Important Intego Security Virus Alert
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
A malicious Trojan Horse has been found on several pornography web sites, claiming to install a video codec necessary to view free pornographic videos on Macs. A great deal of spam has been posted to many Mac forums, in an attempt to lead users to these sites. When the users arrive on one of the web sites, they see still photos from reputed porn videos, and if they click on the stills, thinking they can view the videos, they arrive on a web page that says the following:
- Quicktime Player is unable to play movie file.
- Please click here to download new version of codec.
If the user then proceeds with installation, the Trojan horse installs; installation requires an administrator’s password, which grants the Trojan horse full root privileges. No video codec is installed, and if the user returns to the web site, they will simply come to the same page and receive a new download.
This Trojan horse, a form of DNSChanger, uses a sophisticated method, via the scutil command, to change the Mac’s DNS server (the server that is used to look up the correspondences between domain names and IP addresses for web sites and other Internet services). When this new, malicious, DNS server is active, it hijacks some web requests, leading users to phishing web sites (for sites such as Ebay, PayPal and some banks), or simply to web pages displaying ads for other pornographic web sites. In the first case, users may think they are on legitimate sites and enter a user name and password, a credit card, or an account number, which will then be hijacked. In the latter case, it seems that this is being done solely to generate ad revenue.
Under Mac OS X 10.4, there is no way to see the changed DNS server in the operating system’s GUI. Under Mac OS X 10.5, this can be seen in the Advanced Network preferences; the added DNS servers are dimmed, and cannot be removed manually. (Intego is currently testing previous versions of Mac OS X; it is likely that they can be infected as well, since all versions of Mac OS X have the scutil command.) The Trojan horse also installs a root crontab which checks every minute to ensure that its DNS server is still active. Since changing a network location could change the DNS server, this cron job ensures that, in such a case, the malicious DNS server remains the active server.
This Trojan horse also provides different versions of itself, perhaps according to the country in which the user is located to provide country-specific spoofing. Repeated downloads of the disk image show that there are several different versions.
Means of protection: The best way to protect against this exploit is to run Intego VirusBarrier X4 with its virus definitions dated October 31, 2007. Intego VirusBarrier X4 eradicates the malicious code and prevents the Trojan horse from being installed. Intego recommends that users never download and install software from untrusted sources or questionable web sites.
Labels: Apple News
Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies - Review
No sooner has the latest (and supposedly greatest) operating system from Apple landed on our doorsteps, that this surprise landed on mine. It seems like there is a Dummy book for more or less everything nowadays, but I certainly did not expect this one so quickly.Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies covers the new features in Leopard, and does it in a way that is suited for the first time user. It is presented in black and white, but fully illustrated with clear screen shots. You will find it is divided into sections that start with the basics of what the desktop, finder and icons do, moving on to how to organise your files and folders, before taking a look at dealing with CD's and DVD's. iChat and the new screen sharing, using Mail (the Mac email application) and iTunes are all covered. The writing is done in such a way that there is no technical language, and where there is, it is explained very clearly.
The various sections are marked up with easy to follow icons, that indicate things like a 'New Feature' or a 'Tip'. This is great, as it allows you to learn the subject at hand, but also pick up some handy tips along the way.
TextEdit, fonts, and setting up and using a printer are also explained. The book even moves into areas that are a bit more involved, like networking, backing up and how to re-install your system software should the need arise. Even these more complicated tasks are dealt with superbly in layman terms, so you should come away knowing how to really enjoy your Mac.
My only gripe is that a little splash of colour would make the book a more interesting read. That said, this may well effect the bargain £14.99 price, which is a steal. So if you need to learn how to use your Mac from the ground up, or perhaps you need a gift for a friend or relative who has just acquired a new Mac, then Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies is highly recommended.
Product: Mac OS X Leopard for Dummies
ISBN: 978-0-470-05433-8
Price: £14.99 / $21.99
Supplied by: Wiley Publishing Inc.
Labels: Reviews
Leopard Launch... so Leopard GeekPouch
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
It seems a bit obvious, but what with the Mac OS X Leopard launch and the slew of articles talking about it, we had to produce a GeekPouch in the same flavour. Head on over to the Geekanoids Shop and you can buy a fur effect pouch with Leopard design print for your iPhone, iPod touch, classic, 3rd gen Nano or 5th gen iPod. Same prices as before, starting at £5.99 for UK orders and £10.99 for international.I should also mention that our tan pouch for the iPod touch is almost completely gone, we are down to the last few.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, iPod Touch
Stacks in Mac OS X Leopard - Tidy Up!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
I have been reading on many forums that users are not too impressed with Stacks in OS X Leopard. Well, I have to agree, the way they are configured is not great. One of the main complaints is how to get the frontmost icon to look like something meaningful. I hope this short screencast helps a little.
