I now have some time to geek out. I suspect it will involve something with Apple products, whether it be the iPad or the Macbook. The wife has her Macbook with her, also. Maybe I'll take a look at hers to see how she's doing on disk space. I may delve in some scripting on mine. Or, play with web serving.
Regarding the iPad, I forgot to bring the charger, but I do have my standard iPhone synching cable with me, so I may have to slow-charge the iPad (when I'm sleeping or something, but that means I'd have to put the iPad to sleep). I'm charging it now as I type, and it charged 2% in 10 minutes, so that's actually not bad, especially since it was at 92% to begin with.
My iPhone is about to be replaced. I'm not even sure I'm going to stay with AT&T, as I'm tired of dropped calls. I also work for Verizon and will get a pretty substantial discount (15%) if I switch. The only Verizon phones that catch my interest are the Droid X2 and the HTC Thunderbolt, which are both LTE/4G phones. The AT&T phones that interest me are the Samsung Infuse and the Motorola Atrix (the Atrix has a dual core CPU, as does the Droid X2), and both of those are considered 4G phones, even though AT&T doesn't yet have a "true" 4g network...they have that HSPA+ crap that isn't quite on par with 4G but insist that it is equivalent to 4g
My wife has the Samsung Infuse and it is a great phone, IMO. The screen is 4.5"...huge! And the clarity of the screen is typical Samsung. It has front- and rear-facing cameras, also, which is another one of my requirements. The camera at the back of the phone is 8MP, and the front camera is 1.3MP, I believe. It is an Android phone. My wife doesn't like it, but she's coming from an iPhone 3GS (which I have right now), which she loved. The Infuse isn't as intuitive as her old phone. I told her if she didn't like the phone, she should return it before the 30-day satisfaction guarantee expired. In the end, she kept it, as she liked the clarity of the screen and the cameras. I'd have taken it off her hands if I wasn't still tied to my phone number...we could've swapped (and no, you can't swap the SIM cards from one to the other, between the iPhone and Infuse). But, she complains of dropped calls and bad reception at work, while Verizon phones tend to get good reception inside buildings. I've friends who say they can make/take calls when in the subways...can't really beat that.
Comparing both the Infuse and the Thunderbolt, they appear to be very similar in hardware. What I like about the Thunderbolt is that you get a 32gb micro-SD card with it, out of the box! The cameras are the same. The screen on the Infuse is larger, though. The Thunderbolt is true 4g. The Infuse has super screen clarity. The Samsung captures video at 1080P, while the HTC does it at 720P. This is going to be a hard decision. Also, I'm still under contract, although I'm seven months out. I'd have to pay something like $80 as an early termination fee (which isn't bad). A comparison of the two phones is here.
Why am I not getting an iPhone 4? I see no need to continue to be tied to any iPhone, as intuitive as they are. My main complaint about my current iPhone is the fact that I can't customize it the way I want. I sometimes wish I could have some of the Android apps, as they tend to let you do some pretty awesome things. I want more screen area, also. I want the option of having my data stored on external media such as an SD card (no, Dropbox doesn't cut it). I want real 4g (and 3g will no longer cut it).
I've yet to decide if I'll migrate to Verizon. I've yet to decide what phone I want, but I want the Thunderbolt pretty bad. I've seen it on display and it is a nice piece of work. About the only thing I haven't done is actually used one on the LTE network. It is pretty much either the Samsung or the Thunderbolt, right now, but I haven't even looked at Sprint's phones. I'm going to have to do that, also. I refuse to look at T-mobile, since they are pending a merger with AT&T, with AT&T buying them out. AT&T will get rid of a lot of things that make T-mobile good. I do not want to buy a T-mobile phone and find that I'll have to get another phone in a year...that would piss me off. I hope that merger doesn't go through, either, as that would mean there are only three major players (Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint).
I do want to check out Sprint's phones, though. It will have to be a top-of-the-line Sprint phone, though. HTC's EVO 4G would be the Sprint phone I'd probably look at first.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Smartphones NOT So Smart!
Me: If I don't move for 5+ hours, my phone should be aware and quit polling for nearby wifi hotspots. Not found in 10 min, try again in 10 min.
Friend: I just turn wifi off
Me: I turn it off too, but by the time I remember, it's already used 25% battery life. I use wifi at home, otherwise I'd turn it off altogether. They make this crap seem like its innovative, but they stop just to make the phone look pretty. Apple: Fix the software and make it more intelligent...THEN beautify!
Friend: I just turn wifi off
Me: I turn it off too, but by the time I remember, it's already used 25% battery life. I use wifi at home, otherwise I'd turn it off altogether. They make this crap seem like its innovative, but they stop just to make the phone look pretty. Apple: Fix the software and make it more intelligent...THEN beautify!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Ugh!
I'm beginning to HATE iWeb. I can only post things if I use my MacBook or iMac. I can't create iWeb content using my iPad or a Windows machine (WTF). There's also the issue with my Macbook having an older copy of iWeb...I'm trying to prevent having to spend $70 to get the latest version of iLife. Yeah, its only $70, but factor in that I have to use the word 'only' every time I purchase software or computer supplies...that stuff adds up (seriously).
So, coming back to Blogger seems to be the logical solution. I can access Blogger from any system while I can't with iWeb. I don't have to pay for Blogger to ensure compatibility, either. I think iWeb has become an afterthought for Apple. The Apple mindset of "we know better than the user/consumer" gets old after awhile...
So, coming back to Blogger seems to be the logical solution. I can access Blogger from any system while I can't with iWeb. I don't have to pay for Blogger to ensure compatibility, either. I think iWeb has become an afterthought for Apple. The Apple mindset of "we know better than the user/consumer" gets old after awhile...
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Apple Taps Unisys to Assist With Business and Government Support
Bloomberg reports that Apple has brought in IT service provider Unisys to help with support for its corporate and government customers, a growing area of focus for Apple.
More here.
iPhone 4 Sells Out in Apple's Chinese Online Store in Only 10 Hours, Scalpers Blamed
Earlier this week, Apple debuted its Chinese online store, offering consumers in that country the ability to order the full range of Apple products directly from the company. M.I.C gadget reports, however, that the store's supplies of the iPhone 4 recent incidents in Apple's retail stores in China, scalpers are being blamed for rapid depletion of Apple's online store stocks. With Apple employing more stringent standards for in-store iPhone 4 sales, including reservations, purchase limits and ID requirements, the new online store appears to be scalpers' latest target.
More here.
iPad now available in AT&T and Verizon retail stores
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/10/28/ipad-now-available-in-atandt-and-verizon-retail-stores/
AT&T is offering only the three Wi-Fi + 3G models, priced at Apple's standard $629/$729/$829. The company also continues to offer its two no-contract monthly data plans at 250 MB ($14.99) and 2 GB ($25.00). Monthly international data plans are also available for those traveling outside of the United States, although at significantly higher prices than domestic data.
For its part, Verizon is offering the the Wi-Fi-only iPad models, promoting bundles with the carrier's MiFi mobile hotspot for $629.99/$729.99/$829.99, effectively offering an over-50% discount on the MiFi's standard no-contract price of $269.99. No-contract monthly data plans for the iPad/MiFi bundle are offered at 1 GB ($20), 3 GB ($35), 5 GB ($50) and 10 GB ($80). The carrier is also offering unbundled Wi-Fi iPads for $499.99/$599.99/$699.99.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Is there Kismac for iPad?
The title says it all.
I left my Macbook in the passenger seat on the way to work one day, leaving Kismac running...
What I wanted to know was how many unsecured WAPs I crossed on my way to work. I no longer have the gathered data but I was shocked...approximately 20% of the observed WAPs were not secure at all.
I'd like to be able to do this again, leveraging my iPad. I'm currently looking for something similar to Kismac (or Kismac itself) for the iPad.
[Edit: found something here...not particularly good news but it is understandable.]
I left my Macbook in the passenger seat on the way to work one day, leaving Kismac running...
What I wanted to know was how many unsecured WAPs I crossed on my way to work. I no longer have the gathered data but I was shocked...approximately 20% of the observed WAPs were not secure at all.
I'd like to be able to do this again, leveraging my iPad. I'm currently looking for something similar to Kismac (or Kismac itself) for the iPad.
[Edit: found something here...not particularly good news but it is understandable.]
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
iPad = Desktop/Laptop Replacement?
Do you think that an iPad can replace a laptop (not a netbook) or a desktop? If so, why? Feel free to leave comments.
The reason I'd like to leave netbooks out of the equation is that netbooks and iPads are going to be similar, specification-wise. I don't always like to compare apples to apples. :) Besides, if someone is going to argue that iPads can be used as full-on computer systems, it would make for a stronger argument if the comparison was against a non-netbook system.
I believe Steve Jobs (Apple's CEO) even suggested that the iPad wasn't designed to be a laptop/desktop replacement. While the iPad can be made into something it isn't, the design goals shouldn't be changed, at least not without real planning/scoping on the part of the Apple dev team.
The iPad is a good tool...but its not a laptop or desktop replacement. I'd not even want it to be. There will always be things that a laptop or desktop will do better...sometimes mobility doesn't matter (like when I'm home?).
The reason I'd like to leave netbooks out of the equation is that netbooks and iPads are going to be similar, specification-wise. I don't always like to compare apples to apples. :) Besides, if someone is going to argue that iPads can be used as full-on computer systems, it would make for a stronger argument if the comparison was against a non-netbook system.
I believe Steve Jobs (Apple's CEO) even suggested that the iPad wasn't designed to be a laptop/desktop replacement. While the iPad can be made into something it isn't, the design goals shouldn't be changed, at least not without real planning/scoping on the part of the Apple dev team.
The iPad is a good tool...but its not a laptop or desktop replacement. I'd not even want it to be. There will always be things that a laptop or desktop will do better...sometimes mobility doesn't matter (like when I'm home?).
Saturday, September 18, 2010
iPad First Usage FAQ
I'm going to attempt to keep a tally of questions regarding the first few weeks of iPad usage.
Q1. I plug my iPad to my Macbook so that it can charge, but it isn't charging. What's the deal?
A1. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4060 states that this won't work, as the iPad is beefier equipment and it requires a strong power source (or charge it while it is in sleep mode, when it's drawing almost no power).
Q2: Can I manipulate what shows in images I select as backgrounds?
A2: Yes: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=9565984&postcount=2. When setting up the wallpapers, you can pinch/zoom and pan them around to get them centered just how you like...the trick is, if you then rotate the system, you can do it again for the other orientation, and it remembers both. This way you could use a 1024x768 image, and then zoom in the portrait version so that it fills the 768x1024 screen without being ugly.
I'll add more as I discover more learning challenges.
Q1. I plug my iPad to my Macbook so that it can charge, but it isn't charging. What's the deal?
A1. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4060 states that this won't work, as the iPad is beefier equipment and it requires a strong power source (or charge it while it is in sleep mode, when it's drawing almost no power).
Q2: Can I manipulate what shows in images I select as backgrounds?
A2: Yes: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=9565984&postcount=2. When setting up the wallpapers, you can pinch/zoom and pan them around to get them centered just how you like...the trick is, if you then rotate the system, you can do it again for the other orientation, and it remembers both. This way you could use a 1024x768 image, and then zoom in the portrait version so that it fills the 768x1024 screen without being ugly.
I'll add more as I discover more learning challenges.
iPad Time!
So, I got me an iPad today...the 32GB wifi-only model. In fact, I'm postIng from it right now!
I also got the Apple case for it, and the camera connection kit.
Right now, I'm trying to get data to it (pictures and music and such).
My major interest right now is learning what is needed for iWorks stuff, like Keynote. Movies would be nice too.
I've yet to tell the wife that I got it, so some sparks may be generated when she finds out.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Mac Remote Printing?
I'm still delving/experimenting with printing in OS X. I've not messed with the OS X configuration much regarding printing, but apparently the printing service (CUPS) is enabled:
It asks for a password (for logging into the remote machine so that it can execute the 'lpr' command against the file output. The resulting printout gets the job done but its not particularly pretty.
* Gleaned from http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20061203204459481.
macbook:~ rsinclair$ telnet 192.168.1.109 631I also found that I can print docs that are local to me at a remote computer by using the following command:
Trying 192.168.1.109...
Connected to imac.home.
Escape character is '^]'.
Connection closed by foreign host.
cat filename.pdf | ssh unixfool@192.168.1.109 lpr *It asks for a password (for logging into the remote machine so that it can execute the 'lpr' command against the file output. The resulting printout gets the job done but its not particularly pretty.
* Gleaned from http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20061203204459481.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Magic Mouse Is Indeed Magical
So, I bought my iMac on 2/20/10. It came with a Magic Mouse.
I've been using the same batteries that the mouse came with. Today, those batteries went dead. So, I got 53 days of use out of them. That's NOT bad, especially for Bluetooth!
