May 2016 The Apple haters and doomsayers will slither from beneath their rocks in force now that Apple has suffered its first quarterly year-over-year decline in revenue in thirteen years. No company can grow its sales indefinitely, so this day had to come. Mind, the company still had revenues of over $50B, so it’s not about to become a corporate food bank client. This does mark a watershed for the iPhone business, however, as it may indicate, if not market…
The Kit is the user installable version of the Universal PSU, and the Upgrade is the service UltimateMicro performs for the user. We also have a KFEST deliverable option and special show price. We’re still not sure about holding an informal session, possibly during SolderFest to assist in upgrades, but we’re working on those details and looks like it will happen. The Universal PSU Kit is designed to be installed in your existing Apple II or /// Power Supply Enclosure…
Structris for iOS, released in 2016, is temporarily offline and will be available again for the iPhone and iPad for $1.99. Produced and designed by Brian Wiser and Bill Martens of A.P.P.L.E., collaborating with original Apple II programmer Martin Haye and iOS programmer Olivier Goguel, the game features easy-to-use touch controls, Game Center support, and background music from neo-classical composer Tomoki Takamori. It is sure to delight folks who love retro games, blocks, and pressing buttons! Check out our Santa promo…
My desktop was a mess. I had more than two dozen icons strewn about, and as often as not opened or dragged the wrong item, or dragged two or more items when I meant to only grab one. I’ve also dragged extra files or folders to the Trash unknowingly along with items I actually wanted to drag to the Trash. Here’s what it looked like before I cleaned it up: So I decided I’d create a folder on my Desktop to…
I’ll make this brief… If you’re as fascinated by the new Apple “spaceship” campus as I am, here’s a cool new drone video: And here’s a link to the official Apple Campus 2 information page on the City of Cupertino web site. That’s all, folks (at least for now).
Sweet Sorrow April 2016 Parting can be tough when you’ve had a faithful machine for so many years. But the old model 180 was getting long in tooth and was no longer reliable. True, some of the problems were mere cosmetic scuffs, but others ranged from annoyances that had to be worked around to serious impairment of functionality. So, when the Spy’s local dealer announced an introductory (and deeply discounted) sale on a brand new (to the frozen north; they’d…
You know how Consumer Reports magazine has the Selling Itcolumn on the inside back cover? You know, the one that pokes fun at goofs and glitches in ads and solicitations? I recently received this direct mail piece from none other than Consumer Reports: I thought the way they redefined the word “free” was a goof (or, at least a glitch), so I submitted it last month. I’d say the odds of it running in the magazine are slim and none. But I could be…
Ultimate Micro just released the Scalable Oscillator v2 for use in the TransWarp GS and ZXIP-GSX. Each Scalable Oscillator is now custom tailored to fit each board better. It also now uses a better grade clock IC which provides a cleaner signal, although with this better signal came complexity of design. this item comes with a Power LED to let you know it’s working, and a resettable fuse on the +5v power line to protect the board from any damage…
After being rejected by the iTunes Store and selling a whopping two copies, I’m giving up on my dream of becoming the next Weird Al. So, if you’d like to download and enjoy a free copy of iTunes Must Die,click here. If you’d like to download the lyrics and guitar chords to iTunes Must Die, click here. And by popular request, here are two short excerpts from the uncompleted music video for iTunes Must Die: Note that both movies were shot with…
I usually switch apps using the “double-tap the home button to access the app switcher” shortcut, but recently learned that there’s an easier way. Excuse me if you already know this one, but it was new to me (a few months ago) and most of the people I’ve shown it to have been surprised. I made a short (42 second) video that shows both techniques—the old school double-tap the home button technique first, followed by the newfangled 3D press/swipe on…
A famous Apple collector from down under, send us this funny piece…
In addition to making progress on my Working Smarter for Mac Users eBook and online course last week, I managed to write both a column and an editorial for Mac Observer, something I rarely have the time or inclination for. The column is: A Usable Stand-Up Desk for $25? Yes! And, in fact, I thought the $25 stand-up desk—called Oristand—was so cool I made a video of assembling one in under 30 seconds. The editorial is: Microsoft OneDrive Drives Me Nuts, and it includes a hilarious (and totally appropriate) Microsoft…
Retroconnector, the maker of modern connectors and 3D printed cases inspired in Apple II and retro computers, now offers Retro inspired jewelry, desktop gadgets, cases & docks. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RetroConnector?section_id=18668490
Ultimate Micro unveils the new A2DiskController! It’s a clone of the Apple 3.5″ Drive Controller card which allows 800k and HD 1.44MB 3.5″ Floppy Drives to be connected to your IIe and IIgs systems. It a great option to allow users to connect 3.5″ Floppy to their IIe, and the only one currently available. Here’s the link to their store product.
This month on Open Apple, we sit down with legendary Apple II programmer, Bill Budge. In addition to being an icon of Apple II gaming and graphics, he is the number-one-requested guest by listeners of the show. Mike and Quinn are very excited he was able to make some time to talk to them, and hope you agree it was worth the effort. Bill is, of course, the author of such seminal classics as Raster Blaster, Pinball Construction Set, and…
Ultimate Micro just announced two new products soon to be available: The IIgs ROM0 to ROM1 Adapter v2.0 is a redux of the v1 adapter where I used to Machine Pin Sockets stacked together to allow use of a standard ROM in the IIgs. There is hidden benefit to these new v2 Adapters however. Since they use a standard EEPROM, users can now do firmware development for the IIgs very simply. https://www.ultimateapple2.com/catalogzen154/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_17&products_id=99 SRAM SOJ to DIP Adapter and it is…
I was understandably excited when not one but two printer makers offered me an opportunity to test their new initiatives for making inkjet printer ink more palatable to consumers. Epson’s approach features five new “EcoTank” printers, which include huge ink reservoirs that are big enough for up to two years worth of ink—the equivalent of 20 sets of ink cartridges. Hewlett-Packard (HP) has a radically different approach, offering the Instant Ink program, “designed to save consumers up to 50 percent on the cost…
So… Having confessed to being a serial procrastinator, I’m curious: What are your biggest rabbit holes—the things you find yourself doing instead of real work. Mine include (but aren’t limited to): guitars, social media, Logic Pro or GarageBand, and that damn Strike Skilz bowling game I keep playing on my iDevices. I’d love to know what your rabbit holes are… so I can help you figure out the best way to avoid them when you’re working. That’s all for now. Thanks…
A few years ago I acquired a Franklin 500 computer. This was one of the few Apple //c clones that had extras and enhancements, as well as a “brick on a leash” power supply just like the //c. The excitement lasted me just a couple of days, then the power supply died. I looked around forums and groups in search of a replacement, but being such a ‘rare’ item, there were no replacements. I put away the computer but always…
March 2016 This column is being (metaphorically) penned on Leap Day, a day similar to Sadie Hawkins Day (November 13) in which historically the ladies may ask the men without violating polite norms–hardly an issue in our day, though originally somewhat sexist. It’s also spang in the middle of the great American ask/catch–candidates trolling for primary votes, while the rest of the world watches a system seemingly self-destruct in vitriol, venom, slander, and name calling. Ahem. wasn’t democracy supposed…
