August 02, 2005
Apple Mighty mouse
Oh Apple, When will you come out with something that is not awesome.Their new mouse has no buttons. wait. 2 buttons, but it looks like no buttons, or just one button. But it actually has 4 buttons, but two you cant see and two look like they aren't buttons.
It has 360 degree scrolling and touch sensitive buttons. like a touch pad on a laptop.
While other companies have released products like The Mouse form Macmice, which has two buttons and a scroll (which I am using now) Apple released something once again that has surpassed what you expect. Oh! and its only $65 CAN!
* Touch-sensitive top shell
* 360-degree clickable Scroll Ball
* Force-sensing side buttons
* Optical tracking
* PC-compatible (thats right, PC users can use it too.
sweet. I like it. I want it. I am ordering it today.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 04:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 26, 2005
Free iPod Update
Well here is an update for everyone, I have had 2 confirmed referrals, that means only 3 more until I can send out for my iPod and then when I get it give a free iPod shuffle to one lucky person randomly selected from everyone who signed up using my referral.So come on everyone sign up, follow the steps and if you can get some people to sign up, then you can not only possibly get a free iPod, but are entered into a contest to win a free shuffle!
So sign up using my referral here.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 04:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Exciting New Apple information
Well some of this news may be disappointing to you all, but here are the specs for the new Apple products thanks to engadget for the information.Mac Mini
They bumped the specs to 1.25GHz /512MB / 40GB/ combo drive on the $499 model, 1.42GHz / 512MB / 80GB / combo / 802.11g / Bluetooth on the $599 model, and 1.42GHz / 512MB / 80GB / SuperDrive / 802.11g / Bluetooth on their new $699 model
iBook
No widescreen, Its too bad really. I had my hopes set on it, but I didn't think they would release it anyways.
Well, a sudden motion sensor to shut down hard drives if you drop your machine, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11, the enhanced trackpad, and spec bumps to 1.33GHz / 512MB / 40GB / combo drive for $999, and 1.42GHz / 512MB / 60GB / SuperDrive (aka a DVD burner) for $1299.
I'll probably end up getting a 12" ibook just because it is so small and easy to carry around. I like the idea, and If I get one, I'll let you all know.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 04:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2005
Free iPod part II
Alright, turns out there is a problem with my first contest.Please note that "A user may complete more than one offer and may refer more than 5 referrals, but cannot earn more than 1 free product with their account. Any additional referrals or offer completions will not result in any additional free items." Thank you for contacting us.
So Since I can only receive 1 free iPod I have changed things up a bit.
Everyone who signs up and completes their offer, using my referral link is entered into the contest.
The Winner of the contest will receive a free iPod Shuffle (512 version)
Hows that? All you have to do is:
1. You sign up using my referral link (thanks)
2. You then Have to sign up to one of their referral services
(yes it costs money*)
3. Get 5 people to do the same
4. you get a free iPod.
*Yes it costs money, you have to sign up to one of their refferal sites. read the fine print and make sure you are not locked in. But if you read the fine print and everything is okay, then you're good to go!
So not only can YOU receive a free iPod from getting 5 of your friends to sign up, you automatically are entered into a contest to win a free iPod Shuffle. (please not this contest will NOT happen if I dont receive a free iPod from them)
I figure thats a pretty decent way of thanking those who helped me get my iPod.
Good Luck!
Dont worry, I will be hosting another free iPod Shuffle contest soon.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 08:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 21, 2005
iPod iDJ
So you've just bought two iPods, and you want to listen to them both at the same time... or just one, then slowly another,
then the first one again. Well instead of trying to figure out some way to do this without looking like a fool with speakers in each hand waving them around your head.. ok. I went to far. But Numark is going to be selling this awesome iDJ device which is a two-channel mixer that accepts all iPod models with bottom connectors. Both channels sport a 3-band EQ and gain control, and the unit’s got dedicated mic and phono/line inputs for bringing in additional signals. (thanks engadget.com for the info)
No word on its pricing, but if you only have 1 iPod why not get another iPod for free? (yeah.. i'll be dropping that into all my posts)
This is slick equipment. I want one. But I want one of everything.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 11:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 20, 2005
free ipod
ok, so everyone says its a hoax, and everyone says you will never receive an iPod. But now this service is available to Canada. Heres how it works.
1. You sign up using my referral link (thanks)
2. You then Have to sign up to one of their referral services
(yes it costs money*)
3. Get 5 people to do the same
4. you get a free iPod.