There's a thread on Apple's iMac forums discussion the 'horrible' battery life of Magic Mice. I'm not seeing those experiences. Some are trying different mice, but I think it would SUCK to not be able to use the Magic Mouse's features. This mouse is like no other!
Thursday, April 08, 2010
iWeb - Location of iWeb File (For Backup)
So, I just learned where iWeb stores its files:
~/Library/Application Support/iWeb/Domain
Note that this is one file instead of a bunch of them.
I've a different version of iWeb on my Macbook than I do on my iMac. I'd like to begin using my iMac to develop my web pages.
Another thing I should do is find out how to upgrade some of the Apple software on my Macs.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Mini DisplayPort and Macbook/iMac?
I'd like to use the iMac as a second screen to my Macbook. Apple's site hints that this is doable:
Mini DisplayPort output port with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (adapters sold separately). 27-inch models also support input from external DisplayPort sources (adapters sold separately).I know that my Macbook has a Mini DisplayPort out. The iMac has the same thing but the 27-inch models also support input from external DisplayPort sources. So, based on the above quote, what I want to do is possible.
Today, while at Microcenter to purchase Windows 7, I decided to stop by their Apple department. I told the salesman that I had both a Macbook and iMac and that I wanted to use the iMac as a second screen for my Macbook. He gave me a Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter. I thought this was fine at the time, but when I got home and had a look at the back of the iMac, I saw that it also had a Mini DisplayPort...the adaptor that the salesman gave me won't work. I either need a cable that has Mini DisplayPort connections on both ends or I need to buy another Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter (to use with a DVI cable, putting both Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters on each end of the DVI cable).
Now, Apple's Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters are $20 each. If I had to buy another, I'd be paying $40...and I also don't have a spare DVI cable, so I'd have to buy that also. That may add up to almost $50!
I saw this a few minutes ago. Look at the cost! $6.39! And the customer reviews are nothing but praises on how easy it is to use....and it's just one cable, with no adapter(s). Someone told me on the Apple forums that I'd have to buy some $150 adapter...ermmm, he's wrong.
So, I'll order that cable either tonight or tomorrow.
I'll also either use that Windows 7 (Professional 64-bit) on my iMac in Parallels or Bootcamp, or just use it on my gaming machine (which is currently running Windows XP SP3).
[EDIT (4/4/2010):
I found out two things: I need a $150 converter and the $6 cable won't work without the converter, as I've a mini-DVI on the Macbook, not a mini-Displayport. I'm not going to pay $150 to use the iMac as a second display. $150 will pay for a new monitor! I'll use another monitor before I do that.]
Monday, March 29, 2010
New Software Added - 3/28/2010
Added KisMac to my Macbook.
This software is NICE!! I've used Kismet before (on a Sharp Zaurus SL5500), but the Mac version is VERY nice!
One disturbing thing (that I should put on my security blog) is that I saw a lot of WAPs in my neighborhood still using WEP. Three of them were Actiontec routers, which show the new rollout of FIOS from Verizon. Mine also shows up, but mine is set to use WPA2. There were maybe 5-6 WAPs using WPA (of maybe 10-12), but I was the ONLY one that I detected that was using WPA2. That's not good, IMO.
I may take a drive around tomorrow to sample the neighborhood. I'll parse that data and post it on my security blog.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Reported iMac Issue - Won't Wake From Sleep
So, on MacRumors and the Apple forums, there are documented issues with Macs that won't wake from sleep. The aforementioned links show forum posts of the issue, but in all honesty, this has been going on for quite awhile in the Mac world: here's an example of ALL Mac machines and not just iMacs.
I've experienced this only once with my new iMac. It happened on the evening of the 17th of March. It hasn't happened since. I know the machine woke because I heard it turn on inside the case. I think the screen/monitor couldn't recover for some reason, and I ended up rebooting.
Some are suggesting that this is a hardware issue with the iMac. I doubt it, since it's been affecting other machines (for years). It almost has to be third-party software being installed, or maybe some recent patch that's been affecting the recent iMacs, but really, again, this has been going on for years. There's one report that people with G5s have always experienced this issue. I have personal experience that it was happening with Macbooks, although it hasn't happened recently.
What really hinders the troubleshooting of this is the fact that its happening intermittently. Some people are reporting that they've fixed this by reinstalling OS X. Others are reporting fixes by resetting the SMC. Some are removing widgets and software and seeing results. Some are reporting fixes by unplugging USB hubs from their machines. Some are getting internals replaced by Apple, such as graphics cards, power supplies, and motherboards.
Honestly, this is all over the place and could hint at multiple issues.
There's been no official word from Apple (ever).
[ EDIT 4/2/2010:
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1018 addresses the waking issue. ]
Thursday, March 25, 2010
iPhone, Safari, IE8, Firefox all fall on day one of Pwn2Own
iPhone, Safari, IE8, Firefox all fall on day one of Pwn2Own
Link: http://tinyurl.com/ydhzhwp (credit: Computerworld.com)
Hackers took down Apple's iPhone and Safari browser, Microsoft's Internet Explore 8 (IE8) and Mozilla's Firefox within minutes at today's Pwn2Own contest, as expected.
Of the browsers set up as targets for the contest, only Google's Chrome remained standing on the first day.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
More Widgets and Apps
A few more widgets that I've installed onto the iMac:
MightyMonitor - monitors battery life of keyboard/mouse.
A few more apps:
Smultron - HTML editor
Adium - IM chat client
Note that all of the above is free or donate-ware. I'll always try those types of software first.
MightyMonitor - monitors battery life of keyboard/mouse.
A few more apps:
Smultron - HTML editor
Adium - IM chat client
Note that all of the above is free or donate-ware. I'll always try those types of software first.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
MobileMe
Experimenting with MobileMe. MobileMe is fantastic. I mainly got it so that I could track and erase my iPhone in case I lost it. I also wanted to play with it to learn its capabilities while using it on a trial basis. What really got me was the iCalendar syncing. I am beginning to be heavily involved with teleconferencing at work and am sometimes participating in these three times a day, along with my other tasks, so I really needed to be able to track what I’d be doing in advance of a call, no matter what system I was using. So, with MobileMe, I can edit or add a calendar entry and no matter which system I use, the other gets updated. The calendar entry can be done on either my Macbook, iMac or iPhone!
I also decided to start trying to evaluate other aspects of MobileMe, such as the blogging and website potential. Blogging will be first, but I'm also willing to test webpage capability.
The blog looks good so far (only one entry, but linked pictures show up slowly...not particularly good). And, I have to use iWeb to make blog posts...I don't think iWeb is accessible via the web, though...I'll find out soon enough and it may be at MobileMe.
I'll post my evaluations here as I discover the good and bad.
The blog looks good so far (only one entry, but linked pictures show up slowly...not particularly good). And, I have to use iWeb to make blog posts...I don't think iWeb is accessible via the web, though...I'll find out soon enough and it may be at MobileMe.
I'll post my evaluations here as I discover the good and bad.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Recent Software Installs
The software I've tried so far:
Adium - multi-protocol IM client (more protocol support than iChat)
mBackup - for backup of mSecure for my iPhone
Firefox - browser for Mac from Mozilla
Chrome - beta browser for Mac from Google
iWork - office suite for Mac
TeamSpeak 3 - voice chat for Mac
Flip4Mac - WMV Components allow you to import, export and play Windows Media video and audio files on your Mac
Hewlett-Packard printer software/drivers - for HP Deskjet All-In-One F4240 printer
The software I still want to install:
Xchat (Aqua) - IRC client for Mac
One of these - DVD/CD burning software for Mac
Adium - multi-protocol IM client (more protocol support than iChat)
mBackup - for backup of mSecure for my iPhone
Firefox - browser for Mac from Mozilla
Chrome - beta browser for Mac from Google
iWork - office suite for Mac
TeamSpeak 3 - voice chat for Mac
Flip4Mac - WMV Components allow you to import, export and play Windows Media video and audio files on your Mac
Hewlett-Packard printer software/drivers - for HP Deskjet All-In-One F4240 printer
The software I still want to install:
Xchat (Aqua) - IRC client for Mac
One of these - DVD/CD burning software for Mac
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Time Machine
So, I've got a 750GM LaCie drive that I bought maybe a year and a half ago at Microcenter for the purpose of backing up my work laptop's hard disk. Instead, I decided to use it for my Macbook. I've been using it off and on, but after I got the iMac, I decided that I could just activate Time Machine on the desktop. In fact, I may be able to use it for both the laptop and desktop.
Backing up every hour for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all the previous months is cool as hell when all you have to do is keep it plugged in (and not that this is without configuration).
Sooner or later, though, I'm going to have to get a bigger drive...got a 1TB disk in the iMac.
Backing up every hour for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all the previous months is cool as hell when all you have to do is keep it plugged in (and not that this is without configuration).
Sooner or later, though, I'm going to have to get a bigger drive...got a 1TB disk in the iMac.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
iMac - Stuck Pixel
So, I've a stuck pixel (showing as red) on the left lower quadrant of the screen.
So far, I've used JScreenFix in an attempt to unstick it, but have not been able to rid myself of it. I can't massage the pixel to unstick it, either.
I'm looking at other possible remedies, but the existence of this stuck pixel isn't a deal-breaker. It's one of millions? We'll see if this is an issue later, if others are discovered...it will come down to how many are discovered. I'm not going to actively seek them out, either.
This would be a deal-breaker for a lot of Mac owners, due to the nature of Mac owners constantly seeking perfection. I'm NOT going to adopt that philosophy, swapping out multiple machines until I get that perfect machine. Perfection is non-existent, unless you're purchasing a Ferrari or Porsche, and some of those cost close to a third of a million dollars in some cases. Some will say that the Mac is the Ferrari or Porsche of computers. Hardly.
So far, I've used JScreenFix in an attempt to unstick it, but have not been able to rid myself of it. I can't massage the pixel to unstick it, either.
I'm looking at other possible remedies, but the existence of this stuck pixel isn't a deal-breaker. It's one of millions? We'll see if this is an issue later, if others are discovered...it will come down to how many are discovered. I'm not going to actively seek them out, either.
This would be a deal-breaker for a lot of Mac owners, due to the nature of Mac owners constantly seeking perfection. I'm NOT going to adopt that philosophy, swapping out multiple machines until I get that perfect machine. Perfection is non-existent, unless you're purchasing a Ferrari or Porsche, and some of those cost close to a third of a million dollars in some cases. Some will say that the Mac is the Ferrari or Porsche of computers. Hardly.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Want 64-bit Mode?
If you're not already aware, recent Macs are sold in 32-bit mode. Suppose you want to try 64-bit mode?
This link explains how.
This link explains how.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Dashboard Widgets
What are my favorite dashboard widgets on my Macs?
iMac:
iStat Pro
WhoisConnected
Clock (standard widget)
Weather (standard widget)
Calendar (standard widget)
Calculator (standard widget)
Macbook:
iStat Pro
Mighty Marvel Wallpapers
Clock (standard widget)
Weather (standard widget)
Calendar (standard widget)
Calculator (standard widget)
HO printer monitor
Now, with the Macbook, I purposely limited how many I used since I value screen real estate and try to limit the apps that are being run. The iMac will be a different story, since the screen is so big and since this machine has horsepower to spare.
I'll add to these lists as I add more widgets on my systems.
iMac:
iStat Pro
WhoisConnected
Clock (standard widget)
Weather (standard widget)
Calendar (standard widget)
Calculator (standard widget)
Macbook:
iStat Pro
Mighty Marvel Wallpapers
Clock (standard widget)
Weather (standard widget)
Calendar (standard widget)
Calculator (standard widget)
HO printer monitor
Now, with the Macbook, I purposely limited how many I used since I value screen real estate and try to limit the apps that are being run. The iMac will be a different story, since the screen is so big and since this machine has horsepower to spare.
I'll add to these lists as I add more widgets on my systems.
Apple Serial Number Info Website
I found this very cool site when perusing posts at MacRumors:
http://appleserialnumberinfo.com
If you put the serial number of a Mac into the field at the top left and hit 'enter', you should see something similar to the following. Mine is:
An interesting fact is that they are now building Macs in the USA. This probably cuts down on delivery, as I read that some people are getting their Macs within three days of ordering. Nice!
http://appleserialnumberinfo.com
If you put the serial number of a Mac into the field at the top left and hit 'enter', you should see something similar to the following. Mine is:
| Model: | - iMac (27-inch Late 2009) | ||
| Codename: | - ? | ||
| Build Country: | - Your Mac was built in the USA. | ||
| Build Year: | - Your Mac was built in 2010. | ||
| Build Week | - Your Mac was built in week 7 of that year (February). | ||
| Production Nr.: | - Your Mac was number 1117 to be built that week. | ||
| Source: | AppleSerialNumberInfo.com |
An interesting fact is that they are now building Macs in the USA. This probably cuts down on delivery, as I read that some people are getting their Macs within three days of ordering. Nice!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Google's Chrome Browser for Mac -- NICE!
