The Apple Valley

Buying A MacBook Pro
Looking for a new Mac can be a daunting task especially if you had never used one or you had been using Windows for years. If portability is one of your main criteria, a MacBook may well be for you but if you are into serious photo and/or video editing then the next best thing would be a MacBook Pro. Don’t get me wrong but a MacBook will suffice for most users looking a portable Mac to surf the Internet, check emails, document processing and etc. On the other hand, a user that does photo and/or video editing as a hobby or for business can benefit from the more powerful MacBook Pro.

The Five Things
Here are five things you should know about the new MacBook Pro before you decide to buy one.

1. Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Apple claims that the new mobile processor performs more than 50% faster compared to it’s predecessor.
2. NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card. Animation and gaming gets a boost with this new graphics card which delivers more realistic graphics.
3. Power-efficient LED-backlit display. This mercury-free display is Apple’s effort to move towards manufacturing eco-friendly computers.
4. 802.11n wireless technology. Getting online is now five times the performance and two times the range compared to the 802.11g.
5. iLife applications. This group of applications simply means you get almost all that you might need out of the box.

More Upgrading Options
For those who feels that the standard package may not be enough, you have the ability to upgrade the the hard drive, add more SDRAM (up to 4GB), change to a glossy widescreen display and even Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter (very useful for those who travels frequently). More powerful applications can be pre-installed such as iWork, Logic Express and Final Cut Express among other things. With all the features mentioned above, there isn’t much about the MacBook Pro that you can fault (except maybe price).

I Need Mac
So, as a new guy to the Mac scene, I am researching which Mac would be best for me. I needed a Mac because I am thinking of joining a friend who is into photo and video editing. He has been taking videos at weddings for some time now and he urges me to be sort of a partner. He currently owns a PowerBook and suggested that I invest in something similar to be able to do my work effectively. Sure, a PC or notebook will do the job but almost everyone agrees that for photo and video editing, nothing does it better than a Mac.

MacBook Most Recommended
I know that the best way to get feedbacks and suggestions is through Apple forums and that is exactly what I did. Never did I thought I would get so much help from the other users. When I relate to them, what I would need a Mac for and that I am currently considering an iMac or MacBook, a whole lot of replies came in each with it’s own merit. I also mentioned that I may need portability but a big screen would be also beneficial. Out of it came suggestions to get a MacBook and an external screen.

MacBook Or MacBook Pro
The discussion went on and I have more or less decided to go portable and get either a MacBook or MacBook Pro. A good suggestion that I get to go portable is that I can bring it around to show my clients of the work that I have done for them. I do foresee that happening in the future. Now is a matter of deciding between a MacBook or MacBook Pro. Some says that for my kind of work I will need to get the MacBook Pro. Whilst others asserts that a MacBook will suffice. What do a seasoned Mac user think?

The Big Plan
This is the plan. Download movies online. Save it to an external hard drive. Plug it in to the DVD recorder and watch the movie on TV. At least, that is what I plan to do once I have a DVD recorder that supports DivX playback and have a USB port. That is, until I saw the Apple TV. The Apple TV works in a slightly same manner. Basically, you download movies, music and etc. online and have it all in iTunes. Sync wirelessly between your PC/Mac and Apple TV through the built in Wi-Fi. You should now be able to watch your downloads using the Apple TV which is connected to your TV.

One Less Step
Let’s say that I do get the Apple TV. That would mean cutting one step compared to getting a DVD recorder. I need not transfer the downloads from my PC to a physical media. This also means that I can watch anything that is streamed directly from the Internet. Another plus point is the HDMI connection. Since I have a TV which supports HD, I can take full advantage of it. Other than that, the Apple TV can also connect to your TV using the component video and audio ports which is common in most older TV.

Sync Apple TV Wirelessly
Now I want to find out more how medias are streamed to the Apple TV direct from the Internet. Does that mean that I can surf the Internet and choose medias that I want to watch on my TV through an interface that look like a web browser? Or do I have to keep the PC on all the time and have it controlled from there. I think all this is done through the iTunes software which must be installed on your PC/Mac. The way the Apple TV connects to the PC/Mac wirelessly is something that I must do research on too. I’ve never tried connecting two PCs together using Wi-Fi, so I guess I may need to do my homework first.

iPhone Or iPod
Apple developed it’s own version of mobile phone and it is called the iPhone. I am not sure why but Apple also called the iPhone a widescreen iPod. Getting confused? Yes, me too. An iPhone is an iPhone whereas an iPod is an iPod. They probably meant that the iPhone also doubles up as an iPod. Consumers in the US are already getting the iPhone since it was launched on June 29. For me, who lives in Singapore, I will have to wait until 2008 according to CNET Asia (Apple iPhone’s Asia availability in ‘08 stays). The discussion at Hardware Zone forum seems to suggest the same.

