Here's a rather addictive mosaic. Just click on it and you'll get the idea.

http://interact10ways.com/usa/information_interactive.htm

Careful you don't zoom too far, you might find you're clicking on the back of your head.

The official version of DivX for the Mac is all new and updated, so go download it.

It also contains the codec for Quicktime, you can convert movies to the DivX format and play DivX movies directly from a web browser. You can also play movies/video clips full screen.

http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/

Let's say it's an alternative to Quicktime or a companion, for more information on what DivX is, look here

I was talking to my Mum earlier today. She has an iBook, an iMac and stores information on both machines, sometimes forgetting which one she saved a file on etc. (I'm just as bad). To save her having to go from one to the other, I told her I'd explain how to access either machine using the network with sharing.

There are a few ways to do this, but this is the most simple:

Open System Preferences (from the Dock or Apple menu) and select Sharing

At the top you will see your computer's name, rename it if you wish with a unique name.

You'll also be presented with a list of Services.

Just click the check box for Personal File Sharing

Then close System Preferences. Do this on each Mac you want to access.

To access one Mac from the other:

From the Finder (desktop):

Select the Network icon from a Finder window sidebar.

Note: If you don't have a Finder window with a sidebar either click the 'lozenge' shaped icon on the right hand corner of the window.

Or in the Finder, select the File menu & New Finder Window

In the window pane to the right, you should see the names: Library, Servers and the other Macs/servers/computers (with the names you assigned) shared on your network. In my case Paul's Computer.

Double click on the Mac you wish to access, and up will pop a log in window.

Select the Registered User radio button. Then type in the user name and password of the Mac you are accessing (not the user name of the Mac you are using to access the other Mac, of course you can set them to be the same)

You could also select Remember my password in keychain, this should make things quicker on repeat log ins

Note: The user name and password information is set using Accounts in System preferences. It's the same name & password you log in with and use to authorise installations etc

Press Connect; another window will appear showing you the volumes/folders you can access on that particular machine.

In this case when connecting to Paul's Mac, it is showing me his main hard disc, Macintosh HD.

Note: Macintosh HD is the default name of the internal hard disc drive on a Mac, you may have renamed yours. If you've not, I recommend you do, it makes things less confusing when connecting to other Macs.

His home directory folder paul and Cod Deluxe, which is a DVD game Paul had inserted at the time.

Your list will differ.

Most of the time selecting the home directory (paul in this case) will give you access to the all information you may want, including the desktop of the machine in question. Selecting the main hard disc drive Macintosh HD will give you access to everything.

Select the one you want and press OK.

The volume of the Mac you selected will appear in the Finder. You should see it in the sidebar on the left, just below any other volumes (Hard Discs, Disc Images, DVDs etc) you have installed.

You can then select it and treat it like any other folder/volume/hard disc etc. Copy files to and from, or open files directly.

Remember speed and copying of opening files will depend on your network speed.

Once you've finished just click the little eject button to the right, or drag it to the trash.

That's it!

She also wants to share browser bookmarks between each machine, I'm going to do a little research.

Apple's new fifth avenue New York store is now open, and what an opening! Yes, crazy as it's just a shop, but would this ever happen at a PC store opening? You can watch a time-lapse at Apple's site.

To get the idea, just have to watch this video, and the full story at IFO.

I think had I been the first one in I'd have been punching the air more!

The new intel based MacBook's are here, replacing both the 12"/14" iBook and 12" PowerBook. That's my PowerBook obsolete then.

They come in Black & White and 3 models, all with 13" widescreen.

£749: White 1.83Ghz Intel Core Duo, 512mb/60GB, Combo
£899: White 2.0Ghz Intel Core Duo, 512mb/60GB, SuperDrive
£1028.99: Black 2.0Ghz Intel Core Duo, 512mb/80GB, SuperDrive

Available now

The black one being the top of the range, which just means it has a larger HD it seems, though oddly, if you order a White MacBook with the same size hard drive, it'll still cost less than the black one. So you're paying about £90 for the colour black? Spray can anyone?

They also weigh in slightly heavier than the 12" iBook. Apple could do with a true super light portable, but you're getting a larger widescreen and they're thinner, so can't really complain? Here are the weights, old and new:

MacBook Pro 17" Weight: 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg)
iBook 14" Weight: 5.9 pounds (2.7 kg)
MacBook Pro 15" Weight: 5.6 pounds (2.54 kg)
MacBook Weight: 5.2 pounds (2.36 kg)
iBook 12" Weight: 4.9 pounds (2.2 kg)
PowerBook 12" Weight: 4.6 pounds (2.1 kg)

(Red replaced)


There's some good photos here

The first thing I think everyone will notice is the 'glossy' screen. This may take some getting used to, but is meant to give improved colour and also work better outside (because I often run outside with mine) and might cause a headache.

I've seen a glossy screened PC laptop before and wasn't to sure, it could double up as a mirror? The other thing is the new keyboard and built in iSight camera and remote control, but it's not a radical new design. I would like to see something 'new' and innovative, but if it's not broke?

One of the other cool new features I thought is the ability for a user to replace the internal hard drive, without having to take the whole thing to bits, finally getting a bigger HD will be like replacing memory. (As some older PowerBook models will know, you used to be able to slide hard drives out willy nilly)

This chap was one of the first to get his hands on one, it's a very Mac thing to take photos of unpacking your Mac but, It didn't take long for those crazy Japanese to take one apart.

I'd like one, be a lot faster than my 12" PowerBook.

With the introduction of the MacBook, Apple also increased the speed on the MacBook Pro.

Update: MacWorld US, have a nice article on the new machines, and a great photo showing the size difference between the PowerBook 12" and the new machines.

"Good news everyone!" in a Professor Hubert Fansworth voice.

Apple Records Corp (what a great site) aka, The Beatles; have lost their court case with Apple Computer. I let out a 'yessss' when I read it, not that I'm one to gloat.

I'm no doubt in the minority, or just the wrong age group. The Beatles to me was always that music my Mum liked (I'm not sure she actually liked them that much either, she says they were ok, but wasn't fanatical). I don't mind them, I just never was in awe of them.

It just seemed like common sense has won through, nobody was ever really going to confuse The Beatles record label and the computer company. This case seemed more about money (like most things).

The Beatles recently announced they might join the 21st century and allow their music to be sold online, but it's doubtful it'll be with iTMS.

Update: Apple Records are appealing

You've probably got one already, but Apple have just made some new adverts. Called Get A Mac.

I really like the new adverts, they're cute and funny and it's nice to see Apple putting over the reasons that Macs are better for a change. (better than the switch campaign, not that I think it ever aired in the UK hmm could be wrong) and thankfully not another iPod advert.

The iLife one makes me chuckle. Just when he says: "Calculator, clock"

"Ever thought ‘what is this song?’ Let Tunatic hear it and you will get the artist's name and the song's title within seconds. Tunatic is the very first song search engine based on sound for your computer. All you need is a microphone and Internet access."

http://www.wildbits.com/tunatic/

There have been pay for services like this available for mobile phones, but this one is free and on your mac.

Though, it might be easier waving a mobile in-front of a speaker, rather than your mac.

I've tried it, and it identified most of the songs, but Dave from Mac Observer's MacGeekGab said he had problems he said in their latest podcast, but I managed to get it to identify the songs he had problems with.

I think the key is increasing the input level of your mic (you need the eq line in tunatic really to be dancing) and/or getting the mic close to the output speaker.

As I mentioned to Dave in my email:

"It picked up Madonna (music), Beastie Boys (Intergalactic), Beck (Epro), Belle & Sebastian (funny little frog) but not Ash (oh yeah). So, it's fairly good with contemporary music. It even got Barry White (you're the first the last). I could of course identify all of those using my "ears". It did get Cat Power (names) which is fairly obscure, but still more contemporary.

The ones Dave had problems with: Got the Beatles (ticket to ride) but it incorrectly identified it as (please please me). Maybe that's a database error? It identified Rush (Tom Sawyer) straight away for me. I also got Stairway to heaven. So, they're definitely there (in their database).

I did come across a companion product for it, Tunalyzer, that apparently analyses music on your mac and sends the audio fingerprint back to them, making tunatic work better in theory. (It doesn't seem to indicate it's actually doing anything.)

Overall, it's quite a fun application, but, I'm not sure what 'real' use it is?