Well as I will be doing a news section on the podcast, I thought it was also fitting to cover some news here on the blog.  I will still be doing my other segments “Packard’s Tips” and “Packard’s Gripes” as well.

This week as you all know (unless you have been under a rock someplace) that the new Mac OS X 10.6 has come out. Now with it’s shelf life less than a week old, there are already rumblings of an update to 10.6.1! From what I have uncovered so far, that this latest update has been due to the multitude if program incompatibilities and on some systems a dreaded Spinning Beach Ball Of Death (SBBOD)!  One thing that Apple has been known for is pressing forward with their operating systems to keep bringing us closer the point of something that only really Apple knows for sure where it want to bring it’s users to their way of thinking or way using technology around us.  Recently, I also uncovered that with this latest update, according to someone that that I spoke with that works with Apple, during the install of 10.6 should you have to force the install to restart by rebooting or suffer a power outage, it will have a better chance of picking up and getting messed up during this upgrade.  I have also been hearing and from my own personal experiences with the “new OS” that a lot of the upgrades are so far under the hood that a lot of code will have to be rewritten to take advantage of this new system. Other than a few items, that have been “polished” there isn’t really too much new with this “update” from Apple. Is there a reason to rush out and get this latest update?  I would have to say no.  Was the price right for the amount of upgrades, perhaps, but by all accounts it isn’t a “new” OS but one that feels more like a service pack.

What are your thoughts on the latest “update” from Apple? Love it, hate it, or just waiting on the side for the fluff to settle?

I’ve been listening to my normal bout of podcasts and such lately and it seems that many are being very critical of Apple recently.  The purpose of this blog is to discuss this perception that is created, in large by the media, and whether it is accurate or not.

First, it should be known that recent practices that have come to light to the public at large are not a recent change for Apple.  We’ll discuss this more in a bit.

Apple has made several business decisions over the years that have brought them great wealth and great losses.  What we are talking about is the company’s decisions on how to approach computers and consumer electronics.  The products may be niche products, but they represent Apple’s attempt to enter certain markets that they feel they can compete.  Apple invested millions in the products they produce and they aggressively promote and defend those products in the market.  Many successful products go through the same basic process to gain market share.

The exact process of how Apple goes through the development process is a tightly held company secret.  One things that appears to be generally agreed upon is that the products developed are created first through design and then through engineering.  This mean the company is highly focused on the user experience from cradle to grave.  For those who have purchased Apple products, you’ll know that every detail is considered right  from the moment you open the box.  The consider the materials, the finish, the fit, the presence and location of every screw.  Often this leads to the use of materials that may be more expensive or manufacturing processes that cost more to setup and run.

So, h0w does this matter when we are talking about the current market environment as it relates to Apple?  Simple.  They are continuing to run their business as they always have, and it currently is working out well for them.  The company is both profitable and successful.

So, why doesn’t Apple let you upgrade their computers (except the Mac Pro which is upgradeable)?  One could argue that the vast majority of customers have neither the knowledge nor the desire to do so.  They want to plug in the device and have it just work — like a light switch.  Once you add the ability to change the hardware to random bits and bobs, the ability for the system to be stable drops considerably and support costs go up dramatically.

So, why doesn’t Apple let you put OS X on any machine?  I’m not sure the reasoning is any different than the above.  Companies spend big money supporting the configurations involved, whether it is internal IT or someone calling Microsoft for help with a problem.  You could also ask the question;  Why can’t I put my TomTom software on my Garmin?  Why would you want to?

So, why doesn’t Apple allow you to run multiple apps at the same time on the iPhone?  User experience.  On other platforms that do permit this, battery life is usually unacceptable.  Background apps are always consuming resources whether you know they are or not.  As an iPhone user, I’m not sure how much I’d use it for practical purposes, and I haven’t had a situation where I needed it.

So, why doesn’t Apple just allow any application into the iTunes App Store?  A poor application can have several negative impacts to the phone.  For example, crashing my be perceived as an iPhone issue which raises support costs.  Malicious apps could attempt to steal personal information.  Apple may also be restricted by AT&T for the types of applications that they will permit on their network (since many will indicate it’s not great to start with).

