Tech Manifesto

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Linux on your ipod has many advantages over Apple’s default menu navigation appearance. With linux you can have the ability to play a wider set of fun games, unlock infinite expandability of your portable hard drive, navigate faster through menus (without the slow slide effect), play with fun little applications built in and have a wider variety of playable audio file formats. Plus, you can have this and still dual boot your normal Apple iPod mini OS without damaging any files or options. Although, it is recommended that you make a backup of your mini first. This article will explain the process to install iPodLinux on only an iPod mini. All other ipod installations check the website.
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Apple, Linux, Technology

New iBooks:

- New trackpad lets you scroll horizontally, vertically or pan around the screen
- Sudden Motion sensor protects the hard drive in free-fall
- Built in Bluetooth 2.0 and Airport Extreme
- iLife ‘05

12″ 1.33GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 40GB HD, Combo Drive - $999
14″ 1.42GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 60GB HD, Super Drive - $1299

New Mac Minis:

The updated Mac mini comes with 512MB of RAM and built in wireless options:

1.25GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 40GB HD, Combo Drive, $499
1.42GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 80GB HD, Combo Drive, Airport Extreme and Bluetooth, $599
1.42GHz G4, 512MB RAM, 80GB HD, Super Drive, Airport Extreme and Bluetooth, $699

Apple

Even though iTunes brought us the most successful online music store doesn’t mean it is the best. Listed below are some pretty darn good alternatives to the iTunes Music Store, some of which sell songs for much, much less than a dollar; those that make you wonder whether they’re really legal. Napster and Yahoo! Music are obviously safe and legal alternatives, but their prices can’t compete with the 5 cents per song rates of AllOfMP3.com and others. But can they be trusted?

AllofMP3.com

This Russia-based music seller boasts that all thier songs can be purchased legally for around 5 cents per song: “All the materials in the MediaServices (AllOfMP3.com) projects are available for distribution through Internet according to license #LS-3?-05-03 of the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society.” The website uses online encoding to encode songs right when you order them in an array of formats ranging from MP3 to Apple’s AAC. The site offers 300,000 songs of mostly newer music. Though this may be a far cry from Apple’s 1.5 million it’s still something for 5 cents per song.

But wait. This is legal in Russia, but is it in the US? Yes and no. As Mp3Talks.com member Keith explains: “… back in the US, MP3s aren’t illegal in themselves, in the way that ammunition or child porn is, so you aren’t breaking any laws by bringing in (basically, importing for personal use) music tracks.” He goes on to say, “If you obtained those tracks through illegal means, from somewhere without the authority, in the country of sale, to supply them, then you’re effectively dealing with stolen goods. But in the case of MP3search and AllOfMP3, you’re not. So sleep well, and enjoy your music!”

Mp3Search.ru

Another Russian company taking advantage of the legal loophole. It too has a catalog of more than 300,000 songs but is it legal? No! So, let’s get this straight. I’m paying $1.50 for an album and it’s not even legal? Yep, thats right. You might as well download from a P2P client. The only reason to pay AllofMP3 (see above) is to get AAC quality versions of those songs and maybe feel better that you may (possibly, but not likely) be helping artists.

I honestly wouldn’t give my credit card number to anyone outside North America. Paypal may be safer, but I’m still not sure I would live up to this kind of stuff. When I buy ‘Get Behind Me Satan’, I want to know that my money is going to the White Stripes and not into the pocket of someone in Moscow. For all I know he or she could be downloading them from a P2P client such as LimeWire and converting them to other formats. “Under the license terms, MediaServices (AllOfMP3.com) pays license fees for all the materials subject to the Law of the Russian Federation on Copyright and Related Rights.” I don’t remember the wholesale price for songs being less than 3 cents. The wholesale price on the iTunes Music Store is around 65 cents per song. So, am I not getting it, or is their math not working out?

Conclusion

Most people don’t pay for songs because they’re worried about the FBI knocking on their door with a warrant to search their computer’s data. They pay because they want to support the artists who made the songs and deserve the money. I personally can’t see much more reason to buy from these sites who claim to sell songs legally than to download the songs from a P2P client.

And, most importanty, when you buy from the iTunes music store, you support Apple and the best music store/player to date.

Apple, Security, Software

Before

After

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Step One - Theme

Install the Full Install Style XP Man version bundled with Panther from StypeXP by TGT Soft. Once installed, open menu and install the Panther theme. This will now change your background, taskbar and all menus.

Step Two - Login

In StypeXP you have the option to change the login screen for different users. You will have to download the login here. Once downloaded, import the login to StypeXP, set to use and hit Apply. You can also try the Mac Pixel login or iPanel.

Step Three - Boot Screen

Also in StypeXP, you have the option to use a different boot screen. Download the Mac OS X boot screen, import into Style XP and hit Apply.

Step Four - The Dock

One of the most notable differences between XP and OSX is the use of the dock instead of the taskbar. One of the best docks out there is the ObjectDock by Stardock. You can tweak and customize the bar to your liking. To make it look like a Mac set to magnify over mouse hover and set the attention effect to bounce in the ObjectDock Properties.

Step Five - Dock Icons

You might notice when you start dragging some of your most used programs into the dock some programs icons might not look very clear or sharp when blown up to a bigger size. In this case, it is recommended that you change the program icon (by right clicking on an icon in the bar and choosing Dock Entry Properties. A dialog box opens up and here you have the option to Change the Image and browse for an alternative. Jairo Boudewyn has hundreds of beautiful free icons that can be enlarged and still be sharp up to 256px. Icons ranging from Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite 2, Firefox and many more.

Step Six - XP Taskbar

Now that you have the dock, you can set the Dock taskbar on in ObjectDock and hide the XP Taskbar or you could turn off the Dock taskbar and position the XP bar to the top of the screen. Drag the Windows XP taskbar (first right click it and unlock taskbar if it is currently locked) and bring it up to the top of the screen to act as a toolbar as in OSX.

Step Seven - Toolbar Buttons

Launch StyleXP and change the default toolbar buttons by replacing them with Pro Genius, Marine Bar, or ColdXP.

Enjoy the new look!

Apple, Design, Software, Windows

Appleinsider reports that according to industry sources, RadioShack and Apple have partnered for RadioShack to carry Apple’s full line of iPod music players during the 4th quarter of the year in time for the holiday season.

RadioShack reportedly operates nearly 7000 stores. The decision to carry the iPod line will be made on a store-by-store basis, but many of the locations are expected to carry the popular MP3 player.

RadioShack already sells HP branded iPods, but this will expand the line to the entire iPod family. Of particular interest, the rumor site reports that if iPod sales do well at RadioShack, there are plans in place to open a pilot program to test sales of Apple’s Macintosh line as well.

Apple