About this Author
Sandy McMurray is a long-time technology journalist whose work has appeared in Time, the Globe & Mail, the Toronto Sun, Report on Business, Profit, and other sources. Between 1995 - 2002, Sandy wrote a weekly column about technology for the Toronto Sun, and served as Technology Editor for five Sun Media newspapers. He has been publishing on the Web since 1996.
Contact: readme@mac.com
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Monthly Archives
March 29, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 In case you haven't seen this already...
The Macworld article Panther Secrets Declassified by Christopher Breen, Dan Frakes and Rob Griffiths uncovers some cool, unheralded features of Mac OS X version 10.3.
Comments (0)
| Category: Recommended Reading
March 27, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 Tim Oren notes that Apple's HyperCard software passed away quietly this week.
HyperCard always had a marketing problem of not being clearly about any one thing. Since it was initially packaged with every Mac shipped, it's likely the majority of buyers used it as a quicky Rolodex, if anything. You can read the rest here.
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| Category: Recommended Reading
March 26, 2004
Posted by Sandy
Noticed here: a media player called VideoLAN client (VLC) can play protected AAC files, provided you have the user key.
In other words, music you buy from the iTunes store can now be moved beyond the 3-computer limit imposed by Apple (provided you use VLC to play the songs).
Apparently "DVD Jon" Johansen reverse engineered FairPlay support into the VLC player.
And.... here come the lawyers.
Update: Shame on me for not paying attention. This is old news.
Comments (1)
| Category: Headlines
March 25, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 More new software to recommend today:
If you prefer to interact with Mac OS X through an add-on utility like LaunchBar rather than the standard Dock, check out Quicksilver -- a completely free, open source software launcher (and more) for OS X version 10.3.
Comments (0)
| Category: Fun Stuff
Posted by Sandy
Catching up after a few days off, I see that Apple is now shipping the first of its new Xserve G5 servers. According to this story, the Xserve G5 is opening doors at telecom companies and other enterprise-level businesses where Apple has previously not done well.
...continue reading.
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| Category: Recommended Reading
Posted by Sandy
 ImageWell is a simple utility for drag and drop resizing and cropping of images. It's no threat to Photoshop or even GraphicConverter, but it's useful and free.
Also this week: the latest release of the open source word processor AbiWord includes a new version for Mac OS X. (The server is busy right now, but keep trying.)
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| Category: Headlines
Posted by Sandy
RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser suggests that Apple's iPod should support other online music stores, not just the iTunes store. "Apple's (market) share will go down if they continue to do this. The only way to presently put songs on an iPod is to (buy) them from iTunes," Glaser said, referring to downloads purchased from online music stores. Of course, iPod users can also listen to any MP3 file, and any unprotected AAC file, including songs "ripped" from their own CD collection, but I'm sure Glaser had no intention of misleading people.
We've been over this before. It makes no sense for Apple to support protected file formats controlled by competitors. Adding support for WMA or Real's version of AAC can only help Microsoft and Real, and hurt iPod users in the long run.
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| Category: Recommended Reading
Posted by Sandy
Apple says iPod mini is selling like hotcakes in the U.S. That's the good news.
The bad news is that the worldwide release date is being moved back from April to July in order to meet U.S. demand.
On behalf of Canada, let me say this: Boo!
Comments (1)
| Category: Headlines
March 22, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 Sandy and Lori McMurray give thanks to God for the safe and healthy arrival of six pound, thirteen ounce baby girl!
Photos are available here.
Now we're looking for names...
Comments (6)
| Category: Housekeeping
March 19, 2004
Posted by Sandy
No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, but I'm mighty distracted.
My wife and I are expecting a baby on Monday. We've spent this week racing to tie up all the loose ends -- work, nursery preparation, filling the freezer with easy-to-prepare meals, etc. -- before Baby arrives.
As a result, my mind is mush -- even more than usual. If time allows, I'll post a few things I've been thinking about between now and Monday. (If no new entries show up, you'll know Baby was early!)
No cigars please, just send coffee via my TechStuff.ca site.
Comments (2)
| Category: Housekeeping
March 16, 2004
Posted by Sandy
Penny Arcade presents a window into the life of the stereotypical Mac user.
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| Category: Recommended Reading
March 15, 2004
Posted by Sandy
Leander Kahney on the seductive power, the irresistible "buy me" vibes of the iPod mini: The previous three generations of the iPod, each smaller and silkier than the last, were merely prototypes for the mini.
Who cares if the 15-GB iPod costs just $50 more? Everyone interviewed at Macworld who had seen the mini had been charmed by its glamour. The specs didn't matter; they had to have one, and the cost be damned.
That's why competing players like Dell's DJ, Archos' Jukebox or Creative's MuVo2 stand little chance of unseating the iPod as the top player on the market: None is as cool, as slick, as pleasurable to hold, use or listen to as the iPod mini.
Comments (0)
| Category: Headlines
March 12, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 John Dvorak wonders aloud if anyone else is as smart as he is. Why are Windows users reluctant to switch to Mac OS X or Linux? Dvorak says, "It's the games, stupid!"
If we ignore the facts for the moment -- like the number of Windows users who are turning to game consoles like the PS2, GameCube or Xbox rather than trying to stay current with expensive PC game hardware; or the fact that many consumers (and corporations, universities, scientists, governments, etc.) are abandoning Windows, mostly because of poor security and rising license fees -- there might be something to Dvorak's game theory.
It's obvious. The best feature of Windows has always been and continues to be Solitaire!
If Dvorak is right, Microsoft is in trouble. Game over.
Comments (3)
| Category: Analysis
Posted by Sandy
Today's launch of a new HP Music Web site and the debut of an HP-specific download page on Apple.com signal the beginning of the rollout of the HP/Apple music alliance. HP and Apple have partnered to bring the award-winning iTunes music jukebox software onto your PC and into your digital world! Now you can enjoy the revolutionary digital music experience that's changing the way the world listens, all in the comfort of a Windows-based environment. That last bit looks like a concession to Microsoft, doesn't it?
Comments (1)
| Category: Headlines
March 11, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 Hitachi makes a device called a "microdrive" -- a tiny hard drive that works like a compact flash memory card.
This handy gadget, originally developed by IBM, didn't take off right away because the price was too high for the target market (e.g. digital cameras, MP3 players, etc.). In fact, it's still too high -- if you try to buy a 4 GB Hitachi microdrive today, you can expect to pay about $500.
Or you could get one free inside a $250 iPod mini...
...continue reading.
Comments (1)
| Category: Headlines
Posted by Sandy
ExtremeTech asks, "Why is Apple MIA from the living room?"
The answer, as discussed here, is that Apple CEO Steve Jobs envisions the computer, not the TV, as the "digital hub" of the future. TV is competition.
Another problem is margins. Unless Apple can make a decent profit on each unit sold, it makes no sense to enter the market (unless not doing so will somehow doom the company).
Comments (0)
| Category: Headlines
March 09, 2004
Posted by Sandy
 Apple stock (APPL) closed Monday at $26.00, down 74 cents from Friday's close and $1.49 below the 52-week high established last week during heavy trading.
It's not clear why investors were crazy for Apple, but it probably had something to do with this article in USA Today and bullish comments from Merrill Lynch analyst Steve Milunovich. Oh, and the rumor that Sony would like to buy Apple.
Long-time Apple watchers have been down this road before, and it's still a bad idea -- for both companies.
...continue reading.
Comments (3)
| Category: Analysis
Posted by Sandy
MacCentral talks to Steve Linford, founder and director of The Spamhaus Project: "We need our computers to be impregnable," he says, "something that Macs have always been famous for. We are so frequently under Denial of Service attack by spam gangs that everything on our network is designed around surviving it.
"With Mac OS X, we can flip vital services onto backup circuits and IP set-ups in seconds, trace attackers, and weather the storm without our services being interrupted. I don't sit around wondering how many crackers and script-kiddies are hammering our servers; I know those Macs aren't letting them in." Read the complete article here.
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| Category: Recommended Reading
Posted by Sandy
As noted in this article, we're not supposed to know that the chips and internal software that power the iPod are supplied by California-base PortalPlayer.
...continue reading.
Comments (0)
| Category: Recommended Reading
Posted by Sandy
 from Wired News:
StarBrite is selling a pPod, a virtual iPod for Pocket PCs, that -- given Apple's past tolerance for knockoffs -- may not be available for very long. Indeed. In fact, it appears that the pPod has already been renamed the pBop. "It works exactly the same way [as the iPod], except it's software and it costs $20," said a spokesman for the company, who wished to remain anonymous.
Comments (1)
| Category: Events
Posted by Sandy
 "FileMaker today announced the immediate availability of FileMaker Pro 7 the most significant new version of FileMaker Pro ever, with breakthroughs in ease-of-use, customizability and developer productivity."
