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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 10 Issue 43
Volume 10, Issue 43 Atari Online News, Etc. October 24, 2008
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2008
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #1043 10/24/08
~ ICANN New Rules: $200k ~ People Are Talking! ~ Antipiracy Day!
~ Apple's Low-end Laptop ~ Game's Offensive Music ~ MS Critical Patch!
~ EU Violence Crackdown! ~ Russia Blocks Google! ~ BioShock Ships!
~ Vista PC in Your Car? ~ Zombies Attack Games! ~ Banking on Sequels
-* Teenager Planted Fake Jobs Bit! *-
-* New MacBook, Style Over Affordability *-
-* Record Traffic for Political Blogs & News! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
It's really disheartening to pick up a newspaper these days and read all
of the dismal news out there. Where is this world headed? The economy,
not just in this country, but globally, is in the crapper! Today's
political scene, i.e. the presidential election, isn't showing anything
of a positive note - just more of the same old thing. I don't know about
you, but it's going to be a long tough haul until at least after a new
president is sworn in. Aren't global crises a wonderful thing during a
lame duck term in the presidency?!
So, while many of us are losing sleep wondering how we'll keep making
mortgage payments AND putting food on the table, let's continue to watch
millions of dollars being poured into political campaigns trying to make
the other look worse than the other. And we wonder why this country is
going down the tubes!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
joe@atarinews.org
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. I apologize for my absence last week, and
I thank those of you who emailed me to see if everything was okay. I
wasn't at death's door or anything, but I've been having a lot of sinus
problems this year. Those of you who have the same problem will know
what I'm talking about... the pressure and pain of a sinus headache
that makes it hard to even think (not an easy thing for me to do in the
first place).
And there aren't a lot of messages to go through this week... again...
but I wanted to touch base with you anyway, since the election is
coming up. If you're an American (and I mean a citizen, not the sleazy
pablum 'you don't agree with me so you're not an American' crap that
we've been seeing lately), then it's not only your right to vote, it's
your RESPONSIBILITY!
I believe that this is an important election and, whether you agree with
my politics or not, I want you to vote. It's the only way we've got to
get to the things we want and need to get to.
I know that, right now, there are plenty of you thinking that one vote
one way or the other really won't matter, or that no matter who's
elected things are going to stay the same, and, quite honestly, you may
well be right... but if you don't vote, you've got no chance at all.
So get out there and vote your conscience, vote your religion, vote your
party... but VOTE!
And for those readers who are not citizens of the United States who are
saying, "Yeah, but what does that matter to me?", all I can say
is: "Look at the economy". Yours, as well as ours, is in trouble. I'm
not going to say that you've got NO chance of pulling out of this
trouble without the United States doing so along with you, but let's
face it, we're all better off when we're all better off.
'Nuff said?
Okay, let's take a look at the news, hints, tips and info available from
the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Pierre Ton-That posts this about KKCommander:
"Download on my homepage or directly in the folder:
http://rajah.atari.org/files/ -> kkcmd_uk.zip (75KB)
New features for this bad Total Commander clone:
+ ST-Guide documentation
+ iconification
+ use of AVSERVER to open non-executable files
+ Ctrl+S = save preferences ad paths
+ 'à-la-Total-Commander' file selection: red or grisé,
when playing with keys, a framing cursor is used.
+ the 'Insert' key selects the file/folder under the cursor
(Merci MiKRO)
+ split file like in Total Commander
+ unsplit file (double-click on .CRC file)
split/unsplit results are created in the opposite window.
(Thanks Dbug/NeXT)
VoilÃÂ .
I have to study the .ZIP file format. It's a big piece of cake, so I
prefer to release something now. I'm not sure I will be able to
implement the .ZIP compression in the KKcmd."
Derryck Croker tells Pierre:
"Piece of cake" means that it's an easy job, which I don't think you
meant to say [grin]"
Pierre tells Derryck:
"Yes, you understand my meaning. Sorry for the bad translation.
I though about "gros morceau" ("big part/slice), and had in mind the
expression "étouffe-chrétien" (choke a christian believer), which is
said when the cake is really hard to eat, so dry and copious to chew
that you have the feeling of Death coming near you just before you
swallow the stuff."
Derryck replies:
"I'd call that sort of cake "worthy" I think, with nothing about it to
make it palatable [smile]
Lovely expression though, can't think of an equivalent one from England
at the moment."
Lonny Pursell adds:
"There's some nice libs for zip. Its a shame there's no shared lib
(SLB). Then you would not have to re-invent ZIP decoding."
