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Warping 12-inch PowerBook G4s I am reading a post and discussion on Glen Fleishman's site with interest this morning and wondering why others are reporting so many warping problems with their 12-inch PowerBook G4 machines while I have yet to notice any warping at all? It is also interesting that the warping seems to develop over time for people. I haven't noticed any warping here, but I am convinced that this machine has horrible power management problems. So far the best battery life that I get with my machine is around 3 hours, while I read elsewhere that some are getting around 4 hours or more from their batteries... Discuss the Little AlBook at warp speed
How to remove the Bluetooth icon from the menu bar As the owner of one of the new 12-inch PowerBook G4 machines that ships with Bluetooth built in, my machine came with Bluetooth turned on and an icon in the menu bar that allows me to easily turn Bluetooth on and off. This is great, except that at this point I don't have any Bluetooth devices, and running Bluetooth while on battery power can drain the battery faster, so I always have Bluetooth turned off. This morning I figured it was about time to remove that menu item and clear space in what is rapidly becoming a cluttered part of the Mac OS X user interface. Removing the Bluetooth menu bar item is not straightforward. I went to the Bluetooth preferences panel and found the checkbox for showing the menu bar item, but it was grayed out. No amount of clicking would allow me to check the checkbox and remove the menu bar item. The trick in getting it to work? Turn on Bluetooth. With Bluetooth turned on then the grayed-out menu bar preference is accessible, allowing me to click the checkbox and remove the menu bar item for Bluetooth from my crowded menu bar. This is far from intuitive... Update: A couple of comments in the discussion thread remind me that you can also remove the menu bar item by Command-dragging the icon off the menu bar, which makes it go "poof" just like items dragged off of the Dock. I knew this was possible, but I wanted to see how to remove the menu bar icon using the user interface, just as you can do with other items such as the Airport icon, Displays icon, etc. Discuss Bluetooth menu bar icon
While we are talking about software updates... Since I am thinking about software that Apple is woefully behind on updating this morning, an MNJ reader prodded my memory and pointed out that if there is an app that badly needs an update it is iCal rather than Safari. The last release of iCal dates back to January 5, which means we are running up on three months without an update to the program. And since I have been using iCal over the last few weeks I can only agree that this program needs work...
New York Times starts charging for archives A number of people have written over the last day about the move by the New York Times to break direct links to articles in its archives and start charging for access to older materials. I agree with what has been written by Dave Winer and others, but I have another beef with decisions like this. While it is predictable that newspapers would like to make money from old articles, why in the hell is the price for viewing these old articles $2.95? I may consider reading older articles on the Web for $1, but the $2.95 charge is gouging... Discuss NY Times gouging
Create disk images from DVD's for longer playback Mac OS X Hints offers a good tip for how to watch DVDs on a PowerBook without the fear of running out of battery power. How? Create disk images from DVD movies for longer playback.
It's another Friday...will there be a software update? No, I am not starting a rumor or anything of the sort. I am just noting that this is a Friday, that it has been weeks since Apple has updated Safari, and that when Apple rolls out new software it often happens on Fridays. I may also be prodding the folks at Apple a bit. We all know they have pre-release versions of Safari that are being used by a ton of users who grabbed leaked copies. We all know that Safari has nto had an official new beta version since early in February. And we all hope that Apple isn't doing something lame like holding onto any new Safari betas until the Worldwide Developers Conference two months from now in June. We want a new Safari. We want a more dynamic beta testing program. We want to see progress... Discuss update Friday
Studio365-Live for Mac OS X Transform Your Mac Into An Internet Radio Station
QuarkXPress 6 details QuarkXPress 6 Features Revealed
Beyond the Browser Bundle The Beyond the Browser Bundle offers NetNewsWire 1.0 from Ranchero Software, Spring 1.2 from UserCreations and Watson 1.6 from Karelia for a 25% discount at $68. This special bundle is available through April.
A slimmer Mozilla will rise Mozilla slimming down: Open-source Web browser development group Mozilla.org said in a new roadmap released Wednesday that its next build would be based on its Phoenix application -- a smaller, faster version of its own product... [MacMinute.com]
GraphicConverter 4.6 adds image formats, bug fixes GraphicConverter 4.6 adds ECW import and export (Carbon version only), MRC and FITS import, PDF export, better TWAIN compatibility and a ton of other bug fixes and enhancements. If you count on this Swiss Army Knife of graphics applications like I do, grab it now...
What do you call it when... What do you call it when the sun is shining and there is pea-sized hail falling from the sky? If you live in the Pacific Northwest, it's called April, or alternatively, spring...
Apple rolls out a new Apple Remote Desktop Apple Remote Desktop v.1.2 includes powerful new features such as Remote Software Installation and Remote Network Startup Disk. Apple Remote Desktop, the easiest way to manage and support networks of Mac desktops and portables, simplifies desktop administration, enabling classroom teachers and network administrators to maximize the use of their Macs and minimize administration costs. [Apr 2] [Apple Hot News]
Watson creator now has a weblog Noted by Brent Simmons: Watson developer Karelia Software now has a weblog. And an RSS feed, too. [ranchero.com] This will now be the 101st newsfeed in my NetNewsWire app...
Battery tips for PowerBook and iBook users 12 steps to better PowerBook battery life offers some solid tips for getting more juice out of each charge on a PowerBook or iBook. Discuss battery tips
Derrick Story looks at the Canon EOS 10D Derrick Story takes a look at some of the most compelling features of the Canon EOS 10D digital SLR in a story on O'Reilly Network's MacDevCenter: A photographers review of the Canon EOS 10D. With a price of around $1,500, this 6-megapixel camera is a real draw and it has certainly caught my attention... Discuss the Canon EOS 10D
An in-depth analysis of the OS X Finder Writing on ArsTechnica, John Siracusa offers an in-depth analysis and criticism of the Mac OS X Finder. The conclusion is a familiar one for readers of other reviews on the ArsTechnica site: Mac OS X needs to offer management of metadata in order to make the Finder better. Discuss the OS X Finder
Eudora 5.2.1 upgrade released Late yesterday the final release of Eudora 5.2.1 for Mac OS X was released. The new update fixes a wide range of bugs but there are no new major features in this release.
Calling all shareware software developers Independent Mac Shareware Dev. Group
Cronathon 1.6 runs maintenance tasks Cronathon 1.6
A paperless version of wireless book Adam Engst and Glenn Fleishman's The Wireless Networking Starter Kit is now available in an electronic edition at a discount in Acrobat PDF form. The PDF format book is $22, equal to the discounted print edition price.
Hydra 1.0 offers collaborative editing Hydra takes the idea of creating collaborative documents are adds Apple goodness by using Jaguar's Rendezvous features to easily share documents either over a local network or over the Internet. A full-fledged writing environment, the program adds the ability of anyone using the document to type anywhere anytime, to see what others are doing on the document as you use it, and to set separate authorization levels on private documents. The program is available with English and German localizations. This is something I am downloading and looking at right now... Discuss Hydra
New programs take advantage of Rendezvous New Rendezvous Products
A humorous Apple note about 12-inch PB G4 heat I am a big fan of this tiny 12-inch PowerBook G4 that I have been using over the last month, but even the machine's biggest fans will admit that it can be one hot lap warmer. Apple addresses the heat issue in a new Apple Knowledge Base article that offers tips for how to avoid any heat problems: PowerBook G4 (12-inch) feels warm to the touch. Among the tips: Always use the machine on a hard surface (which would rule out using it on your lap), set the processor to run at reduced speed in the Energy Saver settings (making this a less capable PowerBook), or set the hard disk to sleep as often as possible (thereby reducing disk response time).
TidBITS: Printer Sharing and Print Spooling in Mac OS X Adam Engst writes about converting the last of his Macs to OS X and setting up printer sharing and print spooling under Mac OS X.
Script Timer 2.0 Script Timer 2.0
WebMaster Village caters to Mac Web builders WebMaster Villagew is a new site devoted to Mac webmasters dealing with the issues related to running 4D WebStar V, Tenon's iTools, Apple's Mac OS X Server, PHP, MySQL, WebDNA and more. Membership on the discussion driven site is free.
An anniversary break on DEVONthink PE To mark the one-year birthday of DEVONtechnologies, the company is offering special pricing on DEVONthink Personal Edition from April 1-30. The infomation manager program will sell for $30 during April for all customers making their purchases through the DEVONtechnologies Online Shop. The "Happy Birthday" offer knocks $14.95 off the regular price of DEVONthink...
Apple updates QuickTime QuickTime 6.1.1 is now available through the Software Update panel in your System Preferences application. The release notes for the 19.4 MB update, which does require that you restart your machine after its installation, simply state that "QuickTime 6.1.1 delivers important bug fixes to MPEG-4 streaming."
