Solution Spheres

Using Apple technologies (and possibly others) to create a seamless digital lifestyle for home and business.

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Mac mini media center here almost...

As I write this Engadget, TUAW, and several other sites are buckling under the strain, but iLounge has intermittent info on the new Mac mini's, with Intel chips inside, and sporting more media-sharing tools (Front Row with Bonjour). I still don't see anything revolutionary, although the remote is nice. I believe ALL the Macs will have this from here out. Awesomeness.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Run for the hills!

OK, lesson for today: always apply security patches to your machine, no matter what OS. Even Linux has problems, which is why developers drink caffeinated beverages and patches are released. For every OS. Some more than others, but they all have issues. Let's remember that social vectors are the most likely method of a security breach. For instance, if I steal your laptop, I just "hacked" your machine. In meatspace, granted, but it's a hack. You didn't give me permission to do wild things to your machine, did you?

Well here's a story I found on CNN, because with all their Apple lovin' they have to show they are still somewhat unbiased.
Worm targets Macs through Bluetooth

That's scary, isn't it? Well here's the counterpoint, provided several days in advance for your viewing pleasure:
Yet another pointless worm Inqtana

Granted, a fan of the Mac platform isn't going to scream bloody murder at the first sign of these things. Which raises the constant specter of laziness. That's a social vector too-- thinking you can't get a virus when you can and doing nothing once you've been warned.

Good news: so far I have yet to see anything so destructive or easy to infect and do damage on the Mac as on the PC. So for now you are safe, in my opinion (patent pending). If you want to be paranoid, switch to FreeBSD and wear a tinfoil hat.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Mac mini portable media center


The mini
Originally uploaded by superpixel.
Posted up some pics of my mac mini I take to parties. It's a sort of video jukebox, and it can do more than just be a glorified video iPod. I can connect a camera and play EyeToy-style games, or other mac games. Yes, there are some. I use VLC and QuickTime to play video, iTunes for audio, and a trackball instead of a remote. I can drop AppleScripts on the desktop, make 'em really big, and pretty much script an entire evening of wacky, nerdy entertainment.