It feels more robust (and looks better) than the last time I tried it (on a Windows machine and maybe 4 months ago).
Would love to use it at work but it keeps getting removed (corporate policy).
I'd like to see plugins similar to Firefox. I haven't even checked to see if they have implemented those yet.
Would love to use it at work but it keeps getting removed (corporate policy).
I'd like to see plugins similar to Firefox. I haven't even checked to see if they have implemented those yet.
LINKSYS PSUS4 USB Print Server w/4-port Switch -- Not Compatible with Macs!
The Linksys PSUS4 print server is NOT compatible with Macs. Macs will not discover this server, in my experience. I bought it so that I could have one networked printer. The printer itself, an HP DeskJet F4240 All-In-One is compatible with Macs, as I've got it plugged right into the iMac and it prints without issue with no configuration and it is auto-detected. When I add the print server into the mix, things get bad. The server also appears to overload quickly, requiring constant power-cycles. It prints fine with Windows machines, though.
I've left a review at NewEgg ( search for "unixfool"...currently, the review is on page 1) but this was before I tested on Macs.
Tried it for Linux also (gOS on the Dell Mini 9)...it doesn't like the server either.
If your house is heavy with Macs, avoid this print server.
I've left a review at NewEgg ( search for "unixfool"...currently, the review is on page 1) but this was before I tested on Macs.
Tried it for Linux also (gOS on the Dell Mini 9)...it doesn't like the server either.
If your house is heavy with Macs, avoid this print server.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Got me an iMac tonight!
Yep.
Got the 3GHz 27-inch (non-quadcore). It has 4 GB of 1067 MHz RAM and is running an ATI Radeon HD 4670 video card. I've got a 1 TB hard disk in it, also.
This thing is HUGE. It is the biggest monitor I've EVER typed upon. It won't fit on my desk, so I have it on a separate folding table. I've also never set up a computer, from the box, so quickly. Basically, there's the monitor, the keyboard, and the mouse, and that's it...one cord to plug in (the power cord), as the keyboard and mouse are bluetooth equipment. The keyboard is SMALL. I'm not used to using a keyboard without the numberpad and this may cause me issues when I try to game (yeah, I will definitely game on this system, via Parallels or VMWare Fusion).
A few pics:
Will supply pictures of the computer as soon as I'm done with the software updates.
EDIT:
Pics below
This one is next to a 15.4" Dell Inspiron that is a foot behind and to the left of the iMac. The screen on this thing is BIG!
The keyboard and mouse are bluetooth...no wires. Both take AA batteries, also. The mouse works sorta like the Macbooks' touchpad...this is a good mouse!
The box is mid-thigh to me and I'm 5'7". It weighs like 60ish lbs. and I had to carry this from the Apple Store in Fairfax to my car! The escalator was off, also! By the time I got to the car, I was almost dead. What's funny was the looks I was getting after I got this thing. People were staring...WTF, I guy can't go out and get a computer??
EDIT (2/21/10):
So far so good. I plugged in my printer and it was automatically detected (it's an HP DeskJet 4240 All-In-One). I had to add the HP drivers to my Macbook for the Macbook to see the printer properly, although that was awhile ago...I'm thinking that Snow Leopard has updated its printer driver set.
Got the 3GHz 27-inch (non-quadcore). It has 4 GB of 1067 MHz RAM and is running an ATI Radeon HD 4670 video card. I've got a 1 TB hard disk in it, also.
This thing is HUGE. It is the biggest monitor I've EVER typed upon. It won't fit on my desk, so I have it on a separate folding table. I've also never set up a computer, from the box, so quickly. Basically, there's the monitor, the keyboard, and the mouse, and that's it...one cord to plug in (the power cord), as the keyboard and mouse are bluetooth equipment. The keyboard is SMALL. I'm not used to using a keyboard without the numberpad and this may cause me issues when I try to game (yeah, I will definitely game on this system, via Parallels or VMWare Fusion).
A few pics:
Will supply pictures of the computer as soon as I'm done with the software updates.
EDIT:
Pics below
This one is next to a 15.4" Dell Inspiron that is a foot behind and to the left of the iMac. The screen on this thing is BIG!
The keyboard and mouse are bluetooth...no wires. Both take AA batteries, also. The mouse works sorta like the Macbooks' touchpad...this is a good mouse!
The box is mid-thigh to me and I'm 5'7". It weighs like 60ish lbs. and I had to carry this from the Apple Store in Fairfax to my car! The escalator was off, also! By the time I got to the car, I was almost dead. What's funny was the looks I was getting after I got this thing. People were staring...WTF, I guy can't go out and get a computer??
EDIT (2/21/10):
So far so good. I plugged in my printer and it was automatically detected (it's an HP DeskJet 4240 All-In-One). I had to add the HP drivers to my Macbook for the Macbook to see the printer properly, although that was awhile ago...I'm thinking that Snow Leopard has updated its printer driver set.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Bluetooth, 3GS, and Macbook
I'm trying to pair my Motorola H500 Red with my iPhone and my Macbook. Had some difficulty with the iPhone but finally got it working with the following solution:
Next, I paired my H500 with my Macbook. Easy Peasy.
Now, I'm trying to pair the phone with my Macbook. No success so far but I'll continue to investigate.
EDIT: apparently, the only use for pairing the phone with a Mac is for tethering. I don't need tethering (yet). No need for me to pair the phone with the Mac at this time if it will only allow tethering.
Try this link. It solved my issue: www.scribd.com/doc/280088/motorola-h500-bluetooth-earpiece-manual. Basically what you need to do is power the earpiece off. Make sure that your IPhone is not currently attempting to discover bluetooth devices (i.e. Bluetooth is OFF). Hold the On button on your earpiece (it has the symbol of a phone on it) for 6-10 seconds. The light on the earpiece remains lit. Now your earpiece is in discovery mode. On your IPhone, go to Settings, General, Bluetooth. Turn Bluetooth ON. Now your phone and your earpiece are both in discovery mode. When you see "Headset" listed, select it and enter the password "0000". Your IPhone is now paired with your H500 headset.That solves the iPhone/H500 issue.
Next, I paired my H500 with my Macbook. Easy Peasy.
Now, I'm trying to pair the phone with my Macbook. No success so far but I'll continue to investigate.
EDIT: apparently, the only use for pairing the phone with a Mac is for tethering. I don't need tethering (yet). No need for me to pair the phone with the Mac at this time if it will only allow tethering.
Apple iPhone and Apple iPod Touch Multiple Vulnerabilities
Apple iPhone and Apple iPod Touch Multiple Vulnerabilities - SANS.org
Affects -
Affects -
- iPhone OS 3.1.3
- iPhone OS 3.1.3 for iPod touch
Friday, February 12, 2010
Got a new phone - iPhone 3GS!
Backed up old phone -3G 16GB
Sync'ed the new phone - 3GS 32GB.
Erased old phone.
How to erase all data from an iPhone - Apparently, this is a two-hour process (OMG). Maybe it won't take so long, since I was only using 7GB of the space.
Giving the 3G to the wife. The phone guys just swapped out my old SIM card from the old phone to the new one. Took the old one home and gave it to the wife and she was playing with it and yelled, "why is it working when there's no SIM?" We'd forgotten that this phone can still be used without a SIM, and she was going on the web and everything. Basically, it was in iTouch mode...hahaha. So, apparently, she can pop in the SIM from her phone (non-iPhone) and it should work. She'd still have to call or visit an AT&T authorized dealer so that they could turn on the iPhone data plan, though (from what I'm told). We'll add a family plan to my phone and she can piggy-back off of me.
Seriously, I considered the Droid but did not consider much else. Based on some reviews I read and some feedback from friends that have the Droid, I decided to not get that phone. Really, once you go iPhone, you're not turning back. Almost everyone I know that tried to switch away came right back.
The 3GS is much faster than the 3G (the 3G still lags a bit after finger inputs). I can play my Skee Ball much better with this new hardware (no lag due to other background tasks going on). It also feels just a tad lighter in weight. My old cases fit the new phone. All my apps are still compatible with the 3GS. The camera on the GS is worlds better, also...and the video function is a dream. Additionally, the speaker is WAY louder.
About all I have to do now is upgrade the firmware to v3.1.3 (it currently has v3.1.2).
And, to be different, I went black this time instead of white.
So, why upgrade to 3GS when this summer will probably be 4g? Because I'm not one to be a beta tester. I'll let other people sort out the new hardware...I just want a stable phone. Plus, if I REALLY want one, I'll get it anyways (and sell my 3GS to help pay for the 4g phone).
Sync'ed the new phone - 3GS 32GB.
Erased old phone.
How to erase all data from an iPhone - Apparently, this is a two-hour process (OMG). Maybe it won't take so long, since I was only using 7GB of the space.
Giving the 3G to the wife. The phone guys just swapped out my old SIM card from the old phone to the new one. Took the old one home and gave it to the wife and she was playing with it and yelled, "why is it working when there's no SIM?" We'd forgotten that this phone can still be used without a SIM, and she was going on the web and everything. Basically, it was in iTouch mode...hahaha. So, apparently, she can pop in the SIM from her phone (non-iPhone) and it should work. She'd still have to call or visit an AT&T authorized dealer so that they could turn on the iPhone data plan, though (from what I'm told). We'll add a family plan to my phone and she can piggy-back off of me.
Seriously, I considered the Droid but did not consider much else. Based on some reviews I read and some feedback from friends that have the Droid, I decided to not get that phone. Really, once you go iPhone, you're not turning back. Almost everyone I know that tried to switch away came right back.
The 3GS is much faster than the 3G (the 3G still lags a bit after finger inputs). I can play my Skee Ball much better with this new hardware (no lag due to other background tasks going on). It also feels just a tad lighter in weight. My old cases fit the new phone. All my apps are still compatible with the 3GS. The camera on the GS is worlds better, also...and the video function is a dream. Additionally, the speaker is WAY louder.
About all I have to do now is upgrade the firmware to v3.1.3 (it currently has v3.1.2).
And, to be different, I went black this time instead of white.
So, why upgrade to 3GS when this summer will probably be 4g? Because I'm not one to be a beta tester. I'll let other people sort out the new hardware...I just want a stable phone. Plus, if I REALLY want one, I'll get it anyways (and sell my 3GS to help pay for the 4g phone).
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Mac Mini Server
Apple is offering a Mac Mini Server for $999. Tech specs are here and it doesn't appear configurable. You can add unlimited users to the server, though and it actually comes with the server OS software and what appears to be 1TB of drive space (tech specs state "dual 500GB disks"...dunno if this means some type of RAID). It also comes loaded with RAM (4GB) and utilizes a 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo processor.
This appears to be hot stuff. If you attempt to build this yourself, it would more than likely cost quite a bit more than $999.
I'm in the market for another Mac, a desktop. I may be able to do a Mini like this, though, although I'd still want to game (via a virtual instance of Windows) and the video card in the Mini Server won't cut it...wait, I take that back, as it utilizes the Nvidia GeForce 9400M, which is actually used in the Macbook Pro as a default card (although it is upgradeable in the higher end models).
This appears to be hot stuff. If you attempt to build this yourself, it would more than likely cost quite a bit more than $999.
I'm in the market for another Mac, a desktop. I may be able to do a Mini like this, though, although I'd still want to game (via a virtual instance of Windows) and the video card in the Mini Server won't cut it...wait, I take that back, as it utilizes the Nvidia GeForce 9400M, which is actually used in the Macbook Pro as a default card (although it is upgradeable in the higher end models).
iPhone 3GS 32GB or Droid?
So, I'm really close to being able to upgrade my 3G 16GB soon (this coming Monday). I'm on the fence on if I should wait or upgrade to the 3GS 32GB. I just know as soon as I do, within months, Apple will release a new phone (happened last time, even though I knew it was coming but didn't know when).
I'm also curious about the Droid. The tech stats don't really mean all that much to me. I hear the keys on the pad are very small. The camera looks to be a lot better than any iPhone. Both can capture video. The Droid's memory and storage specs leave a bit to be desired, although it will take an external card (up to 16GB of microSD). Apparently, the Droid will chew up and spit out a freshly charged battery, although I've heard multiple people stating that the phone would need to be tuned (similar to when I tuned my phone to lessen battery consumption). Verizon's data plan has dropped to $69.99, according to some of the TV commercials I've recently been seeing. That would put a Droid close to what I'm paying now for my iPhone service. Both can tether and both can use headsets to voice-dial.
I could try out the Droid and return it within two weeks of purchase if I don't like it...wondering if I'd be wasting my time, though. My experience with Apple is GREAT and I'd definitely want to purchase through Best Buy and purchase their accident plan like I did with the last pone (and ended up dropping it not long after purchase, which Best Buy replaced for a small fee).
