A scan-and-print timesaver

Many new scanners have a handy “Scan and Print” button, which you push to scan the currently placed document and then immediately send it to the default printer. But if you're running 10.4, you don’t have to chuck out your old scanner to benefit from this timesaver. Here’s how to build a reasonably automated replacement by using OS X’s built-in features.

First, launch Printer Setup Utility (in your /Applications/Utilities folder). Highlight the printer you’d like to use to print scanned documents, and then select Printers: Create Desktop Printer, or just hit Shift-Command-D, to create a desktop printer icon. Repeat for any other printers you’d like available. When prompted, give each printer a descriptive name and pick where it should be saved. Click on OK. You only need to do this step once.

Now place the document you’d like to scan and print on the scanner. Launch Image Capture (in your Applications folder). In the Scan Setup drawer (if you can’t see the drawer, click the Scan Setup toolbar button), click the pop-up menu next to Automatic Task (this only exists in 10.4), and select Other. Navigate to one of the desktop printers you just created, select it, then click on Open. Set your scan area and start the scan. The document will automatically print when the scan is done.

If what you’re printing is something you don’t even need to save, you can further streamline the process. Click the Scan to Folder pop-up menu, and select tmp from the list. Your scanned document is still saved, but to the tmp folder, which is erased each time you restart your Mac.

Once you’ve done this the first time, you’ll find that Image Capture launches with these same settings every time you scan something, making it very simple to scan and print quickly without replacing your existing scanner.

Screen Shots

Screenshots often come in handy—for instance, when you need a quick snapshot of something you’re working on or when you want to send a picture of an error message to IT. Mac OS X includes some good built-in tools for taking screenshots—Shift-Command-3 will take a picture of the whole screen, and Shift-Command-4 will let you drag a region to capture (or press the space bar to use the camera icon to take pictures of windows).

But using these tools, means you often do the “screenshot two-step.” First, you take the picture. Then you switch to the Finder, hunt for the saved file on your desktop, and open it to make sure you captured what you intended.

If you are comfortable and handy with AppleScript, there are ways to have your screen shopts appear immediately. Go to this link for the info:

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macosxhints/2006/02/openshot/index.php

Some Good Tips and Explanation of "Phishing"

http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macosxhints/2006/02/mailphish/index.php

Bogus Forwarded E-mails

Lots of times we get all kinds of forwarded emails purporting to relay some vital information about things we shouldn't do or places we shouldn't go or businesses we shouldn't support.

In general, you should ALWAYS treat this kind of stuff as bogus until you check it out first. A good place to check is www.snopes.com.

Don't clog the airways with such stuff until you confirm it's veracity.

New Credit Card Scam

 New Credit Card Scam. This one is pretty slick since they

provide YOU with all the information, except The one piece they want.

WARNING...New Credit Card Scam.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already

have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the

VISA &MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better

prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I

was called on Thursday from "MasterCard".

The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name),

and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My

Badge number is 12460 Your card has been flagged for an unusual

purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify This would be on your

VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an

Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based

in Arizona?" When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we

will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have

been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the

$500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next

statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is

that correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues - "I will be starting a

Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the

1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask

for Security.

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then

gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then

says, "I need to verify you are in possession of your card". He'll

ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers". There are

7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are

the security Numbers' that verify you are the possessor of the card.

These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to

prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3

numbers to him. After you tell the caller

>the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to

verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still

have your card. Do you have any other questions?" After you say No,

the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back

if you do", and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you

the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called

back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The

REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last

15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story made short - we made a real fraud report and closed

the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the

scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card.

Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master

card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA

told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they

already know the information since they issued the card!

If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think

you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your

statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by

then it's almost to late and/or more difficult to actually file a

fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a

call from a "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word-for-word

repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung

up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said

they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to

tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.

Google puts the whole world in our hands

Google Earth —a 3-D mapping tool made its Mac debut last month probably generated the most buzz of any non-Apple-made product during Expo, and for good reason—it’s a visually breath-taking and remarkably addictive tool.

Google Earth is a free, stand-alone earth simulation program that integrates maps and satellite imagery with Google search capabilities. In a sense, it’s not all that different from the satellite view option you get with the online version of Google Maps. Then again, that’s like saying the notepad doodle you sketched during your last office meeting is not all that different from a Rembrandt. Sure, both are artist renderings, but one is just a wee bit more full-featured than the other.

For starters, Google Earth resides on your desktop. You don’t need to have a browser open to run it, though you will need an Internet connection. (Otherwise, the application will stall when it tries to login to the Google Earth server after launching.) Also, this is not just a flat, overhead view—Google Earth features a curved, horizontal view that’s more like what you would see looking out an airplane window. You can zoom in and out as you would with a flat map, but you can also tilt the horizon up and down and rotate the picture for a more panoramic view. Search for a city or an address or a landmark, and Google Earth will zoom in; do another search, and the application zooms out and pans over with the globe tilting appropriately all the while. It’s an arresting effect.

Read more at
http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macgems/2006/02/googleearth/index.php

Quicktime Versus Windows Media Player

Many sites want you to download Windows Media Player and refuse to allow you to use QuickTime on your Mac, Here's an alternative:

Go to http://www.flip4mac.com and downloaded the Windows Media Player drivers for QuickTime (free download); install them on your Mac; restart Safari ... and you will then have Windows Media Plkayer playing in a QuickTime movie format in the Safari browser.

