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Boot Camp is just the beginning

I believe that the name Boot Camp is a significant double entendre which references both the boot sequence of a computer (the dual boot) and also the beginning of something much more considerable — not unlike the boot camp attended by members of the armed forces. I don’t actually think or hope there’s much related between Apple and the military… Though you might look at this as training for the battle ahead.

Running Windows and Mac applications on the same machine has many benefits. I don’t think I really need to spell it all out, but just for kicks imagine you are one of the following – A recent iPod purchaser on a Windows Machine loving Apple, but not sure you’d be comfortable in Mac OS; A Gamer; a Corporate user; a casual consumer looking to upgrade your computing style.

While Dual-Booting allows for a pretty conservative approach to checking things out (separate real machines), the real path to seemless integration of multiple OSs comes through Virtualization. This is something that has been mainly used on the server side of life, but is very seriously making a move on the desktop. As Intel rolls Conroe out this fall, and Apple rolls out 10.5 virtualization will very likely reach a consumer mass market.

While Virtualization is very complicated, imagine NOT having to reboot your system to run Windows or switch to Mac OS, but rather simply clicking an app and having it run. The way virtualization has worked in the past has enabled a special window to open (if you’ve ever used VirtualPC) which then runs the new OS. Apple actually has some interesting related experience which many early users of OSX are quite familiar in Classic.

Classic just ran. You could choose to have it start on boot or on demand and when you clicked a Classic (OS9) application, it just worked. Running Windows (or Linux) this way is clearly more complicated, but I don’t think it’s impossible and actually if the goal is to make it easy for things to operate – Apple could certainly make the process transparent better than most.

There are definitely some interesting things brewing and I can’t wait to see how it all actually works out. If Apple succeeds in enabling a virtual windows system within OS X, there would be ZERO obstacles to choosing Apple – with the one exception being cost, but then you’d be getting the most superior hardware design along with the most advanced operating system — not too unlike today, but with even more capabilities.

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SurfRabbit

SurfRabbit is a pretty slick browser add-on for Safari, NetNewsWire and Shiira (all webKit) which works in a similar way to Greasemonkey does. You can create and share hacks to sites that enable them to work better for you. I’ve just installed it and find that it seems to work as expected without issue.

I really like being able to clean up pages like News.com full articles which I tend to read many times a day. There are about 20 page tweaks currently in the system, though I suspect many more will follow.

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Why, Entourage?

Dear Entourage –

Why do you think I want to keep a meeting scheduled when I cancel all the invitations? You are making me take two steps to kill something when a simple one-step would suffice.

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“even a moron”

Gotta love Apple’s attitude toward the ridiculous lawsuit from Apple Corps, The Beatles record label.

Giving opening arguments on Thursday, lawyers for Apple Computer asserted the company’s right to distribute music through its iTunes music store, rejecting claims by The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. that doing so violated a 1991 trademark agreement.

According to the Associated Press, Apple lawyer Anthony Grabiner said the “distribution of digital entertainment content” was permitted under the agreement, in which the two companies promised not to interfere with the other’s business.

Grabiner said “even a moron in a hurry” could distinguish between the computer company’s online music business and a record label like Apple Corps.

“Data transmission is within our field of use. That’s what [the agreement] says and it is inescapable,” he said.

In his own opening arguments on Wednesday, Apple Corps’ lawyer Geoffrey Vos said Apple Computer’s music distribution business “was flatly contradictory to the provisions of the agreement.”

Vos argued that while Apple Computer is perfectly entitled to produce programs like iTunes, it should stay out of the music business if it uses the logo, a cartoonish apple with a neat bite out of its side, the AP reported. [AppleInsider]

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Networked DVR

When I first read the headline I got very excited, but then I realized this is not what I was hoping for…

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cable operator Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC.N) said on Monday it plans to introduce a video recording service as early as this year that aims to replace the living room digital video recorder.Digital video recorders made by such companies as Cisco Systems Inc.’s (CSCO.O) Scientific-Atlanta and TiVo Inc. (TIVO.O) allow subscribers to pause and rewind live television programs and store programs on hard drives included on their home set-top boxes. The Cablevision service, by contrast, will allow customers to store programs on servers located at Cablevision’s facilities. Cablevision said the move is designed to cut the cost of installing and fixing digital video recorders, which are prone to malfunction.It will operate over existing cable systems through customers’ current digital set top boxes. Though the company said it had not yet priced the service, it expects cost-savings to be passed on to customers. [New York Times]

I sincerely hope that Cable companies decide this is the low-end version of the DVR service and continue to offer / allow a more high end recording capability. My experience with cable DVRs has been quite good. What I would love is for a shared recording space so I can easily browse programs recorded centrally (or simply from a second box) in a different room. This technology already exists and Scientific Atlanta offers a version of the box I already use (8300HD) which enables multi-room functionality. My home has all the connective lines needed – just coax – to make this happen.

Additionally, with “recording” done on the external network, you essentially just offer an enhanced on-demand service which is fine for some instances, but defeats any hope of portability other than streaming. The EyeTV 200 I’ve recently added enables me to auto-export to iPod format which enables my content to be synced with a docked iPod – or streamed through iTunes on any other computer. If I had systems running Front Row, I’d be able to stream quite easily on my home network.