*Yes it costs money, you have to sign up to one of their refferal sites. read the fine print and make sure you are not locked in. But if you read the fine print and everything is okay, then you're good to go!
yeah. We'll see if it works.
Basically if it works, I'll let you know. Post a big post about how excited I am and tell all of you to get people to sign up. Hell a free ipod is pretty good.
And If by chance I get 10 referrals, then the second Ipod will be given away as a prize, and I will automatically enter everyone that signed up using me as a referral. (so you can win either way) and hell paying a small amount to get entered into a 1 in 10 chance of winning an iPod is pretty good.
Yes I win either way. But thats what it is all about.
So if you sign up, then get 5 friends to sign up then you get an ipod.
Its that easy. (I hope)
I bet these people cant argue with free iPods.
Derek from Forevergeek.com recieved one
Andrew from Gearlive got one
Articles are below
Wired News
Engadget Covered this company here
So Gratis Networks has set up a site called FreeiPods.com that is giving away your choice of an iPod mini, a 15GB iPod, or a $250 gift certificate to the iTunes Music Store. All you have to do is sign up, click on one of their offers, and then convince five other people to do the same. We smelled a scam in there somewhere, or possibly scamola, and since our whiny emails to the company asking them to explain how exactly this worked went unanswered, we decided to just call them up to try and sort things out.
The company rep we spoke to insisted that this thing was for real and that they had already given away about 400 iPods to people. To get it to work you actually have to sign up for one of their sponsors’ offers (like the Columbia House DVD club, the GM credit card, AOL for Broadband, etc.) and also get five other people to also take them up on one of their offers. Gratis Networks picks up a decent referral fee for every one that’s completed, and since it’s a lot harder than it sounds to also get five of your friends to sign up for AOL (for example), they only have to ship out free iPods to a relatively small percentage of people, while simply pocketing the cash for anyone who is able to only get four people or fewer to sign up (the company rep admitted that they lose money whenever someone gets five people to complete orders, since it means they have to ship out an iPod). Anyway, if you’ve got five friends you can convince to do this who also think they each have five friends they can convince to do this, you might just find yourself just maybe getting a free iPod.
The company rep we spoke to insisted that this thing was for real and that they had already given away about 400 iPods to people. To get it to work you actually have to sign up for one of their sponsors’ offers (like the Columbia House DVD club, the GM credit card, AOL for Broadband, etc.) and also get five other people to also take them up on one of their offers. Gratis Networks picks up a decent referral fee for every one that’s completed, and since it’s a lot harder than it sounds to also get five of your friends to sign up for AOL (for example), they only have to ship out free iPods to a relatively small percentage of people, while simply pocketing the cash for anyone who is able to only get four people or fewer to sign up (the company rep admitted that they lose money whenever someone gets five people to complete orders, since it means they have to ship out an iPod). Anyway, if you’ve got five friends you can convince to do this who also think they each have five friends they can convince to do this, you might just find yourself just maybe getting a free iPod.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 06:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 19, 2005
There's More to the Apple/Intel Deal Than Even Bob Thought At First
Advidly awaiting more information regarding Apple and Intel I was emailed a link to this article. Very interesting indeed.More Shoes
There's More to the Apple/Intel Deal Than Even Bob Thought At First
By Robert X. Cringely (originally posted here)
There's this expression, "Waiting for the second shoe to drop." It means that a first clue is often followed by a second clue that gives more information about what's happening. Lots of us use the expression, but where does it come from? (Funny you should ask. The explanation can be found in this week's links.)
Shoes are dropping all over, in this case concerning a story I thought we had finished with: Apple and Intel. You see, IBM announced its new dual-core PowerPC processors a few days ago, and they pretty much contradict much of what Steve Jobs was saying about how he'd compared IBM's processor timeline with Intel's, and frankly, they simply didn't compare. IBM's G5 dual cores look easily comparable to Intel's Pentium Ds, both in terms of computing power and electrical power consumption. So what's really up?
One theory propagated by a very good ArsTechnica column (it's in this week's links) is that Apple simply over-negotiated its supply deal with IBM, asking for so much that IBM finally told Steve Jobs to take a hike. This is certainly within the capabilities of both Apple and IBM. Apple always asks for the moon and IBM sometimes walks away from a big deal that doesn't appear to be profitable enough.
While all this is very possible, it is not likely what is happening here.
