Info Manager for May 20, 2002

[*]  Fujitsu claims disk drive breakthrough;   [*]  More on Mac ruining CD Copy protection;   [*]  Access Access, Filemaker and Excel files from your PDA;   [*]  CD Duplicators;   [*]  "We're Baaack";   [*]  Dude' Gear;   [*]  Recycle Computers;   [*]  Getting ready for MacWorld.;   [*]  AnyRemote.com;   [*]  Xserve launch video;   [*]  Get FontDoctor for buying Suitcase;   [*]  MUG Site of the Week:;   [*]  Web Site of the Week: Training Tools and Mini-Putt;   [*]  Web Site of the Week: ini-Putt;   [*]  Quotes of the Week: Einstein;   [*]  Quote of the Week: Gandhi;  
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Fujitsu claims disk drive breakthrough

According to an article in InfoWorld, Fujitsu has developed a new read/write disk head technology which will enable recarding densities of up to 300 GigaByte per square inch. Current technology puts 30 GB per disk platter. So, it sounds like Terabyte drives are just around the corner. Full story at: http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/05/10/020510hnfujitsu.xml?0510frpm

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More on Mac ruining CD Copy protection

Insangely Great Mac is reporting that Apple has posted an updated Knowledge Base article on how to deal with CD copy protection that "kills" your Mac.

The article includes tip on forcing the Mac OS X boot on restart, how to force an eject of the CD and how to boot into a command line and use a command to eject the disk. The IGM article is at: http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=399

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Access Access, Filemaker and Excel files from your PDA

Ron Carlson at IGM also has an article about how Handmark, Inc. has released software to enable handheld computers to access the above mentioned datafiles. The program called MobileLists runs on Palms and Pocket PC handhelds. Full story at: http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=400

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CD Duplicators

Also from IGM, Remy Davison is reporting that dedicated CD to CDR duplicators will handle the above mentioned copy protected CDs. So they don't really keep people from duplicating them after all. Just on computers. Currently Alera Technologies is selling a standalone 24x duplicator for $349. It wasn't that long ago, that CD-R drives cost more than that. As Remy points out, these maybe hot Christmas presents this winter. Full story at: http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=402

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"We're Baaack"

There is a note on Newer Tchnology's website with the above announcement. All the website really says is that in the near future, downloads, support and information pages will return, along with new product announcements. Hopefully they will be back with as strong a product lineup as before. See the page yourself at: http://www.newertech.com/

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Dude' Gear

Yahoo! Is reporting that Dell is now releasing 'Dude' Gear. Products include Dud branded t-shirts, caps, notebook backpacks, baseball caps and CD cases. Lets hope that Apple follows suit in this area. Never understood why they didn't have more "Apple" Gear in their stores. Mac fanatics and user group members would lap them up. Not so sure about the 'Dude' stuff though. Full story at: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/020514/140214_1.html

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Recycle Computers

MSNBC is also highlighting Dell. A Dell stockholder has insisted that the company start a program to recycle old computers. The same stockholder is pushing Apple and IBM to do the same thing, but according to the article Dell is the only one ready to make an announcement. The article states that the average life of a computer is 3 years. I think that the current crop of computers will be around longer than that, but even older Macs are lasting longer than that.
      One of the best ways to recycle is to give your old Mac to family or friends that do not currently have computers. I recently supplied family a Powermac 6100, 7100, 8100 and two 52xx machines. I am working on getting another 52xx for another person.
     All of these machines are great for Internet and Edutainment purposes. For example, the 6100 went to a 4 & 5 year old to play games like "Grandma & Me" and Reader Rabbit. Programs that certainly don't need a G3 and the software is inexpensive as well.
     But meanwhile, lets hope that Apple and IBM will start accepting "trade-ins" for recycling parts and pieces. The Dell Story is at: http://www.msnbc.com/news/751622.asp?0si=-

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Getting ready for MacWorld.