Labels: Mac Software, Mac Tips, Reviews
MacLive Expo London 2007 - Show Report
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Having recovered from a manic day (mainly travelling) at this years MacLive Expo, I am now in the right frame of mind to give you my feelings about the exhibition. Before I kick off with all the good bits (and there are plenty) I want to get my anger and disappointment out of the way. As I was stomping the show floor, the main complaint from both exhibitors and members of the public was Apple’s absence from the event. Companies paying top prices to take stand and show their wares felt let down that Apple had chosen NOT to show the same commitment to the UK public. Visitors, who had paid their £15 to get into the Expo, were equally annoyed. Many had not even known that Apple would not be there. They were expecting to see the whole line-up of Macs, iPods and more importantly wanted some hands-on time with the new Mac OS X Leopard. OK, enough moaning, with or without the big A, the show went on.As with all Mac Expo’s, I am always amazed at the enthusiasm that buzzes around the hall. The main central area is taken up by the bigger companies, with the likes of Quark, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Intego, to name just a few. VMWare had a largish stand, showing their superb software that enables the Mac to run Windows. Avanquest was also at the Expo, with their competing Parallels software, that does the same. It’ll be interesting when I review these two products to see which one performs better of the two. In this central area Simms International Accessories were selling their latest range of computer bags and pouches from Crumpler and BuiltNY. They certainly get my vote for the most fun and endearing company at this years show. The likes of Accountz (with their accounting software) and Elgato (freeview and recording on your Mac) also proved popular with visitors. Whilst on the subject of accounting, MYOB won ‘Best of Show’, which is amazing when you think of how accounting is perceived. I had a chat to them, and was amazed at how passionate they were to make their software so sexy and easy to use.
Over the next month or so, Geekanoids will be announcing some awards for our product reviews. Ahead of time though, we will also be looking at the company behind the product and acknowledging good service. Our ‘Most Friendly’ company award cannot wait that long and this goes to Konica Minolta. Their range of printers speak for themselves, but the fact that they take the time to speak to end users on a level playing field, taking that one extra step to make sure they have happy punters, really is noticeable.
On the outer perimeter of the Expo hall there were many smaller vendors. A chance to meet not only the salesman, but often the programmers behind the software or hardware on offer. A quick shout out to our sponsors Realmac Software and Eazy Draw, who were busy answering questions from visitors. Kensington were also on the wings showing their range of Mac compatible keyboards and mice. We were also lucky enough to pick up a couple of iPhone cases from Contour Design, who are also expecting their iPod touch case to land in about ten days.
All in all this years MacLive Expo was on a much smaller scale, mainly due to Apple not being there. Adobe also chose not to exhibit, so two of last years biggest stands meant everything was condensed. This was a big shame and casts a shadow of doubt in my mind, whether we will see a show next year, unless Apple commit to attending. I hope the show does continue, as it is the only real chance for UK users to feel part of the Mac community. The opportunity to talk with people from the companies whose products we use every day is very valuable, so I really hope to see details of MacLive Expo 2008 announced sooner rather than later.
Labels: Apple News, General News, Opinion
Leopard - First Few Hours
I stood in line today for Leopard and was amongst the first in the Western Hemisphere to get my hands on this predator. Quite aside from the fun I had actually spending my hard-earned cash on this upgrade, installation was a breeze and the feeling overall is very positive.Initial Impression
To label this a minor release would be preposterous. It is a major release in every way and well worth checking out the list of 300 new features of Leopard on the Apple website. The main thing with all the new gizmos I've been using on Leopard is that yet again Apple has come up with something where everything 'just works'. Exactly the way it should and without further fuss. I've not had ANY issues after using 10.5 for about 3 hours, editing video etc, everything has been a breeze. If there are major bugs, I haven't come across any.
Notable points
- The system runs faster. This is apparently a speedup specifically with Core 2 Duo systems (like mine)
- Spaces works as advertised. It could be a little bit confusing for someone who's not familiar with the mac and it's also not turned on by default. After using it for a couple of hours now, it really is a great productivity tool. It is one of those things you just end up using naturally which proves its usefulness.
- FrontRow has finally adopted the Apple TV Interface which is nice. It doesn't have YouTube though which I feel should have been included as it's a useful option. With the lack of fancy integrations from the desktop, Apple has given Frontrow its pride of place in the home entertainment arena. It feels more like a mode of the computer rather than an app that is depending on there being enough RAM to play a song. You can now also specify the sources like you can on the Apple TV.
- The new improved Dock is an evolution of the familiar tool we've come to know and love. It now features reflective 3D effects which work well. 'Stacks' is a neat feature which is fast and enables clutter free access to your files.
- Spotlight has been improved and seems faster. It launches apps by just selecting the item and tapping the space bar. That's nice because you end up not having to use the mouse to open applications.
- The main thing I like in the new Finder is Coverflow. It works fantastically and until you use it in the Finder, it's hard to describe how useful it is. I would have said that finder had its limitations when compared to Windows Explorer. But with Leopard in Coverflow, it really makes it easier to go through your files and find what you are looking for. Coupled with Quicklook, you end up being able to go through your files and find what you like without launching a bunch of applications. The smart folder and networking capabilities work fantastically and if smartly set up, negate any need to rumble through your computer for hours, trying to find "that one file".
- Time Machine: I don't have an external hard drive (yet) so wasn't able to test this one.
- The only issue I found is that Quicklook should include previews of folder contents. Its such an obvious omission that it will surely be included in a future software update.
Labels: Mac Software, Reviews
Leopard Launch - Bluewater
Friday, October 26, 2007
It is pretty much common knowledge that Mac OS X Leopard was launched at 6pm today. Mine was delivered whilst at the London MacLive Expo (report coming soon). Felix managed to nab a copy at the Apple Store Bluewater, UK. Above is a quick snap of how busy it was, the complete set of photos can be found here. Expect to see a Leopard install overview on Geekanoids over the weekend.Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
MacLive Expo Gallery
I am back from the big city and MacLive Expo. Busy putting together a show review for all my loyal (and new) readers. In the interim period, you can catch some photos below.
