Info Manager

Info Manager for March 17, 2003

[*]   TiBook in Iraq

[*]   New Breed of Media PCs

[*]   MS Gets sued for Antitrust Violations in Europe

[*]   Office 2003

[*]   Software-On-Demand

[*]   This Old Mouse: Buying A Cheap Printer

[*]   iMac Pram Batteries coming due

[*]   MUG Advertisement**

[*]   iLife Up To Date**

[*]   "LOOK OUT, BELLS: The Web Is Calling"

[*]   Airport Web Site**

[*]   School Year: the end is near

[*]   Learning Flash MX the easy way

[*]   DragonBurn CD & DVD software

[*]   Site of the Week: Robot Ranch

[*]   Quote of the Week: Vuocolo
 

TiBook in Iraq

Well, it is kind of in Iraq. It is part of the U.S. military operation in the Gulf. It seems the PCs couldn't display the satellite graphics fast enough.
Full story at:
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,57961,00.html

New Breed of Media PCs

This is from the LA Times. It talks about the fact that the new HP Media Center PC is very popular and dealers are having trouble keeping them in stock. It allows saving of video to the hard drive like a TiVo. Once again, Apple was ahead of its time. So now Steve, maybe you can bring back the MacTV. (Accept the article says Apple is dismissive of the idea.)
Full story at:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hp10mar10,1,6017573.story

MS Gets sued for Antitrust Violations in Europe

"The Computer & Communications Industry Association has filed suit before the European Commission, accusing Microsoft Corp. of violating European competition laws. According to CCIA, Microsoft is using its monopoly over PC operating systems and Web browsers to gain an unfair advantage in other technology markets." Gee, where have we heard that before. Maybe, this time it will stick.
Full story (Registration required) at:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-tech-microsoft-eu.html

Office 2003

David Coursey at the AnchorDesk.com has an article describing Microsoft Office 2003 for Windows. Sound like MS is leaving the consumer market behind on this one. Full story at: ZDnet.com. More at: Business Week
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/cnet/stories/991694.htm

Software-On-Demand

Apple has offered to Apple Developers the use of a kiosk in CompUSA for the distribution of their software. Kind of a "burn-to-go" service. Sounds like a great way to get more products into the retail channel.
Full story at:
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2003/03/12.10.shtml

This Old Mouse: Buying A Cheap Printer

Fred Showker

How do you buy a cheap printer? Well, there are good ways and there are bad ways. Join me in this edition of This Old Mouse, as I answer several reader's questions about purchasing printers. We'll dig in to the most important things to consider for printing; and together, we'll help you make a more informed decision on which printer to buy.
As always, remember that This Old Mouse is available for user groups to reprint in your local newsletters.
Enjoy all episodes of "This Old Mouse" at:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/showker/

iMac Pram Batteries coming due

Fred's "This Old Mouse" article on battery replacement has become one of the most popular articles from the series. It reminds us that the battery life-cycle for '98, '99 and some 2000 Macs will be coming due soon. Phil Shapiro writes to alert us of a training video he and a friend have made which shows you specifically how to change a pram battery in an imac dv computer. The QuickTime runs 4-minutes, 42-megabytes in size, and requires quicktime 6 to view. Sharing this with your mac user group newsletter editors. (Another good meeting topic?)
Broadband or local will be best for viewing:
http://www.zvideo.org/changingprambattery/

MUG Advertisement**

On a take off of the Switcher campaign, Phillip Booth of HAAUG talks about joining a local MUG. In his case of course HAAUG. Is any one else doing videos? See his at:
http://homepage.mac.com/philipbooth/iMovieTheater8.html

iLife Up To Date**

Apple is offering iLife for shipping costs to people who bought new Macs after MacWorld and didn't get iLife. Full details at: http://www.apple.com/ilife/uptodate/

"LOOK OUT, BELLS: The Web Is Calling"

An article with the above title appears in the March 17th, issue of Business Week. It is about using the Internet and your wide band connection to make phone calls. Personally, I don't think I would be buying phone company stock at this time. The reviewer gives particular credos to Vonage and iConnectHere. Says the quality is never as bad as his cell phone. This is from a story in the paid subscription area of Businessweek.com.