I know I am not in the majority of consumers nor do I view technology through the mass market filter, but I can’t imagine people want less from their content services and providers…

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D-Link DGL-4100: Au Revoir, Bonjour?

For the life of me I cannot figure out why Bonjour no longer works on my network. I can connect directly through an IP to any machine on my network, use ARD or VNC as needed, but things like iTunes sharing are dead.

Initially I thought this was going to be a wired to wireless issue, but I tried connected a powerbook directly to the router and saw no change either. There’s clearly a block somewhere but I can’t find it. D-Link of course said to contact Apple… I’ve searched around on message boards, but so far have come up empty. This is not critical, but seriously missing and something I’d really like to restore. Hopefully someone will catch this via Google…

As noted below… I’ve fixed this issue with a new cable. I’ve actually turned off the ports I had toyed with and it’s still working. Old ethernet cable trashed.

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Elgato Updates EyeTV (2.1) – now with HDTV on a Core Duo

Thanks to the enhanced processing capabilities of the Intel Core Duo, you can now record and playback HDTV directly on a Mac mini, iMac or MacBook Pro! An all digital EyeTV 500 is starting to sound quite nice…

This version expands support for full-resolution playback of HDTV to Macs with Intel Core Duo processors — a feature previously reserved for owners of high-end dual Power Mac G5 computers. The full 720p and 1080i HDTV experience is now available on portable and consumer desktop Macs such as the MacBook Pro and the new iMac, as well as the Mac mini with Core Duo processors. [Elgato Systems]

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Intense Broadband, but only after clearing up my user error

I recently decided I wanted to pay more for my home broadband access and added this to my Cablevision bill a few weeks ago. Up until last night I was having an issue with the service as it seemed that I was not able to get anywhere near the speed (30MB / 2MB) I should be getting – let alone the regular tier of service which offers 15MB dl.

And then it occurred to me… My router is pretty old as I’ve been a cable broadband user since from the moment it was offered about 6 years ago when I lived in NYC. My Linksys router is only not 10/100 as I thought… instead it’s only capable of 10MB which is slower than the incoming stream. A quick test with a direct ethernet connection to my laptop from the cable modem revealed I was seriously self-capping. I am still not getting 30MB downloads, but it is pushing past 15 on some quick speed tests.

Problem solved with a quick one-click over at Amazon, I’ll be getting a new D-Link DGL-4100 Broadband Gaming Router, 4-Port Gigabit Switch which as the names implies will enable Gigabit access on my home network (wiring pending) and a much faster routing of incoming packets. From what I read about the router, it’s also incredibly friendly for configurations of specific applications so you can prioritize (or limit) certain types of applications. It’s clearly targeted at gamers with settings designed to optimize online gaming, but similar settings will enable me to do quite a few tricks including built-in support for DynDns and VPN so I can securely connect remotely to my home machines and help my wife or simply stream some music … and possibly video back out.

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iTune Multipass

I love this new feature! Today I ordered a pass to the Daily Show based how damn easy it is. The pricing is excellent and you get 16 shows for a considerable discount – thanks Apple and Viacom for getting how it should work.

The service is essentially paid podcasting. You pick what you want and it downloads as shows are available. Tonight I caught up the weeks episodes while commuting home and expect that tomorrow I will find tonight’s episode (which I’ve missed) auto-synched on my iPod. This could not be easier.

What’s next is obvious to me. HD or some significant boost towards at least 480p content so it’s closer to standard def TV until bandwidth can be dealt with for true HDTV on-demand / subscription services. Apple btw, is not calling this a subscription (more like a bulk buy) since the way subscription services work today is more akin to a rental and you own what iTunes delivers…

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ITMS – Instant Fullfillment

One of the killer features of the iTunes Music Store is the immediate gratification and instant fulfillment of your purchase. I just grabbed the latest Matisyahu entitled Youth and I love that while it’s actually downloading, I can begin listening.

Currently Jamming to Fire of Heaven / Altar of Earth from the album “Youth” by Matisyahu

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VW on You Tube and beyond

OK I’ll bite. I received a video link from an “anonymous” friend on You Tube… (just learned it was from my dad and You Tube did not carry forward his name or email) Seems based on the other videos posted by user lowblackdub that this is a viral move by VW and one I really like. I’ve been checking out the new GTI commercials on TV and like them quite a bit, though this one takes a completely different perspective and does not include the “bad influence” creature I’ve been seeing. VW has really done a great job using the web for a different spin from TV which is great to see. They’ve clearly planned differently for the different channels… The main VW site has a nice extension of this video with the sub-site for the GTI MK V…

It features Peter Stormare, the Nihilist from The Big Lebowski among other Coen Brother’s films like Fargo.

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Series 60 – Photoblogging

I’ve been playing with some ways to auto-capture photos from Phone to Flickr and while there are certainly a few ways to do this, there are two applications, I’ve tried that are hands down killer apps.  Shozu works on phones other than Series 60 devices, while Meaning only works on the platform.

