2008 July | Appleaddiction

FireWire getting bumped to 3.2GB/s!

By Luke On Jul 31, 2008 Uncategorized 1 1 Comment

FireWire’s new specifications have prompted the releases of two new standards. S1600(1.6GB/s) and S3200(3.2GB/s). These two new specs are claiming backwards compatibility with both FW400 and FW800. FireWire last saw a performance bump when FW800 was introduced in 2002 pushing speed up to 800MB/s. The standard plug however is still unknown. This is also seen as the answer to USB 3.0(4.8GB/s burst). You can expect the new technology to hit the market this October.

A brief background of FireWire-

FireWire (initially developed by Apple Computer) was introduced into the computer market in 1995. It was developed as a replacement of the high bandwidth scsi cable. FireWire, although sporting lower top speeds then USB, can sustain it’s high speed where as USB does its best with smaller files. The ability to sustain high speeds makes it a common connector for high bandwidth items such as DV Camcorders and professional audio and visual equipment.

Open Swords’ Pixel Pusher.

By Luke On Jul 30, 2008 Apple | Software/Freeware 0 No Comments

As much as I love Photoshop, I also like to try new things every once and awhile. I never was a huge fan of GIMP though, but a little app called Pixen has given me hope in the area of open source image editing.

From the site:

“Pixen is an innovative graphics editor for the Mac. It’s designed from top to bottom for pixel artists—people who make low-resolution raster art like the sprites you see in old video games. But it’s great for artists of all types: Pixen is like a very powerful MSPaint or a simpler, more agile Photoshop. And best of all, it’s Free!”

After sketching a few things it immediately became apparent that it is much better for smaller simpler tasks as its features and function don’t go quite as deep. Sometimes Photoshop is definitely over kill, and now, you have a solution.

Download Pixen 3 Today.

Cuil. The new guy in town.

By Luke On Jul 29, 2008 Web 2.0.fuTurE 1 1 Comment

Google has revolutionized the web. So much in fact that it has become a verb in millions of vocabularies. The uniformity of Google and all that it is makes you feel like it understands the internet and just works. For years the three companies, Google, Yahoo, and MSN/Live Search have tried to dominate the multi-billion dollar search industry. But today enters a new player. One claiming to outdo them all.

Cuil Inc.’s Cuil search engine isn’t holding back. It claims it searches 3 times more sites than Google and 11 times more then Yahoo. A very bold claim, but one they can back up. After spending the better part of a day on it. I would definitely say it searches more then Google. But, in this situation I’m not saying more is better. It’s just more. But there is more than one way to skin a cat. If for instance you’re looking for info on a very scarce subject. Cuil might be a better choice then Google. It might not be exactly what you want but it’s gonna give you everything that even hints at the keyword. I really feel as if they are going for quantity over quality. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the search world.

But all in all. Cuil is definitely a viable addition to your search arsenal. It’s unique features and new approach to search can prove to be a great push forward for both companies. A good engine, but not a Google killer.

Quinn. Because everyone should love tetris.

By Luke On Jul 27, 2008 Apple | Games 0 No Comments

I have spent countless hours playing Tetris for NES on my HDTV. While it isn’t exactly an HD experience, I still have a great time. But recently, I have been able to upgrade my Tetris experience thanks to Quinn. Network play and beautiful graphics make Quinn nice to look at and play.

“Quinn is an arcade-style tetromino puzzle game written and designed specifically for Mac OS X. It features a clean, elegant user interface, beautiful graphics, and smooth, subtle animations for fluid gameplay. Instead of reinventing the game with yet another variation of the rules, the goal of Quinn is to combine the simplicity of the original idea with the genuine Mac experience for perfect user enjoyment.”

With a price tag of $0.00, I strongly suggest you take Quinn for a spin. Especially if you have a bunch of free time to kill

Download Simon Hartel’s Quinn Here

Updates from Apple

By Luke On Jul 25, 2008 Apple 0 No Comments

Apple currently has a few things in the works. Mostly updates however. Now that the iPhone has launched you will see Apple spending more time on it’s other new device. The Apple TV. Currently sporting 40 and 160GB HDD’s they have plenty of space for SD movies. However Apple is currently expanding it’s selection of movies and more and more content is becoming available. The next revision of Apple TV’s will bump the max bit rate from 5 Mbps to 12 Mbps. Along with the visual bump audio will get a bump up to 640 Kbps. The new model will feature a 250GB HDD and will be introduced at the $399. (ETA 2 Months). It’s still a few steps away from true HD but it’s a step in the right direction.

