Entries Tagged 'Apple' ↓

by Elliot Vos

With less than twenty-four hours before the launch of iPhone 3G, the hype is out of control. Lines are forming, Twitter is abuzz, the big three tech columnists have reviewed it, and bloggers can’t stop writing about it. The level of hysteria about this product which promises “Phone, iPod, and Internet in one fast 3G device” is intense. I’ve got my game plan down for tomorrow, and if all goes well, I will be a proud owner of another Apple product by the end of the day. And I am definitely pumped for it all; I’m eating up all of the hype.

Why all of this obsession over a phone? Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

The future of the web is within reach. The web is now primarily two things: a new platform for applications, and a means for distributing and consuming media.

Currently, due to the open standards which power the web, no one company or group controls it in any real sense. Google may dominate search and advertising and Microsoft may dominate the browser market, but neither company has any absolute control. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer market share has steadily declined as other convincing browsers, such as Firefox and Safari, have become available. Real control comes in owning the technology which powers the web.

Online video, though, largely because of YouTube’s success, is now mostly delivered in Flash format. Adobe Flash has become a de facto standard for online video, and is now being pushed as a web application platform in and of itself.

Continue reading →

By Elliot Vos

Mac fan(atic)s get slammed all the time for their nigh-unwavering devotion to Apple and Steve Jobs. Many of them even embrace (more or less jokingly) the accusations they receive of treating Steve Jobs as a deity. I could go into all of the reasons for this, but I am afraid that I would quickly start rationalizing and becoming defensive, as I have been accused of being a “Mac Fanboy” myself.

I chuckle, then, but usually try to restrain myself from pointing my finger back at the “fanboys” of other products or companies. They may be more or less obnoxious (usually depending on how little or much you agree with them), and they may not place a single person on a pedestal like people do with Apple’s CEO, but there are people out there who are as devoted to Microsoft, Google or some brand of Linux as many Mac fanboys are to Apple. You know you’ve seen them. You may have unsuccessfully tried to reason with them. Chances are quite likely that some of you are even becoming defensive right now, constructing “At least I don’t…” rationalizations in your mind to post in the comments. But before you get too up-in-arms, I am not here to blast anyone for irrational fanboy-ism.

Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

Last month, I discussed how I use speech recognition in OS X to make using my Mac a little easier to use and more enjoyable. I use speech recognition to do relatively simple tasks, such as opening new email, replying to emails, sending new messages, opening chats with people in my Address Book, creating new iCal events, switching between applications, moving up and down pages in Safari, moving back and forward in Safari, and even opening websites.

I am going to focus on using speech recognition in a few key applications that I think you will enjoy the most. I will explain how to use speech recognition in Address Book, Safari, and Coda.

Continue reading →

By Elliot Vos

A bit over a month ago now, I read an article in my school’s weekly magazine which questioned how Apple, Inc. could be rapidly increasing its market share in computers in the college sector. The author cited how many Macs he saw on campus, and then pondered whether these students and faculty “really understand the implications of switching to a Mac.”

I read on to see what the author thought these “implications” were. I was slightly ashamed of my school’s publication when I discovered that the author had researched the situation rather shallowly. Instead of gathering opinions from Mac users about why they chose to purchase their machines, he simply stated a few of the prevalent gripes from Windows users that had not spent much time (if any) in front of a Mac –there is not much software available for Mac, you are not allowed to install OS X on a non-Apple computer, and a PC with an equivalent configuration is much cheaper. Benefits mentioned were limited to OS X’s UNIX foundation, fewer viruses, and the ability to run Windows if so desired.

I could write an entire article rebutting every point, but I won’t belabor a topic that has been discussed ad nauseam on the Internet already. There were a couple of other things which bothered me, though, which I will discuss.

Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

I am not sure even Apple knew what they had when they announced iPhone in 2007, but consumers and developers certainly did. Many people’s first responses were, Wow, this is great — it runs OS X, so we can run the excellent applications Apple built and develop our own.

My first reaction was similar. I marveled at Safari, Photos, and the iPod interface, but I was most excited about what other developers could do with iPhone’s multi-touch interface, screen and networking. Whether Apple knew it or not, what they announced was not just a phone, internet communications device and iPod, but an entirely new mobile platform — the future of computer devices.

Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

A year ago, during his interview with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at All Things Digital, Walt Mossberg noted that Apple had let .Mac stagnate. Jobs acknowledged it, and promised that Apple would be “making up for lost time” in the near future. Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

I first watched Apple’s Knowledge Navigator concept video a year ago, and have watched it many times since. Every time I watch it, though, I still get that child-like wonder feeling in my stomach, the feeling that accompanies a rare thought: “This is the future.” Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

While watching the first season South Park DVDs Friday night, I found that — to my delight — Trey Parker and Matt Stone offered mock introductions to each episode. Sitting before a fire with their dog “Scratch” (the type of dog changed throughout each introduction. One second it’d be a small dog, and the next there would be a golden retriever in its place), or as cowboys around a farm with their friend Indian Companion. Each episode, apparently, was their favorite, and answered some great questions, like Are you two, you know, a couple? (Parker explained that they’re all a little gay. Even Scratch.) Continue reading →

By Kyle Baxter

The Psystar comedy-fest continues, except today it isn’t Psystar causing laughs — it’s the exquisitely-designed ITWorld website. Don Reisinger wrote a lovely piece today arguing that “small, defiant” Psystar will force Apple to license OS X. I do believe this qualifies for my esteemed idiocracy of the week award, and the week has barely even begun. Congratulations, Don. Continue reading →