Better Display Quality on Newest 'Books
From Brett in response to Are Close-out MacBooks a Better
Value than the New Models?:
I think you may be leaving out another substantial advantage to the
new models: the display is supposed to be much better (wider gamut,
etc.) than the previous version. That's one thing that kept me from
considering a MacBook until now: When compared to my wife's MacBook Air
display, the MacBooks looked markedly inferior. Not sure about the
model you have, but I seem to recall the new MacBooks all got the
screen upgrade to the same display as the MBA. Since I stare at that
screen all day, an improved display is a critical feature for me.
Hi Brett,
I think my MacBook has the older type display, since
it was purchased as an Apple Certified Refurbished unit back in
February. The screen is very nice - the best I've ever had in a laptop,
but I don't gainsay that the improved one in the latest models is even
better, and I should have included that point in the article.
Charles
Digital Audio Input and Output
From Ed:
In your recent column, you say, "However, if digital audio ports are
important to you, the 13"
Unibody MacBook has them, while the 13" MacBook Pro
doesn't."
Very slight correction: The Pro does have digital audio out,
just not in. (And the analog in is shared with the digital/analog out,
so even for people for whom lack of digital in isn't a deal killer
might find that the shared port is a deal-killer. Like me.
Digital out required, digital in not; but in and out simultaneous
is.)
Ed
Hi Ed,
You're right, and I should have articulated that point
more clearly. The angle I was coming from is that users for whom
digital audio is a priority don't seem to be very happy about the
iPod-style combination in/out port on the 13" MacBook Pro. It would not
be a significant issue for me, although I do have separate ports on my
13" MacBook.
Charles
Opera, Stainless, and Cruz Browsers
From Matt in response to 2
Promising Browsers: Opera 10 Turbo and Stainless:
Hello Charles Moore,
I just read your article on Opera 10 Turbo. The speed
increase from the turbo feature sounds quite impressive. I just
recently started using processor
specific builds of Firefox, which are available here. I noticed a slight
increase on my eMac 1.25
GHz, but a rather significant increase on my iMac G3 600 MHz.
I did try Opera 9 for a
while, but I couldn't find a way to make a new tab open to my home page
rather than the speed dial. I know it sound trivial, but it's a big
deal for me. Also, My iMac really lags on any banner ads, so AdBlock
Plus is pretty crucial.
I did just start using two new browsers, Cruz and Stainless, on my G4. [Editor's note:
Both require Mac OS X 10.5 or later. dk] Both have an
impressive feature set, but Stainless is growing on me fast. The
bookmark shelf is great, and I love that the icons can be customized
with a simple drag and drop. Cruz is also an up and coming alternative,
with the Browsa-Browsa Plugin allowing you to run different credentials
in the same window side-by-side.
After reading your article, I think I'll give Opera another chance.
For now, I will probably stick with special builds of Firefox, but that
might change when Cruz and Stainless hit their 1.0.
Keep up the good work,
Matt Gordon
Hi Matt,
Yes, optimized builds of Firefox do seem to improve
performance to varying degrees. You can also get Intel optimized builds.
Opera 10 has a popup blocking feature with several
configuration options built-in.
It's not something I ever thought about before (I keep
the home page selection blank), but you appear to be correct about the
new tab issue.
The extra speed with Opera Turbo will be realized on
dialup and low-bandwidth WiFi connections. Opera recommends keeping
Turbo turned off when you're on regular broadband.
I agree with your assessment of both Stainless and
Cruz. My favorite Stainless feature is the bookmarks shelf too. Why
didn't anyone think of that before?
Thanks for the comments.
Charles
Hi Charles,
I tried out Opera 10 and saw the Popup blocker you mentioned.
Unfortunately, my main problem is banner ads, rather than pop ups.
Also, I noticed that Opera has an option to put bookmarks into a
sidebar, just like Stainless. Pretty sweet.
Matt
Installing Tiger on DVD-less iBooks
From Nancy in response to Installing OS
X 10.4 'Tiger' on DVD-Challenged Macs Using FireWire Target Disk
Mode:
Hi Charles!
I followed your steps to install OS X 10.4 onto an iBook G3 from an
external iMac with DVD.
Everything was going along fine until I came to the install option.
