Age of Empires III Now Available for Mac

I'm a HUGE fan of the original Age of Empires. My friend Matt and I would play networked games for hours. Age of Empires II was good, had fantastic graphics and gameplay, but more complex. Age of Empires III continues the trend. Play one of 8 conquering nations for control of the new world. If you're looking for a Christmas present for me, hint hint.

Age of Empires III costs US$49.95 and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later with a 64MB or better video card. It is an Universal application and works with PowerPC and Intel-based Macs.

iPod Power Adapters Outsell Zune

iPod power adapters are more popular than Zunes. :-)

Nike Releases iPod Controlling C.O.R.E. Backpack

I really just don't care enough to comment on the new Nike C.O.R.E. Backpack. If you must know, head on over to Engadget.

via Engadget via iLounge

Beatles Coming To iTunes?

Fortune is claiming to have learned that Apple may be close to an exclusive deal to bring the Beatles to iTunes, at least for a limited time before the other music services do. As previously reported, Apple Records has been in the process of readying the Beatles recordings for the digital age.

"About as Pleasant as Having an Airbag Deploy in Your Face"

Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Andy Ihnatko hate - HATES - the new Microsoft Zune, and he makes some excellent and amusing points:

• Am I really about to manually create and install a .dll file?
• Zune is incompatible with Windows Media Player.
• And why (for the love of God) doesn't it support podcasts?
• The Zune is a complete, humiliating failure.
• Result: The Zune will be dead and gone within six months. Good riddance.

U.S. Copyright Office Provides New Exemptions Under The DMCA

The U.S. Copyright Office made some surprising exemptions to the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act). Cellphone users can break software locks in order to use the phone on competing carriers. For example, carriers "lock" cellphones in a way that makes them only work on their networks. This new exemption will allow you to break the lock and use your phone with whomever you damn well please.

Other exemptions include academic uses, persons with disabilities, etc.

The most disappointing news is that the long-awaited exemption for making copies of DVDs was not made. I bet you didn't even know that making copies for your personal use (any other use would be piracy) of DVDs that you purchased was illegal. That includes copying DVDs to your iPod with video. This is of course unlike CDs, cassettes or records where you can make copies, mixes and otherwise use the music in any way you want (for your personal use).

Shocker: Zune Not Impacting iPod Sales (yet)

Ah, hype is a funny thing. While the Zune has been on store shelves for only a week or so, the media is of course making as much of a big deal as possible about the Zune vs. iPod competition. MacsimumNews.com is reporting that Zune sales are not impacting iPod sales.

Geez people, it's been a whole week. Give it a rest.

I finally had a brief moment to check out the Zune today at my local Target. It's not as big, dumb and clunky as it looks in pictures and video. I like the bigger screen. I'm not sure about the interface tho. It could be that I'm just so used to the simple, easy iPod interface, but there's an awful lot going on in the Zune interface. Everything seems to take an extra click or two to get to than the iPod.

Black Friday

Thinking about an Apple product? New MacBook or MacBook Pro? Mac Pro? iMac? iPod? You might want to wait until 23 November, also known as Black Friday - the official start of the Christmas frenzy buying season.

Last year Apple.com and Apple Retail Stores offered discounts on a wide variety of products, including computers. As you probably know, Apple doesn't discount their computers very often.

Demand for Shuffle Exceeds Supply

AppleInsider is reporting that demand for the new iPod Shuffle is exceeding supply. If you plan on getting one of these things as a gift this year, get it now!.

As of Friday Amazon.com was out of stock and one of its resellers was charging a $30 premium. Other retailers are out of stock and can't get more. Apple.com has up to a 5 day wait depending on where you are in the world (other iPods ship within 24 hours).

Guess Who Praises The iPod; Zune a "Modest" Competitor

Bill Gates recently mused about the "phenomenal, unbelievable, fantastic" iPod and calls his own company's foray into MP3 devices "more modest" at Stanford University.