Last week, Nate McCoy asked about creating GEM-formatted floppies. They
asked:
"I recently acquired an Atari 1040 STe. I would love to use it but do
not have the OS on floppy. I only have the computer itself.
Where may I acquire images of GEM OS and how can i write them to a
floppy disk in Windows XP or Linux?
Also, Am I considering the right path when looking to make a floppy of
GEM OS, or did the Atari 1040 STe come with the OS on ROM?"
Jean-Luc Ceccoli tells Nate:
"GEM isn't the OS. It's part of the OS. And it's embedded into any TOS
machine since 1987.
As it's a ST*e*, it's been manufactured after 1987, so all you need to
start and use it is plug and switch it on.
Moreover, bootable OS floppies wouldn't run fine on such a machine, as
they were made for early STs, which had a slightly different HW."
Nate does some looking around and replies:
"Thank you very much, I looked some more information up and i realized
now that GEM is just the GUI for TOS. Thanks again for pointing me in
the right direction."
Jean-Luc tells Nate:
"GEM isn't the OS. It's part of the OS. And it's embedded into any TOS
machine since 1987.
As it's a ST*e*, it's been manufactured after 1987, so all you need
to start and use it is plug and switch it on.
Moreover, bootable OS floppies wouldn't run fine on such a machine,
as they were made for early STs, which had a slightly different HW."
'Ppera' adds:
"Atari ST machines have TOS, GEM, Desktop, all in ROM. Only very early
versions from 1985 were without ROM TOS, and required bootable floppy
with OS.
I guess that you want to do some file transfer in relations PC-Atari
ST. I wrote program for that, about 2 years ago:
http://www.ppest.org/atari/floimgd.php
In archive you may find even image files of empty floppies, usable on
PC and Atari. 720KB in DOS format, and 800KB in Atari format, but
readable under WinXP with Floppy Imager.
If you want to make TOS floppy, bootable, it is possible too (although
no need for it, really).
http://www.ppest.org/atari/tosload.htm - Get CREDISK.ZIP . Need
some TOS image too. It can be found on diverse places for DL.
Note: with TOS itself, regardless if it in ROM, or booted from floppy
you can not do much. You need applications, games for Atari ST."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in again next week, same time,
same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Fable II: A Living World of Adventure!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Zombies Attack 'World of Warcraft'!
BioShock Ships
And more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
BioShock Ships For PlayStation 3
2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.,
announced Monday that BioShock for the PlayStation 3 computer
entertainment system is now shipping to retailers across North America and
is currently available internationally. A global smash hit on the Xbox
360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games for
Windows, BioShock for the PlayStation 3 system continues the success by
earning perfect scores from PlayStation: The Official Magazine and
GamePro Magazine.
"We are very excited to bring BioShock to an entirely new audience of
gamers," said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "With its new features
and the PS3 exclusive downloadable content, we are confident that players
will have even more reasons to fall in love with the unique and
unforgettable world of Rapture."
Developed by 2K Boston, 2K Australia, 2K Marin and Digital Extremes,
BioShock for the PlayStation 3 system contains all-new content that
augments and extends the experience in exciting ways. BioShock for
PlayStation 3 system contains new features such as the inclusion of the
Survivor difficulty mode, Trophy support and the addition of all-new
Add-On Game Content that will be available for download shortly after
launch. A free demo that allows gamers to play through the first portion
of BioShock is currently available for download from the PlayStation
Network.
BioShock is a narrative-driven action experience that allows players to do
the impossible as they journey through an amazing, immersive and
terrifying world. Caught between powerful forces and hunted down by
genetically mutated citizens, the player will come to grips with the
mysterious and fascinating world of Rapture, a distinct Art Deco
underwater utopia gone mad. BioShock not only challenges players
capacity to adapt and survive, but brings to question their values and
relationships with the inhabitants of Rapture. With smart and adaptive
AI, no encounter ever plays out the same way twice, while numerous
customization options provide gamers with an experience that adapts to
their playing style.
BioShock for PlayStation 3 system will be available in North America
starting October 21 and is currently available internationally. The title
has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB. Also available on Xbox 360 and
Games for Windows, BioShock was the recipient of more than 50 Game of the
Year awards from prestigious outlets such as The Associated Press and
Game Informer Magazine.
'Fable II': A Living, Breathing World of Adventure
Peter Molyneux is one of the video-game industry's most enthusiastic
promoters, always pushing the boundaries of what games can accomplish.
He's generally credited with inventing the "god game" with 1989's
"Populous" (to which this year's "Spore" owes an incalculable debt), and
his other successes include "Syndicate," "Dungeon Keeper," "Black &
White" and "The Movies."