Labels: Apple News, General News
MacLive Expo Day Two
So, I finally made it to MacLive Expo. What a surprise to find a much smaller event and NO APPLE. Come on Apple, wake up, Leopard is launching today and you had the opportunity to get some real press coverage.
Anyway, putting that big disappointment aside the exhibitors that are here, are very enthusiastic. Our sponsors Realmac Software, Eazy Draw, Simms International and Quark are showing their latest wares. It seems appropriate to point out that Realmac Software are one of my fave bunch of people, nice, honest and working to bring their excellent software to the Mac. Over at EazyDraw, Dave is underplaying his big news. Support for MacDraw is a big thing, it gives users the opportunity to use their old files, whilst moving over to Apple's own iWork for the rest of their office type files. Simms International make me smile, they always have. Being a long time user of their products it was nice to see them all kitted up promoting the Crumpler range, and the BuiltNY range of laptop accessories. I just love their enthusiasm, it is nice to see. Quark have a nice big arena, for product demos and they were just as busy as last year.
Of the other exhibitors here, Computer Warehouse are very busy, poised for the Mac OS X Leopard launch later today. Netgear have some of their juicy items here, including their NAS drive, which certainly looks the part. It was also nice to see both Parallels and VMWare showing how popular their products are. Mac users don't like to boast about being able to run Windows, but most of us need to sometimes, so both these products are on my list for pre-Christmas reviews. Konica Minolta have their great range of printers on the show floor and certainly seemed one of the busier stands.
Check back later for more coverage and photos.
Labels: Apple News, General News
Delay to MacLive Expo Coverage
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Just a quick note for you all. Due to personal reasons my MacLive Expo coverage will be delayed until tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.
Labels: General News
MacLive Expo Coverage Starts Tomorrow
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Heading down to London tomorrow? You bet I am, and I will be bringing you updates throughout the day.If you check back regularly, things will kick off with mini-reports during the day. The first will be around 12noon, with more to follow. It looks like be an exciting Expo, so there should be some interesting stuff for you.
A full photo gallery will be posted here, so if you just want the pics without the writing (you might miss something), then click the link.
Labels: Apple News, General News
iFold Stand - Ease the neck pain!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Matias today announced the iFold, a laptop stand that folds flat for travel. By raising your notebook to monitor height and attaching a keyboard & mouse, you get the comfort level of a desktop computer, without losing the convenience of your laptop."We've created an instant classic," said Vesna Vojnic, Marketing Director for Matias. "Made from beautiful black acrylic, the iFold is simply gorgeous. The folding mechanism is zinc alloy and fully visible. You can see one in person at flagship Apple Stores. It's really cool. "
"With laptops out-selling desktops, the landscape has really changed. Lots of problems that were solved in the desktop era are now reappearing. For example, displays are too low, so people are getting neck pain from looking down. Laptop keyboards are cramped and lack a number pad. Most of the products out now are not portable. In the coming weeks, Matias will be offering solutions to all these new problems," said Vojnic.
Price & Availability
The iFold is $59.95 (US) available today from the Apple Store, eCost.com, Amazon.com, and Matias.ca.
Labels: Mac Accessories
MacLive Expo Skype Giveaway at SIA Crumpler
It goes without saying that we will be covering the MacLive Expo in London, which starts on Thursday 25th October. We will be posting a link up tomorrow to our Flickr album, where photos will appear throughout the day. We will also have updates on the Geekanoids site throughout the day. But, that is not what this news snippet is all about.If you head on over to the Simms International Accessories stand at the exhibition, you will find a large range of Crumpler bags and laptop sleeves available. Ten lucky visitors to the stand can pick up a free Skype for Mac Starter Kit, which contains some exclusively designed USB stereo earbuds and a microphone, courtesy of Skype and Geekanoids. Fingers crossed, you might be one of the lucky ones.
Labels: General News
Let's Get Ready for Leopard
Monday, October 22, 2007
It's about that time again; the time where we get organized, back up our files, and prepare for an update to Apple's premiere operating system; Mac OS X, better known this time around as Leopard. You've undoubtedly seen the major changes to the operating system, including nice new features such as Spaces and Time Machine. While these are nice and (hopefully) useful, many have their own small list of changes they hope to see. Most of the changes I hope for reside within the Finder.Network Storage is becoming more common these days, even for the average person. The problem is that the Finder does not have great support for two common protocols: FTP and SMB. FTP in Finder has always been read-only. This forces you to find (and possibly purchase) a third-party client or learn how to use the client built into Terminal. What I'd like to see is FTP support where read and write are both enabled. Unlike FTP, Samba does have read and write support within the Finder, yet it's unbearably slow. Perhaps it's fine for a 100 Mbps network, but the sub-100 Mbps performance on a Gigabit network is unsatisfactory.
Another feature lacked in the Finder is with "Column View". This is undoubtedly my most-used view when navigating folders, which is why this next "fix" makes sense. the column view needs to have an option to expand to the size of the longest file name in the folder automatically. It's a pain in the butt to frequently look for files with similar but different names and have to expand every column manually.
