Big PC Geek Tech Blog

In case you have not heard, today Apple released the SDK for the iPhone and iPod Touch and there will be a 2.0 update for iPhones in June. SDK stands for software developer kit and it will allow mobile software developers create everything from games to useful applications for iPhones and iPod Touches without having to use the browser.

Here are some of the highlights you have to look forward to in the iPhone:

-iPhone gets Enterprise support. This is the single most important thing to me. The iPhone will now have Microsoft Exchange and Active Sync support. This means my exchange server can now auto sync my contacts and give me push email through my iPhone. This won’t happen until the next software update but I am so happy for this.

-There will be an App store for the iPhone and and iPod Touch via iTunes for purchasing and installing software. This will be the only way to get software for your iPhone if it is not hacked.

- The game Spore will be available for the iPhone. Cool, and even though I can’t wait to play this game, I think I will want to play it on my computer.

-AIM, which was reported to be the most requested App will be available.

-Testing starts today with the beta release of the SDK but everything goes official in late June. What is odd to me, in the presentation, it said shipping in June. What is shipping? Are we going to see a new iPhone with 3G speeds? That is what the rumor is. I really hope it is true.

-Sim Unlock software will not be allowed in the iPhone App store. This means if you want software that is available for a hacked iPhone that is not available in the App store, you will still have to hack your iPhone. After June, and other than wanting to you use your phone on another carrier, I don’t see the reason to hack your iPhone anymore.

Just goes to show, when I buy technology, the new model is on it’s way. Just over 30 days ago I purchased a MacBook Pro and now Apple is selling MacBooks with more Hard drive space, updated processors, and with the new touch interface. That is right! The new MacBook Pros come with the Touch interface that is the main selling part of the MacBook Air. Well, to me it is since I think the MacBook Air is pretty useless with no expandability.

Also updated: The MacBook with no touch but bigger hard drive and faster processors. There was a firmware update to the iPhone that so far from what I can tell is just for bugs and a 2GB Shuffle is available.

Do you have a collection of CD’s and need to rip them into iTunes to fill up your new ipod? There is a hard way and an easy way. The hard way is not changing anything in iTune’s settings and ripping music the way it is set to. The easy way is to change settings in iTunes so that you can pop in a CD anythime and have iTunes rip your music automatically.

First, click edit on the upper left part of iTunes and click preferences. A windows will pop up and you need to click the advances tab at the top of the window and then click importing on a new set of tabs within the advanced tab. The next part is key. You need to select "Import CD and eject" in the drop down menu where it says "On CD Insert." After the first CD is inserted in your computer when iTunes is open, iTunes will automatically rip the CD and then eject the CD tray when finished. This is important because you don’t have to stay at your computer, just look over at your computer and insert a new disc anytime you see the CD tray open.

There are other very useful options that you can use here too. You can decide what format you want your music to be imported with which can save space or make your music work with more devices. Next, pay attention to the quality settings because it is not worth doing all this if the music sounds horrible afterwards. It is also probably important to uncheck the option to play songs while importing music. Another important setting to check is "Automatically retrieve CD track names from Internet." This feature is really nice because you don’t have to create the names of the tracks saving time and making file management much better. Also make sure "Create filenames with track number."

Computers are made to make your life easy, it is time to make them do it. You can also do this in Windows Media player with similar options.

Here is a really cool tip! Ever been looking at something small on your Mac and needed the ability to zoom in? All you need to do is hold down the "ctrl" key and scroll up or down with your mouse.

If you have a MacBook, you need a mouse with scroll. If anyone knows how to do this with a keyboard shortcut so you don’t need a mouse, please let me know.

The Apple store was down today, the only updates… From what I can tell, Aperture 2 is available and Apple TV take two is available. Was Apple TV 2 already available? I cant remember. Where is that 3G iPhone and that touch on a MacBook Pro?

If you ever needed to restore a Mac with your recovery OSX CD you will find it will be faster to reboot and boot from the CD. To do this, reboot and hold down the "C" key.

Also, if you have partitioned your drive for Windows using BootCamp on your Intel Mac or have multiple bootable volumes, you can hold down the "Option" key when booting the computer. When booting, and holding down the option key, you will get all available boot options.

The holiday numbers are in, Apple Inc. had their biggest quarter ever with $9.6 Billion in revenue and 1.58 ba, ba, ba, Billion in profit! If you do the math, that is about 16.5% profit. Profit after all rent, utilities, and employees are paid. Those iPhones and iPods are making Apple some money, I have even heard they are marked up around 50%.

This revenue growth was 35% higher than last year’s holiday quarter, actually best in Apple’s history. Wow! Look out Microsoft.

All information quoted from Apple.com, for the full report from Apple check out this link. www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/01/22results.html

I just updated my iPhone to the new version 1.1.3. There are some very cool features but we are still missing some well needed features.

What we got:
-Ability to make web sites booked marked on the main screen. You can now bookmark a web site and add a link on your main iPhone screen. Cool I guess, makes it easy for me to get to Google quicker.
-Ability to move icons. This is nice.
-Pinpoint yourself on a map and some other cool mapping features. You can make a pinpoint in real time with your actual location and map yourself somewhere.
-Ability to send a single sms message to multiple recipients. Nice.
-Windows 64 bit support. Finally!
-Apps. The SDK will be released soon and we will be seeing cool software.

