Only one option available to Irish consumers...

Recently a number of issues around Apple support have arisen for our clients. Over the past few years we have recommended AppleCare to all clients, especially those who had bought Apple laptops. However since the middle of 2006, Apple support to Irish customers has changed, with courier or the mail-in repairs service being withdrawn, and only one option remaining for AppleCare customers..

Virtual PC 7 "coming soon"...

Just browsing through Microsoft's site for Ireland, it appears that their Virtual PC 7 for Mac OS X is still "coming soon". This misses the fact that Virtual PC launched in October 2004! It looks like their Irish pages haven't been updated in quite some time. Internet Explorer is listed on the left hand side of the page, despite the fact that Microsoft announced in June 2003 that it was dropping development of IE.
The site itself consists of only two pages the home page and one about Office 2004, with the rest of the links connecting back to the main Microsoft site, or to the US based Mactopia pages.
Makes you wonder why they even bothered creating pages for Microsoft Ireland if there is no attempt to update them..

Event held in the RDS on 25th & 26th November 2006...

Apple are to exhibit at Music Ireland, held at the RDS on 25 & 26th November 2006. The Exhibitor Info page for the event shows an Apple stand. However there are no details on their participation, with no details on what they will exhibit or demonstrate..

Core 2 Duo processor matches the MacBook Pro range...

Apple have updated the MacBook to include the Core 2 Duo processor. Previously, the Core 2 Duo was available in the MacBook Pro range. The update brings a speed bump to the MacBook, but prices have remained the same. This move makes the MacBook an attractive product as Apple heads into the Christmas buying season.
Other changes include larger hard drives, with the middle of the three MacBook models receiving a boost from 60 to 80GB. The top of the range black MacBook now has 120GB of space, up from 80GB..

Irish Times swallows rumour site stories...

If there is one thing which really annoys us, its when news sites swallow rumours whole, assuming them to be fact, and reporting them as truth. However, what is suprising is when this comes from sources we generally trust as relaible and well researched..

Safari users get stuck during bookings...

A number of our clients have complained about the Irish Rail online bookings site. If you go to www.irishrail.ie and try to book a ticket using Safari, you get stuck on the seat allocation page.
You can select a seat, but when you try to click on "Continue" to move to the next stage of your booking, it fails and you can proceed with the booking..

Photography event to be held in Dublin on Dec 2nd 2006...

Apple's iLife 06 Roadshow has one stop in Dublin..

Speed bump for Apple's Pro laptops...

Apple have added the faster Core 2 Duo chip to its pro line of laptops, the MacBook Pro. The Core 2 Duo is the same chip used in Apple's iMac line..

Aperture demo part of seminar lineup...

The Photovision Seminar series is coming to Dublin on 7th September 2006. The day of events includes a Photoshop tips and tricks session, plus a demo of Apple's Aperture program..

Launch completes Intel transition...

Apple have completed their transition from Power PC to Intel processors with the introduction of the new Mac Pro desktop. This model replaces the Power PC based Power Mac G5, and is aimed at design and video professionals looking for the fastest Mac available..

160 euro off the price of an iPod...

Apple have extended their US promotion to the UK and Ireland, where you can claim up to 160 euro in a rebate when buying a Mac and an iPod. The offer runs until October 7th 2006..

All Apple laptops now powered by Intel...

On Tuesday 16th May 2006 Apple released the MacBook, a new consumer-level portable Mac. At MacWorld in January 2006 Apple launched the MacBook Pro, and today's laptops mean that every Apple portable is now powered by Intel chips. Like its older brother, the MacBook is powered by Intel Due Core processors..

All electronic goods are now UK-only...

In the last few weeks Amazon.co.uk have changed their delivery terms and conditions, and have stopped shipping goods to customers in the Republic of Ireland. Orders for books and music can still be dispatched, but items in the Electronics & Photo, PC & Video Games and other sections of the store are now listed as available for delivery in the UK only..

FireWire 800 and 8x SuperDrive return; price goes up...

Apple have launched a 17" version of the Mac Book Pro, and this comes with the welcome return of a FireWire 800 port. When Apple launched the 15" MacBook Pro in January it lacked the FireWire 800 port, something its predecessor had (the PowerBook 15" laptop)..

But what of the keynote...

Details for Apple Expo 2006 in Paris have been announced. The show is the largest Macintosh trade show in Europe, and is the only show outside the US which is attended by some Apple executives, including CEO Steve Jobs. Since the demise of MacWorld Tokyo, Apple have focused three shows: MacWorld San Francisco (January), the WWDC (summer) and Apple Expo (September). They also attend a selection of smaller shows such one in London (Sept/Oct) or various specialist trade shows such as NAB (National Association of Broadcasters)..

Designed to integrate your iPod into your home entertainment system...

Apple have released an iPod speaker system called the iPod Hi-Fi. It allows you to integrate your iPod into your home audio system..

3,500 primary schools by the end of 2006 to use Mac film technologies...

Apple are currently providing the technology at the heart of the FÍS initiative, to provide film skills in the classroom of Irish primary schools. .

Training available in FCP, Logic, DVD Studio Pro, Shake and Motion...

Filmbase are offering a series of training courses in Apple pro applications during 2006. Filmbase is an authorised Apple training centre and so their courses are Apple certified. Participants can also sit an Apple examination at the end of the training period to qualify in their course..

National broadcaster puts toe in water and offers a small selection of shows...

RTE have begun to offer some of its Radio 1 and 2FM shows as podcasts. There is now a webpage on the RTE site offering a list of the current selection. These include 'Documentary on One', 'The Business' and 'The Weekly Ryan'.
However the selection at present is poor. Using iTunes, we subscribed to a few of the shows, such as 'The Saturday Show' and 'The Business'. The former only included a 'Best of 2005' broadcast, and the latter downloaded a show dated 1st February 2006, a few weeks out of date..

The start of the end for the PowerBooks?...

Apple have discontinued the PowerBook G4 15 inch model. In January they introduced the new MacBook Pro, and this Intel-based laptop is seen as the successor to the PowerBook range..

New 1 GB model nudges iPod shuffle lower...

Apple have added another version of the iPod nano, offering a 1 GB model which currently costs 158.99 euro from the AppleStore. The new nano holds approximately 240 songs and is the cheapest colour screen iPod available.
Previously, the iPod shuffle filled this price slot. However since the introduction of the new nano, the iPod shuffles has been reduced in price. The 512MB shuffle is now 79 euro (down from 99 euro) and the 1GB shuffle is now 109 euro (down from 139 euro)..

New laptop ships with faster chips...

Apple surprised consumers who had ordered a new MacBook Pro this week when they shipped the new laptop with a speed bump. The MacBook Pro was advertised to ship with an Intel Core Duo 1.67 or 1.83 Ghz chip. However, when the new range started to ship this week, Apple had changed the speeds to 1.83 and 2.0 Ghz. Despite the change, the prices remain the same.
Apple have also offered a build-to-order option, where a consumer can spend approx. 300 euro extra and boost the chip speed up to 2.16Ghz.
The Apple Store for Ireland are currently quoting 3-4 week shipping time for orders on the MacBook Pro..

Event to be held in Temple Bar in February 2006...

Apple are bringing their 'Guitarists and the Mac' seminar to Dublin on 27th February 2006. The event is free and is aimed at showing how the Mac is the best OS for creating and editing guitar music..

iMac available now; MacBook Pro to come in February...

Apple surprised many yesterday by launching the first Macintosh computers powered by Intel processors. The new iMac and the MacBook Pro come with Intel Core Duo, a dual processor chip..

Promised in 2005, delivered in 2006...?

Mac Information is particularly interested to see if Microsoft makes any announcement about Entourage 2004 at the MacWorld Expo this month. At last year's Expo, Microsoft announced that they would integrate Entourage 2004 into Apple's iSync technology. They also promised to allow Entourage's database to be indexed by Apple's Spotlight technology. .

Largest Mac Expo begins on Monday 9th January 2006...

Apple are preparing for this year's largest Mac exhibition, held in San Francisco from Jan. 9th to 13th. The event highlight is the keynote speech by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple. This takes place on Tues. 10th (9am local time; 5pm in Ireland), and is likely to include a number of new hardware and software announcements..