Shozu pops up right after you snap a picture and lets you save to web if you like right in the moment.  You have to have preset some basic tags for flickr which I’ve done and then the photo uploads in the background on your phone… in my case a shiny new Nokia N70.  Shozu is simple and very slick.   You can choose other photo services and even pick a service which includes video if you like.  Since flickr does not currently support video, Shozu can automatically email a captured video to an address of your choosing.

Meaning takes much of what I like about Shozu and adds an enhanced and on the fly tagging system as well as the addition of GPS!  That’s right if you use a GPS device as I am currently — the Nokia LD-1W — you can Geo Tag your images as you go and upload that data to Flickr as well.  If you don’t have a GPS, you can still tag your location by naming the cell you happen to be in.  As Meaning has a few more levels of detail it might be construed more difficult to use, but it’s the same deal.  After you snap a picture, you can add a description and title and the tags of your choosing… hit send and your phone uploads quietly in the background.

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New Tunes

I am back from a week off on vacation and find it hard to get back into my previous groove with the number of active projects and how quickly things move when you miss a day – let alone a full week of mail and meetings.

I at least have some fresh tunes to keep things lively on my iPod…

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am Thats What I Am Not

I read about these guys in the NYT earlier in the week and I am very pleased with my first listen of these British punk rockers. The sound is clean and the songs infectious.

Cat Power – The Greatest

A really nice and deep sound for Cat, which is a change from some of her earlier works. I really dig this Memphis soul sound

Matisyahu – Shake Off the Dust… Arise and also Live at Stubbs

I had caught Matisyahu on Sirius while driving, but was not able to imprint the name, even on a second pass on another drive. It was not until I caught a Conan O’Brien appearance about two weeks ago, that things finally clicked. Matisyahu is Hasidic Jew Reggae singer and has to be heard to be understood. I find myself in a great mood with each listen. There’s a new release (Youth) coming in March and I’ll definitely be looking to get it as soon as it’s released.

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Live from San Francisco!

OK – it’s many hours after the keynote and you’ve probably read all the news from your various sources, but here’s my perspective…

MacWorld is really happening this year! I got to the show at about 5:50am in order to pick up my badge and get in line for the keynote and there were already people going well around the corner of the Moscone Center.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006

Once in line however, it really started to move and we shuffled pretty quickly inside…to wait. After a few hours and a few minutes to 9 we made our final move inside the main auditorium which was close to full. My colleague and I were able to find two seats together pretty close up on the right side which provided a really nice perspective for the Stevenote.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006

Steve delivered.

Apple announced stellar sales for Q4 with close to 20% of sales coming direct from foot traffic at retail.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006

There was a nice and brief update on ipod with some new content shown from Saturday Night Live and the recent Rose Bowl piece from ABC / ESPN.

iLife is getting a truly fantastic update today. Each of the 5 core apps gets a nice boost connected to .Mac and RSS.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006

You can easily record create an enhanced Podcast with GarageBand including recording an interview through iChat. iMovie includes some beautiful new motion transitions that are professional grade in how they allow anyone to present their clips. You can develop vidcasts as an export option and of course go right to your iPod as well. iPhoto is looking very strong with photocasts and full-screen editing with some UI tweaks that make iPhoto and Aperture look more like siblings. The new addition, iWeb is a way to easily publish to .Mac includes easily published and discoverable RSS feeds and has many seriously cool features for sharing your thoughts and self-published content. I’m looking forward to upgrading my home systems so I can play with all of this …

Finally, the real magic happened when Steve started to give the Intel update.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006
Paul Ottelini came out on stage in a bunnysuit bearing the gift of the Core wafer. He proclaimed that Intel was ready to which Steve replied that Apple was also ready… leading very nicely to the new iMac. Everything you know and love about the (previously) current systems stays the same, except they are now MUCH faster courtesy of Intel’s Core Duo Processor.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006MacWorld San Francisco 2006

Steve then revealed that the keynote up to that point had been running on a new iMac powered by Intel… That was a very cool move considering the new machines were out on stage before Steve and no one had a clue!

One More Thing…

MacWorld San Francisco 2006

MacBook Pro, the new Powerbook is a killer. A couple of very nice enhancements beyond the addition of the Core Duo, are a built-in iSight and Front Row which an IR sensor near the front latch release. The new book is a bit thinner and seems a touch more curvy, but is essentially the same form factor as the Aluminum book of yesterday. It’s a welcome upgrade that’s long overdue.

MacWorld San Francisco 2006MacWorld San Francisco 2006

The real punch which was a shocker to everyone is that unlike the usual Macworld show, the products are available now. You can order a new IMac and they are apparently available while the MacBook will be ready in February which is MUCH sooner than any previous portable I can recall.

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Adobe Lightroom beta

After sitting down with the beta of the new Lightroom application from Adobe, Derrick Story tells you what to expect when you download the workflow management tool for photographers. [MacWorld]

You can download the demo from Adobe now. I’ve only had the opportunity to install and open it quickly but I like what I see so far.

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