Tip - Smart Playlists

David Gagne has some excellent tips for creating useful smart playlists.

Update Those Genres

Rate Those Songs

Separate The Slow Stuff

Cycle Your Songs

The Hidden Secret: Groupings

via DavidGagne.net

Zune vs. iPod Round 1.0

Peter Lewis over at Fortune Magazine has a great blow-by-blow comparison of the iPod and Zune. Zune was launched today of course to what appears to be a not surprising lukewarm reception.

Some things I hadn't really realized that the article points out: The Zune Marketplace apparently shows songs and artists it doesn't actually sell; it only plays music from the marketplace - not the "plays for sure" scheme Microsoft try to con everyone (including their partners) into; the 3/3 sharing of music is not universal - some artists and songs have a different limit or do not allow sharing at all; while that screen looks huge on the Zune, it's only 1/2 an inch larger than that on the iPod.

In-Air iPod Connectivity

Apple announced today deals with 4 major airlines to provide iPod power and seatback LCD screen connectivity for travelers' iPods. Delta, United, Continental and Emirate airlines will begin providing seat connections in mid-2007.

This is actually pretty cool. One of the rare places I use my iPod outside of my car is on flights. It would be very cool to charge my iPod and watch movies in-flight on the larger seatback LCD screen.

EFI Firmware Update Now Available

Intel-based iMac, MacBook, Mac mini, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro users should run Software Update to get the latest EFI firmware upgrade. This fixes issues with Boot Camp, start up and wake-up-from-sleep issues.

BTW - the previous MacBook Firmware upgrade and/or 10.4.8 really cools the machine down. It was extremely warm (that's just below "hot" on the thermometer) before, but now it's just "warm".

Tip - Set Unique Headphone Volume

If you have a new Intel Mac there's a little-known tip for setting a unique volume preference for headphones. Previous Macs would not enable you to store a volume preference for headphones, but the Intel Macs can. Just plug in your headphones, pop on over to the sound control panel and set your preference. Easy.

Credit for Singles

MacRumors is reporting a possible credit system in iTunes to help incentivize album sales. If you buy a single and then later decide to buy the album, you're double-paying for that song. This scheme would somehow credit you back for all or a portion of the single purchase.

Zune Unboxed

The good people at Engadget have unboxed their new Zune a day ahead of the official launch (14 November 2006). Very anti-Microsoft packaging - clean, simple, very Apple-esque. Right down to the Zune window decal a-la Apple.

While it will be a cold day in hell when they pry my iPod out of my cold, dead hands; I'm still very intriqued by what they've come up with.

Update: Just as I was going back to Engadget to continue reading today's stories, they just updated with their experience installing the Zune. Well, the packaging may be very Apple-esque, the installation is all Microsoft.

Japanese Get A Mac Ads

Check out Apple's Get A Mac ads in Japan. Funny. Because they're talking in Japanese. And it's funny to hear Japanese.

Great Idea, Way Overpriced

Here's what I think is a great idea, but it's just a bit overpriced.

I primarily use my iPod in the car. And yes, when I go into a store, restaurant or whatever, I generally leave my iPod in plain view. Or if I do put it in the console, it's still pretty apparent I have an iPod with the cassette adapter, charger, etc.

iDisguise offers disguises for your iPod in the form of candy tins. For a mere $11 you can have one too, sans mints. Or for a mere $2, you can have mints and when you're done, a place to put your iPod.

They are at least being smart - they will change the design of the tins every so often so thieves don't get too familiar with a particular design.

I just think the price should be around $6. And include free mints.

New Mac Guy?

RadarOnline is reporting that Justin Long, the Mac in Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign is being replaced. I liked the interplay of him and John Hodges, but I would admit that Hodges' portrayal of a PC was actually more fun than the Mac.

*Update: According to Macsimum News, Justin Long is still the Mac guy despite the above report.