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News & Opinion
Mac OS Share Breaks 8%, Safari Gains Ground In
September
NetApplications Hitslink has posted Operating System Market
Share stats for September 2008 showing the Mac OS's market share among
online users hit 8.23% during the month, its high-water mark for the
21st century. Windows and Linux both slipped slightly over the month,
while the iPhone version of OS X was up slightly, carrying
momentum over from its big gain in August.
Here's the rundown of the significant players for September (August
figures in parentheses):
- Windows 90.29% (90.66%)
- Mac 8.23% (7.86%)
- Linux 0.91% ( 0.93%)
- iPhone 0.32% (0.30%)
Comparing longer term, at 90.29% Windows is still down nearly five
percentage points since May 2006 (95.09%), while the Mac OS at 8.23%
has still not quite doubled its share over the same interval from 4.43%
in May 2006. Linux has more than doubled its from 0.40% to 0.91%
percent - but is off two-tenths of a point from August.
In terms of versions:
- Windows:
- Windows XP 68.67% (69.49%)
- Windows Vista 18.33% (17.85% )
- Windows 2000 1.89% (2.02%)
- Windows NT 0.80%
- Windows 98 0.34%
- Windows ME 0.19%
- Windows CE 0.06%
- Macintosh:
- Macintel 5.80% (5.44%)
- Mac OS (Classic) 2.43% (2.42%)
- iPhone 0.32% (0.30%)
- iPod 0.04% (0.05%)
- Linux 0.91% (0.93%)
Hitslink also posted August 2008 Browser Market Share stats
yesterday, showing Internet Explorer dropping back slightly, with more
than a point drop from July, Firefox down slightly to 19.46 percent
from 19.73 percent, and Safari gaining more ground last month to 6.65%
from 6.37%, and Opera bumped from number four spot by newcomer
Chrome.
Browser Total Market Share
- Microsoft Internet Explorer - 71.52% (72.15%)
- Firefox - 19.46% (19.73%)
- Safari - 6.65% (6.37% )
- Chrome - 0.78% (new entry this month)
- Opera - 0.69% (0.74%)
- Netscape - 0.63% (0.72%)
- Mozilla - 0.09% (0.10% )
- Opera Mini - 0.05% (0.05%)
- Link: Operating System
Market Share
- Link: Top Operating
System Share Trend
- Link: Browser Market
Share
- Link: Top Browser Share
Trend
Vista Terrible as the Mac Attracts More
Converts
CNet's Matt
Asay reports:
"Newsweek's Dan Lyons digs into Vista's problems in a recent
article. While not the first to highlight Vista's many problems,
Dan's focus on Vista's macro problems is timely and interesting.
"'Nobody here looks at Vista as a fiasco,' says Brad
Brooks, a Microsoft marketing vice president. If that's true, and
nobody at Microsoft thinks Vista has been a public-relations nightmare,
then the company is in trouble....
"Meanwhile, Apple's Mac computers, which run Apple's
OS X operating system instead of Windows, have been gaining share,
reaching 11 percent of the US consumer market, according to researcher
NPD . . . Remember how AOL used to be cool, but then became
the service used only by people who didn't know any better? Microsoft
is heading down that path. 'You fly business class today, and it's
nothing but Macs,' says one former Microsoft executive, who's now
carrying a Mac himself, albeit with Vista loaded on it...."
Link: The Vista from
Here Is Terrible as the Mac Attracts More Converts
CrossOver Mac Professional - Run Windows Apps on
Your Mac Without Installing Windows
Macworld
UK's John Brandon reports:
"Virtualisation software such as Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion
let Mac users run the Windows operating system and Windows-only
programs on a Mac, but the install process is complex and
time-consuming, and the programs can slow down even a speedy Mac. As an
alternative, Codeweavers CrossOver Mac Professional 7.0.2 uses just the
Windows application programming interface (API) to run Windows apps on
your Mac, without the Windows OS.
"CrossOver is a kind of 'translator of a translator' and relies on
an open-source program called Wine. When you install and run Windows
apps, Wine is actually translating the API calls that allow a Windows
program to run, such as "pull up this dialog box" or "save this file".
CrossOver hides the clunky interface of the open-source Wine software
behind a more Mac-like interface.
"CrossOver is an ingenious idea for a program that can save time and
costs less than buying a separate copy of Windows...."
Link:
CrossOver Mac Professional 7 Review
Could It Be Dangerous to Work with a Mac Pro?
Hardmac's
Lionel reports:
"About one year ago, we were reporting on our French website
(macbidouille.com) that some Mac
Pro owners were complaining about a weird and irritating smell
coming our of their Mac Pro when it was switch on. We did not hear
about this issue anymore, and Apple did not communicate about it, as
defective parts were simply exchanged apparently.
