Byte Into It - 11 Feb 09

Apple takes 10 per cent of operating system market - News - PC Authority

Apple
now has more than 10 per cent of the operating system market, according
to data from market research firm Net Applications.

Apple's
share grew to 9.93 per cent in January, as Windows fell to 88.26 per
cent. In addition, the iPhone operating system was used by 0.48 per
cent of users.

Net Applications reported strong interest in
Windows 7, meanwhile, which Microsoft released as a beta on 9 January.
The beta was so popular that Microsoft had to suspend its usual
download limits on the software.

"This is an indication of
strong interest in Windows 7, since it does not come pre-installed on a
computer, like Vista," said Net Applications.

"Beta users are
taking the time and effort to install it on their home computers, since
corporations generally prohibit beta operating systems in production
environments."

The Net Applications data was not such good news
for Linux distributions, however. Fewer than one per cent of computer
users have Linux installed, despite an upturn with the growth of the
netbook market.

New Ubuntu OS debuts on HP Mini 1000 Mi Netbook - News - PC Authority

Ubuntu
has crossed over into the netbook space and has debuted on the HP Mini
1000 Mi. And strangely enough, it weighs less than the same Windows
model.

Looking at the HP Mini website, we can confirm that
Ubuntu has found its way over into the expanding netbook space. But not
just any Ubuntu interface it seems, but one that appears to have been
custom designed for the HP Mini 1000 Mi netbook.

Unfortunately,
the awkwardly named HP Mini 1000 Mi may leave some Australian readers
scratching their heads, and that's understandable considering this
particular netbook model hasn't even arrived on Australian shores yet.

However,
specs based on the 1000 "Mini" Mi (get it?) appear to be identical to
the recently released Aussie HP Mini 1000, except for a couple of
unique changes: weight and price.

The following specs apply for both versions of the Mini 1000:

* Sleek design (less than 1" profile)
* 10.2" screen
* Intel Atom processor
* 3 cell battery
* 60GB HD or 16SD

Odd Specs:
The
US HP website reveals the Mini 1000 Mi weight starts at 1.03kg with
Ubuntu (depending on configuration). The Mini 1000 XP model starts from
1.11kg, meaning that either the new Mi has been redesigned to be a
touch lighter or that Windows is truly the heaviest OS in the world.
Some might argue for the latter.

In addition to this, for all
the costs of a Microsoft licence, HP will charge just $US20 more than
the Mini 1000 XP version. Not too shabby for the Linux option.

Social media lights up as Victorian bushfires rage - web - Technology

As the worst bushfires in Australia's history raged across Victoria,
Twitter, Flickr and Facebook lit up with condolences and horrific
first-hand accounts, while many used innovative online mapping tools to
assess the risk of the fires reaching their own homes.

Mainstream news outlets, battling to provide comprehensive coverage of the
tragedy, have incorporated accounts published on the social networking
sites extensively in their reports.

Using online social media to spread vital information and personal stories is becoming increasingly commonplace in times of crisis, but this may be the first time the social networking sites have been used extensively during an Australian
disaster.

Google's engineers have created a map containing the latest up-to-date information about fire locations and their status,
based on data provided by Victoria's Country Fire Authority (CFA).

The map, updated in real-time with information about the number, type and
size of fires in a particular location, buckled as thousands of web
users sought out updates. But the site appeared to be working as normal
this morning.

Google created the map after the CFA's website
struggled to cope with the surge in people looking for information
about the fires.

"We hope that it's of some use to people who
may be affected, to emergency services personnel, and that it takes
some load off other websites which are being inundated," Google wrote
in a blog post.

Aus-emaps.com created its own map of the fire
locations - derived from data provided by Federal Government body
Geoscience Australia through its Sentinel national bushfire monitoring
system - before Google but also reported slowdowns due to high demand.

On Twitter, "bushfires" is as of this morning the No.1 "trending topic" as
users traded first-hand accounts, news, and information on how to
donate and seek help.

bushfires - Twitter Search

Buy 5 SitePoint books for price of 1 and EVERY DOLLAR goes to victims of the Aus #bushfires: http://sale.sitepoint.com/

(21) bushfires - Twitter Search

RT Free legal help line for people affected by bushfires 1800 113 432

Twitter / 774melbourne

774 ABC Hotline for those offering material help to people affected by bushfires 03 9626 1752

HTC Dream takes on iPhone, Windows Mobile - News - PC Authority

HTC
took the wraps off its HTC Dream today, marking the debut of the first
phone powered by Google's Android operating system in Australia.

HTC
and Google were asked what would make people line up outside an Optus
store for the HTC Dream, and to be honest we didn't find their answer
particularly compelling: something about the Dream being an "online
phone", and the next evolution in mobile Internet "experience".