April Fool's pranks for OS X users Writing on MacMerc, Jon Gales offers a few potential April Fool's pranks for OS X users.
CopyPaste updated to 1.6b1 CopyPaste 1.6b1 adds the option of a menu bar icon for the application with access to multiple clipboards from the menu bar, an improved sorting function, and enhanced access to the Clipboard Extender and Clipboard Recorder palettes that bring them to par with the capabilities in the Classic version of the program. The application that lets you work with multiple clipboards under Mac OS X remains $20 shareware.
This looks interesting...Soybo Soybo lets you access applications from the web
Audiocorder 3.7.1 offers better AppleScript A new version of the OS X audio recording application Audiocorder released over the weekend offers enhanced AppleScript support and a host of bug fixes. The $19.99 application can do timed recording, voice-controlled recording, and telephone recording straight to your hard disk.
How to get CompactFlash cards to appear in the Finder If you have had problems getting CompactFlash cards to appear in the Finder after upgrading to Mac OS X 10.2.4 then you will want to read a new Apple Knowledge Base article with instructions on how to fix the problem. Warning: Geeky UNIX commands are required for this fix, which is a little disconcerting to see. I am a little shocked that Apple expects folks to use UNIX commands to fix something it broke with a software update... Discuss CompactFlash fix
An interesting interview with Brent Simmons Interview: Brent Simmons, NetNewsWire author
Low End Mac returns after hard drive crash A damaged hard drive can ruin your whole day - hooray for backups!, Dan Knight, Mac Musings I will certainly be reading this story. Meanwhile, one of the main benefits of using Tinderbox as a Weblog authoring tool is that the archives are simply outlines. I back up my outlines daily and can recover them very easily.
MacDevCenter looks at the 12-inch PowerBook G4 The folks at O'Reilly Networks' MacDevCenter give a mostly favorable review of the Little AlBook in A developer's perspective on Apple's 12-inch PowerBook.
Excellent...Salon lives on CNET notes that Salon has received more funding to the tune of $800,000, which hopefully will be enough to keep the online magazine alive for a while. Now let's hope the site can reach its goal of breaking even, which would be a win for selling quality writing and reporting online.
It sounds like time to watch out for copy protected CDs Copyproof CDs moving to market?
An X11 annoyance: Processes don't survive sleeping I am using OpenOffice.org under Apple's X11 every day and one annoyance with this XWindows system in its current state is that every time I sleep my PowerBook and wake it back up, whatever I had running under X11 before sleeping has all been shut down, requiring a restart of X11 and a restart them of OpenOffice.org. Do others have this same experience? And is this isolated to X11 or do other XWindows systems under OS X suffer from the same problem? Discuss X11 and sleep
Want to learn AppleScript Studio? Learning AppleScript Studio
And then the sky started raining rocks It appears the sky was indeed falling over the Midwest in the wee hours of Thursday morning. An Associated Press story by Rick Callahan noted on Space.com describes the rain of meteorite debris over a wide swath south of Chicago:
Well known Mac writer suspended for political views The Command Post has a story this morning related to the Mac Web, noting stories about San Francisco Chronicle columnist Henry Norr's suspension from his tech columnist job. The reason, he claims, is because he was arrested while participating in an anti-war rally. Norr has written extensively about the Mac and Apple in general. It looks like he is just the latest in a long line of journalists being reprimanded for expressing political views.
Not exactly low maintenance batteries Apple posted another Knowledge Base document with tips for how to calibrate the Lithium Ion battery on an iBook or a PowerBook G4 for best performance. Owners of these machines have likely seen the instructions to calibrate their batteries when they first use the machine, but this document goes a step further:
And so the crux of this news is that contrary to the previous Apple documentation, you will have to calibrate your battery more than once. In fact, it sounds like calibrating on a regular schedule would be a wise move... Discuss battery calibration
Six months since the last update of Internet Explorer Not that this is big news or anything, but tonight while updating my Mac OS X apps ranked by category outline I noticed that Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5.2.2 was last updated on Sept. 26, 2002. So, just how serious is Microsoft about building software for Mac OS X when their Web browser, once the default browser that everyone running the OS was using, hasn't been updated in more than six months? By my testing, it is now the fourth-fastest browser under Mac OS X 10.2.4 and with the slowly maturing Safari from Apple (last updated more than a month ago...ahem) as the fastest of the bunch, I really can't see why anyone would have IE set as their default browser these days. For what it is worth, on my unofficial speed tests, the browsers these days rank with Safari as the fastest, Camino a close second, Mozilla right on its heels in third, and then IE. OmniWeb falls somewhere around fifth fastest, though I would still argue that if you are going for the full browsing experience and you want the best text rendering of any browser under OS X, OmniWeb is still a good choice... Of course, while I am mentioning old software, AppleWorks X 6.2.4 is nearly a year old now. The last update arrived April 2, 2002... Discuss IE turns six months old
ScriptDebugger 3.0.6 Script Debugger is a feature rich AppleScript authoring environment from Late Night Software. Among the changes in this release, Script Debugger can once again be used to debug AppleScript Studio applications and scripts running within any other Mac OS X application. [AppleScript Info]
My first serious crash on my new Little AlBook I forgot to mention that late yesterday afternoon I suffered my first serious crash with my 12-inch PowerBook G4. I was using a number of apps at once, as usual, and using Command-Tab to toggle from Camino to another app and the machine suddenly started rebooting. It wasn't a graceful crash...just a very sudden appearance of the blue startup screen while I was in the middle of switching between apps. I have seen this kind of crash in the past when using my Pismo, and every time it happened I was running either Mozilla or Chimera/Camino. Draw your own conclusions from that... Discuss
Today's notable software releases Here are some highlights of software releases over the last 24 hours as found on Macupdate:
The Web diarist as pitchman, not on MNJ The New York Times takes an interesting look at the way marketing is being weaved into some Weblog-based sites in The Web Diarist as Pitchman. Why point this out on Mac Net Journal? Because I want to let my readers know up front that I am not receiving any kind of kickbacks like these from the makers of Mac OS X software and services that I mention on MNJ. If I return to posting advertisements on MNJ in the future then it will be obvious that the product is being advertised. Meanwhile, I rely on reader donations to keep MNJ alive. To donate and support this site, click one of the donation links on the left-side of the Web site's front page to use either PayPal, Amazon, or a personal check to help keep the Mac news and tips flowing! Discuss
Yes, there will be a BookEndz dock for the Little AlBook Photo Control announced yesterday that it will release a new BookEndz dock for the 12-inch PowerBook G4 sometime in May. Very few details are available, including a release date or pricing for the dock....
Back to Safari After spending the last week testing the latest versions of Camino and Mozilla, this morning I switched back to Safari. The reason: Camino had once again become unusable and was crashing on start up, just as it did the last time I quit using it a few weeks ago on my Pismo PowerBook. And now this morning Mozilla is behaving the same way. I know that I could go in and delete various preference files, reinstall the programs, jump through a few more hoops and the programs may work for a few more days before I would have to repeat the process. I know. I also know that I don't want to waste my time jumping through those hoops. So it is back to Safari as my default browser, with OmniWeb and Interenet Explorer as backups... Discuss Back to Safari
Apple Store coming to Bellevue, Wash. soon Macintouch this morning offers a comment from a reader in the Pacific Northwest who says that the new Apple Store in Bellevue could be open as early as May 11. This will be a great resource for Mac users in Puget Sound country, if for no other reason than it will be a nexus for repair advice and possibly a way to let Apple provide some of the stellar service to local Mac users that I have read about others receiving directly from Apple Store employees.
Recent notable software releases Here are highlights from recent software releases for Mac OS X, as noted on Macupdate:
Brent Simmons is a year older Just a quick Happy Birthday note for Rachero Software owner and NetNewsWire creator Brent Simmons. May there be many more ahead!
12-inch PowerBook G4 battery drain while sleeping Over the last two weekends I have been on the road with my 12-inch PowerBook G4, taking it along to check email and write as well as to do things like confirm the identification of a bird call while standing out in the sunshine and gusting winds of Eastern Washington, while parked at the bottom of a 50-foot cliff. This little machine is working great for everything I throw at it so far, but I am noticing something that is a bit bothersome - noted battery drain while the machine is in sleep mode. Has anyone else noticed significant battery drain while sleeping their 12-inch PowerBook G4? I haven't done a thorough test of this yet, since I only use the machine like this on my extended book research trips, but it seems that this otherwise great battery in my PowerBook is draining much faster while in sleep than my Pismo battery did when running Mac OS X. Discuss battery drain
Use the built-in PowerBook keyboard with an external display MacOSXHints offers an interesting tip for how to run a PowerBook with an external display while the PowerBook's built-in display is blank yet the machine is open and allows you to use the built-in keyboard and trackpad. The hint has been tested and works, so if you are interested in saving the life span of your built-in LCD, this may be one way to do it without the need to buy an external keyboard...
Review compares Camino and Safari Writing on O'Reilly Network's MacDevCenter.com, Giles Turnbull takes a look at the advantages and disadvantages of the OS X Web browsers, Camino and Safari. His conclusion: Decide for yourself. Each browser has its own strengths. For what it is worth, Camino is my default Web browser, but I use Safari as well. And if Apple gets in gear and releases a tab-enabled version of Safari (yes, I know there are non-release versions with this...) then I may switch to Safari full time. I was using Safari full time until about a week ago, when I opted to give first Mozilla and now Camino and new trial run...
Apple earns kudos for handling of battery problem Detroit Free Press columnist Mike Wendland gives Apple a thumbs up for the way it handled problems he was having with the battery on his 12-inch PowerBook G4. This is good news for Apple, since superior customer support is one of the main features that differentiates Apple from its Windows-based counterparts. By the way, I have now subscribed to Wendland's Mac-Mike Weblog in NetNewsWire. He is posting some interesting stories there, including notes about his efforts to blog the war in Iraq from a pair of Macs - a G4 desktop machine and his Little AlBook. Discuss
TidBITS: Configuring a Utility Hard Disk Adam Engst offers step-by-step directions for creating what he calls the "ultimate utility drive" using a FireWire hard disk and Retrospect Express in another excellent TidBITS article: Configuring a Utility Hard Disk. I admit that I don't have such a robust utility hard disk set up for myself, and I may use a variation of Adam's setup to create a better system for myself and our home business... Discuss
LaunchBar 3.2.10 Even faster access to your files and URLs and email addresses using typed key combinations are available with this newest version of LaunchBar. Home user licensing for this addictive utility is $19.95 and business licensing is $39.
MSN Messenger 3.5 Microsoft rolled out a new version of its MSN Messenger instant messenging client yesterday. MSN Messenger 3.5 offers improved contact management, file sharing, chat history, and more.
Useful info: How to use a mobile phone as a wireless modem An Apple Knowledge Base article explains the steps necessary to use a mobile GPRS-capable phone as a modem with your Mac.
Tex-Edit Plus 4.5 released Tex-Edit Plus for OS X version 4.5 is a scriptable, styled text editor that fills the gap between Apple's bare-bones SimpleText and a full-featured word processor. Changes in this version include a fix for an AppleScript "print file" bug. Visit Doug Adams'AppleScripts for Tex-Edit Archives for tips, help and hundreds of ready to use scripts. [AppleScript Info]
Sites continue to discuss heat from the 12-inch PowerBook I haven't had any problems with extreme heat from my own 12-inch PowerBook G4, but a number of people are commenting about their problems with heat from the Little AlBook in stories on O'Grady's PowerPage and The PowerBook Zone. I wish I had some good strategies to offer for heat management with this machine. What I do it work with the PowerBook plugged in most of the time, and once I "trained" the battery in this machine it simply charges up and gets hot while doing so, then goes into a standard power mode and slowly cools down. The fan runs quite often, especially if I spend much time doing disk-intensive activities like playing iTunes for long periods of time, and I can guarantee the machine will warm up if I am burning a CD or something like that. In short, every activity that stresses the hard drive or the processor makes this cool little machine run hot. Discuss
Duplicate wireless network names cause confusion Writing on SiliconValley.com, columnist Dan Gillmor notes a problem with trying to connect to wireless networks under Mac OS X if there are two networks with the same name. Glenn Fleishman responds to the article with a note that it is indeed a bug...
AirPort 3.0 software available AirPort 3.0 Software Released Interestingly, when I went to the Software Update panel in my System Preferences app with my new 12-inch PowerBook G4, it didn't show this new update. It looks like I am already running all of the parts from AirPort 3.0 on this machine, pre-installed...
Buy Jaguar today or wait for Panther tomorrow? Dan Knight raises interesting points about his decision whether to buy Jaguar today or hold off and buy Panther later this year: Jaguar today, Panther tomorrow, and another slap in the face?
Toast Titanium updated to 5.2.1 Toast Titanium Update Improves VideoCD Export, More
Apple releases Security Update 2003-03-24 Security Update 2003-03-24 is a 5 MB download that fixes security problems reported with Samba under OS X last week. Running the update on your machine will require a restart. It is available right now through the Software Update panel in System Preferences. Here are the release notes from Apple:
I am installing the update now. If you run into any problems after running this release, please either send me email using the link to the left or submit your comments in the discussion thread. Discuss
Leaked software ends Safari test program CNET posts that leaked versions of the Safari Web browser have forced Apple to pull the plug on it testing program:
I am sure this will bother many people who are using the leaked versions of Safari, but I applaud Apple's move. What Apple needs to do is to stop its limited beta testing program and replace it with an open public beta testing program offering daily or weekly builds of Safari for free download by those who want to use the latest enhancements to the browser. Yes, this sounds familiar. It is time for Apple to treat this Open Source-based program like a real Open Source program and let the users decide if they are willing to work with bleeding edge versions rather than month or more old stable versions of Safari. Discuss Safari testing program ends
Birding Eastern Washington...and now back
I didn't update MNJ over the weekend because I was back on the road, this time birding in the Columbia River basin in Eastern Washington - watching thousands of Sandhill Cranes and a host of other species. We returned to home late last night, driving over the Cascade Mountains at Snoqualmie Pass with snow falling and starting to stick to the road in an early spring storm. It felt good to get away from the television and endless news about the war as it turned from a cakewalk to something resembling war over the weekend. Eastern Washington is a great place at this time of the year. It was actually pretty cold with strong winds blowing both Saturday and Sunday, which kept us wearing winter coats, but even that is an improvement from our normal impressions of this arid land - hot temperatures that punish anyone spending long hours outside during the summer months. The song of numerous Western Meadowlark like the bird in the photo above provided a soundtrack for our 607-mile trip. Spring also means that the sagebrush is tinged with green, and that spring flowers are starting to emerge - balsamroot and flox were blooming yesterday, along with desert parsley and many other desert flowers. I snapped photos of each, though these were hampered by dealing with the winds. Now, back to our regularly scheduled Mac news... Discuss Eastern Washington birding
O'Reilly: Learning the Terminal in Jaguar, Part 3 Learning the Terminal in Jaguar, Part 3
Batteries in a portable world If you use a laptop, a cell phone, or any other device with a rechargable batttery, you may be interested in reading the content on Batteries in a portable world, a Web site devoted to the batteries we all love and hate...
Oops...new WWDC date conflicts with MacHack Dave Polaschek reports that Apple changed the date of the worldwide developer's conference from May to June and changed the location from San Jose to San Francisco. The dates coincide with the MacHack conference, which Dave says "has Apple developers more than a little cranky this morning." [Scripting News] As some have pointed out, the two events don't actually happen at the same time, but they do bump up against each other, leaving many developers to chose one event or the other...
Panther postpones Worldwide Developers Conference Apple: WWDC 2003 rescheduled and moved to San Francisco
Anti-war hackers hit the Mac Web BBC reports the following: Anti-war hackers target websites - The number of web defacements and cyber graffiti has increased since the Iraq conflict has begun. [BBC News | TECHNOLOGY] I mention this here after receiving email from Rob Miller, owner of BaseStationRepair.com. Miller's site was defaced over last night:
It looks like it is time to start checking the servers... Discuss attacks on the Mac Web
It seems a little out of place...but happy Equinox With the events underway in the world today it is easy to overlook a major event, in fact a major holiday for many people that is being marked today. It is the time of the Spring Equinox, the official welcome to spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring is off to a cloudy and rainy start here in Puget Sound country, where I sit indoors and work while listening to NPR and the BBC on radio, with a muted CNN playing on the TV... By the way, today marks the two-year anniversary of my nature writing and photography weblog, The Equinox Project.
Knowledge Base notes for 12-inch PB G4 owners A trio of Apple Knowledge Base articles from late last night address issues with the 12-inch PowerBook G4. Find out why sometimes the battery doesn't charge if it has been completely drained (install OS X 10.2.4 to fix this problem), why the battery may not appear to charge to 100%, and how to use this particular PowerBook with the lid closed.
Pre-orders for DiskWarrior 3.0 are being taken now Alsoft's excellent disk repair utility DiskWarrior is about to enter the age of OS X full time with the upcoming release of DiskWarrior 3.0. DW 3.0 will be the first version of the program to be completely OS X native, and it will be able to run from a bootable CD, just like the current version of DW. The difference: When you boot from the CD it will boot into OS X rather than OS 9. It can't happen soon enough for owners of the 12-inch and 17-inch PowerBook G4, both of which cannot boot into OS 9. Alsoft is currently taking orders for DW 3.0, a $39.95 upgrade for current DW owners. In addition to the current features of DiskWarrior, the new version will offer much speedier performance, support for file journaling and Mac OS X RAIDs, full Unicode support, and the ability to rebuild disks as large as 2 terabytes. What is missing from the current information on Alsoft's page for DW 3.0 is a ship date...
An interesting move - Al Gore joins Apple's board Al Gore joins Apple's board Here is Apple's press release about Gore joining the board. And the best headline so far about Gore joining the board comes from MacSlash: Internet Inventor Joins Apple Board, which of course refers to one of Gore's embarassing guffaws from his presidential campaign days...
17-inch PowerBook G4s finally arrive The Mac web is full of stories about the arrival of 17-inch PowerBook G4 machines at retailers and the homes of those who ordered them when they were teased all the way back in January. MacCentral offers its take here, but there are many other stories starting to float around. I notice from one email list I am on that the Woz, Steve Wozniak, has two of the new machines at his office, though he hasn't had the chance to use them yet since he is out travelling. Are any MNJ readers getting their new 17-inch PowerBooks so far? Care to share your impressions of the big new guy on the block? Discuss the new 17-inch PowerBooks
An Apple story made for science and weather enthusiasts Apple has posted an interesting article about how NOAA is using Macs in tracking hurricanes along the East Coast of the U.S.: Michael Black: Flying into the storm.
How to use Samba for Windows sharing under OS X Although Apple is expected to offer a security update soon to address issues with Samba under Mac OS X 10.2.4, this story from the MacDevCenter offers a great primer for how to start connecting to Windows computers and networks using Samba as it stands today: Inside Samba: Windows sharing for the Mac.
Enabling PDF services under Mac OS X 10.2.4 Revealing Hidden PDF Services in Mac OS X 10.2.4
FruitMenu 3.0.1 released Unsanity offers details about the release of its program FruitMenu 3.01 on the Unsanity weblog.
The quiet before the storm Even if I had no knowledge of the impending war in Iraq it would be easy to tell that something was different here in Puget Sound country. The skies are quiet today, rather than filled with the sounds of reserve military pilots putting in their fly time at nearby McChord Air Force Base. And the rumble of distant artillery fire on the firing ranges at Fort Lewis has not been heard for a week or more. The training is done. The soldiers are gone.
When is a bug not really a bug? MacNN and Mac OS X Hints are reporting the discovery of a "bug" in the Keychain application under Mac OS X 10.2.4, but Mac OS X Hints goes beyond the sound bite to further explain the situation:
If you are worried about this bug, click to lock the access to your .Mac password and the "bug" is gone. This sounds pretty simple to me...
OpenOffice.org prints fine with a Canon S900 I was disappointed last week when I couldn't get my book chapters to print correctly from OpenOffice.org using my Samsung ML-1210 laser printer, but this afternoon I tested printing with my Canon S900 inkjet printer and an OOo document prints just fine! This is excellent news, since so far I haven't found the trick to get OOo to work with the laser printer, which could have been a deal killer for using OOo as a complete replacement for Microsoft Office on my 12-inch PowerBook G4... Discuss Printing from OpenOffice.org
Impression 1.0 Impression 1.0 released
OmniGraffle 2.1.2b1 A new update to the diagramming application OmniGraffle reinstates the ability to import files from OmniOutliner 2.2 and later, and it makes minor updates to the French localization of the program. OmniGraffle is a $59.95 application.
iCal revisited I decided this morning that I would give iCal another chance. In my first attempt to use iCal and iSync for synchronizing with my Palm Vx I felt like I was giving up too much in the process. I am still bothered that iCal doesn't include a memo module and that I have to install Palm Desktop in order to get iSync to work with my PDA, but for now, I am giving it another spin....
iCash 1.1...an alternative to Quicken? iCash 1.1 This makes me wonder, since I am in the market to find a replacement for my aging version of Quicken 98 running under Classic - is this a viable alternative? Discuss Quicken alternatives
A new version of AOL Instant Messenger A new version of AOL Instant Messenger X 4.5.995 is available today. I include a link to the download on Macupdate, but neither that site nor the AOL site offer details about what changes are available in this new version...
iMac - I hardly knew ye... I have to admit that the original iMac is one machine from Apple that never really appealed to me, but it is arguably the machine that helped save the company when Steve Jobs returned to the helm. CNET offers its look at the apparent demise of the original iMac:
OK...where is my tabbed Safari browser? I know that there have been unauthorized beta versions of the Safari browser floating around the Net that include tabbed browsing. What I want to know is when Apple will release the danged thing for the rest of us to actually use? I want to like Safari, and I have been using it as my main browser for the last month or so, but I've had enough with the screen clutter. I will be using Mozilla as my main browser until Apple releases the next Safari beta... Discuss a tabbed Safari
Keynoteuser.com: A site for all things related to Keynote Keynoteuser.com is a site devoted to "Themes, tips, links, troubleshooting, and other cool stuff" related to Apple's Keynote application.
The 12-inch PowerBook G4 and heat, Take II Since I made comments last week about the heat generated by my 12-inch PowerBook G4, I think it is only fair to offer an update today. In short, once the battery in my machine was "conditioned" then I have not felt the same level of heat eminating from the bottom of the machine or from the left handrest. The PowerBook is warmer when it is charging, but once it has charged and it is running off the AC then it cools down. And the machine stays pretty cool when running on battery power. Yes, the machine is always warmer than my Pismo PowerBook was, and I will likely change my summer computing habits as a result, but this is by no means unbearable. On another note, one interesting effect of my working with the Little AlBook is that so far I find myself working more and more without an external display hooked to the machine. Why? Because I simply love the portability and being able to work anywhere with such a small and comfortable machine! So far this has worked out to be a great purchase and it is good to just move along working with my PowerBook, just faster than I was able to work with the Pismo that preceded it... Discuss Little AlBook heat, take two
An enjoyable Mac weblog from Bill Palmer I have been enjoying reading the weblog of Bill Palmer, a Mac specialist in South Florida. In his most recent entries he takes a look at AppleWorks 6 and a couple of days ago he posted some reader comments about the 12-inch PowerBook G4.
Notable software releases Here are some highlights from recent software releases for Mac OS X, as noted on Macupdate:
On second thought, I have added a Politics category to MNJ After thinking about it for a while and reading some other people's comments about mixing Mac news and politics and real world news, I have changed my mind. I may still make a comment on the main pages of MNJ but I have created a new Politics category to hold more of my comments on the real world news. Of course, once I figured out how to create an RSS feed using Tinderbox, I made an RSS feed available for the new category as well...
TidBITS profiles LaunchBar Adam Engst takes a look at LaunchBar in today's edition of TidBITS, as part of the Tools We Use series. While you're reading TidBITS, be sure to check out Wanted: Conflict Catcher for Mac OS X.
MNJ during a time of war As the U.S. appears to be rushing to war sometime within the next 48 hours or so I am sure that MNJ will start to see more political commentary and notes about the war mixed in with what the comparatively very trivial information about Mac computing. Yes, the news will go on, but when such weighty matters are happening in this world I think it can only be expected that I and many other MNJ readers of all political persuasions will have other things on their minds. I will try to point out resources for unbiased news and thought about this war going forward... Discuss war with Iraq
Will USB 2.0 come to the Mac soon? Don't count on it... Forget About USB 2.0 On The Mac
Apple says it will fix Samba bug soon Apple Warns Of Samba Bug, Promises Update
An interview with NoteTaker's Scott Love AppleLinks writer John Martellaro has posted a Q&A interview with AquaMinds founder and NoteTaker braintrust Scott Love...
Apple rolls out X11 Beta 3 Apple has released a new version of its XWindows window manager, X11 Beta 3. Some highlights from the changes in this version: Command-Q keyboard shortcut can quit X11, dragging remotely hosted windows no longer causes a crash, and a host of other bug fixes and enhancements. This update is a 41.7MB download...
A glorious Southwest Washington weekend
One of the reasons I didn't update Mac Net Journal much over the weekend was that Natalie and I were on the road again, making a swing along the Washington coast and the southwestern corner of our state while doing more book research for Birding Washington. The weather was great for spring, with off-and-on showers and wind, but along the way we saw a lot of birds - 78 species for the weekend - including about 250 Marbled Godwits like the one in this photo taken at the north end of Willapa Bay in the tiny town of Tokeland. Other highlights for our birding weekend included our first sightings of Turkey Vultures in Washington, a pair of Snowy Plover mixed in with flocks of early spring shorebirds on the beach near Westport at the mouth of the Chehalis River and Grays Harbor, and a stunning Common Loon in full breeding plumage also at Westport. We returned home late last night after watching a concert featuring violinist Mark O'Connor and his current trio playing swing music in Longview, Washington. Oddly enough the concert was the reason for our weekend trip, though we also completed research for two more sites that will each serve as chapters in our upcoming book... Discuss Southwest Washington
PageSpinner 4.5 Preview 1 - many major enhancements PageSpinner 4.5 Preview 1, a professional HTML editor for Mac OS X, offers a ton of improvements in its newest version that was unveiled over the weekend. New PageSpinner starting points speed the creation of common HTML documents, better FTP options, and a host of other changes are offered. PageSpinner is $29.99 and it can be used to edit and create HTML 3.2, HTML 4, XHTML 1.0, Javascript and common proprietary extensions used by Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer...
Notes on PGP 8.0 freeware for Mac OS X PGP 8.0 Freeware decrypt and verify textIt also includes Standard and Text suites. While email integration for Mail and Entourage X is supported via PGP plug-ins, other users may need to use Services or AppleScript to facilitate email interaction. The download includes sample scripts for Entourage. [AppleScript Info]
Aha! The 17-inch PowerBook G4 starts shipping First 17" PowerBooks shipping to customers
What is Safe Boot and Safe Mode? An Apple Knowledge Base article explains the terminology of What is Safe Boot and Safe Mode. In short, you can Safe Boot at startup to repair your OS X disk and Safe Mode is the state the machine is in after a Safe Boot... Despite this new tool built into OS X since the arrival of Jaguar (at least I don't think it was an option before Mac OS X 10.2...), I still prefer to boot into Single User Mode and run the fsck utility from the command line to ensure that disk problems are taken care of when I have problems with my machine. The reason: fsck tells me if something has been repaired. If it has altered my system then I run fsck again until things are fixed. Safe Boot offers no feedback on whether problems were found on your machine.
Eudora updated to 5.2.1b6 The venerable email client Eudora has been update this afternoon to version 5.2.1b6. Bug fixes appear to be the main changes in this new beta, but check the release notes page for complete details about what has changed in this version. As always, Eudora is available in paid as well as advertising supported versions.
Hands on with X11 O'Reilly Networks takes a look at Apple's implementation of XWindows offered in X11 in its article Hands on with X11.
NetNewsWire 1.0.1 ships It shipped! The biggest changes since 1.0 are a bunch of crashing bug fixes. See What's New in NetNewsWire 1.0.1 for more details. Now we're working on 1.0.2, which will fix more bugs and include new weblog editor features, including support for more Radio and Movable Type options. Note: the $29.95 introductory pricing for NetNewsWire will continue through March 24. Then it goes up to $39.95. [ranchero.com]
A report on dealing with modem problems in OS X 10.2.4 Macintouch has a great modem reader report underway about the modem connection problems many users are facing since upgrading to Mac OS X 10.2.4. I haven't needed to use to the modem yet on my 12-inch PowerBook G4, so I don't know if this issue will affect me...
Can a Samsung laser printer work with OpenOffice.org? I post this question for those working with OpenOffice.org or those interested in working with the open source office suite under XWindows. I am using OOo with X11 on my 12-inch PowerBook G4 and although I have the program working perfectly, I am so far baffled about how to get OOo to print to my Samsung ML-1210 laser printer. I can go in and set the printer preferences from within an OOo document, but when I try to print the job never completes but instead switches on the Toner Save and Paper lights on my printer and just sits there. Insight anyone? I would hate to be unable to work with OOo just because it won't let me print... Discuss Printing from OpenOffice.org
Apple posts free upgrade to iMovie 3.0.2 Apple posts standalone 81.8MB iMovie 3.0.2 download. What's New in This Version:
Notable software releases Here are some highlights from today's software releases, as found on Macupdate:
Mozilla 1.3 released Mozilla X 1.3 is a 15.3 MB download. This version of the Web browser, email client, HTML editor, Usenet newsgroup reader, and chat client application offers improved junk mail filters and a host of other enhancements. Release notes are available.
Dan Gillmor offers a glowing first look at NoteTaker Tech columnist Dan Gillmor offers an excited first look at NoteTaker X 2003, the organization, note taking, and outlining tool from Aquaminds. As I have mentioned on MNJ in the last few weeks, I am gradually digging into NoteTaker here too, and trying to see where it could fit into my workflow. My thoughts about NoteTaker right now: As an outliner it doesn't feel as intuitive and easy to use as OmniOutliner, as a tool for organizing to-do lists it works great, it is a great tool for working with simple audio notes, it looks like a great tool for Webloggers who want to post a blog to their .Mac accounts, and it is a very deep tool that can be customized to carry out a wide range of tasks. I keep meaning to write a full review of NoteTaker, but this application is so deep that, much like Tinderbox that I use in writing Mac Net Journal, it is hard to get a real handle on in order to start writing. With applications like this, the only way to get a real feel for how it works and what it can do for you is to visit the application's Web site, look at the examples posted there, and take the time to play around with the demo to see if it can fit your particular needs. Discuss More on NoteTaker
Brother releases updated printer drivers As noted on Macupdate this afternoon, Brother has rolled out new printer drivers to add compatibility with the latest version of Mac OS X.
CompactFlash cards up to 4GB capacities SanDisk updates flash card line
How much battery life do you get from your 12-inch PB G4? I am finally getting around to testing the real world battery life of my 12-inch PowerBook G4 this afternoon. Apple rates this battery to have up to a 5-hour life per charge. Real world results are bound to be less than that. Here is the test:
With these settings parameters I started running the PowerBook on battery power at 12:15 PM Pacific Time and the estimated battery time read 2:38. During the duration of this test I will be doing my normal work on the Web as well as updating MNJ. Let the test begin... As a little additional information, here are the apps I have running as I do this test: Personal Organizer, PowerMail (checking mail every 5 minutes), Fire, Tinderbox, NetNewsWire, Safari, URL Manager Pro, CopyPaste, GraphicConverter, iView MediaPro, Transmit, iTunes (in the background, not playing), and System Preferences... Update: One hour into the test my batttery shows 1:46 remaining...at 2 p.m., 1:45 into my test, the battery showed 1:00 of life left but it is dropping fast now. It dropped from 1:00 to 0:53 of battery life in just three minutes, though part of that is due to downloading Mozilla 1.3 during that time...My battery went into the red zone with 0:34 left on the clock at 2:26 PM Pacific Time...and the verdict is: My 12-inch PowerBook G4 offered the low battery warning at 2:52 PM Pacific Time, 2 hours and 37 minutes after I started my test... Discuss battery test
Mariner Write 3.1b2 released Mariner Write 3.1b2 is an update to the speedy word processor from Mariner Software. This update to the $69.95 program improves the Microsoft Word importing features, enhances superior and inferior text styling, and offers a host of bug fixes.
The 12-inch PowerBook G4 as a desktop replacement
I have read a lot of comments about the idea that the 12-inch PowerBook G4 not living up to the task as a desktop computer replacement, and I completely disagree with this statement. I have been using my Little AlBook for a week and I find it works great as a desktop replacement, though I should add the caveat that I consider any PowerBook or even an iBook as a desktop replacement. In other words, I don't buy desktop computers any more. I have used nothing other than PowerBooks as my main computer since August 20, 1997 - a succession of machines that started with a PowerBook 2400c, a PowerBook 3400c, a Pismo PowerBook, and now this Little AlBook. Why does the 12-inch PowerBook G4 work as a desktop replacement? Simple. Although this machine does require some compromise in terms of its processor speed, the lack of a Level 3 cache, and the small screen size, it also offers a wide enough range of options to connect high-end peripherals to do the job as an all-in-one computing solution. When I use my Little AlBook in desktop mode I have it hooked to a 17-inch LCD along with a Kensington trackball and sometimes an external keyboard. The Little AlBook drives my Princeton 17-inch LCD at 1280 x 1024 in millions of colors, which is quite workable, and so far I find myself working less and less with the noisy Microsoft external keyboard in favor of the excellent keyboard built into the PowerBook. One of the biggest surprises is how well the 12-inch PowerBook G4 works even without an external LCD. Yes, the 12-inch LCD is small, but the last PowerBook I had with this small of a screen only ran that screen at a resolution of 800 x 600. With the Little AlBook running at 1024 X 768 it offers more screen real estate and the sacrifice of screen size is not nearly as large as I initially expected. In fact, I thought I would always run this machine as a desktop connected to my 17-inch LCD, but I have spent more time with the Little AlBook in my lap than sitting at a desk with an external LCD attached. The only drawbacks I have found so far with this machine is the amount of heat it generates, which could make it hard to use in my lap during the warmer months of the year, and the cluttter of cords that protrude form the left side of the PowerBook when it is being used in desktop mode. So far these are not major drawbacks and I anticipate a great, multi-year relationship with this tiny PowerBook! Discuss the Little AlBook as a desktop
NetNewsWire 1.0.1fc1 NetNewsWire 1.0.1fc1 fixes a weblog editor bug with saving drafts and includes a couple other minor changes. See the change notes for the whole scoop. [inessential.com]
An unpleasant task completed As a result of rearranging the furniture in our living room over the last few days, this morning I had to do one of my least favorite tasks: To go under our house and scramble around in the crawl space in order to hook up a cable connection to get the TV back to functioning. Our house is old, with the oldest part built in 1928, and rather than sitting on a normal foundation it sits on something called post-and-pier construction - a series of posts hold the house in place with gravity doing its work to keep everything stable. Under the house I have about two feet of crawl space open to the air on the sides of the house, and my job was to yank the cable down from one place in the living room and hook it up to an old junction box so that the connection would work in another corner of the room. It took three trips under the house, a few tools and a flashlight, and a lot of rolling around in the dirt under a multiple-ton house here in prime earthquake country. Good times. And I wonder why I don't like hanging out down there... Discuss
12-inch PowerBook: Reset PMU to boot from Restore DVD Today's Macintouch has an interesting note that could be helpful for owners of the new 12-inch PowerBook G4. It seems that some users have found that they cannot boot from the Mac OS X Restore DVD that is included with the Little AlBook until they reset the Power Manager Unit or PMU on the machine. To reset the PMU, hold down the shift+ctrl+option+power button for five seconds. I haven't tested to see if my Little AlBook has this problem, but it is certainly worth passing along... Discuss
Recent notable software releases Here are some highlights from recent software releases, as noted on Macupdate:
Bare Bones updated BBEdit to 7.0.3 yesterday Due to the networking problems I was having with updating MNJ yesterday, I neglected to mention the most recent update to the excellent BBEdit HTML and text editor. BBEdit 7.0.3 adds some more HTML and XML editing options along with a host of bug fixes. New licenses for BBEdit now well for $179.
