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All your workouts are belong to Nikeplus
We're not sure how a one-sentence support document made it into Apple's support knowledgebase, but this strange doc somehow snuck past the velvet rope. It simply states: "There is no way to remove workout data from the nikeplus website", with a 'stay tuned for more info' bit at the end to finish off what is probably the shortest support document we have ever seen. Getting to the topic, however: it seems just a bit strange that there is no way to remove workout information from this supposedly revolutionary new service/iPod accessory. It's not like we're suddenly terrified about Nike's trampling of user privacy, but we wouldn't be surprised if a few tin foil hat fashion aficionados raised at least some sort of a flag over this.
Ungenius - the other side of the Genius Bar
Beyond a doubt, Apple's retail stores have been and still are making headlines of all kinds - from business magazines hailing the stores' sleek design, to consumer reviews giving the stores high marks for their unique and (ideally) helpful Genius Bar feature. However, as some of you may know - not everyone's trip to the genius bar wraps up with a happy ending, and I'm not just talking about the customers; the Geniuses don't always have it so peachy-keen either.Hence, Ungenius - a blog by "JC" who apparently has some stories to tell of his adventures "aton[ing] for the sins of a multinational corporation during nearly four years as a Mac Genius". JC delves into all sorts of topics surrounding the world of the Genius including QA, the obvious defects that have made headlines as of late, and even some thoughts as to why Class Actions might be bad for consumers.Whether you've made a shrine for the last Genius who helped you out of a pickle or you're putting the finishing touches on a Genius Voodoo doll as you read this, Ungenius might be an interesting read from the other side of the cheery Apple retail store fence.
Yet Another Article on Gaming Addiction
Because I just can't get enough of this subject, the Dallas Morning News has an article online today about the by-now-familiar subject of online gaming addiction. Remember the article we linked to a few weeks back about the Amsterdam Clinic that had opened a program for gaming addicts? Well, they're not the only mental health professionals who are addressing the problem. This article contains quotes from several other workers in the field who claim that the number of instances of 'technology addiction' (the catch-all umbrella that gaming addiction apparently falls under) is on the rise, with no end in sight. Dr. John O'Neil of Houston sums things up with a telling quote:"In a way, the Internet is like Las Vegas," he said. It offers anything you want; it seems like the perfect place to cut loose for anonymous fun; and it's open 24 hours a day."My opinion on the subject is the same as it's always been: anything can be harmful if one becomes too deeply involved in it, and there are many other factets of the internet that can be just as all-consuming to the easily-addicted: chat rooms, online gambling, and, of course our old friend pornography are all things that can cause disruption in one's life if they are indulged in to excess. Of course, people have been addicted to sex & gambling for centuries; this whole video game thing is still pretty much uncharted territory. Maybe that's why I find this stuff so fascinating...or maybe I just like to read about people who make me look less addicted...
Google Calendar officially supports Safari
Users are reporting that Google Calendar now officially supports Safari. I can confirm, as I no longer receive the 'unsupported browser' warning on 10.4.6, and I must say gCal looks a bit nicer in Safari, though I unfortunately need to use Firefox for most of my browsing needs.It's nice to see Google going the extra mile to support Apple's browser with some of their products. Anyone want to place bets as to how soon a Safari-compatible chat will show up in Gmail?
Apple drops plans for India support center
Apple has dropped its plans for bolstering off-shore support in India and other countries. MacNN is reporting that the company hasn't been very forthcoming with a reason, but they have laid off all 30 of the employees hired under the subsidiary which would run these Indian support operations, Apple Services India Pvt Ltd (fortunately, the employees received two month's severance pay).This is good news, as I've never heard wonderful things about a company's customer support ratings when they make a move like this. Dell's tanked when they tried it, and last I heard they shut the facility down and moved most of their support operations back to the US. Kudos to Apple for taking a hint from others' mistakes.
Adobe sets us straight: GoLive and Freehand are not going anywhere (yet)
Remember that post we had yesterday (ok, fine: I wrote it) that Adobe was giving pink slips to GoLive and Freehand? As it turns out, that might not exactly have been true. Macworld reported last night that a true-blue Adobe rep laid it out on the table: "Adobe plans to continue to support GoLive and Freehand and develop these products based on our customer's needs."However, another quote doesn't cast any good vibes on the future of these products in the long run: "Clearly Dreamweaver and Illustrator are market leading when it comes to web design/development and vector graphics/illustration... Customers should expect Adobe to concentrate our development efforts around these two products with regards to future innovation and Creative Suite integration".Take from that what you wish, but it sounds like the GoLive-haters from my previous post and the Freehand-lovers will still have some hatin' and lovin' to do, at least for a little while longer.