Mac Hints and Tips for February

The February issue of Mac Hints & Tips is now available for viewing and
downloading at http://mac-hints-tips.com.

If you are using Safari and want to download the PDF, hold down the
Option
key and click on the PDF link. The file should then download
immediately to
your computer.

A Question About Unstuffing A File in Tiger

One member uploaded a .pdf to a folder on his .Mac page. .Mac then changed it to
file_name.pdf-binhex.hqx
It added "-binhex.hqx" to the file. It binhex encodes the file for download.
Apple no longer bundles Allume (old Aladdin) Stuffit Expander with itsOS. From the Finder's FILE menu, it will let you "Create Archive Of ..." however.
QUESTION:
Will Tiger decode these coded files, or does everyone still have to install a copy of Expander (or something else) to decode them?
ANSWER:
If you just double-click the file it will decode and be placed in a folder on the desktop - regardless of whether you have Stuffit or not (in Tiger).

New iTunes MAY Cause Problems

One of our members downloaded the latest version of iTunes and then lost a lot of files including their iPhoto library and the ability to Repair Permissions. 

After extensive research, they determined that new iTunes was the problem. 

So they trashed iTunes and the Repair Permissions worked. Then they downloaded iTunes again and set it up on the computer. Just for the heck of it, they ran the Repair Permissions again and it FAILED!  
They then checked the Apple Knowledge Base for complaints and found many of these type of problems. Apparently, the new iTunes is causing problems, specifically the problem of interfering with Repair Permissions.

Apple Mail 2.0 Email Priority

Often times, Apple email users wish to enjoy the features other email users enjoy by sending a priority levels with their messages.  These settings are simply, Low, Normal, and High.  Mail 2.0 (Tiger) supports viewing and adding this priority.  However, the interface to add a priority setting is not on by default.
 Follow the steps below to add a priority button in the Mail new email window:
1.  From Mail, open a new email


2.  Click on the button found to the bottom left corner of the email header section

3.  Choose Customize... From the drop down menu


4.  Click the check box to the right of the priority button
 
5. Click the OK button to save this setting.
From now on, all new emails you create (Reply to, new, etc) will have this Priority button.

New Apple Store

A new Apple Store is opening:

Public Grand Opening

What:
Apple Store Garden State Plaza grand opening for the public

When:
Saturday, February 4, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. EST

Where:
Apple Store® Garden State Plaza
One Garden State Plaza, Space # I1A
Paramus, NJ 07652

Northstar - An Interesting Capability

Northstar™ answers the unique needs of Macintosh users by offering cross-platform capabilities. Mac users experience the same high level of performance on any computer they choose – Mac or PC – while maintaining their preferred environment.

Northstar™ enables Mac users to use Windows applications and other PC software right on their Mac desktop without changing any configurations. And since Northstar™ is Internet-based, it uses very little resources on a Mac and runs side-by-side with other Mac applications, without impacting performance.

In addition, Northstar™ maintains a wide selection of applications – guaranteeing Mac users instant access to the most up-to-date software available.

You also can file-share through the Northstar™ network – anywhere in the world, on any computer, Mac or PC. Subscriptions to Northstar™ include network storage space as well as file-share space, so instant access to software and personal files is simple.

And while you can opt to share your files, you have the ultimate control and management of these files – you decide who can view your tools and information. The Northstar™ network's security and solid infrastructure also mean that you won't have to worry with upgrades, installs, virus protection, or other maintenance issues every again.

$9.95 per month or $99 per year.

http://www.northstaraccess.net/

New Products Introduced at Macworld

If you didn't go, I know you've heard by now about the great products introduced during the Keynote and for the Best of Show go to
<http://LessLink.com/3rj2/>.

iSee TURNS YOUR iPOD INTO A VIDEO RECORDER

<http://www.mugcenter.com/news/2006/012006/0123macvoices.html>

Jason Ivan of ATO talks about iSee, the product that turns your iPod into a video recorder and player...but not just a new iPod. The iSeegives you full a 640 x 480 video screen and recording capabilities for4G iPod, 20 GB Click Wheel, the U2edition and the iPod mini. Most 5G iPods are supported, as well as the iPod nano and 30GB iPod with video.Jason explains battery life, video format compatibility and more in this interview.

MARK YOUR CALENDER - MacSTAC Member Meeting, Thursday, Feb 16th, 6:30 PM

Our meeting agenda will be as follows:

The new iLife '06, with emphasis on 

iPhoto 6: Share photos in a whole new way.
The easiest way to import, organize, edit and share your digital photos, iPhoto 6 offers support for up to 250,000 of them. New book templates, Photocasting, photo blogs, and custom calendars and cards guarantee no one will miss a single smile. Rebuilt for blazing performance, iPhoto makes sharing photos faster, simpler, and cooler than ever before. It also adds eye-opening features to the ones you already love, including Photocasting, support for up to 250,000 photos, easy publishing to the web, special effects, and new custom cards and calendars. So you can spread those smiles far and wide.

iWeb: Put your life on the web.
Use iWeb to create websites and blogs complete with podcasts, photos, and movies. Start with a template, add your content via the iLife Media Browser, customize your pages, and build a great website in minutes. Then publish live to .Mac with a single click. The Internet is calling. Answer. Use iWeb to create websites and blogs — complete with podcasts, photos, and movies — and get them online, fast. Just drag, drop, and design using your choice of web templates, then publish live to your .Mac account.