The very fine writer of the ArsTechnica column, and indeed, any number of other very fine writers over the last several days have made an incorrect assumption in their analyses of the IBM announcement. They are assuming Apple won't use the new dual-core PowerPC chips.
But Apple WILL use the new chips.
Remember in his original announcement of the Intel alliance, Steve Jobs said the full changeover to Intel would take two years, that it would be a year before the first Apple Intel machine appeared and those machines would start toward the low end, presumably with the Mini and iBook. He also said that there were be many exciting and powerful Mac models yet to be introduced that would use PowerPC chips.
So what are to we to expect from Apple? Would the company petulantly reject these new dual-core processors for the subsequent generation or two of high-end Macs yet to come before the Intel changeover is complete? That would be crazy. Apple will use the highest-power IBM chips it can get for its top-end Macs right up to the point where it makes the jump to Intel.
Go back to the transcript: He told us that. It was a shoe dropping only we didn't know it at the time.
This simple knowledge changes everything. And it certainly justifies a second look back at the Apple/Intel announcement and what the heck is really going on.
For all Steve had to say about IBM's supposedly puny processor roadmap, he had to have known these dual-core chips were coming. But since they weren't mentioned at that time in the official IBM roadmap, he didn't have to refer to them. This says a lot about the timing of the announcement. I wondered why Apple was pre-announcing the processor jump by a year or more? The timing was unknowingly set by IBM. To have the greatest impact, Apple had to make the announcement before IBM revealed the new dual-core chips so the pundits would buy the move as logical, so that the announcement would help Intel and hurt IBM the most.
Why would Apple want to hurt IBM? Apple wouldn't, but Intel WOULD. That had to have been part of the deal with Intel, to kick IBM in the corporate groin, and Jobs certainly did so. Now what's in it for Steve? This is not solely about the price of chips
The whole Apple/Intel deal gets curiouser and curiouser. I wonder if Apple even intends to go forward with the changeover? My guess is they will, but only if Intel complies fully with more unannounced terms of the deal.
Another shoe fell recently with the announcement of Intel's investment in actor Morgan Freeman's online movie distribution startup, ClickStar. Here is the most important part of that announcement: "The company's strategy is to provide the marketing and distribution expertise required to enable the release of first-run films before they're released on DVD and delivered directly to Intel's digital home entertainment devices."
What digital home entertainment devices would these be?
I've looked and can't find any. Sure, Intel has plenty of information on its Digital Home web site about digital home entertainment products from its many hardware OEMs, but there is very little you can buy right now under the Intel brand name.
Press releases aren't written lightly or without nuance. In the ClickStar announcement. Intel was declaring its intention to introduce, presumably in time for Christmas, a family of Intel-branded home entertainment devices. If they had meant devices from Dell or HP, they would have written that.
Now take a look at the ClickStar web site. It isn't clickstar.com, but clickstarinc.com, which tell us that the name is probably a placeholder. If they really intended to use the trade name "ClickStar," they would have tied-up the domain prior to the announcement. When the service finally appears, then, it will probably be called something else.
I think it will be called the "iTunes Movie Store."
See, we're back to Apple. As I have written in previous columns, Apple is working on its own movie download service (HD movies at that!), and I believe that service and ClickStar are one in the same.
Good pricing is not enough reward for Steve Jobs kicking IBM in the corporate groin at the behest of Intel. Let's guess, then, that not only will ClickStar morph into ITMS, but that Intel's "digital home entertainment devices" will be ITMS-compliant. No Microsoft, no Real, just H.264, FairPlay, and something behind Door Number Three, where we'll find yet another shoe.
This third shoe is Apple's closeout sale on the iPod Photo, which is suddenly and inexplicably $150-off all over town. Get ready for the Video iPod, which will presumably be available from more than just Apple. HP is already on board and these clues suggest Intel is likely there, too.
Apple of course has said it isn't doing a Video iPod. To suddenly change their mind is nothing new: They'd describe it as the technology finally coming along to the point where it can finally support a video device that meet's Apple's high quality standards. But I don't think that's clever enough for Apple.
This week, France Telecom's wireless unit Orange SA announced that it was buying 230,000 video headsets so customers could look like Levar Burton and watch movies on their 3G mobile phones. The stereo headsets plug in to the mobile phones. Video quality isn't very good at 320-by-240 (hey, that's precisely NerdTV quality!), but what about a higher resolution display, possibly a retinal scan display, for the Video iPod? It's the only way to extend Apple's "Year of HD" to its tiniest platform.
