles: USA today’s original article, citing no other data than...

Windows SuperSite on the XP and Vista Conundrum.

Tom — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:30:11 +0000

The Windows SuperSite, in an article about Windows XP SP3 being “good enough”, discusses the “Windows XP and the Vista conundrum“: I mean, imagine a case in which customers were allowed to choose between a previous generation...

Music In the Air: My New Apple Airport Express.

Tom — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:18:13 +0000

Picked up an Airport Express today. This thing has intrigued me ever since it was introduced. Not because it’s a super small and convenient device for creating a high-speed WiFi network — complete with Internet and print sharing. And not...

A Second Look: Apple Windows Updater, Safari 3.1, and You.

Tom — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:22:40 +0000

Yesterday I stated my position on Apple’s use of their Windows Software Updater to “update” Safari on systems that don’t run it. Many other bloggers, analysts, etc. posted their positions as well. There’s been a lot of...

Apple to Windows Users: Run One, Run All!

Tom — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:07:48 +0000

The mid- to late-90s seemed to be the heyday of software vendors deciding that if you ran one of their products, you’d want a bunch more as well. In my opinion, it was not Microsoft, but Real, that typified this behavior and annoyed me...

Vista SP1: Just What Microsoft Needed.

Tom — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:28:18 +0000

See this from Information Week: The affected chipset is Intel’s 945G Express series, which is used in computers from virtually all major system vendors. It’s also found on standalone motherboards sold by Asus. The 945G Express chipset...

eMusic Can’t Sell Their Product: Whines About Apple’s Potential iTunes Plans.

Tom — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:47:12 +0000

Back when Apple announced the Safari web browser for Windows, Mozilla missed a great opportunity to plug their Firefox browser, choosing instead to whine like sniveling babies. I called them on that tack, and suggested what they should have...

TinyTech Sues Apple Over Macs, MacBooks, Mac OS X, iPhones, iPods — um, What Else Have They Got — Oh Heck, Everything!

Tom — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:34:32 +0000

Today, Mudbutt, OK-based TinyTech sued Apple for pretty much everything. The lawsuit alleges Apple infringes on “some of our stuff” and calls for compensatory damages of “a bajillion” dollars. In their press release today,...

Apple iPod, iTunes, and Music Subscriptions.

Tom — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:29:25 +0000

According to the Financial Times this is in the works. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of this model, though assuming it’s optional it finally has a shot to succeed now that the largest and most popular online music store (and...

Apple Safari 3.1 on Windows XP.

Tom — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:02:15 +0000

I’ve been running the betas of Safari on Windows ever since they came out. Overall I like Safari on Windows though it’s bit sluggish, which I attributed partially to being a beta. Today Apple released Safari 3.1 on Mac and Windows. My...

Windows Mobile: Microsoft Licenses A Feature No One Wants.

Tom — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:34:33 +0000

So Microsoft licensed FlashLite from Adobe for use in their Windows Mobile software. Not sure when it will be available in a mobile release, likely later this year. Some have speculated this was to buy time until their own Silverlight product is...

Trent Reznor Calls Radiohead Out on Their Online Album Distribution.

Tom — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:26:37 +0000

I’ve written a couple of times about my disappointment with Radiohead’s online distribution of their latest album (In Rainbows). Initially, I thought that they were just naive and had blown a great opportunity. But I soon found out they...

Book Reviews For People Who Can’t Read.

Tom — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:30:37 +0000

Some sites just don’t seem to make any sense. If I’m considering reading the book, do they think I wouldn’t read its review?

RIM Shows Apple How It’s Done: Downloads Crappy Music Fast!

Tom — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:10:50 +0000

I’m sure the Apple-bashers will be all over this one. Starting in April you can get music tracks OTA on your BlackBerry. And they’re DRM-free. And you can transfer them to your computer. And all is right with the world. And iTunes is...

Wal-Mart Bails on gOS PCs in Stores. Well, That Didn’t Last Long.

Tom — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:55:38 +0000

What started here, ended here today. It took only two months. You gotta love this: According to a Wal-Mart spokesman quoted on AP, “This really wasn’t what our customers were looking for.” Ya think? Linux is a geek OS....

Apple’s Home Server: A Mini-Review of the Time Capsule 500GB.

Tom — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:50:53 +0000

I call this a mini-review not due to length, but because I’m documenting my experiences with the TC in implementing it at home. I did not set it up in multiple ways, or perform extensive benchmarking, etc. I bought it to create a new wireless...

Thoughts on Lenovo ThinkPad X300 vs. Apple MacBook Air.

Tom — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:23:14 +0000

CNET did a review of the X300 and gave it an Excellent rating (8.5 out of 10). The ThinkPad X300 breaks new ground by packing a broad display, full-size keyboard, and nearly every feature a mobile user needs into a sleek, lightweight case. I used...

Windows SuperSite: Microsoft Debates, Apple Lies.

Tom — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:48:07 +0000

A pair of articles on the SuperSite clarify just what a Microsoft bias this site carries, as well as highlighting its love of Apple-bashing. Microsoft Debates. First, there’s the small matter of emails from Microsoft uncovered in the trial...

Does Time Capsule Contain Server-Grade Drives? I’d Say Yes.

Tom — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:24:01 +0000

It seems the minute Time Capsule began shipping some were quick to find fault with a claim made for the device. I guess when Steve Jobs used a fairly vague description like “server-grade” to describe the hard drive, such fault can always...

Windows Fanatics: The Apple Store, Part II.

Tom — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:10:47 +0000

Looks like this guy, after publishing his account of a visit to a local Apple store, experienced some of those Windows fanatics that Paul Thurrott says don’t exist.