That's not to say it isn't a promising device - the interface, physical design, are looking very good

Much has already been said about the Google Android, and in a nutshell there are several reasons the Dream is worth a look:

* Extended Home screen - smartphone interfaces (Windows Mobile, we're
looking at you) have a habit of being way too awkward and intimidating
to navigate. HTC's Dream presents a simple to use home screen, with
multiple pages. Swipe your finger to drag open a new screen.
*
Touchscreen and keyboard - unlike the iPhone, this is a touchscreen
phone with a QWERTY keyboard. It's physically thicker than an iPhone,
but if Blackberry-type functionality is what you're after, the keyboard
will certainly help.
* Google - the HTC Dream has Google apps like Google Talk, Gmail, Google Maps, Youtube and others built-in.

* Offline Gmail - Google Gmail became an even more enticing proposition
for business owners and home users when Offline Gmail arrived recently.

* Apps - there's apparently hundreds of apps available for Google
Android phones, though time will tell whether these will be as useful
as those on Apple's iPhone App Store.

The phone is only
available via Optus from February 16. Optus Post-Paid customers can buy
the Dream on four plans, starting from $59 (plus handset costs). We're
told data plans from 500MB to 3GB are in the works. Great news, though
we'll be keen to see other carriers come on board.

Vodafone and 3 to merge Australian operations - BizTech - Technology

Mobile phone operators Vodafone Australia Ltd and Hutchison Telecommunications (Aust) Ltd have agreed to merge their businesses in Australia.

Each company will own 50 per cent of the joint venture, VHA Ltd.

VHA will market its products and services under the existing Vodafone brand, and retain the exclusive rights to the 3 brand, which is owned by Hutchison.

Amazon Kindle 2 gets official - News - PC Authority

PC Authority > News > Amazon Kindle 2 gets official
Amazon Kindle 2 gets official
Amazon Kindle 2 gets official
by Stuff.tv on Feb 10, 2009
Tags: Amazon | Kindle
2 Comments
Sequel to best–selling eReader announced in New York – and the Kindle 2 is thinner than an iPhone.

Amazon hasn't exactly done a good job of keeping its new eReader, the Kindle 2, under lock and key. Pics of the sequel to the best selling gadget have been plastered all over the web, with plenty of chat about cool new features that'd finally bring an end to those pesky paperbacks for good.

Well, at last, the bookish types have come clean, officially unveiling the Kindle 2 in New York. And it really does look like a leap in the right direction. Gone is the clunky design, replaced by something a lot slicker and thinner than an iPhone at just 0.36in.

They're also promising two weeks reading on a single charge, wireless delivery of papers and mags straight to the device, plus text to speech, so you can listen to your latest Mills and Boon novel when your eyes get tired. You'll be able to shoehorn more on there too, with seven times extra space. Even better if you're off on a schlep around the globe

r2 Studios - Software
When Windows loads it's Startup file, it attempts to load every program in there at the same time. Therefore if you have quite a lot of programs starting when Windows starts, each program will try and grab CPU time so that it can load.

If each program tries to do this at the same time, you soon notice the slow down that occurs, due to your CPU trying to help all the programs to load, and your hard disk accessing multiple files.

Startup Delayer allows you to setup how many seconds after Windows has started, to load each program.

Mozilla Labs » Blog Archive » Introducing Ubiquity

Ubiquity, a Mozilla Labs experiment into connecting the Web with language in an attempt to find new user interfaces that could make it possible for everyone to do common Web tasks more quickly and easily.

The overall goals of Ubiquity are to explore how best to:

* Empower users to control the web browser with language-based instructions. (With search, users type what they want to find. With Ubiquity, they type what they want to do.)
* Enable on-demand, user-generated mashups with existing open Web APIs. (In other words, allowing everyone–not just Web developers–to remix the Web so it fits their needs, no matter what page they are on, or what they are doing.)
* Use Trust networks and social constructs to balance security with ease of extensibility.
* Extend the browser functionality easily.

Foxmarks bookmark syncing service comes to Safari - Ars Technica

synchronizing your bookmarks. One way to do that is with Foxmarks, a free bookmark backup synchronization tool that was recently rolled out for Safari.

Foxmarks works a bit like a cloud computing service for bookmarks, since it provides both bookmark syncing and bookmark backup functions. Foxmarks will also let you view your bookmarks on the Web and on mobile devices like an iPhone or a BlackBerry. The service also allows users to share bookmarks with others, as well as maintain various bookmark "profiles" for different locations or computers. It will even let you sync passwords if you're using Firefox 3.

Speaking of browser versions, Foxmarks works with Firefox and Safari (although Leopard is required), but it's also available for Internet Explorer if you'd like to keep track of your bookmarks at work, or if you're a masochist. Additionally, the Windows version of Safari and Google Chrome are both on the list of browsers that will be supported soon. Best of all, Foxmarks is free

Google turns on Exchange for iPhone and Windows Mobile users - Ars Technica

Continuing
its productivity war on Apple, Microsoft, and everyone in between,
Google on Monday enabled Exchange support for iPhone and Windows Mobile
device owners. This is in addition to Google's existing tool for
BlackBerry phones, but the company is also including contact sync
support for other phones via the standard SyncML protocol.

Wrapped
under the product umbrella of Google Sync, Gmail contacts and Google
Calendar events can now be synchronized via over-the-air (OTA) push
between Windows Mobile devices and both first- and second-generation
iPhones (note, however, that iPhone OS 2.2 is required). Configuration
for these devices is performed via their respective, built-in
ActiveSync and Exchange configuration features, respectively, though
Google Sync strangely does not support push e-mail for these devices
yet. Microsoft says that Google licensed the Exchange ActiveSync, and
these features are available for free today for both general consumers
and, for once, Google Apps users at the same time.

Tips for returning students & people wanting to buy a cheap mac:

• Students get an automatic discount from Apple and should look for
deals that include free or discounted software, bags, printers, ipods
and so on.

• Apple has an academic/student section for it's Australian store: http://store.apple.com/au/browse/home/education_routing?mco=MTIxODk0Nw

• Apple also have a Back To Uni includes a $179 rebate : http://store.apple.com/au/browse/home/campaigns/back_to_school/2009?mco=MTQ2Njg

• Some resellers have campus stores:

Computers Now - RMIT (City Campus) & Monash Uni (Clayton Campus) : http://www.compnow.com.au/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=248&op=page

Next Byte - Melbourne Uni (Parkville Campus) & Latrobe Uni (Bundoora Campus) : http://www.nextbyte.com.au/pages/content.aspx?id=65#unimelbourne

• Seriously think about AppleCare: http://www.apple.com/au/support/products/

• Also think about laptop insurance - but read the policies and be clear on what you are and are not covered for.

• Be caution of Rent Smart and other hire/purchase finance - you
will pay a lot more for that computer in the long run, if it breaks or
gets stolen - you still have to pay out the loan. Look for a student
loan from your Student Union or Bank if you need the money to buy.

• Apple have refurbished machines available also. These machines
may be new machines that have had problems and have been fixed and
ex-demo machines. A word of caution these machines can be prone to more
issues, but you are covered by a warranty. You are also eligible for
AppleCare. Thanks to Jonathan from Xero (Elgin Street, Carlton).

• Apple refurbished page: http://store.apple.com/au/browse/home/specialdeals?mco=MTE3Njg

• Check the Apple product cycle using the MacRumors Buyers Guide.
When new machines are released, old ones get discounted to clear stock.
Also check this so you don't get caught when buying a new machine only
to have it updates shortly after. http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

• Companies like New Wave Systems offer trade-in deals. See link below

• Resellers also have refurbished machines, clearance items & specials:

Computers Now - clearance: http://compnow.com.au/downloads/CompNow-Clearance-List.pdf

Designwyse - http://www.designwyse.com.au/general/clearance/

New Wave Systems (2nd hand Mac specialists) - http://www.newwavesystems.com.au/nws/home.html

Next Byte - refurbs: http://www.nextbyte.com.au/pages/bestbuys.aspx

Next Byte - clearance: http://www.nextbyte.com.au/pages/content.aspx?id=63

Palaeographics - clearance: http://www.buymac.com.au/store/other/clearance

Palaeographics - auctions: http://stores.ebay.com.au/Palaeographics-com-au-Auctions

Streetwise - specials: http://www.streetwise.com.au/specials.php

• Other resellers to check out:

Xero - Elgin Street, Carlton (close to Melbourne Uni & Collingwood TAFE) : http://www.xero.com.au/

Beyond The Box - Puckle Street, Moonee Ponds : http://www.beyondthebox.com.au/

• Training:

CAE - Flinders Lane

March Course: http://www.cae.edu.au/?class=SRN26201

April Course: http://www.cae.edu.au/?class=SRL88402

Tequp - http://tequp.pbwiki.com/tequpMelbourne

Apple Retail Store - Chadstone: http://www.apple.com/au/retail/chadstone/ (Youth Programs, Genius Bar, Workshops, One to One)

MacAdvice - Ross House, Flinders Lane http://www.macadvice.com.au/

Computers Now: http://www.compnow.com.au/training/

Streetwise: http://www.streetwise.com.au/training.php

Beyond The Box: http://www.beyondthebox.com.au/index.php?EXP=640

Xero: http://www.xero.com.au/workshops

Apologies to those resellers that I may have missed or not included
some of your services! Please contact me with info via
twitter.com/byronscullin and I'll up-date the info for you.