Molyneux has also developed a reputation for biting off more than he can
chew. Before the 2004 release of "Fable," for example, he crowed, "It's
gonna be the best game ever." A few months later, he famously apologized
for promising features that the final product didn't deliver.
Over the last few years, Molyneux's been talking a lot about "Fable II"
(Microsoft, for the Xbox 360, $59.99). But this time, he's throttled
back the hype and talked about features only when he was confident that
they would appear in the game. "I hope you're going to say, 'This is a
lot more than what I expected,'" he told one British gaming Web site.
As one of those players who found "Fable" somewhat disappointing, I'm
happy to say "Fable II" is, indeed, a lot more than what I expected. It
delivers on most of what Molyneux promised the first time around,
presenting a living, breathing world filled with adventure. It's not
perfect - which Molyneux has already acknowledged - but it is one of the
most absorbing experiences you can have on an Xbox 360.
Your first choice is simple: Do you want to play as a boy or a girl?
Then you're dumped on the snowy streets of a Dickensian town called
Bowerstone, where you and your sister, Rose, scrounge for coins. After
rescuing a puppy and cranking up a magic music box, you and Rose are
summoned by the mysterious Lord Lucien - who promptly murders Rose and
tries to kill you.
Ten years later, you're a teenager with a mission: Avenge your sister.
Your journey covers a vast, exquisitely detailed world filled with
verdant fields, bustling cities and deadly dungeons, with dozens of
missions leading up to your final confrontation with Lucien.
The setting, a planet called Albion, is the most immediately striking
feature of "Fable II." The landscape changes constantly, not just from
night to day but from season to season. You can communicate with nearly
everyone you meet, and you can enter every building in Albion.
As with any role-playing game, your character evolves as the game
proceeds: Your attacks get stronger, you learn more powerful spells and
you can afford better equipment. In "Fable II," though, your moral
choices are also reflected. Strangers react differently if you have a
bad reputation, and real evildoers develop nasty skin problems. You can
also get married, buy a house and have kids, or have affairs with as
many villagers as you can seduce. (Beware, though: Venereal disease is a
real threat.)
Still, the most important relationship you'll have in Albion is with
that dog you rescued in Act I. He's one of the most delightful creatures
ever seen in a video game, a supporting character with more personality
than most games' lead characters. The animators at Molyneux's Lionhead
Studios have clearly spent a lot of time studying dog behavior, because
this mutt acts like the real thing. And he's an invaluable companion,
sniffing out buried treasure, growling when enemies approach and lending
a paw when battles get heated.
"Fable II" doesn't have the most original plot. It often feels like a
potpourri of elements from every fantasy epic you've ever read, from
"The Odyssey" and "The Arabian Nights" to "The Lord of the Rings" and
the Harry Potter series. But genre fans are just as likely to appreciate
the references as to be annoyed by them; there's even a clever shout-out
to last year's great science-fiction adventure "BioShock."
More problematic, the combat is a bit simplistic: You press one button
for melee attacks (swords, axes), one button for ranged attacks (guns,
crossbows) and one button for magic. Likewise, most of the dungeons are
a little too straightforward for battle-hardened role-playing fans. And
as beautiful as Albion is, you'll spend a lot of time simply roaming in
search of your next quest.
Nonetheless, I really got sucked into the world of "Fable II." It
doesn't reinvent the RPG, but it does make the genre accessible to
newcomers while providing more than enough action to satisfy the most
demanding aficionado. It's nearly irresistible. Three-and-a-half stars
out of four.
Zombies Attack 'World of Warcraft,' 'Grand Theft Auto'
Brains... braiiinnnsss...
A horde of the undead is shambling across the bucolic forests of
Lakeshire, through to the fortress of Stormwind, and onto...Liberty City?
It appears so, just in time for Halloween. World of Warcraft saw the
opening act for the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion unfold
Thursday night with a full-on zombie apocalypse, allowing players to both
fight off and become flesh-eating ghouls themselves.
The world event has inspired both praise and criticism, prompting guides
like Bornakk's Zombie Infestation Survival Guide, as well as a post on
zombie misinformation.
But 1UP is also reporting that strange signs have been seen around the
Liberty City of Grand Theft Auto 4, warning of an imminent contagion. More
zombies? Given that art assets have already leaked, it appears so.
And if that isn't enough, Zombies!!! is also coming to Xbox Live, PSN,
and Steam. And that doesn't even include the next offering from Half-Life
developer Valve Software, titled Left 4 Dead.
Our recommendation: walk carefully, and carry a big (boom)stick.
Sony Delays Videogame Over Offensive Music
Sony Corp has delayed sales of "LittleBigPlanet," one of its most widely
anticipated videogames, by at least one week in the United States after
finding potentially offensive background music in the game.
