If you’re a Mac switcher from either Windows or Linux like I was a few years ago, one of the first applications you’ll want to get to know is Address Book. The sooner you import your contacts into Mac OS X’s Address Book, the sooner you’ll appreciate how a little bit of data like your contacts transform and compliment the Mac’s usability in other applications. Let’s take a look…
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A podcast about all things Macintosh. For Mac geeks, by Mac geeks. Show 158. Coverage of Apple’s “It’s ShowTime event”. The 5.5 Gen iPod. The new color iPod Nanos. New redesigned iPod Shuffle. New iTunes 7.0. Movies on the iTunes Music Store (Is it still the iTunes Music Store?). And one more thing… iTV! Apple responds to RSS (Random Shutdown Syndrome), kinda. Signs shows that Mac Pro is processor upgradable. You can burn multisession CDs, not DVDs. Has Apple retired Aqua and brushed metal? Single Framer 2.1, Stop-motion on a budget. LCDs and native resolution. Meet the MacCast blogging team. Come see me at the Podcast Expo.

New music, Prodigal Son by JMS

Promos: The Self Defense Show and Cryptic Universe

Goddamn foreign TV. I told ya we should’ve got a Zenith. — Gremlins (1984)

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I am writing this blog posting from the food court of a local mall between the TCBY and the Cinnibon. No, this mall does not have anything as great as free wi-fi. Instead I am trying out a new service from Verizon using the emerging EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) wireless data standard. EVDO is being offered by a number of cell phone providers using their networks. To use EVDO you need to have special hardware which comes in the form of a PCCard for the PowerBook, or the new express card version for the MacBook Pro. USB versions of the cards will soon become available.

So how well does it work? Pretty well. Having connectivity even more widely available than what is provided by Wi-fi is very addictive. The download speed feels faster than dialup but slower than DSL. The upload speed is much less impressive. Recently it took me 2 hours to upload a 15Mb mp3 file for the latest episode of my podcast. Not impressive speed except that I was driving 65 MPH at the time up highway 101 in California and during that 2 hour period it was connected to my companies VPN server without losing its connection. I also tested it on a commuter train from San Jose to San Francisco and this is the kind of technology that could get me to take the train more often.

I have tried both the Sprint service and the Verizon service and both work well, although the setup with Sprint on a Mac was simpler (you put in the card). Verizon seems to require installing their software. Cost for the service is around $70 a month with flat rate pricing for data.

A Buyer’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Used Macintosh

The used Mac market is at once vibrant, busy- and dangerous. As with any second-hand industry, there are awesome deals that make buying new seem downright crazy, and rip-offs that make you wish you’d paid the extra few hundred to ensure you got what you wanted.

Firstly, how do you discern a good deal from a bad one? Secondly, What are the tell-tale signs of legitimate sellers, and those of scammers? Lastly, what distinguishes a decent used purchase from a killer one?

These questions are important to answer when you set your sights on a used Mac purchase, and you’re in luck if you need help: This article will fine-tooth comb the process of finding, evaluating and buying your brand new (used) Macintosh.
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In advance of Tuesdays Apple event there is, of course, a lot of consensus that Apple will be announcing the addition of full length feature films available for purchase on iTunes. Well now Apple’s web site appears to have an interesting anomaly as pointed out by listener Sam. Go to http://www.apple.com/movies and take a look. Of course this page simply displays an error, but it is THE ERROR that is interesting. It shows a “403 Forbidden” error meaning there is content or at least a directory there possibly awaiting content. If you try the same trick with almost any other random value, http://www.apple.com/zunekiller for example, you will see Apple gives you a nicely formatted “Looking for something at Apple.com?” page instead of the standard ugly web error message. Now this may be nothing but a random fluke made to seem like more by a myriad of Apple meets Hollywood rumors, but it’s interesting either way don’t you think?

SendStation is giving away 1,000 of their Firewire PocketDock connectors for iPods for FREE (you just pay shipping). The offer is good for the first 1,000 people to make a request from the companies web site or until September 13th, so hurry. The PoectDock is a tiny connector that works with all Dock Connector iPods and lets you use the iPod’s docking port to connect a standard 6-pin FireWire cable. The PocketDock Firewire can charge and sync all Dock Connector iPods except, of course, the 5th Gen and Nano, which it can only charge. Get yours at SendStation.com.

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A podcast about all things Macintosh. For Mac geeks, by Mac geeks. Show 157. Apple release new Intel Core 2 Duo iMacs and revs Mac Minis. Apple planning special “Showtime” event September 12th. Apple settles iTunes patent lawsuit. The future of the iSight. Adobe may preview Universal apps next week? 2 New US Apple Stores, 1 Canadian set to open this weekend. NickStarr uncovers the Giselle “Get a Mac Ad”. Let the Airline notebook banning begin. Possible cure for MacBook Random Shutdown Syndrome (RSS). Question on how to burn a data DVD. iPod on a Plane follow-up. How to keep iTunes in Sync with an external library. More on my call for Bloggers. Podcast Expo is coming. Supporting the show.

Get Up by The Rigbees

Goonies never say die! — The Goonies (1985)

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Guess Apple decided not to wait until September 12th to deliver its new iMacs. Apple just updated their web site with four new iMac models, including a huge 24″ model. All the new iMacs are up to 50% faster due to the fact that they now all have screaming fast Intel Core 2 Duo processors. The four models spec out like this: a 1.83 GHz and a 2.0 GHz 17-inch model, a 2.16 GHz 20-inch and the all-new 2.16 GHz 24-inch iMac. Prices start at USD$999.00 and they are shipping today through the Apple Store.

Update: As some astute listeners have pointed out, the top 3 iMac models now come with 1GB of RAM standard (Thank you Apple). Also the bottom of the line Intel Mac Mini received a quiet update too. The top model was bumped to a 1.83 GHz Core Duo and lower end model is now a 1.66GHz Core Duo processor instead of the Core Solo. Mac Mini pricing remains unchanged at USD$799.00 and USD$599.00 respectively.

Update too: Something important to note if you plan on buying the cheap 17-incher… it does not include the Apple Remote! If you plan on using it with FrontRow do yourself a favor and make sure you pick up the USD$29.00 remote when you make your purchase.

Remember how I mentioned that they were doing construction across the street from my house? Well it turns out there is a lot of granite over there and they needed to do some blasting. I caught the last round on video and thought I’d share. I know it’s not Mac related, but it is kinda cool. If you watch after the dust clears there is about a 10-15 ft. high mound of dirt, rock and debris that was extracted by the explosion. All of this is happening about 200 yards from the MacCast studio. Crazy.

CodeWeavers has recently released a public beta of it’s CrossOver software to allow owners of Intel Macs to run certain Windows applications without needing to install Windows. I just downloaded a copy and while it certainly is not ready for prime time, it does seem very promising. The application is based on the work of the WINE project which is attempting to bring Windows 32 libraries over to UNIX. As such, there are only a limited number of Windows applications currently on the CrossOver compatibility list which are known to work at this time.
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