Mac
NetNewsWire loves Google Reader
I've wanted a desktop client that syncs with Google Reader for a long time and I'm glad that Brent Simmons is developing it:
The public beta of NetNewsWire 3.2b6 is on nnwbeta.com. Includes Google Reader syncing, send to Instapaper, and a new app icon.
Via inessential.com
Apple Mac OS X's video memory usage
Anand Lal Shimpi:
While it would take 70 normal windows to max out the 512MB of video memory on a GeForce GT 120 at 2560 x 1600, it would take less than nine 12MP images open in Photoshop to do the same. And once again, you don’t get that memory back when you close your images - only after you exit Photoshop. Most other windows in OS X will give you your GPU memory back as soon as you close the window.
The post is a snippet of his full review of EVGA’s GeForce GTX 285 Mac Edition video card. He's published it ahead of his full review to gather feedback on this new approach. I prefer the whole article instead of little snippets.
Code Sorcery releases Pukka 1.8
Congrats to Code Sorcery on the release of Pukka 1.8. One of the major new features is search and although I haven't tried it yet, it looks pretty cool.
Path Finder 5.0
Cocoatech's Path Finder hits version 5.0. It's by far the best replacement I've seen for Apple's Finder. Too bad this one's for Mac OS 10.5+ only...
Path Finder 5.0 is available, more file-management power Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
Extra description?
Hm, where’s the extra description?
[wp_caption id="" align=“aligncenter” width=“408” caption=“getBundle.png”]
[/wp_caption]
Got this in TextMate when choosing ‘Show Bundles on Repository’ in the GetBundle bundle.
LinkedIn Engineer perks
Wow, I'm soo browsing the LinkedIn job board:
A new engineer that comes in gets a new MacPro with dual quad-core CPUs and 12GB of ram and a MacBook Pro. The down side of the whole deal is that you have to choose between two 23" or one 30" Apple Cinema display.
Via the LinkedIn blog
Rogers Voice & Data Packages for iPhone
Rogers announces its voice and data packages for the hugely anticipated Apple iPhone available July 11th in Canada. Prices start at $60 per month and include a 400Mb data limit. Even the most expensive package at $115 per month doesn't include unlimited data.
Rogers.com - iPhone 3G Voice & Data Packages
(Via Daring Fireball)
Weather widget - Freezing rain
Mac OS X Tiger (10.4) comes with a program called Dashboard which is an application where you can view and manage widgets. Think of widgets as mini-applications. They're actually all over the place these days, with Yahoo!, Google, Opera and probably many other companies producing them en-masse. In any case, Mac OS X ships with some pretty handy widgets including one for weather. As you may have guessed, I really like that widget have posted images of it on this blog. When I took a look at the weather widget today, this is what I saw:
I think that's supposed to be freezing rain! Pretty awesome image eh?
NetNewsWire, FeedDemon and more, officially free!
I remember reading this in FeedReader at work and at first I was in denial but after reading the post more calmly, I realized it was true! Brent Simmons, the author of the very popular Mac RSS reader NetNewsWire announced on his blog that all NetNewsWire, FeedDemon, Newsgator Inbox and NewsGator Go! are now free. That’s right, free. For those aware of the popularity of NetNewsWire in the Mac software community, it’s rather shocking that one of the most successful indie Mac applications is going this route.
The announcement makes me glad that I didn’t purchase NetNewsWire even though its synchronization feature made me think twice about using NewsFire (which I did purchase).
Check out the official Newsgator Inc. press release here.
By the way, in case you’re wondering, I find NetNewsWire to be way more pleasurable to use than FeedDemon. Macs rock.
Ars Technica's Leopard Review
Just like last year’s Mac OS X Tiger review, Ars Technica pumps out another in-depth review of Mac OS X Leopard. The review isn’t just a listing of new features (Time Machine, Spaces etc.) but a critical analysis the visual and technical aspects of Apple’s new cat. Here’s a taste of what you can expect:
The new, standardized window style makes the biggest visual impact and is the best aspect of the new design. At the other end of the spectrum are the baffling alterations and adornments that make Leopard less usable and (in many cases) less pleasant to look at. There are small visual improvements in individual applications, but the overall look of the OS proper is foundering.
After reading the sections on the Dock and Menu Bar, I’m not sure if I like the new visual changes. But then again, maybe it’s just something that takes getting used to. After giving it much thought, I think I’ll be keeping Tiger on the iBook and save Leopard for a new mac (I hope that’s soon!)
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: the Ars Technica review, via Ars Technica
Sidi Faraz switches to a Mac
It’s always great to welcome another “switcher” into the family. But this time I’ve great pleasure in relaying to you that Brother Faraz Rabbani has left the world of Windows behind and has switched to a Mac.
By the way, what a first Mac! It’s Apple’s top-of-the-line portable, the 17-inch MacBook Pro.
MashaAllah!
As of a few days ago, I have left the world of Windows-based PC’s and switched to an Apple Mac-the Macbook Pro (17″, 2.4 GB)
(Now a Mac User, via Faraz Rabbani's blog.)
Safari 3.0 Public Beta...on Windows too?!
So, today was WWDC 2007’s opening day. One of the two major events were Apple shows off its latest hardware and/or software. I was following the keynote via Gizmodo’s live blog and wasn’t really all that impressed with all of those Mac OS X Leopard features. Sure, the new desktop looks beautiful and Finder’s gone through an iTunes-like overhaul but overall I wasn’t all that amazed. I mean, iChat STILL doesn’t have MSN support. What’s the deal with that? Sure there are ways to get your MSN contacts on iChat but I don’t like going the Jabber route. Why won’t Apple do it?
Anyway, the one thing that did really surprise me was the announcement of Safari being made available on Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. Wow, I mean where did that come from? Not only was it announced at WWDC, it was made publicly available as a beta on Apple’s site pretty soon after the end of the keynote. Hm, it was first Quicktime, then iTunes and now Safari.
I wonder if there are any other Mac apps en route to Windows.
The public beta is available for Mac OS X Tiger and Windows XP/Vista here.
Apple announces new MacBook Pro
Apple Inc. today released an upgrade of their professional-series notebook, the MacBook Pro. Upgrades include Intel’s latest Core 2 Duo CPU (4MB cache, Santa Rosa chipset), NVidia’s latest mobile graphics processing unit, the 8600M GT and a mercury-free LED display.
For the first time since Apple’s shift to Intel processors, I feel like Apple’s notebook hardware quality is finally up to par with its outstanding software quality.
Seems like a great time to upgrade from this iBook G4!
Apple Inc. announces Mac OS 10.5 delay
Apple Inc. today announced that the next version of their highly anticipated Mac OS X operating system known as 10.5 or ‘Leopard’, is now scheduled for release in October 2007 instead of Spring 2007 as announced earlier this year at Macworld Expo 2007. Apple also stated that the reason for this delay is another one of their highly anticipated products, the iPhone. According to the statement on their website, resources from the Mac OS X team were relocated to the iPhone team in order to ensure a June 2007 release date for the latter.
There’s been a lot of commentary on this announcement and I don’t really want to add anything to it. I just wanted to say that I was hoping to buy a new MacBook Pro with Leopard pre-installed this summer but I guess that won’t be happening. It’s funny though, the announcement has made me realize what a huge investment a new MacBook Pro would be and I’m glad I won’t be spending so much just yet!
SubhanAllah.