While on the topic of HD I have some other (tentative) good news. I have been hearing rumors of OS X Snow Leopard being able to support native Blu-Ray playback. Make sure you have a Mac that sports at least 256MB of VRAM, 1GB of RAM and a 2GHz CPU. (Sorry Mac Mini owners, no Blu-Ray for you,yet). (BTW, I’m also expecting Apple to update it’s Mini line around this time to include a GPU capable of Blu-Ray playback. Most likely the GMA X4500HD). Keep in mind this is still very far out and may change before it is introduced.

I’ve been busy lately

By Luke On Jul 25, 2008 Uncategorized 1 1 Comment

Really busy. I’m in the process of starting up two new websites, not to mention working on this as well as my real job and getting everything ready for college. It takes it’s toll but this website is my pride and joy and I promise that as long as you guys keep on coming, I will keep the content flowing. I’m always looking for good ideas and feedback. So if you have anything you would like to see here at AppleAddiction.net, please let me know.

The how-to for keeping your Macbook (Pro) cool

By Luke On Jul 23, 2008 Uncategorized 0 No Comments

I often find my legs starting to burn before the fans on my MacBook Pro finally start to kick in. I know that most laptops tend to run a little bit toasty, but this is just ridiculous. In addition to being a nuisance, it can also impair the performance of your computer. If your Mac is running to hot, The CPU will often down clock its self in order to keep it safe and running. Doing so, however, can effect the performance of your computer.

All hope is not lost though. Enters smc FanControl. The smcFanControl app allows you to manually set the speed of your fans. It is a simple and lightweight program that allows you to change to speed of your fans on the fly. Not only that but you can pre-program default profiles for different situations. Eg. I have three profiles set for different work loads. low,medium, and high. The computer should be able to do this automatically, but I find that keeping the fans at a slightly higher speed make for a much better experience.

If your interested in smcFanControl you can find it Here.

(Supports only Macbooks and MacbBook Pro’s)

Power Management for your Apple Workstation

By Luke On Jul 19, 2008 Uncategorized 0 No Comments

I have always been a big fan of UPS’s (Uniteruptible Power Supplies). I have however been less then excitied by the lack of software support that manufacturers offer for the OS X operating system. It’s not crucial for a sucessful backup system but it is appreciated. There are however some companies that strive to please everyone. The first company I am going to go over has been an Apple supporter for some time now.

Belkin’s UPSs are reasonably priced and do offer software management options for OS X. The higher end of their UPS line also sports AVR. AVR is an acronym for automatic voltage regulation. What AVR does is it essentially clean the power going to your computer so you a get a much more stable and constant supply which can extend the life of th PSU(Power Supply Unit) inside of your computer and protect valuable attached hardware.
APC UPS

APC is the industry leader when it comes to home UPSs. While they haven’t always supported the Apple OS. Almost all of thier recent products do come with power managing software. AVR again is available on the higher end models.

You can nab yourself a decent (and by descent I mean powering your Mac Pro and it’s 20″ LCD for at least 15mins) UPS for under $100 from any of the following sites: eCost, Newegg , TigerDirect, Etc.

I also recomend you check out TrippLite’s line as well.

Whats your favorite mac??

By Luke On Jul 18, 2008 Apple | Hardware 7 7 Comments

In the tech world, just because it’s new doesn’t always mean it’s better. In fact, some of the most creative designs I have seen have come from computers over 5 years old. My favorite Mac desktop of all time is the MDD (Mirror Drive Door) PowerMac G4. It was introduced in 2002 and featured dual 1.25GHz cpu’s. In my opinion, this is the best looking computer ever made. Two years before that we get introduced to my favorite laptop. The PowerBook FireWire series (Pismo). This laptop was one of the first laptops to included firewire 400 ports. Clocked at 500MHz, it was pretty fast for it’s time. But thats not the only thing impressive about this laptop. The G3 series had support for two expansion bays. Usually one Optical drive and one Battery. However, If so desired, Both bays could accompany a battery giving the laptop over 6 hours of battery power! From stylish to functional, Apple never ceases to amaze me. So, Those are my favorites, but I would really like to hear from everyone else and what your favorites are. Please post your favorites below in the comments.

Anxiety. Light Weight To-do Management

By Luke On Jul 16, 2008 Apple | Software/Freeware 0 No Comments

Hey, I don’t know about you guys, but my short term memory is not what it used to be. I tend to forget things all the time. Like updating this site. So, I have seen my fair share of to do list type apps. But I decided to pick this one to talk about and review. Anxiety offers a very smooth and pleasing interface along with a simple and intuitive design. I have honestly already used it a few times while writting this post. But don’t let me tell you what to do. If you feel you’ll use something like this. I suggest you give Anxiety a try. (It’s Free)

Archive for July, 2008