The puzzle-solving, community-based game, published by Sony Computer
Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, will begin shipping to retail shops
during the week of October 27, Sony said on Monday.
The company will replace the shipped version of the game, originally set
for release on October 21, with newly mastered copies. Sony declined to
disclose the costs associated with the move, a representative said.
The music in question is "Tapha Niang" a song performed by Malian
musician Toumani Diabate, Sony said.
"One of the background music tracks that was licensed from a record
label for use in the game contains two expressions that can be found in
the Qur'an," the company said in a statement. "We have taken immediate
action to rectify this and we sincerely apologize for any offense this
may have caused."
Sony, whose PlayStation 3 game console is locked in a battle with
Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 and Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii, has been touting
the game since early in 2007.
LittleBigPlanet lets users create virtual worlds and they can play and
share what they build with other worldwide users.
Videogame Makers Bank on Sequels
Sequels may not always match up to the original in Hollywood but
videogames can often get better the second or third time around.
Videogame producers are hoping it will hold true with the latest games
that will hit store shelves soon including Insomniac Games' "Resistance
2" PlayStation 3 exclusive, Epic Games' "Gears of War 2" Xbox 360
exclusive, Microsoft's "Fable 2," and Bethesda Softworks' "Fallout 3."
"Developers can hit the ground running with sequels," said Ted Price,
president and CEO of Insomniac Games. "The game's story and art style
have a solid base, the tech and tools are stable and the basic gameplay
mechanics have gone through plenty of tuning in the first game."
The second or third time around developers can devote more energy to
building game assets instead of trying to get things up and running.
"It's certainly a liberating experience when you're no longer arguing
over the main character's name, or waiting for basic systems to be
implemented," said Price. "The end result is usually a game that's
bigger, more polished and has more innovative features than the original
game."
"Resistance 2," thrusts players into an alternate 1950s America invaded
by aliens called Chimera. In addition to a single-player campaign, the
game offers an eight-player cooperative campaign and online gameplay
with battlefields filled with 60 players.
Aliens also feature in "Gears of War 2", which sends gamers into the
depths of the planet Sera to tackle a race called the Locusts. The
sequel offers a story that can be played with a friend. Online gameplay
modes like "Horde" also pit up to five players against waves of heavily
armed Locusts.
"We want casual gamers to play the game and be sucked into the universe
and finish the game," said Cliff Bleszinski, lead games designer, Epic
Games. "We want them to potentially finish with a friend and become a
fan of the characters and the setting."
Attracting the mainstream audience was also a major goal of Peter
Molyneux, creator of Microsoft's "Fable II" for Xbox 360. He's crafted a
game that he believes will satisfy the 3 million gamers who bought the
original, while opening up the fantasy role-playing adventure genre to
anyone.
"We've designed this game to allow the player to do whatever they wish,
including getting married and having kids, playing mini-games and
creating a custom character that will evolve as you play," said Molyneux.
"Call of Duty: World at War," the latest game in the franchise focuses
on the bloody Pacific Front and the Russian invasion of Nazi-occupied
Berlin during the Second World War.
"The developer spent two years working on the technology behind this
game, which includes four-player cooperative play and the introduction
of new weapons like flame throwers and flame tanks," said Daniel Suarez,
executive producer of the game at Activision
Gamers have been waiting 10 years for Bethesda Softworks' "Fallout 3,"
for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
"I think it's good for people to miss things," said Todd Howard,
executive producer of the game. "Ten years between 'Fallout' is a bit
long, but I think there's this nostalgia factor."
Fans of the post-Apocalyptic game, set in Washington, D.C., won't have
to wait another decade for "Fallout 4." Howard said he believes three
years is a good time frame between games.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Record Traffic for US Political Blogs, News Sites
The US presidential election is driving record numbers of visitors to
political blogs and independent news sites, a company which measures
online traffic reported Wednesday.
Reston, Virginia-based comScore Inc. said political blogs and news sites
unaffiliated with a larger media outlet experienced strong gains in the
number of unique visitors in September compared with a year ago.
HuffingtonPost.com, a Democratic-leaning blog and news website founded
three years ago by Greek-born socialite Arianna Huffington, received 4.5
million unique visitors in September, up 474 percent from 792,000 a year
earlier.
Politico.com, a political news site launched in January 2007 by former
reporters at The Washington Post and Time magazine, drew 2.4 million
unique visitors in September, up 344 percent from 532,000 a year earlier.
The Republican-leaning Drudgereport.com received 2.0 million unique
visitors in September, up 70 percent from 1.2 million a year earlier,
comScore said.
