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Google Inc. is contemplating various improvements to its popular Blogger Web logging service, including native image uploading and deeper integration with the company's Gmail Web-mail service, according to a Google executive.
Although Blogger currently allows users to post text and photos to their blogs via any e-mail program, Google is looking into a tighter integration with Gmail, Stone said.
Google is also mulling over the possibility of adding some native privacy features, such as the ability for users to create private groups and that way control who can view their blogs, Stone said. Google introduced the latest enhancement to Blogger last week, when it launched Blogger Mobile, a feature that lets users create a new blog and post to it from mobile devices. Full story: macworld.com/news/
Two years after it selected open-source rendering engine KHTML as the basis of its Safari Web browser, Apple Computer has proposed resolving compatibility conflicts by scrapping that code base in favor of its own.
Apple was thought to have breathed fresh life into KHTML two years ago. The choice of KHTML was seen as a validation of KDE's work in developing a small, fast browser engine, and it represented a significant victory over open-source rival Mozilla, which in its pre-Firefox days battled serious code bloat. Read more...
Since this is versin 1.7, I guess it has been around for awhile. But I wasn't aware of eBay software for Mac. Had seen a number of programs to facilitate auctions on the PC. So I am glad to find this. Screen shots are available at the web site. Download at: www.equinux.com
Robert X. Cringely, on PBS, has been around the high tech industry for as long as I can remember, has a commentary on last week, saying it "This Week Changed the World of High Tech Forever, Though Most of Us Still Don't Know It." He breaks it down to three major points.
1) Microsoft's announcement of the new XBox. He is saying that it is built to compete with Intel computers, not just Sony and Nintendo.
2) Is Google Web Accelerator. The idea here is that Google provides a service where they try to predict where you are going next. Then download a compressed version of that web page while you are reading the current one. This could compete with Microsoft's own operating system. The big problem being that they could provide additional computing power on their server so our current computers would last longer. That would cost Microsoft and hardware companies a lot of cash. Also, it could eliminate the need for ISPs such as AOL that provide their own content.
3) Apple's new movie/music business. He quotes a Slashdot poster that is supposedly an Apple employee. (S)he said that Apple would be doing a video equivalent of its AirPort Express WiFi repeater that has audio output to link iTunes to your stereo system. He points out that the use of this repeater means that the computer itself doesn't have to be so fast. Thus the Mac mini becomes the center point of a multi-media system.
Interesting isn't it. He gives a lot more detail, including comments on the new Yahoo music service. ... see the full story...
The Mozilla Foundation releases a security update to both its standalone Firefox browser and its Mozilla suite, a move the organization says shows it can react faster than rivals. These are security updates to handle bugs revealed a week ago. The new versions -- Firefox 1.0.4 and Mozilla 1.7.8 can be downloaded from the Mozilla Foundation's Web site. The new verstions are in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X editions. Read more...
Late last week, a judge denied a request by computer retailer TigerDirect for a preliminary injunction against Apple Computer over allegations that Apple's nickname for its new operating system, "Tiger," infringes on the retailer's trademarked name. After weighing arguments from both sides, the Court found that "there is greater risk of damage to Apple from granting the injunction than any potential harm to TigerDirect from Apple's use of Tiger marks." ... see the full story...
Last week, Bill Gates told a European audience that the iPod will soon be replaced by a cell phone as the primary way to listen to music. Mike Wendland in the Detroit Free Press agrees with Gates, but says that it is likely that Apple will produce the phones. I hope he is right, but the iTunes phone from Motorolat seems to be having trouble finding any wireless company willing to distribute. Here's a picture
Read Mike's story ... and see Yahoo's story.
Microsoft announced last Friday, the next generation of the Xbox. It is scheduled to arrive before the holiday season (no price set), the Xbox 360 will usher players into what Microsoft calls the "third stage" in the evolution of games - one of high-definition images and larger environments to be explored through greatly expanded multiplayer and online games.
By releasing Xbox 360 this year, Microsoft hopes to leapfrog Sony, which is expected to announce plans for next year's successor to the PS2 next week at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in L.A. This new system will have three PowerPC chips. So it will be one powerfull box. Read the full story at: www.usatoday.com
Fred Langa, of the LangaList has an article on InformationWeek.com, looking at Google's services and how they potentially could be bad for user privacy. Some examples:
"Rather, it's also the new spin-offs and additional technologies, such as more than a dozen betas and test services you can see displayed at the Google Labs site , and the newer add-ons that have graduated from Google Labs as released services. Some of these are fairly well-known, but others are just now making it to the consciousness of the online world at large: Gmail, Google Desktop Search, Google Groups 2, Google Deskbar, Web Alerts, Search by Location, Google Glossary, Google News Alerts, Froogle, and more.