Basically, I'm afraid of giving up the Apple experience. I'll make a decision on what to do soon...but really, there's no rush to become indentured by another phone company...again.
I'm also curious about the Droid. The tech stats don't really mean all that much to me. I hear the keys on the pad are very small. The camera looks to be a lot better than any iPhone. Both can capture video. The Droid's memory and storage specs leave a bit to be desired, although it will take an external card (up to 16GB of microSD). Apparently, the Droid will chew up and spit out a freshly charged battery, although I've heard multiple people stating that the phone would need to be tuned (similar to when I tuned my phone to lessen battery consumption). Verizon's data plan has dropped to $69.99, according to some of the TV commercials I've recently been seeing. That would put a Droid close to what I'm paying now for my iPhone service. Both can tether and both can use headsets to voice-dial.
I could try out the Droid and return it within two weeks of purchase if I don't like it...wondering if I'd be wasting my time, though. My experience with Apple is GREAT and I'd definitely want to purchase through Best Buy and purchase their accident plan like I did with the last pone (and ended up dropping it not long after purchase, which Best Buy replaced for a small fee).
Basically, I'm afraid of giving up the Apple experience. I'll make a decision on what to do soon...but really, there's no rush to become indentured by another phone company...again.
Monday, February 01, 2010
A new year...what's in store for me, Apple-wise? ;-)
I'd like to get one of the following this year:
iPad 32- or 64-GB, wifi
iMac 27" 3.06-GHz
iPhone 3GS
Out of all of these, it will more than likely be the iMac. Really, an iPad would be cool and all, but its basically just a large iPod. And, I already have an iPhone (3G). I already have a Mac also (the Macbook)...I'd like a desktop system. What I'd REALLY like is a Mac Pro, but that's a bit beyond me. If I bought a Mac Pro, I'd definitely go all out, since at even the low range, you're already spending a lot.
Since it's almost bonus time, we'll see how this plays out. :-)
iPad 32- or 64-GB, wifi
iMac 27" 3.06-GHz
iPhone 3GS
Out of all of these, it will more than likely be the iMac. Really, an iPad would be cool and all, but its basically just a large iPod. And, I already have an iPhone (3G). I already have a Mac also (the Macbook)...I'd like a desktop system. What I'd REALLY like is a Mac Pro, but that's a bit beyond me. If I bought a Mac Pro, I'd definitely go all out, since at even the low range, you're already spending a lot.
Since it's almost bonus time, we'll see how this plays out. :-)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
One full round of MW2 - Xfire Video
Yeah, this isn't related to Macs/Apple, but I thought it was cool.
One full round of MW2 - Xfire Video
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (for PC). The original .wmv video file has been heavily compressed to the .mp4 format, making it smaller but less clear (video- and quality-wise). There is also no sound (blame that on Xfire). The FPS person is me.
One full round of MW2 - Xfire Video
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (for PC). The original .wmv video file has been heavily compressed to the .mp4 format, making it smaller but less clear (video- and quality-wise). There is also no sound (blame that on Xfire). The FPS person is me.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Latest jailbroken iPhone worm tries filching bank passwords
Latest jailbroken iPhone worm tries filching bank passwords
This is a nice read. This worm is named iBotnet.A. It explains the latest worm, which is quite a bit more malicious than the Rickroll worm that made the news two weeks ago.
Note that both of these worms aren't really exploiting holes in the underlying code. They take advantage of the ignorance of the user. To elaborage, both take advantage of the fact that jailbreakers need to install SSH software onto the phone. Jailbreakers tend to forget that the default password is public and known to the world. The smart moves would be to, 1) change the password to something else; 2) remove the SSH server after jailbreaking the phone; 3) if you still need the SSH server, use SSH key authentication. These seem like no-brainers to me but these are not apparent to most jailbreaker, since they usually don't have security in mind when installing this unauthorized firmware.
This worm is a bit humorous, also:
Now that's funny!
This is a nice read. This worm is named iBotnet.A. It explains the latest worm, which is quite a bit more malicious than the Rickroll worm that made the news two weeks ago.
Note that both of these worms aren't really exploiting holes in the underlying code. They take advantage of the ignorance of the user. To elaborage, both take advantage of the fact that jailbreakers need to install SSH software onto the phone. Jailbreakers tend to forget that the default password is public and known to the world. The smart moves would be to, 1) change the password to something else; 2) remove the SSH server after jailbreaking the phone; 3) if you still need the SSH server, use SSH key authentication. These seem like no-brainers to me but these are not apparent to most jailbreaker, since they usually don't have security in mind when installing this unauthorized firmware.
This worm is a bit humorous, also:
After it finds a vulnerable phone, iBotnet.A changes the root password to "ohshit"
Now that's funny!
Sunday, November 08, 2009
iPhone worm in the wild
iPhone worm in the wild:
Couple of days ago there were a lot of discussions about an attack on iPhone users in the Netherlands where the attacker installed a backdoor that asked the iPhone owner to pay 5 EUR to get rid of the Trojan.
The attack was aimed exclusively against jailbroken (hacked) iPhones – these phones allow the user to run unofficial code and bypass Apple's official App Store. In other words – it allows users to run (often) pirated programs.
EDIT: More coverage at the SANS diary ==> Apple Security Update 2009-006 for Mac OS X v10.6.2
Couple of days ago there were a lot of discussions about an attack on iPhone users in the Netherlands where the attacker installed a backdoor that asked the iPhone owner to pay 5 EUR to get rid of the Trojan.
The attack was aimed exclusively against jailbroken (hacked) iPhones – these phones allow the user to run unofficial code and bypass Apple's official App Store. In other words – it allows users to run (often) pirated programs.
EDIT: More coverage at the SANS diary ==> Apple Security Update 2009-006 for Mac OS X v10.6.2
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Net Scan iPhone app -- Installed
Net Scan
This app rocks!
This application has some decent configurability. I was able to scan the whole range of my home network (which contains over 10 hosts), getting details similar to a default scan using NMap.
The app costs $0.99. I got the app based on the recommendation of a friend and I played with his install of it a bit. The fact that I pulled the trigger on this app when I never buy iPhone apps speaks for itself!
This app rocks!
This application has some decent configurability. I was able to scan the whole range of my home network (which contains over 10 hosts), getting details similar to a default scan using NMap.
The app costs $0.99. I got the app based on the recommendation of a friend and I played with his install of it a bit. The fact that I pulled the trigger on this app when I never buy iPhone apps speaks for itself!
iPhone firmware v3.1.2 is available
See "Apple iPhone Software now v3.1.2" article at PCWorld
I've no idea when v3.1.2 was released but I've never needed an update so badly.
My phone has been going comatose since I installed v3.1. During this time, I've also had cellular network issues. I'd have to restart the phone every couple of days. I'd miss calls because I couldn't tell when the phone was comatose until maybe 6 hrs with no e-mails and/or texts.
So, today, I decided to check for an update and v3.1.2 was queued up. I've installed it, along with an iWorks and iTunes update.
We'll see how things go.
I've no idea when v3.1.2 was released but I've never needed an update so badly.
My phone has been going comatose since I installed v3.1. During this time, I've also had cellular network issues. I'd have to restart the phone every couple of days. I'd miss calls because I couldn't tell when the phone was comatose until maybe 6 hrs with no e-mails and/or texts.
So, today, I decided to check for an update and v3.1.2 was queued up. I've installed it, along with an iWorks and iTunes update.
We'll see how things go.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
AVI and Mac
So, I've been trying to view .avi files (movies) on my Mac. I've found that this can't be done unless I've the proper codec, so I did a bit of research and found the following:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/avidivx.html
I downloaded and installed DivX for Mac, which seems to work OK, but will ocassionally lag (voice vs. picture). If I continue to have issues, I'll try a different codec from the above link.
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/avidivx.html
I downloaded and installed DivX for Mac, which seems to work OK, but will ocassionally lag (voice vs. picture). If I continue to have issues, I'll try a different codec from the above link.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Software Updates - Sep 2009
While I was trying to back up my iPhone's data since I had to visit a local Genius Bar for a repair, I was prompted to install v3.1 of iPhone's flashcode. I believe this fixes that recent SMS vulnerability, but I could've sworn I already installed v3.1. I also had to update to the latest iTunes version, but I don't normally care too much about iTunes functionality, so I don't know what version is new and what functions and fixes apply.
Also, since I was at the Apple Store in Fair Oaks, VA, I bought the Family Pack of Snow Leopard. I installed it on my Macbook first and will do my wife's at a later time. I've not noticed any massive differences yet, but I only installed it last night (at 12AM). As a note, I don't believe this version will install on my PowerMac...it is for Intel CPUs only.
The visit to the Genius Bar wasn't all that stellar. The service was great, technical-wise, but my appointment was at 7:50PM. I wasn't seen until 8:30. My name wasn't called the whole time but I was showing as the next person to be seen. People kept coming in without appointments and just asking for adhoc help. I've no idea why someone wasn't telling those without appointments that they couldn't be helped because there was an established waiting list. The topper is that they called someone's name from the list (at 8:30PM) that was after me (and he wasn't even there...I guess he got tired of waiting)...I was like, WTF, I've been here the whole time and you're acting like I'm not even here. Then they immediately started to help someone that wasn't on the list and I had to yell that I'd been waiting 30 minutes without anyone calling my name.
Apple sent me a customer survey form and I informed them of these issues....wasted effort, maybe?
They did fix my phone, though. I had an issue with bubbles that I may have already reported on this blog already. Bubbles under the screen. I noticed this maybe 2-3 months ago. When I initially noticed the bubbles, there weren't all that many (4-5). When I checked earlier this week, there were 11. The Genius asked me if I'd been leaving my phone in the car. I told her that I work in an office environment and that my phone was always with me. They replaced the glass within 5 minutes. I didn't know the iPhone was modular in nature. I was assuming I'd get a new phone (LOL!). I'm just glad I got the issue fixed and hope it is not a repeat issue, as I've only had the phone a year.
[EDIT: The store manager called me today. I sort of expected it since they sent me a survey and asked if they could contact me for a verbal follow-up. I explained what happened and he apologized. I told him that I know things get busy and I also have similar experiences at work, but that a half-hour wait for a 5 minute fix was borderline unacceptable. He was also surprised no one was calling out names of the appointment holders. Hopefully he'll have a chat with his team and get things better organized. This is the second time I've had issues with that particular store. Last time it was them holding my Macbook for an excessive amount of time. Maybe I'll go to the Reston store next time...[9/14/2009]]
Also, since I was at the Apple Store in Fair Oaks, VA, I bought the Family Pack of Snow Leopard. I installed it on my Macbook first and will do my wife's at a later time. I've not noticed any massive differences yet, but I only installed it last night (at 12AM). As a note, I don't believe this version will install on my PowerMac...it is for Intel CPUs only.
The visit to the Genius Bar wasn't all that stellar. The service was great, technical-wise, but my appointment was at 7:50PM. I wasn't seen until 8:30. My name wasn't called the whole time but I was showing as the next person to be seen. People kept coming in without appointments and just asking for adhoc help. I've no idea why someone wasn't telling those without appointments that they couldn't be helped because there was an established waiting list. The topper is that they called someone's name from the list (at 8:30PM) that was after me (and he wasn't even there...I guess he got tired of waiting)...I was like, WTF, I've been here the whole time and you're acting like I'm not even here. Then they immediately started to help someone that wasn't on the list and I had to yell that I'd been waiting 30 minutes without anyone calling my name.
Apple sent me a customer survey form and I informed them of these issues....wasted effort, maybe?
They did fix my phone, though. I had an issue with bubbles that I may have already reported on this blog already. Bubbles under the screen. I noticed this maybe 2-3 months ago. When I initially noticed the bubbles, there weren't all that many (4-5). When I checked earlier this week, there were 11. The Genius asked me if I'd been leaving my phone in the car. I told her that I work in an office environment and that my phone was always with me. They replaced the glass within 5 minutes. I didn't know the iPhone was modular in nature. I was assuming I'd get a new phone (LOL!). I'm just glad I got the issue fixed and hope it is not a repeat issue, as I've only had the phone a year.
[EDIT: The store manager called me today. I sort of expected it since they sent me a survey and asked if they could contact me for a verbal follow-up. I explained what happened and he apologized. I told him that I know things get busy and I also have similar experiences at work, but that a half-hour wait for a 5 minute fix was borderline unacceptable. He was also surprised no one was calling out names of the appointment holders. Hopefully he'll have a chat with his team and get things better organized. This is the second time I've had issues with that particular store. Last time it was them holding my Macbook for an excessive amount of time. Maybe I'll go to the Reston store next time...[9/14/2009]]
Friday, September 04, 2009
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MAC_OS_X_SNGL
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard is now available for purchase!
