MacPinoy

Is this how to deliver a Mac?

Taken from Winn, who further laments that it doesn’t work!

Psystar tests

As expected, Psystar’s Open Computer is not functioning as seamlessly as an original Apple computer. Macworld reports on several anomalies:

The system asked if I wanted to use the external drive as a Time Machine backup drive, and I clicked Yes. And though the icon of the drive changed to reflect its new status as Time Machine volume, the backup would immediately fail each time it attempted to run.

The Psystar site features a page with lots of available software update downloads, including one for fixing Time Machine errors. Psystar turns off the Mac OS’s automatic System Update feature, so you need to download and install updates manually. One might think that the company would send you a machine that’s as up-to-date as possible, but that’s not the case. I called Psystar tech support and learned that the company will offer a download in the next couple weeks that will enable Psystar users to take advantage of Apple’s Software Update utility.

Macworld Lab uses Migration Assistant to transfer our Speedmark user files and folders to our test system from a clean system booted into FireWire Target Disk Mode, and that process worked just fine with the Open Computer. We found, however, that we were unable to boot the Open Computer into FireWire Target disk mode. The tech support person didn’t think that Psystar offered that feature. Other startup options, like SafeBoot, zapping of PRAM, and startup drive selection via the Option key are also not available.

I tried cloning the internal drive to an external FireWire drive using Carbon Copy Cloner. It cloned successfully, but I was unable to boot from it, even though a message said the volume would be bootable. It sounds like a couple of folks in the Psystar forums were able to find a way to do it, but they weren’t giving out specific instructions. We’ll continue to look into that.

I guess it’s good that the Software Update is disabled. I would strongly suggest to Psystar not to enable it, unless they are comfortable that Apple won’t issue an update that would render your Open Computer inoperable.

And the problems mentioned in Macworld’s report may just be the tip of the iceberg. What features are also unavailable? Well, I guess you get what you pay for. Will this harm Apple’s brand? I don’t think so. At best, it shows how much effort goes into ensuring that the operating system works well with the hardware.

The Apple II in London’s Science Museum

Found in the London Science Museum as one of the technology milestones of the 80s.

Ballmer uses a Mac?

This is funny!

(Photo credit)

Here’s another shot, courtesy of Paint it Black:

So did the Microsoft CEO use a Macbook Pro for his presentation? Sorry, Mac fans, but he didn’t. According to one commenter, it was a leftover Mac from a non-Microsoft speaker.

Still, the guy should’ve checked first!

Well, it was still good for laughs.

Lenovo parodies the Macbook Air

I found this video from Yuga. Nice parody, but lame in humor.

The thought that crossed my mind as I watched the video was this: Is that Lenovo’s best selling point?

Right now I am traveling out of the country, lugging around my Macbook Pro. Inside is my USB cable to connect my digicam, a portable disk, my iPod and its USB cable. If I had a Macbook Air, I would still be carrying this stuff. And, guess what, if I had a Lenovo, I would still be carrying this stuff.

Probably the big difference between a Lenovo and the Macbook Air highlighted in the parody is the optical drive, which I rarely use except to rip DVDs.

Psystar does exist!

And Gizmodo has the pictures plus a video.

And blogger Winn seems to confirm the statement that the clone comes pre-installed with Leopard and that you can’t reinstall it.

So you are on your own if your Mac clone crashes.

And since Software Upgrade doesn’t work, you will lose out on the patches and new features—unless of course, Psystar provides a hacked version of those updates as well.

I can’t bypass the DVD region codes!

I have ripped several region 1 DVDs and the time has come to rip a couple of local region 3 DVDs. And whatever I do, I can’t seem to bypass the region code checking.

Mac the Ripper pops the following messages:

VLC gives me the following error message:

Handbrake can’t open the file.

I’ve also been giving Fairmount a try, which claims that it will replace the original DVD on the desktop by a decrypted disc image of this DVD. It still doesn’t work.

There is also a program somewhere called Region X, but according to the Macworld forums, it is no longer supported and has some problems with Leopard.

Looks like if I truly want to rip Region 3 DVDs, I have to purchase a new DVD drive.

What’s the best PC to run Vista? It’s a Mac

Popular Mechanics puts both Vista and OSX to the test. The results?

Leopard OS trounced Vista in all-important tasks such as boot-up, shutdown and program-launch times. We even tested Vista on the Macs using Apple’s platform-switching Boot Camp software—and found that both Apple computers ran Vista faster than our PCs did.

Forbes interviews Psystar owner, but where are the clones?

And in the end, I still smell a scam brewing . . .

Read the Forbes interview of Psystar President Rudy Pedaza. 

But where are the clones?  What I’d like to see is people actually receiving the machine and providing feedback about it.  One blogger has placed an order and already started chronicling the experience. 

Smart Bro

I had just purchased a Smart Bro pre-paid kit. One good thing about the package is that they also have an installation kit for Mac users. The installation was simple and straight-forward. Install the software. Insert sim into modem. Plug modem into USB port. Click connect. And you are connected!

Loading the sim card is as simple as going to a convenience store (e.g., 7-11) or any kiosk that does e-loading.

And how fast is the bandwidth? Quite fast. I uploaded an 11MB file to Flickr and it took me less than 5 minutes.

Cost is at P10 for every 30-minute block. And one has to be careful on how he connects because if he logs off after just 5 minutes of usage, it can be considered as a 30-minute block.

The other problem I have is that the supplied Mac software does not have the SMS capability as that of the Windows version.

But, all in all, at least now I can connect to the internet wherever there is a Smart signal.