Is that your final answer?: Blog

Open XML converter for Office:mac

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:28:51 GMT

As promised, Microsoft has finally released an Open XML converter for Mac. This allows users of Office 2004 and Office X to convert files sent in the new Office Open XML format used by Office 2008 & 2007 (docx, xlsx, pptx) and use them in the previous version. The converter can be downloaded from Mactopia. Office 2004 users will also need to download the 11.5.0 update to use these files.

Back

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:24:48 GMT

Sorry I haven't posted in a while; I've been busy with a number of other things. I'm not going to try and recap the stories I missed while I was ou, but I'll try to keep the page updated from this point forward.

"The Mole" returns soon!

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:13:49 GMT

The popular ABC reality game series The Mole will be returning to the network after a long absence! For those of you who haven't seen the show, The Mole is a show in which ten contestants are challenged to work as a team to complete challenges and add money to a jackpot. The challenges varied from the physical to the cerebral. One of the ten players was secretly hired by the producers to work as a "mole" and try to sabotage the team's efforts to win the money. Each week, players would complete a test in which they would be asked questions about the mole, and at the end of each episode, the lowest-scoring player (the one who knew least about the mole's identity) would be eliminated from the game. The game continues over several weeks and challenges until one winner is left, who wins the entire cash jackpot.

The show, created at the turn of the century, was commissioned for the US by ABC after the show became a major hit in several other countries. In a prescient move, ABC tapped then-little-known ABC News correspondent Anderson Cooper to host the show, which served as his big break. After a great performance as host of the show for two series, Cooper became a household name and got his own show on CNN. I've seen the first season of the show, which was terrific. The second season was interrupted by 9/11 and delayed several months. ABC then did two celebrity editions of the show with Ahmad Rashad as host, but those were not as popular as the original two seasons.

The show will be returning with a new host, as Anderson Cooper is now at CNN, and Ahmad Rashad is apparently not under consideration. Hopefully the new host can match the high standard set by Cooper. The show will premiere on ABC sometime later this year. If you would like to appear on the show, visit molecasting.com for more information.

Personally, I'm very excited about the return of The Mole. I really enjoyed the first season of the show, and own it on DVD. I hope that the renewed interest in the show will spur the producers to release the second season of the show on DVD, which is also supposed to be great.

Office 2008 for Mac released

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:39:51 GMT

The long-awaited Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac has been released! The software was officially unveiled this week at Macworld Expo earlier this week. The product is now shipping and should be available on store shelves. Volume licensing copies will become available within the next month.

The site linked above can explain the new features in Office 2008 better than I can, but there are a few notable things to look for in the new version. All of the core Office applications sport a new Mac-like interface, which features an integrated window with all of the application features as well as a customizable toolbar in all of the applications. Also, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint all use the new Office Open XML file format, which is the new format used in Office 2007 for Windows. This means that documents that use new features from Office 2007 can now be accessed on the Mac. Of course, Office 2008 can still read and save in the legacy Office 97-2004 file format. There are several other neat new additions for creating documents, such as Publishing Layout in Word and Ledger Sheets in Excel.

There are several ways to save money on the software if you are already an Office for Mac user. If you recently bought Office 2004 (within the last few months), you can get a free upgrade to the Special Media Edition. Furthermore, if you recently purchased Office 2004 Student & Teacher Edition, you can get a free upgrade to Office 2008 Home & Student Edition. If you did not buy your copy of Office in the last few months, you can still buy a special reduced-price "Upgrade" edition of the software for either the Standard or Special Media Edition.

Again, if you have any questions about the software, be sure to check Microsoft Mactopia, which has detailed information on the software package.

"Duel" begins next week

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:51:32 GMT

With the Writers' Strike in progress, the networks have been stocking up on unscripted shows to air over the next few months. Here's a sampling of what to expect:

ABC's new game show Duel is scheduled to launch next week on the network. The show, hosted by Mike Greenberg of ESPN Radio, looks terrific. Over the week, 24 players will compete in duels, resulting in one ultimate winner. In each duel, contestants will play a game that combines multiple-choice trivia questions with a betting/strategy element -- contestants will place chips on the answer they believe to be correct, lose those placed on wrong answers, and try to hold onto their chips as long as they can so that they can win the duel and collect prize money. The winner will keep the winnings from each duel they won and also win a huge jackpot that consists of the combined value of all of the chips lost on incorrect answers throughout the tournament. The show is premiering as a week-long event, and will air weeknights at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT starting December 17. Following the five episodes during the week, the championship finale will air Sunday, December 23 at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT. Be sure to check it out!

In other news, the quiz show 1 vs. 100 with Bob Saget returns after the New Year. The show will continue to air in its old timeslot of Friday at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT on NBC starting January 4. Based on an ad for the show, it looks like the format has been changed so that players earn a set amount based on how many Mob members they have eliminated, and that the amount does not change based on the question in which they were eliminated like it worked in the first season. Personally, I liked the old arrangement as it was a bit more original, but we'll see how the new format works out.

Also returning is the game show The Power of 10 on CBS. This show premiered this summer, and was notable in that it was the first regularly-scheduled game show to offer a grand prize of $10,000,000. No one won the top prize during the first season, so perhaps it will happen for the first time this winter. It will air Wednesdays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT on CBS starting January 2.

Office 2008 RTM for January release

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:52:00 GMT

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac has been released to manufacturing! This means that the release version of the software has been completed and the copies that will soon be on store shelves are being produced at this very moment. Furthermore, it was announced that the product launch will occur on January 15, 2008 at Macworld Expo. At that point, the software should be available by mail order and in stores.

Reminder: if you want to get Office 2008 and don't already own a copy of Office for Mac, or if recently bought a copy of Office 2004, you can order a free copy of Office 2008 now that will arrive after the software is released and buy a copy of Office 2004 now if you haven't already. More details here.

X-Files 2!

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:44:50 GMT

This was announced a few weeks back, but I didn't have a chance to post it. Apparently, the long-awaited follow-up to the popular X-Files franchise is finally under way. The new film, X-Files 2, will star David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. The first film premiered in 1998 as part of a storyline connecting the fifth and sixth seasons of the show. In contrast, this next film will have a standalone storyline, which is probably a good thing since most people don't remember the extensive details of the story arcs, since the show ended several years ago (2002). The new film is already scheduled for a summer release on July 25, 2008. I look forward to seeing it.

Office 2008 Super Suite Deal!

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:57:01 GMT

Microsoft has changed the technology guarantee I mentioned in an earlier post to an even better "Super Suite Deal". This is an even better deal, because now, if one purchases any version (Student & Teacher or Standard) Office 2004, they will get a full copy of the Office 2008 Special Media Edition, which is the most featured version. This is an especially good deal for students & teachers, as they can buy Office 2004 Student & Teacher Edition now and then get the Special Media Edition when it is released, which has fewer license restrictions concerning qualified users and is presumably a qualifying product for future upgrades of the full version.

Office 2008 for Mac

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:12:31 GMT

In recent months, Microsoft has made several announcements concerning the eagerly-anticipated release of Office 2008 for Mac.

First, a new preview site has been launched with demonstrations of some of the new features.

Second, Mac Mojo, the Microsoft Mac Business Unit's official blog, has begun regular posts describing details some of the new and updated features in the next version of Office.

Third, Microsoft has enacted a Technology Guarantee, which allows users who buy Office 2004 from now on to get a free upgrade to Office 2008 once it's released.

Just to clarify, the software is scheduled for release in January 2008.

Million Dollar Password

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:07:05 GMT

It was announced recently that CBS unexpectedly picked up a revival of the classic word game, called Million Dollar Password, for a six episode run sometime later this season. Regis Philbin will be hosting.

I enjoy the classic Password because it's remarkably entertaining and cerebral, so I have high expectations for the revival. Hopefully the producers can work with such a great classic to make it a success again.

This is only one of many uncharacteristic series pickups among the networks lately, presumably in preparation for a possible Writers' Guild strike next month. Other interesting games that have been picked up are Duel (ordered for a 10 episode run on ABC) and The Interrogator (pilot for NBC based on the international Where is the Money? game show format)

"Power of 10" coming to CBS

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 01:35:14 GMT

The game shows just keep coming to the network schedules! It was actually reported back in March that Embassy Row was developing a pilot of the new game show The Power of 10 for CBS. The show was picked up by CBS in May for a summer run. Drew Carey, who hosted the pilot, will be the host of the series. The details of the format are still not particularly clear, likely to keep the format from being copied by other networks, but the basic idea is that contestants try to guess the results of pop culture and politically themed polls of Americans. The top contestant of each match has the opportunity to guess the results of five survey questions, each one rising in value by ten times. The first poll is worth $1,000, and the fifth is worth the grand prize of $10,000,000. I've generally been impressed with Drew Carey's hosting ability, and the clips of the pilot make this look very promising, so I am looking forward to watching it! The show premieres on Tuesday, August 7 at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT, and then settles into its regular time slot of Wednesdays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT the following evening.

"Grand Slam" is finally coming to the US!

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:58:03 GMT

I mentioned this show a while ago, but I figured I'd mention it again now that there is more information available. Grand Slam is a tournament-style quiz show format that challenges a field of some of the the best game and quiz show champions. They are quizzed on general knowledge, word, and number skills, with the eventual champion winning a major cash prize. The original version aired in the UK in 2003 (here's a clip, although note that the format has been slightly updated for the US version). Michael Davies, the executive producer of the US version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, was developing a US version of Grand Slam for ABC back in the spring of 2004. However, a staff shake-up at ABC led to many scheduled projects being abandoned, which apparently included Grand Slam.

Earlier this year, Michael Davies and his new production company, Embassy Row, sold the show to GSN. The show taped earlier in June, and is set to premiere in August. The US version will be hosted by Dennis Miller, and co-hosted by Amanda Byram. Sixteen top game show champions will be participating for a grand prize of $100,000. Four of the notable ones are Brad Rutter (top game show champion from Jeopardy!), Ken Jennings (the second-highest winner from Jeopardy!), Kevin Olmstead, and John Carpenter (both won the top prize on Millionaire). The remaining twelve players will be announced later. Since three of these players (Rutter, Jennings, and Olmstead) were defeated by Larry Zerner in February's 1 vs. 100 "Last Man Standing" special, I hope he's not overlooked. In any case, I'm thrilled the US will finally see this show, and I can't wait to see the top champions compete head-to-head in one place. Michael Davies said "Grand Slam is the best game show format I’ve seen come out of the UK since Millionaire"; I hope he's right!

"1 vs. 100" renewed

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:37:10 GMT

NBC announced that their game & quiz show 1 vs. 100 hosted by Bob Saget will be returning to the network next season. Although early plans and schedules are subject to change, the show is scheduled to air again in the Friday at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT timeslot at the beginning of next season for an eight episode run. The time slot is being marketed as "Game Night", as it will be occupied by an assortment of game shows. After the first eight episodes of 1 vs. 100 air, the time slot will be occupied by the new game show The Singing Bee for a six episode run. In spring, it seemed that NBC had lost confidence in 1 vs. 100, but after its replacement, Identity, performed considerably worse, only 1 vs. 100 ended up getting renewed. Furthermore, it is getting exposure over the summer in anticipation of the next season, with reruns airing on both NBC and CNBC. Hopefully it will do well enough in its initial run next season that it gets a renewal, since it is one of the better new shows.

New General Manager at Microsoft's Mac Business Unit

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:05:52 GMT

Roz Ho has been replaced as the General Manager of the Mac Business Unit, it was recently reported on the Mac BU's blog, Mac Mojo. According to another article, Roz Ho is still working at Microsoft, but now in the Entertainment & Devices division. This is not a new path for General Managers; her predecessor, Kevin Browne, moved to the Games division. Roz Ho has been General Manager for some time now, having taken over shortly after the release of Office 2004. She oversaw the development and release of Office 2004 and much of the development of the upcoming Office 2008. Arguably aided by Apple's surge in market share in previous years, she probably also led the division through it's busiest few years in terms of sales volume and visibility. Craig Eisler, the new General Manager, is taking charge of a much more prominent group than the one Roz Ho had when she began. Mac users already have a couple of Microsoft products to look forward to (namely Office 2008), so hopefully Eisler combined with the team can keep delivering the quality and innovation that the users have come to expect from Microsoft.

"Doctor Who" returns in July!

Sun, 13 May 2007 01:50:16 GMT

SciFi recently confirmed that the third season of Doctor Who will air in the US on the network this summer! It's a great show, and I look forward to seeing the new episodes. The third series features David Tennant returning as the Doctor with a new companion. The show premieres Friday. July 6 at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT. The next week, it moves into its regular timeslot an hour later.

In other news, the spin-off show Torchwood, starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness (who was introduced in the first series of Doctor Who), has also finally been picked up to air in the US. It is set to air later this year on BBC America. Hopefully, like Doctor Who, it will be released on DVD so that people who don't have access to the channel can see the show.

Jeopardy! College Championship starts April 30

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 01:39:00 GMT

Jeopardy!'s annual College Championship begins Monday, April 30, 2007, and airs through Friday, May 11, 2007, beginning only a week after the tournament is taped. The list of contestants has been released. There appears to be a good amount of geographical diversity considering (to my knowledge) that there were only four audition locations. Good luck to everyone participating!

In other news, it looks like Grand Slam has been picked up by GSN for a run starting in June 2007. It is set to have 16 of the top game show winners play off against one another, so it sounds exciting. This show originally was being developed for ABC back in 2004, but it never got a series order. It looks like this time it will finally air.

Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" coming in October

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 19:35:57 GMT

The next version of the Mac OS X, version 10.5 codenamed "Leopard", is now set to be released in October 2007. Initial speculation was that it would be released a bit earlier since the initial presentation was in August 2006, but at least now there is a date to look forward to. That's also around the time that the next version of Office for Mac is going to come out, so there's lots to anticipate!

Parallels Desktop

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:02:25 GMT

I've been using Parallels Desktop on my MacBook for a few months now, and just wanted to share my great experience with it. I am running it on a MacBook Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz (not the new Core 2 Duo), and the performance is very impressive. It is also fairly easy to use, and improving regularly with the updates as they are released (such as the new Coherence mode that allows Windows windows to run seamlessly on the Mac OS Desktop like the Classic environment). It is supposed to work with Windows Vista, though I won't have time to give that a try until summer (and I would recommend keeping an image of Windows XP since Windows Vista is new software). In any case, it works very well, and I recommend it to any Intel Mac user needing to use Windows applications on his or her Mac.

Star Trek XI coming in late 2008

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:52:32 GMT

Star Trek XI, a movie that I have been anticipating for some time, is now coming along at full speed! It was announced that the film will be released (in the U.S., at any rate) on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008. I don't know if I will go see it opening day, but I know that my family are fans of the franchise, so I wouldn't consider it out of the question as a post get-together holiday event. If we don't, I expect to see it very soon afterwards. In addition, J.J. Abrams, who directed the surprisingly impressive Mission:Impossible III will be producing and directing the movie, which makes me even more excited. Be sure to mark your calendar and see it when it's released!

Updates on the entertainment front

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:46:18 GMT

I've been busy so I haven't been keeping up on updating the weblog with various news from the world of entertainment. I'll try and recap some of the main points that have interested me over the last few weeks.

1 vs. 100, a quiz show I've mentioned several times on this weblog, aired its season finale on Friday, May 16. They were not clear as to when the show is expected to return, though it looks like it probably will since a reporter stated they will be announcing auditions in the near future, and since its replacement, Identity, hasn't done quite as well in the ratings. 1 vs. 100 is one of the better shows of the new millennium, for sure. The game is also designed such that contestants build their money very quickly during the game, which makes it quite exciting. Hopefully it will be back soon.

Also, the new quiz show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? launched last month on FOX; it airs Thursdays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT. Jeff Foxworthy is the host. Contestants have to answer 10 grade-school level questions to win $500,000. After that, they have the opportunity to win $1,000,000 with a final question. They play along with some real (actors) 5th graders, who are the source of three "cheats" to help them along during the game. It's not as good as other shows like 1 vs. 100 for sure, but it seems reasonably popular and is set to run through May.

In addition, Regis Philbin, the former host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Super Millionaire, and America's Got Talent is off the television for the time being while he recovers from heart surgery. NBC previously announced that Jerry Springer would take over from Regis as host of America's Got Talent, which seemed sudden, but Regis's surgery made the reason for the change more clear. Regis was a good host for all of these shows, so I hope he recovers well. As always, I'm hoping for a return of Super Millionaire (be sure to let ABC know you want to see it), but, with Regis's absence, ABC has another show scheduled. After the failure of Show Me the Money, ABC announced that they are launching the new game show National Bingo Night to run Fridays at 9:00PM/8:00PM CT starting May 18. It sounds like a questionable concept for television (yes, it's the classic game of bingo), but we'll see how it does. I didn't think Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? would do well and now it's a hit. Ed Sanders of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is the host.

Also, Al Roker hosted a week of shows on Who Wants to be a Millionaire earlier this month. This is the first time to my knowledge that they have used a guest host. Also scheduled to host a week of shows is Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron. I expect Tom will do well as guest host. Meredith Vieira is still the permanent host and will be hosting most of the remaining shows this season.

On Jeopardy! two weeks ago, history was made as the first three-way tie in the show's history occurred. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as exciting as it could have been, since the leader had the opportunity to bet to win the game and chose instead to wager for a tie; a forced tie would have been even more incredible. In other news concerning the show, they will be taping the College Championship at USC in April, but not before they do some last-minute contestant auditions. The top prize will once again be $100,000. The tournament will air from April 30 to May 11, 2007, starting only a little over a week after taping! In addition, there will be a second Teen Tournament this season (the first aired in February), called the Summer Games Teen Tournament to air from July 16 to July 27, 2007. The prizes will be the same as usual, with the winner taking home $75,000. What I saw of the February tournament was excellent, so hopefully this one will be just as exciting.

In other news, the new Doctor Who got renewed for a fourth season. The third season starts airing in the UK this weekend. SciFi initially announced they would air the third season this summer, but they have since taken down that information. Hopefully it will air eventually, though I still have to catch up with the second season!

Also, the entire show Day Break has been posted online for viewing. The show was airing on ABC last fall, but it was cancelled before the series was complete. I haven't had a chance to watch the last episodes, so don't spoil the ending, but I liked what I saw before and I look forward to finishing the show eventually.

Lastly, The 4400 returns to USA this summer. The first episode of the fourth season is scheduled to air on Sunday, June 17 at 10:00PM/9:00PM CT. It's a good show, and I look forward to its return.

LG Super Blu DVD Player

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:06:23 GMT

The LG Super Blu DVD player, which was presented at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, is now available. It apparently won the "Best in Show" award from CNet. It's a particularly unique DVD player because it will play conventional DVDs, recorded conventional DVDs, HD DVDs, and Blu Ray DVDs; other players on the market only play some of these formats. This allows one to get just one machine to play virtually any kind of movie disc. Plus, the latter two formats are high-definition, so one can watch a movie in HD regardless of which DVD format the movie studio is embracing. This looks like a great device that will hopefully help more people transition to high-definition movies, though with the cost of the player (around $1,299) and the cost of high-definition movies on DVD (more expensive than traditional movies), the transition to high-definition will likely be a slow one.

Microsoft releases Office 2004 11.3.4 update

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 03:09:53 GMT

Microsoft has released the Office 2004 11.3.4 update. This update is recommended for all Office 2004 users. Most notably, the update includes an updated database for Entourage's Junk Mail Protection feature. Users must already have the 11.3.3 update. As always, the update is free, and can be obtained from the link above or from Microsoft AutoUpdate, which can be launched from any Office application by going to Help > Check for Updates.

Microsoft releases Messenger for Mac 6.0.2

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 23:50:12 GMT

Microsoft has released Microsoft Messenger for Mac 6.0.2. This fixes some issues in previous versions of Messenger, and is especially recommended if you are having problems logging in with a previous version of Messenger 6. As usual, the update is available free of charge.

"1 vs. 100" Last Man Standing

Sat, 03 Feb 2007 23:48:39 GMT

The NBC quiz show 1 vs. 100 continues with new episodes during February sweeps. Last night's show saw an all-kid Mob including Jeopardy! Kids Week contestant Madeline Suchard. Next week comes the anticipated "Last Man Standing" challenge, in which the player who is remaining after all the rest have been eliminated will win a substantial $250,000 prize. This is no ordinary Mob, however; it will include many of the best players who have been in the Mob so far, including top Jeopardy! winners Brad Rutter & Ken Jennings, as well as top Millionaire winners Kevin Olmstead & Nancy Christy. Also expected to join the Mob are poker champion Annie Duke as well as other formidible players, many of whom are returning to the Mob after having done well on the show already. I look forward to watching it.

ost Hated Mo

"Temptation" is coming to the US

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 02:32:14 GMT

Temptation, the new version of the classic quiz show Sale of the Century, has been picked up for syndication starting in fall 2007. It has already been sold to stations in several top markets. I've seen clips of the Australian version, and it looks like a quality revival of the classic show. In the format, players answer questions to win money, and are tempted during the game to buy prizes at incredible sale prices with their winnings. I'm really looking forward to seeing this game in the US.

In other news, another game I had been looking forward to appears to have gotten new life here in the US. Grand Slam is a game show special event that brings back the top quiz show winners who compete against one another for a huge cash prize. The show was being developed for ABC back in 2004 (when they had several game shows in development like Super Millionaire and the unaired original US version of Deal or No Deal), but Grand Slam did not end up being produced. Today it was announced that GSN has picked up the rights to the show. I don't get GSN, but I hope it airs since it sounds like an exciting format!

Microsoft announces Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:28:22 GMT

Last year, Microsoft's Mac Business Unit announced that a new Universal version of Office was in development. Now, Microsoft has officially announced that the product, being called Office 2008 for Mac, is on the way and is scheduled to be released during the second half of 2007! Some key features coming in the next version include a new user interface with an Elements Gallery, a new graphics engine, a new Publishing Layout View to facilitate publishing documents such as flyers and brochures, and an organizational feature called My Day, which allows users to view upcoming calendar events and tasks at a glance. The new version of Office will use the new XML document format being used by Office 2007 for Windows. A public beta of converters for Office 2004 users is scheduled to begin in spring 2007, and the release should follow the release of Office 2008 for Mac by only a few weeks. These come among several other improvements in the next version of Office.

Just to clarify, as Office 2008 is a Universal application, it will include both Intel-native & PowerPC-native versions of the software so that users of Intel Macs can benefit from the new processor and PowerPC users can still use the new software on their computers. For more details on today's announcement, be sure to check the official press release as well as as interview with general manager Roz Ho on PressPass.

Microsoft releases Office 11.3.3 and 10.1.9 updates

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:17:13 GMT

Microsoft has released two new updates for Office:mac. The Office 2004 11.3.3 update is recommended for all Office 2004 users. It includes all of the improvements included in the past updates, and also has additional improvements including security improvements as well as a fix for the bug that caused calendar events on or after March 11, 2007 to appear at the incorrect time in the calendar for many users.

In addition, the Office X 10.1.9 update was also released today for Office X users.

Apple releases iPhone & Apple TV

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:11:30 GMT

Today at Macworld Expo, Apple did not fail to make some major product announcements. The Apple TV, which was announced as the iTV last year, is now available. It serves as an interface for linking a computer with iTunes to the TV in order to watch downloaded movies, TV shows, and movie trailers from the iTunes Music Store to the television. In my opinion, it's an important step in integrating one's media life, though it still leaves regularly aired television shows outside of the Apple realm.

Most importantly, they announced the long anticipated iPhone, which looks incredible compared to other mobile phones on the market. It is the only phone available to run OS X (including Dashboard widgets). It combines a mobile phone with a mobile version of Safari for internet browsing (compatible with Cingular's EDGE network and standard WiFi) and a widescreen iPod! It uses a new multi-touch input system rather than buttons or a stylus, which looks very neat. It's expected to be released in 2007. I have to say, this phone is stylish and innovative, making it one of the few phones I'd consider buying.

New Office 2004 & Office X updates

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:06:25 GMT

Microsoft has just released a pair of new updates for Office 2004 and Office X, called the Office 2004 11.3.2 update and the Office X 2006-12-19 update. Both require that you have the previous update installed, that being the Office 2004 11.3.0 update and the Office X 10.1.8 update. The updates include improvements for Office and are recommended for all Microsoft Office for Mac users.

More NBC schedule news concerning "1 vs. 100"

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 23:32:18 GMT

I'll begin with a reminder that 1 vs. 100 returns this Friday, December 1 at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT on NBC. The first lucky contestant of the night will be playing for a special $3,000,000 top prize! K-Fed is so desperate for money that he'll be entering the Mob, along with the stars of the TV show Las Vegas. In the same episode, former Tic Tac Dough host Wink Martindale & TV host Bob Eubanks will enter the Mob. There's lots going on in this episode, so it should be good. Again, it will air Fridays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT on NBC starting December 1.

NBC also announced that Christmas Night, Monday, December 25, will consist of all new game shows. It will begin with a special two-hour Deal or No Deal at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT, followed by a special 1 vs. 100 at 10:00PM/9:00PM CT. This follows an already game show-heavy month as the new show Identity will run five nights in a row the week before Christmas. Apparently they are eager to recapture last year's success of Deal or No Deal at the same time of year.

Last, NBC published their midseason schedule, indicating that a second weekly episode of Deal or No Deal will now air on Wednesdays at 9:00PM/8:00PM CT starting January 3, which comes not long after it got pulled from the Thursday schedule at the same time in favor of two comedies. Crossing Jordan, which had been announced as the permanent show in the Friday 8:00PM/7:00PM CT following the autumn runs of Deal or No Deal & 1 vs. 100, has been moved to Sundays, so 1 vs. 100 has officially been given the Friday timeslot for the midseason schedule. I'm glad, because in my opinion, it's the best of the new shows. I hope it lasts a while longer so that more people get a chance to play. In addition, the second season of America's Got Talent, which had earlier been announced for Sundays, appears to be delayed indefinitely in that it is not on the schedule. I'm in no rush to see that though.

[picture courtesy of NBC]

MacBook Core 2 Duo released

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:33:20 GMT

Recently, Apple announced that the latest models of the MacBook line will include the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor. This follows the MacBook Pro models that received the Core 2 Duo chip earlier this year. The new processors are faster overall, and are available in faster clock speeds than the previous Core Duo chips that were in the first generation of Intel-based Mac laptops. I had hoped that I'd be able to get a Core 2 Duo machine, but I had to purchase my MacBook before they were released. However, I've still been generally happy with the performance of this machine, and will get a more powerful machine later if the need arises since the MacBooks are such value priced computers. I'm sure, based on the performance of this machine, that the new ones are quite powerful, so I suggest you check them out if you are in the market for a new machine.

"1 vs. 100" returns in December

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 18:11:10 GMT

The five episode run of 1 vs. 100 finished yesterday. All and all, I think it's one of the better game shows of the new millennium. The quiz element is pretty easy, yet fun. Bob Saget does a decent job as host. The premiere episode brought in great ratings, exceeding those of the premiere of Deal or No Deal, so NBC was quick to order 10 more episodes. In any case, reruns will continue to air the next two Thursdays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT on CNBC.

New episodes of 1 vs. 100 return to NBC on Friday, December 1, in the same timeslot of 8:00PM/7:00PM CT. I'm glad NBC is confident in the show and hope the show generates some more big winners.

Prisoner of Trebekistan

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 18:03:07 GMT

I've been reading Bob Harris's book Prisoner of Trebekistan. It's a personal account of the Jeopardy! champion's experience and life. It's a quite interesting read, covering the games and trivia angle along with his own personal reactions and life experiences. I'm a big fan of Jeopardy! and saw Bob Harris play, so my reading the book was natural, but it's been well-received by all kinds of readers and reviewers, from Jeopardy! Ultimate Tournament Champion Brad Rutter, to Ira Glass of This American Life, to author Orson Scott Card, to Firefly creator Joss Whedon. I highly suggest you check it out, even if you aren't a big Jeopardy! fan. I'm thrilled to see that Bob's sealed a deal for a follow-up book, which I hope to see on shelves soon.

"Show Me the Money" premieres November 14

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 22:30:06 GMT

The anticipated Endemol quiz show Show Me the Money will launch in the U.S. on ABC this month. The show, from the creator of Deal or No Deal, was sold to FOX last spring after Deal or No Deal became a hit. FOX dropped the show from development during the summer, but ABC picked it up quickly thereafter, which is interesting considering that they dropped Deal or No Deal back in 2004. William Shatner is hosting this show. The game looks similar to the other show, with several dancers revealing scrolls to determine the player's winnings. The difference is that winning at this game involves trivia questions, which is hopefully the defining element of this show. The show premieres with a special 90-minute episode on Tuesday, November 14 at 9:30PM/8:30PM CT, and the regular hour-long series will air Wednesdays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT starting November 22 on ABC.

Office 2004 11.3.0 update released (among other Microsoft Mac updates)

Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:46:29 GMT

Microsoft has released the Office 2004 11.3.0 update, which is recommended for all Office 2004 users. It includes important security improvements as well as some other improvements for the Office applications. The update includes all previous updates released for Office 2004. You can get it using Microsoft AutoUpdate or from the link above.

A related security update for Office X users, the Office X 10.1.8 update, was released at the same time. It too includes all previous updates and is recommended for all Office X users.

Last, Messenger for Mac 6.0.1 is now available. This update is intended for users who were unable to log into their Windows Live (formerly MSN) Messaging accounts using Messenger for Mac 6.0.0.

"The Rich List" to premiere in November

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 15:39:22 GMT

FOX's new entry into the quiz show genre, The Rich List, has made it onto the fall schedule. It will air Wednesdays at 9:00PM/8:00PM CT starting November 1. The show is being hosted by Eamonn Holmes, a British TV presenter who had originally been contracted to host the UK version of the show that hasn't yet materialized. It looks like a solid concept, in which two teams of two challenge each other to name as many items fitting a particular list as they can (with bidding similar to Name that Tune, only in reverse). The team that wins the best out of three lists wins the game, has a shot at $250,000 by completing a bonus list, and comes back to play again.

In other news, Show Me the Money, the Endemol quiz show that FOX dropped in favor of The Rich List, has been picked up by ABC. Star Trek legend William Shatner will be hosting. This should be interesting. The show is set to begin taping on October 14, so it could start airing very soon. We'll see how ABC handles scheduling the show.

Celebrity Jeopardy! starts November 8

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 15:38:49 GMT

As mentioned earlier, Jeopardy! is holding a Celebrity Edition to celebrate the 5000th episode. In total, charities will receive $1,000,000 from the two-week event. The list of celebrities has been posted, and it's a quite impressive lineup since I've actually heard of a lot of these people, unlike many of the obscure "celebrities" you often see on reality & game shows these days. I look forward to seeing some of these people play, even though these Celebrity games tend not to be played as seriously as the regular games.

"1 vs. 100" to premiere in October

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:28:47 GMT

According to an NBC press release, the new quiz show 1 vs. 100 will premiere on NBC in October. Bob Saget is the host of the new show from the creators & production team of Deal or No Deal. Contestants play against 100 studio opponents and win cash based on the number of players they eliminate as well as their timing. There is a top prize of $1,000,000 if they can eliminate all 100 of their competitors. Remaining competitors split the contestant's earned winnings if a contestant ever answers a question incorrectly. I look forward to checking out this show as soon as it airs. The show will premiere on Friday, October 13 at 9:00PM/8:00PM CT immediately following a special Friday episode of Deal or No Deal. The following week, it moves into its regular time slot of Fridays at 8:00PM/7:00PM CT, where it will air for four weeks. That's right against Doctor Who, which upsets me somewhat, but I'm sure I'll find a way to catch both shows sooner or later.

Microsoft Messenger 6 for Mac now available

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:21:25 GMT

Microsoft Messenger 6 for Mac is now available as a free download. The new version has some cool new features like Personal Message support, which I've been waiting for, and compatibility with Yahoo! Messenger users. The main missing feature that was expected by many is audio & video chat. Mary Starman of the Microsoft Mac Business Unit discusses this omission on a Mac Mojo blog post, and confirms that the feature is still under development.

Jeopardy! events

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 17:10:32 GMT

With the 23rd season of Jeopardy! now in progress (and in HDTV no less), there are already several special events scheduled! According to an e-mail I received, Back to School week featuring 10-12 year olds will air during the week of October 2. November brings two weeks of special Celebrity shows to celebrate the show's 5000th episode; in these two weeks, Jeopardy! will award a total of at least $1,000,000 to charity. The event should be fun. Several big stars are scheduled to participate.