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard is now available for purchase!
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Got my Macbook back! Dude, I got a Dell!
I took my Macbook to the local Genius bar last Wed. They replaced the magsafe cord and kept it for a few days to replace the 'palm rest'. All covered under warranty! The only thing is, I lost my MacStyle in the process...perfect time to get another, though!
The Genius really dug my MacStyle and asked me a lot of questions. He said he saw them on the web but that mine was the first he'd seen in real life. He asked how hard it was to install and remove. He said that it really looked sharp and wanted to get a few for the Geniuses at the bar. I thought that was really cool.
Another thing: The Genius said that the repair would be two days. I gave it to them Wed evening. He said that they'd a lot of repairs to do, due to Spring break and college students, but that they'd give me a call around Friday-Saturday. I never got a call. I figured they were busy so I gave them a bit more time. I was off on Monday and wanted to see if they were done (I don't have a lot of time off to do this sort of stuff), so I called. The lady who answered asked if I'd gotten a call from them and I said 'no'. She said that if they hadn't called me, it more than likely wasn't done. I told her that they'd had it since Wed and that it was Monday...that was more than enough time to get it done. She went in the back of the store and checked...came back and said that it was ready to pick up. WTF. She makes a smart comment saying that they'd have called me if it was complete, then 2 minutes later says that it is done. I was a bit pissed. Why? They told me it would be done, gave me an estimated date, I went out of my way to not hassle them when that estimated date expired and got no call from them. I don't understand how or why she made it seem like I was badgering her store. This is exactly why I don't always like dealing with service-related issues...this is also why I typically buy my own parts and fix my own stuff...I hate depending on people with the heads up their anuses. A simple call would've been nice...I guess they were that busy. I understand that, but don't understand the attitude after waiting 2 more days than their estimated time. I should've been very vocal about this.
Oh yeah, I got a Dell Mini 9. I almost returned it so that I could order an Asus 10". I decided to stick with the Dell, though. Awesome machine. I can live with the non-standard keyboard. It has Ubuntu installed (Dell build), has a 32GB solid-state drive, and a 1.3MP webcam, otherwise its standard. I'd like to add another gig of RAM but the 1GB it currently has isn't giving me issues.
A lot of Dell Mini owners are installing OS X on their Minis. I'm not to that point yet. I did try to make my Ubuntu look like OS X but have to run Compiz in order to do it...that's a deal-breaker, as Compiz makes the unit lag a bit (moving scroll bar and such).
Basically, there's not much I don't like about this machine. I really like the fact that it doesn't make any noise (no fan). It gets warm but not as warm as my Macbook. About the only thing I don't like is the funkily-mapped keys (like the ' and | keys: I have to use key combinations to use those characters, which slows me down considerably when in CLI). Another issue I've seen is that I can't shell into some of my machines from the Dell. When I experience this issue, I immediately go to my Mac and try the same thing and it works fine. Note that this is not an SSH client or server issue. Looking at the SSH client debug logs, I don't see anything glaring. Looking at the remote machine's auth logs, I see authentications. Weird. It may be an issue with the wifi card. I do plan on replacing the stock mini-PC card with a card supported openly (it has a Broadcom card that works but I prefer something open).
I may look into doing a dual-boot of Ubuntu and OS X in the near future.
And I do plan on reconnecting my G4 Powermac again soon (so I can use it to serve and perform backups).
The Genius really dug my MacStyle and asked me a lot of questions. He said he saw them on the web but that mine was the first he'd seen in real life. He asked how hard it was to install and remove. He said that it really looked sharp and wanted to get a few for the Geniuses at the bar. I thought that was really cool.
Another thing: The Genius said that the repair would be two days. I gave it to them Wed evening. He said that they'd a lot of repairs to do, due to Spring break and college students, but that they'd give me a call around Friday-Saturday. I never got a call. I figured they were busy so I gave them a bit more time. I was off on Monday and wanted to see if they were done (I don't have a lot of time off to do this sort of stuff), so I called. The lady who answered asked if I'd gotten a call from them and I said 'no'. She said that if they hadn't called me, it more than likely wasn't done. I told her that they'd had it since Wed and that it was Monday...that was more than enough time to get it done. She went in the back of the store and checked...came back and said that it was ready to pick up. WTF. She makes a smart comment saying that they'd have called me if it was complete, then 2 minutes later says that it is done. I was a bit pissed. Why? They told me it would be done, gave me an estimated date, I went out of my way to not hassle them when that estimated date expired and got no call from them. I don't understand how or why she made it seem like I was badgering her store. This is exactly why I don't always like dealing with service-related issues...this is also why I typically buy my own parts and fix my own stuff...I hate depending on people with the heads up their anuses. A simple call would've been nice...I guess they were that busy. I understand that, but don't understand the attitude after waiting 2 more days than their estimated time. I should've been very vocal about this.
Oh yeah, I got a Dell Mini 9. I almost returned it so that I could order an Asus 10". I decided to stick with the Dell, though. Awesome machine. I can live with the non-standard keyboard. It has Ubuntu installed (Dell build), has a 32GB solid-state drive, and a 1.3MP webcam, otherwise its standard. I'd like to add another gig of RAM but the 1GB it currently has isn't giving me issues.
A lot of Dell Mini owners are installing OS X on their Minis. I'm not to that point yet. I did try to make my Ubuntu look like OS X but have to run Compiz in order to do it...that's a deal-breaker, as Compiz makes the unit lag a bit (moving scroll bar and such).
Basically, there's not much I don't like about this machine. I really like the fact that it doesn't make any noise (no fan). It gets warm but not as warm as my Macbook. About the only thing I don't like is the funkily-mapped keys (like the ' and | keys: I have to use key combinations to use those characters, which slows me down considerably when in CLI). Another issue I've seen is that I can't shell into some of my machines from the Dell. When I experience this issue, I immediately go to my Mac and try the same thing and it works fine. Note that this is not an SSH client or server issue. Looking at the SSH client debug logs, I don't see anything glaring. Looking at the remote machine's auth logs, I see authentications. Weird. It may be an issue with the wifi card. I do plan on replacing the stock mini-PC card with a card supported openly (it has a Broadcom card that works but I prefer something open).
I may look into doing a dual-boot of Ubuntu and OS X in the near future.
And I do plan on reconnecting my G4 Powermac again soon (so I can use it to serve and perform backups).
Friday, February 13, 2009
Macbook falling apart
Hrmm...
Noticed at least 3 issues in the past month:
1. Back vent is beginning to peel at the edges.
2. Power cord has a short in it, near the magsafe connection.
3. Right-front "palm rest" is peeling/splitting (a good sized chunk pretty much fell off).
I can fix all of these, but since the laptop has Applecare, I'll just see about sending it in to get repaired before Applecare expires this summer.
In the meantime, I've ordered a Dell Mini 9 that I'll attempt to use when it is in the shop (not a really good replacement but its better than nothing...last time I sent my Mac in to get repaired, I almost lost my mind).
EDIT -- man, it is difficult to decide which netbook is best. One thing I don't like about the Mini that I've been hearing about is the fact that they've removed a lot of the keys and made it to where you have to use key combination strokes to type certain characters.
I'd also cancelled my initial Mini order a few days ago and reordered (upgraded a few parts after I received a Presidents Day discount).
Yesterday and today I did more research and found that I want the following instead:
ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10-Inch Netbook (1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB E-Storage, Bluetooth, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Blue.
Amazon.com has it for $374 with free shipping. This deal is a bit better than my Mini order...and I get bluetooth, bigger hard disk (but not SSD), and a bigger screen. I attempted to cancel my current Dell order but the won't allow it. They state that it is currently in the production stage. Well, it's been in the production stage since I first ordered it (a week ago). It also isn't due to ship for another week. I was terse with the phone agent. I'll let the Dell ship then immediately return it. I'd already ordered the Asus and had to cancel the order. I'd order both (and return the Dell) if it weren't for the fact that my wife would be pissed. There's also a 2-week wait for the Asus (ARRRGGGHHH).
I'm actually afraid of having the Dell arrive here because I may end up changing my mind again and keeping the Dell. :(
Why mention this on my Macbook blog? Well, I'd had the idea of putting OS X on my Dell (I probably can't do that with the Asus). I do plan to code a lot on the Dell, but if it means me having to use key combinations to type a ', that's going to SUCK!!
Oh well. I may give the Dell a spin. I know I have a trial time period before I return.
Noticed at least 3 issues in the past month:
1. Back vent is beginning to peel at the edges.
2. Power cord has a short in it, near the magsafe connection.
3. Right-front "palm rest" is peeling/splitting (a good sized chunk pretty much fell off).
I can fix all of these, but since the laptop has Applecare, I'll just see about sending it in to get repaired before Applecare expires this summer.
In the meantime, I've ordered a Dell Mini 9 that I'll attempt to use when it is in the shop (not a really good replacement but its better than nothing...last time I sent my Mac in to get repaired, I almost lost my mind).
EDIT -- man, it is difficult to decide which netbook is best. One thing I don't like about the Mini that I've been hearing about is the fact that they've removed a lot of the keys and made it to where you have to use key combination strokes to type certain characters.
I'd also cancelled my initial Mini order a few days ago and reordered (upgraded a few parts after I received a Presidents Day discount).
Yesterday and today I did more research and found that I want the following instead:
ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10-Inch Netbook (1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB E-Storage, Bluetooth, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Blue.
Amazon.com has it for $374 with free shipping. This deal is a bit better than my Mini order...and I get bluetooth, bigger hard disk (but not SSD), and a bigger screen. I attempted to cancel my current Dell order but the won't allow it. They state that it is currently in the production stage. Well, it's been in the production stage since I first ordered it (a week ago). It also isn't due to ship for another week. I was terse with the phone agent. I'll let the Dell ship then immediately return it. I'd already ordered the Asus and had to cancel the order. I'd order both (and return the Dell) if it weren't for the fact that my wife would be pissed. There's also a 2-week wait for the Asus (ARRRGGGHHH).
I'm actually afraid of having the Dell arrive here because I may end up changing my mind again and keeping the Dell. :(
Why mention this on my Macbook blog? Well, I'd had the idea of putting OS X on my Dell (I probably can't do that with the Asus). I do plan to code a lot on the Dell, but if it means me having to use key combinations to type a ', that's going to SUCK!!
Oh well. I may give the Dell a spin. I know I have a trial time period before I return.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Time Machine
I'm trying to educate myself on Time Machine. I've a new USB 2.0 external drive that I'd like to use as a backup repository for my Macbook. Time Machine doesn't want to play nicely, though.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A few things...
1. I've added more RAM to the Macbook. In fact, I've upgraded from 768MB of RAM to 2GB. I couldn't resist the price. I bought the RAM from Best Buy because they were having a sale. I got 2GB for $37.
2. I've learned a new key combination for Macs. I wanted to know if there were key commands to capture screenshots. The key command is 'commmand + shift + 4'. The only issue I had was that once I executed those key strokes, I didn't know if I had to paste the screenshot somewhere or access an already generated screenshot. I eventually decided to use the capture utility to do the same thing.
1 & 2:
Screenshot of #s 1 and 2:
3. My battery charger and adapter broke. It appears that the cord near the square brick got too hot or something...there is now a hole in the outside plastic coating. The power adapter was also very hot to the touch. I'm currently using the wife's adapter to charge my notebook until I can either purchase one or (more than likely) schedule a Genius Bar appointment.
4. There's a piece of plastic flaking off of my Macbook behind the screen toward the bottom, where the big enlongated vent is. This wasn't there a week ago. It hasn't broken off yet and I still have Applecare on this 1g notebook. I may let it pass but I'm beginning to see several casing flaws that are beginning to add up. I'll post pictures later.
2. I've learned a new key combination for Macs. I wanted to know if there were key commands to capture screenshots. The key command is 'commmand + shift + 4'. The only issue I had was that once I executed those key strokes, I didn't know if I had to paste the screenshot somewhere or access an already generated screenshot. I eventually decided to use the capture utility to do the same thing.
1 & 2:
Screenshot of #s 1 and 2:
3. My battery charger and adapter broke. It appears that the cord near the square brick got too hot or something...there is now a hole in the outside plastic coating. The power adapter was also very hot to the touch. I'm currently using the wife's adapter to charge my notebook until I can either purchase one or (more than likely) schedule a Genius Bar appointment.
