Mac Musings

Mac Musings 2005 Archive

• 2005 was a good year for Apple, Mac Users, and Low End Mac, 12.23. It started with the Mac mini, survived the shock of the Intel announcement, and saw the greatest growth in the history of our website.
• OS X is holding back the Mac, 12.14. As nice as Mac OS X is, Apple's choice of the Mach microkernel makes it slower than it could be.
• There is no 'best browser' for the Mac, 11.22. With so many excellent free options, why limit yourself by using only a single browser?
• 3 survivors from the 1970s: Microsoft, Intel, and Apple, 11.21. Older companies like IBM and Radio Shack have entered and abandoned the personal computer realm, and many others have failed. How do Microsoft, Intel, and Apple survive?
• The next 'Book I'll buy, 11.16. After five years, it's time to start thinking about replacing the 400 MHz PowerBook G4 - but with what?
• Low End Living: Expanding the low end philosophy, 11.01. The low end philosophy is typified by priorities and frugality. Our newest website will extend this into a whole lifestyle.
• The October 2005 Power Mac G5 value equation, 10.21. The newest Power Macs have dual-core CPUs, but how does value compare with the discontinued models?
• The October 2005 PowerBook value equation, 10.18. One small tweak on the low-end and some big changes on the high-end, but how does value compare with discontinued models?
• OS X and G3 Macs: How old is too old?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.18. Mac OS X has changed everything, and nowhere is it more obvious than in the market for 6-8 year old Macs, the earliest models supported under OS X.
• The October 2005 iMac G5 value equation, 10.13. More iMac value than ever, but how do close-out and refurbished prices compare?
• Greed is not good: Why we oppose any iPod tax, 10.11. The recording industry wants a cut of all iPod sales, and now Apple wants a cut of all iPod accessory sales. In both cases, we lose.
• What should we expect in a video iPod?, 10.05. Apple has announced a 'one more thing' unveiling on October 12. Might this be the long-rumored video iPod?
• Unleash Mac OS X with dual processors, 09.29. If your single processor Mac feels sluggish under OS X, a dual processor Power Mac might be just what you need.
• What is DVD-RAM and why would i want it?, 09.28. The new Mac mini's 8x SuperDrive supports DVD-RAM. Here's how it works and how it may benefit you.
• Tips for getting the most out of online personals, 09.27. Looking for love online? Some advice for finding better matches and getting more responses.
• Online personals: eHarmony is different, 09.23. Tired of doing all the searching yourself? Looking for better matches? Then it's time to look at eHarmony.
• Online personals: Looking at Match.com, 09.23. Match.com claims to be the world's largest online dating service. How do they stack up to the competition?
• Online personals: Using Yahoo! Personals, 09.22. Yahoo Personals does a nice job of integrating an online dating service with instant messaging.
• Online personals: Dating for the Internet generation, 09.21. Dating services have gone high tech, and anyone with a browser can search for a partner online. Some tips.
• Macintel transition on track, but what about Classic?, 09.20. There's a lot to look forward to with Intel-based Macs, but what are long-time Mac users going to do with their Classic applications?
• Apple sued for providing integrated music solution, 09.19. Yes, someone is suing Apple over their iPod, iTunes, iTunes Music Store troika - but the judge says they'd better come up with some different arguments.
• Speed dial iSync support: A missed opportunity, 09.15. There's no easy way to import or reorganize your cell phone's speed dial numbers on your Mac.
• ROKR iTunes phone definitely not an Apple product, 09.14. Motorola did a few things right and a lot of things wrong in designing and marketing their new iTunes-compatible cell phone.
• Nano, nano: Is the tiny new iPod a step backwards?, 09.12. The iPod nano is smaller, lighter, and more rugged than the mini, but it gives up FireWire, reduces storage capacity, and decrease battery life.
• Microsoft monopoly jealous of iPod/iTunes Music Store monopoly, 09.02. "Microsoft, which controls over 90% of the operating system market, is upset that Apple controls 70% of the digital music market. Is the pot calling the kettle black?"
• What in the world do you do with a 250 GB hard drive?, 09.01. The 250 GB hard drive was a steal at US$100, but what's the best way to make use of all the space?
• Test drive a Mac mini - or wait for something better?, 08.31. You can now test drive a Mac mini for 30 days, but you might discover you want more power or options.
