Stan's List

And you thought Mac Minis were just desktop computers. TechEBlog has a run down of the top 5 other uses for Apple’s low end half-cube. While most people will know about using it at a DVR perhaps you a hankering to make a mac powered robot. Or maybe that Apple tablet you have been dreaming about.

CNET has run a comparison between the 1997 Apple Newton and a modern Windows ultra mobile PC, the Samsung Q1. Remarkably, the Newton comes off as the winner. From the article: ‘An operating system designed for a desktop computer will rarely shoehorn well into a portable device, yet that is exactly what Samsung has tried to do with the Q1. Very little consideration has been given to the differing priorities of desktop and small-form computer users. Windows is a one-size-fits-all solution, whereas the Newton OS is very specifically built for the efficient use of a small screen and stylus. More …

Apple today announced its wireless Mighty Mouse. The buttons aren’t new, but the lack of wire is.

Four buttons. Or one. Your choice. Might Mouse (v. 2.0) is a claimed “20 times more sensitive than standard optical mice for better tracking on even more surfaces,” according to Apple. It employs Bluetooth 2.0 for wireless connectivity.

Mighty Mouse II takes either 1 or 2 AA batteries (auto switch off when not in use) and it can be used to launch OS X utilities like Exposé for quick access to all open windows. Or launch Spotlight or Dashboard or any application without taking your hand off the mouse.

The suggested retail price for Mighty Mouse is $69,

While Apple’s FireWire (the 1394 protocol) is being strongly challenged by USB 2.0 in computer and peripherals markets, its life in consumer electronics (CE) is improving, In-Stat reported. Digital televisions, cable set top boxes, and DVD recorders are all driving 1394a growth in the CE segment, the high-tech market research firm said. In addition, the High-Definition Audio Video Networking Alliance (HANA) has endorsed FireWire as a transmission medium for high-definition content, a development that may spur adoption of FireWire in home video networks. More …

ExtremeTech has a review (multiple pages) of Pioneer’s first offering of a Blu-ray burner. Good features, but look at that initial price. It will be while before I get one. More …

This Apple KB article explain how to use iDVD with Double=Layer DVDs and a reminder about how much hard drive space is required (for the temp file). More …

There is a link to test whether or not you have a DVD drive that can burn to a double-layer DVD disc.

Ars noted that Apple has quietly enhanced the specifications of its high-end 30″ HD Cinema Display.

The display’s brightness, which was previously 270 cd/m2, is now listed at 400 cd/2. Meanwhile, its contrast ratio also appears to have been bumped from 400:1 to 700:1.

TG Daily is reporting that Samsung has just announced a new 32 GB Flash storage device. The aim of this new solid state disk (SSD) drive is to completely replace the traditional hard drives in many laptops on the market. Some of the advantages offered are the 1.8″ form factor, read speeds more than twice that of a normal hard drive, and the promise of 95% less power use. More …

Om Malik’s Blog states that according to some reports, Apple’s storage products have been selling like hot croissants on a cold Parisian morning and at the end of second quarter of 2005, had shipped 76 petabytes of storage,” notes gigaom.com, a broadband weblog focused on the next generation internet. More …

vnunet.com reports, “Magnetic breakthrough promises Ram boost: ‘Displaced vortex states’ key to Magnetic Ram” Instant on and increased capacity are possible. More …