Mozilla Releases Critical Update to Firefox Browser Version 10.0.1

Mozilla has released an update to the Firefox Browser that they have classified as a critical update.  The update, Version 10.0.1, fixes a security flaw in version 10.0 as well as a Java freezing problem that was in previous versions of the browser. New items in the update include Most add-ons are now compatible with new versions of Firefox by default The forward button is now hidden until you navigate back Anti-Aliasing for WebGL is now implemented CSS3 3D-Transforms are…

Mac DVDRipper Pro Upgraded to Version 3.1.1

Mac DVDRipper Pro, the shareware package which allows users to rip their DVD’s onto their Macintosh has been upgraded.  Produced by DVDSuki Softwares Inc, Mac DVDRipper Pro is a shareware program which is normally $24.95 for the fully unlocked package.  They currently have the program for sale for $19.95 on their website. They also have a free trial version which will work uninhibited for the first five DVD rips. The latest version, 3.1.1 includes the following updates: Support for very…

AAPL: Stock price soars to $499.20 in Pre-Market

Apple Inc (AAPL) has jumped to a sky high price of $499.20 USD per share in pre-market trading this morning.   While many analysts posted expected price per share of $550-$580 USD per share after profits were announced, the price was a bit slow in getting there until last week.  The stock had been trading in the $455-460 range the week before and then suddenly jumped to a high of $497.62 befor closing on Friday at $493.42 USD per share.  

AppleCommander 1.3.5.10 Released

AppleCommander, the Java based disk image tool by Dr. John B. Matthews has been updated.  Version 1.3.5.10 was released this morning on Dr. Matthews’ webpage.  AppleCommander allows you to open Apple ][ disk images and view their content down to the individual files.  You can also use AppleCommander to import and export files from the disk images, as well as to convert disk images from one type to another. The current release features changes made by David Schmidt.  They include…

Age of Reason BBS Back Online

During the snow storm last month in Washington State and it’s following cleanup, the machine that runs the Age of Reason BBS was struck down by a power surge.  The cause of the surge was apparently crews re-setting power line.   While the machine was not totally fried, the power supply is a bit loopy from it.  But this has not prevented the inevitable return of the Age of Reason BBS. Gene Buckle, the curator of the Age of Reason BBS…

Don’t Download Pinball Arcade — Waste of time unless you like ads and sluggishness

Program: Pinball Arcade Version: 1.0.8 Size: 17.5 MB Language: English Seller: FarSight Studios URL: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pinball-arcade-free/id497189134?mt=8 After months of being hyped by many in the media, the biggest bust of the year must be Pinball Arcade by Farsight Studios.  I was totally looking forward to playing some of the pinball games from over the years that have long left arcades everywhere for pinball graveyards. However, one should have been forewarned by the name of the publisher, which leads right into the…

Apple ][ Game Server and Disk Server Now Available in Mobile form

  Egan Ford, creator and curator of the Apple ][ Game Server and the Apple ][  Disk Server has created mobile versions of the website.  This allows those users with iPhones to use the iOS based device to load their Apple ][ computer with games or disks directly from the Internet. The mobile version of the Apple ][ Game Server is at: http://asciiexpress.net/gameserver/mobile.html The Apple ][ Disk Server mobile version  is currently being built and will be available soon. now…

Virtual ][ Version 6.5 Released

Gerard Puter has released an update of his popular Virtual ][ shareware Apple ][ Emulator for the Mac.   Virtual ][ is a complete Apple ][ emulator with features such as print to pdf and visual configuration menus with accurate card images. In the new version, gerard has included the following changes: Fixed an issue where the Mockingboard card could halt the virtual machine (this happened, for example, in Ultima IV). Corrected an issue in the “floating bus” screen rendering, thereby…

What is an App Worth?

by A.P.P.L.E. Staff This past week, the controversy over the price of an iPhone App has once again raised its ugly head.   Many people seem to think these days that all apps should be free or as close to free as they can be.  Apple did not help this thought this month when they introduced their iWorks application for a mere 9.95 for the iPad. The 1000 dollar BarMax seems to set the standard for apps when it comes to…

Jerry Mancock, Creator of Apple ][ Case and Macintosh, Talks about Life at Apple with Steve Jobs