4. There's a piece of plastic flaking off of my Macbook behind the screen toward the bottom, where the big enlongated vent is. This wasn't there a week ago. It hasn't broken off yet and I still have Applecare on this 1g notebook. I may let it pass but I'm beginning to see several casing flaws that are beginning to add up. I'll post pictures later.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
OS X DNS Changers, part three
Excerpt
http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=5390
Well it looks like my first day on duty I have the pleasure of sharing the latest and greatest in OS X DNS hijacking script. For those long time readers of ISC this topic may sound somewhat familiar, that is because this subject has been covered twice before in some detail. Since this entry is on the long side of things, I will very quickly cover the important part for readers who DO NOT have the time to read all of this.
http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=5390
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
New Line of Macbooks and Macbook Pros!
http://www.apple.com/macbook/
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/
* Note: I linked to Apple's product pages...these will change as the products are improved, but I didn't want to directly archive the pages. If you're looking at this years after the fact, please use Google to search and keep the date of the post in mind.
The huge change is the Macbook. It is now all aluminum and appears thinner. The touchpad now also functions as a large button and can handle large gestures. The battery power level indicator is also now on the side or edge of the Macbook (vs. the bottom). There also appears to have been a HUGE graphics card upgrade, enabling intensive 3D gameplay.
Time to trade up! :) Either that, or just get an iMac (which is where I'm leaning).
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/
* Note: I linked to Apple's product pages...these will change as the products are improved, but I didn't want to directly archive the pages. If you're looking at this years after the fact, please use Google to search and keep the date of the post in mind.
The huge change is the Macbook. It is now all aluminum and appears thinner. The touchpad now also functions as a large button and can handle large gestures. The battery power level indicator is also now on the side or edge of the Macbook (vs. the bottom). There also appears to have been a HUGE graphics card upgrade, enabling intensive 3D gameplay.
Time to trade up! :) Either that, or just get an iMac (which is where I'm leaning).
Friday, September 26, 2008
:*(
Not good. Yeah, it's mine. It was in my lap while driving my kid to daycare and I'd forgotten about it when I stepped out of my truck.
I do have a new one (Best Buy replaced it for me). It took me 1.5 hours to get a replacement. I need to find me a good case for this thing. The case I have now is a DIO...it will suffice until I find some real armor for the iPhone. I got rid of the Griffin POS one.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Apple recalls iPhone 3G power adapters over shock risk
Apple on Friday afternoon recalled the ultracompact USB power adapter for iPhone 3Gs with warnings that they might pose a hazard to owners.
Read more here
Read more here
Monday, September 22, 2008
iPhone Didn't Want To Awake!
So, I'm chatting with my wife on the way home from work, hang up and noticed five minutes later that the phone doesn't want to wake up. I kept fiddling with it and holding down the sleep keep for 10-20 seconds.
Finally, I pulled over and took out my Macbook. I plugged the phone into the Macbook. It made the chime sound but still wouldn't power up. I looked at iTunes and noticed that iTunes saw the iPhone without issue.
I decided to take the phone to Best Buy so they could sort it out. I left not long after, because the kids were acting like they were on crack and because the sales people had their heads up their bungholes.
When I got home I did a quick google search and saw that you could power-cycle the iPhone by holding both the sleep and home keys for ten seconds (first link in the google search). I did this and got a silver apple...and after a sixty-second wait, I saw the phone was back to normal. And just in time, too, because the phone immediately starts ringing (it was my wife telling me that she was on the way home).
It's been...what...going on three weeks? That's the first and only issue I have with the phone, so far.
Oh yeah, its now running software version 2.1 (and can go several days without a charge, which is far better than before the update).
Finally, I pulled over and took out my Macbook. I plugged the phone into the Macbook. It made the chime sound but still wouldn't power up. I looked at iTunes and noticed that iTunes saw the iPhone without issue.
I decided to take the phone to Best Buy so they could sort it out. I left not long after, because the kids were acting like they were on crack and because the sales people had their heads up their bungholes.
When I got home I did a quick google search and saw that you could power-cycle the iPhone by holding both the sleep and home keys for ten seconds (first link in the google search). I did this and got a silver apple...and after a sixty-second wait, I saw the phone was back to normal. And just in time, too, because the phone immediately starts ringing (it was my wife telling me that she was on the way home).
It's been...what...going on three weeks? That's the first and only issue I have with the phone, so far.
Oh yeah, its now running software version 2.1 (and can go several days without a charge, which is far better than before the update).
Monday, September 08, 2008
I Bought an iPhone 3G 16GB!
I'm the proud owner of an iPhone 3G 16GB! I opted for the white model (just to attempt to be different). I got a Black Griffin Elan clip for it, which will tie me over until I get a full clear case for it. The case came with clear film to place over the touch screen...the film was a b!tCh! to align and even after being careful, I still ended up with a grain of sand (or something) under it. I've left it alone for now but looking at the film bubble is highly annoying!
I bought the phone from Best Buy and the tech guy attempted to sync my old phone's data with my new phone but couldn't get syncing to work. I took it home and tried it and it wouldn't work, but instead of trying to sync them together, I synced the old phone with my Macbook, then synced the iPhone with the Macbook...worked flawlessly!
I'm also able to use my red Motorola H500 bluetooth earpiece with my new phone. It also syncs with my TomTom GPS (yeah, I know....iPhone has GPS capability, so I guess the wife can now use the TomTom).
One cool thing this phone does is utitize wifi...this is awesome and I spent half of last night browsing from the phone. This morning, I accessed my Gmail from the iPhone.
One thing I have yet to do is download apps for it...I plan on doing this sometime this evening.
The charger for this phone is cool...it charges via USB but has this wall adapter that the USB plug connect to so that you can charge via an AC outlet.
The crucial accessory to get is the acrylic case...yeah, I've dropped it already...thank God it was on a linoleum floor (instead of outside on asphalt or concrete).
I'll keep you guys posted as to my iPhone experience. :)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Jing and Copernicus
Jing (which I downloaded @ http://download.techsmith.com/jing/mac/jing.dmg) and Copernicus (which I downloaded from http://danicsoft.com/projects/copernicus/) are screen capture tools.
Both capture either screenshots or desktop movies which can be used for tutorials, for example.
I've installed both and will be evaluating them. I will try not to compare them...I'm just looking for a good capture tool for OS X.
Stay tuned!
Both capture either screenshots or desktop movies which can be used for tutorials, for example.
I've installed both and will be evaluating them. I will try not to compare them...I'm just looking for a good capture tool for OS X.
Stay tuned!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Macstyles
I bought decorations for my Macbook. I usually don't care for items of this nature but because I've the "yellowing" issue that was never rectified by the manufacturer, I wanted to be able to cover up the blemishes.
What did I get? I went to MacStyles.com and bought a Macstyle and Macpad. I got black in color, as I thought it would contrast the most. I was right.
Pics are stored here.
Now, with the Macstyle, I sorta messed things up a bit. I stuck it onto the Macbook upside down, which makes the apple on the lid uncentered. I'll fix this later, but it's gonna require another purchase. This also means I have to remove the current Macstyle, which isn't a 5 minute job. Maybe I'll get another color (not sure on that, though).
Saturday, May 17, 2008
iTunes Issues
I'd forgotten about my iPod being synced to the iTunes install that was on the hard disk that crashed.
I had a new problem: getting the content that's on the iPod to my new iTunes installation. The problem is that you can't normally transfer songs themselves from iPods to whatever has your iTunes software (laptop, desktop).
I went here and followed the instructions. Although the instructions are straight-forward, I did issues with two of the recommended 3rd-party packages before I actually had success in backing up the data that resides on the iPod.
The software I had issues with were iPodRip and YamiPod. With the former, the software started fine but would choke on file transfers that involved more than one file. The software would lock up and I'd have to force-kill it. With the latter, the software never loaded, locking up without the GUI showing. I'd also had to force-kill the process (this one locked the software up in a way that the system fans would kick in after 10 sec of the software trying to load).
I was successful with Senuti.
I installed Senuti, then had it back up the iPod's data to the default iTunes library location. From there, I backed up this location's files to another place (just in case). I then synced iTunes with my iPod successfully!
The only issue I actually have (had) is that my playlists didn't sync. :( That was expected, though.
So, my music is good now. I just have to remember to back up my music to something other than the MacBook's hard disk (maybe an external drive, which I've several).
I had a new problem: getting the content that's on the iPod to my new iTunes installation. The problem is that you can't normally transfer songs themselves from iPods to whatever has your iTunes software (laptop, desktop).
I went here and followed the instructions. Although the instructions are straight-forward, I did issues with two of the recommended 3rd-party packages before I actually had success in backing up the data that resides on the iPod.
The software I had issues with were iPodRip and YamiPod. With the former, the software started fine but would choke on file transfers that involved more than one file. The software would lock up and I'd have to force-kill it. With the latter, the software never loaded, locking up without the GUI showing. I'd also had to force-kill the process (this one locked the software up in a way that the system fans would kick in after 10 sec of the software trying to load).
I was successful with Senuti.
I installed Senuti, then had it back up the iPod's data to the default iTunes library location. From there, I backed up this location's files to another place (just in case). I then synced iTunes with my iPod successfully!
The only issue I actually have (had) is that my playlists didn't sync. :( That was expected, though.
So, my music is good now. I just have to remember to back up my music to something other than the MacBook's hard disk (maybe an external drive, which I've several).
Sunday, May 11, 2008
FileZilla for OS X
FileZilla
Instead of using CyberDuck as an FTP client like I've done in the past, I wanted to try something different (and free), so I'm giving FileZilla a try. So far it is good and seems better laid-out than CyberDuck.
I've also used it to upload a movie to my public web server, a 10Mb file. I made this movie with Photo Booth. I'd not tried this software before to make movies. I'd previously used it to take pictures, though. The movie feature is very handy and easy to use. I can make short movies to send to family and friends via e-mail (or upload them to my server so that larger files don't have to be transferred via e-mail). The sound quality is surprisingly clear and loud.
Instead of using CyberDuck as an FTP client like I've done in the past, I wanted to try something different (and free), so I'm giving FileZilla a try. So far it is good and seems better laid-out than CyberDuck.
I've also used it to upload a movie to my public web server, a 10Mb file. I made this movie with Photo Booth. I'd not tried this software before to make movies. I'd previously used it to take pictures, though. The movie feature is very handy and easy to use. I can make short movies to send to family and friends via e-mail (or upload them to my server so that larger files don't have to be transferred via e-mail). The sound quality is surprisingly clear and loud.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Latest Mac Happenings
Heya,
Two things of interest:
1. My Macbook is fixed. I went to the new Apple Store in Fair Oaks Mall and left it overnight while they replace the hard disk and reinstalled OS X. While I had Tiger (v10.4.something), they installed Leopard (v10.5.2).
2. During my 5-6 month of Mac downtime, my Macbook's battery went south for the winter. After following the steps in the manual and help pages at Apple.com, I finally realized it was really dead. Fortunately, the Genius replaced it under warranty.
3. My wife now has a late rev Macbook. Hers outspecs mine across the board, with the exception of my system's SuperDrive...her hard drive is bigger, she has more system RAM, and she has a 2.1GHz CPU while mine is a 2.0GHz CPU (both systems are dual-core). She won this system at a PTO raffle. She bought my daughter's whole book of raffle tickets, just to help her out then the following week, my kids came home excited, saying that the previous Friday, my wife's ticket was drawn. Later that day, my wife got a call from the school office telling her she actually won two drawings, one the laptop and the other a $25 coupon for use at The Cheesecake Factory.
So, I can do two things: back up this install of Leopard ASAP onto an external drive, or just buy Leopard (if I have to reinstall the OS, I'll have to revert back to Tiger, since my system disks are Tiger.
I'm going to have to redo my iTunes setup and reconfigure the laptop...this will be fun, especially since I'll be doing new stuff (learning Leopard).
Fun times!!
Two things of interest:
1. My Macbook is fixed. I went to the new Apple Store in Fair Oaks Mall and left it overnight while they replace the hard disk and reinstalled OS X. While I had Tiger (v10.4.something), they installed Leopard (v10.5.2).
2. During my 5-6 month of Mac downtime, my Macbook's battery went south for the winter. After following the steps in the manual and help pages at Apple.com, I finally realized it was really dead. Fortunately, the Genius replaced it under warranty.
3. My wife now has a late rev Macbook. Hers outspecs mine across the board, with the exception of my system's SuperDrive...her hard drive is bigger, she has more system RAM, and she has a 2.1GHz CPU while mine is a 2.0GHz CPU (both systems are dual-core). She won this system at a PTO raffle. She bought my daughter's whole book of raffle tickets, just to help her out then the following week, my kids came home excited, saying that the previous Friday, my wife's ticket was drawn. Later that day, my wife got a call from the school office telling her she actually won two drawings, one the laptop and the other a $25 coupon for use at The Cheesecake Factory.
So, I can do two things: back up this install of Leopard ASAP onto an external drive, or just buy Leopard (if I have to reinstall the OS, I'll have to revert back to Tiger, since my system disks are Tiger.
I'm going to have to redo my iTunes setup and reconfigure the laptop...this will be fun, especially since I'll be doing new stuff (learning Leopard).
