Apple is finally offering a multi-button mouse. They call it Mightymouse. And, in typical fashion, it's not a conventional mouse. The left and right buttons are there, but they are not visible. The mouse senses the click though the surface of the mouse and the scroll wheel has been replaced with a ball that allows 360 degree scrolling.
In addition to these features, there a two more buttons... One located on either side of the mouse...
Have you ever wondered how a company as popular and powerful as Google first got off the ground? Where does the twinkle in someone's eye start to take shape, and how does it become a household name? This piece from Wired Magazine explains how Larry Page and Sergey Brin met and the motivation for the academic experiment we now know as Google.
Apple announced updates to its iBook and Mac Mini lines this morning. The memory has been increased in the Mini, but the processor speeds remain the same.
As for the iBook, Apple did not release a wide screen version as previously rumored. The iBooks also ship with more RAM as well as larger hard drives. The entry level iBook has a faster processor, making it just as fast as its larger brother.
One of the great things about Apple technology is that you don't normally need to read about something in order to learn how to use it. Apple software just seems to work the way you would expect.
For example, I have read that it is now possible to store QuickTime and PDF files inside of iPhoto. And now, with the release of iTunes 4.9, I had an idea. I went to the Podcast playlist section of iTunes and looked at the list of Podcasts that I currently subscribe to. I then went to a web site that offers a video version of a Podcast, Command-N. Since they place their video feeds in an RSS feed, I loaded the RSS link from the bottom of the page and drug the link into the Podcast list of iTunes.
As previously speculated, Apple released iTunes 4.9 yesterday morning. Its main new feature was its support for PodCasts.
As most of the PodCast content providers had hoped, this new support in iTunes has done great things for the still fledgling technology. Apple has done a great job of building a PodCast directory that is second to none.
There has been a great deal of discussion regarding what Apple's move to Intel based processors will mean to the future of the platform. In my mind, I think the answer is simple. It is a question of evolution. Apple knows that the future of the RISC chip is not what it needs to be. Apple is also IBM's main motivation for developing the chip in its current incarnation. Conversely, there are countless applications for Intel based chips out there that reach beyond the computer industry. That means that there are more reasons to develop the technology and this motivates constant development.
There is also a great deal of discussion regarding the Mac's ability to "Dual Boot." In theory, a Mac could have two hard drives installed in it. Mac OS X would be installed on one, and Windows XP could be installed on the other. Every time the system is booted, the user would select which operating system they would like to boot into.
Dual booting has its advantages, but no one has touched on the possibility that rebooting might not be necessary. Consider Virtual PC, a long standing staple of the Mac community. It allows Mac users to run the entire Windows operating system inside of a window on the Mac.
iTunes 4.9 is coming soon. If the latest rumors posted on AppleInsider.com are accurate, Apple is almost ready to release the first version of iTunes to support PodCasting. As mentioned previously in this blog, PodCasting has gain increased momentum in recent months, and with Apple joining the charge, the cult following only stands to become a new standard.
Podcasting: the method of publishing a radio like program via the internet. Essentially, it is a radio program recorded to MP3 format and distributed via the web and RSS to listeners around the world. The listener simply downloads the Podcast and plays it at their leisure. Some people refer to it as Tivo for radio, but that is really only because no one really understands that it is its own entity entirely.
Admittedly, I am new to Podcasting. But so far, I am enjoying the format. It takes its name from Apple's iPod. The original theory was the people would download a Podcast and shoot it directly into their iPod. From there, they could listen to it at their leisure. But that format has already evolved into something more far reaching. For example, a growing number of listeners simply play the Podcasts on their computer using MP3 players like iTunes. Others use home media options like Elgoto's eyeHome Apple's AirTunes (via the Airport Express) to move the Podcasts to their home stereos.
Project Motorsport started out as a fun way to spend an afternoon. We set out to shoot some motorcycle video and have a good time. Once when we brought the video back and began to edit, we realized we had the making of a music video.
Check out the video and see for yourself. And, if your interested in further information on the project, we give you that too!
The Freedom to Switch:
In 2003 Apple Computer released a marketing campaign with the intention of showing Wintel users how easy it would be to "switch" platforms.
One of the Mac's main selling points, ironically enough, was Digital Video Editing. Apple wanted the world to see how easy it was to edit video on the Mac platform. And, in overwhelming response, Mac users set out to show the world just how easy it really was.
The campaign was effective for Apple, but also spawned a unexpected parody campaign in the Mac underworld. Users from all of the world whipped out their camcorders and set to work making spoofs in the same cinematic style as the acclaimed commercial line.
With this, Maclive.net rose to the challenge and shot our own spoof. We think it proves that a Mac can be a powerful tool in the wrong hands. It also shows how far a couple of Mac fans will go for a laugh. We hope you enjoy our contribution, aptly named The Freedom to Switch.
Apple is finally offering a multi-button mouse. They call it 