"Today, an article published in one of the leading French newspaper
(http://www.liberation.fr)
might bring this story back to the front page while bringing
embarrassing information for Apple.
"A scientist from the CNRS (National Center for Science and
Research) was affected by this strange smell coming from his Mac Pro.
As Apple could not fix the problem, he contacted Greenpeace to get the
vapors analyzed by an independent laboratory. Results are surprising
and might place Apple in a difficult position, while potentially
igniting a scandal. Indeed, vapors were identified as toxic, harmful
and among the compounds identified, there were styrene, benzene and
other derivatives. All those chemicals are known for being highly
toxic, and the benzene has been forbidden and is use is strictly
controlled due to its carcinogenous properties...."
Link: Could It Be Dangerous to
Work with a Mac Pro?!
Are Macs Toxic?
The Wall
Street Journal reports:
"Liberation.fr ran an article recently citing an unnamed researcher
who, after noticing a strange smell coming from his Mac Pro, tested the
computer and found that it contained a chemical called benzene, which
can cause skin and eye irritation. Exposure to large amounts of benzene
can cause leukemia. (We're working off of a Google translation of the
article, which includes lines like 'Pugnacious, Greenpeace contacted
the scientist who goes back to a laboratory for analysis.' Here's
the original article, for anyone who speaks French.):
[For Google machine translation,
click here.]
"Apple, for its part, doesn't know anything about benzene. 'We have
not found anything that supports this claim but continue to investigate
it for customers,' an Apple spokesman tells us...."
Link: Are
Apple's Macs Toxic?
Apple Says No Evidence of Benzene in Mac Pros
Macworld's
Philip Michaels reports:
"Apple says it has not seen any evidence to back up a French
newspaper's claim that Mac Pros are emitting toxic odors, including
benzene.
"The report, first appearing in Libération and picked up by
tech blogs in the US, contends Mac Pros built before 2008 emit an odor.
A scientist quoted in the article says the odor contains several
toxins, including benzene. Prolonged exposure to benzene raises the
risk for diseases, including cancer.
"While not dismissing the reports, Apple noted that it hadn't found
any evidence to prove the claim...."
Link: Apple:
No Evidence of Benzene in Mac Pros
Products
SimpleTech Pumps Up Pro Drive External Storage
Family
PR: Fabrik's SimpleTech Pro Drive and Duo Pro Drive with RAID
0/1 now shipping with a quad interface (eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire
400 and USB 2.0), a reinforced design, and higher capacities, giving
you the speed, reliability, and simplicity to store and protect your
stuff.
If you're part of the digital media
generation, a power user, or even a small business owner, there's no
doubt that your computer is quickly filling up with tons of video
clips, songs, digital photographs, and documents. To help relieve you
of this data overload, SimpleTech, a Fabrik company, announced two
affordable ways to easily add more storage capacity and backup power to
your home or office computers - the 1.5 TB SimpleTech Pro Drive and the
first 3 TB two-drive RAID 0/1 solution, the SimpleTech Duo Pro
Drive. Each solution now ships with a reinforced design for added
reliability and durability, higher capacities so you have room to grow,
and a quad interface (eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0)
that future-proofs your investment, so you'll be prepared to connect to
whatever system, device, or peripheral - in the future as well as
today.
Do Everything Faster with eSATA
With data transfer rates up to 3 gigabits per second (3 Gbps), eSATA
is three times faster than USB 2.0 (480 Megabits per second), giving
you amazing speed to back up in a blink, save video in a snap or store
your entire music collection in minutes.
If
your desktop computer does not have an eSATA port, you can easily add
one with the new SimpleTech ProSpeed eSATA PCI Adaptor Card (MSRP
$69.99). Simply grab a screwdriver, open up your computer, and pop in
the new card. You'll be up and running in no time flat. No brilliant
engineers are required, or you can even call your local teenager to
help. With a dose of high-speed 3 Gbps transfer speed, you'll never
look back at USB again.
SimpleTech Duo Pro Drive
The SimpleTech Duo Pro Drive offers massive performance,
capacity, and protection. With two drives in one, the SimpleTech Duo
Pro Drive gives you two ways to save: Speed Mode (RAID 0) and Copy Mode
(RAID 1). Speed Mode, or striping, leverages both hard drives to read
and write your files, making storing and accessing your files
significantly faster than using one disk alone. If using eSATA in Speed
Mode (RAID 0), you can receive six times the speed of USB 2.0, ideal
for home video editing and streaming or working with graphic-intensive
files.
For added data protection, Copy Mode, or mirroring, makes an
extra copy of your files on the second internal hard drive, so you
always have two separate copies of your important stuff. That way, if
the first drive fails, the second one swings into action so there's no
data loss or downtime. Now shipping, suggested retail pricing is
$279.99 for 1 TB, $419.99 for 1.5 TB and $549.99 for 2 TB.
The 3 TB model will be available in late Q4. Pricing has not been
set.
