The website
Winsupersite is publish online a first test of the last MS Vista build.
It is of course difficult to make criticism regarding this new build when the other himself admit that there is so much in common with the current Apple OSX Tiger. For sure the "computer convergence" is on going to an unified GUI and applications...
Our comments: do you remember the advertisement during the WWDC 2004 for the launch of Tiger :
Well it really seems that MS took it seriously...
A rumor was announcing that the expected 30"" TFT Dell display would be available on December 21st. Well, in reality the availability date will be on january 5th.
The price is not known yet, but it will for sure be lower than the Apple 30" cinema display; and will be the first real competitor to Apple display flagship model.
Apple will have to answer by either releasing an even larger cinema display model, and by decreasing the price of its entire Cinema display series.
The US company Digigami has developed a MPEG-2-derived codec named MegaPEG HD MPEG-2 VBR. Its size/quality ratio is claimed to be similar to the MPEG-4 ( and one of its derived codec, the H.264).
Using this modified MPEG-2 codec, a 720p HD video could use a data flow rate similar to the current DVD (between 3 and 7 Mbits/s).
This news might give ammunitions for part of the Movie industry that refuse to
shift to the MPEG-4 format.
We pass this one off to Martin:
I bought an Dual RJ11 to USB Phone Adaptor from CuPhone and received it in a week (http://www.cuphone.com)
It is an exceptional product and it has a driver for our platform! So, what is it used for?
You connect the USB to your Mac, connect a telephone to it, and also your telephone line if you wish.
Then you can make and receive calls with your telephone via Skype! To make a call through Skype, you add 00 before the number and then press ## afterwards. To call a contact on your Skype list, you select it with your mouse, pick up your phone, and click call.
Then when somebody call you on Skype or on your telephone line, the adapter sends the call to your regular telephone.
Thus you can answer (and make) a Skype call while being away from your computer.
The sound quality is perfect, it does not require any configuration for operation (just downloading the driver).
This solution is better than bluetooth, whose audio quality and range leave something to be desired (I have 4 bluetooth headset which I compared).
And the price? $40 + $10 for international shipping (Japan in my case). And the whole thing was delivered in less than a week after the order.
We told you a few months ago about the software
TamTam by Equinux, which provides access to the TomTom GO from the Mac, so that maps can be installed.
We have learned that TomTom has told Equinux that they need to change the software's name and logo, because they feel that it's possible that it could cause confusion between the two products. For example, the TomTom logo contains two hands and the TamTam logo has two feet.
Because of this complaint, Equinux has decided to completely cease distribution of the software as they no longer wish to promote TomTom's products.
This is more damaging for the latter as they loose a considerable amount of prospective customers.
Thanks to Max for informing us that the Canadian Apple Store is offering gift tags for those who were unable to purchase the items they intended to give as gifts in time.
If you have this same problem, here is the link where you can download and print out these files.
http://www.apple.com/ca/gifttags/
