MacCast 05.11.2008 - Show #226
Media/Links
V Opening
V Opening Music
* Music is Say Anything by Manda and the Marbles
* Mandaandthemarbles.com
www.mandaandthemarbles.com
V Sponsor
V Faronics: Deep Freeze
* U.K.-based City Inn hotel group has placed an iMac in every single guest-room which has been tailored to serve as a computer, TV, radio, DVD and CD player.
* They use Deep Freeze not only to ensure the Macs are reset for the next guest, but that guest know when they leave any personal information is safely wiped off the computer.
* Using the Integrated Mapping feature of Deep Freeze Mac, users can map elements of their accounts such as documents, pictures, movies, music, and bookmarks to the Thawed Spaces.
* Deep Freeze scored 4.5 of 5 mice and received a Macworld Editors' Choice Award
V News
V 3G iPhone coming soon?
V I could be totally wrong about my Fall release date given what has happened this week.
* This despite the fact that a recent NYT report had the 3G iPhone hitting Europe in August.
V Saturday the iPhone went "unavailable" with no word of a return date on both that US and UK Apple on-line stores.
* O2 has also been sold out of iPhones, but they and Carphone Warehouse had said more 16GBs were coming.
* Could it be released on Monday? Apple did an unusual iMac Monday update, but you would think it would be a big announce.
* AT&T is reported to have sent a memo telling employees that new vacation requests are suspended from June 15th to July 12th due to expected high demand in retail stores.
V Design change and features rumors
V 3G (of course)
* Latest 2.0 beta 5 software has hidden 3G on/off setting.
* GPS
* Unobstructed speaker and mic holes
* 2nd video sensor on front for video chat
* All plastic curved back with possible color choices (white, black, red?)
V iPhone plans for total global domination
V Vodaphone will carry the iPhone later this year in 10 markets
* Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey
* Telecom Italia will also sell the iPhone in Italy
* America Movil will cover Latin America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, specifically: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay
* Rogers in Canada
* Rumors of Switzerland, Spain and Poland
* Trends seem like they may be... 3G, unlocked, multi-carrier, etc.
V NBC back on iTunes, sorta?
* iTunes UK now has episodes from NBC/Universal including Heroes, House, Eureka, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and The Incredible Hulk.
* They do also appear to be doing variable pricing with some shows as low as £1.19, but shows like Heroes at £1.89 per episode (standard price).
* NBC.com has also added iPod streaming versions of the Office and 30 Rock.
V Applecare now available for Apple TV
* USD $50 extends coverage to two years of telephone and hardware support
* Supports iTunes, Airport, and Time Capsule.
V Sponsor
V Audible
* Audible.com
audiblepodcast.com/maccast
* Free audiobook with a 14-day trial of Audible Listener Gold.
* Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine, The Martian Chronicles
V Feedback, Comments and Commentary
V Informal Maccast iPhone data usage survey
* It looks like the usage ranges from 50 to 250 MB/ month for most people.
www.oneminutetip.com
V Also on the cable TV, Netflix, Tivo, Apple TV, iTunes movie rental survey there seems to be a mix.
* Netflix for price, flexibility, etc. Apple TV for immediacy, impluse purchase.
V Using an old Mac as a mail server
* Pat was looking for an affordable solution to use an old Mac Min as a mail server.
* Checkout Cutedge Systems
* Of course OS X Server is always a great option and while extremely affordable for a VERY powerful server, can be a bit much for some.
V Postfix Enabler for Tiger and Panther systems
Postfix Enabler
* Sets up SMTP, POP3 and IMAP services, with or without SSL support.
* For Leopard or Tiger there is MailServe
MailServe
V Also, DNS Enabler and Web Mon for Leopard
* WebMon helps you configure OS X's built-in web server to support WebDAV, PHP, and SSL. WebDAV allows iDisk like file sharing and iCal sharing
V Exchange to iCal/iPhone syncing
* Play tip from Kirit
* gSyncIt, for Windows.
daveswebsite.com
* Spanning Sync
spanningsync.com
V On the Mac you can just use Entourage 2008 and tun on iCal Sync Services in the preferences. It then has an 'Entourage' calendar that syncs between iCal and Entourage.
* Unfortunately you only have the one calendar that syncs.
* Exchange support coming to iPhone in June, early buzz from inside sources says it rocks.
V Troubleshooting drives behaving badly
* Listener John had a firewire drive that wouldn't mount on one Mac but would on others
* Disk Utility, Disk Warrior, etc. found no problems. To make it stranger a "twin" identical drive would mount.
* In the end using a different cable worked.
* Also try different ports, different enclosures (non-Oxford bridge), use alternate interface (USB), remove possible bus conflicts, bad hubs, etc.
V The Macbook and Macbook Pros have different posts on different buses and with different power ratings.
* Rear MacBook port is on an internal USB hub, front port is full powered full speed.
* On the MacBook Pro, the right port is shared and the left ones
V Review: iFrogz Nano Audiowrapz Treadz
* 3rd Gen iPod Nano case with integrated speakers.
ifrogz.com
* Pretty decent sound from 3 tiny speakers. May have trouble hearing in a noisy environment
* Silicone case offers adequate protection. Includes screen protector.
* Combined the unit becomes about the size of standard iPod, but slightly thicker
* re-routes headphone port (still on bottom).
* Has a plastic "sled" that iPod slides into. Concerned about scratches, but didn't seem to on my test unit.
* No access to hold switch or dock when in case.
V Cloned vs. TimeMachine backups
* Play question from Wyane
* Incremental vs. mirror.
* Important to use a comprehensive strategy, including off-site of some sort.
* Any backup is better than no backup.
V Getting files into "special" iTunes libraries
* Todd has some old podcasts that aren't on the RSS feed anymore and wants to get them in the "Podcast" library in iTunes
* Atomic Parsley and Meta X, but only for MP4
Atomic Parsley
Meta X
V Doug's Scripts Applescript
dougscripts.com
* Re-Add Selected Tracks as Podcast v1.1
* Created a whole new Podcast "show" entry for each podcast I added with one episode in each dupe.
V Closing
V Podcast Marketplace
V Thanks to my sponsors
* Audible.com
audiblepodcast.com/maccast
* Circus Ponies, Notebook
circusponies.com
* Smile on my Mac, Textexpander
smileonmymac.com
* Faronics, Deep Freeze
faronics.com/mac
V iPhone Alley Podcast
* I have been on two of the latest episodes of the new iPhone Alley podcast
* Michael Johnson has invited me on with Bill Palmer (iProng) and Jeff Gamet (Mac Observer)
iphonealley.com/podcast
V Keep emails coming. Audio comments.
* maccast@gmail.com
V 281-622-4269 or 281-Mac-I-Am-9
* PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
* MacCast Forum
forum.maccast.com
V "The Ballad of Indiana" by High Adventure
* In anticipation of the 4th Indiana Jones movie. Todd sent us this track
* This is the exclusive US podcast premiere of the track
* Get a copy for yourself at the artists web site
highadventuremusic.com
V EOL: Mac Music Video
* Tons of cool ways to use a Mac to the song of "Again & Again" by the Bird & the Bee
Mac Music Video