Steve Jobs takes a leave of absence
You can read more of my thoughts and suggestions over on Mac.Blorge today
Archive for the ‘Announcements’
Running for a Spot on the Interim Board of the Social Media Club
I am a relatively fresh face in social media, and I have big ideas. I’ve been writing about social media behind the scenes for years at blogs like Profy and others, but only recently did I decide to turn the advice I’ve been giving for so long into a business, Uptown Uncorked.
All this time, the social media community has been nothing but supportive and generous to me, welcoming me into the community here in Boston and giving me ample opportunity to spread my wings and fly. It is my hope that by joining the interim board at Social Media Club, I’d be able to spend some of my free time giving back.
I see social media as an integral part of our society, and I see the various players on the social media field as a giant team that can lift each other, and our community outside of the social media arena, into the stratosphere. There is so much we can do to bridge the gap between each other, and between social media and our communities – I’m excited for the chance to be part of it.
I’m on a list of stellar social media types, and I’d be honored if any one of us nabbed the nomination. Even so, what I think I bring to the table that some of the social media giants may not is a fresh face, an untapped, uncorrupted point of view. Because I haven’t been as immersed in the lovely cloud of social media alone for the last while, but have also seen the other side of the horizon, I think it will lend a unique point of view to the ideas and projects we generate at the Social Media Club.
I’m looking forward to working more with the amazing people. If you’d like a fresh voice joining the chorus, please go here and vote for me. Poll is open until July 17th, 2008.
Thanks!
As a side note, I was privileged to be a panelist on Aaron Brazell’s show, The Aaron Brazell Show, the other night. I had a blast talking technology and politics with Aaron (who you may know best as Technosailor), Leslie Bradshaw, and Andrew Feinberg We were also joined by S. Dawn Jones, Steve Hodson and Art Lindsey III. If you’d like to read about it and hear the episode, visit this link.
NOTE: I don’t usually cross post to Smoke Rings and Uptown Uncorked, but in the interest of getting the word out about the vote, this post is being posted in its entirety on both Smoke Rings and Coffee Stains (my personal blog) and Uptown Uncorked.
Another blogger backs my anti-iPhone play
If you read my keynote review on Blorge yesterday then you know I don’t own and iPhone. I’m not the only one. Read what fellow blogger Cyndy has to say about the drive by crime Apple and AT&T are committing on loyal customers with the 3G upgrade and rate increase here.
All Better Now
Comment issue fixed. It was the latest version of the plugin Bad Behavior. That sucks – it is the second time that plug in has caused me grief on a blog in various versions. Why does it suck? Because when it works it does a really, really great job at controlling spam. Sending note to plug in creator for a fix.
The AppleGrrl Site Should Be Back Now
Let me know if you are having any trouble seeing images or using features. Still working on Writers Well and Books Without Limits as well as a few other sites.
Keep An Eye On Who Uses Your Mac
There is a new flaw in its security I wrote about on MacBlorge today. Granted, the flaw requries physical access, but that can be had for the price of a few moment’s inattention in a cafe or office.
MacBook Pros
The new MacBook Pros are out, and they have a bunch of cool new features, like a multi touch track pad and LED screen on the 17″. Sweet!
Apple Macworld Keynote 2008
TechCrunch is live blogging the key note for everyone here.
Apple Puts A Stop to Think Secret
The internet is buzzing with the news that Think Secret will be required to cease and desist as a site as part of a court settlement. Most people think this is a bad thing (and it is a bad thing for Think Secret, obviously), but I’m not sure I agree. Let me tell you why.
There are tons of Mac fan blogs and web sites out there, like this one. A lot of them just report news, commentary and product hints and tips, like I do. Many of them follow in Think Secret’s footsteps, however, and try to be the engine behind Apple rumors and “scoops”. Think Secret was one of the first to do this, and it must be said they did it best. They had a cadre of “sources” in and out of the Apple corporate machine that fed them everything from confirmations of rumors to product design plans.
It ended up being the proprietary information like design plans that killed Think Secret, and on this point I agree. I think posting a company’s proprietary information on designs and products is wrong, and it should be punished. Is Apple being too harsh, taking it to court? No. If you follow Apple news at all, you know that they have given Think Secret plenty of warnings over the years. When someone repeatedly does something after you’ve asked them not to, you have to take it to the next level.
The shut down of Think Secret should serve as a caution for the remaining rumor blogs and sites out there. It isn’t OK to divulge secrets that affect a company or person’s bottom line. I’m sure now that Think Secret is down Apple will begin to turn it’s sites on other offenders, so exercise caution, rumor sites.
24 Hour Apple News Video Service
This 24 Hour Apple News Video Service has just been announced. I haven’t had time to check it out yet, but I thought my readers would want to know ASAP.
I Can’t Believe It Is Almost Christmas: Apple Gift Guide
Apple released the Apple Gift Guide this week. I can’t believe it is almost Christmas! The link below will get you free shipping on items ordered from the Gift Guide. Enjoy!
Apple Store Gift Guide – Free Shipping on all Gift Guide items.
Apple’s First Malware Attack
As the well-loved company becomes more and more mainstream, expect more hackers to try to cause problems for the users. This is the first Trojan virus discovered on the Mac OS. (Hat tip to JP)
“We’ve been made aware that a small number of Web sites attempt to trick Mac OS X users to install malicious software on their Macs,” said Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox. “Apple has a great track record for keeping Mac OS X users secure, and as always, we encourage people to install software only from trusted sources.”
The timing of the Trojan horse suggests there are more to come, say some computer and Internet security professionals. As Apple’s popularity rises, “the bad guys are taking Macs seriously now,” wrote Bojan Zdrnja, of the Internet Storm Center, which is led by the Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies.
You can protect yourself by taking precautions, such as installing free virus protection software like Clam XAV and running it on a regular schedule. At this time I can’t recommend Norton for Mac, but in future that could change.
Tomorrow Is De-Lurking Day!
Live Coverage Sept 5 Apple Event
Macworld will be front and center at the Apple Event today, which begins at 10 AM PDT.
EA Games On The Way To Apple Stores
It was big news this year when EA Games made the decision that their games would be made compatible with Macs. Well, the first wave of new games is scheduled to hit a brick and mortar Apple store near you soon, and to be in the online Apple store also.
The first four games are Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Need for Speed Carbon, Battlefield 2142 and Command and Conquer Three. Next up for release will be Madden NFL 08 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08. The plan is to release as many old titles as possible on the Mac platform, and all of the new titles on both Mac and Windows platform.
In response to an inquiry about the delay for Madden NFL ‘08, an EA representative said “we’ve shorted the gap between the Mac launch and other platforms to just a few weeks. This is a huge leap compared with past launches. Over time, as EA gains experience in completing and shipping Mac games, the gap will narrow.”
Tags: ea games, madden nfl, tiger woods pga tour, need for speed
Remember the DocX Problem?
We discussed DocX, the new Microsuck Word format, and it’s issues with compatibility before. Microsuck programmers have been hemming and hawing about producing Office 2008 for Mac to include DocX compatibility, and now Apple has beaten them to the punch. That’s right, iWork 08 includes Open XML (that’s what DocX is) compatibility, suckas.
Tags: iWork 08, Office 2008 for Mac, Microsoft, Microsuck, DocX, Open XML
Apple Media Event
Apple rumors of a big Apple media event on August 7 have been confirmed. Look for the iMac to be the star of the show, along with software announcements and more.
And… We’re Back!
It was a busy week last week, fixing one blog (Smoke Rings and Coffee Stains) and embarking on a new one with friends (The Juicy Dirt), all while writing for my clients, designing some new merchandise for the Quotable Author® and posting in my other blogs, like The Writer’s Well and Blog! Blog! . Poor AppleGrrl got neglected. But we’re back in action this week with lots of Apple nuggety goodness for you. Stay tuned!
Now you are allowed to feel neglected
For those of you who came here originally from my personal blog, Smoke Rings and Coffee Stains, you know I’ve had that blog the longest. It is having major issues yesterday and today, with significant loss of data. I will be concentrating on fixing it.
Feeling Neglected?
You shouldn’t feel neglected. I was distracted by Harry Potter like everyone else this weekend. I’m all done now, though, as you can see by my brief review of the last Harry Potter book. That means I can concentrate on Apple news for you again.
Hire Me On 
