Microsoft Updates Office 2008 for Mac
And WOW, it’s FAST! I applied the service pack 2 update last night and the speed improvement is dramatic. Don’t delay getting this update. More on the update can be found on Mac Rumors.
Update: After applying the recent follow-up patch to fix the compatibility issue with PC word documents, I noticed that the launch time was dramatically longer. Bummed.
Tune up your mac with these tips from LifeHacker
I’m a sucker for these kinds of helpful mac maintenance tips since I own a macbook pro and an apple fan boy.
Save a Ton on that Next Apple Mac Purchase
Sure there are plenty of deals on PCs all over the place, but what if you want champaign on a beer budget? Well, it still might be a little more than the cost of beer or a cheap PC, but you’ll get a heck of a nice Mac by going to the Apple refurbished site (look for the link in the lower left corner of the online Apple store). Check the site often as the deals constantly change based on their current inventory.
You might get a better deal on ebay or craigslist, but the refurbished site still gives you the luxury of the Apple warranty!
Another option is to go back to school and take advantage of their excellent student discount program.
Apple releases the new macbooks today
The specs and aesthetics look terrific! They’re available now online and tomorrow in your local Apple Store. Key upgrades include:
- Stronger structure (unibody design cut from solid aluminum)
- Glass trackpad with no physical buttons
- Glass display
- Faster NVIDIA Graphics (two processors in pro version)
- Easy access to battery and hard drive – for future upgrades
- and more…
apple macbooks
Apple Event – Spotlight turns to notebooks live coverage
Tomorrow (Oct 14, 2008) is the big day for Apple fans waiting for the latest notebook revisions. Rumors say there will be 7 new variations/models. Tune in to live coverage on arstechnica!
Apple Event – Spotlight turns to notebooks
So much to see and so little time. The news is spreading around the web like wildfire. Apple will host a special event for invited guests only on October 14, 2008! So don’t buy that macbook yet, wait to see what’s coming…
Sites with details:
Arstechnica full story
What’s All The Fuss Over Google’s Chrome?
Okay, I get it. Google has a new browser and we’re all supposed to go crazy with joy. I will agree that it is very fast and looks clean. Mac users should take a look at WebKit while we wait for a Mac version of Chrome. Why do we need another browser..? We don’t, but Google needed to make one and here’s why.
- Money… I’m listing this as the first reason because money talks (as they say). Google was essentially giving away the delivery mechanism to a revenue stream that it can tap itself back into. For those of you that don’t know, here’s an example. FireFox makes money every time you search and click one of the ad links in the results. Google can keep more of that money for itself if you use their browser.
- Delivery… Google has many great online products and services, but they do not control the way in which you access these things. What would happen if all of a sudden Microsoft, Apple and/or Mozilla decided they no longer wanted to play nice with Google? How would you get to their online products and services. If I am a shareholder (I’m not), I would be very afraid of this possibility (albeit remote). Hey, you never know. Strange things have happened… No one ever thought Apple was going to survive just a few years ago, but check them out now!
Final Words… I find it a bit interesting that Google is using WebKit as the engine for their browser just as Apple is for their Safari browser. Pretty darn cool! Also, I don’t think my two reasons listed above are the only reasons for the Google browser, but I do think they may have been near the top of the list. Lastly, would argue the most significant functionality of the application at this point is that you can save a page as an application. I know I’ll be creating a few “applications” for things like gmail and Google Calendar!
Interesting information about the Apple Time Capsule
While conducting my research on the Apple Time Capsule, I stumbled upon this great site full of information. I should say that I currently own the 1 TB version and have been very satisfied with the results so far. Time Machine works great and I love the regular backups.
GTD on the Mac
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/07/gtd-with-the-mac-and-a-cool-custom-setup/
Great Mac Utilities and Apps
Excellent list of Top 100 Essential Mac Apps!
Huge list of mac compression utilities.
More free mac software you just can’t pass up.
Open Office for those of you wanting a Microsoft Office replacement.
Let’s not forget PHP 5 for the mac!
Free graphics editor – GIMP
Miro is the only video player you’ll ever need.
Can you tell I’ve been surfing the web for free mac apps?