Gregg Keizer, in his CNET.com article, agrees but not with iConnectHere. According to Gregg, the granddaddy of Internet phones, Net2Phone is still the leader particularly with recent improvements in audio quality. Not only does Net2Phone's call quality beat that of Dialpad and iConnectHere, it's also the cheapest of the three. (Net2Phone does, however have ads!) Keizer's article links to a very interesting followup article with a rates comparison table comparing the net providers and land-line rates.
Read this one at ZDNet.com
http://www.zdnet.com/filters/printerfriendly/0,6061,2856822-3,00.html

Airport Web Site**

Shawn King found this web site. It is information about problems with all three versions of the Airport Base Station.
It is at:
http://www.vonwentzel.net/ABS/

School Year: the end is near

While it may seem that graduation is in the future, some schools will be winding up by the end of May. It's not too late to start fine-tuning those writing skills so important in term papers, reports, and yes -- user group newsletters! AACUG has posted a listing of the most recommended sites for writer's resources: style guides, grammar, spelling, and technical writing. Take that article and turn it into a meeting presentation -- your members might enjoy it.
In the AACUG MUG News department:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/writing.html

Learning Flash MX the easy way

Washington Apple Pi member, writer and contributor to AACUG's MUG, Phil Shapiro reviews "DVD 2: Flash MX Basics" the newly released training DVD from Cambridge Educational. Says Phil: "This has a lot going for it. Having gone thru the 12 lessons on the DVD, I now know quite a lot about Flash."
Check it out at:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/dvd.html

DragonBurn CD & DVD software

At ceBIT last week in Germany, NewTech Infosystems announced DragonBurn CD & DVD mastering software. This is OS X software and should cause Roxio to look over their shoulder. Competition is a good thing. Full story at: http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/main_news.cfm?NewsID=6074
Product details at:
http://www.ntius.com/

Site of the Week: Robot Ranch

Fred Showker

NASA's Robot Ranch is a site devoted to robotic engineering. Learn about the history of robots and their role in culture; find out what makes them tick. There's even an area where you can virtually build and run your own robot. Robots rule - Very cool!
     Some of you may already know that Legos and several of the other high-tech construction style "toys" have Mac software available that allows you to program the controls your motorized Lego projects. Many schools utilize these programs their technology departments to introduce students to robotics.
     Contact your local middle school or high school TSA department! (That's "Technology Students of America" -- wherein "technology" has replaced "shop")
Full Story at:
http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/ROV/

Quote of the Week: Vuocolo

"Some folks go through life pleased that the glass is half full. Others spend a lifetime lamenting that it's half-empty. The truth is: There is a glass with a certain volume of liquid in it. From there, it's up to you!" - Dr. James S. Vuocolo

pau
 
** From www.yourmaclife.com

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Also see: MUG NEWS bursts from the AACUG Mac User Guide (MUG)

Note: Features schedule

The InfoManager invites user groups to use his column in full or in pieces in their newsletter. Or add a link to their web site. 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 provide him with a link. The address is InfoManager@user-groups.net. You can also use that address for feed back.
Note: Features schedule
1st Monday Vendor of the Month; (VOM)
2nd Monday "InfoManager's Humble Opinion (IMHO);
3rd Monday TBA (What would you like to see?)
4th Monday: User Group Tips. (Send them in)
5th Monday: Nothing extra - my day of rest. ;-)
Of course I could make adjustments to this schedule as I see fit and will take suggestions. Have a great week! Note: In light of the new AACUG MUG tabloid publication, I may be changing the above schedule. Please send me your input.
Pau

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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