Apple Savant

Mac vs. Windows Debate Continues on "Absolute Vista"

2008-02-20T22:24:44Z

Recently, Chris Pirillo posted 50 Reason to Switch from Windows to Mac. Many in the computing blogosphere and tech journalists were shocked, because Chris is a long-time Windows geek. After he posted this to his blog, chris.pirillo.com, the uproar continued on line. John Obeto from Absolute Vista, wrote this retort.

We find the whole thing amusing here at AppleSavant, so we wrote a reply in the comments section of AbsoluteVista and reposted it here...

]]> Why is it that people get all up in arms because someone finds that one system is better for them than the other? This Ford vs. Chevy debate has been going on since the personal computer was invented. Apple ][ versus Radio-Shack TRS-80, then Apple ][ versus Commodore 64, then Mac versus IBM PC and finally Windows versus Mac. Interestingly, Apple always seems to be in the fight--formerly the volume leader, then the design-leader. What is it about Apple that creates so much disdain for vanilla-computer users? Those of you who just buy whatever the masses are buying, generally are ignorant to the difference between the mass-market system versus another. Like a safe Camry versus a sporty BMW. The industry is constantly changing, and although Windows enjoys millions of software titles, most of them are redundant and do not offer any advantage over a Mac title. Conversely, if you require a specialized application, or you like to play games on your PC, then a Windows box may be your best choice.

Pirillo has decided that Mac is the best choice for him and I would agree that for MOST PEOPLE, Mac is probably a better choice. As a cross-platform user, I can surely tell you that all-in-all Windows is, for the hobbyist or specialized user, the better platform, but for most people Mac, with it's "computer-out-of-the-way" environment and software/hardware control is much better for productivity and reliability. Would you buy a microwave oven from one company with the software to operate it from another company? Would benefit would that offer you other than price? Would it cook your food fast, be more reliable? Not likely and as computer users become more and more concerned with "what can you do for me?" rather than "how much can I tinker with you and optimize you" more and more people will decide on Mac.

Test Video

2008-02-01T07:20:22Z

Macworld 2008 Predictions: Our Turn.

2008-01-11T04:17:56Z

They've all done it. Even those who said they wouldn't do it have done it. The predictions of what lies ahead at Macworld next week have been pontificated by many. From c|net's poetry to Kevin Rose's list, Macworld is on the minds of many and many a mind at AppleSavant are ready to chime in--after all, we are the savants. (click through to continue)

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Apple TV: we expect a redesign. A system more along the lines of a Mac Mini, perhaps even replacing both products in the lineup. It may incorporate Web surfing features, DVR functionality and be made to support the unannounced, but heavily rumored, iTunes video rental service. If we're right, we think it may be the killer media-serving/accessing device to shock all the makers of such devices dotted around CES this last week.
Mac Mini: See item #1 or see a device that's smaller than an iMac, but has a screen that pops up with multi-touch capability. This device could be used in education or a home-appliance information machine. Think of it as a desktop iPhone. With a tiny footprint and no need for a keyboard, then could be the device that 3Com's Audrie, Web TV and others were suppose to be.
MacBook Mini: This one has been round and round the rumor mill so much that it's like fine pixie dust. We call it the MacBook Mini, others call it the sub-notebook or ultra-mobile Mac. This device is rumored to have a multi-touch screen, no hardware keyboard and be able to do all the great things Macs due it a very small, lightweight package with a large display glued to the top. We think it will be like a tablet PC with out the fancy hinge and keyboard--oh and without the much unloved Windows TabletPC software. Add to this some iPod-esque features, like quick access to music and maybe a place to store headphones. If this rumor is true and this baby sells for around $1,000, Apple could see another couple percent added to its market share and more people waiting in line at the Apple store for this smallest of next-big-things.
iPhone SDK: This item is less of a rumor and more of an expectation. Mr. Jobs and company have already announced an SDK (software developer kit) for early 2008, allowing developers to write apps that work directly on the iPhone. We think this will spur a whole bunch of new uses for the iPhone that most users never dreamed they could gain. Our wish? iPhone as GPS Navigation System utilizing a bluetooth receiver. Bring it on, developers!
iPhone 2.0: We believe that Steve's going to blow us away with big iPhone news that goes beyond SDKs. We also believe the rumors flying about a new iPhone model are without merit. The iPhone is selling quite well and it looks like if Apple did nothing but a few updates, they would reach their worldwide target of 10-million units by the end of 2008. Apple, however, is not one to rest on its laurels (remember the iPod Mini?), hence our prediction for iPhone 2.0. "What?" you say, "These statements contradict!" Not exactly. iPhone is a platform and 2.0, in our savant-speak, would be the software version. Assuming all the talk that Apple rushed the iPhone to market, and sort of "hodge-podged" the software together to make it all work, is true then a 2.0 version of iPhone OS (if you will) should be nigh. We're thinking a full re-write, with faster performance and a dizzying array of new features. Perhaps even the ability to send SMS messages to more than one recipient (gasp!) or maybe even copy and paste functionality (dizzy from excitement). iPhone 2.0 will be a culmination of all Apple has learned about the phone business during it's short tenure in the business, as well as improvements in areas not known at launch. We believe that this will tie into the new SDK and we think it's been Apple's plan all along--even though everyone whines about iPhone lock-down.

