British Mac Show Notes

Episode BritishMac046

				NEWS

				Headlines

				Apple confirms iTunes films for Europe this year Apple plans to offer films for sale through iTunes before the end of the year, a senior Apple executive has claimed. Apple's vice president for Europe, Pascal Cagni, revealed the plans during an intervew with French language business daily Les Echos this week. Cagni also confirmed that Apple will launch its iPhone in Europe in the fourth quarter of this year, and confirmed plans to open an Apple retail store in Paris, France at some point. He revealed that Apple aims to have around 70 sales outlets within larger retail stores open across Europe by the end of the year.

				BBC ipTV will support Macs

				BBC to open up archive for trial The BBC is to open up its vast archive of video and audio in an on-demand trial involving more than 20,000 people in the UK. Full-length programmes, as well as scripts and notes, will be available for download from the BBC's website. The pilot is part of the BBC's plans to eventually offer more than a million hours of TV and radio from its archive. The BBC's Future Media boss Ashley Highfield made the announcement at an industry conference in Cannes. "Our audience increasingly want and expect to dictate how, when and where they get our services," he told the conference. Mr Highfield, director of Future Media and Technology, said the BBC was starting to deliver content in a "hybrid environment", in which digital TV, radio, the web, set-top boxes and personal video recorders were combining to offer interactive services. He said the corporation's end ambition was "one day enabling any viewer to access any BBC programme ever broadcast via their television", and highlighted the need to bridge the divide between TV and content with online connections. Broadcasters around the world are grappling with the shift to on-demand media, with many firms now offering content online or via mobile devices. Channel 4 in the UK has launched its on-demand service via the net and cable services, while networks in the US are shifting content to platforms such as iTunes and the web. At the Cannes event Mr Highfield announced: The BBC's proposed iPlayer service, offering catch-up TV via the web and cable TV, would be re-engineered to work with Apple Macs and would eventually roll out to digital terrestrial TV (DTT) and set-top boxes. A trial of hybrid set-top boxes which are connected to the net and can record TV to access BBC archive material. The desire to "future-proof Freeview with additional advanced interactive and digital functionality" so it could offer catch-up TV and access archive material. The archive trial will make available 1,000 hours of content drawn from a mix of genres to a closed number of people. About 50 hours - of both TV and radio programmes - will be available in an open environment for general access. Mr Highfield said: "It will test what old programmes people really want to see, from Man Alive to The Liver Birds, how they want to see them - full length or clip compilations, and when they want them - in 'lean-forward' exploratory mode similar to web surfing, or as a scheduled experience more akin to TV viewing." The trial would also be used for the BBC to understand just how much content should be offered free to viewers and "where we should draw the line between a licence fee funded service and a commercial service," said the BBC executive. The BBC hopes that the archive would one day be available online, and on TVs via set-top boxes, either future Freeview players or via Internet Protocol TV. "Getting our BBC iPlayer seven day, catch-up TV service and our archive pilot out on to the web is one thing, but clearly the biggest available audience is sat in front of the television," explained Mr Highfield. The BBC iPlayer is expected to be launched later this year but is still subject to approval from the BBC Trust. If launched, it is designed to offer a seven-day catch-up service for viewers who can download content onto their computers. The BBC said it planned to offer the service first on computers running the Windows operating system and then on cable TV and other platforms such as Apple Macs, media centre PCs and smart handheld devices, such as mobiles or PDAs. "Once we've done all that, we'll turn to the really tricky platforms: DTT via either PVRs or IP hybrid boxes." The BBC's plans for the iPlayer were put on hold earlier this year after its regulators, the BBC Trust, asked the corporation to look at whether the iPlayer should be platform agnostic. Mr Highfield said Apple's "proprietary and closed framework for digital rights management gives us headaches," but, "it is one of our top priorities to re-engineer our proposed BBC iPlayer service to work on Macs". Of Freeview's future, Mr Highfield said: "It's critical that Freeview evolves as a compelling and competitive alternative to cable and satellite." Mr Highfield said the BBC would be lobbying regulator Ofcom for allocation of spectrum to develop free high definition services for Freeview. "New, hybrid set-top boxes, that combine broadcast TV with an IP connection, give us additional opportunities to deliver on-demand services via Freeview," he said. "Hybrid boxes are a part of the future, as important - if not more so - than standard PVRs," he added.