It said Realclearpolitics.com, a website which tracks the latest voter
polls and other political news, received 1.1 million unique visitors in
September, up 489 percent from 192,000 a year earlier.
Other blogs which have seen at least a doubling in their traffic figures
include DailyKos.com, Townhall.com, Newsbusters.org,
TalkingPointsMemo.com, MichelleMalkin.com and RedState.com, comScore
said.
"With each new election cycle, the Internet is playing a more significant
role in shaping the stories of the day that are so crucial in formulating
public opinion on issues and candidates," said Andrew Lipsman, a senior
analyst at comScore.
He added that independent blogs unaffiliated with larger media outlets
"are really beginning to enter the mainstream public consciousness with
this current election cycle."
While political blogs and independent news sites are gaining audience,
most Americans still go to more established media outlets for their
general news.
Yahoo News drew 41.2 million unique visitors in September followed by
MSNBC with 34.2 million and CNN with 33.8 million, according to comScore
figures.
Apple To Offer $999 Entry Laptop, Better Graphics
Apple Inc. touched up its line of laptop computers Tuesday with a minimal
nod to the economic turmoil that might push consumers to be more frugal
this holiday shopping season.
Apple did lower its least expensive laptop, the existing version of the
entry-level MacBook, by $100 to $999.
But in the updated versions of its MacBook and MacBook Pro machines,
Apple focused mainly on adding features. Some had been in the svelte
MacBook Air, including thinner laptop casings and a "multitouch" track
pad, which, like the iPhone, understands gestures for spinning and zooming.
In an event at Apple's headquarters, Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder and
CEO, also said Apple broadened its use of graphics chips and associated
technologies from Nvidia Corp., at the expense of Intel Corp., which
still supplies the computers' central processors. Jobs said the change
speeds up processing-intensive activities - playing popular 3-D video
games, for example - as much as six-fold.
As at other events in the last few months, Jobs appeared thin but, in a
tongue-in-cheek nod to persistent questions about his health, projected
a slide with his healthy 110-over-70 blood pressure reading.
The redesigned laptops are thinner and lighter, and use what Apple
touted as a construction "breakthrough" when it debuted in the
super-slim MacBook Air in January. All the new laptops now use casings
cut and tooled from aluminum, without a stronger skeleton fused to the
insides.
At the lowest end of the redesigned laptops, a MacBook will cost $1,299,
while the most expensive MacBook Pro, which comes with two graphics
chips from Nvidia for extra-fast graphics processing, costs $2,499 - a
$300 reduction from the previous top model. An updated MacBook Air, the
ultra-thin portable notebook that does not have a CD or DVD drive on
board, begins at $1,799, just as the previous Air did.
The track pads built into MacBooks and MacBook Pros also got a makeover.
They're much larger and made from glass for smooth scrolling, and
instead of a separate button to mimic the clicking of a mouse, the
entire track pad depresses.
Jobs declined to take questions on the economy, telling reporters and
analysts that "there are much smarter people than us that you can ask
about the global financial meltdown."
However, Apple's decision to keep most laptop prices well over $1,000,
despite competition from PC makers whose cheapest notebooks cost less
than $500, would appear to reflect the company's confidence it can
maintain its premium status even in tough times.
Tim Cook, Apple's chief operating officer, said Apple was benefiting
from negative press for Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista operating
system, and pointed out that Macintosh sales growth has far outpaced the
broader PC market over the last several quarters. Market tracker IDC
said in its last quarterly report, in July, that Apple ranked third in
the U.S. PC market, with 7.8 percent share.
Steven Baker, an analyst for market researcher NPD Group, said he wasn't
surprised by Apple's decisions on pricing or the new features it
incorporated into the laptop line. Baker expects Apple's sales to slow
this year along with other PC makers as economic jitters inhibit
consumer spending.
"Clearly the MacBooks and MacBook Pros were in need of a refresh," Baker
said. The update was incremental, he said, but "that's kind of where the
PC market is these days."
Apple's decision to work more closely with Nvidia for its graphics
processing could be a needed boost for the Silicon Valley chip maker.
In July, Nvidia disclosed a major problem with an unspecified number of
its laptop chips that were already built into computers from several
manufacturers. The problem caused the chips to suddenly fail, leaving
users with badly mangled video or no video at all.
Hewlett-Packard Co., Dell Inc. and Apple have notified customers that
their machines contained the problem with Nvidia chips. Apple's notice
came just this week.
Nvidia hasn't recalled the chips, and the computer makers have so far
said they won't replace all the problem chips - just the ones that fail.
