Apple pushes anti-virus for Macs

For the first time, Apple is recommending the use of anti-virus tools to protect Mac systems.
I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner in all honesty. Apple systems are becoming more and more popular and as such they will become a target for the virus makers.

The BBC website and The Register site both have more on the story. In the meantime I’d recommend ClamXav if you are running Mac OS X it’s free and frequently updated.

WordPress for iPhone

So I’ve been playing with wordpress again recently as I’ve been doing a blogs project at work. I’m amazed by how many new plugins there are. It makes the blog platform better than many content management systems I’ve worked with.

Also since I have an iPhone the wordpress application is a great addition. To complete the picture I’ve installed an iPhone specific theme so if you are viewing note to self on the Jesus phone you get a different view 🙂

Apple MagSafe power adapater replacement (free of charge hopefully)

This evening my magsafe was flickering red and green and when I went to check the connection it felt really hot to the touch. When I pulled the cable it came out leaving the magnet attached to the macbook. The cable is burnt through so it was lucky I was here. After a quick search on the apple site it appears I am not the only one.

If you’ve had any problems with your MagSafe power adapter, Apple has good news for you: They’ll replace it for free. You just need to bring it in to an Apple-Authorized Service Provider or an Apple store for evaluation. If you’re out of warranty, you’re still in luck-they’ll take it back if it’s defective.

magsafe burnt
—-

Symptoms
You may notice a separation of the white insulation on the magnetic end of the MagSafe adapter. Under continued use, the cable may discolor and the rubber molding may become deformed.

Products Affected
MacBook (13-inch Late 2006), MacBook (13-inch), MacBook Pro (15-inch Glossy), MacBook Pro (17-inch)

Resolution
Whether your product is in or out-of-warranty, you can take your adapter (you don’t need to take the computer) to an Apple-Authorized Service Provider or Apple Retail Store for evaluation, and replacement if necessary. You may be eligible for a replacement adapter free of charge provided there are no signs of abuse. Make a reservation at the Genius Bar before visiting your local Apple Retail Store. To make a reservation, go to http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/.

Funniest comment award goes to…

Just because Stephen Fry loves Apple does not mean you need to be bent to enjoy good design.

Jon Ive, the Apple design GOD, is married with kids. SUre, they might be photoshopped in but I don’t think so.

I love good design and I’m as straight as a fence post. I also enjoy Stephen Fry too, but not That Way.

More: @ the register

Windows SP3 on macbook with bootcamp

Looks like the SP3 update wasn’t tested on MacBook’s. I had a few excrutiating attempts to install and always being told I was 4MB short despite having 20GB free.

There is not enough disk space on C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$ to install Service Pack 3 Setup requires an additional 4 megabytes of free space or if you also want to archive the files for uninstallation,Setup requires 4 additional megabytes of free space. Free additional space on your hard disk and then try again.

Thankfully I found a helpful guide at windowsreference.com which is an easy registry hack and seemed to do the business with no problems.

Robert Peston on why Vista is evil

Dear Bill Gates

Give me back my weekend. I bought a new Windows Vista laptop – and that’s when the trouble began.

My dislike of your new user interface you can put down to the conservatism that comes with advancing years. However having loyally stuck by the galumphing, unaesthetic functionality of your operating systems over the past 15 years, while faced with ridicule from pretentious Mac-loving types, I resent your attempt at an elegance transplant.

But what really grates is that your system is incompatible with two of the vital tools of my trade. Vista refuses to load the software for my newish Olympus digital recorder. And here’s what takes the biscuit. Vista rejects my HP IPAQ handheld device – even though the software for that was created by Microsoft!

So in order to put Vista at the centre of what I do, I would have to buy hundreds of pounds of new hardware. Which may be great news for your industry, but makes me regret never having defected to Steve Jobs. Perhaps now’s the time.

more on the BBC website

Charlie Brooker on why he hates Macs:

“I hate Macs. I have always hated Macs. I hate people who use Macs. I even hate people who don’t use Macs but sometimes wish they did. Macs are glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults; computers for scaredy cats too nervous to learn how proper computers work; computers for people who earnestly believe in feng shui….repeatedly congratulating himself for looking so cool, and banging on about how he was going to use his new laptop to write a novel, without ever getting round to doing it”
More here including a ‘review’ of the latest ad campaign…