If time permits, we will also show off some new Widgets.

As usual, there will be a raffle -- this time, for a Belkin 7 port USB hub and a neat piece of graphics software called Click Art Photo.

They'll be soft drinks and cookies, so hope you can make it -- and bring a friend.

Trainz railroad simulator seeks Mac beta tester

Auran, the developers of Trainz, a railroad simulator, are seeking beta testers to help them shake the bugs out of a forthcoming Mac version.

“We are looking for committed people with the right stuff to test, test and test some more,” said a company spokesperson in the Trainz discussion forum.

Minimum system requirements for the game call for a 1GHz or faster processor, 32MB VRAM, 512MB RAM and 1024 x 768 screen resolution.

Trainz is a detailed railroad simulator designed for railroading enthusiasts, model railroading hobbyists and others that love trains. You can act as the engineer, maneuvering your trail through high speed passenger runs, industrial yards, logging camps and more. You can also experience life as a yardmaster, managing drivers and making sure trains are in the right place at the right time. You can build your own routes, or become operations manager, setting production levels, commodity requirements and more.

Features include more than 50 real-world locomotives, with the ability to download more from the Trainz Web site. A detailed physics engine has been verified by real train engineers, and complete 3D cab recreations have been built.

Visit the Auran Web site for more generation information about Trainz.

http://www.auran.com/

Breaking with the past (WORTH READING)

By Christopher Breen

Longtime Mac user, J.R., writes in with a question that many people
will be asking as the Macintosh transitions to the Intel processor.

As a Mac user since 1995 I have applications from way back that still
run on my iMac G4 and Tiger 10.4.3. I have thousands of documents in
MacWritePro 1.5, ClarisWorks, AppleWorks, text, etc. I also have
pictures in ColorIt and PhotoDeluxe. Will any of the “Classic”
applications run on the newly released Intel Macs? How does one
upgrade without losing years of information and data? MacLinkPlus
does not provide a method of translating everything. Will Rosetta do
so? From the info as of today, it appears not. Is there a way to buy
a new Mac and not lose all your past data?

While this may upset a few crusty old timers (and yes, I count myself
among their number), I feel it’s my duty to issue a bitter dose of
reality. Mac OS X became the default operating system for the
Macintosh on March 24, 2001. Apple has provided a link to its past,
in the form of the Classic environment, for nearly five years, which,
in computer years, is an eternity.

If you intend to embrace the brave new world of the Intel Mac, I
believe you’re better served by letting go of the past. The Classic
environment will not be part of the Intel Mac. It’s possible that
someone will develop a PowerPC emulator for Intel Macs that lets you
run these old applications—such work is already underway in a beta
of SheepShaver. But without Apple’s support, there’s no saying how
effective and speedy such an emulator might be.

The end of the Classic environment doesn’t mean that you must do
without your old documents, only that you need to save them in a form
that’s compatible with modern computers. J.R. cites a few
applications that bit the dust years ago. All of them offer options
for saving files in formats that will work with today’s
applications. For example, the current version of AppleWorks (creaky
though it may be) will open MacWritePro and ClarisWorks documents.
Once in AppleWorks you can save them as text files or Word documents
(which, in turn, can be opened with Apple’s Pages or TextEdit).
ColorIt and PhotoDeluxe can save files in common graphics formats—
pict, tiff, and jpeg, for example.

Of course there are disadvantages. You may wish to maintain the
documents in their native format so you can work on them in an
application you’re familiar with. Translating hundreds of documents
to a compatible format is a grind (though MacLinkPlus Deluxe can help
with this). And who wants to buy new applications when the ones you
have work perfectly well?

For those of you who raise these reasonable objections I suggest that
you translate those documents you really need (honestly, do you
really require a current copy of the ill-advised letter you sent to a
now-former girlfriend?), vow to do new work on a new Mac (with new
applications), and keep your old Mac around so you can work in the
Classic Environment on those documents that can’t be handled in any
other way.

Alternatively, you can stop right where you are. When the Intel Macs
hit in full force, buy the finest PowerPC Mac you can afford when it
goes on sale and continue to work in the Classic environment as you
do today. As the years go by you’ll find your Mac less and less
compatible with the tools of the day, but your work and play may not
require that you have those tools.

In the end you may decide that there’s no shame in driving a
Studebaker in a Honda world.

Yojimbo information organizer debuts

Bare Bones Software on Monday introduced Yojimbo 1.0, a new information organizer for Mac OS X. Yojimbo costs $39. A free demo is available.

http://www.barebones.com/products/yojimbo/index.shtml

Yojimbo collects, stores and find information when you need it — everything from text to bookmarks, PDF files, Web archives, serial numbers and passwords, using drag and drop, copying or importing. Yojimbo keeps content in its original form, too.

It’s built using core Mac OS X technologies and supports .Mac sync services, so you can store Yojimbo content on multiple machines. It’s also Spotlight-compatible, so Tiger users can search inside Yojimbo content. Data is encrypted using AES-256.