Apple decided that all of the other features on the iPhone aside, it still needs to be a phone.  Like their other products it has just work.  I know that of all the phones I’ve owned, nothing allowed me to really take advantage of some of the basics like the iPhone did.  SMS on traditional phones is a painful process unless you were born after 1990.  For the rest of us, it’s pure torture.

If you do not want to deal with the decisions that Apple has made, then you have choices.  Buy an Android phone, or buy any of the cacophony of computers available and run Linux or Windows, or what have you.  You have choices.  You wouldn’t go into Burger King and demand they make you a Big Mac, would you?

Does this mean Apple is right?  No.  Does this mean those that don’t agree don’t have a right to say so?  No.  Apple sells millions of devices a year, and there is always going to be some complaints.  However, the market seems to be responding with their wallets and indicating the methods Apple is using to approach their devices suits their needs.

It’s also important to say that Apple is making other manufacturers try harder to make products their customers want.  Windows copies from OS X time after time.  The cellphone industry has gone through a revolution by the appearance of the iPhone.  Even if you hate everything about Apple, you have to keep in mind that the alternatives you choose have been influenced by the existence of Apple challenging the status quo.

Apple provided me an alternative to the distractions and frustrations presented by the other devices I worked with over the  years.  I don’t feel as though I made a compromise, and I’m much happier with the solutions I have today with the Apple logo.

footnote:  I am not an employee of Apple, nor do I own any stock or represent them in any way.  I’m just a person that buys products and has an opinion.

by Brian Hertziger

First of all, I want to thank Cal for inviting me to be a guest-blogger at the PC/Mac Smackdown.  I’ve been a listener of the program from the first episode and now a regular participant in the foray.

I started out my Apple experience many decades ago with the early Apple ][ computers, owning an Apple ][e.  From there, I moved to the Windows platform, and remained there for decades.  I worked in IT supporting the Windows platforms.  Perhaps the years of supporting Windows and dealing with their many shortcomings, I opted to slide over to the Mac.  It was an experiment, but it worked out in ways that I could not have expected.

One of the downstream benefits of the change to Apple was the experiment with renting and watching movies via iTunes.  I tested the concept that way and then decided that it worked well enough that I purchased an Apple TV.

First of all, if you buy an Apple TV -- save yourself some money and buy it from the Apple online store in the Refurbs section.  They're as good as new and save you money.

Next, all you need is a TV with a component in OR an HDMI connection and a network connection and you're set.  It was "Apple Easy" for me to setup (I just had to provide my WPA password so it could get on my wireless network).

I used to only rent movies on Apple TV, which was a trouble-free process.  Standard definition movies take a few seconds on my connection to buffer before starting to play.  HD movies take a little longer, but typically 20-30 seconds.  In any case, it is way cheaper than going to the video store and I don't have to get out of my fluffy-bunny slippers (okay, more the wife than me).

A benefit I had not expected is the movies that I had watched because of the trailers (which you can't get at the video store).  I ended up watching movies that I would not have watched if I had just relied on the synopsis at the video store.

I was terribly upset with the local video store and the number of damaged DVDs we ended up renting and had to take back.  Never an issue with Apple TV.

So, my experience has been positive.  So why am I writing this?  Apple has called this product a "hobby".  What does that mean to us as consumers?  Probably nothing.  Apple has been adding features and capabilities, which has made me appreciate the value of my purchase even more.  It certainly doesn't get the high-profile exposure that an iPhone will get, but it has enriched my life .

Are there alternatives?  Yes.  Are they as good?  They may be.  Are they cheaper?  Perhaps.  Does it warrant a look if you're interested in such a thing?  Absolutely.

DVDs are so last century  :)

We had a really awesome show on our other podcast called The App Guys interviewing our first iPhone app developer. We welcome Robert Hogg to discuss his great app iSamurai by ToyKite. This is a fantastic one or two player game that uses the accelerometer in the iPhone in a new and original way.  Turning your iPhone/iPod Touch into a Samurai sword you can go up against the computer or another player via Wi-Fi.  The program actually can tell the difference between moving the phone as a strike or a block.  Just an incredible exploitation of the accelerometer.

Check out the show here: TAG RADIO#7

Subscribe to our podcast here:

YouTube video of iSamurai

Looks like reports are coming in that Apple is going to make an upgrade to Snow Leopard only $9.99 if you buy a Mac between June 8th and September when the new OS is available.  Gee…$20 savings. Wow.  What will I do with that extra cash?  Maybe buy an iTunes gift card? 