In The Box
I have been using an HP iPaq hw6515 for a few years. It is probably time that I consider a new phone. iPhone seems like all the rage now and I wanted to find out more. A press release for iPhone which contained competitive data comparing the iPhone to a few other phones puts it as the victor for a number of features. I am very particular about what I am getting when I buy a new phone. Why? Simply because I do not want to spend some more on accessories that I may need. So, what is included in the box?

• iPhone
• Stereo Headset
• Dock
• USB Power Adapter
• Dock Connector to USB Cable
• Documentation
• Cleaning/Polishing Cloth

Eagerly Awaiting Release
Singaporeans who are anticipating the phone arrival should also take note that it has built-in WiFi. This seems like a must for me and with WiFi hotspots being available for free at most places, this is an advantage. I am eager to see what Safari browser looks like on the iPhone. The iPhone employs a multi-touch display for the screen. So you use your fingers to flip through photos, zoom in/out a section of web page and etc. Oh ya, it does not have any plastic keyboards on the phone itself. Instead all typing is done on the screen too. What about people who have large fingers like me?

A Basic iPod
The very first time that I bought an MP3 player, I got an iPod shuffle. It was very small but don’t let that fool you. With a 1GB capacity, it should be able to make most users happy. No fancy display screen though. Very basic, I guess. When I brought it home, the first question I asked myself was how the dock charges and transferred music files to the iPod shuffle through a jack which looked more like an audio jack. It just didn’t fell into place. Reading through the quick start manual, I got it working within minutes.

Choosing The Color
It wasn’t really for me but instead for my wife. She has been using a transistor radio for some time now and I really think she deserves something better. The iPod shuffle would not be able to fill in the gap for a radio but for entertainment, I think it will do. I bought it for her as a birthday gift last year. I wished I could get the pink colored one but they were out of stock when I wanted to buy it. So I got the one which was silver in color. But I bet she’ll be even happier if I were to get her a gold iPod shuffle like the one reported on Luxist. Has anyone got one?

My Biggest Regret
The small iPod shuffle was not only cute but was also easy to use. The small size of the iPod shuffle means that it will definitely fit into my wife’s already bulky purse. She enjoys the company she gets using it whilst traveling to and from work. I thought I could get a bit of a discount by buying it at any of the duty-free shops in the airport since I am also a staff. Turns out that the discount isn’t much and I would probably get a better offer if I had bought it direct from the Apple Store. Free shipping means I would have saved the trip and the part I regret most is; free laser engraving!

No More Clutters
In my last blog post, I mentioned that I find the iMac very tempting. This is coupled by the fact that it is the all-in-one computer that has been created to remove the clutter of a normal desktop computer. Since I am new to Apple and especially iMac, much research must be done before I make a decision. I liked the idea of an all-in-one desktop and also thought if I were able to use wireless keyboard and mouse, that would mean a cable-free desktop! Like all new Macs, iLife is included as standard. Designing websites and editing images/photos will be very easy for a beginner like me with this application.

Apple iMac Unveiled
Apple unveiled the new iMac on August 7, 2007. It comes with either the 20inch or 24inch widescreen displays encased in aluminum and glass enclosures. What makes it irresistible is the virtually seamless front surface. Nice aesthetics from the designers of Apple. Apple Hot News (Apple Unveils New iMac) mentioned that the iMac is the ultimate digital lifestyle desktop computer for both consumers and professionals. Whereas CNET Reviews (Apple iMac), recommend it as your next desktop unless you’re a gamer or an upgrade enthusiast. I am not a gamer and upgrading isn’t what I do often.

A New Concept
All the peripherals connect to the back of the widescreen display. I have always wondered before, how Apple was able to squeeze everything into the size of a monitor (as in the first iMac). Now I wondered even more as to how they were able to put everything into a widescreen display. So, for a guy who is new to Macs, I am concerned about how do I upgrade or change certain parts of the computer which is now behind a display. All this is a very new concept to me. It used to be that I open up the computer tower and do the necessary modifications. Is it the same with the new iMac?

