Newsletter to Members
March 2009
- News from the Net:
- Microsoft’s online App Store strategy
- Recent Software Updates
- Take Control Ebooks discount now 30%
- Take Control of Running Windows on Mac
- Take Control of Your iPhone, 2nd Edition
- More Ebooks for iPhone/iPod touch
- Google Earth 5.0 adds Oceans, Mars, Time Travel
- Critical Vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat
- Donate your old pre-loved Mac
Monday 2 March 6.30pm
Room 327 Theatrette, Robert Webster Bldng, UNSW, Anzac Parade, Kensington.
Raffle prizes include a book published by Peachpit Press; 4GB USB Thumb drives, iTunes Cards, recordable CD/DVD media and more.
New Disc-of-the-Month CD
Personal Organiser
A collection of applications to get your information in order… and perhaps even the rest of your life! This CD includes 29 shareware or demo apps for scheduling, project management, task management, tracking, note taking, gathering information, sorting, mind mapping, brainstorming, image capture, annotating, you name it – all with a common theme and purpose: getting you organised.
Our Disc-of-the-Month software compilation CDs are provided courtesy of Nicholas Pyers and Australian Macworld. They are on sale at our meetings for the specially reduced AMUG member price of just $5 each (or $10 for DVDs, plus $2 postage if required). For the full list and order form, log in to the AMUG web site members area.
Recent CD offerings include:
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Various license types apply to applications supplied on compilation CDs. Some titles require further payment direct to the application publisher to enable full feature sets and continued use. |
Each year, the SXSW (South by SouthWest) Music and Media Conference showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on over eighty stages in downtown Austin, Texas.
After the conference, many of the showcasing artists release examples of their work as MP3s, which are distributed as legitimate BitTorrent archives containing thousands of songs and weighing in at over 4 Gigabytes in size.
More info about SXSW: www.sxsw.com or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_by_Southwest
The SXSW Showcasing Artists DVD Series
If anyone is interested, we can provide the 2008 collection on DVD for $15. This DVD contains 4.5GB of music, 763 tracks totalling nearly 2 days’ playing time duration! Note the performances are supplied in MP3 format and intended to be loaded in to iTunes, not played directly from a CD Player. View the list of tracks (20pp PDF 150K).
Or, if that’s not enough for you, what about the whole shooting match of the last 4 years’ performances – 2005 through 2008 SXSW collections – the complete set of all four DVDs containing 3,206 tracks, for just $40! More info (PDF 50K).
This DVD series is made available to Australian Mac User Group members courtesy of Nicholas Pyers and Australian Macworld. This is not officially part of our normal Disc-of-the-Month offering, but can be made up on request. To order, email Rob Workman <rworkman@optushome.com.au> or phone him on 9387 2069.
News from Apple
Apple Announces Safari 4
World’s Fastest & Most Innovative Browser
Apple has just announced the public beta of Safari 4, the world’s fastest and most innovative web browser for Mac and Windows PCs.
Above: Safari 4 – Top Sites view. Image courtesy of Apple.
Safari 4’s Advanced Browser Technologies
Safari 4 is built on the world’s most advanced browser technologies including the new Nitro JavaScript engine that executes JavaScript up to 30 times faster than IE 7 and more than three times faster than Firefox 3. Safari quickly loads HTML web pages three times faster than IE 7 and almost three times faster than Firefox 3.*
Apple is leading the industry in defining and implementing innovative web standards such as HTML 5 and CSS 3 for an entirely new class of web applications that feature rich media, graphics and fonts. Safari 4 includes HTML 5 support for offline technologies so web-based applications can store information locally without an Internet connection, and is the first browser to support advanced CSS Effects that enable highly polished web graphics using reflections, gradients and precision masks. Safari 4 is the first browser to pass the Web Standards Project’s Acid3 test, which examines how well a browser adheres to CSS, JavaScript, XML and SVG web standards that are specifically designed for dynamic web applications.
Innovative new features in Safari 4 include:
- Top Sites, a display of frequently visited pages in a stunning wall of previews so users can jump to their favourite sites with a single click;
- Full History Search, where users search through titles, web addresses and the complete text of recently viewed pages to easily return to sites they’ve seen before;
- Cover Flow, to make searching web history or bookmarks as fun and easy as paging through album art in iTunes;
- Tabs on Top, for better tabbed browsing with easy drag-and-drop tab management tools and an intuitive button for opening new ones;
- Smart Address Field, that automatically completes web addresses by displaying an easy-to-read list of suggestions from Top Sites, bookmarks and browsing history;
- Smart Search Field, where users fine-tune searches with recommendations from Google Suggest or a list of recent searches;
- Full Page Zoom, for a closer look at any website without degrading the quality of the site’s layout and text;
- Built-in web developer tools to debug, tweak and optimize a website for peak performance and compatibility.
Pricing & Availability
Safari 4 is a public beta for both Mac OS X and Windows and is available immediately as a free download at www.apple.com.au/safari.
System Requirements
Safari 4 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5.6 and Security Update 2009-001 or Mac OS X Tiger version 10.4.11, a minimum 256MB of memory, and is designed to run on any Intel-based Mac or a Mac with a PowerPC G5, G4 or G3 processor and built-in FireWire. Safari 4 for Windows requires Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista, a minimum 256MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor. Full system requirements and more information on Safari 4 can be found at www.apple.com.au/safari.
*Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. All testing conducted on an iMac 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Windows Vista, with 2GB of RAM. JavaScript benchmark based on the SunSpider JavaScript Performance test. HTML benchmark based on VeriTest’s iBench Version 5.0 using default settings.
Apple Adds iDisk Sharing Feature to MobileMe
Extract from TidBITS#965/16-Feb-09 by Joe Kissell, TidBITS
Apple has announced a new iDisk feature that lets MobileMe users easily share any file on their iDisk with others, via email or the Web, with just a few clicks.
Before, if users needed to send a large file via email, they had to determine whether both their email provider and the recipient's provider could accommodate large attachments.
Instead, with the new sharing feature, you put the file you want to share anywhere on your
iDisk – it need not be in your Public folder. Next, log in to your
account at www.me.com and click the iDisk icon to display all the files on your iDisk in your Web
browser. Select the file you want to share and click the new Share File button.
MobileMe generates a unique, private URL pointing to that file and displays it
in a dialog, where you can optionally fill in one or more email addresses and a
message to send the URL to others. Recipients then simply click the Download
button in their email message to retrieve the file.
See Apple's post ‘Sharing Large Files with iDisk’. Read Joe Kissell’s full TidBITS article.
Apple Releases Wide-Ranging Security Updates
Extract from TidBITS#965/16-Feb-09 by Rich Mogull, TidBITS
Security Update 2009-001
Apple has released the first general Mac OS X security update of 2009, patching a series of serious vulnerabilities that could allow an attacker to take over your Mac. Security Update 2009-001 affects both Mac OS X client and server, and all users are advised to update their systems immediately. A complete list of changes is found in the official security note on Apple's support site. Apple also released a separate security update for Java for Mac OS X, and a standalone update for Safari for Windows. More info. These can be downloaded and installed via Software Update preferences, or from Apple Downloads.
Safari RSS Fix: The most notable vulnerability patched (although not necessarily the most serious), and included in Security Update 2009-001 for Mac OS X, is a flaw in how Safari handled links for RSS feeds that could allow an attacker to run arbitrary code on your system. Read the full TidBITS article.
Security Update 2009-001 is available as separate downloads for:
- Mac OS X 10.4.11 Tiger on PowerPC (74 MB)
- Mac OS X 10.4.11 Tiger on Intel (164.23 MB)
- Mac OS X 10.5.6 Leopard Universal (43.4 MB).
The Java update is also available separately:
- Java for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, Release 8 (1.6 MB)
- Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Update 3 (3 MB).
Safari 3.2.2 for Windows is also available as a direct download. This update is recommended for all WINDOWS Safari users and includes stability improvements and the latest security updates.
News from the Net
Microsoft follows Apple’s online App Store strategy
Shadowing Apple’s iPhone/App Store concept, Microsoft® announced at the recent Mobile World Congress in Spain that it will introduce an online Application Store with its newest version of Windows Mobile software.
At the same conference, Microsoft also announced a new data backup service called Microsoft® My Phone – not unlike Apple’s MobileMe (formerly dotMac) online storage service.
Read the full Australian Macworld article posted 17 Feb by Nancy Gohring here:
Microsoft
announces mobile apps store, backup service.
Recent Software Updates
Extracts from ‘TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates’
- VMware Fusion 2.0.2 from VMware (Free update, 286 MB)
- Firefox 3.0.6 (Free update, 17.2 MB)
- GarageBand 5.0.1 (Free update, 26.7 MB)
MacBook SMC Update 1.3 from Apple is a specific firmware update for the 2009 white polycarbonate MacBook. SMC stands for System Management Controller, a micro controller located on the logic board that is responsible for the computer's power functions.
- MacBook SMC Update 1.3 (Free update, 4.3 MB)
iWork '08
Minor updates for the three applications in the iWork '08 suite: Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. Available via Software Update or from the pages linked here:
- Pages 3.0.3 (27.3 MB)
- Numbers 1.0.3 (26.1 MB)
- Keynote 4.0.4 (31.3 MB).
Take Control Ebooks
Now 30% Discount for Mac User Group Members
TidBITS has increased the MUG discount to 30%. The new coupon code is CPN90219MUG.
To get the 30% discount, you can just type in the above code after adding any ebook(s) to the online cart at www.takecontrolbooks.com, or use this link, which pre-loads the coupon and shows the full Take Control catalog.
Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac, 3rd Edition
Installing and running Windows on an Intel-based Mac has become commonplace, but doing so most effectively still requires expert knowledge. Fortunately, the new "Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac, Third Edition" brings readers 167 pages of hard-won advice, helping readers determine the best installation option for their needs, install Windows easily, and keep Windows secure, properly backed up, and working optimally.
Written by cross-platform guru Joe Kissell and based on innumerable hours of research, the title covers Windows XP and Windows Vista, and it gives procedures for working with virtualization programs VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, and VirtualBox, along with Apple's dual-boot solution, Boot Camp. For each option, Kissell provides instructions for installing the software and for installing Windows, and he goes further by explaining how to make peripherals – like mice, keyboards, and printers – behave properly, how to share files between the Mac and Windows environments, and how to integrate the Mac and Windows interfaces. Kissell also looks at software that makes it possible to run Windows programs on a Mac without installing Windows itself, and he explains methods of acquiring Windows, a topic made confusing by Microsoft's many licensing options and activation mechanism.
The US$10 ebook comes with coupons for US$8 off the price of VMware Fusion and US$5 off Parallels Desktop. The cover price is US$10, but as a MUG member, you can get it for 30% off (US$7) via this link.
Take Control of Your iPhone, 2nd Edition
Ted Landau's "Take Control of Your iPhone, Second Edition" is now available. Ted's a writing machine, and he has pumped out a 183-page compendium (plus additional online resources) of the most useful information about the iPhone, with a particular focus on helping you work more effectively, avoid problems, and fix any existing problems. The book normally costs US$15, but as a limited time introductory discount, you can get it for US$10 with this link (follow the link, click the Buy Ebook button, and your discount should appear in the first screen of the shopping cart).
Taking the Murphy's Law approach that if something can go wrong, it probably will, Ted explains how your iPhone figures out where in the world it is, how it connects to Internet and cellular data networks, and how it communicates with your Mac. You'll learn key details of syncing with iTunes and via MobileMe, how to manage your apps, and ways you can share files with your Mac. The ebook helps you get the most life from your iPhone battery and connect a Bluetooth headset, and it provides tricks for typing more quickly and accurately. You'll find a cornucopia of advice for making the most of the main built-in iPhone apps, including iPod, Phone, Mail, Maps, and Safari. But that's not all – extensive problem-solving sections help you solve network problems, resolve sync conflicts, avoid crashes, and, if necessary, restore an ailing iPhone from backup.
The ebook covers the iPhone from a Macintosh point of view, though most of the information is useful even if you connect your iPhone to a Windows PC. The ebook also covers the iPod touch; TidBITS say they just couldn't figure out a clever way to work "iPod touch" into the title.
More Ebooks Available for the iPhone/iPod touch
Extract from TidBITS#964/09-Feb-09 by Adam C. Engst
Google Book Search for Mobiles
Google announced in early February a mobile version of Google Book Search, which gives you access to 1.5 million public domain books in the United States (and 500,000 in other countries) from your iPhone or other Web-enabled mobile phone. The mobile version of Google Book Search works only when you're online (ie. you cannot dwnload books).
To visit Google Book Search from your iPhone or iPod touch, go to http://books.google.com/m.
Read the full TidBITS article.
Safari Books Online
Coinciding with O'Reilly's Tools of Change for Publishing conference, Safari Books Online announced a beta version of the subscription-based library service. With Safari Books Online, you pay a subscription fee that gives you access to thousands of technical books from O'Reilly, Peachpit Press, Prentice-Hall, Microsoft Press, lynda.com, and others. And soon, Take Control ebooks as well. As with Google Book Search, the mobile version of Safari Books Online requires that you be online. More info.
If you have a Safari Books Online account, login from your iPhone or iPod touch at http://m.safaribooksonline.com.
Google Earth 5.0 Adds Oceans, Mars, and Time Travel
Extract from TidBITS#964/09-Feb-09 by Doug McLean, TidBITS
Google Earth 5.0, the latest version of the popular 3D earth
visualization tool, unleashes several major new features and loads of
additional content. New additions announced by Google include the capability to
view 3D bathymetric maps of the ocean's floor, thumb through historic maps and
satellite imagery, explore the surface of Mars, and record journeys within
Google Earth to share with other users.
Read the full TidBITS article.
Take the Google Earth Tour.
Critical Vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat
Extract from TidBITS#966/23-Feb-09 by Adam C. Engst, TidBITS
Adobe has issued a security advisory warning about a "critical vulnerability" in Adobe Reader 9 and earlier, and in Adobe Acrobat 9 and earlier. Although the security advisory makes no specific mention of the Mac, previous vulnerabilities have been cross-platform, so there's no reason to believe this one will be any different. Adobe is planning to release updates to Adobe Reader and Acrobat during March to resolve the relevant security issue. More info.
Reports suggest that the vulnerability relies in part on JavaScript, so in the meantime, disabling JavaScript in Acrobat Preferences can provide protection against currently known attacks but may not eliminate all risk. Apple's Preview app cannot interpret JavaScript in a PDF and therefore should be unaffected by a malicious PDF.
Read the full TidBITS article.
Donate your old pre-loved Mac
David Phillips of Apple-MAQ Lions Club, Brisbane has a warehouse of old Apple computers from Apple II to the eMac – housed in 2000 sq feet of storage on a 5 hectare block of land. He refurbishes them for groups, and has placed iMacs in retirement villages as an internet lounge for the residents. He sends a lot overseas and has over four hundred Power Mac 7200 units in new homes outside Australia.
David has offered to supply spare parts for discontinued Macs for the cost of postage. To donate your old Mac email David at <applemaqlion@yahoo.com.au>
…Or use Apple’s Recycling Service:
With a qualifying purchase, Apple will collect your old computer or monitor and recycle it for free. For more info and to register your recycling request visit this link.
Saturday Workshop
One-on-one Mac Help from AMUG Committee members in a friendly, sharing environment.
Saturday March 7, commencing 10am. Room 136C (Computer Lab), Ground Floor, Webster Building, UNSW Kensington.
Bring your own Notebook or use one of the Uni's iMacs.
Enquiries and bookings, phone Rob on 9387 2069 or email sydamug@mac.com
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