System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.4.3 or later.

Pixar

> NEWS ALERT
> from The Wall Street Journal
>
> Jan. 24, 2006
> Disney agreed to acquire animation studio Pixar in a stock swap
> valued at $7.4 billion. Pixar's Steve Jobs will join Disney's board.

Apple MacBook Pro 15.4" $1,844.99 after rebate

IF you are in the market for a  MacBook, this is the cheapest anywhere. There is a $150 rebate right now at Amazon and of course, no tax or shipping.

Apple MacBook Pro Notebook 15.4" MA090LL/A (1.67 GHz Intel Core Duo, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive

Right Click

Tech Support: "I need you to right-click on the Desktop."

Customer: "Ok."

Tech Support: "Did you get a pop-up menu?"
Customer: "No."

Tech Support: "Ok. Right click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?"
Customer: "No."

Tech Support: "Ok, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?"

Customer: "Sure, you told me to write 'click' and I wrote click'."

Mac Hint & Tips - January 2006

For a 12 page .pdf, go to

www.mac-hints-tips.com

Storage expert warns of short life span for burned CDs

And don't count on hard disk drives for long-term storage, either

News Story by John Blau

JANUARY 10, 2006 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Although opinions vary on how to preserve data on digital storage media, such as optical CDs and DVDs, Kurt Gerecke, a physicist and storage expert at IBM Deutschland GmbH, takes this view: If you want to avoid having to burn new CDs every few years, use magnetic tapes to store all your pictures, videos and songs for a lifetime.

"Unlike pressed original CDs, burned CDs have a relatively short life span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD," Gerecke said in an interview this week. "There are a few things you can do to extend the life of a burned CD, like keeping the disc in a cool, dark space, but not a whole lot more."

The problem is material degradation. Optical discs commonly used for burning, such as CD-R and CD-RW, have a recording surface consisting of a layer of dye that can be modified by heat to store data. The degradation process can result in the data "shifting" on the surface and thus becoming unreadable to the laser beam.

"Many of the cheap burnable CDs available at discount stores have a life span of around two years," Gerecke said. "Some of the better-quality discs offer a longer life span, of a maximum of five years."

Distinguishing high-quality burnable CDs from low-quality discs is difficult, he said, because few vendors use life span as a selling point.

Hard-drive disks also have their limitations, according to Gerecke. The problem with hard drives, he said, is not so much the disk itself as it is the disk bearing, which has a positioning function similar to a ball bearing. "If the hard drive uses an inexpensive disk bearing, that bearing will wear out faster than a more expensive one," he said. His recommendation: a hard-drive disk with 7,200 revolutions per minute.

To overcome the preservation limitations of burnable CDs, Gerecke suggests using magnetic tapes, which, he claims, can have a life span of 30 to 100 years, depending on their quality. "Even if magnetic tapes are also subject to degradation, they're still the superior storage media," he said.

But he's quick to point out that no storage medium lasts forever and, consequently, consumers and business alike need to have a plan for migrating to new storage technologies.

"Companies, in particular, need to be constantly looking at new storage technologies and have an archiving strategy that allows them to automatically migrate to new technologies," he said. "Otherwise, they're going to wind up in a dead end. And for those sitting on terabytes of crucial data, that could be a colossal problem."

First Look

First Look: iWork '06
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/13/iworkfirstlook/index.php/?lsrc=mcweek-0120

First Look: iPhoto 6
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/15/iphotofirstlook/index.php/?lsrc=mcweek-0120

Painter Essentials 3

Review:
http://www.macworld.com/2006/01/reviews/essentials3/index.php/?lsrc=mcweek-0120

Google Earth comes to the Mac

Google Earth, a virtual Earth simulation software from Google, incorporates maps, driving directions, and satellite images with Google Search capabilities.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/17/googleearth/index.php/?lsrc=mcweek-0120

Konica Minolta to exit photo business

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Inc. has decided to withdraw from the photo business, it said Thursday. The Japanese company plans to exit the film and digital camera markets by March this year and will transfer part of its assets related to digital SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras to Sony Corp., it said.

The decision highlights how tough times are now for many long-time camera manufacturers. The introduction of digital photography in the 1990s brought with it a large number of new competitors, and specialist knowledge built up over the years related to things like the chemical reaction to light was superseded in importance by the ability to design and make semiconductor chips. Last week Nikon Corp. said it would end production of most of its 35 millimeter film cameras to focus on digital models.

Despite its experience in optics, mechanics and electronics, the company is finding it difficult to produce competitive products in a timely manner now that image sensor technologies such as CCD (charge-coupled device) are indispensable, the company said.

Konica Minolta and Sony announced plans in July 2005 to jointly develop a digital SLR camera. Single-lens reflex cameras use a mirror placed between the lens and the film or image sensor to project the image to the camera’s viewfinder. They typically support interchangeable lenses and are generally much faster-responding and more capable than fixed-lens cameras.

At the time the companies said the first jointly developed cameras would be on the market after about a year.