That's it for the Savant predictions. No top-10 list or crazy thoughts of Apple supporting Windows Media Player. This should be a great Macworld and a pretty fantastic keynote by the Apple Big Daddy. We are eagerly awaiting the outcome and will be in Moscone shortly thereafter to drool all over the announcements.

Belkin Answers Prayers of Many Podcasters (us too)

2008-01-07T07:07:11Z

According to Gizmodo (our choice for CES pre-game coverage), Belkin has announced a very cool device in the podcast space. Most of us carry an iPod and those of us who podcast may have wished for the capability to record in high-quality on said iPod, with a really good microphone. The Belkin Podcast Studio may be the answer to our wishes.

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]]> Around June of 2008, you can slap down your $100, plug in an XLR mic (or just use the built-in mic) and become the mobile podcaster you've always wanted to be. We think it will be the perfect device, but now we need to go buy another hard-drive equipped iPod, as this device only works with 5th-generation or iPod Classic models. Guess it's time to step up to the 160GB model!

Yo Belkin, it sure would be nice to use of one these babies at Macworld! Are you there, Belkin? Hello? Hmmm.

(Image stolen from Gizmodo, but we think Belkin gave it to them, so it's ok)

SONY Introduces iPod-Dock-Equipped Stereo System...

2008-01-07T06:54:23Z

Sony announced at CES (press preview) at personal stereo system with an iPod dock stuck on top. According to Gizmodo, the CMT-BX20i and CMT-BX50Ti (offer Sony Style for iPod. Sort of makes us think that even though Sony's Walkman MP3's continue to be peddled, Sony believes ubiquitous iPod is a force that must be supported.

Interestingly, the CMT-BX50Ti version offers Bluetooth support--we wonder what that's for? Perhaps streaming music from your Sony-Ericsson phone to your stereo? Knowing Sony, it's for their upscale remote. We'll just have to go check it out ourselves when we see if Sony will let us in their traditional cave at CES.

In a related story, Fake Steve Jobs caught using Sony noise-canceling headphones, as advertised on the Podshow network. Oh, and hell is freezing over in Las Vegas.
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Saving up for CES...

2008-01-07T06:49:49Z

We only have so many keystrokes available in a year, so we decided to "bank" some for 2008--enough to update you on CES stuff that may have something to do with Apple. Watch this space for Apple-related news and information, as well as links to our sister blog Sving.com, the auto blog/pocast autotalkworld.com and not-necessarily-Apple quick notes at tumblmac.com .

Oh, and we'll be at Macworld, too.

What...a month went by?