Mac OS X In Windows
I forgot what I was looking for when I came across this software. The software is called FlyakiteOSX and it transforms Windows to look like Mac OS X. Sure, you can change your Windows icon, desktop wallpaper and etc. but this software does it all for you. Since I am not getting an Apple Mac anytime soon, I thought I would give it a go. From start to finish, it looks like Mac OS X. Of course I cannot get the full experience of an Apple Mac OS X but it gives me a feeling like I am running one. You can see screenshots of the software at Aqua-Soft Wiki.

The Real Author
The software is written by Chris Kite (and yes, the site is currently down). I thought you might also like to know that others have tried to pass off as the author. They would usually claim that they have the version 4.0 ready for testing and would like your email address to send you details and etc. If you ask me, they are probably spammer, so be careful. According to the forum posting in Aqua-Soft, the latest one is version 3.5 and it seems like the last one. The author has not updated it since then. There is no version 4.0 yet if you read the forum posting in AeroXperience.

Install And Enjoy
You can download the FlyakiteOSX from the Mac Emulation Resources site. I believe it is the most reliable source to get the software. The file size is around 25MB and there shouldn’t be much problem if you are on a broadband connection. The software should autorun when you double click on it. Okay, I am no computer expert but I understand that some system files and registries are added and/or replaced. My concern is that, these changes may affect other programs the next time I update Windows. Can someone confirm this for me?

Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger”Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger”

Maybe A Mac mini
I love reading the page entitled Which Mac are you? at the Apple website. They gave a few good reasons to own a Mac and even tells you why a Mac will be a better option compared to Vista. Everything is summarized for me to get a glimpse of all the different Macs. I do know that Mac is almost immune to viruses. That is one reason why I am using Linux on my PC most of the time right now. Maybe I can take the advice from a colleague (who owns a MacBook Pro) and get the Mac mini since I could plug in all my existing hardwares to it and save some cash at the same time. Although, the iMac looks so tempting to begin with since there are no bulky computer towers! Everything plugs in to the back of the widescreen display. How cool is that?

The Big Decision
Should I go and get a Mac, the first major decision is whether I want it portable or not. That would mean getting a MacBook (or a MacBook Pro) as opposed to the other Macs out there. It is not a good enough reason to be getting a portable type to save space at home since the Mac mini and iMac is so small nowadays. The only good reason why I would get a portable type is because I would love to sit in my bed and use my computer at the same time. Mac Pro is out of the question at this time because I am no pro. Refurbished Macs would be an option for someone on a tight budget like me. Well, it should be quite reliable since the manufacturer themselves have certified it and selling it at their own online store.

Best eBay Deal
Another colleague who is getting started in video editing actually bought a pre-owned MacBook for about a quarter of the retail price on eBay. It is a very good deal since the MacBook is still in a very good condition. Probably, I could get lucky if I try my luck on eBay too. So I use the Saved Search feature on eBay to automatically email me whenever there is a Mac on auction. This will probably take a very long time since a good deal rarely comes along. Anyone out there would like to donate a Mac to me?

Suitable Mac Theme
If my blog looks nice, there is a good reason for it. The i3Theme theme for WordPress had been used for this blog. Since the topic for this blog will be mostly about Apple products, what more appropriate theme to use. I found the iTheme first whilst looking for a suitable theme to dress up WordPress. I liked it at first glance but I needed more flexibility (in terms of columns). That’s when I found another link to the i3Theme.

The Cool Features
iTheme was originally written by Nick La of N.Design Studio. Mickey Cheong from MangoOrange added an extra column to the theme and called it i3Theme. I love the colors and how easy it is to use. For someone new to WordPress, a widget ready theme is a must. It makes managing the column contents so much easier. In case you haven’t noticed, you as the reader can interact with the side columns. You can collapse and also drag and drop it. Go on, give it a try!

Download And Install
You can download the iTheme from N.Design Studio. Those that prefers the three column version (like the one I am using), please visit MangoOrange to download the i3Theme. If you are a new to WordPress and/or adding themes, don’t worry. I assure you that it is very easy to get it up and running. Hey, if a newbie like me can do it, so can you. Before I go on, I’ll be assuming that you have a working knowledge of FTP and WordPress is already installed on your blog. If so, please follow the steps below.

1. Download and decompress (unzip) the iTheme or i3Theme file in your computer. The theme files should now be all in one folder called itheme or i3theme.
2. Upload the whole folder to the /public_html/wp-content/themes directory in your site. Your site may have a slightly different structure so make sure you upload to the correct directory.
3. Now log in to your WordPress and click the Presentation tab and you should now see the new theme. Click on it and you are done!

See, that was easy, wasn’t it?