Seriously, you have to admit if you are in the Mac camp things are just about perfectly rosy in the upgrade department.  Makes me want to forgo the Dell Mini and get that 13″ MacBook Pro.  More on that on tomorrow night’s show

Hmm….I was looking at the specs of the 13″ MacBook Pro this morning (ok, drooling).  Something struck me as a bit odd.  In comparing all three sizes there is a port that seems to go away on the 13″. See if you can spot it.

Do you see it?  On the 13″ there is no audio line in!  Now, for most that may not be a big deal.  In fact, an M-Audio Transit will do just as well via USB.  However, if you do any kind of streaming via Ustream or other means on the cheap, that little plug can really come in handy.

We welcome your thoughts.

Thanks to our listener, Craig, for cluing us in that yes indeed you can have spotlight check for system aspects.  Here is a screenshot of system preferences where you can set those items:

Craig also sends us some screen shots of his spotlight results in action

You know, we have talked a lot on this show about these two sets of ad campaigns.  When it comes down to it, the conversation always turns to how many of the facts are twisted.  So, let’s hear it!  Which ad campaign do YOU thinks has the most facts WRONG?

Here is the answer from APPLE. Does this hit the mark or fall flat?

As always, I welcome your comments.

Ok, the new Mac commercials are out and the one that has me just floored is the Legal Copy one.

Not only is this one funny but what really kills me is that some websites have the transcript of fine print.  Here is a snipit of it courtesy of MacJournals.com.

Long-as-Mac says that’s a lot of legal copy, so Hodgman-as-PC decides to show off, telling Mac to watch as he says “PCs are now 100% trouble free:”

Please note: trying to remove registry items on your own is not recommended. It is often difficult to determine which items correspond to which applications, and by attempting to remove items yourself, you might accidentally remove a valid registry item, causing software crashes and errors. If a system registry becomes corrupt because you made a mistake when cleaning out the registry, follow these steps: back up data, back up registry, purchase, download, and install Registry Repair program, quit all programs, scan registry, determine safe registry items to repair/delete/remove, then select ok and repeat if necessary. Also, easy to use PCs can experience difficulty if malware, viruses, or spyware infect your PC’s system. There are 1.5 million signature-based malware detections with 20,000 new ones discovered everyday (based on 2008 reporting). Although some viruses are unavoidable, there are some preventative measures that you can take. When you first get your PC, configure your security settings (including things like Internet firewall, automatic updating, anti-virus, anti-spyware and other malware protection, other Internet security settings, and user account control). Eventually you may have to download and install security patches for your operating system and then as security updates become available download and install again. If your PC does get infected with malware talk to your IT professional first about the risks and benefits of treating the problem on your own. Do not try to remove a virus unless your IT professional has taught you and you understand everything. Ask them if you have any questions. Please see accompanying important information about virus protection on your hardware and software manufacturer’s website. Anyone can sit down and edit photos on their PC as long as their computer is running properly. Please note that proper maintenance, specifically disk defragmentation can take anywhere from minutes to hours to run depending on the size of your hard drive and how fragmented it is. Therefore, editing photos might be postponed if you chose to run maintenance on your computer prior to this act. Please note: your camera driver must be installed on your PC in order to review and edit your photos. Your camera will not work with your PC if the software/drivers are not downloaded first. Editing photos on a PC may be difficult for children under a certain age, or for people who are unfamiliar with how a PC works and how to download camera software and drivers. Also, no PC connected to the Internet is one hundred percent immune to viruses, spyware, adware, and other forms of malware. Once a year, PC users should back up a year’s worth of photos and files to a CD or DVD. Power PC users should start fresh and back up all their files and applications on an external hard drive, then use your original system installer disks to erase, rebuild, and reinstall your operating system from scratch. Therefore, if your PC is not one hundred percent trouble free at least you won’t lose all of your files. PC does not claim ownership of problems that occur from materials or software that you downloaded off the Internet. If your warranty has expired, and your PC is not one hundred percent trouble free, you are not eligible for a refund or replacement under the terms of the warranty. In addition, we cannot help you with software or hardware obtained without a warranty, such as software provided “as is “ or for free. Again, if problems continue, please contact your IT professional.

Yikes, this is funny. So, have at it everyone. Let us know what YOU think.

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