OS X Leopard one year on five lessons Microsoft should learn

One year on from Leopard's launch, we take a look at the state of the operating system. Along the way, Apple -- and its competitors -- have learned some important lessons this year, analysts say. Lessons
1. Fix Problems Fast.
2. Style and Substance Matter.
3. One OS to Bind Users.
4. Don't Let Your Rival Shape Your Brand.
5. Macs Must Mean Business.


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There's nothing easy about letting Apple into the enterprise

Mac veterans say Apple doesn't always act like other technology partners. Today, half of Serena's workers opt for the MacBook over a Lenovo laptop according to their senior manager of worldwide IT operations. Not only have support calls declined, but users are also grateful for the choice.

In terms of enterprise penetration, Forrester Research says that Mac OS use rose from 3.6% in October 2007 to 4.5% in June 2008, based on more than 50,000 clients connecting to Forrester's Web site. And according to in Steve Jobs in his keynote address at the Apple World Wide Developer's Conference in June, 35% of the Fortune 500 are testing the iPhone's new enterprise features, including Walt Disney, Oracle, Genentech and Kraft Foods. Jobs also claimed that more than 250,000 developers have downloaded the iPhone SDK.

Outside of Apple's own efforts, five software companies formed an alliance in June to promote the use of the Mac in the corporate environment, including Atempo, Centrify, Group Logic , LANrev and Parallels.

The group, dubbed the Enterprise Desktop Alliance, says its products enable IT organizations to deploy, integrate and manage Macs, using the same standard tools used for Windows. It claims that enterprises can achieve the same level of control, security, policy compliance and services that they currently have with their Windows platforms.

Meanwhile, some users contend that the perception that Macintoshes don't play well in the enterprise is largely exaggerated. Ben Hanes, senior systems analyst at Children's Hospital of Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), in Oakland, Calif., has been supporting Macintoshes for more than five years. Half of the research organization's 600 computers are Macs, with about two dozen running Parallels virtualization software.

Hanes' data center is a mix of Apple and Windows servers, with Windows running on the database and file servers, and Apple Xserves running applications that touch the Web, including a mail server, a Web server and an iChat server. "I definitely stick to the philosophy that whatever is on the perimeter is Apple technology because it's proven to be secure," Hanes says.

According to Hanes, the Macintosh desktops plug into the network "just like a PC," thanks to products like ExtremeZ-IP from Group Logic, which enable file and printer sharing between Mac desktops and the Windows server. Hanes says he has successfully integrated Macintosh desktops with Active Directory, using the "golden triangle" strategy, in which Mac clients authenticate with Active Directory while getting managed group settings from a Mac OS X server.

Hanes believes his team has been successful deploying Apple technology in part because they conduct a lot of research, apply a lot of scrutiny before making final decisions, and keep an open mind about what they use, including open-source technology. For instance, he says it took a year to establish that the team would use Communigate Pro from Communigate Systems for its e-mail server. And for its antivirus platform, CHORI selected Sophos because it enables both Macs and PCs to be viewed on one console.

Hanes does use Apple's Xserve RAID technology but says the company's move away from storage doesn't concern him. "They've certified EMC software to work with Apple," he says, "so switching will be a trivial thing."

As for service, Hanes says he has certified CHORI as a self-service shop, which means it gets the same rights as a Macintosh repair consultant, such as next-day parts delivery. You need to have 150 Macintoshes to qualify, he says. Hanes also participates in Apple beta programs and NDAs.
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Microsoft's Guided Tour of the Windows 7 Taskbar

As we pointed out in our Windows 7 walkthrough, one of the biggest improvements to the UI is the taskbar. It is hard to explain new features like "Peek" and how the functionality of the taskbar has evolved without actually showing you how it works—so this video should do a lot to clear things up. All-in-all it looks like a major upgrade.



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iPhone Bug Crashes the Phone When Malicious Video is Played

Piergiorgio Zambrini, the author of the ZiPhone unlocking tool, has allegedly come up with a way to crash iPhones remotely via a simple video. By playing the video, an iPhone would shut itself down, and iPods and Apple computers are also vulnerable.

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New Coating= Solar Panels Harvest 96% of Available Sunshine

By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - A new type of reflective coating can make solar panels far more efficient, soaking up nearly all available sunlight from nearly any angle. Current solar panels -- which convert energy from the sun into electricity -- absorb only about two-thirds of available sunlight.

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TSA violating privacy with its body scanning machines?

While the USA seems to have no problem with scanners the Virtual Strip Search’ At Airports Debated in Europe.

(All Photos Courtesy Der Spiegel)

"Virtual strip searches" are currently being done using full-body scanners at Los Angeles International, JFK, Baltimore-Washington International, Miami, and many other airports. But late last week, Germany decided that it would not allow its airports to use full-body scanners.
Passengers are randomly selected to step into the machines. The scanning process takes about 40 seconds. You make two quick poses. One with your arms up and the other with them down.
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New on the ski slopes this season...

From designer chalets and undiscovered resorts to speed dating and gondola saunas, Peter Hardy rounds-up the latest ski developments.

In the Lappish resort of Ylläs, you can ride the gondola naked without fear of being arrested: one cabin has been converted into a sauna.


A group of 20 people have celebrated a party in a huge jacuzzi at the top of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps at 15,711 feet. More pictures here.

Ice Sauna Goes to 10 Below Zero. The Snow Room was developed by MNK—a company that has made a name for themselves developing saunas. While the idea does seem strange, it appears that hot/cold therapy is common in northern European countries.