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Google's domain name registrar is out of beta after seven years
To mark the occasion, you can get a discount on a single domain registration.
AMD has a server chip for the cheap seats: the 'desktop-like' Opteron 3200
So, AMD's 2012 rampage continues. Having outed a full stack of Radeon HD 7000-series graphics cards on the consumer side of things, it's now ready release the next in its line of Opteron enterprise server chips. Like the 4200 and 6200 series before it, the Opteron 3200 is based on the Bulldozer architecture. It comes in four or eight-core configurations, with 45W to 65W power consumption, plus a 2.7GHz base frequency that gets a 1GHz adrenalin kick in Turbo Core mode (which prioritizes half the cores and shuts down the other half). However, the 3200 series is designed to offer cloud and web hosting server functionality in a cheaper, "desktop-like infrastructure", which means these processors squeeze into a regular AM3+ socket and undercut comparable Xeons by up to $90. Can we expect server builders like SeaMicro to switch to these processors instead of Intel? Oh, you can count on it.
Rumor: Steve Jobs says iWeb and MobileMe hosting are going away
Those of us with a vested interest in iWeb have been perplexed by the lack of interest shown by Apple in the former iLife web design app. Couple this with the pending demise of MobileMe on June 30, 2012, and that confusion turns into concern. MacRumors featured a post a few hours ago about an iWeb/MobileMe fan who was so concerned about the lack of iWeb love coming from Apple that the user sent Steve Jobs an email. In the email the iWeb user asked, "Will I need to find an alternative website builder and someone to host my sites?" The alleged response from the CEO of Apple: "Yep." iWeb's discontinuation wouldn't be completely surprising. When iLife '11 debuted late last year, the lack of a new version of iWeb frustrated a number of users. When iCloud was announced last week, there was no indication that websites created with iWeb and hosted on MobileMe would have a migration path to the new world of Apple cloud computing. There are many free website alternatives to a MobileMe-hosted iWeb site, such as WordPress.com, Blogger, Tumblr, and Posterous; paid options include Squarespace, Drupal Gardens and hundreds more. In addition, Facebook is an excellent alternative for both individuals or companies who just want to create a simple web presence to inform friends or customers of what's going on. If your needs are for a straightforward yet powerful WYSIWIG web authoring environment, both RapidWeaver and Sandvox deliver much of iWeb's power with more flexibility for non-MobileMe hosting. For those who still want to have their websites designed in iWeb and hosted somewhere other than on MobileMe, you might want to start looking for low-cost web hosting soon.
Windows Live Spaces throws in the towel, sends users to WordPress
Are you a proud user of the Windows Live Spaces social networking / blog publishing service? Since the halcyon days of 2006, Spaces has been helping users connect with each other (and publish their Get A Life! fan fiction), but no longer: under a new plan announced yesterday, users who sign up for a Live account will be instead sent to WordPress, and users who already have Spaces accounts will be given a couple options: delete the site entirely, download the data, or migrate to WordPress.com. According to Huffington Post, this is all part of a new corporate strategy that sees Microsoft working to "play nice" with other people's solutions, and as such the company is assuring users that existing code and content will be compatible with (or convertible to) WordPress. This is also, obviously, part of a strategy to pull the plug on services that aren't makin' any money. All we can say is: we're having flashbacks to the great Geocities disaster of 2009, and it's not pleasant.
Getting started with WordPress and MAMP on your Mac
WordPress is among the more popular blog publishing and content management systems available. Some web hosting providers, such as GoDaddy and DreamHost, provide a relatively seamless and integrated WordPress installation process built into their dashboards. However, if you'd like to dip your toes into the WordPress waters and learn what lurks beneath it, but aren't yet ready to make a web hosting commitment (or switch, if your host currently doesn't support it) you can get you feet wet using MAMP.
Ask TUAW: Recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, website hosting and more
We're back with another edition of Ask TUAW! This time around we've got questions about recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, the best place to go for web hosting and more. As always, your questions and suggestions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions!Petre asks:I just bought a new guitar and I'm thinking about using it to record some of my songs with my new iMac. Any recommendations for a good method of connecting a guitar so I can record?Fortunately, you're in luck, in that the Mac is made for people trying to do just what you want to do. There are several options to accomplish this and it really just depends on how good you want the audio to sound and what your budget is. To get the best possible quality, you're going to need a few items.First, you're going to need some recording software. Fortunately, that's already on your iMac as you can use Apple's GarageBand for all your entry-level recording needs. Second, you'll need some sort of digital audio interface that connects your guitar's output to a USB or Firewire interface on your iMac. Some good ones to take a look at include the M-Audio MobilePre, the M-Audio Firewire Solo or the Line 6 Tone Port series. Then, all you need to do is plug your guitar into the converter and the converter into your Mac and you're good to go. Of course, you'll want to be sure and update the driver to the latest version and read the manual to get the most out of your converter.If you're not as concerned about audio quality, you can also use a converter cable, such as the Monster iStudio Link, to connect your guitar directly to the mic input on your iMac. That will allow you to record directly into your Mac but won't give you the best possible audio quality or level of customization you could get from a digital converter.
MMO Guildsites turns one
Today, the popular guild website-hosting service MMO Guildsites turns one year old. The celebrations kicked off with several nifty prizes awarded, as well as a look back on how the service has evolved with the growing needs of its users.Unfortunately, if you didn't already have an account, you weren't eligible for prizes, although should you sign your guild up, it's only one year until the next round. Here's a look at what you could have won: Nvidia 8600 GT video card - congratulations First of Many Logitech X-230 2.1 speaker system - congrats Overload Logitech G11 gaming keyboard - way to go Apocalypse Steelpad headset with microphone - hooray for Suncrown Nvidia 7900 GS XT video card - congratulations Avalorien Nvidia 7900 GS XT video card - won by Conceited If you're intrigued (or jealous...) then let's take a closer look at what the service has to offer.
