MacFocus Articles by Jon Scheiber
Articles that I wrote from 2008-2009 for MacFocus Magazine, a new-defunct online Apple interest magazine.
Content
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
December 31st, 2008
2008: Apple’s Year in Review
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! As 2008 comes to a close, let us fondly look back on everything that has happened during the past 365 days. Apple, our favorite fruit company, has had quite a year. From its high points, like the release of the MacBook Air and the launch of the iPhone 3G, to its low ones, like the botched unveiling of MobileMe and, well, the launch of the iPhone 3G, Apple has had an insanely active 2008. Let’s look over some of Apple’s most prominent rises and falls. January 15th: The MacBook Air ! The MacBook Air, commonly described as the “world’s thinnest
notebook”, was first released during the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo. Features included a measurement of 0.76 inches thin at its thickest point, which was unprecedented for any notebook computer at the time. Many saw the release as revolutionary, mainly because most people could not comprehend ever seeing a notebook computer that was this thin. However, many steered away from the nano-sized notebook, as it was claimed that the omission of many standard notebook features, such a compact disc drive, FireWire, and a target disk mode, was a deal-killer. Also, a starting price of $1,799 causes many to state that a premium is being payed for the computer being thin. As of today, the MacBook Air has sold decently, but not to the hyped expectations that Apple had hoped to achieve. July 9th: MobileMe ! When Apple announced that .Mac was getting a makeover during WWDC
2008, many expected that the upgrade would launch flawlessly and the new MobileMe would be success. Oh, how wrong they would be. The launch of MobileMe, .Mac’s successor, was plagued by severe downtime, accidental charging of trial account holders, and massive amounts of data lost by
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2008/12/2008-apples-year-in-review/ Page 1 of 2
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
December 31st, 2008 2008: Apple’s Year in Review
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected])
current .Mac subscribers. Thankfully, Apple has gotten their act together regarding MobileMe, and have made their formally-shakey syncing service stable for most, if not all, of its users. July 11th: iPhone 3G, iPhone OS 2.0, and the App Store Well, this just shows that you can’t do too many things at one. Apple decided to do just that, and it cost them big. The over-ambitious company decided to release the new iPhone 3G, the next version of the iPhone software, dubbed as iPhone OS 2.0, and one of the most anticipated additions to the iPhone since its initial launch, the Apps Store, all on one day. What followed could be described by many as total chaos, as nearly all three of the releases on that day, plus the lauch of MobileMe two days prior, had a large quantity of bugs and problems. Even Steve Jobs himself sent an internal email to those at Apple explaining what happened.
“It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store. We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence.” -Steve Jobs ! Now that 2009 is on the horizon, let’s hope that Apple not only learns from their mistakes, but
also learns to replicate their past successes. From all of us at MacFocus Magazine, we wish you all very happy and healthy new year. Here’s to hoping that 2009 will be just as insanely great to Apple, and the die-hard Apple fanatics, as 2008!
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2008/12/2008-apples-year-in-review/
Page 2 of 2
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
January 26th, 2009
Watch Out, iPhone! Palm Unveils Pre Smartphone with Palm webOS
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) At the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Palm Inc. (NASDAQ:PALM) wowed the attendees by announcing the addition of a new mobile phone to its product lineup. Palm, which is known for its handheld computers and personal digital assistants, unveiled the Pre, which has very promising features and is expected to face fierce competition in the smartphone market.
Sprint is going to be the exclusive carrier partner for the Palm Pre, and retail availability is expected “as soon as possible” within the first half of 2009. No mention has been made of pricing or additional carrier partners, but according to the spec list below, GSM/HSDPA radio hardware is listed, so a GSM version will presumably be available once Sprint’s period of exclusivity has lapsed.