2007-12-18T05:38:42Z

There's so much to talk about...yet no time to type it all down. If only there was a way to just speak the information, then we could get information to our readers without typing...but how?

Stay tuned for the redesign and AppleSavant Podcast. Coming early 2008.

Latest Apple Update for Tiger 10.4.11 Creates Buzz - here are some pointers...

2007-11-18T05:02:21Z

Around the blogosphere there have been "issues" reported with 10.4.11, Tiger's latest update. Many users have thrown up their hands and have resorted to a reinstall of the OS. Here are some suggestions to ensure you do not have to endure the sometimes negative outcome of a reinstall.

(Read on by clicking link below)

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Prior To Update: Run a Permissions Repair:

From Finder, select the Go menu.
Choose Utilities
Once the Finder window opens, select Disk Utility
Within Disk Utility, click the image of your hard drive on the left
Choose First Aid from the buttons along the top of the large box within the window
Select Repair Disk Permissions
If the system asks for your password, enter it and click OK
The system will run through your drive and repair the permissions

After this operations is done, you should log out, log back in and run Software Update and pursue your update to 10.4.11

You've Updated and Have a Blinking Disk Icon Upon Reboot:

Your computer is telling you that it cannot find a startup disk, which means your install seems fubar. The reality is a quick fix in Unix will heal your ails.

If you see the blinking disk, reboot your computer. The easiest way is to just turn it off and back on again.
As soon as you hear the machine start-up, hold down the Command (Apple) Key and the "S" key at the same time. Continue holding these keys until you see a bunch of text stream across the screen.
Your computer has now booted and after a minute or so, it will get to the end of the sequence of text, with a blinking cursor. If you don't see the cursor, press Return.
Right above the cursor, you will see some instructions regarding using the fsck command. Follow these directions by typing in what the computer states on the screen. Most likely it's /sbin/fsck -y but don't take our word for it.
After it's is done checking everything, you may see the line FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED. If you see this and a cursor, repeat the command you typed before (shortcut: hit the up-arrow key and you'll see it again). If you see no cursor, hit the return key, and perform the latter.
Once the system has completed it's check (or second check), type reboot and press return. The machine will reboot and in a couple minutes you should see your login screen or desktop--just like pre-update.

Your update took, but some file permissions were out of whack, which created a flaw in the start-up sequence. In most cases, either of these solutions should fix your derailed system.

Your feedback is welcome.

Leopard Unleashed Coming Up

2007-10-27T01:08:10Z

We are getting our copy of Leopard tonight after we finish partying in Cupertino. Expect a full brain dump regarding Leopard in the coming days. Happy installing!!

***** UPDATE *****

We can't stop playing with Leopard! We'll get back with you shortly with our feedback.

New Media Chooses Mac

2007-10-12T05:49:02Z

The emerging New Media, which includes groups who blog, podcast and video-cast have made their platform of choice Macintosh. Is this fact? Not exactly, but we are the Savants and our casual observation leads us to this conclusion.

How did we derive of this opinion?

Recently, we've attended a number of events related to new media. At those events, we see plenty of glowing lights in the shape of an Apple staring at as we walk by people. By plenty, we mean, we think a wrong turn was made and ended up in a future time-warp at MacWorld 08.

Why is this happening?

We believe that people creating media just want to use a tool that stays out of their way. It works efficiently, effectively and doesn't require manipulating the OS to make it work correctly. More and more of our peers are using Macs in ways they thought only a Pee Cee would do. Recently, we saw David Lawrence--broadcaster, podcaster and professional interviewer--make a comment at the Portable and New Media Expo, held in Ontario, California. He uses a MacBook Pro and commented about the length of time and issues that surrounded features of Pro Tools Light when using Windows. He uses both platforms, but prefers Mac for its all around usefullness. That's what we got out of what he said. Of course, his MacBook is top of the line, but he's a pro, remember?

