Skip to content
Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for 33 years
and the TidBITS Content Network for Apple professionals

ExtraBITS for 2 August 2010

Along with a pointer to Glenn Fleishman’s appearance on the TechFlash radio show, we have links to Ars Technica’s Magic Trackpad review, the news of Amazon releasing new Kindles, and a New York Times blog post that’s scary for anyone spending most of the day at a desk.

Glenn Fleishman Discusses Windows Phone, Future Slates on Radio Show — Glenn Fleishman and long-time Windows observer Mary Jo Foley talked to host Todd Bishop of TechFlash, a Northwest tech business and venture capital reporting site, on KIRO-FM’s weekly tech segment. We discussed Microsoft’s missed opportunities for challenging the iPad, and the Kindle’s place in the mobile device ecosystem.

Read/post comments

Ars Technica reviews the Magic Trackpad — In a painfully well-headlined review, Jacqui Cheng takes on Apple’s new Magic Trackpad, and finds that it’s both awesome and not-so-awesome. She really likes most of the Multi-Touch shortcuts that the trackpad can use, but says that precision is an issue, as it is with all trackpads. We won’t spoil the ending, but the review does attempt to answer not just the question of whether the Magic Trackpad is good, but also whether it’s $70-worth of good.

Read/post comments

Amazon’s New Kindles Start at $139 — Amazon is releasing two new 6-inch display Kindles to replace the Kindle 2: a Wi-Fi-only model for $139, and one with both AT&T 3G and Wi-Fi for $189. The new devices have 50 percent higher contrast, new fonts, faster performance, longer standby time (a month!), and double the storage, all while weighing less. The new models ship 27 August 2010 in the United States.

Read/post comments

Your Chair Is Trying to Kill You — On the New York Times’s health blog, Gretchen Reynolds discusses the dramatic increase in heart disease-related death for folks who sit for long periods (whether in front of a computer or television, or in the car). Even more alarming for those of us who try to get away from our screens for some exercise are recent studies that show that adding exercise to your daily routine fails to lessen the negative health impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. Rather, we desk jockeys should find ways to increase our physical activity while we work. Frequent walking breaks, pacing while you’re talking on
the phone, or converting to a standing desk, could truly be a lifesaver.

Read/post comments

Subscribe today so you don’t miss any TidBITS articles!

Every week you’ll get tech tips, in-depth reviews, and insightful news analysis for discerning Apple users. For over 33 years, we’ve published professional, member-supported tech journalism that makes you smarter.

Registration confirmation will be emailed to you.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.