The new version adds long-awaited features like the ability to open multiple windows in the same database at once, and a relational database architecture. Each FileMaker file now has capacity for 8 terabytes of data -- roughly 4,000 times the old limit.
You can get more information here.
Comments (0)
| Category: Headlines
March 08, 2004
Posted by Sandy
The Xserve G5 server, which was supposed to ship by the end of February, is now expected to ship "in March." This article quotes Tim Deal, Senior Analyst with Technology Business Research, who says the delay could hurt Apple's reputation with new customers.
...continue reading.
Comments (0)
| Category: Headlines
March 05, 2004
Posted by Sandy
Day Two of very active trading in AAPL. Reuters says: Shares of Apple (AAPL: Research, Estimates) rose $1.58, or 6.3 percent, to $26.74 on the Nasdaq. Volume was 27.5 million shares, more than five times its three-month daily average. The stock has climbed 25 percent so far this year. Earlier, the shares rose as high as $27.49. It's not immediately clear why Apple stock was so active today, although solid iPod mini sales and speculation about a Sony takeover (not likely) appear to be the cause.
In fact, it's been more like two years since Apple's stock price was this high.
Comments (0)
| Category: Headlines
March 04, 2004
Posted by Sandy
This article presents some bullish predictions for Apple from a Merrill Lynch analyst. Steve Milunovich argues the iPod could help put Apple back on the consumer tech map and "become relevant again thanks to its tech know-how and strong brand."
...Fortuitously, sales of the portable music players have taken off amid the expansion of Apple's retail store base. The company has opened 76 retail stores since May 2001, and there's reason to believe iPods are attracting more foot traffic to the outlets, where customers will be exposed to Apple's sleekly displayed, consumer-friendly computers.
Milunovich believes the music players could even create a "halo effect" that prompts Windows users to switch to Macs, though not all investors would agree. Read the complete article here.
Comments (0)
| Category: Recommended Reading
March 03, 2004
Posted by Sandy
Alex Salkever reviews Apple's recent performance in the Education market: Apple still needs to work on its follow through and support in big one-to-one initiatives. Even so, something good is happening for Apple in education. The proof is in the market share and test-score numbers. Read the complete article here.
I think Apple has a Catch-22 problem in the Education market. Most schools won't be willing to buy new Macs until they understand the power of Mac OS X. Unfortunately, they can't run OS X on the older Macs that fill most of the classrooms and libraries of the nation.
What would happen if Apple sent an free eMac to the librarian at every public school in America? (Yes, the company's share price would drop, but what else would happen?)
Comments (0)
| Category: Recommended Reading
March 02, 2004
Posted by Sandy
Think Secret reports that Apple plans to open "mini" versions of its retail stores.
Industry analysts are pre-writing scathing reviews of the new retail strategy, based on the assumption that 'mini' stores will have lower prices than the regular Apple retail stores. (At least one of the rumor sites is bound to report that the new 'mini' stores will sell any item for $99. "Really! I swear it's true -- even PowerBooks and Xserves!")
Perhaps the new stores will offer "lucky baggies" when they open?
Comments (0)
| Category: Recommended Reading
March 01, 2004
Posted by Sandy
"The Apple Developer Connection is offering student scholarships to attend this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco, California June 28 through July 2, 2004. Winners of a student scholarship receive a free student e-ticket to the conference. To put that in perspective, the regular attendee price is a cool US $1,595.
"You can apply for a scholarship online, right now. Be sure to have a PDF version of your resume on hand, because you’ll need to upload it as part of the application form. All applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM Pacific time, Friday, March 12, 2004.
"To be eligible for a scholarship to WWDC 2004, you must be currently enrolled as a part-time or full-time student at a college or university, have a student identification number, and be at least 18 years of age."
Comments (0)
| Category: Headlines
Posted by Sandy
This article from Reuters is the latest to ask if the iPod mini costs too much.
I guess that depends on your definition of too expensive. I was fascinated to discover that the 4 GB microdrive found inside the iPod mini sells for more than $249 by itself. As the Reuters article notes: Pricing on hard-drive players is still ruled by manufacturing costs -- a fact that is preventing Apple and others from pricing portable devices more cheaply. Obviously, the mini isn't too expensive in terms of its value; the real issue is the "sweet spot" for pricing. Everyone would like to see a $99 iPod, but it's not going to happen any time soon.
Comments (2)
| Category: Headlines
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