Listen to today’s show here! 
MC20060208.mp3 [20.4mb 00:44:36 64kbps]
A podcast about all things Macintosh. For Mac geeks, by Mac geeks. Show 119. Apples “gesture” touch-screen patent. Apples roller-coaster stock pricing. Apple Special Event on Feb 22nd. Airport Express Video? Apple counts down to 1 Billion songs. Apple adds new 1GB Nano, cuts Shuffle pricing. Was Intel switch a bad move? IBM reveals next gen chips. Showtime content added to iTunes. Apple has sold 12 million videos via iTunes. Apple Store Irvine Spectrum opens Saturday. MacCast One Minute Tip #11: Finder Toolbar. The European Apple pricing debate continues. A couple of warnings and a tip about iWeb files. 100dB vs 104dB can be a big deal. More OS X project management software recommendations. MacCast Widget now available.
New music, Deeper by Keith Varon
Promos:
An Evening with Whitney Steele
Mac Tips Daily
British Mac
I didn’t jump to conclusions. I took a small step, and conclusions there were.
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great show, Adam. Thanks for all you provide for us.
I was surprised to hear the comments about the 100db vs. 104db…I didn’t think that it could be a big deal either. Interesting.
When’s the enhanced version going out on itunes Adam?
Regarding the audio, I didn’t see any problem with the volume, but when I started playing this most recent show I immediately turned on the treble booster in itunes. Some more of the higher frequences would be nice, but otherwise I’m quite happy with the way you produce it :)
You mentioned that IBM’s new technology used a layer of silicone (rhymes with cone), I think you meant to say silicon (rhymes with on). Silicone gets put in… different things. Silicon valley is here in the San Jose area. Silicone valley is down in the Hollywood area
Chris from the Amateur Traveler
I have to disagree with Adams worries concerning IBM. They have shown prototypes of a chip. So what? Big deal… Intel demonstrated a 4Ghz chips a few months ago.
There is a huge difference between marketting bullsh*t and real products. I would expect mac fans to know how much to trust IBM by now. By the way, where is the low power 3Ghz G5 IBM promissed an eternity ago? Furthermore the real innovation is not insulator on silicon since both intel and AMD are using it already (also for the Core Duo).
For me the biggest advantage of going intel is that intel can not let itself fall behind. Not only apple, but Dell and many other manufacturer would switch over to AMD. It is this competition that keeps intel (and AMD) sharp.
What is pushing IBM to keep its promisses (this time?). That’s right: nothing…
just my 0.02€
The 6% stock drop on Monday Feb 6 is wholly the fault of Robert Barcarella, manager of the Monetta Select Technology Fund (have you ever heard of them? I haven’t). He spread some nasty FUD about Apple and a bunch of idiots panicked.
Don’t put yourself down, Adam, you and I are far better at predicting Apple’s future than any of the so-called professional stock analysts. When you hear the reasons that the analysts use to make predictions about Apple, you easily see that they are so superficial or even wrong that their opinions are not worthy of respect.
It doesn’t matter if IBM has Power6 chips in the future. IBM will be making PowerPC chips for all three of the next-gen gaming consoles and Apple left because IBM wasn’t going to put the R&D into developing a mobile form of the Power5. Apple couldn’t allow the PowerBook line languish in the sub-2 GHz G4 level for any longer.
An Idea Apple might want to adopt re: hearing loss: If it has been proven that listening at a 85dp level for extended period of time causes hearing loss, they might want to put a DB level on the volume control. Perhaps in in bright red they could indicate the 85db. One has no idea if they are listening at too high of a level. Especially when the song is good, the tendency for people is to crank it.
I am in my 40’s, a Graphic Designer who for 10 years listened to my Walkman at work for 8 hours a day. I am now experiencing a constant ringing in my ears and have hearing loss. I thought I was being cautious because I read the warnings Sony put on all their Walkmans, but they just had a 1,2,3,4 numeric indicators on their volume control knob. Couldn’t they have 55db 65db, 75db, 85 db level which actually means something to the end user? So if one is approaching the 80db level they would know to use caution. I am a responsible end user but my niece who is 13 years old who just got a shuffle is cranking her tunes just like every other kid not realizing they may be causing irreparable damage.
Since there is a screen indicator of volume control on the iPod, the db levels would be an easy graphic to add I would think, rather than just a solid line indicator that means nothing to me. ( I have a 3rd gen) .
I really could use a less subjective means to control volume since I am already hard of hearing, I have a hard time knowing if I am listening at too high of a db level range because of my hearing loss I am turning it up just to hear it. I am never sure if I am in the high zone or not.
What do you think Adam?
One thing on the decibel-note:
The “felt” volume doubles every 10 db, so 4 db more feels like ~60% louder. (just for the record)
Are you factoring the price of US sales tax into your calculations when comparing the prices b/w US and UK? I suspect your not so that would add a little to the US prices also if you’re comparing to prices inclusive of VAT/GST etc.
I don’t expect Apple to give anybody a price break just because their local region has a higher sales tax so doesn’t it make sense to compare all prices pre-tax? Australia and UK will pay more because Apple feel that consumers will pay more for Macs in those countries.
erm, hi Adam.
Where’s the MacCast?!?!
Just kidding.
I know you have a life also.. Maybe you could do more frequent shows that are shorter in duration. (even 5 or 10 minutes).
But the way it is now is cool as well.. very good show.. you just leave me craving some news..
Chris. Patience my son. I just had stomach flu. The new show was just posted.
..and I appreciate it very much. By the way, just realised the eMaccast comes out on the same day as the Maccast so I use the e version instead now
by the way.. also check out the Ricky Gervais podcast, oustanding British Comedy (may not be funny to Americans though)
He is a a famous comedian who is taking Podcasting MAINSTREAM !
As you say, iWeb is a 1.0 app, so it will improve. One possible work around for the “Don’t name files the same” is to…well don’t name them the same. Try things like “Welcome_music” for one site, and “Welcome_photos” for the second site and so on. Seems like a reasonable system to operate within Apples’ constraints. Maybe Apple will soon fix this, making compromise no longer necessary.
On decibels:
From Wikipedia (and also what I remember from elsewhere)
The frequency response of the human ear results in a perceived doubling of loudness with every 10 dB increase; a 5 dB increase is a readily noticeable change, while a 3 dB increase is barely noticeable to most people.
The scale is logarithmic (not linear), which means that 4 dB is just about noticeable, by no means huge!! (and certainly not ~60%, either, but much less)