Nearly all of the retinal scan patents are held by Bothell, Washington-based MicroVision, a company I have written about in the past. And from the look of the SEC filings, a lot is happening up there in Bothell. As always I have no insider information at all, but it wouldn't surprise me if Apple introduced a super-high-capacity iPod and a separate retinal-scan display. It will be aimed at the very high end of the price scale, just like the Apple Cinema Display originally cost $4,000 for what now costs less than $1,000. The retinal scan display won't be cheap, but it will be cool, and it will be some permutation of HD, too.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 07:01 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 14, 2005
Apple Developer machines w/intel
Developers are renting "Macs" which According Apple Insider are "Apple Development Platform (ADP 2,1)" and sport a 3.6 GHz Intel Pentium 4 with 2 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz front-side bus, and 4 DIMM slots -- two of which are occupied by 512MB 533MHz DDR2 Dual Channel SDRAM modules for a total of 1GB of SDRAM.These development-based Intel Macs appear to be shipping in a slightly modified aluminum Power Mac G5 enclosure that sports an altered cooling system consisting of a different fan configuration. Located at the rear of the unit are two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet connector, and one FireWire 400 port. On the front of the unit developers have access to a headphone jack, one USB 2.0 port, one FireWire 400 Port and a micro switch that comes mounted next to the power switch and can be activated by a paperclip. However, its function is unknown.
Also shipping inside the development kit packages is a keyboard, mouse, power cable, keyboard cable, and Mac OS X 10.4.1 for Intel DVD. Sources so far have reported absolutely no luck in their attempts to boot the included copy of Mac OS X for Intel on other PC systems. In their attempts to do so, they have reportedly been met by error messages stating that the PC hardware configurations are not supported by Darwin -- the underlying UNIX-based foundation to Mac OS X.
Also shipping inside the development kit packages is a keyboard, mouse, power cable, keyboard cable, and Mac OS X 10.4.1 for Intel DVD. Sources so far have reported absolutely no luck in their attempts to boot the included copy of Mac OS X for Intel on other PC systems. In their attempts to do so, they have reportedly been met by error messages stating that the PC hardware configurations are not supported by Darwin -- the underlying UNIX-based foundation to Mac OS X.
"It's fast," said a developer "Faster than [Mac OS X] on my Dual 2GHz Power Mac G5." These Computers with the included version of Mac OS X for Intel takes "as little as 10 seconds" to boot to the Desktop from when the Apple logo first displays on screen.
Article sourced from Apple Insider Read the full article here
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 10:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 11, 2005
Apple iCupdock
Apple Computer may introduce an iPod accessory that allows users to hold your iPod in the cup-holder of an automobile. Thats right, now you no longer have to figure out a fancy way of supporting your ipod in your car! Some people have used Double sided adhesive velcro, others have managed to convert a cellphone holder to secure the iPod to a vent. The only problem now, is that with limited cup holders, some vehicles might require the passenger to hold their own super cold frozen beverage, causing inevitable discomfort.
original article from Apple Insider
In a February filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Apple describes the "electronic device holder" as an "apparatus that can secure an electronic device and be inserted into a conventional cup holder. The cup holder, for example, is inside of an automobile."
Similar to Belkin's (US)$30 TuneDok, the Apple iPod dock employs adapting sleeves that fit around the base of the apparatus and can be used to adapt the device holder to cup holders of different sizes and shapes.
The base of the unit -- the part which gets inserted into the cup-holder -- includes a winding spool for managing the cable used to connect the iPod to an automobile's audio system. By contrast, the TuneDok uses a "desecrate cable-management clip."
Throughout the patent filing, Apple implies that the rudimentary dock design could be adapted to secure devices other than iPods. "The electronic device being held can be a variety of devices that include a digital music player," the filing states.
Matthew Rohrbach, an Apple employee residing in San Francisco, Calif. is credited with invention. Mr. Rohrbach's name has also appeared in earlier Apple hardware design patents. Most notably, he is credited for his part in the design of an Apple tablet computer system that was never brought to market.
In a February filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Apple describes the "electronic device holder" as an "apparatus that can secure an electronic device and be inserted into a conventional cup holder. The cup holder, for example, is inside of an automobile."
