Macwingnut’s UK Mac Miscellany…

My personal pick of UK news stories for all things to do with the Mac, for the week ending Friday 18th May 2007. This weeks morsels: The Fab Four, I like iPod’s in my car and Brighton & Hove Albion 8 – Chelsea 0.

Last week was a bit light on the UK mac news front. To be more precise it was dead! But I don’t make the news. I’m purely a messenger, delivering the more interesting morsels to you the discerning MyAppleStuffer.

So while the interesting UK mac news keeps coming, I’ll keep posting and hopefully adding some extra value!

Do you to want to know a secret?

Apple this week announced that Paul McCartney’s new album would be coming to iTunes. But more interestingly, surely it’s an indication of much bigger things to follow. Meaning at last, after Apple Inc. and Apple Corps. finally settled their differences on February 5, 2007, it paves the way for The Beatles to come to the iTunes Store. Probably the worst kept secret in recent months – and at the time of writing still not confirmed!

I have never really embraced the iTunes music revolution. I would much prefer to buy a CD and then rip it to iTunes. I guess it’s something to do with owning the CD, and having something tactile in your hands to hold.

Personally I don’t own any Beatles CD’s. However, I do have fond memories of listening to ‘Rubber Soul’ as a youngster on vinyl in my parent’s front room.

But, as I grow older not-so-gracefully I am fully intending to reacqauint myself with The Beatles. I think I will at least buy ‘Rubber Soul’ on digital download, but I suspect that will increase the more I listen to them again.

Click Wheel Spins

Toyota this week launched its new iPod integration kit. The iPod integration kit lets Toyota drivers plug an iPod into a dock housed inside the glove compartment, and lets them control the music player using controls situated on either the steering wheel or the car radio.

Toyota is one of many car companies now making designs on iPod integration. Many manufacturers offer their own such solutions.

One of those manufacturers being Nissan. I have just ordered a Nissan and guess what? Yes, I have opted for the optional iPod integration kit. I looked around several dealers and iPod integration was near the top of my spec list, along with fuel economy, 4 wheels etc. Prices for the installation varied from £247 to £153.

The Nissan solution doesn’t sound quite as neat as the Toyota glove box solution. Instead opting for a dashboard mounted bracket. But you do get controls on the steering wheel.

I will close now as this MyAppleStuff article is starting to sound a bit like a Top Gear article.

So now that my 8 gig black nano is going into the car I need to decide whether I want another cheaper, smaller nano or whether a new iPod shuffle would suffice. I just need to work out how programmable the playlists are for my daily podcast consumption.

Back of the net!

Just a quick final post. Championship Manager 2007 has been released by Virtual Programming. Not a review, more of a virtual trumpet blowing celebrating the rare breed that is, the UK mac game developer.

Virtual are based in Bournemouth and have an impressive back catalog of mac games. I’m not a football fanatic, well I wouldn’t be as I support the Seagulls – kind of, well they’re local! But if you fancy steering the glorious Seagulls to F.A. cup glory this is probably you’re only real option to realising your dreams.

Good old Sussex by the sea,
Good old Sussex by the sea,
And we’re going up, to win the cup,
For Sussex by the sea.

There are lots of new features and improvements to this version. For the first time, exclusive to Championship Manager, use ProZone for full match analysis – as used by top football managers. But one word of warning make sure your Yorkshire Terrier is legal!

Macwingnut’s UK Mac Miscellany will return to your RSS reader soon…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *