Macworld Australia March 2014

Apple showed off the original Macintosh on 24 January 1984. Just over 30 years ago. And so much has changed since then (have a look at Page 32 if you’re sceptical). While the Macintosh was vital to the success of Apple for the first 20 years of the company’s existence, it no longer feels that strain. The popularity of the iPod, after its introduction in October 2001, brought the company out of the dwarfing Microsoft shadow that had previously consumed Apple and left many considering it on the brink. While its influence is sadly now diminishing, the iPod also boosted the popularity of the Mac. The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 had a similar effect, likewise the arrival of the iPad in 2010. The latter two may now be…

Favourite Mac from last 30 years? JONATHAN STEWART iMAC (1998) The first Mac that I saw, the original iMac began the lowercase i trend that continues across Apple’s full product range. It was beautiful in Bondi Blue. TYNAN McCARTHY POWER MAC G4 CUBE This Mac may not have had the commercial success that designer Sir Jony Ive desired but it signified his commitment to bold computer designs. MONIQUE BLAIR iMAC (2013) It’s fantastic for my design work, and it’s big, beautiful display is great for watching movies and viewing or editing photography.…

WAIT, APPLE MAY REPLACE YOUR MBP ’11 GPU Apple’s own warranty information page makes it clear that, in addition to Apple’s limited warranty, and in addition to any AppleCare you may have purchased, products are warranted under Australian consumer law to last for ‘a reasonable time’. If something fails within a ‘reasonable time’ – and I’m typing this on a 2007 MacBook Pro – you’re entitled to have it repaired or replaced, and that’s your choice. I recently returned a malfunctioning two year-old Magic Trackpad to my local Genius Bar, and it was replaced with a new one, no questions asked. Steve Ball THIS FREE UPDATE IS COSTLY Recently I became the proud owner of an iMac 27in and 27in Thunderbolt display. It arrived with OS X Mountain Lion installed…

SALES UP, BUT PROFITS DOWN Revenue is up, but profits have slipped a little in the latest Apple figures released in late January. The figures cover the first quarter for the 2014 fiscal year (1 October to 31 December 2013). The numbers show that quite clearly it is the iPhone that is the Cupertino, California company’s greatest source of income. Apple reported that it sold 51 million iPhones during the period, which is over three million more than during the same period a year ago (the figures for the first quarter in 2013 were 47.8 million). This figure is an all-time quarterly record for Apple, which may be seen as at least some vindication of the company’s decision to release two different iterations of the smartphone at the same time.…

Taken at the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition on New South Wales’ Bondi Beach in October 2013, this month’s image captures the beauty of the Sydney beach and the enormity of man-made structures. The particular structure Ritu chose to capture with her iPhone 5s was a sculpture created by David McCracken titled diminish and ascend and it prompted both childhood memories and a reflective mood. “I immediately thought of Led Zeppelin’s song,” Ritu says. “When I was a teenager, [Stairway to Heaven] was the cool song to listen to in the remote corner of north-east India where I grew up in the late ’70s and early ’80s. “Also, a friend from my university days had suddenly passed away that week; I had just got to know the sad news and…

Apple’s tightly integrated ecosystem means that the more Apple gear you own, the more sense it makes to keep buying Apple gear. Of course, the rest of your household may not share your passion for the Cupertino company’s wonder gadgets, or you may need to use non-Apple gear for work. Unfortunately, Apple does not play nicely with others, requiring you to make compromises if you have a mix of Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Kindle and Windows Phone devices all trying to live happily side-by-side. It won’t take long to encounter problems when trying to integrate non-Apple gear into your home, as Apple goes out of its way to make life difficult for people who want to have a foot in each camp. Calendars created in iCloud can’t be easily…