The original disclosure caused a 31 percent one-day drop in Nvidia's
stock price, and the shares have continued sinking. Although Nvidia
remains the world's largest maker of standalone graphics chips, the
foul-up has given a big opening to its main rival, ATI Technologies, a
company now owned by Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
New MacBook Puts Style Over Affordability
Plastic used to be the sexy material of the future. Now, it's the cheap,
ugly material of the past.
Just look at the effort Apple Inc. put into getting rid of plastic when
designing its new $1,300 MacBook laptops, which went on sale last week.
Apple now is machining the upper part of the chassis from a single block
of aluminum, shaving it down to perhaps one-tenth of its original mass.
The result is a laptop with the stark elegance of a Modernist
skyscraper, all glass and metal. The only things that are still plastic
are the keys, the Apple logo on the lid, the bumpers on the bottom and
some cladding on the hinge between the bottom and the display.
All that metal looks great, and it feels cool, in both senses of the
word, to touch. But is this really what we want out of Apple?
The company is doing better than ever, with 9.5 percent of the U.S. PC
market, according to Gartner Inc. Ten years ago, that figure was more
like 3 percent. Not to knock Apple hardware, but I think the reason for
this rally is mostly the company's software, which is easy to use and
well integrated with the hardware and Apple's online services.
One of the best ways to get access to Apple's OS X software has been its
cheapest laptop, the MacBook. Chief Executive Steve Jobs has said it's
Apple's best-selling computer. But at $1,100, it's been nearly twice as
expensive as a Windows laptop with comparable hardware. That's a hefty
premium to pay for good software.
Unfortunately, with the laptops it released last week, Apple chose to
make the hardware slicker and more stylish, rather than push the price
down. It brought some of the features of its even more expensive MacBook
Pro line to the consumer line, rather than bringing the consumer line
substantially closer to Windows PCs in price (though the older MacBook,
now dubbed the "MacBook White," got a $100 price cut. At $1,300, the
cheapest of the new metal MacBooks is now $200 more expensive than the
old plastic one.
For the price you do get some nifty new features, but some omissions in
the MacBook package remain.
The new MacBook has the same 13.3-inch screen as the White, but it's now
backed by light-emitting diodes rather than fluorescent tubes. This
means the screen reaches full brightness faster, and extends battery
life a little bit.
The track pad is now huge and covered by glass, which gives it a
pleasant, luxurious feel. The button has been eliminated to provide a
larger tracking surface, but the bottom corners are spring-loaded,
acting as buttons.
The graphics chip has been considerably upgraded, which helps with games
and movie playback. I was able to play the fairly taxing 3-D spaceship
game "Eve Online," which has been difficult or impossible on a non-Pro
MacBook before.
My favorite upgrade is the external battery indicator, which should be
passed into law. Pressing a small button on the side of the laptop will
light a row of eight diodes to tell you how much charge is left in the
battery, even if the computer is off. Previous MacBooks had these
indicators on the battery, so you had to turn the unit upside down to
get a readout. A few Windows laptops have indicators on their batteries,
but I don't know of any that are as convenient to read as the new
MacBook's. Most laptops have no external indicators at all, so you have
to turn them on to find out whether they need charging.
The new model weighs 4.5 pounds, half a pound less than the White, yet
it has longer battery life. Apple says it's good for five hours of
"wireless productivity," which presumably includes periods of
inactivity. I got one hour and 50 minutes of life from the battery when
I played movies and games nonstop at full screen brightness.
Like all Apple laptops, the MacBook lacks a slot for data cards from
cameras, phones and music players. This isn't a problem if you're
carrying the right cable to connect your camera via the USB port, but
isn't Apple supposed to be about easy, elegant computing?
Also, the MacBook has only two USB ports, and they're both on the left
side of the body. If you use a mouse with your right hand, the cable has
to snake around.
Casting a glance at the competition from the Windows side:
Hewlett-Packard Co.'s new dv3510nr has a screen that's the same size,
also backlit by LEDs and powered by a good graphics chip. It weighs the
same as the MacBook, yet it has a larger hard drive, a backlit keyboard,
a card reader and three USB ports, one of which one doubles as the kind
of port needed for the newest, fastest external hard drives. Another
port lets you connect the computer to a high-definition TV set with a
standard cable. All for $100 less than the MacBook.
Of course, the HP computer is plastic, but from a utilitarian point of
view, that isn't a bad material for consumer electronics. It's tough.
It's light. It's easy to manufacture. High-end cameras used to have
shells of brass and aluminum, but they were prone to denting, so the
metal was phased out in favor of plastics that were tougher and gave a
better grip. (In fairness to aluminum, it is much easier to recycle than
plastic. Apple made several other environmentally conscious choices in
designing the MacBook.)
