Jim Heid iLife Private Tutor

Remember the Precious "Macintosh Digital Hub" book ? Well Mister Heid has done it again, but this time it's Macintosh iLife. This is by far one of the most well conceived and illustrated book available today. It is so cool. Imagine it's in full colours, comes with it's own 90 minutes instructional DVD and it will give you tips and tricks that you will use. It's like having your own private iLife Tutor demonstrating the fine art of mastering iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, and iDVD. A must have for beginner and intermediate users alike. The kind of book that you buy for a friend, but end up keeping for yourself! The Macintosh iLife Book is published by Peachpit Press in association with Avondale Media ISBN 0-321-17011-3

Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription email at : thedr2@mac.com

First HDTV Camcorder

The JVC GR-HD1 will be introduced in May , it's the world's first consumer camcorder to offer 750 line resolution progressive video at 30 frames per second, recording MPEG2 video to MiniDV tape. The price will start around $2500-$3500 . Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription email at : thedr2@mac.com

Multiple sized Apple tablets under development for new home portable market

A variety of information suggests that Apple is developing tablet-based systems utilizing a range of screen sizes.
The rumor follows Spymac's report that Apple will soon be tackling the new 'home portable' market, a demographic that will apparently be targeted with more than one product. Both 8" and 15" tablet systems are reportedly being prepared, says a previously reliable contact. (Source SpyMac)

Network Magazine names Mac OS X v10.2 Server 'Product of the Year'

CMP Media's Network Magazine today announced the winners of its 16th Annual Products of the Year Awards in a press release. Chosen by Network Magazine's industry-leading editors, these awards recognize the outstanding technical achievement of products and services that are most significant to the network IT community.
Network Magazine's annual Products of the Year Awards are acknowledged as one of the networking industry's longest running and most distinguished awards program.

Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17
For a free subscription email at : thedr2@mac.com

PowerBook signed by Paul McCartney up for auction

"The most valuable G4 PowerBook in the world," according to Macworld UK, "signed by Sir Paul McCartney - is being auctioned to raise funds for a kidney dialysis ward for children in the North East of England. Donated to the charity - the Alice Skinner Appeal - by Paul and Heather McCartney, the PowerBook was signed in LA in October 2002. The celebrity couple agreed to auction the item to help raise money for the appeal. As well as Sir Paul's signature, the PowerBook carries a £10,000 [US$15,784 at current exchange rates] reserve price. (Source MacDailyNews)

Apple says “NO” to shattered PowerBook screen – An update....and a MUST READ

Last Thursday I received a call from Apple Executive Relations, a kind woman by the name of Robin. She informed me that she had read “everything” on the Mac Web about my PowerBook issue and wanted to take care of the problem, one way or another.

She told me to expect a FedEx label the next day, and that I was to pack up the PowerBook in it’s original box, with all the manuals, CD’s, adapters, etc. I imagined she wanted all this because Apple planned to replace the PowerBook, lock, stock, and barrel.

Keep dreaming John….
To read the rest of the story (and you should) point your browser to the MacNet Home page article at:
http://www.macnet2.com/more.php?id=329_0_1_0_M

(In case you did not know by now)

Apple Says ''No'' To Major Music Company Rumors

Apple has issued a press release stating that it had no plans to invest in or acquire a major music company.

Organizer: 'Hackathon' Will Go On

An open-source programmer intends to host a gathering of coders in Canada next month, despite a decision by a U.S. military research agency to withdraw funding for the event