				Hi Will - BBC website is reporting that the software for the forthcoming BBC iPlayer will be rewritten to allow it to run on Macs also, following the outcry as the initial plans were for PC's only (shame on them!) ... of course that led to the outcry and the online petition, which had many thousands of signatures and would appear to have paid off. Link - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6568163.stm Keep up the British Mac podcast - love it. Best wishes - Will in Scotland

				Three pro-upgrades

				Apple Unveils Final Cut Studio 2 Apple has unveiled Final Cut Studio 2, a major upgrade to the industry’s leading video production suite that delivers new creative tools designed expressly for editors. Final Cut Studio 2 includes Final Cut Pro 6, Motion 3, Soundtrack Pro 2, Compressor 3 and DVD Studio Pro 4.2. Final Cut Studio 2 also introduces Color, a colour grading and finishing application for ensuring consistent colour and creating signature looks. [Apr 15]

				Apple Introduces Final Cut Server Apple today introduced Final Cut Server, a powerful new server application that works seamlessly with Final Cut Studio 2 to provide media asset management and workflow automation for post production and broadcast professionals. [Apr 15]

				Apple ships mammoth Aperture update Aperture 1.5.3 offers better performance and reliability Apple has released a 129.5MB update to its Aperture application, raising the software to version 1.5.3. The mammoth download is available using Mac OS X's Software Update feature and also for direct download from Apple's Support website. Apple describes the software upgrade as addressing reliability and performance improvements in a number of areas, including: generation of thumbnails for adjusted images; entering and exiting Full Screen mode and restoring from a vault. Specific fixes (again, according to Apple), include: - Previews now update properly when images are sent to an external editor; - Leaf Aptus 22 and Aptus 75 images are now imported with the correct orientation; - When folders are imported as projects, the folder structure is now correctly preserved when identically named subfolders are included in the hierarchy; - Reconnecting referenced images that have been externally edited now works more reliably; - Setting the ColorSync profile in the Aperture Print dialog now correctly suppresses colour management settings in the Mac OS X Print dialogue box.

				Mac Releases Security Update The update is recommended for all users and offers improved security across a range of OS system functions, including the log-in screen, system configuration and AirPort security. Security Update 2007-004 is recommended for all users and improves the security of the following components: AFP Client AirPort CarbonCore diskdev_cmds fetchmail ftpd gnutar Help Viewer HID Family Installer Kerberos Libinfo Login Window network_cmds SMB System Configuration URLMount Video Conference WebDAV For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61798

				Quick News

				Apple patent posits live desktop Apple patent promises an active desktop The future Mac OS X desktop may be a feast of moving images with little or no impact on system performance, a recent Apple patent filing suggests. The patent is called 'System and method for computing a desktop picture', and is for technology which seemingly promises "live desktop graphics" will be a new feature in Mac OS X 'Leopard'. Users will also be able to customize their desktop for different uses and appllications – a feature that suggests the patent may relate to Leopard's already-revealed "Spaces" feature. These will likely be based on key system technologies, such as CoreImage and CoreVideo. The patent description also explains how desktop images can be created which change over time, perhaps reflecting the seasons. As described, Apple's patent filing also suggests the new technology will be less memory-intensive.

				EyeTV update offers Apple TV support Elgato Systems has released EyeTV 2.4, a software update which now offers a single click "export for Apple TV" function. The export operation can be invoked manually as and when a user wants to export a clip. It can also be automated as a standard process. The software update also offers other improvements and bug fixes, including all-new support for Spotlight search on the Mac. EyeTV 2.4 also adds more features to the Program Guide. The show description texts (supplied by tvtv) now offer more detail, and the times at which a user has already scheduled a recording are now clearly visible in the guide. Users with multiple monitors can now specify on which one the Full Screen Menu is displayed and whether the remaining displays should be darkened. Elgato rounds off this free update with numerous bug fixes as well as added support for TerraTec's Cinergy T XE, a USB stick for DVB-T reception, and Hauppauge's WinTV Nova-TD, a USB stick for DVB-T reception with two tuners and Antenna Diversity. In addition to English, French, German and Japanese, localized versions of EyeTV are now available in Italian and Spanish.

				and finally...

