Despite valiant efforts to push its Windows licensees to adopt Vista and the forthcoming Windows 7, Microsoft has one again agreed to extend the option of selling Windows XP for use on new PCs for another year, through April 30, 2010.
Wireless Carriers Are Wrong to Cripple Skype for iPhone
Everybody loves the idea of cheap VoIP calls on cell phones. Everybody, that is, except for wireless carriers who charge usurious fees for voice and data plans. Cellular providers around the globe are placing restrictions on Skype for iPhone and other Internet phone services, and that’s bad news for consumers.
"Gucci with a touchpad"
Even if the recession has been deepening, businesses and consumers are willing to pay for something that they need, or something that they want very badly. A BlackBerry is a status symbol of sorts. It is certainly a device that has utility. The iPhone shares those elements and is also a much more powerful symbol of the owner’s prestige.
Microsoft Releases Second 'Laptop Hunters' Commercial
Microsoft has released a second commercial in their new "Laptop Hunters" ad campaign targeting Mac prices. In the new commercial, "Giampaolo" is given a budget of $1500 with which to find to a laptop with his desired features of portability, battery...
Widget Watch: hiddenfiles
Filed under: Widget Watch
Ever wonder what files your Mac is hiding from you? Maybe not, but once in a while there's a need to peek at the stuff OS X keeps you from viewing. Finder does a nice job of hiding the "guts" of some folders, you see, but there are occasions (troubleshooting, setting up a web server, looking for some folders, etc.) when you'll need to view and/or edit these files or folders. Enter hiddenfiles, a simple and unobtrusive widget that'll show those hidden files and folders.Sure, you can use Onyx or Terminal and do some command line work. But it's much easier to drop into Dashboard, hit "Show" on the blue button and have Finder relaunch, showing all invisible files. I had to click on Finder in the Dock to actually launch it again, but when I did there were those lovely .DS_Store files, staring me down. I use this to remove the hidden _files off my daughter's PC-friendly MP3 player. That way she doesn't have to scroll through resource-fork versions of her songs.
The widget is free and available from developer Matthew Hansen's page.
TUAWWidget Watch: hiddenfiles originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
VLC 0.9.9 for Mac Intel
Videolan offers an update for VLC, now available in version 0.9.9. It is currently only available for Mac Intel, the PPC version remains in version 0.ç.8 for the moment. This update fixes some bugs, improves playback performance on Mac Intel et add an experimental player for REal videos in version 3.0 and 4.0.
To download it: http://www.videolan.org/
AT&T hurrying massive network update for new iPhone launch
AT&T is rushing to rollout a major upgrade to its 3G mobile data service in anticipation of a tenfold increase in network traffic from new iPhone hardware expected to go on sale in June, according to a vendor source.
Microsoft at it again with 2nd ad tweaking Macs
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Cult of Mac
Microsoft is really working hard to get potential Mac customers to either buy or stay with Windows-based PCs. After the initial "Lauren" ad -- see BusinessWeek's take on her choice of a poorly-rated HP model, and TechFlash & Apple 2.0 on her oddly extensive acting career for someone who supposedly answered a Craiglist ad for market research -- a new ad [YouTube link] in the series launched today. Our new shopper, Giampaolo, looks at a Mac at a computer store and says it is "so sexy," but then adds that "Macs are more about aesthetics than they are about computing power." [Check Harry McCracken's detailed side-by-side of 17" laptop hardware comparisons to debunk the "Apple Tax" and performance arguments.]
He winds up with an HP laptop which is within the $1500 dollar budget Microsoft gave him. The model he chooses is a Pavilion HDX 16t. We hope he enjoys it!
It's a strange campaign. Microsoft is spending a lot of time and money promoting HP, while saying not much at all about the advantages of Windows Vista... which is, after all, the product Microsoft sells.
Is it effective? Is it giving you second thoughts about buying Apple products, based on cost considerations? (Is this a rhetorical question?)
