– From engadget
So the MBA come with 1 USB port from what I hear, and unless you have a USB hub to help you fix that. Now a hacker decided to try to fix this problem, and with some hunting he found a way. He reworked some pins and got it to talk with a USB Flash drive. So while you ponder on making new ports on t5he slims peace of metal, heres a nice guie to making the MBA read the extra USB’s
guide for doing this
So most of you probably saw the thrust that the apple auto updater pushed on windows machines even if they didn’t have Safari already installed. This was bold on apple’s part in my opinion, even through I always says cancel.
This what Mozilla CEO John Lilly had to say about it
-from John Lilly’s Blog
What Apple is doing now with their Apple Software Update on Windows is wrong. It undermines the trust relationship great companies have with their customers, and that’s bad — not just for Apple, but for the security of the whole Web. What they did yesterday was to use their updater for iTunes to also install their Safari Web browser –what follows is some background and analysis.
What do you guys think of this push by Apple?
Also before I forget check out the gizmodo link for a nice poll on the topic
So I’m hearing that there are lots of problems with the iphones. If you have one and are having problems please lets us know. I’ll find a good in depth review of one soon, since I’m too poor to afford one. Heres a site where they have taken the iphone apart for those who haven’t seen this:
http://stream.ifixit.com/
Via Extreme Tech
By Jim Lynch
Also with contributions by Loyd Case.
One of the most intriguing announcements made at this week’s WWDC 2007 keynote address was the return to the Mac by Electronic Arts. EA is a huge powerhouse within the gaming industry and its presence on stage with Steve Jobs should not be taken lightly by anyone interested in Mac gaming.
But was the announcement of EA’s return to the Mac market at WWDC 2007 all it was cracked up to be? Did Apple intentionally mislead its customer base by not divulging the details of how EA’s games would be made to run on the Mac?
EA Returns to the Mac
Let’s begin with Electronic Arts. EA is most famous for its sports games and for disturbing allegations a few years back that it was running a gaming sweatshop of sorts, exploiting its employees and running them into the ground with whacked out work schedules and poor management practices.
Strangely enough, EA’s labor practices weren’t mentioned by Steve Jobs in his keynote this week. I wonder how many Mac users would buy games from such a company if they were aware of EA’s alleged violations of decency toward its employees? And have such alleged practices actually ended or does EA continue to allegedly abuse its employees? But I digress, let’s get back to EA’s games.
During the announcement, Bing Gordon, an executive from EA, came onstage and touted a number of EA games that would be coming to the Mac platform this summer:
* Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
* Need for Speed Carbon
* Battlefield 2142
* Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
And later this year EA will ship:
* Madden NFL 08
* Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
Well I have to say I was very excited when I saw this. Mac gamers have suffered for many years and have had to put up with getting games much later than Windows gamers, if at all. EA’s reentry to the Mac gaming market seemed to promise a solution.
But don’t forget the old saying that some things are too good to be true, which may be the case here.
Cider? What the Heck is Cider?
When I first heard the announcement at WWDC from EA, I assumed immediately EA was going to be releasing native ports for OS X. That, unfortunately, is not true but it was never mentioned at WWDC by Jobs or the EA executive that spoke. The crowd at the show and those who watched the video via the internet, were never made aware and probably never suspected that EA would be going a different route to get its games running on Mac OS X. So how does EA plan to get its games to run on Macs?
EA will be using a program called Cider. Cider is a product created by TransGaming.
TransGaming is famous for (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) for getting Windows games to run on Linux. In the world of Linux gaming, TransGaming is viewed with love and with loathing. Those who simply wish to run Windows games on their favorite Linux distribution love TransGaming for letting them do so. Those who loathe TransGaming tend to be either Linux purists who want native Linux games only or are sometimes those who’ve tried TransGaming’s Linux gaming product and had a bad experience. Either way, you tend to either love TransGaming or hate them.
How does Cider work? Here’s the information from the TransGaming site:
“Cider is a sophisticated portability engine that allows Windows games to be run on Intel Macs without any modi.cations to the original game source code. Cider works by directly loading a Windows program into memory on an Intel-Mac and linking it to an optimized version of the Win32 APIs. Games are .wrapped. with the Cider engine and they simply run on the Mac. This means developers have only one code base to maintain while enjoying the .exibility of targeting multiple platforms and, therefore, multiple revenue streams. Cider powered games use the same copy protection, lobbies, game matching and connectivity as the original Windows game. All this means less effort and lower costs. Cider is targeted to game developers and publishers.”