Similar to Belkin's (US)$30 TuneDok, the Apple iPod dock employs adapting sleeves that fit around the base of the apparatus and can be used to adapt the device holder to cup holders of different sizes and shapes.
The base of the unit -- the part which gets inserted into the cup-holder -- includes a winding spool for managing the cable used to connect the iPod to an automobile's audio system. By contrast, the TuneDok uses a "desecrate cable-management clip."
Throughout the patent filing, Apple implies that the rudimentary dock design could be adapted to secure devices other than iPods. "The electronic device being held can be a variety of devices that include a digital music player," the filing states.
Matthew Rohrbach, an Apple employee residing in San Francisco, Calif. is credited with invention. Mr. Rohrbach's name has also appeared in earlier Apple hardware design patents. Most notably, he is credited for his part in the design of an Apple tablet computer system that was never brought to market.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 10:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 03, 2005
iPod ICU (for 4G click wheels)
If you use your ipod as much as I do and consider it a daily necessity you may want to know how you fix it should it ever become ill.
Occasionally our wonderful electronic devices develop frustrating, hate inducing hiccups. Personally I've had a few of these recently happen with my iPod. The first such instance occurred when my ipod decided not to turn on. After some asking around the office and some googling I discovered a fix.
To perform a soft reset (meaning you don't lose any of your songs or files) plug your iPod to the wall via your supplied firewire cable. Then move the manual lock button back and forth for 5 seconds. Once finished depress you center button and the menu button until the onscreen apple appears. After a few seconds you will return to your typical menu.
The next problem I ran into was that every time i plugged in my iPod to my computer iTunes would quit. I am not sure what was the cause of this problem but I did find out how to fix it. Should your iPod go completely daft, simply find a file somewhere in your system called iPod updater (there should be several). This application will allow you to completely wipe your HD and then reinstall the iPod software. The only draw back is that you will have to re-import all of your songs, files, podcasts....etc. This is very simple, plug in your iPod, open the iPod updater and then click the restore button. Your iPod will be empty but it is much better than having a 3-4 hundred dollar paperweight.
Cheers,
Posted by steve horvath at 09:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 28, 2005
Colour
While trying to find the time to make a post about Toronto's new Brand (Toronto Unlimited) I happend across some new that apple has once again anihilated one of its products..
The Black and white ipod is no longer available. All that is left Is the shuffle, iPod mini(still B&W however), and the iPod Photo. In fact there is no 30GB anymore. Only the 20GB and 60GB remain, and at a decent cost of $379 (CDN) and $519 (CDN) it isn't that bad of a deal.
The 20GB and 60GB have support for Podcast bookmarking, the standard iPod photo features and camera connector support.
While other companies are busy trying to impersonate the iPod (the Ipod MP4 player) Apple continues to improve their products and add new features.
Before I go and purchase an ipod, I will wait for an "iPod Video", but those of you who have an iPod Photo can play Videos!
The iPod Linux folks keep amazing us with how much flexibility they are continually wringing out of the iPod. One of the most recent gemstones is the iPod Linux Video Player. True enough, now an iPod running Linux can playback uncompressed (for now) AVI encoded video on its built-in LCD. The info site provides much more information along with downloadable videos of an iPod playing AVIs, for those not looking to actually install Linux on their iPod, as well as some sample, uncompressed AVIs to play on your Linux-equipped iPod. Most impressive!
Basically, you just have to Install Linux on your iPod, the downside of all this is that it can only play uncompressed AVI files. (The iPod Shuffle advertisements are 115Mb uncompressed) So I can't imagine how much space a television episode or even a full movie might take up.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 07:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 16, 2005
Single processor is history
If you were thinking of purchasing one a single processor Power Mac any time soon, you can forget it. As of today Apple removed the single processor g5 from its Online Store, You can probably still find some kicking around at any Authorized Apple Dealer, but why? When you can get a dual processor 2.0Ghz for just over $400 more?
Hopefully if when apple officially switches to the Intel Processor there will be a price drop and you can get even more "Bang for your buck"....
Original Article found here
Have I ever mentioned how much I love engadget? What a spectacular site. Always providing me with up to date information on the latest in cool technology. 
Like this! A wonderful new handy device called the Soldius1 Solar Phone Charger. Now you can charge your mobile phone in just 2 to 3 hours! Soldius, a company based out of the Netherlands hopes to have it compatable with ipods and are that capability is under development as we speak. at 85 grams in weight this little device would be anyones best friend on a sunny day.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 12:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack