On April 29,2005, Apple released Tiger, OSX 10.4. Hyped by Apple, and given high praise by many, as seen in this Slashdot post, many Apple users quickly upgraded to the latest OS. Not that Tiger is not a worthy upgrade, but as Steve Sloan explains, there are still some bugs to be worked out. While I have not had a chance to really use Tiger (aside from messing around with the computers at the local Apple retail store), I assume that the average user will not be as attracted to easier scripting with Automator or enhanced video conferencing in iChat as they will be to the flashy widgets of Dashboard. Before you shell out the $129 for Tiger, consider Konfabulator, which recently released a new version, has been around since 2003-ish, features a large gallery of widgets, and costs $20. One of my favorite Konfabultor widgets is the Flickr Upload Widget which allows users to simply drag and drop pictures, tag, and upload quickly and easily. Another option for Panther users is Mesa Dynamics Amnesty Widget Browser. This program, which was one of Mac.Merc.com’s downloads of the week, allows Dashboard widgets to be used on Panther. In fact, I am writing this post using the Dashblog widget at this very moment. I simply link the widget to my blog and I can post easily without having to open up Firefox and sign in to blogger.
Also of note to those who own Powerbooks… This has been reported before and I received an email on Friday, May 20, 2005. Apple is recalling certain batteries for the 12-inch iBook, 12-inch PowerBook, and 15-inch PowerBook.
IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL
Dear Apple Customer,
Apple is voluntarily recalling certain lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that were sold worldwide, in systems and separately, from October 2004 through May 2005 for use with the following computers: 12-inch iBook G4, 12-inch PowerBook G4, 15-inch PowerBook G4. These batteries were manufactured by LG Chem, Ltd. of South Korea. Apple has initiated a worldwide exchange program and will provide you with a new replacement battery, free of charge. This program is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and other international safety authorities.
Issue: The affected batteries could overheat, posing a fire hazard. Apple received six consumer reports of these batteries overheating. Apple urges you to stop using your battery and to order a replacement battery immediately. If you must temporarily use your computer with the battery, do not leave it unattended and check for signs of overheating.
Product: The recalled batteries include those with model numbers A1061, A1078, and A1079 and serial numbers that begin with HQ441 through HQ507 and 3X446 through 3X510. To view the model and serial numbers labeled on the bottom of the battery, you must remove the battery from the computer. The battery serial number is printed in black or dark-grey lettering beneath a bar code.
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What to do: To begin the battery exchange process, go to the Apple website at www.apple.com/support/batteryexchange. You will be asked for the serial number of your computer, the serial number of your battery, and a ship-to address. After serial number verification, a new battery will be shipped to you free of charge. You may exchange up to three batteries through the website. When you receive the replacement battery, please use the same shipping packaging and the included prepaid shipping label to return the recalled battery to Apple. If you do not have access to the website listed above, you can call Apple at 800-275-2273 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., central standard time, seven days a week, for further assistance.
Thank you for your cooperation with this exchange program.
Apple
This picture from MacMerc.com gives you a better idea of where exactly to look for the model number and serial number. The photo is small so that it will fit onto my blog, but clicking on the image will take you to the original.