So, in a nutshell, the games that use Cider will not be running natively in Mac OS X. Why is this significant? Well there may be potential performance hits compared to running the same game under Windows (which is obviously now possible on a Mac given Boot Camp). How big a potential performance hit might we be looking at? There’s no way to know at this point. It could be terrible or it could be small enough so it’s not even noticeable.
It will be very interesting to benchmark the performance of Cider-based games running on OS X versus the same games running natively under Windows on the exact same Mac hardware. Perhaps the potential performance hit will be negligible. If that’s the case then Cider might be a good thing. We’ll have to wait and see though. I remain quite skeptical of Cider’s performance on Mac OS X.
Cider: Death for Native Mac Gaming?
There’s another aspect of Cider that needs to be considered. What will be the ramifications of it for those still hoping for native Mac OS X games? If company’s like EA can quickly and easily use Cider then why should anybody bother to create native Mac OS X games?
In the past companies like Aspyr ported Windows games to run natively on the Mac. What kind of future does Aspyr or similar companies have in the face of the onslaught of Cider-based games headed for the Mac? Will there be any room left for native Mac game developers? Or will Cider wreak havoc and destroy any hope for native Mac OS X games?
I wish I knew the answer to these questions. I suspect we’ll find out in the years ahead and the end result might be a bloodbath for native Mac game developers and porters. Not a pretty picture to be sure.
And what happens if Aspyr and the other companies that port games to Mac are run out of business and then EA and other Cider-based gaming houses decide to drop the Mac again? Where will the Mac get any kind of games at that point? Cider has the potential to be either a very positive force for Mac gamers or it could be something far more sinister and evil…the death knell for all gaming on the Mac.
The Carmack Factor Collides with Hardware Reality
Loyd Case:
One other highlight of the show was John Carmack, who showed off a video clip of id Software’s latest game engine, dubbed “Id Tech 5.” The demo looked very lighting- and texture-heavy. If you consider that the most powerful graphics accelerator on Apple hardware is the aging AMD X1900 XT—only available on the $2,500-plus Mac Pro—then it’s likely that most Mac users will never see the full glory of id’s new engine on a Mac. The iMac line offers the anemic 7300GT, one even begins to question how well EA’s games will run on Mac hardware. Cider is all well and good, but Command and Conquer 3 or Battlefield 2142 running on the 7300GT is pretty pathetic.
It’s likely that Apple will upgrade their desktop line before the Christmas buying season, but for the mainstream Mac user, it’s likely that all they’ll get is the upcoming 8400 series from Nvidia—not exactly high horsepower hardware. However, it’s worth noting that Nvidia’s mobile 8600 line is now available for the MacBook Pro. So maybe the iMacs will also get 8600’s. That’s certainly better, but someone with a 24-inch monitor trying to run Battlefield 2 at full resolution may still be disappointed.
Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies
Curiously enough, none of these questions was raised at WWDC 2007. Jobs, cunning rascal that he is, never brought any of it up and never even took any steps to publicly reassure Aspyr and other Mac gaming companies (and their customers) that their future wasn’t in danger. Nor did he directly confront the possibility that EA and other Cider-gaming mills might withdraw again from the Mac market if sales figures aren’t what they want. Surely the chairman of Apple should have at least broached this touchy and nettlesome topic?
Or perhaps he deliberately omitted these details? Some would say that a lie of omission is still a lie and some would consider Jobs’ omission to be just that: a lie. Steve Jobs would do well to remember that and Mac gamers would do well to view any further statements from Jobs or EA with a major grain of salt until the questions about the performance of Cider-based games are answered and until the true nature and depth of EA’s commitment to the Mac gaming market is clear to everyone.
What say you? Did Apple deliberately lie to Mac gamers? Is Cider a boon or bane to gaming on the Mac? Is native Mac gaming doomed? Share your thoughts in the forum.
So now the Safari Beta 3 is alavible to all windows users, and I’m not to sure if my windows/linux comp will explode if I do this (I kid, I kid) but I’ll try it out for the sake of reviewing and being unbiased.
here is the link if you haven’t heard about it yet
http://www.apple.com/safari/
from-Forbes
Dan Frommer, 06.11.07, 6:00 AM ET
Give Steve Jobs credit: He’s managed to get the entire tech community–and much of the rest of the world–talking about a pricey gadget that only a handful have seen or touched.
Apple’s (nasdaq: AAPL – news – people ) iPhone finally goes on sale June 29, and for many potential buyers, the only issue is whether they’ll be able to get their hands on one, as it’s certain to sell out immediately. But whether you are a music lover, a business e-mail addict, a mobile power-user or just a normal consumer, there are several good reasons to think twice about dropping $500 for the first-generation iPhone.