[Via PalmInfoCenter]
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/01/watch-out-iphone-palm-unveils-pre-smartphone-with-palm-webos/
Page 1 of 1
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
January 28, 2009
Arrrrr, Here Be Trojans! Pirated iWork Version Contains a "Surprise Guest"
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! When you're a citizen of the world of Mac, you know there's bound to be some interesting stories floating around that will be sure to make you think twice about what you download and from whom. This latest overthe-top happening involves a fatal flaw in stolen copies of Apple's hotlyanticipated new version of their office suite, iWork. Apparently, some bad apples who decided that they didn't want to pay or wait for the newest version of the acclaimed software suite, iWork '09, got what was coming to them. Reports claim that certain versions of the application trio, which contains new versions of software to aid in the creation of presentations, documents, and spreadsheets, contain a dangerous piece of software known as a Trojan horse. ! This Trojan horse, christened OSX.Trojan.iServices.A by its discoverer, antivirus company
Intego, contains malicious code which can allow a rogue hacker to connect remotely to an infected machine and perform various potentially-dangerous functions, not to mention download additional unwanted software onto the machine. The pirated software was offered on various sites which are notoriously known for hosting possibly illegal and suspicious material. If you have a pirated copy of iWork installed on your machine (shame on you!), you can download a free tool from MacScan which will search your system for the offensive file. ! Finally, remember that the folks at Apple, or any other software company for that matter, work
really hard to make iWork as cool as it is. It's simply not ethical to download and use the software they created and not pay for it. Sure, it may seem easier to steal the product than to actually buy the product, or it may seem like a victimless crime, but you have to consider the programmers and codewriters who created the software which you happened to nonchalantly steal. [Via MacRumors]
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/01/arrrrr-here-be-trojans-pirated-iwork-version-contains-a-surprise-guest/
Page 1 of 1
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
February 17, 2009
Heisters, Get Ready! MacHeist Returns, Introduces Teams
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! MacHeist, the infamous and exciting alternate-reality game turned marketing-bonanza is back and better than ever! The third installment of the legendary heisting game has introduced its first mission, or heist, on February 13th. The first MacHeist event, which was created by John Casasanta, Phillip Ryu, and Scott Meinzer, was launched in 2006 and allowed members to attempt to go on missions and solve puzzles leading to the dark corners of the Internet for various software prizes. After the completion of all assigned heists, a special bundle was offered which included many high-ranking and well-known applications for a small price. The promotion proved to be quite successful and returned with a sequel in 2007. This year, the same basic idea has been put into place for the heist, expect with a slight twist. The members of this year’s MacHeist have been divided into four teams; Green, Purple, Orange, and Blue, as announced by John Casasanta on February 10th on the MacHeist Forums. Be sure to sign up and get heisting, as bountiful prizes and free goodies await you! Don’t forget about that bundle coming up later on after all heists are completed, as it is usually an amazing value. Most importantly, make sure to rep your team colors, and pile on those points to help your team win it all and become the master heisters!
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/02/heisters-get-ready-macheist-returns-introduces-teams/
Page 1 of 1
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
March 29, 2009
MacHeist 3 Releases Long-Awaited Bundle via Live Show
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! On the 24th of March, the mysterious and elusive MacHeist, a Mac-themed alternate reality game which we’ve covered since its third incarnation, has released its annual software bundle of Mac goodies for purchase. To kick off the launch, MacHeist organized a live video show (which you can still watch online in case you missed it!) via video-streaming site Ustream.tv with a star-studded cast to emcee the entire event. Described as the “bundle bailout” by show co-host and Internet personality Chris Pirillo, this is the third bundle that the creative software marketer has released since starting up in 2006. Accompanying Pirillo were his two other co-hosts, Veronica Belmont of Tekzilla fame, and Lisa Bettany, who shouldn’t be unfamilar to MacHeist agents, as her doppelgänger plays the mysterious and foreign Sophia who provides the agents with briefings and clues. ! After the hosts announced that applications that would be included in the bundle, screencasts of