Apple Home Server: My Time Capsule Prepared For Shipment.

Tom — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:11:41 +0000

Order status is as follows: Right now in my home I have a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router and backup my iMac (via Time Machine) to an external USB 320GB drive. For printing I have an HP DeskJet 5850, which is a true wireless device. This setup ...

UPDATED: The New Apple MacBook Pros: What’s With the One in the Middle?

Tom — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:19:12 +0000

With the new MacBook Pros Apple released yesterday, I’m left wondering about the purpose of the middle model. First, all three models get a new Penryn processor (2.4 or 2.5GHz) with 6MB of shared cache, a new multi-touch trackpad, and larger...

Apple Reduces the MacBook Black Tax.

Tom — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:11:54 +0000

Updated MacBooks were released today, and the premium for the black model now stands at $100. The middle model upgraded with the larger 250GB hard drive is $1,399, making the cost of black an extra C note. Before the update, the “black...

Windows SuperSite Blog Tries to Explain Mac Fanatics.

Tom — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:03:44 +0000

[UPDATE:] The original headline was “John Dvorak Writing For Windows SuperSite?”. Reader Scott took me to task for using a headline and premise that substitutes John’s work for Paul’s. His comment struck me, and I realized he...

Windows SuperSite Loves Vista SP1. Great, They Also Loved Vista.

Tom — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:28:27 +0000

Windows SuperSite’s Paul Thurrott has published an in-depth review of the not-yet-available-to-the-public SP1 for Vista. What a shock, Paul thinks it’s the Second Coming. It’s almost amusing to watch Paul essentially say in his...

Horrors! Apple Wants Developers to Honor NDAs!

Tom — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:23:15 +0000

Fortune’s Philip Elmer-DeWitt steps outside reality once again to take a shot at Apple with a story about developer relations. Not sure why Philip thinks this is an issue; to me it’s all very clear: “Kelly” is obviously a hack, and a “bad” hack...

Windows SuperSite is Bitter About Apple Delivering Fixes.

Tom — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:24:13 +0000

Paul Thurrott comments on Apple’s latest patch (10.5.2) for Leopard. As expected from the Windows “SuperSite”, the spin is about how it’s actually a bad thing to get patches. The implication is that having to wait forever for...

Windows SuperSite Blinding Flash of the Obvious.

Tom — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 04:04:10 +0000

From Paul Thurrott’s Windows SuperSite today, a shocking revelation: In the second half of 2007, Microsoft’s partners shold [sic] 14.3 million Windows Mobile phones. This compares to 4 million iPhones that Apple sold in the same time...

Mr. Deity and the iPhone.

Tom — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 07:18:50 +0000

One of the video podcasts I subscribe to Mr. Deity, now in its second season. In the latest episode, Mr. Deity claims ideology is the problem with fundamentalism. When asked if ideology is bad, he replies: It’s the worst. Are you kidding me? Look at...

What’s Worse Than Microhoo? Yahoogle!

Tom — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:30:09 +0000

So it looks like Yahoo is going to reject Microsoft’s bid. I, like seemingly everybody else, think the merger would be a mess (except for Google) so it’s probably just as well Yahoo may reject it. However, what happens next could be just as...

Apple 2.0: Outside Reality, As Usual.

Tom — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:02:28 +0000

Philip Elmer-DeWitt rarely writes anything that makes much sense. He jabs at Apple, but his best shots are the kind Mohammed Ali would be throwing today. Most of the time I just ignore the guy, shaking my head. Still, every now and then he exceeds a...

Universal’s Total Disaster to be Reviewed by DoJ.

Tom — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:01:12 +0000

Universal’s had so many bad ideas on ways to hawk music it’s hard to keep up with them all. Still, I’ve tried. Now one of their brilliant schemes — Total Disaster (a.k.a. Total Music) — is facing scrutiny from the...

Microsoft and Yahoo!: My $.02 Worth.

Tom — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:34:54 +0000

Everybody and their little brother is all over this. Heck, it even managed to knock all the MacBook Air fawning/despising off the charts. Like most major issues, there seem to be opinions lining up on one side or the other, with few voices in the...

Apple Picks Wal-Mart Exec for Head of Movies and TV. Um, What?

Tom — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:33:24 +0000

So Apple’s gone and hired an international head of movies and television. Great. With iTunes rentals just starting in the U.S., and Jobs stating he wants to take it international very soon, this is a positive sign. Still, their hire is a...

ZDNet Gets Blackfriars’ Marketing Memo: No Apple Loss Leaders.

Tom — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:39:56 +0000

Carl Howe at the Blackfriars’ Marketing wrote a great piece on Wednesday refuting all the garbage about Apple having to slash prices and sell loss-leader products. It’s fitting the headline began “News flash to reporters and...

Apple Releases Release Notes Restrictor 1.1

Tom — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:40:25 +0000

CUPERTINO, California—January 31, 2008—Apple® today released Release Notes Restrictor ® 1.1, a worthy upgrade to its powerful note-restriction software. Release Notes Restrictor 1.1 adds support for even shorter sentences, fewer nouns, more...

Microsoft Windows 7 in 2011? No, They Need It Sooner.

Tom — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:36:34 +0000

Rumors and speculation are all over the place on Windows 7. It’ll be here in 2010. No, it looks more like 2009. Oh look, screenshots! Wait, it’s gonna be 2011. No, no, it must closer than that, says Mary Jo Foley, let’s try 2009...

I’m Getting (MacBook) Air Sick.

Tom — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:30:29 +0000

So, reviews are pouring in on the device, and it’s enough to make you pull your hair out. Why can’t anybody review this machine for the purpose it was intended? If I see one more tech pundit explain to me that this really needs to be a...