Will that be enough to slow iPhone sales after the initial rush? There are, after all, plenty of other options for consumers who want a smart phone, which is essentially a high-end phone with the ability to do other functions, like e-mail. Previously just expensive toys for information technology nerds and executives, smart phones are gaining mainstream appeal. Research firm Yankee Group projects that smart phones will grow from 11% of this year’s mobile-phone market to about 20% of phone sales in 2010.
Jobs hopes to pick up 1% of the market by the end of 2008. But consumers are finicky and have options. If Apple’s iPhone doesn’t stack up, numerous competitors, like Samsung, LG Electronics, Nokia (nyse: NOK – news – people ) and a host of phones running rival Microsoft’s (nasdaq: MSFT – news – people ) Windows Mobile platform, will be happy to take their business. (Elevation Partners, the private equity firm that has invested in Forbes Media, has announced plans to buy a 25% stake in iPhone competitor Palm (nasdaq: PALM – news – people )).
The iPhone’s battery is one example of a feature that could flop. By all indications–Apple is still being mum about almost all details regarding the device–the iPhone’s rechargeable battery is sealed inside its case. That’s what Apple does already with its iPod devices, presumably to save space. The company says the battery will last up to five hours of talking, watching video and browsing the Internet.
But it’s not clear how those claims will measure up in the real world. What happens if you use the phone’s wi-fi connection heavily? Or a Bluetooth earpiece? Without a midday charging pit stop, iPhone owners may have to consistently choose between using its Web and multimedia features or saving battery power for phone calls.
Other smart phones have similar battery drawbacks. Palm, for example, says the battery in its newest Treo 755p will last for up to four hours and 12 minutes of talk time. But when that’s up, you can easily swap out the Treo battery for a charged replacement. Many people carry a spare, especially while traveling on business. With the iPhone, it seems you may be tethered to a backup-battery accessory, which is far from ideal.
Making matters worse, rechargeable batteries have a limited lifespan and can be charged only a finite number of times. This number varies, but Apple says a properly maintained iPod battery–whatever that really means–can retain 80% of its original capacity after 400 full charging cycles. Eventually, it will hold a charge so short that it must be replaced, which could at best mean a trip to an Apple or AT&T (nyse: T – news – people ) store, or at worst, an annoying, mail-in battery replacement service.
The iPhone’s stripped-down data features could also provide incentive to wait for a better offer. Apple’s boilerplate is that the iPhone is a “revolutionary” device for browsing the Internet on the go. To an extent, it has a point: Apple’s Safari is arguably the most powerful mobile Web browser. And the iPhone’s large display will surely make surfing the Web more enjoyable and functional than on a tiny Motorola (nyse: MOT – news – people ) Razr screen.
But for whatever reason, Apple decided not to allow the iPhone to work on AT&T’s fastest, “third-generation” (or 3G) wireless network, opting instead for its slower “EDGE” network. The difference is apparent even on a small-screen device browsing scaled-down, mobile-edition Web sites. When you’re surfing full-size Web pages, as Apple touts on the iPhone, the slow speeds could be a deal breaker.
During Apple’s first-quarter earnings conference call, finance chief Peter Oppenheimer said the company is “very much sold” on the slower network because it is more widespread in the U.S. This is a valid point, sort of. AT&T says it has 3G coverage available in 165 major U.S. metro areas, with dozens more on the way, and EDGE coverage in 13,000 cities and towns. But a 3G device can seamlessly hop between the faster and slower networks. And many of the iPhone’s competitors, like the 7-month-old Samsung BlackJack, do just that. So why did Apple skimp?
One reason may be the iPhone’s built-in wi-fi capability, meaning it can connect to local hot spots and avoid AT&T’s data network altogether. This is much faster than using the cellular Web, but imperfect. Wi-fi access is not as universal as you think, and often it’s not free. Spending $10 to use a faster Internet at Starbucks doesn’t sound practical on top of a $40-per-month, all-you-can-eat EDGE data plan. You may already have a wi-fi hot spot in your home or office–but chances are, you have a computer there, too, with a screen larger than 3.5 inches.
Then again, wi-fi may be a cool feature if Apple opens the iPhone up to developers to write interesting software like network or peer-to-peer games, on-the-go photo sharing software or any other mobile-friendly apps. Jobs is particularly fond of the iPhone’s Google Maps software, which he says “blows away” any previous version, and the iPod music software, which he says is “the best iPod we’ve ever made.” But it’s not clear if Apple will let other people write software for the iPhone, at least right away, and that could be a reason to stay away.
For example, if you’re looking to check your corporate e-mail with any ease, you may have to wait. It’s not clear if the iPhone’s e-mail software will initially–or imminently–support “push” e-mail from Microsoft Exchange e-mail servers or Research in Motion (nasdaq: RIMM – news – people ) BlackBerry servers. Apple has a deal with Yahoo! (nasdaq: YHOO – news – people ) to support real-time “push” e-mail delivery. But CrackBerry addicts should be iPhone-hesitant, at least until we get more information about compatibility. (RIM did not immediately return a request for comment.) Jobs said recently that Apple is “working to find a way to allow developers to build applications” but that security is a sticking point.
Rabid e-mailers or texters may also be skeptical about the iPhone’s keyboard-free design. Jobs dislikes the tiny QWERTY thumb keyboards on many of today’s smart phones, with good reason: Typing is slower and less accurate than on a normal, full-sized keyboard.
But it’s not apparent that typing on a touchscreen will necessarily be any better. Many BlackBerry users, once familiar with the keyboard, can type without looking. Can you thumb out a text message on an iPhone screen without undivided attention? Will it work in the rain? Or if you’re wearing a bandage? Will it scratch, as the iPod screens have been infamous for?
Lastly, one of the most anticipated, unknown iPhone features is its real price tag. We already know that it will cost $500 to $600, depending on storage capacity. But AT&T’s contract requirements could easily quadruple that price. To qualify for the lowest pricing on many smart phones, carriers require that you subscribe to an all-you-can-eat data plan for around $40 per month, in addition to a $40-or-more-per-month calling plan.
So much for getting the cheapest calling plan and just using the wi-fi feature for the Internet. Add text messaging and taxes, and you’re looking at a bill near $90 per month. Over the two-year contract period, that’s more than $2,000.
Businesses manage that expense for executives’ BlackBerrys, but will consumers happily pay that much? AT&T says existing customers will get the same deal as new customers switching from Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel (nyse: S – news – people )–but subscribers will have to extend their contract for two more years. Will AT&T offer a version for prepaid service subscribers? Many consumers can justify buying a $500 smart phone/iPod hybrid. But AT&T’s service terms could break the deal.
Engadget was good enough to post an entire wrap up on the nights events here:
This is all from engadget
Live coverage
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates: Historic discussion live from D 2007
Steve Jobs live from D 2007
Steve Ballmer live from D 2007
Palm’s Jeff Hawkins live from D 2007
Apple
iPhone to get third party apps
Apple TV gets 160GB disk… and YouTube too
iTunes Plus and EMI’s DRM-free music hands-on
iTunes Plus DRM-free music now official(er)
Microsoft
Microsoft Surface – surface and gesture based computing lands
Microsoft Surface hands-on
Palm
Palm Foleo hands-on
Palm Foleo gallery
Palm Foleo announced
Etc.
Livescribe shows off Leapfrog Fly-esque pen computer for grown-ups
QiGO announces Internet Content Keys
If there was anything else I’ll add it later on in the day or please feel free to comment on it
You’ve seen them, at the library or in the computer lab, spending hours checking Myspace, and now they’ve invaded the Apple stores. It’s gotten so bad that people just walk into the Apple stores to check their Myspace. So now in the stores they have blocked Myspace, which to me is funny because I’m sure their are some people who will try to go to myspace now just to spite Apple. I think this is a good move by Apple, cause I bet these people don’t buy anything.
Think Secret [via Crave]
-from engadget
Posted May 27th 2007 4:32PM by Conrad Quilty-Harper
The modders behind the ModBook — the first Mac tablet — certainly know how to satisfy their customers. In an email to let those that pre-ordered know that their machine could be shipping to them by the end of June, the OWC guys announced that they’ve upped the sensitivity of the tablet’s screen to 512 levels, from 256. We’re not artists (IANAA?), so we’re not sure if it’ll make the ModBook viable as a replacement for your Wacom, but it can’t hurt. They’re also including the option of replacing the optical drive with a second hard disk for up to 500GB of storage, and the option of selecting an addition gig of RAM for up to 3GB built-to-order. The extra memory option ain’t that impressive — it’ll deny the machine the benefits of dual rate speed that comes from matched pairs — but the 500GB will no doubt make the torrent junkies happy. Alongside these build to order options, the ModBook now comes with specs identical to the recent MacBook updates, so you’ll get an extra 160MHz, some more RAM, and some more disk space, free of charge. Not bad for a tablet that isn’t even out yet.
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