the program in action were shown to intice buyers. After all the apps were announced, there are nine total applications that are available from the start of the bundle, and three other applications that will be gradually unlocked when sales reach certain goals. The applications currently in the bundle are the following, in order of reveal: iSale, Picturesque, Sous Chef, World of Goo, PhoneView, LittleSnapper, Acorn, Kinemac, and WireTap Studio. The applications that have the potential to be unlocked with strong sales are BoinxTV, which will be unlocked after $400,000 is raised for charity, along with The Hit List and Espresso, for which unlock amounts have not been disclosed. Also, the first 25,000 people to purchase the bundle received a bonus application, Big Bang Board Games. Additionally, agents who
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/03/macheist-3-releases-long-awaited-bundle-via-live-show/ Page 1 of 2
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
March 29, 2009 MacHeist 3 Releases LongAwaited Bundle via Live Show
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected])
watched the bundle unveiling live were given to chance to download a complementary copy of EventBox. The bundle is currently worth over $600, and has the potencial to be worth over $900 with unlocked applications, but is currently being sold for $39. ! As a special promotion for the bundle, the three hosts offered free bundles to those who could
answer trivia questions about Apple’s history, such as identifying a phony original iMac color or finding a little-known Apple slogan. In order to submit answers, viewers needed to have a Twitter account and follow the official MacHeist Twitter page. Once following, viewers would at-reply to MacHeist with their answer when the question was announced on the show. After a short amount of time, five winners would be picked at random via Twitter search to receive a free bundle code via direct message. ! Also, it is important to note that 25% of all sales go towards charitable causes, MacHeist allows
the buyer to pick which MacHeist-suggested charity they would like their contribution to be sent. To date, MacHeist managed to raise over $750,000 for charitable causes, and the ambitious group’s goal for this year is raising $1,000,000. The other 75% goes to the amazing application developers who worked incredibly hard to make the wonderful programs that are a part of the MacHeist bundle. As of writing, nearly 26,000 bundles have bee sold, and over $240,000 has been raised for charity. However, there are only 11 days left to purchase the bundle, so grab yours today! As Lisa Bettany famously said during the bundle unveiling, “Buy fast and hard.”
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/03/macheist-3-releases-long-awaited-bundle-via-live-show/
Page 2 of 2
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
December 31st, 2008
2008: Apple’s Year in Review
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! As 2008 comes to a close, let us fondly look back on everything that has happened during the past 365 days. Apple, our favorite fruit company, has had quite a year. From its high points, like the release of the MacBook Air and the launch of the iPhone 3G, to its low ones, like the botched unveiling of MobileMe and, well, the launch of the iPhone 3G, Apple has had an insanely active 2008. Let’s look over some of Apple’s most prominent rises and falls. January 15th: The MacBook Air ! The MacBook Air, commonly described as the “world’s thinnest
notebook”, was first released during the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo. Features included a measurement of 0.76 inches thin at its thickest point, which was unprecedented for any notebook computer at the time. Many saw the release as revolutionary, mainly because most people could not comprehend ever seeing a notebook computer that was this thin. However, many steered away from the nano-sized notebook, as it was claimed that the omission of many standard notebook features, such a compact disc drive, FireWire, and a target disk mode, was a deal-killer. Also, a starting price of $1,799 causes many to state that a premium is being payed for the computer being thin. As of today, the MacBook Air has sold decently, but not to the hyped expectations that Apple had hoped to achieve. July 9th: MobileMe ! When Apple announced that .Mac was getting a makeover during WWDC
2008, many expected that the upgrade would launch flawlessly and the new MobileMe would be success. Oh, how wrong they would be. The launch of MobileMe, .Mac’s successor, was plagued by severe downtime, accidental charging of trial account holders, and massive amounts of data lost by
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2008/12/2008-apples-year-in-review/ Page 1 of 2
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
December 31st, 2008 2008: Apple’s Year in Review
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected])
current .Mac subscribers. Thankfully, Apple has gotten their act together regarding MobileMe, and have made their formally-shakey syncing service stable for most, if not all, of its users. July 11th: iPhone 3G, iPhone OS 2.0, and the App Store Well, this just shows that you can’t do too many things at one. Apple decided to do just that, and it cost them big. The over-ambitious company decided to release the new iPhone 3G, the next version of the iPhone software, dubbed as iPhone OS 2.0, and one of the most anticipated additions to the iPhone since its initial launch, the Apps Store, all on one day. What followed could be described by many as total chaos, as nearly all three of the releases on that day, plus the lauch of MobileMe two days prior, had a large quantity of bugs and problems. Even Steve Jobs himself sent an internal email to those at Apple explaining what happened.