Fun times!!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
New Apple Store!
There's a new Apple Store in the Fair Oaks Mall, in the Fairfax, VA area.
I intend to visit between now and Sunday to check things out and see a Genius about my poor Macbook.
I intend to visit between now and Sunday to check things out and see a Genius about my poor Macbook.
DNS Changer Trojan Revisited
(Minor) evolution in Mac DNS changer malware
This article tracks the state of this trojan since it was first reported. Apparently, more AV products will alert on the trojan since its initial discovery, although the authors are now attempting to evade notice by obfuscating the install code.
This is a nice, short, and sweet article.
This article tracks the state of this trojan since it was first reported. Apparently, more AV products will alert on the trojan since its initial discovery, although the authors are now attempting to evade notice by obfuscating the install code.
This is a nice, short, and sweet article.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Macbook won't boot
My Macbook has been non-functional for months. Sorry I didn't report this sooner. My findings so far is that the hard disk is bad...I can boot the system up with the Apple install disk and can't see the hard disk.
Now, I could replace it myself, but I've been meaning to use the AppleCare experience to see how Apple handles this. I've been dreading it getting shipped but I also have some other issues that they can maybe address. For one, I've the yellow staining of the area to the sides of the touchpad. I also have a touchpad button that sometimes hangs.
I'm hoping the Genius people can fix it without having it shipped out...the possibility is high that it will be shipped if I complain about the staining, but I'm hoping the Genius will see it and notice it without me saying anything.
I may visit the Apple store in Tyson Corner the coming Monday, but I've been saying similar things for awhile. It may be in my best interest to just get a hard drive locally and replace the bad one to see if that fixes the issue. I'd say my chances are better that the drive is bad instead of it being a SATA controller issue, but we'll see one way or another, I guess.
Now, I could replace it myself, but I've been meaning to use the AppleCare experience to see how Apple handles this. I've been dreading it getting shipped but I also have some other issues that they can maybe address. For one, I've the yellow staining of the area to the sides of the touchpad. I also have a touchpad button that sometimes hangs.
I'm hoping the Genius people can fix it without having it shipped out...the possibility is high that it will be shipped if I complain about the staining, but I'm hoping the Genius will see it and notice it without me saying anything.
I may visit the Apple store in Tyson Corner the coming Monday, but I've been saying similar things for awhile. It may be in my best interest to just get a hard drive locally and replace the bad one to see if that fixes the issue. I'd say my chances are better that the drive is bad instead of it being a SATA controller issue, but we'll see one way or another, I guess.
Macbook Air Cracked in Minutes
http://blogs.computerworld.com/macbook_pwned_in_two_minutes_and_fly_me
Apparently, there's an issue with Safari...another reason yet again to use Firefox, especially since there is now the Firekeeper plugin.
Apparently, there's an issue with Safari...another reason yet again to use Firefox, especially since there is now the Firekeeper plugin.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Panther/Tiger/Leopard Updates
http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=3656:
Apple released in the last days upgrades to it's Tiger (10.4) and Leopard (10.5) versions of OS X.
For those unfamiliar with Mac OS X: this isn't just security patches, it somewhat comparable to what Microsoft calls a service pack. As such it can include stability fixes, features, etc. and security fixes.
10.4.11 includes a long list of security fixes. Since it's a all or nothing deal, there's very little real use in discussing all of them individually. Just take the plunge: there are a few bad ones in there, so you'll need it anyway. Some readers wrote us that there might be some issues with it all, so be careful. That said, I'm running it for a bit already and have not seen a single bad thing so far.
* CVE-2007-3456
* CVE-2007-4678
* CVE-2007-2926
* CVE-2005-0953
* CVE-2005-1260
* CVE-2007-4679
* CVE-2007-4680
* CVE-2007-0464
* CVE-2007-4681
* CVE-2007-4682
* CVE-2007-3999
* CVE-2007-4743
* CVE-2007-3749
* CVE-2007-4683
* CVE-2007-4684
* CVE-2007-4685
* CVE-2006-6127
* CVE-2007-4686
* CVE-2007-4687
* CVE-2007-4688
* CVE-2007-4269
* CVE-2007-4689
* CVE-2007-4267
* CVE-2007-4268
* CVE-2007-4690
* CVE-2007-4691
* CVE-2007-0646
* CVE-2007-4692
* CVE-2007-4693
* CVE-2007-4694
* CVE-2007-4695
* CVE-2007-4696
* CVE-2007-4697
* CVE-2007-4698
* CVE-2007-3758
* CVE-2007-3760
* CVE-2007-4671
* CVE-2007-3756
* CVE-2007-4699
* CVE-2007-4700
* CVE-2007-4701
10.5.1 includes some security fixes too, all centered around the application firewall:
* CVE-2007-4702
* CVE-2007-4703
* CVE-2007-4704
Apple also released patches for the beta of safari, but hey, it's beta software!
Rex pointed out we were missing the security update to 10.3.9 (Panther) that fixes many of the security problems also fixed in 10.4.11.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
DNS changer Trojan for Mac (!) in the wild
http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=3595
This is rather shocking (and not so shocking...both at the same time).
This is NOT a failing of OS X. This trojan installs via some social engineering...a human and not object failure.
[UPDATE:
I've added the following rule (highlighted at the above link) to two of my Snort sensors:
alert tcp $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET $HTTP_PORTS (msg:"BLEEDING-EDGE CURRENT_EVENTS Mac Trojan HTTP Checkin (accept-language violation)"; flow:established,to_server; content:"GET "; depth:4; content:" HTTP/1.1|0d 0a|Accept-Language\: "; pcre:"/Accept-Language\: [a-zA-Z0-9]{20}/"; classtype:trojan-activity; sid:2007650; rev:1;)]
This is rather shocking (and not so shocking...both at the same time).
This is NOT a failing of OS X. This trojan installs via some social engineering...a human and not object failure.
[UPDATE:
I've added the following rule (highlighted at the above link) to two of my Snort sensors:
alert tcp $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET $HTTP_PORTS (msg:"BLEEDING-EDGE CURRENT_EVENTS Mac Trojan HTTP Checkin (accept-language violation)"; flow:established,to_server; content:"GET "; depth:4; content:" HTTP/1.1|0d 0a|Accept-Language\: "; pcre:"/Accept-Language\: [a-zA-Z0-9]{20}/"; classtype:trojan-activity; sid:2007650; rev:1;)]
Friday, October 19, 2007
Mac Security - ISC Cyber Security Awareness
http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?date=2007-10-18
Cyber Security Awareness Tip #18: Mac Tips
Published: 2007-10-18,
Last Updated: 2007-10-18 18:13:37 UTC
by George Bakos (Version: 1)
Welcome to day 18 of Cyber Security Awareness Month. Today we're welcoming your tips on securely working with Apple Mac systems. Let's start off with a bit of sage guidance I already received: Don't assume that your machine is secure simply because it's a Mac. While OS[789X] doesn't enjoy the sheer volume of badguy attention as other operating systems, the number certainly isn't zero and you can expect it to grow.
It's amazing how many Mac users and admins are submitting tips. What is even more amazing is how many of those tips are repeated by the majority of you. Can you spell c-o-n-s-e-n-s-u-s?
The vast majority of them are Mac versions of general Best Practices, but with a few software-specific tweaks. Here is a list sent in from Kim at Pepperdyne:
1. Keep your firewall up - the Mac firewall is decent - use it consistently.
2. Keep patched - its better for Jobs' engineers to do a job on your computer, than for an intruder to do so. If you want to check for patch problems because your system has critical uptime, I find macintouch.com to be a prompt bellwether for patching issues. Oh, and see #3
3. Back up your system - an external HD and Carbon Copy Cloner is an effective solution for single computers. Back up to an encrypted HD image and/or physically secure your backup disk.
4. Do updates and installs with an administrator account; do your web and email with a different account.
5. Keychain is a huge advantage on the Mac, but definitely use a strong password. I advise one that is over 15 characters to defeat the behind-the-scenes LANMAN hashing that takes place on Macs that provide windows fileshares.
6. Turn on Filevault home directory encryption. As strong as your password x 128-bit AES. Make a strong master password and put it in an envelope and place it with your secret papers (tell your partner/lawyer/boss/spouse where it is, as appropriate). I've been using FileVault under Tiger for over a year. My home directory has survived crashes and forced reboots (yah, they happen on Macs) on both Intel & PPC architectures.
If you have a tip, shoot it in using our contact form and I'll post them here throughout the day.
Cheers!
g
Saturday, October 13, 2007
PHPSysInfo installed on G4 PowerMac
I wanted to better understand the internals of the 'new' system and get a feel for how it deals with load, so I installed PHPSysInfo for Macs.
I had problems getting .php files to render (dunno why, as I run several sites that utilize PHP on my LAN. I guess the issue was that I keep forgetting that Macs are similar to BSD and that I'm still a bit intimidated by the file structure of Macs.), so I did a web search and found the following:
http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/Apache/Using-Apache-and-PHP-on-Mac-OS-X/
This helped totally, and I can now monitor my system in a pretty GUI.
I'd still like to give ntop a spin, though. I friend showed me his install of ntop and I was highly impressed. Looks like a new project for me!
I had problems getting .php files to render (dunno why, as I run several sites that utilize PHP on my LAN. I guess the issue was that I keep forgetting that Macs are similar to BSD and that I'm still a bit intimidated by the file structure of Macs.), so I did a web search and found the following:
http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/Apache/Using-Apache-and-PHP-on-Mac-OS-X/
cd /etc/httpd
Next step is to use "root" privileges, start up the text editor named "Pico" and edit the "httpd.conf" file.
Use the following command in the Terminal.app:
sudo pico httpd.conf
Type the root password and you are ready to go.
Locate the 4 lines:
#LoadModule php4_module
#AddModule mod_php4.c
#AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
#AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps
Use your arrow keys to navigate the document and remove only the pound signs "#". The best way to navigate is to use the DOWN arrow key and stay to the left Side of the document. To remove the pound sign, hit the right arrow to the right Of the sign and then hit the DELETE key.
Warning: Only remove the pound signs!! Keep the lines of code where they are and do not relocate them!! You have been warned!
The changed lines should look like this:
LoadModule php4_module
AddModule mod_php4.c
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps
Save the file by hitting the CTRL + X keys. Pico will ask you if you want to save the document, just hit the Y key to say “YES”. By uncommenting the lines you will load PHP as a module and help the Apache Web Server Serve any PHP file types. You can also create PHP files with another extension simply by adding another Type to the list in the "httpd.conf" file.
What if I wanted all of my PHP files to end with the. bozo extension? Simple, just add this line to the "httpd.conf" file situated next to the AddType section.
AddType application/x-httpd-php .bozo
After you save the file and restart the Apache Web Server, any PHP file saved with that .bozo extension would display your PHP coding just like a normal PHP file. Now close and save the file. We have to restart the Apache Web Server for everything to take effect. If Apache is running, turn it off by clicking the "Web Sharing On" button that says, "Stop" located in the "Sharing" Section of the System Preferences.
This helped totally, and I can now monitor my system in a pretty GUI.
I'd still like to give ntop a spin, though. I friend showed me his install of ntop and I was highly impressed. Looks like a new project for me!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
What's Up With My Macbook?
I haven't done much with my Macbook since adding more RAM.
I'm using a good bit of dashboard widgets. For instance, I'm using the calendar, Ministats, AccuWeather, calculator, temperature monitor, and RAM/CPU monitoring tools.
I'm also using iStats...it is a pretty awesome tool!
I've not done much else, though... :(
I'd like to add a GB of RAM soon, but other than that, I'm fine with things the way they are at this point in time.
I'd also like to jump to Leopard when it is finally released (sometime in October).
I'm using a good bit of dashboard widgets. For instance, I'm using the calendar, Ministats, AccuWeather, calculator, temperature monitor, and RAM/CPU monitoring tools.
I'm also using iStats...it is a pretty awesome tool!
I've not done much else, though... :(
I'd like to add a GB of RAM soon, but other than that, I'm fine with things the way they are at this point in time.
I'd also like to jump to Leopard when it is finally released (sometime in October).
'New' Mac G4 Power Mac acquired!
I've not posted in QUITE awhile. Not that I've been idle, but I've been more active in my Slackware blog, documenting mostly security-oriented material, but 2 weeks ago, I got a surprise.
A friend of mine has purchased a sailboat with the intention of living in it, which means that everything in his current home has to be trashed, sold, or given away. He had a Macintosh G4 Power Mac that he needed to get rid of, so I took it off his hands! The image to the upper left is a spitting image of the machine that I now have.
The machine itself isn't particularly powerful, but it appears to be cutting-edge for its day: dual 550MHz PowerPC processors (!!), 30GB hard disk (this is the original disk), 768MB of RAM, a CD-RW drive, and a ZIP drive. I did not know that this was a dual processor system until I checked while typing this post...this is quite a surprise.
