Archives for January, 2008
Cache Out X Finds a New Home
I’ve been trying to hold off on this announcement for a while now in an effort to not steal too much thunder when the time came for the big announcement. But since I keep getting asked “When the heck is Cache Out X going to be updated?”, I have to say something.
The truth is, I just don’t have enough time to develop two applications in tandem, so I decided to put a call out for anyone interested in taking over development of the COX. I’m very happy to say that a very dedicated individual answered that call, and is working diligently as I write this blog post on getting a new version of the application out to the masses.
I won’t say who it is quite yet, because I don’t want everyone to start harassing him with “Where is it?” emails while he’s working so hard on it (not to mention that thunder thing). One thing is true: This person has a long-term plan for Cache Out X. Probably one far better than I would have come up with. Heck, his work might even eclipse mine on Yasu if I don’t get my kiester in gear real soon.
So there it is. Yes, Cache Out X is close to release. Once the day comes, I’ll post an announcement here with all the juicy details, and everything else that goes with passing the torch.
MacBook Air Battery: A Bit Pricey Too
MacBook Air battery replacement costs $130, takes 5 days : “if the unit is out of warranty.” (Via MacFixIt.)
As Joe “Guitar” Huges would have said: Ouchie, baby…
[Update] According to Andy Ihnatko on Twitter, the MacBook Air battery is an Apple Store replaceable part for $129 (same price as a MB battery) with no labor charge. No word if it could be done while you wait at the Genius Bar, or if a unit had to be left & picked up later.
[Update v2] Mac Daily News reports that it’s not really that difficult to swap out the battery after all. Of course, you should only have the swap done by an Apple Certified Tech, lest your warranty be voided. But then again, hopefully by the time you’d need a new battery, your warranty will have expired…
My Keynote Thoughts
Here are my thoughts of the Apple keynote in 5 points…
Leopard: Agreed. Most successful OS X yet. Had to work on a machine with Tiger the other day, and it felt, well, ugly. I definitely like 10.5 way better, even with the remaining flaws (getting impatient for the 10.5.2 update).
iPhone: Good for Apple, but I still don’t want one. I just don’t use my phone/iPod enough to justify what it would cost me. I admit, they are sleek though. Maybe one day.
iTunes/AppleTV: Of absolutely no interest to me. I’m old-school when it comes to renting my movies. I actually like going to the local Blockbuster and browsing the aisles for something to watch. I don’t even do NetFlix or Blockbuster Online.
MacBook Air: Innovative? Yeah, to a degree I guess. Serious work-horse? Not even close. At best, I see the MacBook Air as a toy for those with an extra $1800 (or $3100 for the SSD equipped model. Ouch!) burning a hole in their pocket. To me, it’s just another gadget that only does some of what my MacBook Pro already can. I’ll stick with what I’ve got, thanks.
Time Capsule: This was the highlight to me. For the average user who is in the dark about backing up data, Apple has made that task much easier. Serving as a base station with a “server grade” hard drive (I guess that means it should be less likely to fail), it’s a simple set up. That’s good for a start. I’m still a huge proponent of having a fully cloned (two if possible) backup of the machines you really rely on. Disk drive quality isn’t what it used to be, so that means more of a chance to lose your data than ever. Backup often, and backup early I always say.
As a final note, I’ve already purchased my Worst Keynote Ever shirt from the MacMerc store…
Oh. A final, final note: There were software updates for QuickTime, iTunes, Front Row and iMovie today. Be sure to fire up Software Update to get yours…