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We knew it would happen. Up until now, Macs have been fairly unaffected by all the Windows and Unix spyware floating around. Now a Macintouch reader, Darren Dittrich, has reported his new RCA Victor Sony/BMG music CD contains a "Start.app" that installed two kernel extensions into his OS X system. Since they prompted for username and password the conclusion is that they will attempt to report back to SONY. See the http://www.macintouch.com/#tip.2005.11.10.sony Macintoch story.
Earlier last week Information Week ran Matthew Fordahl's AP article: "Three infections have so far been identified by antivirus companies. The software triggers the cloaking feature of Sony's antipiracy technology to remain undetected."
See: http://tinyurl.com/dg66x Trojan Exploits Sony CD Copy-Protection
(Also see: http://tinyurl.com/95yyp Red Herring: Sony Spyware Draws Lawsuits -- California consumers have filed a class-action suit against music giant Sony BMG over its anti-piracy software on CDs.
It will be interesting to see what happens when Congress passes the H.R. 744 "I-SPY Act" which classifies this activity as a Felony. Unfortunately that legislation is stalled until a Senator picks it up for action. If you want to brush up on that legislation, see: www.house.gov/goodlatte/spywaresummary
Mac4Sale has been an active supporter of the Mac Community for some years. Many of you may know the owner, Carl Powell, who has been knocking around the user group community since the beginning of the "User Group Connection." His site, Mac4Sale is a place to list and sell your Mac Related items, or to pick up some bargains on good used equipment. They were off the radar for a while, but now they're back with a simpler, easier to use site... and it's FREE! Since the reincarnation of the site, they're inviting user groups to log in and help re-stock the shelves. mac4sale.com
Michael Briney of Apple Corp of Dallas and Plano MUG, recommended this one to the UGAB mailing list. It does have some decent quotes, some what limited and the graphic display is also limited. But it is fun for a little while. Download or Read more...
Apple is much more as a friend - Says Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen -- in an interview on Silicon.com, Chizen acknowledges that Apple is sometimes a competitor, but that they are more partners and friends than competitors. I would hope so, since it was Pagemaker and the LaserWriter that kept both companies going in the early years of the Mac. Read the full interview
The web blog called "The Unoffical Apple Weblog" is running a story saying that they had contacted H & R Block about TaxCut for the Mac and were told "Unfortunately, TaxCut is not offering Macintosh- compatible desktop software for your 2005 taxes. We encourage you to try one of our Web-based online tax solutions...." Of course, that last part is partially true. IMHO, it is better to use the online software via the IRS web site, where almost any one can qualify for a free tax service.
I have done that the last two years and the previous year even paid to use TurboTax on the net. It was still cheaper than the "phone support" I had to pay the year before to get TurboTax working properly as a stand alone product. (They didn't have an 800#.) Read the TUAW article and the comments
A new product for networks and portals called "FaceBridge" allows individual users of any IM/VoIP network to charge each other for time spent communicating. Seems like it might have trouble getting us to agree to do that however. The first public website to use FaceBridge technology can be seen at flavorsofa.com. This site caters to Apple Macintosh users of AOL's instant-messaging service (AIM). (Guess this could be useful for help lines.) ... see the full story...
According to an article in the UK's Enquirer, Apple is gearing up to start an OS war with Microsoft on Intel based machines.
They quote Architosh.com as having insider information that Steve Jobs is about to make a declaration of war. (That last may be a little exaggerated.)
It is also quoted as saying that they have found an Apple patent that not only allows Mac OS X to be install only on Apple hardware, but it would allow users to load one of three operating systems as their primary OS. That could work. But it could also back fire. MS has a lot larger war chest than Apple. Even if Apple does have a better OS. ... see the full story...
Other countries want an international body to oversee the Internet
This Reuters article in Computer World, says that:
"Countries like China, Brazil and Iran don't like the fact that the world's only superpower oversees the system that guides traffic across the global computer network, and they have pushed for an international body to take over that role. But the U.S. believes such a body would slow the pace of online innovation to a crawl, requiring entrepreneurs to win permission from a cumbersome bureaucracy before introducing services like Internet telephony..." Wouldn't it be something, if the US lost control of what they created? But then that always happens to those who created monsters in the movies and books. Read more...
Walter Mossberg has been writing article favorable to Apple products for the last few years in the Wall Street Journal and more recently in Smart Money. In this column answers questions that switchers may ask about switching to the Mac. He says that the majority of people considering the Mac do so because of security problems on Windows machines. (Duh!) Read more...
It hasn't been all that long since Apple was advertising its Supercomputer on the desktop. The original G5. Now of course, that power is in much smaller machines, such as my iMac. Now scientists are predicting that such a computer will be available as a single microprocessor with a trillion operations in one second by 2012.
Of course, we wonder what we need all the power for. My prediction is that if they build it we will find a way to use it. Read more...
You'll remember we reported on the growing dissatisfaction with the iPod Nano being more susceptible to scratches than any other iPod model, Now, it seems Apple is now shipping the the ultra-thin digital music player along with a new protective sleeve. Could it be admission of guilt... or just calming the waters? (Thanks to Mobility Today's Katie Marsal) Click for a picture
If you use AirPort Extreme, you'll want to get the details on the latest AirPort Extreme Driver Update 2005-001 that resolves AirPort compatibility issues with certain third party 802.11 cards and access points for Mac OS X 10.3.3 through 10.3.9. (It's free!) Download (AirPortPan2005-001.dmg 564KB); and find all the details here: apple.com/support
UGN welcomes the Sierra Nevada Apple User Group, SNAG, in the Reno/Sparks Washoe County Nevada region. You may remember M.J. Del Missier from SMUG in Spartanburg, SC? Well, now he's out in Nevada helping this Mac, Linux, community group, provide full services; meetings, newsletter, programs. They meet the 2nd Wednesday of each month. While they've been around since 1982, Del has been there a short while and is getting them on the map! www.snag.org
Among Tiger's many enhancements, Apple introduced a whole new firewall called ipfw2. It works just the like the old firewall, but has new features that allow greater flexibility and more control. In this article, Peter Hickman shows you some of the new features and how you can use them to more easily manage your firewall.
What exactly is Unix? It's a simple question, but it leads to a long and complicated explanation. Tom Robbins rewrote the book that covers a cross section of the Unix world today...
Lopa Bhattacharya writes about the latest technologies and coolest features of sleek and sophisticated cameras in all pixel categories, from one to ten megapixels... then Fred adds his most recommended cameras! ... see the full story...
Simplify yet another step in the payroll process for your Business -- save time and money on processing your employee hours, overtime and payroll... Mac and Windows Time Billing
This edition takes a look at eJamming MIDI, Sound Byte, EasyWMA (WMA to MP3) iPod Updater, Pod2Go, Cast Easy, podcasting, VideoSpace, CoverBuddy, iTunes Cover Art, MegaSeg DJ, VODcaster and more... Shareware Manager
"Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing."
- John Andrew Holmes
"I can feel guilty about the past, apprehensive about the future, but only in the present can I act."
- Abraham Maslow
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
- Mark Twain
Have a great week... (See last week)
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