“It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store. We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence.” -Steve Jobs ! Now that 2009 is on the horizon, let’s hope that Apple not only learns from their mistakes, but
also learns to replicate their past successes. From all of us at MacFocus Magazine, we wish you all very happy and healthy new year. Here’s to hoping that 2009 will be just as insanely great to Apple, and the die-hard Apple fanatics, as 2008!
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2008/12/2008-apples-year-in-review/
Page 2 of 2
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
January 26th, 2009
Watch Out, iPhone! Palm Unveils Pre Smartphone with Palm webOS
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) At the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Palm Inc. (NASDAQ:PALM) wowed the attendees by announcing the addition of a new mobile phone to its product lineup. Palm, which is known for its handheld computers and personal digital assistants, unveiled the Pre, which has very promising features and is expected to face fierce competition in the smartphone market.
Sprint is going to be the exclusive carrier partner for the Palm Pre, and retail availability is expected “as soon as possible” within the first half of 2009. No mention has been made of pricing or additional carrier partners, but according to the spec list below, GSM/HSDPA radio hardware is listed, so a GSM version will presumably be available once Sprint’s period of exclusivity has lapsed.
[Via PalmInfoCenter]
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/01/watch-out-iphone-palm-unveils-pre-smartphone-with-palm-webos/
Page 1 of 1
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
January 28, 2009
Arrrrr, Here Be Trojans! Pirated iWork Version Contains a "Surprise Guest"
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! When you're a citizen of the world of Mac, you know there's bound to be some interesting stories floating around that will be sure to make you think twice about what you download and from whom. This latest overthe-top happening involves a fatal flaw in stolen copies of Apple's hotlyanticipated new version of their office suite, iWork. Apparently, some bad apples who decided that they didn't want to pay or wait for the newest version of the acclaimed software suite, iWork '09, got what was coming to them. Reports claim that certain versions of the application trio, which contains new versions of software to aid in the creation of presentations, documents, and spreadsheets, contain a dangerous piece of software known as a Trojan horse. ! This Trojan horse, christened OSX.Trojan.iServices.A by its discoverer, antivirus company
Intego, contains malicious code which can allow a rogue hacker to connect remotely to an infected machine and perform various potentially-dangerous functions, not to mention download additional unwanted software onto the machine. The pirated software was offered on various sites which are notoriously known for hosting possibly illegal and suspicious material. If you have a pirated copy of iWork installed on your machine (shame on you!), you can download a free tool from MacScan which will search your system for the offensive file. ! Finally, remember that the folks at Apple, or any other software company for that matter, work
really hard to make iWork as cool as it is. It's simply not ethical to download and use the software they created and not pay for it. Sure, it may seem easier to steal the product than to actually buy the product, or it may seem like a victimless crime, but you have to consider the programmers and codewriters who created the software which you happened to nonchalantly steal. [Via MacRumors]
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/01/arrrrr-here-be-trojans-pirated-iwork-version-contains-a-surprise-guest/
Page 1 of 1
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
February 17, 2009
Heisters, Get Ready! MacHeist Returns, Introduces Teams
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! MacHeist, the infamous and exciting alternate-reality game turned marketing-bonanza is back and better than ever! The third installment of the legendary heisting game has introduced its first mission, or heist, on February 13th. The first MacHeist event, which was created by John Casasanta, Phillip Ryu, and Scott Meinzer, was launched in 2006 and allowed members to attempt to go on missions and solve puzzles leading to the dark corners of the Internet for various software prizes. After the completion of all assigned heists, a special bundle was offered which included many high-ranking and well-known applications for a small price. The promotion proved to be quite successful and returned with a sequel in 2007. This year, the same basic idea has been put into place for the heist, expect with a slight twist. The members of this year’s MacHeist have been divided into four teams; Green, Purple, Orange, and Blue, as announced by John Casasanta on February 10th on the MacHeist Forums. Be sure to sign up and get heisting, as bountiful prizes and free goodies await you! Don’t forget about that bundle coming up later on after all heists are completed, as it is usually an amazing value. Most importantly, make sure to rep your team colors, and pile on those points to help your team win it all and become the master heisters!