• Intel switching from horsepower to MPG, 08.24. If nothing else, the OSx86 hack shows that serious computer users are very interested in Mac OS X.
• Why OSx86 is good for Apple, 08.15. If nothing else, the OSx86 hack shows that serious computer users are very interested in Mac OS X.
• DRM on Macintel: Does Apple trust you?, 08.11. The Macintel developer systems have a Trusted Computing chip onboard, but is the panic on the Mac Web justified?
• New DST law to impact old Macs, existing TVs and VCRs, and more, 08.10. If your hardware or software expects Daylight Saving Time to begin in April and end in October, expect headaches in 2007.
• Sony BMG selling albums incompatible with iTunes, iPod, 08.08. Foo Fighters and Dave Matthews Band fans in for a rude surprise when they try to rip latest albums in iTunes - it won't work.
• Apple's Mighty Mouse: What were they thinking?, 08.02. Apple's revolutionary mouse has scrolling and hidden buttons, but it still looks like a one-button mouse.
• The 2005 iBook G4 value equation, 07.27. The new iBooks are a bit faster, have 512 MB of RAM, and include Bluetooth, a scrolling trackpad, and a sudden motion sensor.
• The revised Mac mini value equation, 07.26. With 512 MB of RAM standard, the new Mac minis are better values than the old ones - even at close-out prices.
• Peerflix: Trade your old DVDs inexpensively, 07.13. If you have DVDs you no longer watch, Peerflix can be a great way to exchange them for DVDs you'd like to see.
• Thinking through the iPhone: This could work, 06.24. It doesn't make sense to just add MP3 capabilities to a cell phone, but here's one way graft the iPod design onto a cell phone.
• Bring out your iPods!, 06.22. Apple is offering a 10% discount for trading in your old iPod toward a new one. They've got to be worth more than that.
• Why Macintel? Because Apple can, 06.08. Full circle: Mac OS X roots go back to NeXT's operating system that ran on x86 hardware.
• Awe and shock at the WWDC: Apple going Intel, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 06.06. Mac sales climbing 40% year-over-year, and Steve Jobs unveils the first Macintel computer.
• Apple selling Pentium-based Macs? Don't Count on it, 06.06. Porting OS X to another CPU is trivial, but how would Apple market a 'Mac' that isn't compatible with today's models?
• Making Low End Mac's design work with Internet Explorer 6, 06.02. Modifying our CSS-based site design to work with Internet Explorer 6 didn't come cheap.
• Which one's broken, Low End Mac or Internet Explorer 6?, 05.27. Our new CSS-based site design works in every browser but one. Is anyone surprised that it's Internet Explorer?
• Of mice and keyboards, 05.25. There are better choices than Apple's mouse and keyboard.
• Life beyond Low End Mac, 05.16. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
• Xbox 360 specs put Power Mac G5 to shame, 05.13. It just doesn't seem fair that a gaming system can have a triple-core PowerPC processor running at 3.2 GHz.
• Benchmarking Tiger vs. Panther, 05.11. While Macworld is revising their benchmarks for Tiger, other sites are comparing performance of OS X 10.3 and 10.4.
• Seven years of iMacs: The more things change...., 05.06. Introduced seven years ago as Apple's entry-level computer, the iMac has changed quite a bit over the years.
• The 2005 eMac and iMac value equation, 05.03. The new eMacs and iMacs are faster, but are the close-out 2004 models better buys?
• Tiger Direct sues Apple over Mac OS X Tiger, 04.29. No joke: Tiger Direct is suing Apple for trademark infringement over Mac OS X 'Tiger'.
• $15 device turns iPod into a personal radio station, 04.25. Hate driving with headphones on? The RoadTrip FM transmitter lets you listen to your iPod using your car stereo.
• The 2005 Power Mac G5 value equation, 04.27. The new Power Macs are faster with no change in price, but the close-out 2004 models offer some great values.
• Low End Mac's design moves forward with CSS and XHTML, 04.25. We're making some behind the scenes changes at Low End Mac using Cascading Style Sheets and the XHTML standard.
• Anticipated overhaul of iBook and eMac, timed to ship with Tiger, 04.20. The iBook design goes back to 2001. The CRT eMac design is three years old. If this is the year of DV, expect the iBook DV and eMac DV soon.
