OS X Fanatics

iPhone Projectors - Do We Really Want This?

Matt Hartley — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:55:34 +0000

I would be among the first to admit that the value of a projector ability on the iPhone totally escapes me? Granted, it would be nice to share video one a friends wall vs being crowded over each others shoulders trying to view a tiny display. But I am still quite skeptical as to the quality of image provided and if this can be done without totally destroying the battery life of the phone.

As we have seen in previous iPhone efforts, each feature used is like a digital vampire for the iPhone’s battery life. So you will excuse me if the idea of using a projector function does not do much to get me all that excited.

Still, with the competition likely launching this functionality on their own handsets, I guess that Apple is forced to at least consider the idea of including this kind of option for iPhone users. After all, the iPhone is certainly about video media in all of is forms.

Despite Recession The Macs Are Selling Well

Matt Hartley — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:29:53 +0000

Just as I figured I had a good handle on where Apple was with their Mac sales, I read an article like this one which then pitches the whole sense of understanding right out the window. As it turns out, there is actually potential for a shortage of the new 13″ Macbook Pro notebooks here in the near future.

The newly re-branded 13′ Macbook Pros are clearly a hot seller with little indication of them cooling off anytime soon. Bundle this with the red hot sales success of the iPhone 3GS and one might surmise that Apple is do just fine.

As for the potential for shortages, I think this is going to likely get worse before it gets better. While Apple has been hard at work making sure that their data needs are addressed, I am not totally convinced the same is true with their hardware requirements.

JailBreaking At Fifteen

Matt Hartley — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:08:17 +0000

And to think when I was 15, my worries hardly centered around trying to create the next JailBreak software for an iPhone. Yet as you will learn from this article, some kids are hacking and bypassing Apple’s iPhone restrictions at what some might consider a young age.

Known simply as JailBreaking an iPhone, it is an act that has created a lot of controversy for young people who have contributed to the software. And while they claim no wrong doing, the one in the above linked article is taking no chances and has “lawyered up” early on…just in case.

The one constant I see from people who opt to JailBreak their iPhones is that the desire is there, so long as it can be done safely without potentially bricking their phones into a state beyond an easy reset. Thus far, people have been fortunate as even now, it seems that the current interpretation of DMCA is not enough to stop iPhone users from unleashing the full capabilities of their mobile devices. Besides, it also seems that it is the kids leading the way in this area. Which again makes Apple pursuing the issue a whole lot less attractive.

Blame The Weather For Overheating iPhone 3G S

Matt Hartley — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:17:41 +0000

It’s going to be interesting to see Apple explain this one away. Wait, it already has, apparently. According to this quick blurb from Engadget, it seems that Apple is attributing this to everything but the fact that the processor is overheating.

Yes folks, your screen suddenly showing this melting look is clearly something to do with the weather as it simply cannot not be the inadequate cooling of the new faster CPUs. Sure Apple, makes total sense.

While I would agree that the heat in the summer time weather can certainly contribute to the problem of the screen coating doing what is shown in the above linked article. Still, I am simply not totally sold on Apple’s answer that this is merely an event of hot weather. I suspect there is the issue of cooling as well, but we’ll let more reports roll in first before passing final judgment. Besides, I still use the older 3G. What do I know?

Apple Bringing In The Iron To Maiden

Matt Hartley — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:17:28 +0000

Not to be confused with Iron Maiden, the once popular metal band. Apple is bringing in their own data center to Maiden, North Carolina as I learned from this announcement today. It may not produce a lot of new jobs in the local sense, it will certainly give the local government a boost in various taxes I suspect.

And despite what is described as numerous tax breaks for Apple in choosing to setup shop in Maiden, I am told that this data center will actually indirectly create about 3,000 jobs for the affected locale.

The data center is being put into place to assist Apple in keeping pace with its booming media business. Apps, downloads, whatever it may be, this data center will be ready to help Apple keep pace with what is described as a significantly growing demand.

AT&T And Apple Under Scrutiny

Matt Hartley — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:17:13 +0000

It was bound to happen at some point. The US Government getting their fingers into AT&T’s exclusive deal with Apple and how they are able to remain the exclusive seller of the ever-popular iPhone. If the US Justice Dept. has their way, chances are very good that this “agreement” between AT&T and Apple may be broken up in some capacity.

Now the real question is whether or not this is really going to be any real benefit here for the end user. Yes, by forcing AT&T to let Apple out of the contract, freeing them to sell the iPhone to other companies, this means more choice for the end user.

But this is only going to benefit the end user should Apple opt to work with other mobile vendors. It’s possible, but something tells me that Apple is quite happy with the current arrangement. So if such a contract was invalidated somehow, would Apple really be in such a hurry? Clearly, they are not a company about selling the most. They enjoy a certain level of control and keeping to one mobile brand allows them this control, whereas multiple carriers does not.

Broken Screens Are No Problem For Apple Stores

Matt Hartley — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:55:53 +0000

Last time I heard, having a broken iPhone screen repaired was something that needed to be done at Apple itself, not with individual Apple Stores. But this has changed however, frankly leaving a lot of iPhone customers in a much better place.

Now when you smash that screen due to careless behavior or just bad luck, you will have options that branch out beyond the usual mail it in for assistance approach to fixing screens that was needed previously.

Another added bonus many of you might find of interest is that you can also have various audio components in your iPhone fixed as well. Clearly, the Apple Stores are set to double as repair shops for iPhones it seems.

AT&T Indicates Raging iPhone 3GS Success

Matt Hartley — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:16:31 +0000

Obviously the iPhone 3GS is doing fantastic from a sales standpoint. Yet up til now, I think most of just speculated as to how well from best guesses and vague reports. Today, I came across a memo that indicates that AT&T is very happy with the results of the sales of the 3GS.

As matter of fact, it seems that new sales records from AT&T show that the sale of the 3GS actually contributed to what is best described as the best sales day ever for AT&T retail stores.

Seems to me that now more than ever, AT&T will be fighting to make sure they are the only US provider offering iPhones as it is pretty clear that it is doing fantastic things for their sales numbers. How will Apple go along with this? Not sure as of yet, but I do believe that so long as the product keeps on moving, Apple could care less.

Apple Overtaking Nokia

Matt Hartley — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:32:19 +0000

Honestly never thought I would see the day on a worldwide scale, but it looks as if Apple is overtaking Nokia in a fairly big way.Truth be told, Nokia is pretty far down on the food chain these days, with the iPhone, Blackberry and G1 phones out there. And this is not even including the new Palm Pre!

Clearly, we are not talking about physical phones in the hands of users here. No, this article best explains just what is going on as this is a matter of Nokia losing its market share worldwide in a big way.

Now the big question is whether or not these gains actually translate into anything worthwhile? Honestly, that is open to interpretation. But I will say this - I never see Nokia in the news anymore. Negative or positive, nothing. It’s as if they have stepped into a vacuum. So while the company may be doing fine, they had better work on generating some buzz pretty soon.

iPhone 3G Or The 3GS - Which Is Really Better?

Matt Hartley — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:17:54 +0000

It’s a question that a lot of people are still asking themselves. Should you upgrade to the iPhone 3GS? For personally, this is an easy no as I am not eligible for an upgrade, which means I am stuck with the 3G for a bit longer. Sad, but I have learned to live with it.

Yet as I read through reviews like this one, where the two phones are compared side by side, I find myself thinking it is just not that big of a deal. First off, am I correct with the news that there is STILL no MMS? Also, due to the marriage here in the States with AT&T, it seems that any potential for screaming data speeds are held back despite the 3GS being capable of 7.2 Mbp transfer speeds.

In the end, the reports are that it has video functionality and it is a little faster. Also the battery is a little better. Wow, I guess overall the phone is marginally better over its predecessor. I enjoy my 3G quite a bit, but I have simply not read a darned thing that has me thinking that the new 3GS is anything to lose sleep over.

Firefox Better Than Before?

Matt Hartley — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:53:54 +0000

Even with the latest release of Firefox out for OS X users, Safari and Chrome are still very much something that remains on the radar. And obviously for OS X users, Safari is never far from anyone’s mind when it comes to a strong browser right out of the gate.

As for what is making Firefox 3.5 such a hit, that is difficult to explain. On my Linux box, it’s performance is vastly improved. And on the Mac, I have also noted some improvement there as well. Firefox does seem to run a bit smoother. Enough to where I am not reaching for alternatives as often, anyway.

As to whether the new found competition with Chrome is going to eventually be an issue, I would remind everyone it is too early to know yet. Ask me again in a year or so, then I should have a better idea on this one I suspect. Because thus far, Chrome is not a threat to anyone.

Macbooks For Everyone - In School

Matt Hartley — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:17:08 +0000

Seems like only yesterday that schools had Apple II computers standard. Not for each child, rather a few computers to a class, as they were obviously quite pricey. Well it looks like some states are flush enough with funds that it’s going to be Macbooks all around!

Despite the expense of providing this many notebook computers to students and teachers alike, I can only wonder what the task of keeping kids from breaking them must be like.

Think about it, kids today generally speaking do not know the first thing about taking care of what they own. A quick look around any kids room will provide evidence of that. So even while there will be some young people who take this as an opportunity to use the Macbooks and also take care of them, most kids will likely not truly appreciate how very lucky they really are in this instance.

Mystery Stories: Berlin Nights

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Pound For Pound, The mini Is A Good Buy

Matt Hartley — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:47:42 +0000

In the past there have been some charges that the Mac mini is simply overpriced junk. And while I am not in a position to make statements one way or the other, I can give my observations based on some recent data that I uncovered.

According to this piece, there is about $400 ($387.14) spent on the major components to create the mini, as it sells for about $600 ($599). Is this reasonable? Depends on whether you want the form factor, OS, and abilities of having something like this as a computer.

Let us not forget that smaller is not always cheaper. But considering how well I have seen these machines do with heat overall, I think they are worth the cost. Besides, I have used a number of tiny form factors for media solutions in the past and the mini still beats out most of them with regard to performance. Then again, your mileage may vary.

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Palm Pre - The Phone For Those Who Prefer Orange Jumpsuits

Matt Hartley — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:47:30 +0000

By now you have seen the commercials for Palm Pre. You know the one — it has a bunch of prison inmates in orange dancing around in unison while giving you a rare glimpse of what the phone is actually capable of doing. Here, just take a look below.

As you can see for yourself, it’s like a frightening cross between a commercial for Prison Break and a feminine hygiene product. In short, it makes no sense whatsoever. At no time is there a clear indication as to why I want one, what it can do, or what makes it different than the iPhone or G1.

Honestly, this is going to be Sprint’s answer to AT&T’s access to the iPhone. Nothing more. Even if the functionality is better (and it may be), clearly you would never know this from the folks doing Palm’s promotion. But not to fear, the real reason for releasing this product is coming along as expected. Palm’s shares are doing great!

The Dell DJ Revisited?

Matt Hartley — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:47:00 +0000

Could Dell be working on something to give the iPhone a bit of competition? Thus far, it seems that the details are far and few between. Regardless, what we do know is that it seems to be something that will be hand held, has music playing capabilities, and will be using ARM processing technology. Outside of that last thing, it almost sounds like it is redoing the failed Dell DJ.

My own perspective here is that Dell is WAY late to the game. I mean, not only is it losing out to Apple, but even Microsoft has it beat with the newest Zune! So honestly, unless this mobile device is going to help me create holograms, beam people from one location to another, or something else from the sci-fi realm, I can’t see it wowing the masses or giving us anything more than what the aforementioned two already offer.

The sad fact of the matter is the likelihood is that Dell is making a half-hearted attempt at picking off those people who are not using Apple’s portable media products. Again, I fail to understand how this is going to work as this market is already filled with half a dozen great media devices already. So how again is Dell going to compete here? This has me stumped…

iPhone Porn Does Too Well?

Matt Hartley — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:51:51 +0000

Seems like there is just no escaping adult content these days. Least of all on the iPhone, of all things. Despite these challenges, it seems that the iPhone App known simply “The Hottest Girls app” is of all things, sold out.

So hang on a minute. Rather than Apple simply banning this app, the creator is claiming that the app is instead “sold out”? How does one sell out of a digital application, anyway? I mean, it’s a digital product. So clearly it cannot possibly go “out of stock”?

What most people believe is actually taking place is a bit of reality on the server front. As luck might have it, adult content with limited server ability on a popular mobile platform is not all that doable. So this could be a plausible thing then. Ah, not so fast. According to TechCrunch, Apple is claiming yet again that they did indeed pull the app. So perhaps the truth is somewhere in between?

Use Your iPhone To Control AppleTV

Matt Hartley — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:54:59 +0000

Considering the fact that I do not own an AppleTV or even really want one, I had mixed feelings about including this piece about using the iPhone as a remote for AppleTV. But after thinking about it, I decided that it is clearly something that could be useful for those who do own AppleTVs. Besides, it looks pretty simple to use.

Now based on what I have seen in the video above, this app looks to be VASTLY better than the default controller that comes with the AppleTV. I mean, it just provides so much more control. Also, being able to use the keyboard feature on the phone for title searches is a huge time saver.

The remote app is availble for both the iPhone and the iPod Touch. You can get it easily from the Apple app store.

Suing Apple Over A Gift Card

Matt Hartley — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:16:45 +0000

Looks like things swing both ways with the issue of fraudulent iTunes gift cards. And based on what I am reading here, it looks like the person suing has a strong case. Feels almost like a bait and switch to a degree. No one likes to be screwed around with when making a purchase.

Now here is the other side of the issue. Wrong as it may be, is this something worthy of a lawsuit? Ah, there is the million dollar question. While this is clearly a matter of posing variable pricing for their products via gift cards, I cannot help but wonder just how much the family involved is seeking in “damages”.

Is there emotional distress? Lost wages? Was someone or something made to look foolish in the public eye? Outside of a refund here, I am beginning to smell something a bit more opportunistic here. But this is just me speculating of course.

Psystar Gets It In The End?

Matt Hartley — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:42:21 +0000

Apple continues to march forward in their case against Apple clone company, Psystar. Despite seeing Psystar going into bankruptcy proceedings, Apple remains on the attack and is hopeful to make an example out of this company in any way it can.

My perspective on Psystar is that it was a bad idea from the beginning. What is of interest will be the eventual outcome of Psystar based on Apple’s attacks. Clearly, Apple is not taking Psystar actions of using OS X on Psystar hardware lightly at all.

What remains to be seen is whether or not Psystar is the first among many clones yet to appear. Or if instead Psystar has shown just how savagely Apple will pursue any perceived wrong doing. My thinking is that this is just the beginning.

Online Web Conferencing for Meetings

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VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

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