POST PRODUCTION BUSINESS FAILURES

Inside the white-and-steel offices of Cinesite Inc., there's panic in the halls as digital artists rush to finish the second "X-Men" movie, "X2."
Phones ring incessantly at the Los Angeles visual effects house as visitors from movie studios chat about scenes in which the blue-skinned mutant called Nightcrawler teleports through a government building. Empty soda cans in pristine condition overflow from trash cans -- there simply isn't time for the 250 employees to crush them.
Across town -- and across California -- scores of effects houses large and small are busy handling the flood of effects-laden movies in production. It would seem that there has never been a better time to be working in the visual effects industry, especially at frenzied Cinesite.
But Cinesite, a subsidiary of photography giant Eastman Kodak Co., is planning to close its mid-sized L.A. effects shop after it finishes the last glittering edge of the steel claws of "X-Men" mutant Wolverine.
"It's difficult, if not impossible, to make a sustainable profit as a mid-sized company in this business, particularly in California," said Eric G. Rodli, president of Kodak's entertainment imaging unit, which oversees Cinesite. "You have to either grow, shrink or get out."
As the special effects industry thrives, a widespread restructuring is squeezing some of Hollywood's technical elite. With the profit margins paper-thin and competition intense, medium-sized shops are struggling . (Source L.A. Time)

AppleWorks Update: 6.2.7 now available

Apple has posted a free AppleWorks 6.2.7 update , which "provides improvements to the presentation module, AppleScript, web content searching, printing, label printing, table support, and spell checking with user added words. The update provides better recognition and handling of Office 97 and Office 2000 files, improved support for multimedia files in database documents, improved web template downloading over slow internet connections, improved spreadsheet module--including Auto-Calculation, as well as enhanced support for documents which contain links. This version also supports web based templates and clipart on networks using proxy servers.

Control iLife Apps Via Voice Command

MacSpeech is shipping the iLife Voice Solution for Mac users. The iLife Voice Solution is a utility designed to enable iListen users the ability to control iLife applications via voice command. The application supports common control functions for Mac utilities iTunes, iMovie, and more.
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription email at : thedr2@mac.com

Apple posted a Mac OS X Software Update for Airport:

This software update provides improved AirPort wireless networking software.

This software includes the latest version of the AirPort Extreme Base Station firmware - v5.0.4. Instructions for updating the base station firmware can be found in AirPort Help.

This update is recommended for all customers with French AirPort Extreme Base Stations or if your AirPort Extreme Base Station stops responding after being on a busy Ethernet Network .

SpyMac claims that Apple is working on a home accounting application:

Apple is said to be completing development on a new home accounting application that will be sold and bundled with other office products .

The Two Towers DVD Release Dates

6/28/03 & 11/18/03. These are the (US) DVD release dates for The Two Towers . Like Fellowship, the first date is the release of the DVD, and the November date is the release of the special edition (with rumored extra 48 minutes of footage) .(source slashdot.org)

Griffin debuts iFM for iPod

Griffin Technology today unveiled iFM , an FM radio for Apple's iPod . The Griffin iFM adds an FM radio to the iPod in one integrated package that utilizes the iPod's own remote for its controls.
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription
email at : thedr2@mac.com

New Apple 'Communicating Device'? [Updated]

Details are sparse... but reliable sources have indicated that Apple is going to be unveiling a new "communicating device" in the next few weeks... (potentially along side the April 28th announcement)

Reports indicate that the new device will not be a Phone or a PDA. The device will also be able to be connect to PowerBooks, Cinema Displays... though not exclusively -- indicating that it may be used standalone or in conjunction with other Macs (Source MacRumours)

Mac World Expo New Name

According to a statement from the organizers of this summer's version of MacWorld Expo in New York, they've renamed the event from "Create" to "Macworld CreativePro Conference & Expo." The statement mentions that the new name "further defines the event's focus on the needs of creative professionals." But Andrew of Stone Design, the makers of Create , a program for creative professionals and the owners of the Trademark, seems to think it was because IDG didn't want their ass handed to them in a lawsuit. Funny, that isn't mentioned in their statement.(source MacSlash)

Mac OS X 'Panther' on Track for September

Now that Apple Computer has let the cat halfway out of the bag about the next major revision to Mac OS X, sources report that the "Panther" release will reach end users in mid-Septembe. (source eweek)
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription
email at : info.digitaldispatch@sympatico.ca

Least Expensive Laptops? Hint: It Ain't Dell...

(Source Jim Banahan /os cast)

According to a recent research study on consumer spending habits, laptop computersare being purchased faster than their desktop counterparts.
When you think about it, it makes total sense. Performance levels for the averagedesktop PC are far beyond the needs of what most consumers require. So why not sacrifice a little performance in exchange for total portability?
I'm currently in the market for a new computer, and saw the logic in this thinking.One need only hook up an old monitor and keyboard then BAM. Portableand stationary computing nirvana.
To get a "real"bargain, everybody knows that one must build his own computer. Unfortunately, laptops don't offer that kind of luxury, and non-name brand laptops are a bad idea. So, for the first time in a long while, I'm finding myself researching prices from each of the major PC manufacturers.
I posted the best prices and specs (Dell online store) to a popular web discussion board in hopes that someone might be able to find me a better deal.....Apple is the clear winner here!
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription email at : info.digitaldispatch@sympatico.ca

Apple upgrades iBook line

Apple today upgraded their iBook line to speeds up to 900MHz. iBooks modles now feature G3's running at 800MHz and 900MHz with 30GB or 40GB hard drives along with a 60GB option.
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] # 17 For a free subscription
email at : info.digitaldispatch@sympatico.ca

Apple launches redesigned online Store

The website now includes columns organizing information and products into categories such as:

- Interests - Apple Products - Third Party Products - Top Sellers - New to the Store - Staff Picks

Apple's Second-Quarter Results

Apple released their second-quarter financial results and posted a $14 million profit in these tough times for the computer industry. Apple increased expenditures on research and development, and if you believe the rumors out there, there is a pipeline full of new products on tap for Mac fanatics this year. Here are highlights from the the second quarter (January through March):

* 42% of units shipped were portables
* Overall unit shipments were down 13%
* Software sales were led by Keynote, iLife, and Final Cut Express
* 256,000 iMacs shipped -- 41,000 CRT, 86,000 eMacs, 129,000 flat-panel iMacs
* 166,000 PowerBooks shipped -- 82,000 12-inch, 70,000 15-inch, 14,000 17-inch
* 156,00 PowerMacs shipped (down 26% from last year)
* 78,000 iPods shipped (about half of which were Windows models)
* Gross margin was up to 28.3%
* Cash on hand increased $64 million to $4.5 billion dollars
* Apple Stores did $135 million in revenue
* Retail segment had a loss of $3 million
* Apple will bring the total number of retail stores to 70 by the end of the year
* Education sales were down 14%; 39% of educations sales were portables
* 400,000 teachers have received a free copy of Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) as part of the "X for Teachers" program

AppleWorks 6.2.7: new feature details

eWeek has a report on the new features in AppleWorks 6.27 , which quietly appeared on Apple's site over the weekend (as noted yesterday ): "Sources said that the update, Version 6.2.7, will include improvements to AppleWorks' presentation and spreadsheet modules.
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] #17. Free Subscription thedr2@mac.com

LaCie announces FireWire 800 PCI card

LaCie announced it will begin shipping in early May a FireWire 800 PCI card , allowing users to add three external FireWire 800 ports to any PCI-based desktop Mac.
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] #17. Free Subscription thedr2@mac.com

Panther: More Rumours

eWeek reports on details of Apple's next major revision of Mac OS X.
According to the article, the theme behind the upgrade will be putting the "User at the Center" of the OS.
Read all about it in the next issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] #17. Free Subscription thedr2@mac.com

Apple Will Announce "Music To Your Ears"

"According to an offical Apple invitation sent to the good folks at MacCentral , on April 28th Apple will make 'announcements that will be music to your ears.' It remains to be seen if this involves a purchase of Universal - something Apple offically denied just a few days ago but it will undoubtedly be the announcement of their online music subscription service and the other announcement will surely be new iPods."

Best Kept Secret 1
The Robin Williams Mac OS X Book Jaguar Edition

A little Afraid of Jaguar? Who would not be. The only person I know who is really up for the taming, is Miss Williams. Yes I said Miss! She is, for the one of you who where never formally introduced, the Goddess of all that is the Mac Culture. I have been a fan of her work for many years now. I am glad to report that she has not lost her touch. Her new book on Jaguar is the only one you will ever need.
Read all about it in the new issue of The [Digital][Dispatch] Free Subscription thedr2@mac.com