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/02/heisters-get-ready-macheist-returns-introduces-teams/
Page 1 of 1
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
March 29, 2009
MacHeist 3 Releases Long-Awaited Bundle via Live Show
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected]) ! On the 24th of March, the mysterious and elusive MacHeist, a Mac-themed alternate reality game which we’ve covered since its third incarnation, has released its annual software bundle of Mac goodies for purchase. To kick off the launch, MacHeist organized a live video show (which you can still watch online in case you missed it!) via video-streaming site Ustream.tv with a star-studded cast to emcee the entire event. Described as the “bundle bailout” by show co-host and Internet personality Chris Pirillo, this is the third bundle that the creative software marketer has released since starting up in 2006. Accompanying Pirillo were his two other co-hosts, Veronica Belmont of Tekzilla fame, and Lisa Bettany, who shouldn’t be unfamilar to MacHeist agents, as her doppelgänger plays the mysterious and foreign Sophia who provides the agents with briefings and clues. ! After the hosts announced that applications that would be included in the bundle, screencasts of
the program in action were shown to intice buyers. After all the apps were announced, there are nine total applications that are available from the start of the bundle, and three other applications that will be gradually unlocked when sales reach certain goals. The applications currently in the bundle are the following, in order of reveal: iSale, Picturesque, Sous Chef, World of Goo, PhoneView, LittleSnapper, Acorn, Kinemac, and WireTap Studio. The applications that have the potential to be unlocked with strong sales are BoinxTV, which will be unlocked after $400,000 is raised for charity, along with The Hit List and Espresso, for which unlock amounts have not been disclosed. Also, the first 25,000 people to purchase the bundle received a bonus application, Big Bang Board Games. Additionally, agents who
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/03/macheist-3-releases-long-awaited-bundle-via-live-show/ Page 1 of 2
MacFocus Magazine
APPLE NEWS/OPTION FROM THE TEEN PERSPECTIVE
March 29, 2009 MacHeist 3 Releases LongAwaited Bundle via Live Show
By Jon Scheiber ([email protected])
watched the bundle unveiling live were given to chance to download a complementary copy of EventBox. The bundle is currently worth over $600, and has the potencial to be worth over $900 with unlocked applications, but is currently being sold for $39. ! As a special promotion for the bundle, the three hosts offered free bundles to those who could
answer trivia questions about Apple’s history, such as identifying a phony original iMac color or finding a little-known Apple slogan. In order to submit answers, viewers needed to have a Twitter account and follow the official MacHeist Twitter page. Once following, viewers would at-reply to MacHeist with their answer when the question was announced on the show. After a short amount of time, five winners would be picked at random via Twitter search to receive a free bundle code via direct message. ! Also, it is important to note that 25% of all sales go towards charitable causes, MacHeist allows
the buyer to pick which MacHeist-suggested charity they would like their contribution to be sent. To date, MacHeist managed to raise over $750,000 for charitable causes, and the ambitious group’s goal for this year is raising $1,000,000. The other 75% goes to the amazing application developers who worked incredibly hard to make the wonderful programs that are a part of the MacHeist bundle. As of writing, nearly 26,000 bundles have bee sold, and over $240,000 has been raised for charity. However, there are only 11 days left to purchase the bundle, so grab yours today! As Lisa Bettany famously said during the bundle unveiling, “Buy fast and hard.”
http://www.macfocusmagazine.com/2009/03/macheist-3-releases-long-awaited-bundle-via-live-show/
Page 2 of 2