Sony plans to use the Konica Minolta Maxxum/Dynax lens mount on these digital SLR cameras. This lens mount first appeared on Minolta cameras in 1985 and about 16 million lenses based on the mount have been shipped, Konica Minolta said last year. A key advantage of this mount over others is that it relies on an auto-focus system in the camera body, so as auto-focus technology improves and owners replace their cameras, the lenses can continue to be used and take advantage of improvements.

Konica Minolta said the ability of existing customers to use their lenses with future cameras is one advantage of transferring the digital SLR work to Sony.

Sony is expected to provide an update on its digital SLR development work on Friday.

Konica Minolta also said it plans to exit the minilab business by the end of March and the color film and color paper markets by the end of March 2007.

Shipments of digital SLR cameras are forecast to climb sharply over the coming years, according to data from IDC. There were about 2.5 million such cameras shipped in 2004 and this will rise to 7.3 million in 2009, the company predicted in mid-2005. At the same time the average selling price of such cameras will likely drop from $1,359 in 2004 to $810 in 2009, forecasts

Undercover traces missing Macs

Undercover is a new software system from Orbicule Inc. that traces the location of missing and stolen Macs. It costs $29.99 for a single user license, or $44 for a household license, and requires Mac OS X v10.4 or later.

Macs equipped with Undercover are assigned an ID by a server, which they check with routinely. In the event the machine is stolen or misplaced, Undercover transmits its Internet location, which Orbicule can then use to identify the computer’s physical location.

Undercover also takes screenshots of the stolen Mac, which will hopefully aid you in identifying the thief. Orbicule then works with law enforcement to apprehend the Mac.

What’s more, Undercover features a “plan B:” It will simulate a hardware failure on the Mac, which might cause the thief to send the computer for repair or sell it. Undercover can then warn the new user that the Mac has been stolen.

Undercover is a Universal Binary that runs natively on Intel and PowerPC-based M.

http://orbicule.com/undercover/

Pandora - A neat music site

PANDORA:
Ever since we started the Music Genome Project, our friends would ask:
Can you help me discover more music that I'll like?
Those questions often evolved into great conversations. Each friend told us their favorite artists and songs, explored the music we suggested, gave us feedback, and we in turn made new suggestions. Everybody started joking that we were now their personal DJs.
We created Pandora so that we can have that same kind of conversation with you.

http://www.pandora.com/

Microsoft bails on Windows Media Player for Mac

Just three days after announcing continued support for the Mac version of Microsoft Office at Macworld Expo, Microsoft officials said Friday that the company has halted development for Windows Media Player for Mac.
Microsoft Public Relations Manager Adam Anderson said in a recent News.com article that the move was a business decision for Microsoft.
“Like any other company, we have business priorities. Our focus really is in delivering the best experience to Windows customers,” Anderson told News.com.
Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit General Manager Roz Ho stood before the crowd at Steve Jobs keynote on Tuesday and reiterated Microsoft’s support for the Macintosh version of Microsoft Office, and told the crowd that the company is “here to stay.”
Microsoft and Apple signed a technology agreement that lasts for at least the next five years, but only covers Microsoft Office, leaving Microsoft an opening to cut any other product from its offerings available to Mac users. Microsoft has announced plans to update its Messenger client later this year. Mac Business Unit representatives also expressed interest in continuing to develop Virtual PC during an interview with Macworld editors this week.
Mac users are not left high and dry when it comes to viewing Windows Media content. Earlier this week, Flip4Mac updated its WMV Player to version 2.

http://www.flip4mac.com/pr_06_01_10b.htm

Flip4Mac WMV Components lets Mac users to play Windows Media video and audio files within native QuickTime-based media programs, including QuickTime Player, iMovie, and Final Cut Pro. The Player component, formerly a $10 program, is now a free download.
In addition, Microsoft is now distributing the Flip4Mac software at its Web site. You can download the software here.

No email relay? Use another port

No email relay? Use another port

By Christopher Breen

A mass of dedicated Mac users are spending this week holed up in the hotels and hostelries surrounding San Francisco’s Moscone Center. During that time, more than one of them will attempt to send an email message to his or her loved one, only to be thwarted by the dreaded “Relaying Not Allowed” error.

This occurs when you try to send messages through your regular email account via the Internet connection in your hotel or at the local hotspot. Asking one ISP to send your email via the SMTP service of another ISP (relaying) is often forbidden by the first ISP (the hotel, in this case) in order to discourage spammers from shuttling their effluvia around the web.

Fortunately, this problem can often be rectified by simply reconfiguring the SMTP port settings in your email client.

Just launch that self-same client, go to your account settings (in Mail you’ll find it in the Accounts tab of Mail’s Preferences, in Entourage you’ll find it by choosing Tools > Accounts), and scout around for a way to configure your outgoing mail settings. Within such an area, seek out a field that includes the port number for outgoing (SMTP) mail. This is likely to be 25—the outgoing port that’s commonly blocked to prevent relaying. Those who configure email servers often create alternate SMTP ports to get around this blocked port problem—ports 587 and 2525 are two alternative ports I’ve come across in my travels. Try changing the port setting to one of these numbers and cross your fingers.

