Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • Tip of the Week: Browser Spoofing

    Today we had a wonderful customer in the store who had just switched to Apple by buying a new MacBook. He was running into trouble with his company’s web-based calendaring and collaboration system, as the site required Internet Explorer 6 or greater to run. He’d browse to it using Safari or Firefox, and the site would throw an error and refuse access, presumably to make it easier for novice users to know which browsers work and which don’t. Turns out, it was compatible with Safari after all. We just had to tell Safari to masquerade as Explorer.

    Unfortunately, not all web developers keep up with the times. It’s likely that this site’s administrators hadn’t conducted compliance testing since at least the release of Internet Explorer 7. It’s getting rarer and rarer, but plenty of sites out there still require Explorer. This trick won’t work on all of them, but it will for a good chunk of them.

    While in Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Now, click the Advanced button at the top right of the Preferences window, and check “Show Develop menu in menu bar.” Close the Preferences window, and notice the new Develop menu on top of your screen. In the Develop menu is the User Agent sub-menu. From the sub-menu, select Internet Explorer 7.0. Once this is done, the web sites you visit will think you’re using Explorer, and some of the especially restrictive sites will work for you!

    Be mindful of the setting you choose, as Safari will not render some web sites correctly when pretending to be Explorer.

  • iTunes DRM is Dead! But Variable Pricing Lives…

    The success of the iTunes Store is undeniable (it’s the #1 music store in the US). It has proven that people are willing to pay for digital music, movies, TV shows, and games, as long as the content is priced fairly, and the purchase process is fast and easy. I appreciate the iTunes Store and make purchases there almost weekly.

    Effective today, iTunes is even better, as the record labels have finally allowed Apple to drop DRM (digital rights management) from all music tracks offered in the store. From now on, there are no DRM restrictions on any music purchased from the iTunes Store. Other content (movies, TV shows) may still have DRM protection in place.

    Also, from now on, all tracks are available in 256kbps AAC encoding, which Apple claims to be virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings. In my own testing experience, 256kbps AAC encoded-tracks sound great and truly are virtually indistinguishable from CD quality-tracks. 256kbps AAC encoded-tracks strike the right balance between sound quality and digital file size.

    Also, the iTunes Store is abandoning the fixed 99 cents price-per-song in place since its inception in 2005. Apple has adopted a new pricing scheme that includes offering songs for 69 cents, 99 cents or $1.29, depending on factors including popularity. Apple has announced that there would be more 69 cent songs than $1.29 songs.

    I’ve read several opinions that the new pricing means that the iTunes Store will lose sales. I don’t think it’s possible to know this until we know how many 69 cent songs are available. Also, without DRM, tracks purchased from iTunes can be played on non-iPod music players, potentially expanding the iTunes Store’s reach.

  • Updated Xserve With Intel "Nehalem" Processors!

    Say it with me: “NAH – HAY – LEM”

    Today Apple introduced an all-new Xserve line that reportedly delivers up to two times the performance of the previous generation while providing enhanced energy efficiency. Based on next-generation Intel “Nehalem” architecture, the new Xserve features a single-die quad-core architecture, a fully shared 8MB L3 cache design, and a three-channel integrated memory controller with up to 12 slots of 1066MHz DDR3 ECC memory.

    The new Xserve introduces new storage capabilities, including an optional 128GB solid-state drive (SSD) for use as a boot drive, SATA/SAS drive support with support for up to 3TB of internal storage, internal second-generation RAID card option with 512MB of RAID cache, and cost-effective dual- and quad-port Fibre Channel cards for external storage connectivity.

    The new Xserve is based on a green design that delivers improved performance per watt for reduced energy consumption, eliminates toxic chemicals, and a high-efficiency power supply.

    Starting at $2999, Xserve also includes an unlimited-client license of Mac OS X Server as part of its standard configuration (a $900 value). Now you can easily set up and manage servers, add new clients to the network, share calendars, schedule meetings, and more. Leopard Server also offers incredibly smart and efficient services for your network, including iCal Server, Wiki Server, and Podcast Producer. Mac OS X Server Leopard also features enhanced multicore performance.

    The standard $2,999 configuration includes a 2.26GHZ Quad-Core Xeon 5500 processor. Build to order options include dual 2.26 GHz, 2.66 GHz or 2.93 GHz Intel Xeon processors.

    “Click here to read more about the new Xserve!”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|Xserve

  • Happy Tuesday,

    Vermont today became the fourth state in the union to legalize same-sex marriage, and the first to do so through the legislative process instead of by court order. The Senate voted last night to approve a slightly revised version of the House bill, and, as promised, Governor Douglas vetoed it shortly thereafter. This morning, the legislature overturned the veto. It was a true testament to the power of democracy, and a rare example of extreme legislative efficiency.

