MacSparky - Blog - Thoughts on The Post PC World

Image via WikipediaMacSparky - Blog - Thoughts on The Post PC World

I watched the Apple Keynote tonight and was struck by how often I heard the term “Post PC.” When Steve Jobs and Apple start using these catch phrases, it is no accident. Apple has its own lexicon that starts internally but, at some point, often finds its way into Keynote speeches and product descriptions.

I believe “Post PC” is the newest of these phrases. We’ve all speculated about the future of technology in light of the explosive growth of iOS and the growing legions of mobile competitors. To the people at Apple, I don’t believe this dialogue is anything new. Internally, I think they’ve been planning this for years.

Looking back, I suspect Apple first started contemplating the Post PC world when iPods were selling like hotcakes. I’m certain that by the time the iPhone showed up, Apple’s Post PC plans were already in full swing. When the iPad appeared, the shoe dropped for the rest of us. Steve Jobs confirmed this last year at the AllThingsD conference when he talked of trucks and cars and how the PCs we all know and love are going to become the trucks of technology: still useful, but not necessary for most.

This all culminates today with Apple’s repeated mantra about the “Post PC” world. Why are we just hearing about this now? Because Apple is already sitting on top of the mountain in this new order.

I’ve written before about Mac user’s fear of returning to those dark days. I suspect there is a certain degree of that also ingrained in the Apple corporate culture. I’m not sure I’d call it fear so much as resolve with this second chance. Never again.

Never again will Apple blow its lead. Never again will Apple seize defeat from the jaws of victory. Never again in this new Post PC World.

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"Mac At Work" By David Sparks - The Best Hardware & Software Guide Available For Apple, Mac Users

I have completed this wonderful book, "Mac At Work" by David Sparks.   This book is a must read for any Mac user, new or experienced, or for anyone who is contemplating buying a new personal computer.  This book is first of all practically written, in non-technical terms, that any lay reader can understand.  David explains clearly, the various features of the Apple OX10.6 operating system, and even more importantly he sifts though the many software options available for accomplishing the end objectives, the work product that is the real reason we use our computers. Even though this book is titled "Mac At Work" is is just as useful for the casual computer user.

Mr. Sparks overview of available software is comprehensive, to say the least.  He covers, the various softwares with detailed instructions and tips.  I am a Mac geek, my Mac owning friends come to me for questions all the time. With this said I have learned a tremendous amount of information from this book which will improve my work flow as a college professor. I am already uing  many tips from this book and as a result I have acquired a number of new software titles, the most exceptional being DEVONthink Pro Office. This book provides a comprehensive framework for establishing a personal workflow using best practices on the Mac.  From now on I will recommend this book to any Mac user who comes to me with a Mac related question.  It is such a wonderful, Mac reference source and users guide.  It is unique in that it is not biased towards any particular software companies.  Mr. Sparks provides the reader with a number of software options for each workflow objective, letting the reader choose the one which best suits the readers workflow and budget.  This, in itself, will save you many times the price of this book. He provides the reader with a degree of familiarity with software choices that choosing the best option is much less confusing and as a result the reader will be saved from purchasing software which is not suitable for their particular needs.  A case in point is his comparison of task managers for the Mac.  The two main contenders are Things and OmniFocus.  Mr. Sparks clearly prefers OmniFocus but he explains why and why Things might be a better option for readers who are not managing the literally thousands of tasks managed by Mr. Sparks.  I have tried both softwares and I chose to use Things.  Mr. Sparks' advice directly parallelled my experience using both softwares.  This type of advice,  for a perspective purchaser of software, is invaluable.

I want to close by saying that this book is an easy, enjoyable read.  The writers, at the major websites devoted to personal computing, could learn a lot from Mr.Sparks' clear, detailed but not overwhelming explanations of the advantages and disadvantages of various programs, and more importantly, the step by step instructions, for the use of the programs he recommends.  This book was obviously a work born of a love and a passion for the Mac.  This book is a must read for anyone who owns, or is contemplating buying a Mac.  I was disappointed when the book ended.  Like a great performer Mr. Sparks' left me wanting more.  My one small criticism is that Mr.Sparks did not discuss some of the really good software available to convert PDF files to either the Pages or Word formats.  Solid PDF to Word is a useful tool I use for this purpose.  I store everything in PDF files, organizing them in the software programs Paperless for personal documents and Paper for my academic work.  The ability to transfer these PDF files to Pages or Word documents, with the formatting and fonts intact, is an important part of my workflow.

I read this book on my early 2009 MacBook, using the Kindle Mac App, from the new Mac App store.  This App makes reading on a Macbook a pleasure.

By John H. Armwood

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Apple announces Mac App Store will open on January 6 | Computers | MacUser | Macworld

Image via WikipediaApple announces Mac App Store will open on January 6 | Computers | MacUser | Macworld

If you’ve been eagerly anticipating plonking down your hard-earned cash for Mac apps, then you’ll want to mark your calendar. Apple announced on Thursday that it would open the doors to its new Mac App Store in 90 countries on January 6, 2011.

First unveiled in October at Apple’s Back to the Mac event, the Mac App Store aims to offer a parallel experience to the one Apple pioneered in 2008 with its App Store for iOS devices. Users will be able to purchase paid and download free apps in categories like Education, Games, Productivity, Utilities, and more. Any downloaded can be installed on all a user’s personal Macs, and updates are handled by the store. The revenue-sharing deal is the same as with the App Store: developers take 70 percent of income, with Apple taking the other 30 percent to cover hosting costs and credit card fees.

In a press release on Apple’s site, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, “The App Store revolutionized mobile apps. We hope to do the same for PC apps with the Mac App Store by making finding and buying PC apps easy and fun. We can’t wait to get started on January 6.”

But even prior to its launch, the Mac App Store has already raised some controversy, with many developers pointing to restrictive rules that would block several popular existing apps from sale and others worrying that it may signal the beginning of a slippery slope towards a locked-down ecosystem similar to iOS devices. On the flipside, some have argued that the Mac App Store may be a good thing for consumers and developers alike, with the former gaining an easy central location to find software for their computer, and the latter getting massive exposure among Mac users.

The Mac App Store will be available to users of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard as a free download via Software Update.

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Google Targeted by EU Antitrust Probe - PCWorld

Image via WikipediaGoogle Targeted by EU Antitrust Probe - PCWorld

The European Commission is investigating allegations that Google has abused its dominant position in online search to promote its other services, such as price...

By Peter Sayer

Nov 30, 2010 8:04 am

The investigation will also look into alleged abuse of exclusivity clauses that discourage sites carrying advertisements served by Google from also carrying advertisements served by its rivals.

PC manufacturers and software developers will also be questioned to see whether they were pressured by Google to make its search service the default in their products, the Commission said.

Complaints from other search service providers sparked the investigation, it said.

The companies told the Commission that Google treated their services unfavorably in its unpaid and sponsored search results. They also alleged that Google gave its own services preferential placement, the Commission said.

The Commission is particularly concerned that Google may have lowered the ranking in its search results of rival providers of services such as price comparators, in order to promote similar services of its own.

Last week, a U.S. researcher published details of his investigation into Google's treatment of its own supplementary search services compared to those of its rivals.

The Commission stressed that opening the investigation does not imply that it already has proof of any infringements: merely that it is looking for it. Google has been notified of the investigation, the length of which will depend to some extent on the company's cooperation, the Commission said.

Google said it would work with the Commission to deal with its concerns.

Peter Sayer covers open source software, European intellectual property legislation and general technology breaking news for IDG News Service. Send comments and news tips to Peter at peter_sayer@idg.com.

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Apple, ASUS top reliabilty while AT&T, Dell, HP flounder | Electronista

Apple, ASUS top reliabilty while AT&T, Dell, HP flounder | Electronista

Apple and ASUS lead reliabilty and service ranks

Apple and ASUS lead the way in computer reliability and support while Dell and HP are often the worst, according to a reader study published today by PCWorld that also included smartphones. Macs took the top spot in both desktops and notebooks as they almost always rated above average both in how few needed repair and in the quality of their over-the-phone support. ASUS came next closest with very high reliability for notebooks but mostly average desktops and phone help.