Safari, which had (emphasize "had") been my browser of choice for the previous few years. It's a great browser, but the "bloat" is setting in as it matures. As of now I'm using Camino, which is super light and fast. If the next version of Safari can manage to feel less like Firefox and more like Camino, as well as provide a little bit of plug-in support, I may move back again. I'd love a lean-mean browser with Del.icio.us support.
Lastly is iTunes, which like Safari is starting to feel a lot more resource intensive than it's previous releases. I'm sorry to say that I don't particularly like iTunes, but since I need it to sync with my iPod touch, it's a necessary evil. Apple needs to put this guy on the treadmill or I may build my own media player for just listening to music. I'd love to reserve more resources for other, more important applications.
Mac OS X has matured a lot over the years, there's no doubt about it, but there is still a long way to go before it becomes the Holy Grail of all operating systems. I'd love to hear what undocumented changes our readers hope for in Leopard. Please post your opinions and have a good day!
Frank Sandoval (Geekanoids Newbie)
www.shouldbefree.net
Labels: Mac Software, Opinion
Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound - Now Shipping
Griffin Technology, maker of all things iPod, today announced it has begun shipping its highly anticipated Evolve Wireless Sound System. Evolve is available exclusively through its launch partner Best Buy, and online at BestBuy.com, at the retail price of $299.99."Evolve will change the way people listen to music," said Paul Griffin, President of Griffin Technology. "We did away with the limitations from traditional sound systems -- the wires. Evolve gives users the freedom to listen to their music wherever they choose."
Evolve is the first widely available digital sound system for iPod and other digital devices that features speakers that are both rechargeable and wireless; they need no power outlets or physical connection to the base station. Evolve is built for everyone who wants a simple, elegant way to play music throughout the home or workplace without the hassle of speaker and power wires.
Evolve consists of a base unit with a dock for your iPod (and line-in RCA jacks for other players) and a pair of matched speakers with internal lithium-ion batteries that play up to 10 hours on a single charge. Speakers can be easily carried from room to room throughout the home, apartment, office, patio, etc.
Evolve streams music digitally from its Base Unit to wherever you place the speakers -- inside, outside, in the next room -- up to 150 feet away. Evolve's powerful RF remote control puts you in command of Evolve and your iPod through walls and windows. It's the next evolutionary step in speaker systems for the home.
Videos of the Evolve Wireless Sound System in action can be found here.
Labels: Apple iPod, iPod Touch
Apple Store Lakeside Opening! Fun had by all!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
The Apple Store in Lakeside, Thurrock, UK opened today and as with all store openings it seems that fun was had by all. By kind permission of Felix, here are a couple of photos and his rundown of the opening. You can find the full Flickr set of images here.I went to the opening of the newest Apple Store in the UK today. This is at Lakeside Shopping Center in Thurrock, Essex. Its bigger than the Bluewater store, which has been open for some time now. I saw some of the staff from Bluewater there, they seem to have trucked them in from Regent Street as well. It was actually more exciting than I thought it would be and I managed to get 2 T-shirts and entered the Sweepstake.
The store's layout is two rows of tables half way down the store, along with tables along the walls. Genius bar is right in the back with the accessories and software. There's a kids area as well which you don't get in all the stores. It didn't seem to be as full as you would expect for an opening. However the entire mall was deserted, the Apple Store was the place where all the action was. They must have gotten everyone in the entire place to come to the Apple Store.They seemed to have the new iPod Touch almost tucked away, only four on display. They do the same in Bluewater, don't know why. The staff are really pushing one-on-one selling and also the personal shopper scheme. Got spoken to three times about that.
They had the alarms go off and I took pictures of the system they use to disarm them. Actually kind of cool. But I decided not to publish the pictures, I think that's a responsible choice. There seemed to be a load of Apple Corporate staff around who looked nervous when the alarm went off. They were trying, but failing to be non-conspicuous.
All in all it was very exciting and I can see why they put this store in this location as the river is a sort of north-south divide.
I hope the guy in this picture is eyeing up a new iMac purchase. Go on, you know you want it ! [Ed].Labels: Apple News
Apple features Leopard Guided Tour Video
Friday, October 19, 2007
Apple have posted a video to the new features guided tour of Mac OS X Leopard. You can either stream the video or download it in two different sizes. It is well worth a look and can be found here. You can also check out the new feature list on this page.Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
iPhone (in the UK) Video Review
Thursday, October 18, 2007
It has been such a busy month at Geekanoids, so busy that it has taken me longer than normal to edit the iPhone video footage taken a couple of weeks ago. If you skip below, you will find a video review of the iPhone, where we take a look at the user interface.I should also add, that having used this device for around two weeks now, I am in love. The iPhone really has replaced my old mobile phone and my iPod too. It behaves impeccably for my mobile communications. Email on the move is a real joy, as is web browsing (although a bit slow over EDGE). As an iPod, I really cannot emphasize how great the screen is. Being able to watch video footage back with popping colours and in widescreen to boot is brilliant. The iPhone comes highly recommended.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Reviews
Be-ez introduce LA Dolce Vita Bag
Be.ez, a leading manufacturer of multimedia accessories in Europe and Asia, announced today the new LA Dolce Vita bags, an innovative space-saving Laptop bag that can transport your notebook during the day and your clothes in the night.The LA Dolce Vita is an ultra sleek bag that offers style-conscious users a simple solution for carrying and protecting their MacBook in complete safety. Be.ez have included a removable compartment in LA Dolce Vita offering users the ability to change the bag as required, a Mac carry case during the day and a fashionista’s holdall during the night. The bag, made from original Tarpaulin material shines with its versatility, it comes in three different colours - Ristretto, Zucchero and Moka. With its ingenious removable flap (invisible to the naked eye…), the most original of users will be able to change their companion to reflect their personality and style, over and over again…
Nicolas Cottard, CEO, Be-ez, commented: “Here at Be-ez we are dedicated to producing the most fashionable yet intelligent protection for mobile devices, it is all about being sleek in the Apple world this season. We offer the best available material and design that people on the move will really appreciate. Featuring a cross-shoulder carrying style, Be-ez LA Dolce Vita clings snugly to your body bringing comfort with style. The removable compartment means you can carry your notebook to work and your running trainer’s home. The LA Dolce Vita bag is the ultimate in practicality and style.”