Now, I got the Mac and it was running Mac OS X 10.3.9 Panther Server, but the drive immediately began to make noises and I got fed up and replaced it with a 100GB Seagate IDE drive, which was only $50. I could've went bigger, but these machines only recognize 120GB or so, due to BIOS limitations. There are workarounds to avoid this limitation, but I'm not going to spend a lot of money on a 7-year-old system if I can help it. I went out and bought the latest Mac OS X Tiger and installed it on the new drive without issues. The system runs very well. I think I'd much rather run Panther (Server) but my friend didn't provide me with the disks.
The stats of this system are below:
Machine Name: Power Mac G4
Machine Model: PowerMac3,4
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (11.3)
Number Of CPUs: 2
CPU Speed: 533 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 1 MB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 133 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.1.8f5
This box is going to be a riot! Hopefully, I can even upgrade the CPU to something more substantial, but for now, I can probably get away with adding more RAM. [EDIT 03/17/2010: Not! CPUs for this machine are EXPENSIVE! I've also added more RAM and the system now has 1GB of PC133-333 (1x512MB and 2x256MB)...one slot is still empty. It'll take 2GB of RAM when using OS X, but only 1.5GB if using OS 9.]
This system will most likely end up serving web pages and serving MySQL content.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
The Dreaded Brown Stains...
I've got the dreaded staining on the sides of the touchpad and the touchpad and pad button. I've been using Mr. Clean's Magic Erase and it's doing a decent job but not removing 100% of it. I do wash my hands a lot but evidently this isn't a cleanliness thing. I've had the laptop since last July and while I don't use the laptop overly much (I've 8 other machines in the house, not including my wife's laptop), I use it just enough to where it should be getting a bit of wear on it in 7 months of use, so I'm not going to report it to Apple just yet, unless it gets a lot worse.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Learning the little things about Macs
Yeah, I just discovered when my Mac was built. I already knew where it was built (Tiawaan, I believe), but I've found that it was built during week 24 of this year, by looking at the serial number:
From System Profiler:
Hardware Overview:
Machine Name: MacBook
Machine Model: MacBook1,1
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Number Of Cores: 2
CPU Speed: 2 GHz
L2 Cache (shared): 2 MB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MB11.005F.B00
Serial Number: 4H6246WFU9E
SMC Version: 1.4f10
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
See the Serial Number? The 4th and 5th numbers determine the build week.
Now, I have to track down any issues that all week 24 systems have had in recent months, but maybe I shouldn't be opening up Pandora's Box, eh?
From System Profiler:
Hardware Overview:
Machine Name: MacBook
Machine Model: MacBook1,1
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Number Of Cores: 2
CPU Speed: 2 GHz
L2 Cache (shared): 2 MB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MB11.005F.B00
Serial Number: 4H6246WFU9E
SMC Version: 1.4f10
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
See the Serial Number? The 4th and 5th numbers determine the build week.
Now, I have to track down any issues that all week 24 systems have had in recent months, but maybe I shouldn't be opening up Pandora's Box, eh?
More RAM please!!
I just added RAM maybe 1/2 hour ago. It was easy, IMO. It certainly wasn't as easy as adding RAM to my Toshiba or Dell, but after doing it (and considering the fact that its all over forums everywhere that this is a difficult task), it wasn't as hard as people tend to make out.
I didn't have to push as hard as others, I believe, but I didn't swap out both chips, just one. Since I left one in, I could judge how far I had to push it in by observing the one that was already installed. I pushed once, let go, then looked over and compared the two and saw that I hadn't pushed it in far enough, so I pushed one more time and kept pushing until it moved. I let go and compared them again, then put the L-bracket back in.
I spent more time putting the L-bracket back in than anything else. I started at the screw closest to the bend. I had a jewel flat-tip screwdriver, so I used it to push the cushioning material in while I was pushing the bracket. It helps to screw the two screws closest to the bend about halfway before messing with the cushioning material and dealing with the last screw. The last screw was the kicker...I kept screwing and having to back off because the screw was attempting to bind. I found that if I pushed the bracket upward a bit, it would align the bracket's hole with the case's hole and help keep the screw aligned when screwing it in.
I added 512MB from New Egg. Talk about pissed. I ordered 1GB...I actually clicked on a link for 1GB, saw that 1GB was added to my cart, made the purchase and the next day, I checked my e-mail and found that there was 512MB that was being shipped to me. I contacted a sales rep but they wouldn't halt the shipment because it was already in progress. I told them that I wasn't going to purchase from them again and I'd been buying from them since '97. 4 days later, I checked and saw that the shipment hadn't shipped yet! So, I sent them a nastygram e-mail and then checked again 8 hours later. I found that they voided the shipment and reprocessed it as a new shipment as express delivery. Since the order was only in 'step one' of their process, I was able to cancel it. I called and spoke to a rep and she was able to verify that it was cancelled. So, guess what showed up via UPS on my doorstep today (not an express shipment)?? The ORIGINAL order that was voided along with the second shipment. I decided to put it in the Mac anyways instead of shipping it back, but those guys have their heads up their butts. Never again will I order from them!
So now, I've the option of purchasing 1GB again, but I think I will do it locally...sure, it'll be more expensive but if you factor in shipping and hassle of online orders, they balance out, plus I'll have instant gratification if I purchase locally AND if the RAM is bad or the wrong size, I can always return locally instead of RMAing something.
I'll give NeoOffice a spin to see how it reacts to the RAM.
Also, I've got the recent fan firmware update on my Mac now. To be honest, I don't notice a huge difference, then again, I haven't had it on my lap yet. One thing that does bug me a bit is that I notice the fans being on. Some people complain too much about these laptops, especially the fact that they run hot, but EVERY dual core laptop runs hot. That's the price you pay for power. It's similar to cars and motorcycles. If you've a 300 HP car, you're certainly going to have less gas mileage than a 200HP car, even if you drive with the intention of saving fuel. The laptops are actually only hot because of the case, as there isn't much room for cooling management in these ultra-thin notebooks. A lot of people need to face the fact that they can't have their cake and eat it too...just because its a Mac doesn't mean that it can achieve the impossible.
I'm finished. Ta ta!
I didn't have to push as hard as others, I believe, but I didn't swap out both chips, just one. Since I left one in, I could judge how far I had to push it in by observing the one that was already installed. I pushed once, let go, then looked over and compared the two and saw that I hadn't pushed it in far enough, so I pushed one more time and kept pushing until it moved. I let go and compared them again, then put the L-bracket back in.
I spent more time putting the L-bracket back in than anything else. I started at the screw closest to the bend. I had a jewel flat-tip screwdriver, so I used it to push the cushioning material in while I was pushing the bracket. It helps to screw the two screws closest to the bend about halfway before messing with the cushioning material and dealing with the last screw. The last screw was the kicker...I kept screwing and having to back off because the screw was attempting to bind. I found that if I pushed the bracket upward a bit, it would align the bracket's hole with the case's hole and help keep the screw aligned when screwing it in.
I added 512MB from New Egg. Talk about pissed. I ordered 1GB...I actually clicked on a link for 1GB, saw that 1GB was added to my cart, made the purchase and the next day, I checked my e-mail and found that there was 512MB that was being shipped to me. I contacted a sales rep but they wouldn't halt the shipment because it was already in progress. I told them that I wasn't going to purchase from them again and I'd been buying from them since '97. 4 days later, I checked and saw that the shipment hadn't shipped yet! So, I sent them a nastygram e-mail and then checked again 8 hours later. I found that they voided the shipment and reprocessed it as a new shipment as express delivery. Since the order was only in 'step one' of their process, I was able to cancel it. I called and spoke to a rep and she was able to verify that it was cancelled. So, guess what showed up via UPS on my doorstep today (not an express shipment)?? The ORIGINAL order that was voided along with the second shipment. I decided to put it in the Mac anyways instead of shipping it back, but those guys have their heads up their butts. Never again will I order from them!
So now, I've the option of purchasing 1GB again, but I think I will do it locally...sure, it'll be more expensive but if you factor in shipping and hassle of online orders, they balance out, plus I'll have instant gratification if I purchase locally AND if the RAM is bad or the wrong size, I can always return locally instead of RMAing something.
I'll give NeoOffice a spin to see how it reacts to the RAM.
Also, I've got the recent fan firmware update on my Mac now. To be honest, I don't notice a huge difference, then again, I haven't had it on my lap yet. One thing that does bug me a bit is that I notice the fans being on. Some people complain too much about these laptops, especially the fact that they run hot, but EVERY dual core laptop runs hot. That's the price you pay for power. It's similar to cars and motorcycles. If you've a 300 HP car, you're certainly going to have less gas mileage than a 200HP car, even if you drive with the intention of saving fuel. The laptops are actually only hot because of the case, as there isn't much room for cooling management in these ultra-thin notebooks. A lot of people need to face the fact that they can't have their cake and eat it too...just because its a Mac doesn't mean that it can achieve the impossible.
I'm finished. Ta ta!
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Lastest Installed Software
I've installed a few software packages in the last few days:
Chicken of the VNC
CyberDuck
Google for those ... they are easy to find. Both are pretty solid. I've yet to ferret out any underlying issues with those tools (or any user-error issues :o) ).
Currently, I'm working on aliases for certain commands, specifically SSH commands so I can log into my remote hosts with one typed word. I've gotten the aliases to work but I'm still working on getting them to be sticky (or permanent). It appears that most web pages out there are focused more on pre-Tiger. It should be long before I have it working though.
I also bought a book, "Mac OS X Tiger for Unix Geeks, which is a pretty good read and appears to be very practical, although it's not as granular as I need it to be, so i may go back out and get another OS X book to assist me in my learning.
One of the book's highlights is firewalling. I had no idea OS X was using ipfw behind the scenes. I shall take advantage of that soon! :o)
OK, it's late and I've to work tomorrow (first time in a week). Laters!
Chicken of the VNC
CyberDuck
Google for those ... they are easy to find. Both are pretty solid. I've yet to ferret out any underlying issues with those tools (or any user-error issues :o) ).
Currently, I'm working on aliases for certain commands, specifically SSH commands so I can log into my remote hosts with one typed word. I've gotten the aliases to work but I'm still working on getting them to be sticky (or permanent). It appears that most web pages out there are focused more on pre-Tiger. It should be long before I have it working though.
I also bought a book, "Mac OS X Tiger for Unix Geeks, which is a pretty good read and appears to be very practical, although it's not as granular as I need it to be, so i may go back out and get another OS X book to assist me in my learning.
One of the book's highlights is firewalling. I had no idea OS X was using ipfw behind the scenes. I shall take advantage of that soon! :o)
OK, it's late and I've to work tomorrow (first time in a week). Laters!
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Recent Software Installed
I've recently installed Chicken of the VNC (COTVNC) and XChat Aqua. While I've installed COTVNC, I haven't used it yet, but I've been using XChat Aqua since last night and it is a very good representation of the GTK-version of XChat. In fact, it actually appears better. I shall hopefully be installing some of my oper scripts from my *nix boxes onto the Aqua version on the Mac Book...hopefully they work.
I've given up on trying to get my Lexar JumpDrive working with the Mac Book, as to get the security software to work on the Mac appears to be convoluted...I'm a bit depressed.
Also, hopefully next payday, I'll be getting at least a gig of RAM for the Mac Book. I can't really afford 2GB so 1GB will suffice. I've been getting the spinning ball, indicating I've maxxed out my RAM usage for what I currently do with the Mac Book (lots of web browsers open at once, and a few other windows).
I've given up on trying to get my Lexar JumpDrive working with the Mac Book, as to get the security software to work on the Mac appears to be convoluted...I'm a bit depressed.
Also, hopefully next payday, I'll be getting at least a gig of RAM for the Mac Book. I can't really afford 2GB so 1GB will suffice. I've been getting the spinning ball, indicating I've maxxed out my RAM usage for what I currently do with the Mac Book (lots of web browsers open at once, and a few other windows).
Monday, July 03, 2006
Difficulty using Lexar JumpDrive
I've been trying to access my Lexar JumpDrive on my Mac Book. I've two partitions on the drive, a public one and a secure one. Lexar has software called JumpDrive Secure that will let users access their secure partitions on the drive in a Mac environment. I haven't gotten it to work on the secure partition, only the public.
What I may do is just access the secure partition on one of my Linux machines (or maybe even the Windows machine) and copy the secure partition to my Mac machine using SCP.
I can't find any other websites that show a fix, so I'm stuck for the moment. I'll use my work-around for now.
What I may do is just access the secure partition on one of my Linux machines (or maybe even the Windows machine) and copy the secure partition to my Mac machine using SCP.
I can't find any other websites that show a fix, so I'm stuck for the moment. I'll use my work-around for now.
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