So this story is not real profound, but keep an eye out. Macs are appearing at places you may frequent and more frequently. Mac is up over 6% of the US market now, and we believe that number could double by this time next year. Make your own private poll and comment your findings back to us.

See iPhone at Starbucks iTunes WiFi Function

2007-10-07T18:26:10Z

Courtesy of Vinny Ferrari at the Apple Phone Show...

Enjoy!

Starbucks iTunes Wifi Store in Action from vincenzof on Vimeo.

Geeks Miffed at Apple for Bricked iPhones: Our Take

2007-10-01T18:47:41Z

Although we often find ourselves on the side of hackers and the open-source movement, we must respectfully disagree with most of the blogging against Apple on the subject of bricked unlocked iPhones.

We think that Apple's practices are quite common with product warranties, albeit not usually with software. Let's take cars for example. Let's say you cruise your car down to a performance-enhancement specialist, and they add a performance exhaust, a new chip for the engine-management computer (or flash the existing one) and new suspension springs, for instance. If your newly-sporty auto develops a problem with the catalytic, and the engine light comes on telling you to take it in, the dealer and the manufacturer will immediately blame the after-market exhaust and will not warranty the problem part. If the wheel bearings start to make a noise, the dealer will blame the suspension and charge you to repair the noise. Oh and if ANYTHING is wrong with the way the car runs, the manufacturer will most definitely blame the new, or re-flashed, chip and void your entire engine warranty--even if the problem is mechanical and has absolutely nothing to do with the engine management system.
]]> small group of people modding their product. We believe there are technical reasons that these updates have affected the hacked, unlocked iPhone. The company even warned that theses practices could damage the operation of the phone.

Just like over-clocking a processor, you run the risk of frying your product if you mod it or mess with it. And, the manufacturer has every right to not cover the product under warranty.

Conversely, Apple should offer some sort of "re-format" program for users of bricked phones. For $100 or something, you bring your iPhone in and they re-flash it or exchange it for a new one. A one-time courtesy, perhaps, but for a fee.

Apple is trying to build a solid, reliable product for people that bought a phone...not a hackable computing platform. We believe any phone manufacturer would follow the same tact as Apple has, if someone performs an unauthorized modification.

What would BlackBerry do if someone modded one of their phones and the phone bricked? Probably say, "too bad" and suggest a new one is purchased to replace it.

Hey Steve, We Have Some Thoughts: Pondering iPhone 3-Months +

2007-09-24T09:15:48Z

Our iPhones arrived a few weeks after the BIG launch, which we covered here on AppleSavant with three lovely videos filmed around Orange County, CA (shameless plug...wait, you're already here!).

So we were just sitting around preparing for our Monday morning (oops, already here) and realized we hadn't posted that post we've been tossing around in our heads. Let us enlighten you to our Thoughts on iPhone, 3-Months In.
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Ok, the 800-pound elephant in the room is first: the price drop. Here's our read. First, OUCH! Second, we're buying a new Airport Express with our $100 rebate voucher. Was this bad PR...maybe in a veiled way. Apple may have pissed off a lot of people, but now the entire world knows you can buy an 8GB iPhone for $399 and they were able to do it without one paid advertisement! Brilliant spin or accidental outcome? Here's what we believe: the iPhone's sales will be very brisk throughout the end of the year. Anyone on the fence has little reason not to spring for the slickest phone there is. Sure a $200 rebate voucher would have been better than $100, but it's better than nothing. Our read on this: the iPhone is a first-gen product and a first-time business for Apple. We believe they set their initial pricing based on lower sales expectations and set a healthy profit to cover expenses for this new world, should it come caving down on them. As a result of the massive sales they've had, Apple was able to use their more traditional cost/accounting methods to re-price the product. The result is a better deal for the rest of us (except us, because already got ~~shafted~~ our phones). Contrary to most of the tech media, we believe it's was the iPhone's success that created a significant price drop, as well as the streamlining of the product line by dumping the 4GB model.
Hey, where's my MMS? Some of you have said there's a few "missing" features in the iPhone. Missing? Nawww, that's a feature! We agree there are a few things we'd like to see in the iPhone, and frankly, MMS is not one of them. When you have the best multimedia email client on a phone, why pay extra for MMS? Isn't a message like 60¢? We're too poor for that (see first item). What do we want, you ask? Here's a top 10 11 list of features we Savants want for our iPhones:

Searchable Address Book: when you're looking for Joe What'sHisName within your 574 contacts on your phone, it sure would be nice to search for ol' Joe by first name or anything else that we remember about him. Even our old Palm has this function. While you're at it, Apple, make the Calendar app searchable as well.
Voice Notes: the iPod in the iPhone is fantastico, yet we can't record anything with our iPhone. This incredibly handy feature would certainly be welcomed. Lugging the 30GB iPod for this purpose is a bit ridiculous, so we've resorted to the risky proposition of typing notes into notepad while driving!
Notes Sync: speaking of notes...why don't they sync? We blame Windoze. Certainly, Apple didn't want the Windows users to feel Apple was treating them like 2nd Class Citizens. Their iPhone experience must be the same to avoid backlash and Apple didn't have time (forgot) to make a notes app for iTunes for Windows. Yeah, that's the ticket. I want to take notes, I want them to sync to Stickies or better yet, Yojimbo. This may be the #1 heard complaint amongst iPhoners.
Sending Pics: we know, we know, photos can be sent. Well, make that photo, as in singular photo. It would be just peachy (appley?) to mark photos for email and send a few at once. We're not asking for 20, or even 10--perhaps 3 would be adequate?
Touch to Inbox: the Mail app seems to have extra steps. We know why it's structured like it is, yet you would think an alias to the inbox would be available. It's 3-steps from the home-screen to your inbox. Why? Let's make a preference that allows it to be 2-steps. One less step you say? It's particularly annoying if you have multiple inboxes and you have to back out two steps, then back into the new inbox (2-steps) you want to see. Even better: let us set up a smart folder so we can see all of our new mail, regardless of account, in one screen.
WAV Files: we here at AppleSavant's parent company love AccessLine. Our calls are routed all over the place, wherever we are and it's seamless and reliable. AccessLine has this really excellent feature where it emails you email with a link to your voicemail. Unfortunately, neither Mail or Safari can play WAV files. With the proliferation of these sorts of voicemail services and WAV on the net, this is a must have addition to the iPhone.
TIFF Files: oh iPhone, how I love thee, yet your parental gnomes failed to remember that most electronic fax documents are sent in the format of TIFF. Thank you for being able to read Word files and PDF's--this is much appreciated--however, TIFF is still the predominate fax format. We utilize two services that output in this format and no-mas with the iPhone.
Bluetooth Services: one of us has a 3 year old Sony-Ericsson that syncs with the Mac quite well via Bluetooth. We believe that syncing iTunes with Bluetooth would be like watching paint dry on Teflon. Although not the fastest protocol, Bluetooth does have some phone-centric features that are really cool--and really unavailable on the iPhone. MacOSX's address book app has a function where you can have it constantly communicating with your mobile phone, as long as you're in proximity (30 ft, last time we checked). If you get a text message while the machines are having their little talk, the message will be displayed on your Mac, at which point you can reply with it and your full-sized keyboard. MacOS supports it as do other Bluetooth phones--iPhone is in a class by itself here. While we're complaining about Bluetooth, Apple should consider a quick way to turn off Bluetooth as they do with WiFi. Sometimes it gets in the way and we just want it off! A few touches through the menu and it's done, but a switch right under the WiFi switch (in Settings) would be lovely. There's more with Bluetooth, like sending vCards with others and turning your iPhone into a really cool remote-control. Apple, open up Bluetooth, please!
Third Party Hardware: we haven't heard much on the developer side about hardware for iPhone. We're not sure if engineers at companies like Griffin and Belkin are able to do much more than power adapters and docks. Before the iPhone was released, we didn't know how the keyboard would function. Now that we do, and we do know very well how great it is, some may prefer to use a hardware keyboard. We imagine hardware keyboards that work with Bluetooth (which has to be opened as outlined in #8) for use on airplanes or in class. Palm-style fold-up keyboards would be a really nice addition for people that want to write things like massive blog-entries or gDocs manuscripts. Apple is most likely taking the same, conservative stance on this as they are with software-on-the-phone, which we're not against, contrary to popular rants. In fact, the Safari-based Web apps we've seen are very impressive and even offer features that couldn't be done on the phone itself. Still, our guess is that Apple will compartmentalize software in a safe place where it can run without freaking out the rest of the phone. When that happens, we'll also see related hardware.
Quick Return to iPod: a button or series of clicks on something would be a way this could work. What exactly are we asking for here? Let's say you're playing a podcast, then you're looking at your calendar or surfing the Web. Someone speaks to you about something (you're not wearing the included headphones...maybe you're in the car or something) and you don't want to miss it. The steps to stop the iPod playing are long: a) unlock the phone, b) press the home button, c) press iPod, d) press pause. A double tap on something or a press and hold would be a great way to not miss Leo LaPorte's point to Scott Bourne about whatever on MacBreak Weekly.
Scrubbing and Seeking Video: a top 11 list--how odd. Well, we are the AppleSavants. So here's a particularly annoying thing--scrubbing or fast forwarding movies. After you hold the button for a few seconds, the iPhone goes into what seems to be a 2x play mode. If you hold the button longer, it begins to skip ahead in 4-sec increments. This is all fine, but as soon as you let go, it sort of stumbles around and then either ends up in pause mode or reverts back to near where you started. We'd like to see a 2x and 4x feature, where you don't have to hold the button. We're not even talking about going backwards, which is really clunky. We just deal with those annoying PC-Magazine commercials on DL.TV, because fast-forwarding ultimately takes longer than the ad ("can you dig it? Someone tell them to stop using those digitized voice-overs!).

