Tag Archives: macs

Mac.5

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Anyone interested in doing a vidcast?

While listening to the Maccast, I wondered if there were a podcast that explains Mac-hacks, tricks, AppleScript and Automator – using the Mac to its fullest. Now, I like MacBreak, but at times it is so software-centric, I think they aren’t using the AppleScript and Automator functions enough. This new podcast would be like Hak.5 (hence Mac.5 – a working title).

Requirements/Preferred
iChat AV (we could figure a way to record the iChat AV session)
General Interest in Mac-hackery
Animation skills? Dunno.

E-mail me at killingtimeshow@gmail.com. Let’s talk about it.

Are the new iMacs sending a signal?

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Today, Apple unveiled its new 24 inch iMac. It’s a great sized display with some power behind it. After seeing the new machine online, I thought that this may signal a start of Apple’s entry into something bigger than just computers.

Apple is a hardware company regardless of what anyone else wants. They’ve been slowly creeping into the living room with the mac mini. The iMac can act as an entertainment hub; I believe that it was the first Mac with Front Row. However, people have complained that it lacks television inputs. Now that Apple has made a 24 inch iMac, what is stopping them from going bigger?

I’d imagine that with the larger displays, the iMac may have some extra hardware space inside the case. Maybe a television tuner isn’t that far off. Additionally, Apple could always be working on new deals with the iTunes Store. iTunes could become a television distribution system. Many televison shows are available on iTunes, so why couldn’t Apple become a distributor of media? They’ve already tinkered with the multi-pass for things like the Daily Show – why not go ahead and have a monthly pass for certain channels? iTunes could offer true a la carte television. Apple could dabble in the subscription system – people are already used to the idea of subscribing to cable or satellite.

Maybe Apple could build a larger display with a computer behind it. A 30 inch iMac would probably have room for an inbuilt TV Tuner or maybe an Apple built break out box where you can hook up a multitude of inputs. Apple could bring a Media Center type experience into the home by sneaking it into the slick iMac packaging. When people see the iMac, they aren’t intimidated by hooking up anything up to anything else. It is similar to people’s television experiences. Simply sneak a computer into the living room by putting it behind the display.

I’m aware that there are PCs built into larger displays. I just think that Apple’s move to a larger iMac signals the beginning of larger, Apple-built living room computers with true Media Center capabilities.

Whining MacBook Pro Repaired

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Over 150 days ago I bought my MacBook Pro. I know this because I looked up my serial number with Apple. I had gotten one of those MacBook Pros with the whining noise. I had gotten used to it, so I accepted the fact that I paid a high price for a computer with an annoying defect. Then I read on digg that Apple had acknowledged this noise and instructed owners to contact AppleCare.

I called up AppleCare and told them of the problem. They asked me if the whining was present at start up. I said I didn’t know because I rarely start up my laptop. I usually only restart my MacBook Pro after Software Update requires a restart. (That’s one of the reasons I switched from PCs to Macs). Then they asked me if it was making the noise now. I told them I didn’t know. The guy at AppleCare tried to understand the situation “You don’t know if you hear the noise your complaining about?” I told him the room was noisy and the noise is much more noticable when the notebook is plugged in. After a couple of minutes, I was given a couple of numbers and was told that a box was on its way. I asked if I needed to backup my hard drive. The AppleCare guy told me to do so since there were no guarantees.

I received my box from Apple the next day and packaged up my notebook (it’s not a laptop) after backing up my hard drive twice. After about two or three business day, I received my repaired MacBook Pro. It had two stickers on it that I assume were for identification while it was at the repair place.

They replaced the Main Logic Board (MLB) at no cost to me. I haven’t heard the noise again (but then again, I haven’t used my MBP that much in the past two days). So, if your MacBook Pro buzzes or emits a high pitched noise, contact Apple and get that logic board replaced. It actually worked out pretty well. My MBP’s speakers sound louder – that might be my own perception – as well.

Overall, a good experience with AppleCare.

Bring back the Cube

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The Mac Mini is a very nice piece of engineering. It’s a diminutive computer that takes up very little space, looks nice, and is very quiet. The only problem? It is limited by its size. It uses laptop hard drives which means you pay a premium for a small hard drive. Additionally, Apple stuck to its odd clip system to keep the case together. Four tiny screws on the bottom of the machine would have been nice for user upgrades.

While I think the form-factor is great, perhaps another Mac should exist. It already existed – and as you can tell by the title of this article – the PowerMac Cube should return. I guess with the new naming convention it would be the Mac Pro Cube or iMac Cube or Mac Cube. The cube was a user-serviceable machine. Maybe a larger form factor – maybe the size of two Mac Minis stacked on top of each other would be the right size. The motherboard could reside in the lower part of the new Cube. The hard drive could be mounted below the slot loading DVD burner. Use your imagination for the rest of the engineering. With a larger size comes full sized desktop hard drives that reach 750GB these days.

This poises the new Mac as a true media center. While I’m coming up with ideas, maybe with the purchase of your new Mac you get special software that allows you to LEGALLY rip your DVDs for your convenience. Apple must pay a royalty for their DVD player application. They could probably wrangle a deal with the movie studios and come up with an authorized DVD-Ripping application. Now that I think about it, a Hollywood-sanctioned DVD ripping application would allow the MPAA to track who is pirating and who is not (with P2P) by using a signature. But, I digress.

The Mac Cube could be a media center with a TV Tuner. Alternatively, the cube shape may look odd with video components. So perhaps a throwback to the pizza-box style desktop computers would benefit Apple. I had read this idea on someone else’s blog (I’d give them credit if I remembered where). That blog discussed the idea of the upcoming Mac Pro in the standard desktop form-factor in a move to differentiate the Apple product in a world of towers.

Since the Cube may not be the right shape, the component style format may work. If Apple felt wishy-washy they could go with a similar idea as the XBox 360 and have a machine that could lay on its side or as a tower and look snazzy.

In short, Apple needs to come out with a new mac that is a headless iMac. A mac in between the Mac Mini and the Power Mac or Mac Pro that can use standard desktop parts and allows users to easy access to upgrade their Mac. It could be in cube form or pizza-box with a TV Tuner with an official DVD-Ripping software. What should we call this mythical Mac? Let’s just call it Macintosh. Just “Mac.”

White Electrical Tape

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I’ve owned a MacBook Pro for a couple of months and the MagSafe AC Adapter is coming a part slightly. The magnet part and the wire that attaches to it are separating very very slightly. I hate minor things like that.

I repaired it with some electrical tape. My nice, white cord has some black tape on it. I know that white electrical tape already exists. I’m surprised it hasn’t been marketed as iTape or iRepair or something like that. I have yet to see that product.

With so many products having white cables these days (like headphones), I wouldn’t be surprised to see simple electrical tape with claims such as “Mac Compatible” or “Works with iPod.”