Apple offers info about third-party printer compatibility Apple has posted a document in its Knowledge Base about Mac OS X: Third-party printer compatibility. It offers info about which Brother, Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Lexmark printers work with OS X...
How to set up a T68i for net access with AT&T mMode Using a T68i for Bluetooth net access with AT&T mMode I don't have one of these phones yet, but this looks like useful info for anyone who does have one!
A useful read for iView MediaPro users Using MediaPro with Online Photo Services
OmniOutliner 2.2 released with Keynote support OmniOutliner 2.2 is the latest release of the speedy OS X outliner application. This version finalizes some key features introduced in recent beta releases: XML export and the ability to export to Apple's Keynote presentation application along with a host of smaller bug fixes and enhancements, including better AppleScript support. This is a free upgrade for those licensed to use OO 2.0 or higher. For complete release notes and a download link, check The Omni Group's site...
A nightmarish day full of Net problems I am trying to post this between Internet outages I am suffering here in the Pacific Northwest. So far I have been on the phone with the provider of my cable connection tot he Net as well as with Digital Forest, which hosts Mac Net Journal and other pages for me. What I am seeing so far today is flaky router issues. For instance, I can load and read the CNN site on my Web browser, but I cannot do a traceroute to www.cnn.com without the connection timing out. The same thing happens with a traceroute to www.lycos.com and many other large sites, and the traceroutes are not all dying at the same router but at many routers here in the West Coast. Are others seeing odd Net behavior today? I know I have been chatting off and on with Mike Cohen, who runs MacMegasite, and he has been seeing similar problems from the East Coast, including the fact that he hasn't been able to access MNJ much of the day... Discuss Net problems
NetNewsWire 1.0.1b5 NetNewsWire 1.0.1b5 fixes some crashing bugs, partly fixes a bug regarding Movable Type categories, and moves commands from the View menu to the Window menu. (Commands that should have been in the Window menu to begin with, since they have to do with opening and hiding windows.) Read the change notes for the full scoop. [inessential.com]
One definite knock on the 12-inch PowerBook G4 So far I have had nothing but good things to say about my new 12-inch PowerBook G4, but this morning I point out pet peeve with the design of this new machine. In short, the move to place all of the input/output ports on the left side of the PowerBook creates a visual mess of cords that runs counter to the sleek design of the Little AlBook. The connections are not a huge issue if all you have plugged into the machine is the power adapter, but right now I am working with four cords protruding from the side of the machine - power adapter, USB (for my Kensington Expert Mouse Pro), audio out, and the VGA adapter to hook up my 17-inch LCD as a second monitor. With my Pismo I could make all of these connections and they were hidden from view, protruding from the back of the PowerBook. With this machine I have to look at the mess. Aesthetically, this is a bad move. Functionally, it works. One other thing that having all of the ports on the left side of the machine eliminates is the possibility of a third-party developer coming up with a docking station of some kind for this machine. I suppose it could be done, but it looks like creating any kind of reliable connection on the side of the machine, where it would be easy for users to rest their hands on the dock and dislodge the connectors, would be quite a design challenge... Discuss
Day number two of email problems For the second day in a row there are apparently email server and/or DNS issues with my host for both Mac Net Journal and my business site, White Rabbit Publishing. If you need to get a hold of MNJ today, be sure to use iChat to contact me... Update: Well, apparently things are worse than they initially appeared. Maybe there is a Net outage somewhere this morning because when I do traceroute to servers on the East Coast they are all timing out. I can traceroute to Yahoo! and other West Coast sites without a problem... Oh, of course I cannot even post this to MNJ at this time, so I cannot reach Digital Forest via HTTP, FTP, or POP/SMTP...
Just how bad are the AirPort Extreme Base Stations? Mac tech consultant Damien Barrett offers a cautionary tale about the failure of three out of four AirPort Extreme Base Stations he tried to install for clients last week. From the reports I have been reading I would echo his advice not to buy one of these units until Apple gets them working reliably. If you need a wireless base station right now, just buy one of the many bargain basement 802.11b stations that are available these days... Discuss XBS problems
OmniWeb 4.2b2 offers better Shockwave, AppleScript Improved AppleScript support and access to Macromedia Shockwave Player along with a host of bug fixes are among the enhancements in OmniWeb 4.2 beta 2. For complete details about the update be sure to check the release notes. OW 4.2b2 can be downloaded here. Discuss OmniWeb 4.2 beta 2
Apple releases Java 1.4.1 Java 1.4.1 is a 26 MB update from Apple, available now through the Software Update panel in the System Preferences application under Mac OS X. Here are the release notes Apple offers for the update:
Let's talk about any improvements in Java performance after installing this update. And just to warn you, this update does require that you reboot following the installation... Discuss Java 1.4.1
The 12-inch PowerBook G4 and heat On days like today, when it is gray outside with rain trickling down and temperatures hanging around the 40s it actually feels nice to hold this little heater of a PowerBook in my lap. Especially considering how I often have cold hands throughout the winter months. But I have to wonder how hard it will be to control the heat issues with the Little AlBook when summer temperatures in the 80s become the norm here in a few months? That being said, I have not yet devised a good way to get a reading on the internal temperature of this PowerBook. Back in the days of OS 9.x and the Control Strip, there was a utility that offered some temperature readings from inside my PowerBook 3400c. I wonder if anyone has come up with something similar to work under OS X? Meanwhile, maybe Apple can come up with a FireWire powered foot warmer to help warm my cold feet as well as my hands and lap... Discuss PowerBook heat
Yet another birthday Self-described tech junkie, writer and programming hobbyist Dan Shafer is celebrating his 58th today. Congrats! And yes, like many others, I read Dan's weblog...
Notes on the wireless capabilities of the 12-inch PB G4 I am spending a little more concentrated time today testing the various attributes of the 12-inch PowerBook G4. My first test: To compare the wireless range of the machine compared to our Pismo PowerBook. My first impressions of the wireless signal receiving capabilities of the Little AlBook were that it was not quite as robust as the Pismo. The Pismo has an Apple AirPort card and it connects to the wireless network by connecting to an SMC Barricade wireless router (the SMC7004AWBR). Sitting in our living room, where signals have to be received through a lathe and paster wall, I normally see a full signal strength reading. With the 12-inch PowerBook G4 and its AirPort Extreme card then the signal strength wavers between three and four bars on the menu bar indicator. And so in this case, it looks like the Pismo has the edge. This morning I did my second round of testing, stepping out to the front yard between rain showers to see how far away from the house I can get before the connection drops. The verdict: I can go just as far from the house with the Little AlBook as I did with the Pismo, though it looks like the signal is not quite as strong walking in some directions. Overall, this is a great result, and I am sure that the signal strength would be even stronger if I would move the wireless base station up into the developed section of our attic rather than in our office, where plaster walls surround the station on all sides. The main thing is that I will have no problem working anywhere on our property with the wireless connection to this new laptop. Discuss 12-inch PB G4 wireless
Dave Winer: On the road again Scripting News could be an interesting read over the coming week or so, as Dave Winer embarks on a cross-country drive from California to Boston. Although updates are not likely to be as regular as usual, I look forward to seeing what Dave has to say about his observations as he makes the trip. Drive safe, Dave...