What is still missing:
-Copy and Paste. What is Apple thinking. We need a way to copy and paste right away. I suspect that we would have this if it were Apple’s choice but I suspect there is no way to create this on their touch screen without it affecting the way their current touch system works. Although there must be some way because any Windows Mobile phone can do this.
-Video. We still have no video. All Apple has to do to is make the software tell the camera to take more pics in succession. No hardware modification needed.
-Microsoft Exchange Server support. I think there is no way we will get this but I would really like to see real Exchange support not this imap junk.
-Voice Dialing. We are still missing voice dial. I hope some company creates this with the sdk.

That is all I can think of right now. I cant wait to see some of the cool software from people from the sdk.

Disclaimer: I have not owned or seen the MacBook Air. I am basing this on the specs that have been published.

First of all, I should say that I hope I am wrong. I really want this product to succeed. I would consider the MacBook Air a "pusher." By "pusher" I mean it pushed technology. We have seen Apple push competitiveness in technology with the iPhone and I would really like to see laptops be smaller and do more. The Air is just too early before its time.

Why the MacBook Air will fail:

1. The price. I have been waiting about 3 months for MacWorld before I bought a notebook. I ended up buying a MacBook Pro because I received much more for only a little less money. I think this is too expensive for kids and just not enough stuff for business.

2. The hard drive. Did anyone notice Apple went to one of the slowest hard drives possible today. They did that for size but if I had my way, I would go 7200 rpm in my notebook. I settled for 5400 in my Pro but I would not go to 4200 in the Air. You might remember the Air is available with a solid state hard drive which would make me want the notebook but not for an extra $1,000. Yes, $1,000 extra for a 64GB solid state flash drive.

3. The Ram. The ram does not look like it is able to be upgraded. This is not good for a computer. I would argue that 2 GB of Ram is more than enough for this computer given you get a 4200 RPM hard drive but I would eventually want the ability to upgrade. Some software may eventually in the future require more than 2 GB of Ram to run smooth.

4. The Windows compatibility. This is only a suspicion because it has not been tried yet but how will Windows work on this computer. Obviously, this point is mute for most Mac Fanboys but I am a Windows user. How do I know that Windows will work at all with this new touch pad. Im sure and I hope I will be proven wrong in a few weeks after someone tries to install Windows.

5. The expandibility. I could not survive with one USB port. I suspect eventually USB will work wirelessly just as Bluetooth does now buy we are a long way off from that so I think people are going to need more than one. No express card slot. How are any businessmen going to put their wireless modems in these notebooks. Firewire. Hello! I thought Apple was big on Firewire. No Ethernet, they are really going far with this wireless thing.

So after badmouthing the Air, I would like to tell you why I hope people catch on because if people buy, it will force other manufacturers to focus on improving their technology.

1. The chip. I cant believe how small they got this thing. This may be too early but, this technology can be used to make really powerful mobile phones and smaller laptops.

2. The solid state hard drive. I can not spend $1,000 for only 64 GB. Even if it will take a beating and be faster, it is just too much money. I hope that the cost will come down as more and more companies and consumers look into solid state hard drives. These drives should help battery life too. They are just too high right now, I hope Apple succeeds and the price comes down.

3. Keyboard. Finally a ultra mobile computer with a keyboard I can type on. Screen is not too small either. Nice to see 13.3 rather than 11 or 12 inches.

4. CD Rom technology. I love the fact that you are able to borrow and Windows or Mac CD rom drive from a computer in the same network. What a smart idea but if you travel, plan ahead of time.

Conclusion: The MacBook Air is just ahead of its time. No kid want to rely on his parents computer to do anything so they are going to go with a regular MacBook over the Air because of the expansion ports and CD rom. This is most likely the same reason for business people. They are going to need a place to put their wireless modem, so they are going to opt for the MacBook Pro. To be honest, you can get a pretty good MacBook with a whole lot more features for the same price as the Air. Personally, I think if Apple could get the Air’s price point down to around $1,100, they might have another iPhone success and Im sure it costs less than that so what’s the problem? I dont know what they are thinking but I really think the price is too high for what you get. Hopefully I am wrong. I want the Air to be a success.

So after hearing the new iPhone update was going to be released today I was happy. But I was filled with so much anticipation. Steve Jobs never mentioned anything about Windows 64 bit compatibility.

So I updated my iPhone firmware on a 32 bit machine. Then proceded to update iTunes on my 64 bit machine. (I hacked the current 7.5 version to work on my 64 bit-it was easy not really a hack) So as I went to the Apple site to upgrade to 7.6 I noticed that something said it was compatible with 64 bit machines. This was great I thought, my itunes wiill now officially work with my Windows Vista 64 bit machine but what I really hope for is the iPhone to work too.

Well, guess what? It did. The iPhone has some really cool new features and it now works with 64 bit versions of Windows operating systems. Well, I have only tried it with Vista Ultimate 64 and none others. Not sure about XP. If someone has XP x64, and the iPhone, please leave a reply.