Hello There Macintosh User!
If you are getting this email you have sometime been a client of mine — Thank you for your past custom!
1. iPad Therefore I Am: Released in Australia and several other countries at the end of May starting at $650, it will be a success. Look at the US sales — which is why we’ve had to wait so long — 1 million in a month. Its still one of those things that has to fit a user’s need to enable a sale. There is already a waiting list here in Australia… Who? People who don’t want to carry a laptop but find a phone screen too small for emails and websites. Who want to read books and mags and listen to music, play games and all very stylishly. We shall see in the next few months whether it is a new platform or a dap squib. Best idea is to pop into Lightforce and get a hands-on… If you get the 3G version which connects to the mobile network you will need a data contract as well. Optus and Telstra have released their deals: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/tablets/telstra-and-optus-unveil-ipad-data-plans-20100509-ulxv.html It is a significant move towards computing on touch-screen devices rather than mouse and keyboard devices, a paradigm that is gaining ground. What will we use in future? Some reviews: MacWorld http://www.macworld.com/article/151011/2010/05/ipad_3g_review.html UK Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/may/16/buy-or-nor-to-buy-ipad Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/03/apple-ipad-review/
2. FaceBook Privacy Problems: Although FaceBook is a very useful social network tool that enables you to keep in touch with heaps of friends and acquaintances it does have privacy issues. It uses the data that you are entering to sell to advertising companies — much like any other website does without you realising it. As long as you take care about what you put up there all should be well. The apps that people play with are the most inquisitive in using your data. When you activate an app it makes you click to allow your data to be used. I routinely deny this, I want FB as a social tool rather than a game playing arena so when friends send me Fortune Cookies or whatever, I deny them! Some research to keep you in tune is below, but the bottom line is the same as with everything online these days: use common sense about what information you publish and always check the privacy settings of your account. FB is not your friend http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2010/may/14/facebook-not-your-friend Wired Points out FB Problems http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/05/facebook-rogue/ Privacy Settings http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/12/facebook-privacy-new/ Privacy Issues http://www.insidefacebook.com/2010/05/11/analysis-some-facebook-privacy-issues-are-real-some-are-not/ However, FaceBook is the de facto social networking tool, useful and ubiquitous. Take care and all should be well until a better, freer system comes along, hopefully Open Source and not out to make money! Dream on Tommi! 3. Steam Gaming Platform Opens to Mac: A huge gaming platform called Steam has ported it’s games to the Mac side. Apparently the largest gaming platform in the world, Steam offers a buy once play forever download and online multi-player titles. Also a free introductory game called Portal. http://store.steampowered.com/
4. Adium: Adium is a little instant messaging app that lets you keep in contact with any of the many Instant Messaging apps out there like AIM, MSN Messenger, iChat, Jabber, Yahoo, Google and more. Instead of having to switch between them to keep in touch with different people you can use Adium to see them all. Free. http://adium.im/ 5. LaunchBar: If you are a keyboard shortcut user and find looking for files, folders and applications maddeningly slow then Launchbar might be the answer. It lets you open, move, copy anything with keystrokes. It remembers your most used items so will find them quickly. Can also remember up to the last 40 of your clipboard entries, very useful. It will take a bit of time to get used to but then could become indispensible, which is most likely why there is a free 30 day trial to get you addicted! Then it costs US$35 http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html 6. Veetle: This video site isn’t so much of a copy of YouTube as a different approach to online video. It is broadcast rather than millions of clips it has complete shows, episodes that have to be watched rather than paused. It’s like broadcast TV but with thousands (or millions) of channels. You register as usual, download the player and you can watch, or broadcast your own movies. Robert Cringely explains below. http://www.veetle.com/ http://www.cringely.com/2010/05/tv-after-youtube/ 7. iPhone Apps: Foursquare: Its not enough just to be able to text and call each other in the new world of social networking, this app lets you keeps tabs on each other in real time. It encourages adventures with incentives to contact and join friends. http://foursquare.com/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/apr/25/twitter-foursquare-social-networking-gowalla
Dr Seuss in the iPhone!: Dr Seuss’s ABC and The Lorax are now on iPhone and iPad. Excellent for kids learning to read and engaging their imaginations. $3.99 and $4.99
WhatsApp Messenger: Free texts between anyone’s iPhone/iPad instead of paying per text as currently. Uses your internet connection, either WiFi or your mobile internet plan, rather than charging per text. Needs the app on your iPhone and the phones of the other users you are texting or chatting with. $1.19. http://www.whatsapp.com/
FIFA 10: My games reviewer (and fellow Chelsea fan), my son Harper informs me that FIFA 10 is by far the best football game on the iPhone. He is addicted and all for $5.99! Who needs heroin when we have video games?
My Spot Pro: As the iPhones get more sophisticated and we discover more uses for them, developers create an assortment of apps for a variety of things we couldn’t imagine. Like My Spot Pro which uses GPS to send a message to people telling them, with pics and audio if required, where you are and what it looks like. The party/restuarant/bar/beach is here, and here’s a pic along with directions and a recorded message! And up onto Facebook as well of course. $2.49. 8. A Reminder of My Rates: I charge $88 per hour including GST. No call-out fee or travel charge in the Byron Shire. Half hour minimum. Telephone support costs the same in 15 minute increments. Email support is still free! Please include plenty of detail in your email inquiries. Serving the Byron Macintosh community for over 9 years.
Items for Sale is a free monthly service for my Mailing List. If you want to list something for sale send me the full description/specifications and contact details. Goes out around 14th of the month.
Chelsea football club became only the 4th team in 50 years to achieve the Double, winning the Premier League Championship and FA Cup this year. Hooray!
Until next time, Thank you Tommi ;>)
Mr Macintosh Tom Hain http://www.mrmacintosh.com.au PO Box 1040 Byron Bay NSW 2481 6685 5504 041 840 8869