The new MacBook is an excellent computer, but doesn't really the change
the advice I would give people who are looking for a new laptop. If
you're price-conscious but really want Apple software, get the $1,000
MacBook White. If you're price-conscious but not set on Apple software,
get a Windows laptop. If you aren't price-conscious ... hey, can you
spare me a hundred bucks?
Microsoft Issues 'Critical' Patch Outside Normal Cycle
Microsoft will issue a patch for a "critical" security flaw in Windows,
the company said Thursday. The patch comes outside of its normal monthly
patching cycle due to the severity of the issue.
The vulnerability can result in a remote code execution, in which
malicious attackers could take control of a user's computer to launch
code.
According to Microsoft's bulletin, the vulnerability is found in Windows
2000 with Service Pack 4, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista,
and Windows Server 2008.
Issuing patches outside of its monthly cycle is rare for Microsoft. The
last time it happened was April 2007, according to a Microsoft
representative.
Draft Rules Issued for New Net Suffixes, at $200K
The Internet's key oversight agency issued preliminary guidelines
Wednesday for the introduction of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of
alternatives to ".com" in the first sweeping changes to the network's
25-year-old address system.
But individuals should forget about claiming a personal domain name
suffix for themselves or their families.
The application fee, scheduled to be disclosed Friday, is expected to
approach $200,000 - partially refundable only in limited circumstances -
to help cover the potential $20 million cost of crafting the guidelines
and reviewing applications.
By contrast, the cost of a personal domain name as part of an existing
suffix like ".com" is typically less than $10. Individuals should still
be able to register addresses that cheaply; what would be costly is
getting their own suffix.
The new suffixes could cover locations such as ".nyc" and ".berlin" or
industries such as ".bank." Though the hefty application fees will
likely curb a rush for individual vanity names, larger companies might
claim brands - like ".disney."
The draft rules would permit addresses entirely in non-English languages
for the first time and ban suffixes that use only numerals, to avoid
technical conflicts. The proposals also address potential conflicts,
such multiple requests for the same name or a bid for someone else's
trademark or a geographic location.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names or Numbers, or ICANN, is
accepting comments from the public for 45 days and plans to start
accepting bids early next year. New names won't start appearing in use
until at least the end of 2009.
Russia Blocks Google From Acquiring Competitor
Russia has stopped the acquisition of a company by Internet search
giant Google. The Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) blocked
Google from acquiring Zao Begun, a text-advertising and
contextual-search company owned by Rambler Media. Zao serves more than
143,000 Russian-language Web sites.
"We are very disappointed to hear that FAS has come to this decision,"
said Vladimir Dolgov, Google's business manager in Russia. "We strongly
believe that this acquisition will enable us to significantly improve
opportunities for Russian users, advertisers and publishers as well as
the entire industry."
"At this time we are reviewing FAS's decision," Dolgov added. "Once this
process is complete, we will decide on our next steps."
The FAS said it received a petition from Kokuna Holdings Ltd. (owned by
Google) about purchasing all the shares of Zao. After studying "the
received materials and information on the transaction, FAS Russia,
governed by Clause 5 Part 2 Article 33 of the Federal Law On Protection
of Competition dismissed the petition," FAS says on its Web site.
FAS's chief, Igor Artemyev, told a Russian online publication that
Google had not provided accurate and adequate information about the
acquisition.
When Google announced the deal with Rambler in July, the company said
the acquisition would give advertisers access to a broader network of
sites. Google has been working to gain a larger market share in Russia
and planned to build on Zao's experience building advertising, dealer
networks, and direct sales in Russia.
Rambler had planned to use Google's AdSense technology on its Web sites.
The company, which already owned 51 percent of Zao, was in the midst of
acquiring the remaining shares from Finama Bannatyne to sell the entire
company to Google.
Google has struggled to gain market share in Russia. Cofounded by Moscow
native Sergey Brin, Google hasn't been well received in Russia and
Rambler was one of Google's biggest competitors.
Google has made it clear in published reports that Russia is important
to the company's growth. Russia has the fastest-growing online
population in Europe, rising 27 percent year over year, according to
comScore. And the opportunity for growth is enormous, since comScore
estimates that only 14 percent of Russia's population is currently
online.
The chance for gaining ad dollars is huge as Russia is expected to
experience more ad growth than any other European market in 2008,
according to Carat, a media and consulting company.
Fake Story About Steve Jobs Planted by Teenager
The fake story submitted to CNN's iReport site that Apple CEO Steve
Jobs had suffered a heart attack was the work of an 18-year-old,
according to a report.
