A friend just send me a link to a tech paper that details the new features of QuickTime 7. It explains the differences between QuickTime and QuickTime Pro and explains what new features developers might take interest in.
One interesting note is on concurrent exporting. Apparently, it is now possible to export multiple video clips at the same time. I can't see this being fast, but it should be helpful should I need to leave my machine processing when I leave for the day. This way, I could potentially let the machine work through the night on exports that normally take hours.
The future of skin reconstruction could be based on today’s inkjet printer technology.
Scientists in the UK are experimenting with devices that will some day lay down skin cells much the same way that out inkjet printers do. Rather than using ink, they print skin cells. And, according to researchers, this may only be the beginning!
Grabbing the wrong install disc, I accidentally installed OS X 10.4 workstation as an upgrade to OS X 10.3 Server. Not only was I confused, but the OS was really thrown for a loop.
First of all, I would have hoped that the server version would not look at the client version as an upgrade. It should at least prompt the user and confirm such an odd maneuver! But leave it to me to inadvertently test such a theory. Secondly, I am guessing that there is a very different password hash used in each version. Following the “upgrade” to 10.4 client, I was unable to login to the box using any of the 8 accounts.
Brother sets what might be a new record in updating its drivers to support Mac OS X 10.4.
I had contacted Brother about support from 10.4 about 2 weeks prior to 10.4’s public release. Brother tech support informed me that I could expect updated drivers in 4-5 weeks. In desperation, I checked the Brother web site on April 30th. I need to use the scanner for some photos that my wife was playing with. To my surprise, only one day after the public release of 10.4, Brother had already posted the new drivers!
When I purchased the Brother 210C in November of 2004, I was shocked at how Mac orientated their drivers were. Before the 210C, I had and HP all in one printer. HP’s Mac support was tragic, verging on criminal. I had never seen drivers that took that much processor power or memory just to kick out a single page of text.
Brother's drivers, on the other hand, are fast and functional. I can scan, print, and fax from my Mac. If I want to make a copy, I can do that right at the printer. I was, and still am, very impressed!
On April 26, 2005, DirecTV launched the first of 4 new satellites equipped to offer High Definition services to the first 33% of its subscriber’s homes. The first markets to be covered include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and Tampa. Click here for the press release.
The second satellite is set to launch in June while the third and fourth are scheduled for 2007. Together, the four satellites will provide over 1,500 local HD stations and 150 national HD channels.
Though unconfirmed, a Slashdot post indicated that the new HD satellite system would not be compatible with the only HD Tivo box currently available.
DirecTV’s press release indicates that views will require new HD equipment in order to utilize the new HD feeds. It does not, however, explain if this hardware is the same HD dish and receivers that are currently available.
As a DirecTV subscriber, as well as a Tivo advocate, I anxiously await further information.
With each update the OS X, there have been impressive steps forward in underlying technology. And, so far, 10.4 is no exception.
The speed increase is the first thing that stuck me. I never considered 10.3 slow, but I do now! General system work, be it scrolling, opening windows, or navigating the folders of the hard drive, all seem more responsive… just plain faster.
Some applications launch substantially faster. MS Entourage now seems to even render the email messages faster. Granted, all of these observations are non-scientific, since I never timed these tasks under 10.3. But that also shows how much more pronounced the improvements would need to be in order to stand out as they have following the update to 10.4.
The first thing I noticed after finishing the install of 10.4 was the high processor usage. To the average user, this might not even be noticeable since the system was still very responsive. But, I have come to rely on MenuMeters. It adds a processor graph to my menu bar, along with a graph of network throughput and memory usage. Investigating the increase in processor usage showed me that Spotlight was already indexing my hard drive.
Project Motorsport started out as a fun way to spend an afternoon. We set out to shoot some motorcycle video and have a good time. Once when we brought the video back and began to edit, we realized we had the making of a music video.
Check out the video and see for yourself. And, if your interested in further information on the project, we give you that too!
The Freedom to Switch:
In 2003 Apple Computer released a marketing campaign with the intention of showing Wintel users how easy it would be to "switch" platforms.
One of the Mac's main selling points, ironically enough, was Digital Video Editing. Apple wanted the world to see how easy it was to edit video on the Mac platform. And, in overwhelming response, Mac users set out to show the world just how easy it really was.
The campaign was effective for Apple, but also spawned a unexpected parody campaign in the Mac underworld. Users from all of the world whipped out their camcorders and set to work making spoofs in the same cinematic style as the acclaimed commercial line.
With this, Maclive.net rose to the challenge and shot our own spoof. We think it proves that a Mac can be a powerful tool in the wrong hands. It also shows how far a couple of Mac fans will go for a laugh. We hope you enjoy our contribution, aptly named The Freedom to Switch.
When I purchased the 