"...Google isn't prying, per se: For all these services to work, there has to be a persistent data store for each user; and Google, of necessity, has to know who you are so it can let you access the data it's stored, sorted, indexed, and categorized for you. But that also means that Google can know or infer a tremendous amount about you, specifically: your personal interests (via Search History and Groups); your contacts and everything you ever discuss with them (via Gmail); where you travel to (via Maps and Ride Finder); what you buy (via Froogle); and much, much more.
"...And, profit motives aside, in this age of the "Patriot Act," where E-mail records can be requisitioned by a government agency without a warrant, and without any judicial oversight whatsoever, having a treasure trove of personal information in Google's servers might pose an irresistible attraction for privacy invasions and abuses of power.
"...Thus, for any kind of unencrypted private E-mail--corporate, privileged, personal or otherwise--it's safer to keep that material under your own (or your company's) control; and out of the hands of third parties who might potentially want to snoop or mine it, either now or perhaps in the future."
He does present a lot of things to think about. How much privacy do we want to give up for some convenience? Read all about it at: www.informationweek.com
Since many people are under the false apprehension that the "spam epidemic" is over, we share these rather sobering charts from Message Labs; a company who filters more than 1.5 million subscribers' emails a day. Here's the latest Email Threats, and Virus Threats
Follow along if your head is not yet in the sand. www.messagelabs.com
Walt Mossberg has put together a nice comparison between the iPod iPhoto ($349) and Kodak's new EasyShare Picture Viewer ($150) for those of you taking to the road with your digital cameras this summer. Both have their bright points, but Mossberg really leans toward the iPod because of voluminous storage. The Kodak is pretty slick for its credit card size.
Apple's iPod lets you carry around full-resolution copies of your photos in addition to the thumbnails you see in the window -- something no other device can do. You will need the $29 Camera Connector if you expect to download directly from the camera. We do not recommend the Belkin device. Picture, About syncing. Apple Accessories
Mossberg continues:
"There's no doubt that using the iPod Photo with a Camera Connector offers greater versatility for storing and viewing photos than the Kodak EasyShare Picture Viewer... "
However, he also says
[The Kodak] "... a gorgeous 2.5-inch display screen takes up most of the device, and control buttons are positioned directly to the right of the screen, making it easy to hold and operate in one hand."
Kodak EasyShare Picture Viewer, Price: $149.95;
Read Mossburg's story at: Wall Street Journal, PTech
Thursday, May 12: A security vulnerability in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger allows a malicious .mov file to leak information to an external host. The exploit, which was discovered by David Remahl in Sweden, takes advantage "compositions," which have access to powerful tools known as "patches." A temporary workaround includes disabling the QuickTime plug-in and treating Quartz Composer files with suspicion.
So far we haven't seen an official memo from Apple on this. There is however, a proof-of-concept in the form of a Quartz Composer composition embedded in a .mov file. See it here.
We predicted this would happen. Mac Observer and Linxuinsider amongst other Mac news outlets are reporting that Apple has begun sending e-mail to iTunes store customers suggesting different types of music. The new marketing ploy appears to remind users of albums purchased along with ads for new releases. www.linuxinsider.com
Lots of good resources for the web including a new Firefox 1.0.4 security update, Interarchy FTP client, StreamWatcher, LiveDictionary and Prairiefire for Safari, Mac Remote Control, iGetter, WireFusion, URLwell and several others ... UGN Shareware
Enfocus is hosting a new series of free seminars in key cities throughout the U.S. beginning June 15 -- full-day events will focus on real-world problems and solutions associated with PDF workflows, presented by industry experts James Lockman and Tim Plumer. Learn the best ways to streamline PDF workflows and effective Do-It-Yourself PDF workflows Read more...
Three news items in one for users of Cumulus -- the world's high-end media management for professional DTP, movie and music production. ... see the full story...
Running With Scissors finally cuts loose the next chapter in his bitter, disaffected saga: Apocalypse Weekend, which details the Dude's thermonuclear activities. New weapons, badder villans, hotter action. (Adults only) ... see the full story...
Typinator is a typing automator that enables you to rapidly insert text and images into any type of application. Its intuitive interface and ease-of-use result in immediate productivity gains! Read more...
Transfer documents, MP3s, family movies, photo collections and other files easily and securely between all varieties of MacOS, Windows, and Linux computers across LANs, across cities and across the world -- use PC-Mac-Net FileShare ... UGN Library
"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired."
- Jules Renard (1864 - 1910)
"There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornados, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control."
- Leo Buscaglia
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over and over again, but expecting a different result."
- Albert Einstein
"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."
- Maya Angelo
Have a great week... (See last week)
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