				Looking for my Leopard from Mike Burke

				http://www.rathergood.com/looking/

				The British Mac Pussy Cat Club

				69 to 91

				Name Comments 91. kaden 90. Scott Vinson 89. Juan Moro 88. Toye Ogisi Tigersincrisis.com. is a good endangered Tiger site... 87. Eric Bluhm 86. Will O'Mailley Save the cats! (and give us Leopard... sooooooon!) 85. nick Lindley love the show

				84. Paul Hutchinson I cant wait for you to say my name!! ha ha, i'm famous! 83. Peter Wilson Save the trees as well Apple! 82. Howie Killick 81. Mark Roberts C'mon Apple - according to Greenpeace you do little enough for the environment as it is...!! 80. Amy Pickard 79. deri please! 78. Dennis Lees 77. Rich Fairhurst Grrrrrrr. 76. kazzi Where's all the girls? Keep up the good work Will! 75. Tom Read 74. Steven J Duckworth Well Done Will, keep moving those Tiger Feet! 73. Thomas C Harper 72. Johann Gudbjargarson Save the cats. 71. Vanessa a Black Country Bird great course and a fantastic pod cast keep up the good work. 70. Rob Hancox 69. John Murrell

				St. British Mac

				Buy your Annual now!! Last chance!

				Menu Meters & iStatPro

				Uncle Mac's Siesta

				iTunes Podcast Smart Folder

				Frankenwidget

				Microsoft offers OS X Dashboard widget Microsoft offers Live Search widget Macworld staff Microsoft has released its first Dashboard widget for Mac OS X, Live Search mini. The little utility lets users search the web using the Widget, rather than a full-fledged web browser, though pages you find evidently pop-up in a browser when you visit them. "A cool and easy access to Live Search engine! web results are directly displayed in the widget, without opening your browser. Number of results, language, and display can be personalized," notes accompanying the widget explain. It's a Universal application designed to function on both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs. Some readers have reported some bugs in the product – principally, the widget apparently will not save preference changes between sessions when used with a PowerPC Mac.

				Defaults in French!

				Dave in Oz review section

				Opera

				Desert Island Applications

				From Graham Gilbert - you can read his original blog entry at http://tin-men.net/2007/04/09/desert-island-apps/

				desert island apps 09apr07 Recently on the British Mac podcast a new feature has started up called Desert Island Apps. If you’re not from our lovely rainy little island, there is a feature on BBC Radio 4 called Desert Island Discs where celebrities come on and choose five records that they would take with them if they were stranded on a desert island. Anyway, time to get to the point. The idea is you choose five Mac apps that you can’t live without. I’m going to ignore all the usual things like Microsoft Office and the iLife suite, and focus on lesser known apps. Quicksilver is my first choice. I truly couldn’t live without it, I use it literally all the time. Basically it is an application launcher, but it is so much more than that. To start off with it is instant with its results. You know how Spotlight takes a moment or two to come up with results? There’s none of that with Quicksilver. It also seems to be psychic. It nearly always comes up with the right result, and if it doesn’t it learns for next time. But the real beauty of Quicksilver is in the other things it can do. It can manipulate files, run scripts - pretty much anything that you can think of. And if you can think of it and it isn’t there then you can probably find a plugin that will make it happen. My second app is Feeder. Its made by Reinvented Software, and it is used for the creation and management of RSS feeds. I have a couple of podcasts and I use it to make my feeds. Sure, creating RSS feeds isn’t particularly difficult, but it is a bit of a pain in the bum. Feeder just makes it easier since it handles the creation of the feed, and it will also upload any other files needed to your webserver. In short, it does what all good apps should do - takes something tedious and repetitive and make it quick and easy. Keeping with the “making something tedious nice and easy” theme comes app number three - CSSEdit. It is a visual CSS editor that uses webkit (the rendering engine that Safari uses) to display your edits in real time. Its especially useful to me since it can pull a website from the internet (such as your wordpress blog that is running on your server) and apply your custom styling to it. And speaking of blogs gives me a lovely link to my next app. TextMate is my default text editor. Now I know what you’re thinking “I already have TextEdit, why do I need another editor”. Well, there are editors and there are editors, and this is the latter. There are countless add ons, it recognises what language you’re writing in (that’s computer language) and has code completion. It does everything I need and more than I will ever use. My last application is MPEG Streamclip. My digital camera records in plain old MPEG and of course, iMovie only likes more modern formats. So I use MPEG Streamclip to convert my videos into a more iMovie friendly mp4 format. This can be done with many other tools, but this one is not only free, but it is really rather fast when compared to the others. Well, there are the five apps I’d take to a desert island with me. Hope they’ve been useful to someone.