Whew! Anyone have any Gatorade? That concludes thoughts on iPhone at 3-Months. We, of course, will continue to blurt our opinion as we see fit. Even with some of its shortcomings, there's no substitute for its interface, ease-of-use, integration with iTunes and phone transceiver quality (surprisingly one of the best in the business). None of us would trade our iPhone for any other phone on the market today. Apple has really done an excellent job, especially considering this phone was developed with no consumer clinics or public interaction. They knew exactly what people wanted in a phone--bravo Mr. Jobs and the gang at Apple.

Can You Write? We're Looking for a Few Good Savants!

2007-09-24T09:04:56Z

Ok, we admit it: we're too busy. We've tried everything to get more time in our day, but nothing's working. Perhaps we should sign up with Merlin Mann for assistance?

Or we could just bring you into our little group.

If you think you can write or if you know Apple stuff, we could use you. It's not a high-paying gig at this point (read: volunteer), yet we believe in big things and with your help it could be big.

Incidentally, if you pontificate about things not all-Apple, we may be interested in plugging you into our little party of Savants. Blogging, Podcasting and Video Podcasting are what our bosses do and they said we could get some new friends--so let us know if you'd like to be part of our team.

How, you ask, would you make it known that you have interest? Simply comment to this entry and we'll get back with you. Be sure to include a valid email address and if you have any stuff out there already, please tell us where to find it--we're not treasure hunters, mind you.

PS: if you know about designing templates/styles in MT and how to extensify it, drop us a line as well.

Quicksilver in "Real Life" Cool Video

2007-09-24T08:51:59Z

Quicksilver in Real Life from Matt McInerney on Vimeo.

Great stuff. If you aren't familiar with Quicksilver, we Savants highly recommend it. It's free and available from blacktree.com . Merlin Mann of 43Folders, personal productivity specialist, is a huge proponent of Quicksilver.

We here all love it and are baffled when we can't hit command-space and get our little command window! HMPH!