Because of the two week Celebrity Edition airing in November, it appears that the College Championship, which usually airs during November, will be delayed. Fortunately, the show has announced online testing for the next College Championship and Teen Tournament, confirming they will be returning later this season. Be sure to sign up soon as the test will be given this week. Good luck to all test-takers!

Microsoft Mac Mojo Blog

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:16:33 GMT

Mac Mojo, the official blog of Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit (makers of Office for Mac), is now online. The blog is expected to get contributions from familiar Mac BU bloggers like Rick Schaut as well as other members of the Mac BU who don't have blogs yet. I imagine this blog will be a great place to learn about the software and the people behind it; be sure to subscribe today!

Also, observe the link to my web site on the right-hand column of Mac Mojo. That's very cool! Thanks, Mac BU!

Second season of Doctor Who to air in USA

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 18:59:59 GMT

I just read that the second season of the BBC's new version of Doctor Who will indeed air in the USA following the successful run of the first season this spring. Season 2 will premiere on SCIFI on Friday, September 29, 2006 at its new time of 8:00PM/7:00PM CT. I look forward to seeing the next season of the show as soon as I have a chance, because the first season was very exciting and well-produced.

[Edit: SCI-FI has moved the show to an earlier time, and the post above has been changed to reflect that.]

No more Virtual PC

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 17:43:56 GMT

Microsoft announced that Virtual PC for Mac, an application with a long history on the platform, will not be made Intel-compatible. This essentially ends development of the product since the entire Macintosh product line are now using Intel processors. I use Virtual PC 7 on my G5, and the performance isn't great, but it's adequate for the rare time I need to use Windows and can't use the Macintosh. I suspect this decision may have come because of Boot Camp coming in the next release of Mac OS X, which allows Intel-based Macintosh machines to boot into the Windows OS if it's installed. Virtual PC offered emulation within the Mac OS, meaning that you could run Windows in a Mac window or in full-screen, and copy-paste and drag-drop between the two operating systems. Fortunately, if users still prefer to run Windows within the Mac OS on Intel machines, they can do so using Parallels Desktop for Mac.

Leopard Preview at WWDC

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:55:11 GMT

Today at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, the Keynote Speech featured several big announcements. In my opinion, the most interesting was the announcement and limited preview of Leopard, the code name for OS X 10.5. It includes a neat backup engine called Time Machine, which I think will come in very useful. It was confirmed that Leopard will indeed include the final release of Boot Camp, allowing users to boot into Windows on Intel-based Apple machines. It appears that iChat is vastly improved in Leopard, with a new tabbed interface for multiple chats, and a screen sharing feature, which I think is excellent as it will make remote technical support, which I do, much easier. There's more coming, but not all was shared; be sure to stay tuned for more updates.

Also introduced was the Mac Pro, a replacement for the last PowerPC-based Mac, the Power Mac G5. It's an incredibly powerful machine, with the new dual-core 64 bit Intel Xeon processors. The standard configuration gives two of those processors at 2.66 GHz, which can be changed to 3 GHz as a build-to-order option. It's also an impressively affordable price for such a powerful machine. At the moment, I'm in the market for a laptop machine, but the new Mac Pro should really offer enough to satisfy the most demanding users.

No new blog

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 21:18:31 GMT

The blog is going to stay at Spaces. It appears I can edit it using Firefox.

Jeopardy! Brain Bus on the road

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 19:57:24 GMT

With summer here and the 22nd season of Jeopardy! now complete, the Jeopardy! Brain Bus is back on the road for fun across the country! Adults 18 and older have a chance to audition for the show, but the events provide fun for all with appearances from the Clue Crew. Be sure to check the Brain Bus Events page on the website for information about when they might be coming to a town near you!

Skype specials

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:50:55 GMT

I've had Skype installed on my machine since shortly after its release on the Mac platform. I used it a few times to call other Skype users. The sound quality is pretty good; the only annoying thing is that you can sometimes hear your voice echo on the other end, but that can be corrected by using a handset or normal headphones. I use normal headphones with the service.

In any case, to build Skype's dominance as the field of internet telephony competitors is growing, they're now offering free calls to normal phones in the US. In the normal Skype service, calling other Skype users is free, but calling a regular phone ("SkypeOut") or having a regular phone number for your Skype account ("SkypeIn") is a paid feature. Fortunately, SkypeOut is a reasonably priced service, in my opinion. And even better, SkypeOut for the US is free for the rest of 2006. I've been using it with pretty good luck. Of course, you can call me using my Skype Name.

It also comes to my attention that they are going to be offering other promotions in the coming weeks. Be sure to check the Skype website for the latest details, and enjoy!