TUAWMicrosoft at it again with 2nd ad tweaking Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Microsoft allows HP to wipe Windows 7 with XP through 2010
Despite valiant efforts to push its Windows licensees to adopt Vista and the forthcoming Windows 7, Microsoft has one again agreed to extend the option of selling Windows XP for use on new PCs for another year, through April 30, 2010.
Wireless Carriers Are Wrong to Cripple Skype for iPhone
Everybody loves the idea of cheap VoIP calls on cell phones. Everybody, that is, except for wireless carriers who charge usurious fees for voice and data plans. Cellular providers around the globe are placing restrictions on Skype for iPhone and other Internet phone services, and that’s bad news for consumers.
"Gucci with a touchpad"
Even if the recession has been deepening, businesses and consumers are willing to pay for something that they need, or something that they want very badly. A BlackBerry is a status symbol of sorts. It is certainly a device that has utility. The iPhone shares those elements and is also a much more powerful symbol of the owner’s prestige.
Microsoft Releases Second 'Laptop Hunters' Commercial
Microsoft has released a second commercial in their new "Laptop Hunters" ad campaign targeting Mac prices. In the new commercial, "Giampaolo" is given a budget of $1500 with which to find to a laptop with his desired features of portability, battery...
Widget Watch: hiddenfiles
Filed under: Widget Watch
Ever wonder what files your Mac is hiding from you? Maybe not, but once in a while there's a need to peek at the stuff OS X keeps you from viewing. Finder does a nice job of hiding the "guts" of some folders, you see, but there are occasions (troubleshooting, setting up a web server, looking for some folders, etc.) when you'll need to view and/or edit these files or folders. Enter hiddenfiles, a simple and unobtrusive widget that'll show those hidden files and folders.Sure, you can use Onyx or Terminal and do some command line work. But it's much easier to drop into Dashboard, hit "Show" on the blue button and have Finder relaunch, showing all invisible files. I had to click on Finder in the Dock to actually launch it again, but when I did there were those lovely .DS_Store files, staring me down. I use this to remove the hidden _files off my daughter's PC-friendly MP3 player. That way she doesn't have to scroll through resource-fork versions of her songs.
The widget is free and available from developer Matthew Hansen's page.
TUAWWidget Watch: hiddenfiles originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
VLC 0.9.9 for Mac Intel
Videolan offers an update for VLC, now available in version 0.9.9. It is currently only available for Mac Intel, the PPC version remains in version 0.ç.8 for the moment. This update fixes some bugs, improves playback performance on Mac Intel et add an experimental player for REal videos in version 3.0 and 4.0.
To download it: http://www.videolan.org/
AT&T hurrying massive network update for new iPhone launch
AT&T is rushing to rollout a major upgrade to its 3G mobile data service in anticipation of a tenfold increase in network traffic from new iPhone hardware expected to go on sale in June, according to a vendor source.
Microsoft at it again with 2nd ad tweaking Macs
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Cult of Mac
Microsoft is really working hard to get potential Mac customers to either buy or stay with Windows-based PCs. After the initial "Lauren" ad -- see BusinessWeek's take on her choice of a poorly-rated HP model, and TechFlash & Apple 2.0 on her oddly extensive acting career for someone who supposedly answered a Craiglist ad for market research -- a new ad [YouTube link] in the series launched today. Our new shopper, Giampaolo, looks at a Mac at a computer store and says it is "so sexy," but then adds that "Macs are more about aesthetics than they are about computing power." [Check Harry McCracken's detailed side-by-side of 17" laptop hardware comparisons to debunk the "Apple Tax" and performance arguments.]
He winds up with an HP laptop which is within the $1500 dollar budget Microsoft gave him. The model he chooses is a Pavilion HDX 16t. We hope he enjoys it!
It's a strange campaign. Microsoft is spending a lot of time and money promoting HP, while saying not much at all about the advantages of Windows Vista... which is, after all, the product Microsoft sells.
Is it effective? Is it giving you second thoughts about buying Apple products, based on cost considerations? (Is this a rhetorical question?)
TUAWMicrosoft at it again with 2nd ad tweaking Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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