				Ye Olde Mac & Mouse

				Janice's .Mac Web Dav problem

				Hi Jo, We all missed your prescence in Portugal this year. Not quiet the same. Jo I have a small problem with my Mac. The following very annoying message pops up every 2 minutes. WebDAV File System Authentication Enter your user name and password to access the server at the URL `http://idisc.mac.com/janice moorekite/` in the realm `idisc.mac.com.` Your user name and password will be sent securely. This is something which i do not want and cannot get rid of. Ever heard about it? Janice

				Hi Janice, You know I had exactly the same problem. It's a real pain isn't it. If I remember the way I cured it was by removing the link to my iDisk from my desktop. The problem seemed to occur when booting up my Mac it would try to connect to .Mac and suffer some authentication problems. Hope this helps, I'll ask about your problem in the show too. Cheers, Will.

				Mac training course Hi Will I'm currently catching up with the latest BritishMacs and Sunday Papers as I write this ...more power to your elbow! A bit of PR the promise of a pint might persuade you to use (if I ever get to Ironbridge)! ------------- Having been made redundant back in October '05 and, coincidentally moved to the West Midlands, I found that my expertise, as a pre-press technical support manager, was not exactly in demand in this area, so I looked for other sources of income using my knowledge. It seemed to me that, for newbies and switchers in particular, there was a huge gap between learning on-the-fly and the £750+ Apple accredited training courses ...so I set out to develop my own courses. OS X Overview covers all features of the Finder, plus Spotlight and 'Troubleshooting Tips'. It also includes a brief look at Automator. This is run monthly at NTI in Birmingham city centre (full day, £99 including lunch), but it has also proved successful, when taken in-house by a Mac-based business. Beyond 'OS X Overview' are a series of courses, aimed primarily at Windows-based IT professionals who need to know about Macs, but they may be of interest to others... i 'Installation & Configuration' - (full day) which includes configuring all the System Preferences; ii 'Security' - (half day) locking down against malware, hackers and user misuse, accidental or otherwise; iii 'Standard Profiling' - (half day) the use of cloning to create a number of identical Macs (network management) iv 'OS X Server Basics' - (full day) installation, configuration, Active Directory and Kerberos v 'Networking' - (half day) placing Macs on an established Windows user network vi 'Sharing Resources' - (half day) working on the same network as Windows users vii 'OS X Server Features' – (half day) beyond the basic setup The last 4 of these courses are under development, but next run of the first 3 courses will be at NTI on April 30, May 10 & 11. Much as I'd like all delegates to attend all courses, they are free to pick'n'mix based on what they need to know. All courses are easily re-branded for running elsewhere on other dates. For more information, contact Peter Wickenden at techsupport@wickenden.info or on 0773 007 7723. For details on all the courses run at NTI, go to www.ntibirmingham.co.uk ----------------- All the best P e t e r

				Safari password tip. Hi Will. Here's a handy tip for Safari users who accidentally hit "Never save Information for this Site" when Safari asked to save their password but who now wish to re-enable the request for that particular website. An easy way is to go back into the site and purposely enter the password incorrectly. When Safari asks whether you want it to to save this incorrect password, say yes. Then, go back into the website and log out if necessary. This time fill, in the correct password and when the dialogue box comes up asking whether you want to save the (now correct) password, say yes. You should now have your correct password saved and auto-filled in Safari and saved in the Keychain Access utility. Best regards, Mike

				British Icon

				Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall