Apple Archive

"Which approach you take to running Windows on a Mac will depend on how you balance the performance you hope to get out of your system with your need to proceed safely and risk-free. BootCamp will always deliver the maximum performance to your Windows apps, but Parallels Desktop offers greater flexibility and an easier, safer installation process. It's also the better product for quickly dipping in and out of Windows - or any of the other x86-based operating systems it, unlike BootCamp, supports."

Apple has decided to do away with its discussion support team, a group of forum hosts that have monitored and moderated its user discussion boards, a new report has confirmed. At times, the boards also became a focal point of the online and mainstream media due to questionable moderation practices. To the dismay of customers, it wasn't uncommon for staff members to close or completely remove lengthy discussion threads that brought attention to problems with Apple products that the company had yet to officially recognize. But Apple's decision to do away with its moderation staff has only added to the complaints users have about the boards.

Powered by its OS X Tiger operating system and buzz surrounding the iPod, Apple Computer has gained traction in the personal computer market. Macintosh computers used to be popular with the creative crowd, but now are finding a place on the desks of corporate America. According to the Wall Street Journal, JupiterResearch surveyed technology decision makers at 258 medium and large businesses and projected that 33 percent would be running Macs next year, while only 21 percent were doing so now.

The editors of ResExcellence.com, a popular Macintosh website and longtime Mac enthusiasts, have switched to Linux. "I've been making my living as Mac-specific developer for several years now... I was a true Mac die-hard," stated Bryan, who also runs a Mac software company, on his blog, "but the Macintosh community, with its bad attitudes and diva-esque nature, rained on my parade. Sure there were other reasons why I switched. But that was the tipping point."

Apple on Wednesday announced financial results for its fiscal 2006 third quarter ended July 1, 2006, posting revenue of USD 4.37 billion and a net quarterly profit of USD 472 million, or USD 0.54 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of USD 3.52 billion and a net profit of USD 320 million, or USD 0.37 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Apple shipped 1327000 Macintosh computers and 8111000 iPods during the quarter, representing 12 percent growth in Macs and 32 percent growth in iPods over the year-ago quarter.

Not too long ago, I sold my iBook, right after the new MacBook was announced. I planned to buy that same MacBook somewhere this summer; however, I started to doubt. I had second thoughts. Let me explain why I decided to not buy a new Mac, but instead opt for a used G4 PowerMac. Note: After being absent for a week, here is another Sunday Eve Column.

PCMag reviews iWork '06. "For word processing, the Apple iWork '06 Pages program is no match for Microsoft Word or ThinkFree Office 3.0. But it's capable, and its ability to create gorgeous documents easily is unequaled on the Mac." My take: I concur. iWork is the best tool for the job when you need to create a document you yourself will distribute physically; however, since iWork uses a closed file format only iWork users can read, distributing it electronically is fairly useless.

Macintouch has done a hardware quality survey among owners of PowerMac G5s (3000 PowerMacs) regarding hardware quality, support quality, and more. The conclusion: "The Power Mac G5's 17% first-year failure rate remains far higher than the industry average of 5%. If Apple is to maintain its premium pricing, it should provide premium reliability. As things stand, high Power Mac prices must include high warranty service costs built-in. With an overall failure rate of 23%, a quarter of which occur outside of Apple's 1-year warranty, and an average of 1.29 repairs per affected unit implying repeat problems, Power Macs are neither cheap for Apple to service after the sale, nor cheap for buyers. Power comes at a cost." Ok. Run Forrest, run!

Interesting read over at Switch To A Mac about a Windows Migration Assistant in OS X Leopard. Other Apple news: portents of Mac growth, antiVirus company suggests home users switch to Macs.

Apple is being sued over its awarding of stock options. Two separate suits have been started by shareholders which make claims against current and former officers of Apple, the company announced. The California computer maker has been caught up in a widening Silicon Valley controversy over the awarding of stock options during the dot.com boom. Some firms have already admitted awarding options at lower than market values in order to maximise their worth to employees. Apple is the biggest name to be involved in the growing scandal.

Apple recently added two new retail configurations to its MacBook line of consumer notebooks, both of which are now available at most of the company's stores. A new 2.0GHz white MacBook configuration packs an additional 512MB of RAM and 20GB of extra hard disk space, for a total of 1GB of RAM (via two 512MB SODIMMs) and 80GB of storage. The new model retails for USD 1449, or USD 150 more than the 2.0GHz white MacBook with 512MB of RAM and a 60GB hard disk. Both configurations included Apple's SuperDrive optical disc drive. Meanwhile, Apple has also introduced a new configuration of its black 2.0GHz MacBook, dubbed the 'MacBook Ultimate'.

Apple sent a seismic shockwave through the Mac market a year ago when it announced that was ditching its long-time processor suppliers IBM and Motorola in favor of chips from occasional arch-nemesis Intel. The announcement came on June 6, 2005, during Steve Jobs’ Worldwide Developers Conference keynote - by the end of 2007, the Apple CEO said, all Mac hardware would be running on Intel processors.

"Could it ever happen? Is there even a possibility that we will see OS X on the PC? To be honest, I believe there is. But unlike others who believe that it will happen on a large scale, what I foresee instead is OS X on a very select number of Apple approved PCs. And as great as this could potentially be, here comes the rub: if we do in fact see OS X on the PC platform, Steve Jobs would only allow it just for the press - nothing more."

"When one takes the seamless integration, stability, ease of use, quality engineering, the TCO, and the ability to boot Windows, one can easily conclude that a Mac is not necessarily a more expensive proposition. The argument that Mac’s are too expensive no longer applies. Although you can spend between $600 and several thousand for a Mac, stay within your means and purchase a system that meets your computing demands."