• Where are the autofocus, zoom lens, low light webcams?, 04.19. Cheap digicams and camcorders have autofocus, zoom lenses, and decent low light performance. When will webcams offer the same kind of features?
• Michigan's student laptop program endangered, but Macs could help, MacInSchool, 04.18. State and federal budget cuts could destroy a successful laptops-for-students program. Here's how Apple could change the playing field.
• Macintosh unit sales grow 43% vs. 2004, 04.14. Apple has had a stunning quarter - Mac unit sales up, iPod unit sales up, total revenue up, and profits way up over a year ago.
• Tiger means don't buy a new Mac until April 29, 04.12. Whether you're tempted by a new Power Mac, iMac G5, PowerBook, or Mac mini, waiting to buy until OS X 10.4 is included just makes sense.
• A few good reasons to have antivirus software on your Mac, 04.07. "...the fact remains that we live in a connected world, so the only responsible thing to do if your Mac interacts with Windows PCs is make sure it doesn't turn into 'Virus Mac'."
• How Apple could make the 12" 'Books even smaller, 04.05. Dell makes a compact, lightweight laptop using a widescreen 12.1" display. What if Apple did the same?
• Power Inside, the Cell PC, and the future of Mac OS X, 04.04. Intel and Windows dominate the personal computing world, but with manufacturers tired of strongarm tactics, there's a real opportunity to create a market for a Cell-based PC.
• DVI: Why you want digital input on your flat panel display, 03.30. DVI displays tend to have a crisper, more stable, easier on the eyes display, but you may want VGA input as well.
• Using one keyboard, mouse, and monitor with your USB Mac and PS/2 Windows PC, Mac Daniel, 03.30. Three KVM solutions that support both USB and PS/2 computers, along with two other suggestions for making things work.
• How about a KVM switch for USB Macs and PS/2 Windows PCs?, 03.29. There's no simple device for sharing a keyboard and mouse with a USB Mac and a Windows PC that requires a PS/2 keyboard and mouse. There should be.
• It's not Apple vs. the Mac Web, 03.23. The Mac Web is divided on the Apple vs. rumor sites lawsuits, and those who publish rumors have to be responsible for their actions.
• Symantec's self-serving ravings spread fear, uncertainty, doubt about OS X security, 03.22. "Are the folks at Symantec performing a public service or merely spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt?"
• iPod halo effect only one reason to expect solid Macintosh growth, 03.21. How the iPod effect, the iTunes effect, and an aging installed hardware base could grow Mac sales by a million units a year.
• Pepsi 1, visitors 0, 03.18. Reformulated Pepsi One may be a winner, but Pepsi's Oneify website leaves a bad taste.
• Spring cleaning your Mac's hard drive, 03.15. "If you've been using Macs for a few years, you probably have no idea how much stuff is cluttering up your hard drive."
• Apple vs. PowerPage: What does it mean?, 03.14. Last Friday, the judge ruled in Apple's favor, allowing the subpoena served to PowerPage's email provider to stand. What does this mean for Internet journalism?
• Will the PowerPC 750vx appear in future Macs?, 03.10. There's a rumored IBM project to create a G3 processor with AltiVec. Even if it does exist, is it something Apple might use?
• Will the Cell processor appear in future Macs?, 03.09. The 4 GHz Cell processor is a member of the PowerPC family. Is there any reason for Apple not to adopt it?
• Will the dual-core G4 appear in future Macs?, 03.08. Why it's reasonable to assume that we'll see PowerBooks with dual-core G4s before Apple introduces G5 PowerBooks.
• Apple's leaky ship: A free press, trade secrets, and nondisclosure agreements, 03.07. "As long as Apple has a leaky ship, secrets are going to slip out, people are going to publish them, and the public is going to have some advance knowledge about the next iPod, PowerBook, or version of OS X."
• Search engines, page links, and the worldwide Web, 03.03. Mac fans from around the world find Low End Mac a useful resource. Some interesting statistics about our site and readers.
• The April 2005 eMac: Where do we go from here?, 03.02. We'd be shocked if Apple didn't replace the current eMac in April, but will it be more of the same, a flat panel design, or just give way to the Mac mini?
• iPods, more costly iTunes, TiVo, getting out the message, and the future of Apple, 03.01. iPod price reductions, FireWire cable controversy, higher iTunes prices, digital video recorders, marketing the Mac mini, and growing beyond the niche.
• "Creaky Operating Systems" good enough for millions, 02.28. For tens of millions of users, the classic Mac OS and older versions of Windows are all they need.
• Trustworthy computing, untrustworthy customers, and Windows activation, 02.25. Microsoft fights piracy by making it more of a pain to reinstall Windows XP by requiring phone activation.
• Why I bought a low end iPod, 02.24. Most people buy an iPod so they can listen to music. I had two other reasons for buying a used iPod.
• Apple does us a favor by not shipping a better mouse, 02.23. Instead of trying to come up with a one-mouse-fits-all multibutton mouse with a scroll wheel, Apple lets those who want a better mouse make their own choice.
• The 10 most important Macs, 02.22. Which models have been the most important in the 21 year evolution of the Macintosh?
• Mac OS X and the Cell processor: A marriage made in heaven?, 02.18. Apple is the company best positioned to create an operating system that will help the Cell processor succeed beyond Playstations and workstations.
• Low end G3s and G4s: Macs really do last longer, 02.17. The low end keeps moving as Apple keeps introducing new models and older Macs continue to remain in use.
• Apple and the $100 laptop, 02.09. "Apple could leverage their technology to create a $100 handheld computer because they've already paid the cost to develop so much of the technology."
• Napster and the $10,000 iPod, 02.04. Napster is going on the offensive to position their music rental service against Apple's iTunes Music Store - and they're not being realistic in their comparison.
• Apple's future is with the consumer market, not just pros, 02.03. Why Apple has declining sales of "pro'" products. How this prepares Apple to grow in the future.
• The 2005 PowerBook G4 value equation, 02.01. As always, the new PowerBooks offer more for the dollar, but how do they compare to close-out prices on last year's models?
• How to change copyright law so it once again serves the public interest, 01.31. "Not only would this better serve the public interest, but it might cost Disney and others a lot less than lobbying for ever-increasing copyright terms while still protecting their works from pirates."
• The Mac mini, price reductions, and the road ahead, 01.27. Price reductions on Mac mini upgrades aren't due to poor sales or gouging early adopters. They are due to the mini's success and other market factors.
• The New Standard Keyboard: What were they thinking?, 01.27. "Despite the garish color scheme and the bizarre choice to put keys in alphabetical order, the New Standard Keyboard is innovative."
• How Apple's iPod/iTunes combo could demolish Microsoft's 'Play For Sure' initiative, 01.26. Apple is reinventing itself as the "choice" company, and that's the key to maintaining the lead in the digital music world.
• Mac mini vs. cheap Dell, Gateway, HP, and Compaq PCs, 01.21. Surprisingly, HP and Compaq - not Dell or Gateway - have the most price-competitive models. How do they compare with the Mac mini?
• Is the Dock a hopeless kludge or just in need of a few tweaks?, 01.20. Tog things the Dock is a mess. I like it, but I think there's definitely room for improvement.
• Beyond the Mac mini: The accessories market, 01.13. When it comes to accessories designed for it, the Mac mini could become the iPod of the peripherals market.
• The overpriced Mac in 1989, 01.12. Were the Macintosh SE/30, IIcx, IIci, and Portable overpriced in comparison to the PCs of 1989?
• The impressive value of the Mac mini, 01.11. The $500 headless Mac isn't some stripped down, barely usable computer. You just might want to buy one for yourself.
• Macworld Expo 2005 Keynote, 01.11. Point-by-point overview of the Macworld Exp 2005 Keynote Address.
• The overpriced Mac in 1986-87, 01.11. Comparing the Mac Plus, SE, and II to the 80286 and 80386 PCs of the era.
• The overpriced Mac in 1984, 01.10. Looking at the personal computing world of 1984 to determine whether the original Mac was overpriced.
• iLife and Tiger and Macs, oh my! What we might see at the Expo, 01.06. Flash iPods, headless Macs, new software, faster 'Books - what should we expect from next week's Macworld Expo?
• Does Apple want to sell a $500 Mac?, 01.03. The question isn't whether Apple can sell a headless Mac for $500 - they can - but do they want to?

More Mac Musings in the archive: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010