Both computer builders were significantly below the average for the number of systems needing repair in either category.

Dell and HP, however, consistently trailed in the results, often ranking at the bottom with most scores for both reliability and support going well below average. Both their business PC lineups fared better, but the deliberate sacrifices to the quality of home PC support were made apparent with wide gaps in the results. The two companies are well-known for producing some of the cheapest notebooks in the industry and were two of the first to outsource US support for home users beyond North America. HP has stressed it has set up support offices in Arkansas and New Mexico but has yet to staff them to where they can supplement outsourced help.

Apple wasn't uniformly the highest scoring in the smartphone study, taking the top marks in overall ease of use and happiness but losing out to Motorola's Android phones. Both rated well for an overall lack of issues, but only Motorola scored above average for its ability to cut down on major problems. The relatively heavy-duty construction of phones like the original Droid, Droid 2 and Droid X may have played a part.

Among phone designers, RIM was rated the worst with the number of problems and ease of use all rated as below average. LG, Nokia and Samsung were also criticized for the difficulty of using their devices; HTC achieved completely average scores in reliability, but Android's ease of use helped boost it to third place. Palm had poorer reliability, but webOS' ease pushed it higher up than some others.

In carriers, AT&T's claims of top marks were directly contradicted by scores. The current iPhone exclusive carrier was the only network to rate below average in any category, scoring at the bottom for both mobile data and voice. It had above-average retail help but was beaten by T-Mobile in phone help. Verizon was rated above average in both call and data quality, while Sprint also rated well in data and T-Mobile in voice.

The smartphone figures lent support to the importance of a Verizon iPhone widely expected to launch next year, since it would mate both one of the top-rated smartphones with a similarly well-received network.

Other top scorers in general electronics included Canon, whose cameras and printers were among the best, as well as Panasonic for its cameras and TVs. Brother, LG and Sony also fared well in printers and TVs.

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Will antivirus die in the post-PC era? | Anti virus - InfoWorld

Will antivirus die in the post-PC era? | Anti virus - InfoWorld

As smartphones and iPad-like devices become the preferred media for accessing information, antivirus companies may find themselves out of a job. End-users, however, will need more education to avoid falling for ploys that dupe them into giving away sensitive information.

That's the conclusion of a recent report by Forrester Research, which predicts that by 2015, half of devices on corporate networks will be post-PC devices, such as RIM's BlackBerry or Apple's iPad. Because such devices are typically sandboxed -- either programmatically, through a managed marketplace, or both -- exploitable vulnerabilities are harder to find and to attack consistently. Attacks that do succeed can be removed remotely by the operating system makers before they propagate too far.

More...

Iranian Cyber Army Moves Into Botnets - PCWorld

Iranian Cyber Army Moves Into Botnets - PCWorld

A group of malicious hackers who attacked Twitter and the Chinese search engine Baidu are also apparently running a for-rent botnet, according to new research.

The so-called Iranian Cyber Army also took credit last month for an attack on TechCrunch's European website. In that incident, the group installed a page on TechCrunch's site that redirected visitors to a server that bombarded their PCs with exploits in an attempt to install malicious software.

Researchers with a security startup called Seculert have traced the malicious server behind those attacks and found indications that the Iranian Cyber Army may also be running a botnet.

They've found an administration interface where people who want to rent the botnet can describe the machines they would like to infect and upload their own malware for distribution by the botnet, said Aviv Raff , CTO and co-founder of Seculert. The company runs a cloud-based service that alerts its customers to new malware, exploits and other cyber threats.

"You provide the number of machines and their region," Raff said. "You then provide the malware download URL, and they will do the malware installation for you."

There are many computer crime gangs that create botnets, or networks of compromised computers, that can then be rented to other players in the cybercrime industry, such as spammers.

Raff said Seculert was able to see the administration panel as it was left unprotected. His company has since notified the provider where the page is hosted and contacted law enforcement.

More...