Want to make the trip cheap?
Well, I can't help with airfare, but if you are in the Washington DC area, you can contact the Washington Apple Pi about jumping on their bus to Expo. Otherwise, the first thing to do is get enrolled in the User Group University and the two User Group Breakfasts. (See last weeks issue)
      Next get registered. Use the code for exhibits only (from your user group officer or from InfoManager May specials) at MacWorldExpo.com to register. Next you will need a place to stay. You can use the User Group discount at the New Yorker to get a room for up to 3 people for about $120 a night. Sign up for a membership in the American Youth Hostel for $25 (18-54) at (http://www.hiayh.org/membership/join.htm) then you can get one of their rooms for as little as $37 per night. (Of course, if you get two room mates for the New Yorker, you are pretty close to the same price and I believe near Javits.) Additionally listen to Shawn King's "Your Mac Life" Internet radio show and keep up with his offer for hotel rooms. (TBD)
     The next way to cut costs is to NOT eat on the show room floor. The breakfast and UGU will help with three days. I have found the hot dog vendors across the street from Javits to be inexpensive. But after that, I am at a loss. For lunches. The only other alternative I can see is to got to the Hess Memorial Event (Party) list and make sure you are going to as many parties as possible.
     Volunteering to work as a user group guide may get you a snack during the show as well. Haven't seen anything yet on the guides, but they seem to have become a fixture at Expo and I am sure that announcement will be made soon.
      The next thing to do is save money by saving your health. walking shoes. While you can take frequent breaks at the user group room, you will still be doing a lot of walking at the show. Also you are likely to be doing a lot of walking around NYC. At least in comparision to the amount of walking most of us in the midwest do on a regular basis, so take a long comfortable. You should pickup a bottle of water to carry in your back pack while doing all this walking. A snack bar or piece of fruit would be good to. One other way to protect your health is to resist picking up all that "free" literature at the show. If you are truly interested in a product ask them to mail literature to your home. This is much easier and much cheaper than collecting it all and then shipping it home via FedEx.
      I haven't found vending machines at Javits, but I learned in San Francisco that the vending machine are usually cheaper and with at least as good a selection as the vendors on the show room floor. So look for them and if you find them, let me know.
      Does anyone else have any suggestions? Please contact me!

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AnyRemote.com

I mentioned this place a couple of years ago and just came across it again. This was sent to me by my AOL friend Amelia. It is a place to get original replacement remotes. The kind that will actually run your VCR rather than the "Universal" remotes that merely let you do everything, but program the for recording. Go to: http://www.anyremote.com/

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Xserve launch video

Well, it is kind of long, but there are some interesting points in this video. If you have any interest in purchasing rack Macs. Then you should see this video. (Thanks to Insanely Great Mac. ... Video at: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/xserve/

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Get FontDoctor for buying Suitcase

Extensis is offering a free download of Morrison SoftDesign's FontDoctor to new purchasers of Suitcase. So you will not only be able to organize your fonts, but also repair them. I know that a corrupted font can be a BIG headache. Get full info at: http://www.extensis.com/

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MUG Site of the Week:

I just love creative acronyms. Like The Greater Richmond Area Users of Macintosh & Programmers Society. GRUMPS. This one is TLA (Three Letter Acronym). It is MUD. Mac Users of Delaware. There are based in Wilmington, DE and their web site is at: http://www.MUDel.org/
The web site is not overloaded with material, but they do have a good resource page and have all the basic information that people would need to learn about their group. Check it out. http://www.MUDel.org/

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Web Site of the Week: Training Tools and Mini-Putt

My friend Kylie has been looking for training material on the Internet and originally recommended the site with the User Group disount I mentioned last week. (Atomic) But she has found one with more up to date material -- TrainingTools dot com -- including training CDs for sale, but their online stuff is free. http://www.trainingtools.com/online/

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Web Site of the Week: ini-Putt

Sly at "Your Mac Life" mentioned this one on their "links page." A fun game: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/%7Epyang/flash/miniputt.swf

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Quotes of the Week: Einstein

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -
     Albert Einstein

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Quote of the Week: Gandhi

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the worlds problems." -
     Gandhi

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News and Info you can use...

The Info Manager invites user groups to use his column in full or in pieces in their newsletter. He would appreciate word that you are doing so however and if you can, please send a pdf version of the newsletter for his perusal. Or just provide him with the link. Use this address: Infomanager@user-groups.net or... our online Information form

The Info Manager is a veteran of the UGN (AOL User Groups Forum) and User Group Network. He's been a supporter and volunteer on many, many UGNet and User Group Academy projects. As a long time user group member, he's served as volunteer from Honolulu to Boston and many points in between. Currently working with the Apple Corp of Dallas, the Dallas Mac Pack, Cowtown MUG of Ft. Worth and TUMS (the Tulsa Users of Macintosh Society) doing newsletter articles and the monthly CD-ROM Update. Post a lead Info Manager should follow up on.

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