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

• printing documents with Asian language names
• performance of the Translation widget

• broadband network performance

• security updates
For detailed information on this Update, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n304200.
For detailed information on Security Updates, please visit this website: http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n61798.
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 official list of newly taxable items is as follows:
• Downloaded music and video
• Shipping and handling charges
• Flooring and carpeting installation
• Storage space
• Tanning, massage and tattooing
• Data processing
• Limousines
• Health, shopping and other club membership fees
• Parking garages and lots
• Non-clothing cleaning services
• Landscaping
• Magazines and periodicals
• Investigation and security services, such as security alarms and armored cars
That’s right, all music and video purchased via the iTunes music store (and any online service) will now be taxed at the same 7% rate that retail DVDs and CDs are. As a resident of NJ, I feel this both blows AND sucks. While in my mind I cannot justify any reason why a music download should NOT be taxed and a physical CD SHOULD (other than the state of NJ has absolutely NOTHING to do with the sale of iTunes songs), it still feels wrong. I am not sure exactly how well Apple and the NJ government will be checking on the downloads, but I, for one, will be “moving� to Virginia, or NY, or someplace without the taxes. At least as far as my iTunes profile is concerned.
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 packed hours into one 44 minute adventure. This exclusive special traces mankind’s fight for survival back to Battlestar Galactica’s rebirth as a ground breaking miniseries, and follows the last of humanity as they struggle to outrun their relentless enemy. Narrated by Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica: The Story So Far is an essential look inside the events and people that define life on the edge of extinction. Whether a series fan, or first time viewer, this special will leave you up to date and prepared for the premiere of the third epic season of Battlestar Galactica, October 6th.â€?
The 44 minute episode, entitled “Battlestar Galactica – The Story So Far� can be downloaded here.
Review: Memory Card Travel Case by Digital Foci
Posted by Lab Rat
With the introduction of each new “must have� 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 product able to store up 8 different media cards in an iPod-sized, shock absorbent case.
The rugged case features a brushed aluminum exterior, capable of withstanding a good amount of abuse without noticeable signs of wear. Inside, the Memory Card Travel Case features four stackable media compartments able to hold CF I/II, MD, SM, MMC, SD, miniSD, MS, MS Duo, and xD cards. The stackable design means you can fit four of the same type of card, or up to 8 different cards of mixed styles, depending on the type. For instance, one compartment can hold both a SD card and then a CF card above it. Each compartment is made of molded hard rubber, providing a secure fit and great protection against accidental drops.
Conclusion
The Memory Card Travel Case by Digital Foci is a great addition to any mobile geek’s arsenal of gadgetry. It provides a very secure and stylish way to carry and protect your digital media without having to keep track of where you put what card. Priced at only $19.95, it is almost a no brainer for the gadget-obsessed traveler.
Digital Foci Memory Card Travel Case memory card holder
Price: $19.95
Pros: Nice-looking, rugged. Provides secure protection for your memory cards. Supports most popular types of cards.
Cons: Non significant; (just one more thing to carry!)
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 6.5 hours of video playback, where my 5G should only get 4 hours (during the original iTunes 7 event, Steve Jobs for some reason claimed only 2.5 hours of video battery life for the 5G and 3.5 for the new 5.5G models). See this chart from playlistmag.com.
On the same day Apple announced the new iPods, they also announced iTunes 7, and support for “full screen� video playback on both the 5G and 5.5G iPod models, as long as you updated your iPod with some new software. So I downloaded iTunes 7 and installed the latest iPod updater. And I noticed I something interesting.
I now consistently get just over 6 hours of video playback on my 5G iPod after running the update. As a test, I watched the entire 3hr 48 minute Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (credits and all), the 1 hr 29 minute classic Office Space, and the first hour of Sin City before the iPod’s battery finally gave up the ghost. My volume was set at 50%, and the brightness was set to full brightness.
[Disclaimer: These are of course all hypothetical examples, as none of these movies are available for download from the iTunes store at this time, therefore there is NO WAY I could have them on my iPod… but if I DID, they would have all been encoded at the new 640 size limit offered by Compressor and QuickTime Pro.]
So, my question to any of you lucky 5.5G iPod owners is, how long does your new 80GB iPod’s video playback last? Is it even longer than 6.5 hours? Or did the new iPod updater make us all equal, and Apple marketing is just not mentioning that the “old� video iPods now get the same improved amount of video playback? I realize you guys have brighter screens now, so getting the same battery life with increased brightness is still something to crow about, but I am wondering why Apple did not mention this as a feature of the new iPod updater.
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