Streaming Version of Steve Jobs Macworld Keynote

http://stream.qtv.apple.com/events/jan/mw2006/m_mw_2006_350_ref.mov

30-day Trial of New fileMaker Pro 8

http://www.filemakertrial.com/creative/form/entryppc.aspx?ovmkt=O5M3PJVLTCEPRIAM1U2Q5CHF2K

Ten Things Someone Hates About Mac OS X

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.asp?p=435698&rl=1

Apple's Intel Macs Push Shares to Record High

SAN FRANCISCO (Jan. 11) - Apple Computer Inc. shares leapt to an all-time high on Wednesday, boosted by its decision to use Intel Corp. microprocessors to help it grab a bigger share of the desktop PC market. Apple is tapping not only the latest chip technologies that rival makers of Windows-based computers will use but also the vast marketing power that Intel, the world's largest semiconductor company, delivers. Apple unveiled its first two machines with Intel's Core Duo - an iMac and new laptop - on Tuesday and said it would not thwart users who would seek to run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system on the machines. With Intel processors inside the new Macs, their owners could run Microsoft Windows and software designed for it at full speed.

The move to Intel chips will boost Apple's sales and erase the perception that Macintosh computers lag behind Windows-based PCs in performance, analysts said. "Now consumers can buy a Mac that is three times faster and for the same price," said Nathan Brookwood, an analyst with Insight 64 research firm.

Apple shares soared $3.04, or 3.8 percent, to close at a split-adjusted record high of $83.90 on the Nasdaq Stock Market Wednesday.

With the success of its iPod players and flashy retail stores, Apple has already begun siphoning customers from the Windows camp. After years of hovering around 3 percent, Apple last year cracked 4 percent of the U.S. PC market. Apple's historic shift to Intel microprocessors came months earlier than expected as CEO Steve Jobs debuted Tuesday an iMac desktop and a notebook based on the chip makers' new two-brained processor, the Intel Core Duo.
When it first announced plans to switch in June, Apple said it expected to begin making the transition by mid-2006. On Tuesday, Jobs was joined at the Macworld Expo by Intel CEO Paul Otellini to unveil the new jointly designed computers.
Jobs said its entire Mac line will be converted to Intel by the end of 2006.The shift comes as Apple's hugely popular iPods continue to enthrall the public. Apple brought in a record $5.7 billion in sales during the holiday quarter as it sold 14 million iPods - nearly three times as many units as it did in the same period a year ago, Jobs said. Meanwhile, Apple's online iTunes store has sold more than 850 million songs and 8 million videos to date, he said.

MACWORLD - Latest New - Latest Hardware and Software

Go to this link for today's announcements:

http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/10/livekeynote/index.php

Go to this link for availability and prices.

http://www.apple.com/

Go to our monthly meeting on January 19th and get all the latest poop.

Adobe unveils Lightroom; Aperture competito

Adobe on will announce today the public beta release of Lightroom, the company’s answer to Apple’s recently release Aperture. Adobe will release Lightroom as a public beta for the Macinstosh to get feedback from professional photographers before releasing the full version later this year, the company said. Lightroom is a new application that lets photographers import, develop, and showcase large volumes of images. The program will be available as a downloadable beta later this week. Derrick Story already has had a chance to use Lightroom and tells you what to expect from the program—including how it compares to Apple’s competing application, Aperture,

http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/08/lightroom/index.php

http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/01/08/lightroomfirstlook/index.php

MacSTAC January Meeting - Thursday, January 19th

Our next meeting should be an interesting one.

We will start off with Green Apples, where we will take your computer-related questions and hopefully provide useful answers.

Next, Wayne will present "News from Macworld San Francisco" (we've expecting a lot of new and exciting announcements). Rumors abound and it will be fun to see what Steve Jobs announced on January 11th.

It time, permits, Chris Buffington will give a short demonstration on his Mac+ emulation, running original System 1 OS and MacPaint and MacWrite on a modern Mac. Seriously folks, it can be done and it's a lot of fun.

On the side, we have asked a few members to bring in some Mac or computer jokes for us to enjoy. If you have one, bring it along and be prepared to present it.

Of course we'll have soft drink and cookies. Hopefully, the weather will be warm and sunny -- hope you can make it.

Ben

PS: If you haven't checked our web site lately, mouse on over to www.macstac.org. Be sure to click on the BLOG menu to see all the latest news.

TechTool Protege offers Mac utilities on flash drive

Micromat Inc. has introduced TechTool Protege, a new Mac OS X troubleshooting and diagnostic tool stored on a bootable 1GB Firewire-based flash drive. TechTool Protege is shipping now but will make its public debut at next week’s Macworld Expo in San Francisco. It costs $229.

TechTool Protege combines the latest version of Mac OS X, the latest release of Micromat’s TechTool Pro, and a drive utility called Disk Studio. With TechTool Protege in hand, you can boot a troubled computer, run diagnostic software, and make adjustments or repairs as necessary.

You can diagnose the condition of the target Mac’s hardware, repair and diagnose hard drive problems, optimize and defragment the drive if necessary, rebuild volume directories, attempt to recover data, repartition drives without losing data and more, according to Micromat.

http://www.micromat.com/protege/protege_intro.html

Pen-sized color scanner announced

Planon announced on Thursday the release of the DocuPen RC800 color scanner. The diminutive pen-sized device allows the user to store hundreds of pages into its 8MB of built-in memory, according to the company.

The DocuPen can scan full-page documents in 24-bit color, 12-bit color or monochrome. In addition to its built-in memory, the scanner also has a memory slot that allows users to add additional Transflash memory cards.

The DocuPen is powered by a rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery that can be recharged via a USB port. Included with the scanner is a leather case and USB cable. The company said the DocuPen is compatible with Mac OS X, although no specific system requirements were provided.

http://www.planon.com/docupen_rc800.php

MacUpdate for FREE

MacUpdate gives away free premium memberships

Software tracking Web site MacUpdate is offering free memberships to its premium service to everyone that signs up in January 2006. The premium services include customizable site layout; customizable column data; software watch list; email update notifications; wish list for gifts; and download history, among other features. The service, which normally costs $20 yearly, is only available to new users, according to the Web site.

http://www.macupdate.com/pr/pr02-jan-2006.php

Wireless Cablefree USB HUB

Belkin intros cable-free USB hub
By Peter Cohen


Belkin on Tuesday introduced its CableFree USB Hub, which provides wireless connectivity between a computer and any USB peripherals. A price was not announced; Belkin says the CableFree USB Hub will be released in early Spring.
The four-port hub uses Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, and doesn’t require software or drivers in order to operate with the host computer. It works with any USB peripherals, including printers, hard drives, scanners and MP3 players. Devices are plugged into the hub, which doesn't require a wire to communicate with the computer.

Podcasting

Take Control of Podcasting on the Mac
Recording with Audio Hijack, GarageBand, or Audacity

http://www.macworld.com/2006/01/secrets/tcopodcasting/index.php

Bluetooth Update

Apple updates Bluetooth for certain Macs
By Peter Cohen


Apple has released Bluetooth Firmware Update for Mac OS X 10.4.3, intended only for certain Macs — the iMac G4, iMac G5, 12-inch and 15-inch “Titanium” PowerBook G4 and Mac mini. The description of a 12-inch Titanium model has left some Mac users scratching their heads, however, since Apple only produced the 12-inch pro laptop model in an aluminum chassis.The update “improves Bluetooth performance and reliability issues,” according to Apple. Apple notes that the update can be applied to Macs that have built-in, internal Bluetooth modules and USB-based Bluetooth adapters manufactured by D-Link.

Donations of Old Computer Stuff and Other Things

Resolutions for a Better America
Although you can't single-handedly put an end to political strife or world hunger, you can still make a difference. Find out what small actions you can take to create a big impact.

By Jacob Young (extracted from Reader's Digest, January 2005)


..."Do you have an old computer to dispose of? Contact the National Cristina Foundation (cristina.org) or World Computer Exchange (worldcomputerexchange.org). You may get a tax write-off; someone who needs it gets your old machine. Still have materials from that remodeling project? Habitat for Humanity will look it over and either use it in one of their projects or sell it in one of their 300 ReStores. (Again, you get a tax deduction.) Old cell phone? The Wireless Foundation distributes phones to victims of domestic violence (calltoprotect.org). More than six million pairs of eyeglasses get "retired" in the United States each year. Take them out of the drawer and give them to the local Lion's Cluib. Used sneakers too cruddy even for the Goodwill? Nike will grind them up and use them to resurface ball courts, tracks and athletic fields (nikereuseashoe.com)."

Software to Manage Yoiur eBay Auctions

GarageSale 2.0b5 is an auction creator and manager for eBay. It offers a WYSIWYG description editor, iPhoto integration, a built-in image editor, a categories browser, templates and template sharing, offline operation, support for Immediate Payment, and other features. This beta release uses eBay's new Unified XML API and is now a Universal Binary. It also adds cancellation of auction uploads, revision of auctions, automatic auction verification, improved performance, and other changes. GarageSale is $24.99 for Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.x.

http://www.iwascoding.com/GarageSale/

Falling Sand Game

Here's an interesting game to occupy your New Year.

http://chir.ag/stuff/sand/

Thrill-Filled Roller Coaster Simulation

NoLimits is the ultimate roller coasters simulation game that let´s you experience authentic roller coaster thrills.

Focusing on realism and speed, NoLimits lets you ride real existing coasters, or build rollercoasters to your own specifications - with 18 different track styles, including inverted, hyper-coasters, wooden and shuttle coasters.

Top Features:
- Ride ultra-realistic roller coasters
- Choose between more than 65 great premade tracks
- Download 1000s (!) of further NoLimits tracks for FREE.
- Build your own rollercoaster with the Track Editor
- Create mountains and lakes with the Terraformer
- Choose between 18 different track-styles
- Play the ride operator and dispatch the trains
- Choose different environments (fog, sunset, etc...)
- Include 3DS scenery objects in your coaster tracks
- More than one train at the same time
- Synchronized block-safety-device
- Animated objects
- 3D sound
- Save screenshots at your favourite views

There are no limits in creating your own roller coasters with this great simulator!

"As a professional coaster designer (www.john-wardley.demon.co.uk) I want to congratulate you on a superb piece of software development."
John Wardley - Coaster Designer (created Nemesis and Air)

"I'm the developer behind Disney's original Coaster game, that came out ten years ago. I just wanted to say, its about time somebody made a good sequel for the designers in all of us, that don't care about park admissions, or lines.  Great Job guys!"
Dan Duncalf - CEO Pipeworks Software, Inc.

"The best 3D replication of roller coasters I have seen to date."
Bob Mandel - Senior Editor AVault

"The best 3-D roller coaster simulator on the market"
James Allen - Editor GameGenie

Download a free demo at http://www.nolimitscoaster.com/100php/index.php?source=macintouch for PC or Mac.

Laptop / Powerbook Arm Chair Table

Here's a really cool product for your laptop.

surfACE |
• Ideal support for your laptop anywhere, indoors or outdoors.
• For web-surfing, gaming, watching DVDs, work and much more.
• Great design, quality materials and fine craftmanship.
• Sturdy, durable, secure, adjustable and expandable.
• Increases comfort, cooling and ergonomics.

"The surfACE is simply one of the best designed computer peripherals I have seen."
   Gordon Kelly, TrustedReviews.com

"… its design, quality of construction and most important, usability are of the highest order,which should be enough to offset the cost for most people."
Clifford Hope, MacFormat Magazine

"Certainly, it's the most versatile laptop stand I have encountered."
Charles W. Moore, MacOpinion.com

"Compared to any other laptop tray on the market, this tray is one of the best you will find and will definitely make a great gift for any laptop user."
UpgradeAdvisor.com

Check it out at http://www.edgeblur.com/surface.html

"The surfACE is a wonderful useful and fun invention destined to change
the way we use our computers."
                                                                                                                                            Isaac Mitzrahi

Real Health News

Submitted by my Friend Don Elefante

Folks,

I hope this is important enough for you to welcome it in your inbox --
especially those who live farther north than I do and those with darker
skins. Maybe this won't be news to some of you, but it will be to many.
Some of you may even remember when a daily dose of cod liver oil was in
vogue!

Finally, the information on Vitamin D has gotten into the mainstream
after decades of being covered up by sunscreens and skin cancer fears.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article335359.ece

Here's an article that covers additional details that you won't get in
the mainstream (or from the one-pill-fits-all philosophers), including
how
to optimize your vitamin D levels. It also presents what looks to me
like a balanced view on the sun exposure issue:

http://www.mercola.com/2002/feb/23/vitamin_d_deficiency.htm

Will your health practitioners know about this stuff? Hard to say. My
GP does and supports my yearly blood tests for optimizing my Vitamin D
levels.

Don Elefante

Snowglobe

Get your Mac in the holiday spirit with a free virtual snowglobe, courtesy of the friendly folks at Freeverse.

http://download4.freeverse.com/SnowGlobe.zip

Switching from the PC to the Mac

This would be useful if you have any PC friends who might be considering "switching" to the Mac platform.

You are probably already a Mac user. You also probably know Windows users who are curious. As the iPod popularity grows, more users are getting a taste of Apple technology and find out they like it. At the same time, the frustration with Windows from a virus and security perspective also continues to grow. Take Control of Switching to the Mac, the new Take Control eBook by Scott Knaster, is a great place to get the questions answered, whether for you as a Switcher, or for friends who are considering the change. Scott shares his tips on switching to the Mac, why he selected the eBook format for this project, and why his book is a great gift for your PC-owning friends. The price is only $10 for the download.

http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/switching.html?@707.fvjqaUSPbxh@

You might also look at the other books by Take Control. Their catalog is at

http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/catalog.html

MacSTAC Annual Holiday Party --- REPORT

Notwithstanding really lousy weather, 17 hardy souls appeared last night for our Annual Holiday Party. The food was delicious and plentiful, the decorations were festive, the gift giving was loads of fun, and the drinks (especially the mulled hot cider) were wet and wild, and the company was outstanding. The library decided to close at 7 PM and Scott told us we could stay until 9 PM. We finished all our business by 8:30 PM.

Thanks to all who donated and participated.

We look forward to a great new year and lots of exciting things in the world of Apple. Thank you all for your strong support and we hope to see you on Thursday, January 19th. Speaking of that, you probably have a new calendar for 2006, so while you are transferring birthdays and anniversaries to it, how about penning in the third Thursday of each month as MacSTAC User Group meeting, 6:30 PM, Vestal Libratry.

Happy holidays.

Ben

MacSTAC Annual Holiday Party REMINDER

Reminder:  our Annual Holiday Party at the Vestal Library is now a week away. It's sure to be a great event and we hope you can make it. The folks below, all 22 0f them, have already RSPV'ed. If you wish toi add your name to the list, please email us back.

We will start gathering at 6:30 PM and eat around 7:00 PM. Each attendee willl get a free raffle ticket for some interesting prizes.

Don't forget to bring a dish to pass and a $5.00 wrapped gift from each member of your party. Ed Schmitt Jr. will be playing live music again. Hope to see you.

Bigg, Gerry
Buffington, Chris & Barb
David, Ray & Katie
Kashinsky, Wayne and Laura
Margolius, Ben & Sue
Mueller, Burt
Mueller, Joan & Augue
Palmer, Mili & Jack
Schmitt, Ed & Lorraine & Ed
Underkofler, Judy & Bill
Winter, Bob & Ed & Jackie

MacCentral Weekly Newsletter #109: Digital Photography Superguide

Take a look - another interesting digital photography book for your collection:

http://www.macworld.com/2005/11/marketing/ebook/?lsrc=mcweek-1202