Stan's List

Planamesa.com (Patrick Luby) has released NeoOffice 1.2 Alpha. Using Apple’s more-stable Java 1.4.x release and with support for Open Document (ie OpenOffice 2) file formats, this release is based on OpenOffice 1.1.5 code and offers the following new and / or updated features:

• Importing OpenOffice.org 2.0 documents
• Improved stability and performance
• Printing of EPS images
• Accessibility support

NeoOffice 1.1 is available, but uses the less stable Java 1.3.1

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Walter Mossberg notes reasons for a sea of change in Windows users’ consideration of the Mac platform. “The daunting security problems that have plagued Windows have also prompted many of its users to take a serious look at the Mac. This trend has been further reinforced by the “iPod halo effect,” in which Windows users who own and love Apple’s iPod music players are willing to consider the company’s other products. As a result, Mac sales, while still relatively small, have been growing much faster than overall personal computer sales. Are you among the PC majority considering a switch to the Mac? Then you probably have some important questions.”

Low End Mac analyzes the beginning and near end of the PowerBook: “Apple had no presence in the portables market prior to 1992. Its attempt at creating a laptop Macintosh, the Macintosh Portable, weighed almost 15 lbs and failed to sell. On the personal behest of John Sculley, Apple contracted with Sony to create ‘Asahi’, a smaller Portable. Apple developed two high end models in company. After 1992 and until the disastrous 5300, Apple was the leading notebook maker.”

“I’ve been buying for more than 20 years and I’ve seriously never seen a phenomenon like iPod,” says a senior Coles Myer buyer. Coles Myer is one of Australia’s biggest iPod retailers.” More …

As IGM reported earlier this week, the toughest thing about getting a new iPod right now is severely constrained supply.

Quoting Recording Industry Association of Japan figures, Macworld UK reports that since the advent of the iTunes Music Store in that country legal download rates have more than doubled, reaffirming Apple’s increased market power.

In the first and second quarters of this year, downloads totaled 1.1 million and 1.0 million, respectively. However, the RIAJ reports there were 2.3 million downloads from online music stores during the third calendar quarter. The twist here is that in Japan the data counts downloads and not tracks, so a single track or several purchased together as an album are each counted as one download.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp. Wednesday said some Xbox 360 owners have reported problems with the new video game console that debuted in North America earlier this week.

Betadot ponders a patent application by Apple, which might point to integrated webcams in the lids of future Mac portables.

Apple’s patent application describes a “data capture device” on a laptop with a swiveling lid, which would ““secure the lid to the base,”

Apple’s application is not exclusive to laptops; it also includes “other electronic devices”, including PDAs and cell phones.

Apple has already integrated iSight into the iMac G5, which complements its bundled iChat AV software. It would be a fairly logical step to move iSight to the iBook and PowerBook.

Intel has formed an Apple Transition Team to oversee Cupertino’s switch to the Intel processor, PC Pro reports.

Both engineering and sales personnel are involved with the team, and this move by Intel is in line with other teams formed to deal with major corporate clients.

Intel and Apple previously worked together on a major -secret – project in the early 1990s, code named Star Trek. Like the deal of 2005, the plan was to get the Mac OS – at the time System 7 – running on Intel chips. Then-CEO of Intel, Andy Grove, approved the project. A small team of Apple engineers accomplished the task in record time. Then, as possibly now, Intel was trying to shrug off Microsoft’s software monopoly.

The new release addresses the security issue in the Flash Player (Secunia Advisory 17437).

OWC is pleased to be able to provide a complimentary pass to the Exhibit Hall that is good January 10th through the 13th. Enjoy the pass and hope you’ll be visiting!

The new priority code is N0102. You can register online or on site.