Recent notable software releases Here are some highlights from recent software releases as noted on Macupdate:
Happy birthday to me I don't expect to do a lot of updates to MNJ today. I'm home, taking it easy while the rain falls outside, and marking my turning 36 today. Oh, and playing with my spendy new PowerBook! Discuss
A question for other 12-inch PowerBook G4 owners I have a simple question for those with more experience running a 12-inch PowerBook G4: How much of the time does the fan run on your machine? I am completely discharging my battery again to see if it will help set the battery circuitry. The new PowerBook is working great, but the fan keeps coming on and I have yet to determine if this is normal behavior... Update: I have found that after my PowerBook is warm and running in my lap for about 15-20 minutes then the fan kicks in. If I set the machine on a hard surface than the temperature seems to drop nicely and the fan switches off after a few minutes. I guess my body temperature added to the heat generated by the PowerBook are causing the fan to kick on. Meanwhile, the machine has yet to have the fan kick on at all when running on a flat surface. My only worry now will be how hard it will be to handle the heat in the coming summer months. Discuss 12-inch PowerBook G4 fan
This just doesn't feel right This morning I installed our recently purchased copy of Microsoft Office v.X on what was formerly mine and now is Natalie's Pismo PowerBook. I bought the software along with my 12-inch PowerBook G4, giving us a decent discount on the purchase price. But even so, it feels odd to pay for another bloated Microsoft product. In the end, I felt we needed at least one copy of the program for working on our book project. I am not planning to install Office on my machine just yet, but trying to do my work under Apple's X11 using OpenOffice.org. So far, OOo feels pretty capable, despite the geekiness factor required to run XWindows software... Discuss installing Office
MacCentral offers details of another PayPal scam Paypal customers target of apparent scam [MacCentral] MNJ uses PayPal as one of the options for submitting donations, so I pass this along. The thing to remember with these kinds of scams is that paying close attention to details can save you a lot of grief. And whatever you do, if someone starts asking for sensitive information like usernames and passwords for accounts, be sure that they are legit before giving away the bank...
NetNewsWire 1.0.1b4 released NetNewsWire 1.0.1b4
First impressions of my 12-inch PowerBook G4 Here are some early off-the-cuff impressions of my 12-inch PowerBook G4 as I start using it today:
I'll keep updating this note as the day goes along... Discuss the 12-inch PowerBook G4
Back in business with a speedy little lap warmer It's here! I am still in the process of moving all of the data from my old Pismo to the new 12-inch PowerBook G4, but so far all is going great. No problems with the new machine out of the box at all and it definitely is a speed improvement from the Pismo. I will offer some more substantive impressions from my first hours and first day working with this lightweight lap warmer a bit later in the day.
It's new computer day! Expect posts to MNJ to be sporadic this morning and possibly into the afternoon, as I receive my 12-inch PowerBook G4 today and proceed to move my data from this Pismo to the new PowerBook and then to move all of the data from Natalie's faltering Pismo onto this Pismo. In other words, it will be geeking heaven for a while here this morning...
A hummingbird close up Before settling down to my first cup of tea for the day I spent a few minutes refilling the three hummingbird feeders we have hanging along the south side of the house. I wasn't alone. As I took down the feeder next to the living room window I started hearing a scolding sound coming from behind me. The immature male Anna's Hummingbird did not like the look of me taking away its food source. Even as I walked within a couple of feet of where it sat in the snowball bush, it held its position and kept scolding me and flashing its bright red head at me. It should be happy now. I am back inside, warming myself with a cup of tea...
Buzz about NoteTaker Joi Ito raves about NoteTaker for Mac OS X. [Scripting News] I have been dabbling with using NoteTaker on my Pismo over the last few weeks, and I am just starting to use it more fully. The reason I haven't latched onto it as an integral part of my daily workflow - it runs a bit slowly on this older PowerBook. When I receive my new PowerBook here in a few hours and get it up and running throughout the day today I will be interested to see how it will run on an 867 MHz G4 rather than this 400 MHz G3 processor... Discuss Getting started with NoteTaker 2003
O'Reilly invites user feedback on Adium vs. iChat O'Reilly Networks' Steve Mallett wants to hear about the strengths of two AIM chat clients for Mac OS X:
My thoughts? Adium is a great AIM client and it is much more judicious with its use of screen space. iChat is not so easy on the screen space front, but it is a surprisingly good AIM client once you adjust to it. Another plus for iChat is its integration with Rendezvous networking under Jaguar. But I still maintain that the best AIM client is Fire.app. Why? It is nearly as highly customizable as Adium and it also offers access to other chat protocols - ICQ, Yahoo, MSN (this hasn't been working at all for me in the last few months though...), Jabber, and even IRC. Add Fire's ability to work with encryption options and it steps beyond the capabilities of either iChat or Adium. Discuss Adium vs. iChat
Apple updates iMovie to 3.0.2 According to the notes on the download page for the new iMovie 3.0.2, this release offers improved performance and stability. It is a recommended upgrade for iMovie users...
A much speedier Camino The MacMegasite notes a big speed increase in the March 5 release of the Camino (formerly Chimera) Web browser:
I haven't had a chance to use this new release yet, since I am holding off on installing any new software until I have my new PowerBook up and running...
Recent software releases Here are some highlights from today's software releases, as found on Macupdate:
Apple updates firmware for older AirPort Base Stations Apple updates AirPort Base Station firmware
Tracking shipments for fun and entertainment I had thought I would get my new PowerBook today, after seeing that it made it to Anchorage, AK yesterday afternoon and it was just a short hop from there to Seattle and into a truck to head to my home. But this morning when I check the FedEx package tracking page I see that the 12-inch PowerBook G4 went straight to Indianapolis from Anchorage. There is still a slight chance I could see the machine today, but it looks like this roundabout route to the Pacific Northwest via the Midwest could delay my receiving the machine by another day... Update: Later this morning the FedEx tracking for my machine offered an estimated delivery time of sometime tomorrow morning...
An excellent tutorial for creating Konfabulator widgets Scott Collins is in the process of writing The Beginning Widget Writer's Guide - a tutorial for how to create widgets from start to finish. Excellent!
NetNewsWire 1.0.1b3 addresses bugs Ranchero Software has released a new version of the excellent NetNewsWire RSS newsreader:
Jon Udell takes an interesting look at Spring Jon Udell takes an interesting look at User Creations' application Spring in Think Spring.
Recent software releases Here are some highlights from the recent listings of software releases on Macupdate:
MacCentral: Delivery of 17-inch PowerBook delayed Expect some interesting reader comments on MacCentral this morning in response to the story that 17-inch PowerBook G4 machines are still nowhere to be seen and shipping dates from the Apple Store are stating new orders will ship in three to five weeks: Delivery of 17-inch PowerBook delayed.
Everything except the PowerBook I am not sure if it is because the 12-inch PowerBook G4 is such a new machine or simply because I chose to buy a build-to-order machine from the Apple Store, but I am still waiting for my new PowerBook to arrive six days after placing my order. To be fair, I placed the order on a Thursday, so I am now going on the fourth business day without receiving my machine, but even so this is a hard wait to handle. Part of the problem is that I want to try out the new machine, but an even more critical issue is that this wait is keeping Natalie from being able to use a working PowerBook to get on with the business of writing our book, something that was a major drag on our progress last weekend. This morning I received the extra power adapter I ordered to go along with my 12-inch PowerBook G4, and so to date I have received everything except the PowerBook itself from my order. And according to the FedEx site, the machine is sitting somewhere in Taiwan. From the airport in Taiwan, if it follows the same route that the power adapter did, it will go to Anchorage and could sit there for a bit before flying south and being loaded on a FedEx truck for delivery. That means I won't see the machine until tomorrow at the earliest, and more likely on Friday or even the following Monday. I guess I have been spoiled in the past when I would order our PowerBooks from Outpost.com and get the machine in hand the next day... Discuss powerbook delivery Update: The chances I will get the new PowerBook tomorrow just increased. My time traveling 12-inch PowerBook G4 left Taiwan at 20:46 on 3/5/03 and went through the FedEx check point in Anchorage at 14:40 on 3/5/03. It's getting closer! Yes, I know this is pathetic...