    Signs of Spring are everywhere now, even though it’s been in the thirties and raining for the past few days. Daffodils and lillies are just peeking through the mulch in the Small Dog gardens, and the first ramps are appearing in droves. In a few weeks I’ll be foraging for morels and chanterelles!

    I hope you enjoy this issue. As always, keep in touch.

    Matt
    “matt@smalldog.com”:mailto:matt@smalldog.com

  • MAC TREAT #79: Use Your Own Mac Icons

    Several readers have recently inquired about how they can change their Mac’s default icons (such as the hard drive icon). It’s very easy…

  • Marriage Equality is a Workplace Issue

    Start Soapbox The Vermont legislature is debating and is likely to pass legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. Both Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and…

  • Mud season really sucks when you live on a long dirt road. On Tuesday, I ripped the lower spoiler off my AWD Saab and then on Wednesday, the mud was so bad coming home from the party that I fell into a muddy sea. And while I eventually made it home, the car is beeping and giving me warning signs.

    I like the peacefulness of the dirt roads, but my road up Prickly Mountain has so much traffic these days that it becomes almost impassable. I get very conservative (yikes!) when it comes to road paving–I’d like the town to pave right up to my front door!

    Thanks for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali & Ed_

  • SPECIALS | 04/03/09 – 04/10/09

    View specials while on-hand supplies last. Please note that some specials may not be available in our retail stores; check for availability.

    See all specials on our Specials Page: www.smalldog.com/specials

  • SOAPBOX | Marriage Equality is a Workplace Issue

    *Start Soapbox*

    The Vermont legislature is debating and is likely to pass legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. Both Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce have testified in support of this civil rights legislation and it enjoys wide-spread support from the business community in Vermont. Unfortunately, Governor Douglas has indicated that he will veto this legislation. I did have an opportunity to bend his ear a bit at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, but he told me he probably will not reconsider his veto promise.

    It is unknown whether there will be sufficient votes in the Vermont House to override the expected veto but I am heading down to the State House to lobby again for this important legislation. Vermont was the first state to make slavery illegal, it was the first state to make civil unions legal and it is time to finish the job and provide our co-workers, neighbors, family and friends with the same rights of marriage that heterosexual couples enjoy.

    This is clearly a workplace issue as we expect all of our employees to be able to exercise the same rights and privileges regardless of their sexual orientation. Our jobs are stressful enough without the added burden of less than full equality for all employees. This is why companies large and small have joined together to support this legislation and signing this statement:

    bq. The people of Vermont have long aspired to live together under fair laws that recognize our equality and common humanity.

    As business leaders, we support the freedom to marry in Vermont. We understand that strong businesses thrive in strong communities. We know that our ability to recruit the most talented employees depends on our ability to attract them to a state with fair and inclusive laws. And we understand that Vermont’s national leadership in civil rights is an important part of who we are as a state.

    Because marriage is a basic human right and an individual choice, we support full civil marriage for same-sex couples.

    I am confident that the Vermont legislature will, in fact, pass this legislation and override the Governor’s veto. This human rights issue’s time has come and I expect that Vermont will once again establish itself as a leader in providing equal rights for all.

    *End Soapbox*

    Share your opinion on this issue at the Small Dog blog: “Barkings!”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/marriage-equality-is-a-workplace-issue/

  • Skype + iPhone. Finally It's Here!

    With the introduction of the iTunes App Store some time ago, the iPhone and iPod touch became even more useful devices. Anyone could be an iPhone developer and get their software onto the App store, and thousands of people have done just that. My iPod touch has five pages of Apps ranging from Pandora, for free music streaming; to Air Sharing, which makes the iPod essentially a wireless hard drive and network browser; to TextGuru, a full-featured text editor that includes copy and paste functions.

    Skype released its own App late last night, and the blogosphere is buzzing with reviews and commentary. Skype has been around for quite some time, and is a robust instant messaging, video conferencing, and voice over internet protocol (VOIP) phone service with software available for Mac and Windows users. The Skype App allows you to place free calls to other Skype users on your iPhone or pay a nominal by-the-minute fee to call any landline in the world.

    Initial reports suggest that the Skype App works well. It is not as fully featured as the computer-based client software, however. For one, there is not a video conference function. Also, it is not possible to have Skype remain active in the background while your iPhone is sleeping, making it impractical—useless, really—for incoming calls.

    And, presumably to appease the mobile carriers worldwide, Skype works only while connected to a terrestrial Wi-Fi network. It will not, and probably never will, work over the phone companies’ 3G networks, even though the networks could handle the additional traffic with aplomb. After all, the phone companies are essentially the ones buying the iPhones!