Paula Routly recently interviewed early Apple Inc. employee Jerry Mancock.  Jerry was Apple Computer Inc. Employee 6 or 7, depending on who you ask and he gave a very detailed overview of early life at Apple,  about working on the Apple ][, Disk ][ and eventually the Macintosh, as well as working with Steve Jobs.   The original creator of the Apple ][ case was originally very skeptical of Steve Jobs and asked for payment up front.  He didn’t get it…

Draw On /// Now Available on the Apple ][ Scans Site

Draw On //, a graphics design tool produced by the same people who produced On Three Magazine is now available on the Apple ][ Scans website.  The program was written by Bob Consorti and comes on a single floppy disk.  The Manual is also available in PDF format and is a 118.9 MB download. You can download the program at: http://apple2scans.net/apple-iii/draw-on-3/

A Look into the Original Apple Design Book

Have you ever wondered what Apple had in mind when it was designing new Apple IIgs machines back in the 1980’s?  Lim Thye Chen gives us a brief glimpse into some of those designs of prototypical Apple machines with a few pictures from the original Apple Design book at: http://retromaccast.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=rxq26qsiiir9 While this is not the first time we have seen such wild ideas of Apple products, it is the first time we have seen a mythical Apple IIsi or a…

New Build of JACE Apple ][ Emulator Posted

Brendan Robert has uploaded a new version of his JACE Apple ][ Emulator to the JACE Sourceforge page.   This release is meant to address some issues that were introduced in early versions.  Brendan Robert posted the following notes about the release on the Comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup earlier today: “1) Concurrent modification exceptions have been eradicated when you apply settings changes.  These used to kill the emulation when you used the config screen to tweak settings or change disks.  I am very…

Robot War Tournament Proposed by Digital Antiquarian

The Digital Antiquarian website, run by Jimmy Maher is proposing an old fashioned version of a Robot War Tournament.   His recent posting about Muse Software’s Robot War for the Apple ][ brought out the folks who have long wondered if a tournament like those of the early 1980’s could be once again be held. In Jimmy Maher’s posting on comp.sys.apple2, he says “I’ve been writing about the Apple II quite a lot in recent months, as I judge it the…

Apple Updates EFI Firmware on 2010 iMacs

Apple Inc. has posted an update to the EFI firmware in the mid-2010 models of the iMac.  Version 1.8 of the iMac EFI Firmware allows Lion Recovery from a network connection.  You can download the update from the Apple website at: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1493  

AAPL: Apple Pushes Through 474$ Mark in Trading and pulls back

Apple Inc (AAPL) shares have been on a record tear over the past three trading days with the price currently trading at $472.65 USD per share or up $3.71 USD per share at Noon EST.  After pushing through the $474.00 USD per share price just after 10am, the price has pulled back.  The high of the day thus far was $474.21 per share.

A.P.P.L.E. Server Upgrade Put on Temporary Hold

We have been upgrading our servers here at A.P.P.L.E. in the hope of providing more resources and a faster server for our users.  During our migration yesterday, we hit a snag with services on the primary server being pinged out so we decided to go ahead and do the migration by hand which will take a few days longer than planned. Stay tuned for more as we go through this upgrade.

Spring-Time Retro Computer Convention Scheduled for May 25-27

Payton Byrd has announced a new Spring Time Retro Computer Convention for Clarksville, Tennessee in lieu of this years C4 convention.  The announement in CSA2 placed the convention at the Riverview Inn (http://www.theriverviewinn.com/rvstie/ ]) in Clarksville. According to the announcement by Payton, “It would be the last weekend of May, (25-27) and we’d have the room for 48 hours.  It’s a very nice facility in a great location near the Cumberland River and just minutes from shopping, dining and recreation…

Piracy is a good thing? Rovio seems to think so.

While there are many agencies and groups which take a hard line against any kind of piracy, including the SBA, RIAA, amond others, there seems to be one company now that actually thinks it is a good thing to some extent. Rovio, the maker of the popular game Angry Birds seems to be taking a page from the MS-Dos 1.0 book and saying that the piracy is actually growing their business more than it is hurting it.  According to Rovio…

AAPL: Stock price heading south in pre-market trading

Apple rode a wave of enthusiasm on its Friday close at an all time high  of $459.68 USD at a rise of $4.56 USD or 1.00 percent.  That Friday enthusiasm seems to be replaced with some serious pessimism this morning as the pre-market price is already off by $1.77 at 8:59am. With no major news over the weekend out side of Apple once again selling 3G products in Germany, there is nothing really weighing on the stock outside of a…