Happy Tenth to the G4 Cube
By Scott Baret

Ten years ago, we were greeted by an obscure cube-shaped machine with awe-inspiring looks. Under the hood was a G4 processor, still a rarity at the time (no iMac, iBook, or PowerBook used the chip yet). The machine lacked expansion slots, but the design alone was enough to attract the mainstream media to this new computer, especially after the popular iMac and iBook had already made a splash in terms of product placement and design of third party products (and not just peripherals for computers).

Everyone marveled over the design of this computer. However, selling it was another story. Unlike the iMac and iBook, the Cube wasn't exactly snapped up during its run. The biggest problem with the Cube was its position in the lineup, which at the time was supposedly a four-square model (with a consumer and professional version of both the laptop and desktop). Where exactly did it fit? Let's look at two theories:

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Today the new issue of iPad Life is out! August/September 2010 Number 5 & 6.

We decided to get the confusing "middle of the month" new issue to a "beginning of the month" timetable. This means the October 2010 issue will be out by October 1st.

We also have started to review iPhone apps and iPad/iPhone combo apps. It is time to expand our coverage to include iPhones and indirectly iPod Touches (they need love too).

In the August/September combo issue we talk about:

• Taking iPad to School
• DataViz's Documents to Go Premium: Office Suite review
• Plunderland review
• G-Whizz vs Google app review
• Camera for iPad vs HDCam for iPad review

Read the rest of the issue here...

The Future of the iPod
by Scott Baret

Today, it is time to look at the future of an iconic Apple product that has fallen out of the spotlight in recent times.

The iPod has cemented its place as one of the most important products in Apple's history. I will admit I doubted that it would have much impact when it first came out in 2001. At the time, one had to transfer music from CDs to an iPod, although many more were downloading illegally despite the Napster rulings that were persistent throughout the media shortly before the iPod's introduction. Additionally, MP3 players had never really taken off after their introduction in the late 1990s, with most everyone opting to stick with a CD player instead.

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In the past few weeks Apple's iPhone 4 has been under fire by many media outlets, including Consumer Reports, saying the antenna on the iPhone 4 is a design flaw. If that is the truth, why is Norway not having the same problems or issues?

Norway's largest paper, Verdens Gang, reports that the cell towers and mobile network in Norway are stronger than U.S. based AT&T's mobile network. Verdens Gang also noted that the iPhone 4 is not improperly constructed and all cell phones suffer from attenuation when held in certain ways (aka death grip).

So maybe Apple was right after all that there was no design flaw? Who knew?

Sources: Verdens Gang and AppleInsider

The iPhone 4 Fiasco: An Apple Veteran's Take
by Scott Baret

Steve Jobs held a press conference on Friday to address issues with the iPhone 4, offering a fix in the form of a free case. Up to that point, it had been about a month until Jobs actually did anything other than offer vague advice about how to hold the telephone.

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Today the new issue of iPad Life is out! July 2010 Number 4. Our first Summer app review issue.

Articles in this issue include:

• Writepad for iPad review
• Solver review

Only 2 apps to review this month? We did not want to short change any app so we looked for two unique apps to review this month. iPad Life feels both of these excellent apps are perfect for anyone who needs to take notes or calculate something.

Writepad for iPad = "We have a new note pad for our note taking in meetings and around town; Writepad for iPad!" The numerous features makes Writepad for iPad the best note taking app we reviewed that ends up with editable text.

Soulver = "Soulver has found it's way into our daily lives." The simplicity of Soulver is awesome. That is Soulver's biggest power.

Check out both of these apps to make you more productive.

Read the rest of the issue here...

What is the Mini's Role in Apple's Lineup?
by Scott Baret

The introduction of the newest iPhone caused quite a media stir last week, first for the hype and anticipation and later because of the problems encountered with Apple's latest device. If a garden variety LG or Samsung phone were being introduced or experiencing problems, nobody would have cared. The fact remains–we love the iPhone in this society.

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Vacationing from the World Online
by Scott Baret

To quote Cole Porter in the excellent musical Anything Goes, "there's no cure like travel to help you unravel the worries of living today." Indeed, we take vacations for exactly this reason. Usually, when we travel for non-business purposes, we leave behind our jobs, our neighbors, and the things we love to hate about our hometowns.

Getting away from the concrete world of our home and workplace is something we are all familiar with–we do it every time we take a vacation. Many of us, however, forget to get away from that "other" world for a bit–the world online.

Read the rest of Vacationing from the World Online here.

Today the new issue of iPad Life is out! June 2010 Number 3.

Articles in this issue include:

• iPad 3G: Mobile Warrior
• Siri
• Control your Mac or Windows PCs with iPad

iPad 3G: Mobile Warrior
Now that you have your iPad 3G and are going mobile with it. How do you combat the new AT&T limited data plans? iPad Life looked at this issue for our own iPad 3G. The same principles will work with any iPad WiFi only model that is tethered to a cell phone or connected to a MiFi.

Wifi Hot Spots and Security

AT&T plans have the capability to use free WiFi hot spots at many McDonalds, many airports, Starbucks, and other establishments the are participating with this service. Keep in mind security when you connect to these public WiFi hot spots.

Read the rest of the issue here...

The Mac 512 is proud to introduce our newest feature writer Scott Baret. Scott hails in PA and has been using personal computers since 1989. Come back as Scott goes deep into the Macintosh's future and past.

A snippet of Scott's first article, "Is the Macintosh Doomed?":

Is the Macintosh Doomed?
by Scott Baret

The death of the Macintosh platform has been predicted several times over the 26 years since the introduction of the original model. The rumors were especially rampant during Apple's "dark years" in the mid-1990s but died down once Steve Jobs returned the company to viability with products such as the iMac, Mac OS X, and iPod. The iPod, creative marketing, and reports of stability brought many "switchers" to the Mac world in the 2000s, but the iPad's introduction and success of the iPhone OS has made many wonder if the Macintosh is endangered once again.

It cannot be denied that mobile devices are starting to supplant traditional computers for some uses. iPod Touches, iPads, and iPhones (as well as their competitors) are being used more frequently for casual web browsing, e-mail correspondence, and social networking–all tasks that had once been reserved for desktop and laptop computers.

Read the rest of "Is the Macintosh Doomed?" here