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Study: Macs to increase enterprise market share by 57 percent | Business Center | Working Mac | Macworld

Study: Macs to increase enterprise market share by 57 percent | Business Center | Working Mac | Macworld

Though the iPad is getting its fair and growing share of business adoption buzz right now, it may be time to also shine the IT spotlight on Apple’s core computer business. According to a new study from the Enterprise Desktop Alliance (EDA), 2011 will be the Year of the Enterprise Mac.

In June 2010, the EDA surveyed 460 IT administrators from business and government departments that manage anywhere from 200 to 200,000 computers. The advocacy group found that Macs could be the fastest growing systems in the enterprise through 2011. EDA predicts that 25 percent of all new systems added to organizations will be Macs, causing the Mac to climb from 3.3 percent of all enterprise systems in 2009 to 5.2 percent in 2011.

Unsurprisingly, EDA believes that much of the Mac’s enterprise growth will come from organizations that have already embraced the platform. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the study’s respondents fall into this category.

As for the key issues that IT administrators consider when adopting the Mac, you should also not leap out of your seat to hear that, in a survey done earlier in the year, the vast majority cited “parity in integration and management between Macs and PCs” at the top of their lists. Most (79 percent) checked off both “file sharing between operating systems” and “security” as “very or extremely important.” Other topics like client management, Active Directory integration, and, of course, the complexities of cross-platform support rounded out the list of things that keep administrators up at night, or at least doing a little overtime.

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AppleInsider | Apple's iPad shaking up hard drive industry - report

Image via WikipediaAppleInsider | Apple's iPad shaking up hard drive industry - report

As Apple's success with the iPad continues to grow, hard drive makers warn that sales of Apple's tablet will continue eating away at sales of hard drive-equipped PCs.

Western Digital Chief Executive John Coyne told analysts Tuesday during an earnings call that tablet computers such as Apple's iPad are slowing the hard drive business, especially on the low-end. The iPad could cause as much as a 10 to 20 percent reduction in shipments of low-end laptops and netbooks over the next few quarters, Reuters noted Coyne as saying.

"What I would say to investors is to look at the long-term demand for storage, the fact is the most appropriate solution for mass volume storage is hard drives and to look at the long-term progress the industry has made over the last 10 years," said Coyne in an effort to reassure investors.

Both Western Digital and rival hard drive manufacturer Seagate watched their stock price steadily drop during the early part of this year, although rumors of buyouts have helped the stocks rally in recent weeks. According to Reuters, some analysts view Western Digital as a "good candidate for a leveraged buyout" because of its low share price and strong cash flow. Western Digital's stock price has fallen 35 percent since January.

Several private equity firms have reportedly expressed interest in purchasing Seagate and taking it private, Reuters reports. The company has been down that road before; it went private in 2000, re-entering the public market in 2002. Seagate will report its quarterly earnings on Wednesday.

More...

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Apple - iTunes - Explore the new iTunes

Apple - iTunes - Explore the new iTunes

iTunes 10 for Mac ans PC has just been released. It incluses iTunes Ping that allows you to track artists you like and $.99 TV show rentals. There are also features that support the new Apple TV released today as well as support for Airplay which allows you to stream music throughout your house to speakers.

John H. Armwood

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Report: Hacker In Massive Computer Attack Held : NPR

Report: Hacker In Massive Computer Attack Held : NPR

International authorities have arrested a computer hacker believed responsible for creating the malicious computer code that infected as many as 12 million computers, invading major banks and corporations around the world, FBI officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

A 23-year-old Slovenian known as Iserdo was snagged in Maribor, Slovenia, after a lengthy investigation by Slovenian Criminal Police there along with FBI and Spanish authorities.

His arrest comes about five months after Spanish police broke up the massive cyber scam, arresting three of the alleged ringleaders who operated the so-called Mariposa botnet, stealing credit cards and online banking credentials.

The botnet — a network of infected computers — appeared in December 2008 and infected more than half of the Fortune 1,000 companies and at least 40 major banks.

Botnets are networks of infected PCs that have been hijacked from their owners, often without their knowledge, and put into the control of criminals.

More...

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