Pricing and availability
The LA Dolce Vita is available on 15th November and costs £49.95, a list of retailers can be found here.
Labels: Mac Accessories
Third Party Applications will come to iPhone
Apple have announced a great piece of news for all iPhone owners, and prospective UK purchasers come November 9th. Up until now, many have been using various hacks to get third party applications to the iPhone. Either that or you have to stick to using web based apps to feed your addiction. Well, Apple have finally announced that they are working on a Software Developer's Kit (SDK) to allow development of applications for the iPhone. This will be available February next year, so we have a little wait on our hands. The full details can be read here.Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
Intego and Mac OS X Leopard - Do the Tango
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Intego, the Macintosh security specialist, today announced that all of its software is fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.5, Leopard, the forthcoming version of Apple’s operating system. Leopard will be released on October 26, and Intego has been ready since it released updates to its programs in September.
"We’re very excited to see Leopard in action, and Mac users everywhere will be too," said Laurent Marteau, CEO, Intego. "Intego has worked hard to make sure that, as soon as Leopard is released, our users will be able to protect their Macs and keep the Internet safe."
All of Intego’s programs are fully compatible with Leopard:
• NetBarrier X4
• VirusBarrier X4
• Personal Backup X4
• ContentBarrier X4
• Personal Antispam X4
• FileGuard X4
• Internet Security Barrier suites
• Dual Protection suites
For users who have not updated their software recently, Intego NetUpdate, provided with all Intego programs, will allow them to do so. All they need to do is run NetUpdate and download and install the latest versions of their Intego software, and they’ll be ready to use Leopard.
Labels: Mac Software
My Leopard - Mac OS Ordered
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
It comes as no surprise that I rushed the last two posts about the October 26th launch date for Mac OS X Leopard. I couldn't get onto the Apple Store quick enough to place my order, hasten to say I really hope it actually lands on my doorstep on launch day. So we have CoverFlow in the finder, errrr okay we will wait to see how that pans out. The new Mail sounds pretty neat, as does Stacks. Time Machine is also good, but it depends on how well it is implemented. QuickLook is pretty neat, it certainly sounds like an improvement over Preview. So all in all I am pretty excited. I trust Apple too, so rather than wait, the new OS will go on my system as soon as it arrives.
Don't forget, if you want a Leopard style GeekPouch to protect your iPod or iPhone, point your browser here.
Labels: Mac Software
Apple ALSO Announces Mac OS X Server Leopard
Apple® today announced that Mac OS® X Server version 10.5 Leopard will go on sale on Friday, October 26, at the same time as Mac OS X Leopard. Leopard Server extends Apple’s legendary ease of use, making it even easier to take advantage of the benefits of a server, and introduces Podcast Producer, the ideal way to automatically publish podcasts to iTunes® or the web. Leopard Server packs more than 250 new features including Wiki Server, allowing people to collaboratively create and modify their shared web sites with just a few clicks; and iCal® Server, the world’s first commercial CalDAV standard-based calendar server.“Leopard Server is the best release of Mac OS X Server yet, bringing more great innovations, like Podcast Producer, Wiki Server and iCal Server,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With new setup features that have a server up and running within minutes and no client access licenses, Leopard Server is the ideal alternative to complicated and expensive server offerings for small and large businesses.”
Leopard Server presents new features for effortless setup, management and monitoring of systems on the network. Server Assistant configures server applications, network settings such as IP addresses and DNS configurations and user accounts with just a few clicks. Server Preferences simplifies management of users, groups and key server applications, and a Server Status Dashboard widget remotely monitors activity and usage. Leopard Server also eliminates the need to manually set up Leopard clients by automatically configuring client applications, including file sharing, Mail, iChat®, iCal, Address Book and VPN from user information stored on the server.
Podcast Producer is the easiest way for anyone to record content, automatically upload it to the server and convert it into a podcast optimised for playback on almost any device, including a High Definition TV, iPod®, Apple TV™ or multimedia-enabled cell phone.
With Wiki Server, anyone can easily create and edit collaborative web pages, called wikis, with a few clicks of a mouse. Wiki Server has 20 Apple-designed web page themes and provides a complete revision history to make it easy to restore previous entries and merge or compare different versions. Wiki Server can automatically notify users whenever a change is made, keeping them up-to-date on the latest information, and users can tag keywords to find content quickly.
It’s easy to share calendars, schedule meetings and coordinate events within a workgroup, school, small business or large corporation using iCal Server. iCal Server is the first open, standards-based calendar server that works with popular calendar programmes which support the new CalDAV standard and does not require client access licenses, so businesses can add users freely as they expand at no additional cost.
Leopard Server is fully UNIX compliant and its core services, including Apache 2, MySQL 5, Postfix, Podcast Producer and QuickTime® Streaming Server, are 64-bit, allowing users to work with larger data sets and take full advantage of the performance and processing power of their 64-bit hardware. Since Leopard Server is fully 32-bit compatible, users can run 32-bit and 64-bit applications natively side-by-side.
Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard will be available on October 26 at Apple’s retail stores and through Apple Authorised Resellers for a suggested retail price of £319 (inc VAT) for a 10-client edition and £629 (inc VAT) for an unlimited-client edition. An unlimited client license of Leopard Server is included with Apple’s powerful Xserve® rack-mount server hardware at no extra charge. Online pre-orders can be made through the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com/uk/) starting today and current subscribers to the Apple Maintenance Program will receive Leopard Server as part of their service agreement. Volume and maintenance pricing is available from Apple. The standard Mac OS Up-To-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Xserve system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller on or after October 1, 2007 for a shipping and handling fee of £5.95 (inc VAT). Leopard Server can run on any Macintosh® computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or G4 (867 Mhz or faster) processor, a minimum 1GB of RAM and at least 20GB of available disk space.
Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
Apple to Ship Mac OS X Leopard on October 26
Apple today announced that Mac OS® X Leopard will go on sale Friday, October 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers, and that Apple’s online store is now accepting pre-orders. Leopard is packed with more than 300 new features and introduces a brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock; a redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; and Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac®.“Leopard, the sixth major release of Mac OS X, is the best upgrade we’ve ever released,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “And everyone gets the ‘Ultimate’ version, packed with all the new innovative features, for just £85.”
Leopard’s new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organise files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and users can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. Users can also create their own Stacks for quick access to folders, documents or applications. Leopard’s gorgeous new look extends to all applications, with every window on the desktop offering a consistent design theme and active windows outlined by deeper shadows that make them stand out.The updated Finder includes Cover Flow® and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network. Content on any computer on a local network can now be searched using Spotlight™, browsed using Cover Flow or copied across the network with a simple drag and drop. .Mac members can use the new Back to My Mac feature to browse and access files on their remote Macs over the Internet.
Quick Look is the fastest and easiest way for users to look inside files without launching them or even having the application that created them. With Quick Look, users can instantly view full-screen, high-resolution files of virtually anything, even media files, from any view in the Finder.
Spaces gives users a powerful new way to organise their work by creating customised desktops which can contain only those applications or documents needed for each project, with the ability to quickly switch between Spaces with the mouse or keyboard.
Time Machine lets users easily back up all of the data on their Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac.* In the event a file is lost, users can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file. If it’s ever necessary, Leopard can also easily restore an entire system from the Time Machine data on an external drive.
Mail has been updated in Leopard and features more than 30 stationery designs and layouts that look great on a Windows PC or Mac so users can easily send stylish, personalised emails with beautiful graphics and photos. Notes and To Dos help users stay organised by acting just like emails that can be easily created, saved as drafts, synced across multiple Macs and stored in Smart Mailboxes. Data detectors automatically sense phone numbers, addresses and events so they can be added to Address Book or iCal® with just a few clicks, and users can keep up-to-date by getting the latest news and blog feeds delivered directly to the their mailboxes with a built-in RSS reader.
iChat®, the easiest-to-use video conferencing application on any personal computer, offers even richer video chats in Leopard with iChat Theater, which makes it easy to show photos, presentations, videos or files in a video conference; screen sharing which lets users remotely view and operate another Mac; and Photo Booth® effects for fun distortions and video backdrops that can instantly make users appear to be anywhere they choose.
Other new features in Leopard include:
• improved Parental Controls, aiding parents in managing their kids’ online activities with automatic identification of unsuitable content before allowing website access, plus time limits and activity logs that can be accessed from any Mac on a home network;
• the complete Boot Camp® release, previously available only as a beta, making it possible to run Windows natively on Intel-based Macs;**
• Web Clip, bringing anything that a user wants from a web page to Dashboard as a live widget;
• new Photo Booth features, helping users create animated iChat buddy icons or fun effects and backdrops with still or video images;
• an enhanced Dictionary with Wikipedia built in, allowing users to access up to date information on virtually any subject in a snap;
• a newly updated iCal with multi-user calendaring based on the new CalDAV standard; and
• an updated version of Front Row, making it even easier to play music or watch movies, TV shows and photos on a Mac using the ultra-simple Apple Remote.
Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard will be available on October 26 at Apple’s retail stores and through Apple Authorised Resellers for a suggested retail price of £85 (inc VAT) for a single user license, and online pre-orders can be made through Apple's online store (http://www.apple.com/uk/) starting today. The Mac OS X Leopard Family Pack is a single-residence, five-user license that will be available for a suggested retail price of £129 (inc VAT). Volume and maintenance pricing is available from Apple. The standard Mac OS Up-To-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller on or after October 1, 2007 for a shipping and handling fee of £5.95 (inc VAT). Leopard requires a minimum of 512MB of RAM and is designed to run on any Macintosh® computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5 or G4 (867 Mhz or faster) processor. Full system requirements can be found at www.apple.com/macosx/techspecs.
Labels: Apple News, Mac Software
Apple Wireless Keyboard - Nice n White
Saturday, October 13, 2007
A few weeks back I bought you some really nice images of the iPod touch, courtesy of Elegant Technology. This time around I have been given kind permission to post a few images of the new ultra thin, Apple Wireless Keyboard. I love the design of this little gem. I have yet to use the wireless version, but if it is half as good as the tethered version, you are in for a treat. More photos of this design wonder can be found here.
Labels: Mac Peripherals
GeekPouch - Tan for iPod touch - Limited Stock
In the run up to the holiday season it is very likely you will be filling your own stocking, or someone near to you, with a new iPod or perhaps even an iPhone. Our very own GeekPouches have been proving very popular, it is often hard to keep up with the orders.For something a little different, we have a very limited stock of iPod touch pouches in tan faux suede. At the time of writing this, we literally have about 15 left, so if you want one of these tan pouches, head on over to the GeekPouch page now.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, General News, iPod Touch
Apple launch Web Apps Portal for iPhone
Friday, October 12, 2007
If you own an iPhone or plan to get on in the UK on November 9th, then you should bookmark this one. Apple have opened up their Web Apps section of the website. Here you will find stacks of brilliant web applications and sites designed to work specifically on the iPhone. Everything from games, utilities and social networking tools. Well worth a look.Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
T3 Awards 2007 - iPhone, iPod & XBox 360
Thursday, October 11, 2007
T3 Awards 2007 recognised the Apple iPhone as the 'Most Anticipated Gadget' and the iPod as the 'Top Computer Gadget'. The iTunes Store also got 'Best Download Service', so it seems like Apple got a triple whammy. Hold your horses! Apple also got 'Best Music Gadget' and 'The Best Gadget of All Time' for the iPod. The MacBook Pro got their 'Drop Dead Gorgeous Award'. Wow, I think it goes without saying that T3 loves Apple stuff.There were other awards too, including the XBox 360 which was crowned 'Best Gaming Gadget'. Head on over to take a look at the full rundown.
Labels: Apple News, Gadgets, General News
Dahon D7 Vitesse Bike - Ease your Fatigue
Sitting at your desk all day? Tapping away at your keyboard 'til your wrists hurt? If this sounds familiar you need to break away from your computer for a while and get some fresh air. With winter drawing nearer, now is a good time to get out early morning and go for a cycle. Or, perhaps you want to reduce your carbon footprint, so that short drive to work could be done in about the same time, whilst creating less pollution... oh, and did I mention you can get fitter at the same time!Enough of this cheeky banter, the Dahon Vitesse D7 is a snazzy 7 gear bike that turns up in a very compact package. When the courier drops it to you, it will leave you wondering how a bike can fit in such a small box. Pop the box open, unfold the frame, pop the handlebars up, adjust the seat height, and away you go. It really is that simple and the preconception that folding bikes look 'girly' or 'silly' is null and void. The Vitesse D7 looks great in the supplied grey stone colour and it is amazingly easy to use.
At the bottom of this review there is a small gallery showing the folding procedure. As I described above it is very straightforward. In its folded state, there is a simple but very effective magnet (small circular disks) that hold the whole thing together. A lot of thought has gone into keeping things compact, even the pedals (shown below) fold. The quick release mechanisms need to be quite tight, otherwise you might find the saddle slipping, but the tightness of them is the only real caveat. Once unfolded and the height adjusted, the Vitesse D7 is a joy to ride. The 20-inch wheels are smaller than regular road bikes, but just the right size to deliver the stability of a full-size bike. The riding position is pretty much spot on, with the reach being suitable (in my opinion) for anything between a 5ft and 6ft tall person. A real shorty might find a 16-inch wheeled Dahon a better fit.
The Suntour 7-speed gears are nice and smooth, not missing a single change during testing. The Promax V aluminium brakes, coupled with the rest of the aluminium parts, and Dahon's own developed parts, all add up to a very slick package. The bike is pretty light, coming is at just under 25lbs. This makes it very easy to ride, and just as easy to lift into the back of your car when folded.
During my test ride I found that the Vitesse D7 performed very well. My seatpost did initially slip, until I tightened up the quick release. The saddle also felt as though it could do with a bit more padding, but then that might just be my rear end not having much of its own.
The ride itself, some six miles, was a joy though. Road riding was ultra smooth and the gears ate up flats and steady inclines. Then onto some gravel lanes and again the Vitesse coped with ease. When I venture onto some ground more suited to a mountain bike, the bumps and stones were coped with very well. Yes, the bike jumped around a bit, but it was a more than comfortable experience.
So, for your £339 you get what feels like a full size bike, that folds down nice and small for sticking in the back of your car. Perfect for leisure or commuting use, and easily usable for eating up the miles with those smooth Suntour gears. You get mudguards, a rear rack and a dinky bell to complete the package. The build quality and folding mechanism are superb, so easy, yet very safe. If you need a new bike that draws some attention and is ultimately very good for a lot of different uses, then the Dahon Vitesse D7 should definitely be on your shortlist.
Product: Dahon Vitesse D7
Price: £339.99
Supplied by: Fisher Outdoor Leisure
Web: www.dahon.co.uk
Contact: +44 (0)1727 798345
RM Launches the RM Asus MiniBook for £169
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
RM has launched a PC that weighs less than 1kg, is about the same size as a box of tissues and costs less than £200. It is the ideal computer for learners. Not only is it light, small and truly portable it is affordable too."We like the look of this small form factor laptop, and anything that encourages students to embrace technology is a good thing. The styling looks very nice, right down to the diddy touchpad. We will bring you a review of this product as soon as we can." [Dave, Geekanoids]
Students will be able to use the RM Asus miniBook to send and receive email, create and edit documents, view photographs, play videos and MP3 files, browse the Internet, listen to online radio and participate in instant messaging. The screen is just over 7 inches in size and the device takes less than 15 seconds to boot up and has a one click intuitive interface.
The RM Asus miniBook combines the portability and quick start of a PDA with the capabilities of a notebook. It has a solid-state hard drive, for fast boot-up and shut down, which is more robust than a mechanical drive. It features an integrated web cam, microphone and speakers – which make video conferencing quick and easy. It also has internal wireless g and an optional 3G module for easy mobile connection. There is an integrated card reader for easy transfer of photographs and other files, 3 USB 2.0 ports and a VGA out port.
Other key features of the RM Asus miniBook are that it is safe for pupils to take home and it is very portable. Being small and compact makes the miniBook unobtrusive and, therefore, safer for pupils to transport to and from school. And weighing less that 1kg means that the problems associated with carrying heavy school bags are a thing of the past too.
This innovative computer has been jointly developed by RM and its hardware partner, Asustek, the company that also worked with RM on the development of the RM Mobile One notebook.
Commenting on the launch, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM said;
“There has never been such an exciting time for teaching and learning with ICT. Learners these days need to have access to technology at home and outside the classroom. The school gate is now a virtual one. And that is a good thing. What is not so good is if some learners can’t be part of that new world. That is why we are working with our technology partners Asustek to bring affordable, mobile computing to schools. We have a responsibility to ensure that all our children have access to the very best learning and the very best technology that is available. By developing a student device that is in the same price range as an iPod I believe we are getting there.”
Labels: General News, PC News
StickiT - Clear back protector for iPod touch
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Head on over the the Geekanoids Shop now and you will see we have just added the StickiT Back Protector for the iPod touch. We all know how important it is to protect the screen of the iPod touch, but what about the back? The StickiT is made of a cling-type vinyl, which adheres to the back of the iPod touch with static. There is no glue at all, so when you peal it off, there is no sticky marks and your iPod touch is nice and shiny. You can even use it with some cases, so long as they are not too tight a fit, or a pouch like our very own GeekPouches.The StickiT Back Protector for the iPod touch is available now, for £3.59 (inc UK postage) or £7.59 (rest of the world).
Labels: General News, iPod Touch
iPod touch will be THE Christmas gift for 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
I have now had my iPod touch for about one week, and having shown you all how good it is in my video review, I felt I should give you a warning. If you plan on buying one of these for a Christmas gift, don't leave it too late, as I really think this will be the hottest gift for 2007. Supply should be plentiful, but if my prediction comes true, there will be a shortage and a lot of disappointed kids and adults come Christmas morning.The iPod touch is just such a rounded product and great performer. You have the best iPod user interface available today, coupled with a gorgeous eye popping colour screen. There is nothing worse than having to prepare content for (other) MP3 players for multiple users, but managing more than one iPod with iTunes is a breeze. So if you have one, two or three of these under the tree on the morning of the 25th, you can still enjoy your jumbo turkey and Only Fools and Horses in the afternoon, without the hassle of converting content and getting it onto the device.
Get prepared way in advance, download content, create playlists for your loved ones, so that syncing your new iPod touch is quick and easy. You may also want to search on ebay and buy a screen protector. This really is an essential item, I personally use an Exim brand, and it save all the small scratches and smudges making their way onto the screen.
Over at our Geekanoids shop, we also sell GeekPouches, which are small corduroy pouches to keep your iPod touch safe. We will also be adding a back protector to the shop this week, so keep an eye out for that too.
Labels: iPod Touch
Zune 2 to hit US this November
Whilst I was quite impressed to see the Zune 2 improvements, when is Microsoft going to take the MP3 market seriously? Whilst my MP3 player of choice is the iPod (touch), if I wanted a Zune or Zune2 I could not buy one (easily) as I live in the UK. The first Zune was not a resounding success, selling just over one million units. Had it been available worldwide, it may well have sold three times that.Anyway, rant over, the new Zune 2 will be available in November, in the US, in both a hard drive based 80GB version, and either 4GB or 8GB flash based versions. The new user interface will adorn this new device and be made available as an update to the previous version. Biggest news for me is that it will support Podcasts, I just hope it will talk to iTunes too, or at least have a way of making it Mac friendly... now that would be good!
Labels: General News
The Authors
Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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This site covers all the latest Macintosh, technology & gadget related news. We also bring our readers thorough, unbiased reviews of computer software, hardware & peripherals, with some alternative products thrown into the mix.
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