I chose the iBook as the destination, but I got a message saying I
couldn't do that because it required 15.5 GB of space to install - and
the iBook only has 14.1 GB of space.
In your instructions, you indicated the "new" system only took up
1.5 GB of space. Did I misunderstand?
I have another iBook G3 with 10.4.11 on it, which I purchased that
way. It only has 9 GB of space, so I am sure this can be done but I
must be doing something wrong.
Please help, if you can and have the time.
Thanks.
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
14.1 GB of free space should be ample for an OS X 10.4
install. Apple
specifies at least 3 GB of free disk space - and only 4 GB if
you install the Xcode 2 Developer Tools.
Something is not working right.
Installing OS X 10.4 via Target Disk Mode is endorsed
by Apple for machines with no DVD drive for OS X Server, as
described in Mac OS X Server
10.4.7 or later: How to install if you have no DVD drive.
However, they advise going the opposite direction from
the method I used, booting the machine containing the DVD drive into
Target Disk Mode with the Tiger
install disk inserted and mounted, which is probably a better way to
go, since the installer will tailor any necessary machine-specific
system resources to the boot machine.
I've posted a more detailed discussion in a follow-up
article, Using FireWire Target Disk Mode
to Install OS X on Macs without DVD Drives.
I'm not sure which direction you went with your
attempt, but I think it would be worth a shot trying the alternate
configuration to see if that would render success.
Charles
Big Fan of Firefox 3.5
From David in response to Safari 4: 'I Actually Like Safari
Now':
Thanks for this info. I am still running Mac OS X 10.5.6 on my G4; I
don't really have a compelling need to upgrade at this time. so I am
holding off. So I guess I will have to hold off on Safari 4 until then.
Actually I find that I am using the new Firefox 3.5 more and more.
We are still in the Philippines. I am still doing my best to
convince my fellow missionaries to go Mac. Two of our older
missionaries made the jump to MacBooks, and they are so glad they did.
Also, we got a new Mac
mini for the Sonshine Center, so we are almost completely Windows
free.
God bless you brother,
Dave
Hi Dave,
Glad the info was helpful.
I just reinstalled the Security Update 2009 002 and
Safari 4 on my Pismo, and now that I know how to work around it was
able squash the looping "Your Network preferences have been
changed...." bug in OS 10.4.11.
Good work on both your main ministry and your "other
evangelization" efforts.
Charles
Craigslist Terms of Service
From Ed:
Charles
In a recent column, then
followed up in your current
column, you have a letter from "Scott",
Hey Charles,
Would you mind asking your readers if anyone knows of
any software to automatically list items on Craigslist? I can find
software like that for Windows, but not for the Mac.
I have a competitor who constantly deletes my listing,
which I constantly relist. He's obviously got software that
automatically deletes my listing . . . Craigslist really
ought to change their system. Oh well, I don't have anything better to
do! (laugh)
Scott
A couple notes:
- It is essentially impossible for a single person to delete a post
on Craigslist. It takes many, many flags (from different IP addresses)
to remove a Craigslist post. Craigslist won't say how many, but does
state that the exact number varies based on many factors, including how
often the poster has had postings removed, the exact location (it takes
many more to remove a posting on the New York City Craigslist than it
does on the Duluth, MN Craigslist), and even the subsection (an
ultra-busy section such as cars takes many more flags than a very
infrequently-used section).
- It is against the Craigslist terms of
service to use an auto-poster. (See section 7y )
- Scott writes as if he is a business ("a competitor", "automatically
list items", which sounds like many items, not just an occasional
item). Most sections of Craigslist prohibit the placement of commercial
ads. Some of the few exceptions are in the cars section (in which you
must state that you are a dealer) and in the "services" section. If
Scott is posting business ads in the nonbusiness sections, he will get
flagged and removed no matter how often he posts.
Ed
Hi Ed,
Thanks for the info. My personal ignorance of
Craigslist is pretty encyclopedic. I've never used it either as a
seller or buyer.
While we're on the topic, Dan Knight noted that none
of the Craigslist apps listed on MacUpdate allow you to post to
Craigslist. They are all for searching it.
Charles
Yeah, any of the post-capable apps on Windows are even a violation
of Craigslist's terms of use.
Ed
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