Egg Freckles

December 2012

• Apple's First…

  During the holidays many of us gave and received the gift of photography.nDigital cameras, family portraits, and photo greeting cards, are all part the holiday tradition.nThe accessibility of digital cameras has helped to strengthen the importance of photography during family gatherings, but the prevalence of digital cameras has also helped make photography a year round event.nBefore there were digital cameras there was probably an aunt, uncle, mother, or father who took all of the families photos.nNow that digital cameras are inexpensive, easy to use, and included in most popular electronic devices people are taking more pictures no matter the time of year. With devices like the iPhone and iPod Touch it is easy to see why Apple is such a popular consumer electronics company, but it is often overlooked that Apple is a giant in photography.nEvery mobile device Apple makes contains a camera. From the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, to the entire MacBook lineup, Apple’s most popular…

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• Bond Phone

  In the late 2000's the original iPhone was the best phones money could buy, but it wasn’t necessarily the best phone for British Secret Agent James Bond. For one, the iPhone 2G was too flashy. Its broad aluminum back, shiny chrome Apple logo, and large illuminated 3.5 inch screen attracted too much attention in a time when multitouch smart phones were new and noticeable. If Bond pulled that phone out in a crowd during his Quantum of Solace mission, everyone would have taken notice. In addition, the iPhone 2G was locked to the carrier on which it was sold. A decision that caused all sorts of controversy in Europe, and a clear problem for a Secret Agent traveling to exotic locales across the globe. Third, the first two versions of the iPhone were issued with a miserable two megapixel fixed-focus camera. It is hard to imagine how a British spy would make use of such a terrible camera with no flash, no autofocus, no face detection, and no video recording. Finally, Sony, not Apple, has…

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November 2012

• Bond Watch

  When you think of a Bond Watch, what comes to mind? Style, luxury, sophistication? Perhaps the actor who played James Bond in your favorite 007 movie, or maybe the over-the-top gadgetry that made the Bond Watch a trademark of the 007 films from the late 70's and early 80's?1 No matter your initial reaction, or the concealed gadget inside, we can all attest to the coolness of the 007 timepiece. A symbol for the man every boy wants to grow up to be, and the confidence every grown man wishes he could achieve. As an avid Bond fan I have collected all of the movies,2 read all of the books, and played most of the video games.3 Not one for props, memorabilia, or firearms, I thought my Bond collection was complete. It wasn't until I became jealous of my friend's Omega Seamaster, that I realized owning an authentic Bond Watch could be within my future. The first step in buying a Bond Watch is figuring out which watch to buy. In the movies Bond wore everything from a Rolex Submariner, to a…

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October 2012

• Das Keyboard

  I am spending more time on the PC these days; running Windows 10 and dialing into MIT’s Linux servers. My trusty Apple Extended Keyboard hasn’t been getting much use. Instead of taking the time to perform the obvious task or remapping my Apple keyboard, I decided to indulge my curiosity and purchase the Das Model S Ultimate Keyboard instead. I first heard about the Das Keyboard from Shawn Blanc, when he reviewed three different clicky keyboards for use on the Mac. The Das Keyboard has two great things going for it. More than the other two keyboards, I prefer the tactile feel of the blue Cherry MX switches and the audio click of the Das. Since you don’t buy a mechanical keyboard for its aesthetics, for those looking to get a clicky keyboard, this is the one I would recommend. I have tried a Tactile Pro in the past, and am a big fan of Apple’s Extended Keyboards from the last century, but I had never heard of the Das before Shawn recorded its clickiness for the all the web to hear. The…

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• Abandoned PowerBook…

  When I worked behind the Genius Bar in 2003 there was no Concierge, no booking system, no appointments, and no Genius Bar assistant to help people get in line. Instead there was a sea of faces, impatient customers waiting to be assisted. In the old first come first serve model for Genius Bar management, it was not uncommon for a Mac Genius to help three people at once while trying to hold down a conversation with several onlookers. People used to race to the Bar when the Store’s doors first opened, playing musical chairs with the bar stools, fighting for their place in line. I will admit after leaving Apple in 2006 I would have nightmares about the faces staring back at me across the bar, and the stress that came from managing the queue. As one might expect the first come first serve method of Genius Bar management was not well liked among customers and Mac Genius alike. At some stores a Genius would maintain a paper list of the people waiting in line. At others a limit of how many…

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July 2012

• Apple's History of…

  A lot of people have been displeased by the skeuomorphic design elements appearing in Apple’s latest operating systems. Some attribute these design decisions to the tastes of Steve Jobs. I don’t think anyone could clearly define the tastes of Steve Jobs, not even himself. One minute he might be appreciating the craftsmanship of his Bsendorfer grand piano, the next he might be observing the minimalistic teachings of Zen sitting cross legged on the floor of his unfurnished home. If there is one thing that could be said for Steve Job’s taste it is that he only wanted the best. Apple’s history with skeuomorphism reflects the desire to present users with the best technology has to offer, even if that desire is misguided, and Steve is not around. The Desktop Metaphor Steve Jobs might not have started the desktop metaphor, but he did bring it the world’s eye with the introduction of the Macintosh. Before the Mac there was no skeuomorphism, because there was no graphical user interface. For…

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• What Mountain Lion…

  For those of us already running Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion will be a minor update. Continuing the iOSfication of Mac OS X, Mountain Lion brings even more apps and features back to Mac from our iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. Unfortunately not everyone will be able to take advantage of the polish Apple’s latest cat provides. Mountain Lion, like its predecessors will be leaving some Macs, and some Mac OS X features behind. The list might not be as long as last year’s, but any feature worth using is a hard feature to lose. Hardware At first glance Mountain Lion’s system requirements look pretty straight forward, Mac OS X v10.6.8 or later installed, 2GBs of memory or greater, and at least 8GBs of available hard disk space. It is not until you get to the list of supported models that you realize something is up, and not all of the Macs that can run Mac OS X 10.7 will be able to make the move to Mountain Lion. White plastic iMacs with Model Identifiers iMac5,1, iMac5,2, and iMac6,1 will…

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June 2012

• Pretty Eight Machine

  I missed out on the original release of Pretty Hate Machine in October of 1989. I was only six years old. Since then Nine Inch Nails has become my favorite band, Pretty Hate Machine my favorite album, and Trent Reznor my favorite artist. It is hard to sum up why I like Nine Inch Nails so much. As with most memorable human experiences it comes down to connections. I first discovered Nine Inch Nails during a difficult period in my life when I felt trapped. Pretty Hate Machine, and Nine Inch Nails taught me I am never imprisoned as long as I have the power to express myself. Trent Reznor, the frontman of Nine Inch Nails, has a unique talent for turning everyday noise into emotionally charged experiences. Mechanical rhythms, high voltage instrumentals, and passion fired vocals are the recipe for Nine Inch Nails’ greatest hits. Every time I listen to Pretty Hate Machine, I not only feel the power of his performance, but remember a time when I discovered I was no longer powerless to…

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May 2012

• Path Finder 6

  As a long time Mac user I was born into the desktop metaphor of files, folders, drag, and drop. It is hard to imagine using my computer in any other way. iOS opened my eyes to how functional a simplified mobile operating system can be, and why ditching the filesystem might not be a bad thing for most users. But what about the Power Users amongst us? If iOS is a simplified computing platform, and the Mac is the "computer for the rest of us," then what are die hard file system addicts like myself supposed to be using? Some would say the command line, but I don't think the answer is that simple. A modern computing experience needs to be more than a powerful shell. Pictures, webpages, sounds, and multimedia are too much of what we use our computers for these days. A truly forward looking file system manager needs to accept these considerations while offering users powerful tools in a package that does not feel foreign to the way files are managed today. Path Finder by CocoaTech…

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• Why Steve Jobs…

  Steve Jobs didn’t come back to Apple to kill the Newton; he came back save the company. The Newton was sacrificed to keep Apple alive, and it is pointless to think if things had been different — if the Newton had been saved. If the Newton had been saved we would not have the Apple we have today. I am glad Steve Jobs made the choice to kill the Newton if it meant saving the company I love. Input I think that, to me, what I want is this little thing that I carry around with me that’s got a keyboard on it, because to do email, you need a keyboard. Until you perfect speech recognition, you need a keyboard. You don’t sit there and write stuff, you need a keyboard. And you need to be connected to the net. So if somebody would just make a little thing where you’re connected to the net at all times, and you’ve got a little keyboard, like an eMate with a modem in it. God, I’d love to buy one. But I don’t see one of those out there. And I don’t care what OS it has in it. So, you know, I don’t…

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April 2012

• Feed a Fever

  Google Reader is dead. NetNewWire is a shadow of its former self. For the last couple of years I have been using Shaun Inman‘s Feverº to access my feed from any browser. Install Fever is not your ordinary web app. You have to install it on a hosted server you control. The system requirements are pretty standard,1 but you don’t need command line access to get started. If you have ever installed a web based CMS like Joomla!, or WordPress you can install Feverº. Setup is straight forward. Create an account on feedafever.com. Download the Feverº compatibility suite. FTP the Fever directory up to your server, and change the permissions on the directory to full read and write access (777). Visit yourdomain.com/fever/boot.php in your web browser, and enter your MySQL database connection details as prompted. If your server meets the requirements you will be given a compatibility confirmation code to enter at feedafever.com. This code tells Shaun that your server is Feverº compatible, you know…

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• Apple's Greatest…

  You have heard it on The Talk Show. The loud clickity-clack of John Gruber’s Apple Extended Keyboard II. The keyboard that Daring Fireball was written upon. Known for its massive size and generous weight, the Apple Extended Keyboard II is a behemoth compared to the minimalist “Chiclet” inspired keyboards made popular by MacBooks today. Its mechanical key switches produce a reassuring sound that has not been heard by most Macintosh users for more than a decade. Code named “Nimitz,” after a United States supercarrier, the Apple Extended Keyboard II was born in a time before USB, when keyboards and mice were connected to Macs via ADB. Keyboard connoisseurs, like John, who continue to use an Apple Extended Keyboard II today must rely on an ADB to USB adapter like the Griffin iMate to use their keyboards under Mac OS X. John Gruber won his first Apple Extended Keyboard II during a legendary game of Madden in the dorm rooms of Drexel University in 1992. It lasted him through multiple Macs…

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• How I Met John…

  While attending Macworld 2012, I met John Gruber. I was waiting outside the men’s room in an upscale hotel lobby. I was not alone. Stephen Hackett, and Pat Dryburgh were with me. We were all waiting for Shawn Blanc and Ben Brooks who were attending a private get together in the hotel bar across the room. We should have been having a drink ourselves, but instead we were sitting on a sofa outside the men’s room looking rather lame. John Gruber on his way to said men’s room quickly commented on my Daring Fireball t-shirt before walking through the door. On his way back to the bar he came over, introduced himself, and thanked me for being a reader of Daring Fireball. After I returned the introduction, he told me he had visited Egg Freckles and considered linking to my site in the past. I said I was honored, I didn’t know what else to say. He kindly invited us back to join the group and have drinks at the bar. Introducing us as “look who I found over there by the men’s room.” The moral of…

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March 2012

• Bringing iCloud to…

  If like me, you are still using a Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, and want to continue syncing your iCloud email, calendars, and contacts, then these are the insturctions for you. iCloud Email Email is the only iCloud service Apple currently supports in Snow Leopard. Setting up Mail.app for iCloud email is easy once you know the server settings. Launch Mail.app. From the Menu Bar choose Mail, then Preferences. Click the Accounts tab. Click the plus button to create a new account. Fill in your full name, iCloud email address, and iCloud password. Mail.app will fail to automatically detect your email settings because it presumes you are a MobileMe subscriber. Click Continue. Switch your account type to IMAP, and enter your incoming mail server as “imap.mail.me.com” The outgoing mail server should be “smtp.mail.me.com” Click Continue then Create to take your iCloud email account online. Calendar Syncing You can sync your iCloud Calendar with Snow Leopard’s iCal by following these…

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• My Favorite Tech…

  When I was a Mac Genius, and the Genius Bar was new, a red phone with a direct line to Cupertino used to sit behind the bar. The phone didn’t call anyone important, but it did get you AppleCare Tier 2 support if you got stumped by a customer’s question or needed to ask a inquiry of your own. I never picked up the red phone to ask a technical question, that’s what the internet is for, but I did use it a couple of times to ask procedural questions on pending repairs. Most of these questions could have been answered by email, but when a customer visits the store because their mail-in repair is missing, or they were offered a deal by executive relations the quickest answer is sometimes the phone behind you. On this occasion I didn’t need to use the red phone at all, it was the customer who was making the phone calls. An elderly couple had sat down at the end of the bar with the tangerine iBook they used for connecting to the internet over AOL dial-up. When I asked them what was the…

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February 2012

• Trine 2

  Trine 2 takes place in the same fantasy world as the original, and once again our three heroes, Zoya the thief, Pontius the knight, and Amadeus the wizard are bound together by the Trine and forced into saving the kingdom from darkness. Trine 2 shares the same game mechanics as the original.nOnly one hero can be on the screen at a time, and the player must decide which hero’s unique set of abilities is up to the current task.nObstacles include the same spikes, pits of lava, fireballs, swinging pendulums, and booby traps as the original, but this time our heroes are forced to solve more difficult puzzles involving steam, pipes, and running water. The hordes of skeletons from the first game have been replaced with roaming bands of goblins that attack our heroes with sword, spear, and arrow at designated times.nI can’t say the variety or difficulty of the enemies has improved, but the adversary in Trine has always been the environments and never the combatants. The characters…

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• Limbo

  Limbo is a puzzle-platform game that was released for the Xbox 360 in July 2010. It has only recently made its way to the Mac. I have been excited to play Limbo since I first saw the concept art over two years ago. Once you see a screenshot of Limbo you will know why it is unlike any platform puzzle game you ever have played before. Limbo was created by Danish game developer Playdead. The name of their company is fitting for their creation. Limbo is presented primarily in monochromatic black-and-white tones, using lighting, film grain effects and minimal ambient sounds to create an eerie atmosphere often associated with the horror genre. Journalists praised the dark presentation, describing the work as comparable to film noir and German Expressionism. Based on its aesthetics, reviewers classified Limbo as an example of “video game as art“. If you like challenging platform-puzzle games with a dark and lonesome atmosphere similar to Myst, Limbo might be for you. Just…

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• Trine

  Trine. is a side-scrolling platform adventure.nThe game follows the adventures of three heroes bound together by a mythical crystal force known as the Trine.nOnly one hero can be on screen at a time, and the player must switch between the three heroes often in order to complete the games various puzzles, obstacles, and enemies. Gameplay is similar to Castlevania with elements taken from the Legend of Zelda and Diablo.nThe game is set in a fantasy world with a very Tolkien feel. The characters are controlled using directional keys on the keyboard.nAiming is accomplished with the mouse.nThe left and right mouse buttons perform different attacks, spells, and actions depending on the character in play.nThe scroll wheel is used for switching between weapons. The objective of Trine is to progress through the game’s levels while collecting experience points, discovering treasure, and defeating enemies along the way.nExperience points provide our heroes with new capabilities.nTreasure…

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January 2012

• The Life and Death…

  By July 2002 Mac OS X was just over one year old, Safari was still several months away, and very few web browsers took advantage of the innovative new features and bold aqua interface of 10.1 Puma, the latest version of Apple’s Mac OS X operating system. Opera looked like it belonged on Windows. iCab looked like it belonged on Mac OS 9. OmniWeb was the first Mac OS X browser developed in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_(API text: Cocoa), but all three lacked a modern rendering engine capable of displaying the world’s latest websites. Mozilla and Netscape weren’t much better. Both were bloated, unstable, ugly, and slow. Internet Explorer had been shipping as the default browser on Macs since 1997, and was the only browser included with Mac OS X. It’s en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_(layout_engine text: Tasman) rendering engine was state-of-the-art when version 5 shipped in early 2000, but since then Microsoft had lost interest, updates were few and far between, and page rendering had slowed…

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• Today’s Mac Genius

  Even at training (Early 2009) our instructor warned us about ‘Old School vs. New School’ Geniuses. His emphasis was that the needs of the business change. Today’s Mac Genius are no longer required to have the same deep understanding of the Mac OS, its UNIX roots, or classic past. They can no longer troubleshoot the same impossible set of hardware symptoms with ease while working with multiple customers bar side. Their lack of knowledge into the depths of Apple history and lore is embarrassing for anyone who grew up with Clarus the Dogcow, HyperCard, and the 1.44MB SuperDrive. The Mac Genius who knew all these things have either moved on, or burned out. Replaced by a new generation of Mac Genius every who are eager to take their place every 18 months. Tasks like replacing a display, swapping a phone, or updating software don’t require the same skills that isolating a failed video card or manually recreating a user in OS X do. As iPhones and iPads continue to fly out the door, the role…

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• Zapping the PRAM

  If you have ever encountered a problem with your Macintosh you might have been advised to zap/reset the PRAM, but what is the PRAM and what does it do? The PRAM, or parameter random access memory, is a small amount of non volatile storage on your Mac’s logic board. It uses a built-in battery or capacitor to retain specific system settings even after the power to your computer has been turned off. Macs with Intel processors use a similar system for storing these settings called NVRAM, or non-volatile random access memory. For all intents and purposes PRAM, and NVRAM are the same thing, and can be zapped the same way. Shut down the computer. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. (You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.) Turn on the computer. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for…

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• Apple’s Greatest…

  Now that 2011 has come to a close, we are able to look back at Apple’s greatest year. Not only did 2011 show record profits and important product updates, but new technologies were released, and brand new versions of all of Apple’s operating systems were unveiled. Customer’s experienced new ways of purchasing products, while taking advantage of innovative cloud-based storage solutions. Developers learned a new integrated development environment for coding applications across all of Apple’s state-of-the-art operating systems. Creatives explored new techniques for editing video, and creating music on Macs and mobile devices alike. And during the midst of it all, Apple became the world’s most valuable company while losing the greatest leader it has ever known. As we look back at the past 365 days it is easy to see why 2011 was Apple’s greatest year. Mac App Store The year started off on January 6th with the release of the Mac App Store, a new way to buy applications on any Mac running…

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