Bloomberg is reporting that investigators have determined that the
teenager planted the story on CNN's user-generated news site. But they
have found no evidence that the suspect attempted to profit from the
sharp drop in Apple's stock that occurred after Silicon Alley Insider
picked up the CNN posting and published it before verifying whether it
was true. The suspect was not named, but the Securities and Exchange
Commission has been trying to determine if the story was planted with
the idea of making money in the stock market, which would be a crime.
Apple has been forced to deal with all kinds of speculation regarding
Jobs' health this year, and any report that his health might be in
danger is sure to be met with a frantic response from Wall Street
traders who believe Jobs' impact on Apple cannot be overstated.
EU Lawmakers Approve Crackdown on Internet Violence
Cyber-bullying and child pornography will be targeted in a 55 million euro
($70.9 million) scheme agreed by European Union lawmakers on Wednesday.
The European Commission's "Safer Internet" proposal from 2009 to 2013
aims to improve safety for children surfing the Internet, promote public
awareness and create national centers for reporting illegal online content.
European politicians are under increasing pressure to prevent the
Internet becoming a haven for crime.
German police said in August they were investigating around 1,000 people
suspected of having downloaded child pornography after they discovered a
website showing the sexual abuse of two young girls.
And last month, a game in which players kill school students was pulled
from a Finnish children's gaming site, one week after 10 were gunned
down in the country's worst school shooting.
"The most important part of the program is to establish a knowledge base
by bringing together researchers engaged in child safety online at
European level," said Romanian Conservative lawmaker Csaba Sogor.
"We foresee contact points and hotlines for reporting online illegal
content and abusive conduct."
Sogor cited a Eurobarometer survey that he said showed 74 percent of
children aged 12 to 15 surfed the Internet for at least three hours a
day, and nearly all had viewed pornography.
EU lawmakers backed an amended version of the Commission's proposal with
increased emphasis on some new problems on the world wide web, such as
harassment and the distribution of violent video clips.
The amended proposals were adopted with 672 votes in favor and nine
against, and are expected to be swiftly approved by EU member states.
Microsoft Celebrates Antipiracy Day
Microsoft plans on Tuesday to announce "Global Anti-Piracy Day," an
effort to gain attention for the steps the company undertakes in order
to thwart those who would profit from illegitimate software.
As part of the event, Microsoft is highlighting recent antipiracy
efforts in 49 countries, ranging from the filing of lawsuits in the U.S.
to a seminar for journalists in Pakistan.
It's the kind of thing that Microsoft does all the time, although the
company is aiming for some added ink by grouping together so many
actions at once.
"One of the things we want to illustrate with this announcement is the
diverse nature of the work," associate general counsel David Finn said
in an interview from Singapore.
The third pillar of Microsoft's efforts is its engineering work, adding
programs like Windows Genuine Advantage that are designed to make it
harder - and less rewarding - to copy Microsoft's products.
Whether it's a testament to tougher engineering or the lukewarm response
to Vista, or some combination, Windows XP continues to be copied far
more than its successor.
"We continue to see much more counterfeit Windows XP," said Finn, who
actually says the company is predicting a rise in XP pirating as the
last legitimate copies of the OS wind their way off retail shelves.
Overall, Finn said Microsoft and the software industry are making
progress in some areas. He noted that the piracy rate in Western Europe
has dropped to about 34 percent from the 78 percent level in 1991.
At the same time, however, rates still top 90 percent in some emerging
markets. And even in the U.S., where rates are a relatively low 20
percent, that still means 1 in 5 software installations are illegitimate.
"It thwarts innovation," he said.
Do You Really Want a Vista PC in Your Car?
Westwell and Azentek announced the the world's first fully integrated
in-car PCs, the Azentek CPC-1200 and CPC-1100 in-dash car computer
systems, in Australia. The PCs act as high-end car stereos, and also
offer GPS navigation, mobile phone integration via Bluetooth, multimedia
playback and automobile diagnostics.
The CPC-1200 is a complete Microsoft Vista-based PC with a 1.66 GHz
Intel Core Duo T2300 processor and 1GB of RAM. It plays DVDs, music and
Internet radio, offers GPS functionality with a touch screen, can make
and receive mobile calls, and offers voice-enabled e-mail - all in one
2-DIN unit with a 6.5-inch LCD TFT touch screen monitor. The CPC-1100 is
even more compact, fitting in just 1-DIN, but leaves out the CD drive;
instead, it uses a 7-inch motorized LCD TFT touch screen. Look for both
units in December in Australia; pricing is officially "to be determined".
=~=~=~=
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