Macenstein

Apple releases OSX 10.4.8

In your software update: The 10.4.8 Update is recommended for all users and includes general operating system fixes, as well as specific fixes for the following applications and technologies: • connecting to wireless networks using the EAP-FAST protocol
 • Apple USB modem reliability
 • using OpenType fonts in Microsoft Word
 • compatibility with 3rd party USB hubs • scanner performance
 • RAW camera support
 •... Read More

NJ to start charging iTunes tax this Sunday (October 1st)

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Plagued by a $4.5 billion budget deficit that briefly closed down the state’s government, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine passed legislation this July that raised the New Jersey sales tax from 6% to 7% on all taxable items. But apparently that wasn’t good enough. Today Governor Corzine announced that he has expanded the list of taxable items for New Jersey residents, and starting Sunday (October 1st) that list now includes iTunes downloads. The... Read More

Free on iTunes: Battlestar Galactica – The Story So Far

Posted by Helper Monkey With the premiere of Season 3 just two weeks away (October 6th), Sci-Fi Network has released a free retrospective episode of the first two seasons of Battlestar Galactica in hopes of enticing new viewers, as well as reminding current fans just where the series left off. “Before all new episodes of the Battlestar Galactica arrive on October 6th, don’t miss the chance to relive the entire first and second seasons as Sci Fi turns over 30 action... Read More

Review: Memory Card Travel Case by Digital Foci

Posted by Lab Rat With the introduction of each new “must haveâ€? gadget, it seems there is also the introduction of a new form of storage media. If you own a recent PDA, Cellular phone, digital camera, digital camcorder, PSP, or PMP, odds are you have anywhere between 1 to 10,000 different types of memory cards, and perhaps even different sizes of each. Digital Foci hopes to bring a little order to your life with its Memory Card Travel Case, a very thoughtfully designed... Read More

Did the latest iPod software update increase the 5G iPod’s video life to over 6 hours?

Posted by Helper Monkey When Apple announced the updated 5.5 generation video iPods, I was a bit jealous. I had just gotten my 60GB 5th generation video iPod a week or two earlier as part of the discount given to educators who buy a Mac and an iPod at the same time. While I did not really need the extra storage of the new 80GB model over my 60GB, I was jealous of the battery life claims, particularly for video playback. Apple’s site claims the new 5.5G video iPod can get... Read More

AMD CEO: Apple will eventually use AMD processors

Posted by Helper Monkey In a recent speech at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Advanced Micro Devices’ CEO Hector Ruiz says Apple Computer Inc. will eventually buy its processors as an alternative to Intel brand chips. In his speech, Ruiz pointed out it would be a relatively simple matter for Apple to adopt its line of processors now that they have successfully made the transition from IBM’s PowerPC architecture to x86. “Knowing Apple, why would they... Read More

Steve Wozniak to appear on “The Colbert Report”

Posted by iGor According to The Late Night TV Page, Apple co-founder and portly Segway enthusiast Steve Wozniak will be appearing on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report next Thursday (September 28th). Let’s see if Stephen “nailsâ€? him about that mauling incident last Spring.  Read More

Apple releases 2 new Mac Pro firmware updates

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Apple today released two new firmware updates for its Mac Pro line of computers. The first, entitled “Mac Pro (mid 2006) EFI Firmware Update 1.0” fixes several Boot Camp and start up issues on Mac Pro computers. The second firmware update, entitled “Mac Pro SMC Firmware Update” adjusts fan behavior in the Mac Pro. Two firmware updates in one day? We don’t know whether to be happy Apple is working so hard to discover and... Read More

Free on iTunes: Nickelodeon’s “Mr. Meaty�

Posted by Helper Monkey Nickelodeon and Apple have made the premiere episode of Nick’s decidedly disturbing looking show, Mr. Meaty, available as a free download. Mr. Meaty is a puppet based show following the exploits of two fast food workers, Josh and Parker. While the show is for kids, it isn’t for little kids (and quite frankly, the puppets are so grotesque-looking, I’m not sure this is for anyone.) The free episode, entitled Buffalo Burrito, can be... Read More

Linux out-“OS X�’s Apple’s Mac OS X GUI with Xgl

Posted by iGor Okay, so there is no debating that Apple’s OS X GUI is much cooler than Windows Vista (at least not on THIS blog), however, after seeing the video below, I am less confident that Mac OS X still has the ultimate GUI bragging rights. The video apparently shows a new distribution of Linux running Xgl and Compiz on what may be a Gnome desktop. Xgl is the openGL accelerated X server layer that apparently can be used to create some pretty cool (if useless and... Read More