Macenstein

Users Helping Users: Will there be a “Core Animation Funhouse” in Leopard?

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Here at Macenstein we often get asked Mac-related questions from readers who are foolish enough to think we know something. Usually we can bluff our way through an answer, throwing out confusing technical phrases like “just download the RAM to your ftp server” or “Reply hazy. Ask again later”. But sometimes we have to admit we just have no clue. So that’s where you come in. We are unveiling a new feature here at Macenstein... Read More

QuickTime 7.2 Update Breaks Flip4Mac WMV Export

Posted by Dr. Macenstein If you are an avid user of Telestream’s Flip4Mac and have not yet upgraded to QuickTime 7.2, you may want to hold off. Many Final Cut Pro users are finding that the popular WMV exporter no longer works after installing Apple’s latest update. “Inconsistent Audio Sample Rate” errors are rampant, even when there is nothing inconsistent about them. Flip4Mac has acknowledged the problem (which apparently is all Apple’s fault,... Read More

AT&T activated 146,000 iPhone subscribers in the last two days of the quarter

Posted by Dr. Macenstein While we will hopefully get some iPhone sales figures from Apple tomorrow during their Q3 financial conference call, AT&T has provided a glimpse at what we should expect. According to TheStreet, AT&T activated 146,000 iPhone subscribers in the last two days of the quarter. Of course, by “last 2 days of the quarter”, they mean Friday June 29th and Saturday June 30th. Since the iPhone only went on sale at 6PM on June 29th, that means... Read More

PC Magazine predicts when your iPhone will die; Mass hysteria sure to follow

Posted by Dr. Macenstein I’m not sure why, exactly, but people are obsessed with the idea of their iPhone’s battery dying. Somehow, just because you can’t swap it out as easily as a conventional phone’s battery, people feel that in 2 or 3 years, when the rechargeable battery eventually gives up the ghost, you will have to throw your iPhone away. This seems a bit alarmist to me, as someone who has replaced iPod batteries in the past (with minimal hassle... Read More

Helping Macs take back the classroom via Open Source

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Back in the early days of schoolroom computing, Apple was pretty much the only game in town (well, MY town, anyway). Unfortunately, over the years, as PC companies began to crank out cheaper (and buggier) machines, budget conscious school boards began turning away from the Mac, reasoning it was better to have 2 virus prone, unintuitive beige Windows computers which required the purchase of a ton of extra (inferior) software plus the hiring of an IT department... Read More

Review: Belkin’s Acrylic Case for iPhone

Posted by Dr. Macenstein I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m actually a big fan of acrylic cases. In my experience with iPod cases, I find they provide some of the best protection available, as well as the ability to hold up over time. A quick rinse restores the cases to like-new condition (try that with a leather case), and their transparent design allows you to appreciate the “beauty” of your gadget’s design. I suppose I am... Read More

6-foot neon Apple logo on eBay

Posted by Dr. Macenstein What is the one thing that strikes fear in the heart of any Apple geek’s spouse? Why, the thought that their Mac-obsessed partner might one day bring home a nearly 6-foot tall neon Apple logo, of course! And for one unlucky person, that nightmare may become a reality. Apple Authorized dealer Mac Resource of Huntsville, AL is auctioning the 5-foot to 10-inch sign on eBay, which has stood proudly on their exterior wall for many years. According... Read More

What intern designed Adobe’s CS3 icons?

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Above: Adobe’s old icons (top) vs. their “improved” ones (bottom). I had been a member of the Adobe After Effects 8 (aka CS3) beta testing program for the last half a year or so, as well as being part of the version 7 beta team. When testing After Effects 7, the beta app’s icon was a bland “placeholder” of an icon which was replaced with a nicer, more stylized, “Adobe-looking” icon when the final app was... Read More

ColorWare PC offers custom color iPhones, and me want one very muchly!

WOW. I know we are all supposed to be impressed and satisfied with Apple’s clean, minimalist design choices, but boy do I think the folks at ColorWare PC have hit a potential gold mine in offering custom colored iPhones. There are 26 custom colors to choose from, and you can colorize pretty much anything except the screen and volume/lock buttons. They even include the option to colorize the dock and earbuds! Yes, the potential to abuse the laws of good taste exists,... Read More

iPhoneDrive updated, new features added

Posted by Dr. Macenstein Ecamm Network has released an update to iPhoneDrive, their software solution for enabling a “disk mode” on the iPhone. The update (v1.1) addresses one of the main problems we found in our review of the software, namely, the inability to move files and folders already on the iPhone. Many people feel/hope it is only a matter of time before Apple enables a disk mode on the iPhone themselves, but for the time being, the best solution we have... Read More