Tag: apple

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Apple vs. Office Depot

apple-st-09-sepHave you ever tried to use a computer at an Office Depot (or Office Max, Best Buy or Staples)? They have them locked up with some marketing screen saver. Even if you can start to use it, most of the time they are not connected to the internet.

Go to an Apple Store. Aaahh! Any computer is ready for you to – well – actually use it. If you scout around the store, you will probably find a model that has your favorite program already loaded on. (Well, sorry to say – none will have Windows Movie Maker or Real Player loaded.)

Just more evidence that Apple means for humans to use their computers.

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Apple doesn’t hate you

apple-no-hate

Yes, even if you don’t have the new iPhone, you can upgrade your software so that your current iPhone has some of the advantages of the new one. For free.

Hardware-wise, the new iPhone has a camera that will take video. If you watch their demo, you can see some of the cool ways it works. (There are two models – the 3G at $99 and the 3GS at $199 and $299. The S model does video, has autofocus and 16gb memory.)

More significant to me is the new line of MacBook Pros. Now I am more behind. Sigh. If only there were a free software upgrade for my Mac that would make it speedier. (Update: a new OS, Snow Leopard, is coming out in October for just $29. It is supposed offer “speed improvements for Mail, Safari 4, Spotlight and more”. That’s not free, but I’m not complaining, since previous OS upgrades hit me to the tune of about $129.)

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Stupid Mac thing

stupid-mac-thing

This may be a first, in my entire blogging history – me saying something bad about anything Apple.

Time Machine is an excellent part of Mac OS Leopard. It has saved my rear many times. (This is a backup feature whereby it transparently backs up your internal hard drive to an external drive, so that you can grab a file you deleted a month ago – or get yesterday’s version of that file you changed a lot. Or go into your email program and retrieve that email you deleted.)

The bad thing? When you are done retrieving that file, the way to exit Time Machine and return to normal life is by hitting the “Cancel” button. That’s stupid. It sounds like you will undo the file retrieval – when you just want to exit.

Apple: change the wording to “Exit” please.

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iPod Shuffle 2009 Review

ipod-shuffle-1aipod-shuffle-2a

Yes, Apple just came out with a new iPod Shuffle. As always, it’s cool. As always, if you’re into tech stuff, you want one.

Pros:
+ Very cool size – smaller than ever.
+ Voice Over feature, where you can hear what songs you are listening to. This is by far the biggest innovation. Funny enough, if you have a Windows computer, it speaks to you in a female voice and male if you have a Mac. (An “alpha” thing?)
+ 4 gb capacity (2 gb was the previous high).

Cons:
– 10 hour battery life. (The current Nano has 24 – and the $29 Shuffle I’ll mention in a minute has 12.)
– You can only use the Apple-provided headphones, which don’t fit every set of ears. (They don’t fit mine!)

Suggestion: Buy a 1 gb Shuffle from the Apple Refurb store for $29 or $39, depending on availability. Get a great set of headphones and sing all the way to the bank. (Update: Now there are 2 gb models for $39, if you keep checking back.)

Big users’ tip: always leave the headphones plugged in. If you take them out, this puppy is so small you’ll lose it within minutes.

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