Macenstein

OK, so I got an iPhone… still waiting to use it

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Let me first say that I in NO way fell victim to the iPhone hype-machine. I bought this purely for journalistic reasons. (Anyone buying that?) OK, well the real reason is, I fell, and I fell hard. Plus, I knew none of the other deadbeats here would get one, so if anyone at Macenstein was going to drop $600 on a gadget that combines 2 gadgets we all already own, it had to be the guy with a day job. Above: My iPhone patiently waiting to activate. Not... Read More

Day 2: iPhone still available at every Apple Store. Is this a good or bad sign?

Posted by Dr. Macenstein When Apple opened its online store for iPhone orders last night, they also added an area where you can check the availability of current iPhone stock at your nearest Apple Store. Given all the hype and line waiting surrounding the iPhone, this is a thoughtful gesture on Apple’s part to help iPhone hopefuls avoid making the trip only to walk away empty handed. However, it seems that it might have been unnecessary. Just a day after the launch,... Read More

Online Apple Store estimates iPhone purchases to take up to a month to ship: Suddenly waiting in line for a couple days doesn’t seem quite as stupid

Posted by Dr. Macenstein As cool as the iPhone is, most of us here thought those brave, jobless-yet-presumably-independently-wealthy souls who were able to camp out in front of an Apple store for a week were being a bit overly dramatic. Sure, the iPhone was going to be a hot item initially, and perhaps even sell out this weekend, but we knew that if worse came to worse, those of us with jobs, lives or families would be able to purchase the iPhone online on launch day from Apple,... Read More

AT&T unveils 5x Edge speed increase for iPhone launch

Posted by Dr. Macenstein I was SO not planning to get an iPhone. Really I wasn’t. The rumored plan costs of $100 a month had my mind firmly planted in the “I can live without it” camp. Then Apple announced the iPhone’s plans would start at $60. hmm… OK, well, now I CAN afford the monthly plan… but, really, aside from the coolness of the interface (I tried to reason) the only thing really different about the iPhone to me would be the web browser,... Read More

Macenstein to Remote Desktop Team: “Get With the Program”

Posted by Brain in a Jar Anyone who spends as many hours a day on the Mac forums as we do surely remembers the flap over the numbering of the latest incremental OS update, 10.4.10. Not to re-ignite the debate, but it turns out super-geeks may not be the only folks to find fault in Apple’s numbering logic. While adding a new system to the Macenstein Labs stable, we noticed something strange. Despite having run the requisite out-of-box Software Update, our new system showed... Read More

Teletubbies debut on iTunes to much controversy

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Teletubbies, those colorfully androgynous gopher space monkeys have made their iTunes debut, and the reaction would make the late Jerry Falwell proud. “The gayest show on TV is now on itunes”, writes Personsen. “Apple, you have fallen to a new low” . “i… watched it when i was little but then i started 2 cry it was soo scary i was scared ever since ” says poor Suki<333. “They give ME nightmares,”... Read More

Hacked Mac mini delivers news the old-fashioned way (sort of)

Posted by Dr. Macenstein We’ve seen a lot of Mac mini mods in our day, but this one ranks right up there with the best of them. Scott Walker, assistant editor at the Birmingham News, has found a truly unique use for his Mac mini. Using an old newspaper vending rack found on eBay, a 17-inch LG LCD display, some rope lighting, a Mac mini and some AppleScript, Scott was able to create a digital newsstand that delivers a constant stream of current headlines to his living room,... Read More

How To Network with Steve Jobs

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Steve Jobs is a very powerful player in both the tech industry and Hollywood. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could easily network in his social circles? Well, now you can! LinkedIn is an online networking community of over 11 million business professionals in all walks of life. Think of it as a “MySpace” for people with jobs. And speaking of Jobs, guess who has an entry? A professional colleague of of mine (who I met via networking on... Read More

iPhone plans to start at an actually affordable price of $59.99

Posted by Helper Monkey Apple and AT&T today announced three reasonably affordable service plans for iPhone, the lowest starting at just $59.99 per month. All three plans include unlimited data, Visual Voicemail, 200 SMS text messages, roll-over minutes and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. All iPhone monthly service plans are available for individuals and families and are based on a new two-year service agreement with AT&T. Individual plans are priced at $59.99 for... Read More

So why haven’t we seen the iPhone’s camera?

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Apple has now posted 5 flashy commercials and a whopping 20 minute video “guided tour” on how to use the majority of the iPhone’s features. However, there is one aspect of the über device that has thus far gone undocumented: The camera. With just 4 days left until the launch, we still have no idea how the camera interface looks, acts, or how to use it. For all we know it might even be able to take video, or have some stripped down... Read More