Apple's 'Quick Assist' support document edited, drops permissions repair and 'restart just because' tips
Remember that 'Mac Maintenance Quick Assist' Apple Support document we found that seemed to be aimed at those new to Macs and computers in general? You know, the one that recommended fundamentals like dusting your computer and using file names that actually mean something? Well, John Gruber today fortunately pointed out that the document has been slightly edited, as it no longer recommends questionable voodoo repair permissions tactics, nor disk defragmenting (Mac OS X automatically does most of that work itself automatically) or "restarting your Mac every few days just for kicks". Three cheers for sensibility.
Did the SMC Firmware Update cripple some Intel Mac clock speeds?
A thread in Apple's support forums discusses complaints of crippled clock speeds after installing yesterday's SMC firmware update on Intel Macs. Upon an apparently successful update, some users checked their min and max clock speeds with CoreDuoTemp to find that their max has been limited to 1000 Mhz, even after using utilities to force their machine to work as hard as it can.I just used CoreDuoTemp to check my own MacBook Pro's clock speeds to find that it's max is set right where it should be, at 2000 Mhz. However, if your Intel Mac's speed is suspect after successfully installing yesterday's SMC firmware update, check out this forum thread to see if something is really afoot in the land of Intel Mac clock speeds.[Thanks Aaron]
PS3 pad loses DualShock name and vibration but picks up Wii-esque motion detection and wireless connectivity
In a shocking turn of events, the PS3 controller has gone from banamerang to wireless DualShock 3, except without the DualShock name and vibration.If you take a good look at the back of the new control pad (see the close-up above), you'll notice that the DualShock 2 brand name imprinted on the old controller has now been supplanted by a row of LED lights to show which input has been set, either wirelessly or via the wired USB recharge port. Sony's now the only name in-line for PS3 controllers either on the pad or in the press releases (see "the new PS3 controller").
Apple Support doc: Mac maintenance Quick Assist
Apple has released a "Mac Maintenance Quick Assist" support document that is more or less a 10-step guide aimed at beginners for taking care of their Mac, both inside and out. These steps include good, basic practices such as using relevant names for files instead of "DSC_00001.jpg," while also recommending that you occasionally clean your Mac (duh).I was surprised to see a few tips make this list, however. The first: Check for viruses. "Macs don't get anywhere near the amount of viruses that Windows PCs are prone to, but that doesn't mean that they can't get infected," reads tip #8. I guess the guys who wrote this article didn't get the memo from the team who made the "Macs don't get viruses" TV commercials. The other odd tips deal with Mac maintenance stuff, like repairing permissions and defragging your hard drive. I was under the impression that, since Panther, Mac OS X defragged itself. On the permissions topic, there has been a lot of chatter over the last couple of months about whether repairing permissions is actually useful. Just check out the pseudo-series John Gruber had on the topic.All in all, I think I was actually a little frightened by evidence of even cheesier one-liners making their way into Apple's support docs: "As a Mac user, you won't have to do windows, but you will need to do some housekeeping!" Yuk yuk.
Yuji Naka confirmed to be leaving Sega to form Prope
Back in March, we heard rumblings that Sega stalwart Yuji Naka was planning to leave Sega to start his own studio. Today, that rumor's been confirmed. According to Next Generation, Naka's new company is called Prope, which means "'beside' and 'near' future." Prope's web site (not linked on Next Gen) apparently explains that the name was chosen "in the hopes of bringing game entertainment much closer to users, establishing closer ties between users and us, and creating near future entertainment." We're just happy that Naka is retaining some ties to his old corporate home thanks to a 10% contribution on Sega's part to prop up the emerging new independent studio (a concept which Sega seems to support with its developers). Unfortunately, as the firm "will commit to new IP," you shouldn't expect updates of Sega classic franchises from the old hand anytime soon. It will also be interesting to see who's guiding the new Sonic games as well. Prope will open for business on June 1st. [Thanks, Sense; via 8-bit Ninja] See also: Rumor: Yuji Naka set to leave Sega NiGHTS Into Dreams, onto Revolution? Next-gen Sonic to be "re-invented" for PS3 and Xbox 360
MS Point fraud reported (Updated)
Reader Drew shares a worrisome tale about unauthorized MS points on his passport account following the XBL down time—when it was impossible to purchase points:Just before Live came back up today, I got an email thanking me for my purchase of 500 MS Points on the Live Marketplace. The fun part is that I live alone and had not turned on my console today or yesterday--so I was curious as to how I could be charged for points--especially when the Live was down and unavailable for such transactions. At first I thought it was just an example of clever phishing, but when I turned on my 360 to find out, sure enough, I had more points than the last time I turned it off. I checked my passport account online and it said the points had indeed been purchased today. I called MS Support and they agreed with me (and not my cynical friend) in saying that it was impossible for me to buy points today--at least before Live came back up and that they would escalate the issue and I should expect a waiver of the 'no-refund' policy pending investigation--given the strange circumstances. Could be a one time thing--or just my luck, but if it happens to another guy somewhere, maybe it's news.Disturbing story. Has this happened to anybody else?(Update: Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and are crediting the affected accounts. From the Xbox.com forums: "All affected users will be getting refunds, none of you is going to have to pay for our mistake. And you'll be able to keep the extra points too. We are still working out the details, and it could take a few days for all of this to be fully resolved, but I wanted you to know that we absolutely will be taking care of this, no one will have to pay for any of these charges." Makes me wish my account was affected too!)
Replicate this dashboard bug
No, that's not a modern art masterpiece, it's a dashboard bug you can replicate by doing the following: make sure the screensaver on the X360 is activated start any download from live marketplace that takes longer than 10 mins. to download (to let the screensaver kick in) leave the download going and don't touch the controller. the screensaver will dim the screen after 10 mins. unplug the ethernet cable or end your internet connection from your router/modem you'll see the screen graphics scramble on the screen when it tries to tell you that the connection has ended. However, when you hit the controller the dashboard screen goes back to normal (at least that is what happens to mine) Smashing your console with a cinderblock works pretty good too. Seriously, reader Critical3rror is having issues with the scrambled screen pictured above when downloading (at least he was when he first emailed me about it a while back). As mentioned, it goes back to normal when he hits a controller button. Anybody else run into this issue?
Revolution support list
Over at Joystiq, blogger Ross Miller strives to keep you updated on all the pertinent information regarding official third-party support for the Revolution. Ross, not one to half-ass it, goes on to explain the respective company's ties with the Nintendo of old and summarizes all that is currently known regarding the project. It's really a worthwhile read and a trusty bookmark as it will be updated with new information as it surfaces.
BackityMac 1.0 - easy backup, restore and maintenance
BackityMac is a really handy, really simple to use backup and restore utility that allows you to chose from a number of different application support directories to backup into a good ol' fashioned read-only disk image. The list of library and support folders includes: Mail Entourage Keychain Safari, Firefox and Camino bookmarks iPhoto library iTunes library iWeb files Documents folder your entire Home folder However, BackityMac is no one-trick pony. It also has a Maintenance pane that allows you to perform various Mac OS X tune-up tasks such as permissions repair, deleting caches, re-indexing Spotlight, running those late-night cron scripts and more.If you haven't found a good tool or developed some kind of a backup habit yet, BackityMac is a great place to start - especially since its free. Go check it out.
Scratch support: Suck disc
There's anarchy in the UK. Well, at least when it comes scratched PDZ discs: I just got off the phone from the UK XB360 support team - as you know when the 360 launched and it was scratching discs, microsoft was replacing copies , at least of perfect dark zero - my 360 managed to scratch my copy of pd0, and its now unplayable, without my interfering with the console - having called up the UK 360 support team, they told me that they've done "research" into it, and the only way this happens is by someone "moving" the console during gameplay, so they refused to replace it- firstly thats not exact kosher seeing as its all too easy to move the 360, and secondly, its patently not true because mine seems to have managed to destroy a disc without the slightest interference. Somebody ought to figure out just how much movement it takes to ruin a $60 DVD. You know who that someone should be? Microsoft Support. How many other people have run into this problem and what was your experience with MS? Does not moving the console during gameplay mean we'll never see a 360 on Pimp My Ride? [Thanks Theo]
Flip4Mac breaks QuickTime export?
Some users, myself included, are reporting that the 3rd party Flip4Mac plugin Microsoft recently purchased and offered for free seems to break QuickTime Pro's ability to export movie files. This morning I was trying to compress and export to H.264 some AVI files I shot with my Canon digicam over the weekend, but was met with relentless "error -2126" messages. Some research revealed a few articles and Apple Support threads, like this one, that have found this and various other buggy issues with the WMV plugin, but most of them pointed to this Flip4Mac support topic on the grubby process of uninstalling and/or Flip4Mac. A future release of the plugin promises a true, automated uninstaller option, but for now: if you're having QuickTime issues like this after installing Flip4Mac, try going through their uninstallation process to reclaim the software's abilities.
IBM Lotus Notes to support OS X, Devil turns up thermostat
I know what you're thinking. Both me and fellow blogger Dave Caolo were asking each other the same question: "Lotus Notes still exists?"But seriously, if there is a sign of the times - especially corporate times - this could certainly be one of them: IBM will announce at Lotusphere next week that the next client version of their Lotus Notes software will support OS X (while version 6.5 of Lotus Notes supports 10.3, version 7 doesn't support OS X at all). They will also be announcing support for Intel-based Macs, due later this year. As reasoning for this newfound OS X support, a representative for an IBM partner is quoted in an InformationWeek article saying: "We have a lot of health-care customers and maybe 1 percent of a company’s research department is on Macs but they have 99 percent of the influence."The article also contains speculation from industry observers that this new friendliness IBM has for Apple's software is actually a renewal of a partnership the two companies had in the early nineties, when they jointly worked on "Pink," an object-oriented OS built to take on Windows. Apparently, it failed. With a name like "Pink," you only get three guesses as to why.On a broader scale though, I'm hopeful for more business and corporate support for our favorite fruity computers, as it would be great for more people to be able to chose a productive computer in the workplace.[via MacNN]
On power adapters, PMUs and the new PowerBooks
As I was using my one month old PowerBook yesterday, I was alarmed to see the charging light on the power adapter randomly shift between orange and green. I came up empty handed after some googling and searching Apple's Support pages, so I started plugging the adapter into other outlets in the apartment. No go; my adapter was still putting on its own little glowstick show for me. I then decided to look up Apple's support document detailing the procedure for resetting a PowerBook's PMU (Power Management Unit), which brings me to the first lesson I learned: Apple changed the PMU reset procedure for the most recent 15" and 17" Dual Layer SD PowerBooks, so definitely check it out if you go down this same road.Unfortunately, a PMU reset still didn't solve my dilemma. Getting nervous, I finally decided to take advantage of Apple's insulting "90 days of complementary support" to see if they could bail me out. Fortunately, after some troubleshooting, I learned my second lesson of the day: PowerBook and iBook adapters, if left plugged into a wall for too long, might need to actually be reset. This can easily be done by unplugging both of an adapter's ends for at least 60 seconds. We didn't delve into the inner workings of these power adapters for an explanation, but I've kept one plugged into a specific outlet in my apartment for probably at least a month or two, and I guess that might be just enough to make a power adapter a little confused in the head. So kids, remember: don't be like me. Keep your power adapter happy and light-show free by unplugging it from time to time.
Troubleshoot an iPod with a folder icon
From time to time I've seen an iPod stop operating and display nothing but a folder icon - definitely not a happy sign. With the holidays fast approaching, I thought it'd be a good idea to offer the iPod owners and soon-to-be-owners a refresher link to Apple's support document on this problem, in case this issue crops up with a shiny new iPod just snatched from under the tree.To summarize, the moral of the document is: make sure you install the proper and latest iPod software using orthodox tools and methods. Use either the CD that came with the iPod or download the latest iPod Updater software from Apple's Downloads site. Also, don't use other software or means of erasing the iPod or partitioning the drive unless you really know what you're doing - playing by the book does sometimes have its advantages.I'll go through more of Apple's support documents in the next day or so and post a roundup of links to the most common topics and problems so everyone has a good stock in their toolbelt for the gift-giving season.