SimpleTech Pro Drive
The
SimpleTech Pro Drive works like a pro, and it is plug 'n' play simple.
Delivering capacities up to 1.5 TB and a quad-interface, it is a smart
investment that delivers everything you need to succeed. Now shipping,
suggested retail pricing is $159.99 for 500 GB, $209.99 for 750 GB and
$259.99 for 1 TB. The 1.5 TB single-drive model will be available
in mid-Q4. Pricing has not been set.
Two Levels of Protection
2 GB free online backup: As the first drive family to offer
both local and online backup protection, the SimpleTech Pro Drive and
Duo Pro Drive automatically back up your computer files to the drive or
to secure remote servers using Fabrik Ultimate Backup. With online
backup, you receive 2 GB free - or for only $4.95 per month you
can upgrade to unlimited capacity and protection. So now, no matter
what happens to your drive - a spilled drink, a curious toddler, a
theft or a natural disaster - you know your files are safe and secure
online and offsite.
"Whether you're a heavy-duty computer user who needs more
space, or you want separate backup copies of your files, the SimpleTech
Pro Drive family makes a nice addition to your computing environment,"
said Mike Williams, senior vice president and general manager of
Fabrik. "Because our solutions are simple and reliable, you should
never have to worry about your data or suffer needlessly. Think of us
as a computer insurance policy; you'll feel safer in knowing that your
stuff is backed up and protected on the drive and offsite on our
secure, remote servers."
As storage needs evolve, the Pro Drive family also features a secure
stackable design, ensuring a snug fit so you can add more storage
without taking up more desk space. A variety of solutions are available
based on performance, protection or capacity. All members of the Pro
Drive family are Mac and PC compatible, and they ship with a security
lock slot to help prevent theft.
Caviar Green Hard Drives: Save Energy without
Sacrificing Performance
PR: As hard drive capacities increase, the power required to
run those drives increases as well. WD Caviar Green drives make it
possible for energy-conscious customers to build systems with higher
capacities and the right balance of system performance, ensured
reliability, and energy conservation.
Key Features
- Reduced power consumption - WD has reduced power consumption by up
to 40 percent compared to standard desktop drives with the combination
of WD's IntelliSeek, NoTouch, and IntelliPower technologies.
- Helps enable eco-friendly PCs - WD Caviar Green drives yield an
average drive power savings of 4-5 watts over standard desktop drives
making it possible for our energy-conscious customers to build systems
with higher capacities and the right balance of system performance,
ensured reliability, and energy conservation. This power savings
equates to reducing CO2 emission by up to 13.8 kilograms per
drive per year - the equivalent of taking a car off the road for 3 days
each year*. By using environmentally conscious PCs with our WD Caviar
Green drives on board, large organizations with many desktop computers
can minimize their carbon footprint and save real money on electricity
costs.
*Assumes that a car produces 1.60 CO2 pounds
per KW/hours/year. Calculation of automobile emissions depends on the
car's g/km emission levels and km/year of driving.
- Cool and quiet - GreenPower technology yields lower operating
temperatures for increased reliability and low acoustics for
ultra-quiet PCs and external drives.
- Perfect for external drives - External drive manufacturers can
eliminate the need for a fan in a high-capacity product with a WD
Caviar Green drive, the coolest and quietest in its class.
- IntelliPower - A fine-tuned balance of spin speed, transfer rate
and caching algorithms designed to deliver both significant power
savings and solid performance.
- IntelliSeek - Calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power
consumption, noise, and vibration.
- NoTouch ramp load technology - The recording head never touches the
disk media ensuring significantly less wear to the recording head and
media as well as better drive protection in transit.
- Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) - Employs PMR technology to
achieve even greater areal density.
- Low power spin-up - WD Caviar Green drives consume less current
during startup allowing lower peak loads.
- Advanced power technology - Electronic components deliver
best-in-class low power consumption for reduced power requirements and
increased reliability.
Ideal for environmentally friendly PCs and external storage
requiring lower power consumption and cool, quiet operation.
This drive requires a SATA interface
Capacities: 1 TB, 750 GB, 640 GB, 500 GB
Link: WD Caviar
Green
NewerTech 11-Piece Portable Toolkit for Servicing
Computers, Adding Memory
PR: The NewerTech 11 Piece Portable Toolkit
includes everything a student needs to service, add memory, and upgrade
desktop and laptop computers, as well as small consumer electronics
devices like iPods.
The toolkit features a variety of straight blade and Philips head
screwdrivers, Torx drivers, a scissor clamp, tweezers, and two nylon
"spudgers" pry tools organized in a padded nylon carrying case for
ready access.
The NewerTech 11 Piece Portable Toolkit is priced at $17.99.
Link: NewerTech 11-Piece
Portable Toolkit
Desktop Mac
Deals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers monthly:
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
