News Archive for 01/05/06

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Taking a look at the MS Mac Business Unit

05/06, 4:30pm

Taking a look at the MS Mac Business Unit

A Reuters story discusses Microsoft's Mac Business Unit, including an overview of how the programming group came to be and where Microsoft's .Net plan comes into play for Mac users. Kevin Browne, General Manager of the Mac Business Unit, notes that the 185-member group is "highly profitable" and that "Bill Gates is a huge Mac fan and he has a warm spot in his heart for the Mac platform, and it hurt him to see our customers suffering [in the 90s]."

Reckless Drivin' 1.3 brings OS X support

05/06, 4:30pm

Reckless Drivin' 1.3 brings OS X support

The top-view 2D racing game, Reckless Drivin' 1.3, now works with OS X (final) and fixes other bugs under Mac OS 8/9.

Pepper 3.6.5: shareware text editor updated

05/06, 4:20pm

Pepper 3.6.5: shareware text editor updated

Pepper 3.6.5 adds several new features and improvements to the text editor, including optional rendering of text using ATSUI and indenting on tabs.

Shareware Tic-Tac-Toe for OS X released

05/06, 3:50pm

Shareware Tic-Tac-Toe for OS X released

Jay Holley has released his $5 shareware Tic Tac Toe A-GoGo: "It is a fairly smart implementation of the classic game. The computer player uses strategies that make it as difficult to play as any human player. Some of them can be disabled to make the game less challenging. More interestingly, the game includes a special option that allows the computer player to cheat, taking two moves, or changing the score."

Winemaking app has 'globalization' options

05/06, 3:45pm

Winemaking app has 'globalization' options

Smart Tools has released OenoLog Version III, an updat to it winemaking software designed "to convert Apple iBook laptops to dedicated production control instruments for winemakers." Version III offers "globalization options" by making date, time, & number display Control Panel compliant, converting the online manual to html, and adding a translation screen so the user can customize the prompts or create a new set of prompts in a different language. [demo]

CDFinder 3.1.1 adds OS X printing

05/06, 3:40pm

CDFinder 3.1.1 adds OS X printing

Norbert M. Doerner's CDFinder 3.1.1 adds printing support under OS X, integration with PowerFile DVD Juke Box, a more Aqua-ish interface, and the ability to catalog files inside Apple Installer Archives to the $20 shareware catalogging tool. [Classic, Carbon]

AtariST emulator gets new options, bug fixes

05/06, 3:35pm

AtariST emulator gets new options, bug fixes

NoSTalgia 1.1 brings several bug fixes and new memory and frame rate options to the freeware AtariST emulator for the Power Mac.

Tech comments on Mac motherboards

05/06, 3:30pm

Tech comments on Mac motherboards

Following the recent posting of Apple's iBook 2001 developer note, Abe Jellinek passed along some comments about the new iBook motherboard:

The new iBook motherboard includes the Pangea I/O, device, and memory controller, just like the Digital Audio iMacs. I expect the PowerBook G4 and PowerMac to have this chip as well. As both the pro models need a refresh, it would be a good time to simplify the motherboard and get rid of the current two-chip control setup. The old iMac and iBook both had the Uni-North (aka Uni-N) and Key Largo chips, like the pro models do now. The older board designs on the pro models demonstrate that, besides processor and GPU upgrades, little things need to be patched up to limit costs. (Block diagrams can be found for the G4 CPU Macs at [Web page]; G3 diagrams can be found at [Web page]

Second Apple Store headed for Chicago

05/06, 12:00pm

Second Apple Store headed for Chicago

Apple is reportedly looking to open a second retail store in Chicago, according to a news brief in Chicago Business. "Apple Computer Inc. is planning to open its second Chicago-area retail outlet, in a 7,100-square-foot store at Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg." Last month we noted that Apple had signed a lease for a retail store in downtown Chicago. Also, a thread in our forums is mapping and tracking the rumored and "confirmed" locations of Apple Retail Store locations.

Napster in talks for new fee-based service

05/06, 12:00pm

Napster in talks for new fee-based service

Napster is presently in talks with several companies, including Microsoft, as the company attempts to get its new, fee-based service off the ground this summer. Napster is looking for ways in which its new service could be incorporated with the products of other companies.

Handspring cuts prices

05/06, 12:00pm

Handspring cuts prices

Following recent price cuts by Palm, Handspring has lowered the price of its Visor Deluxe from $250 to $200 and is offering a free leather case with the PDA. Also, a $50 mail-in-rebate on the Visor Platinum ($250 after rebate) is being offered through June 17.