Email clients re-examined: Which email app are you using? In anticipation of getting a fresh start with my first new PowerBook in three years I am considering a switch to another email client. Currently I use PowerMail, which is full-featured and speedy. But I remain on the fence about the long-term implications of using an email app that relies on using a proprietary database structure to store messages. I am also not sure that PowerMail's searching capabilities measure up to some other email apps. And so today I ask a simple question: What email clients are MNJ readers using? And what do you see as the biggest pluses and minuses for your favorite email app? Discuss email clients
A no fuss way to trash files: Trash It! 2.8 Trash It! 2.8
Kudos to Bare Bones Software! Kudos to the folks at Bare Bones Software, who seem to have reversed their original decision to pull BBEdit Lite from availability with the release of the new TextWrangler application last week. Now Bare Bones offers a page comparing the capabilities of TextWrangler with BBEdit Lite 6.2, and at the end of the page there is a link to download BBEdit Lite. This is exactly what I was hoping for when I wrote about the release of TextWrangler last week. As usual, Bare Bones has taken the steps to show it is a fair and responsible citizen in the Mac community!
Site offers scripts for Internet sharing via Bluetooth TechnoHappyMeal offers a trio of AppleScripts that make it easy to share an Internet connection from your AirPort, to share your connection from your Ethernet, and to deactivate all Internet sharing on its Web site today. The scripts are offered as-is. Thanks to AppleScript Info for pointing out the link, and as always thanks to Brent Simmons' excellent NetNewsWire for bringing this and many other news links to my OS X desktop. How in the hell would we have shared useful tidbits like this before the days of RSS? Imagine the number of Web sites I would have to visit to grab critical info... Discuss Bluetooth scripts
Konfabulator widgets are everywhere MacNETv2 takes a look at some of the things that can be done with Konfabulator, the widget-building tool from Arlo Rose and Perry Clark, in Widgets. They're everywhere!. I haven't hopped on the widget bandwagon just yet, but many people are running with the idea. As the article states, there are more than 200 widgets available now on the Konfabulator site. Am I the only one who sees the widget development as similar to the growth of Control Strip modules under OS 9.x? Discuss widgets
No machines yet, but 17-inch PowerBook manual is online Apple has yet to ship the 17-inch PowerBook G4, but it did put the user manual online recently. The latest estimates for when the huge PowerBook will start shipping is in three to five weeks.
Brent Simmons interview on MacSlash Get inside the head of NetNewsWire developer Brent Simmons in an interview on MacSlash this morning. Brent offers notes about his views on RSS and the future of NNW...
My 12-inch PowerBook G4 is drawing near I was happy this morning to get email notification that my new 12-inch PowerBook G4 is on its way, but it will likely be another day or two before I see it since it is now sitting at an airport in Taiwan...
Meet Camino The speedy Web browser formerly known as Chimera is now to be called Camino as the result of a name dispute that forced the developers to do a name switcheroo. Just be sure not to put an "El" in front of that Camino and you should be just fine... Now that the name has changed, expect a new release of the browser very soon. The developers have been holding off on a major update until the name change was official... Discuss Chimera, meet Camino
New developments in digital camera memory cards New developments in digicam memory cards
Apple OS X Security Update 2003-03-03 Check the Software Update panel in your System Preferences to grab the latest security update from Apple, a 1.7 MB download. Here are the notes Apple offers in the Software Update panel:
Zoe 0.4.2 adds better RSS and SMTP handling The email management and organization tool Zoe has a new update available today that promises better RSS and SMTP handling among other enhancements. Zoe 0.4.2 is freeware. Speaking of Zoe, I am once again tempted to try using this program on my new PowerBook when it arrives, but I am not sure how well it work into my email workflow. Are any MNJ readers using Zoe? And if you are using it, is it true that the only Web browser it works well with is IE? Discuss Managing email with Zoe
Toast Titanium X updated to 5.2.1 Roxio has released a new version of its Toast Titanium CD and DVD burning software for OS X. Toast Titanium X 5.2.1 supports CD TEXT, adds better Jaguar support, improves VideoCD burning and adds support for CD burners running up to 52x.
Spring and NetNewsWire bundled at a discount Ranchero Software has announced a new deal that bundles the NetNewsWire news reader with Spring from UserCreations, for sale at a considerable discount:
Audio Hijack Pro released Audio Hijack Pro is an enhanced version of the Audio Hijack application from rogue amoeba that adds the ability to record to MP3 format, the ability to hijack running applications, enhanced timers and more. The new pro version sells for $30.
Another independent Mac developer house closes Caffeine Software shuts down
The care and feeding of an OS X disk Ken Stone offers a useful article with tips on how to keep a Mac OS X hard drive healthy under OS X in Care and Feeding of Jaguar. This article and the fact that I had to run DiskWarrior on my Pismo this weekend in order to repair a problem that the built-in OS X disk utilities couldn't handle reminds me that when I get my new 12-inch PowerBook G4 later this week I will have to live without DiskWarrior. Despite rumors that an OS X native version would be released in February, Alsoft has yet to release a version of their excellent disk utility program that doesn't rely on your Mac being able to boot from an OS 9.x disk... Discuss Caring for an OS X disk
Stone Studio v11.0 released Stone Studio 11.0 Ships PStill is now fully integrated with PDF Workflow! That is but one of many new features and fixes. Very cool. [bbum's rants, code & references]
AppleScripting InDesign AppleScript InDesign
War with Iraq by Thursday? From some accounts, it looks like the Bush Administration's push to war with Iraq could come to a head this week. If that is the case, this could be a very turbulent week... Discuss War anyone?
A fix for the OS X 10.2.4 date bug Fix For The Mac OS X 10.2.4 Date Bug
Apple highlights scripting capabilities and Bluetooth Scriptable Applications: Bluetooth Devices
And then there was Konfabulator 1.0.2 Konfabulator 1.0.2
Sidekick for AppleWorks 6 Sidekick For AppleWorks 6 - v1.0
Thoughts on OpenOffice.org Over the last couple of weeks I have been using OpenOffice.org to write and edit Word-formatted .doc files, and I thought I would offer a few of my impressions of working with the word processor part of the free Office-compatible suite that runs under X11 and other XWindows managers for Mac OS X. My overall impression: If you don't already own an Office alternative like AppleWorks for Mac OS X, then OpenOffice.org is a great way to work without needing to drop hundreds of dollars on a copy of Microsoft Office v.X. That being said, if you already own AppleWorks, like I do, I can see very few advantages in going to the trouble of installingX11 and OpenOffice.org to work with common .doc files. In fact, if you save an OOo file in Word format then the OS X Finder thinks you are using AppleWorks to save the file. An OOo file saved in Word XP format is seen by Mac OS X's Finder as a document of the kind com.apple.appleworks.word. What have your impressions of the OOo word processing part been? Do you agree that in many ways AppleWorks is just as functional as a way to write and open Word-format files? Discuss OpenOffice.org vs. AppleWorks
If you care about your rights as an American, read on Nat Hentoff: Ashcroft Out of Control. [Scripting News] This is a great examination of the Domestic Security Enhancement Act, and at the end it makes a great point. Where has the continued debate about this secretly drafted proposal been? Yes, I heard a one-hour show on NPR about it a couple of weeks ago, but other than that, this ridiculous proposal has slipped off the public radar just as the Bush Administration would like it to. Then the administration can pull it out as critical legislation when the Iraq war starts, which could be any moment...
Impatiently awaiting my 12-inch PowerBook G4 OK...I admit that I am growing more and more eager to get my hands on the new 12-inch PowerBook G4 that I ordered through the Apple Store online on Thursday morning. So far it looks like my machine will ship on or before March 4, which means I should see it sometime in the middle of next week. Fingers crossed. I know I cannot complain much. Imagine being one of those who rushed to buy a 17-inch PowerBook G4 all the way back at the beginning of January. Now, nearly two months later, they don't have their new machines. I am starting to wonder if this is the biggest vaporware hardware announcement that Apple has ever made? Discuss The vaporware 17-inch PowerBook G4
Mulberry 3.0.2 Mulberry 3.0.2 is an update to the alternative email client from Cyrusoft International. This update to the $35.95 app adds spell-as-you-type capabilities along with a host of bug fixes. The Mulberry site does offer release notes for the new version.
Konfabulator 1.0.1 Konfabulator 1.0.1 is an update to the widget building application that lets you customize how you work with OS X on your machine. This update fixes bugs and memory leak problems. There are release notes for the new version.
A new beta version of OmniOutliner OmniOutliner 2.2b2 offers a number of bug fixes to the outliner application from the folks at The Omni Group in Seattle. You can grab the new version here or review the release notes for complete details about the beta before grabbing the download.
Now that is the way tech support should work Some attentive MNJ readers may have noticed that the front page of the site was down for a while this morning. I have been suffering from problems trying to upload files to the MNJ FTP server at our host at Digital Forest. Although it is a weekend, I was able to email back and forth with someone at Digital Forest to get to the root of the problem and get MNJ back online within 45 minutes or so. This is the reason I like to go with local ISPs and hosting services if at all possible rather than large, inpersonal hosting services. Of course, I end up paying more for the service... Discuss Excellent customer service |
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