We’re wrapping up 2002 with an extra-large issue! If you’re still looking for gift ideas, Arthur Bleich offers digital camera-related suggestions, and fans of wireless networking can now buy Adam’s new book, The Wireless Networking Starter Kit. We also note the releases of Fetch 4.0.3 and QuicKeys 1.5.4, and look at Apple’s backtracking on Macs that can boot Mac OS 9. Lastly, as your thoughts turn to Macworld Expo, take note of TidBITS-related events. See you in 2003!
TidBITS 2002 Holiday Hiatus -- This marks our last issue of 2002, and we're all looking forward to a few weeks off with friends and family during the holiday season
easyDNS Gift Certificate Clarification -- Our apologies to easyDNS for misrepresenting the utility of their gift certificates in last week's gift issue
Some Macs to Boot Mac OS 9 Through Mid-2003? Although Apple has not yet made a public statement, it seems some Macs that can boot into Mac OS 9 may remain available until mid-2003, contrary to Apple's announcement in September that new Macs would stop being able to boot Mac OS 9 in January of 2003.
According to News.com and MacCentral, Apple claims the move is for education users, who ostensibly are taking longer to move to Mac OS X than "the rest of us." Thus, Mac OS 9-capable Macs will reportedly include CRT-based iMacs, the eMac, and the iBook
QuicKeys X 1.5.4 Improves Menu Selections -- CE Software has released QuicKeys X 1.5.4, which reportedly improves the macro utility's capability to select menu items as part of your shortcuts (though it unfortunately still can't select menus in Eudora)
Fetch 4.0.3 Chomps Bugs -- Jim Matthews of Fetch Softworks has released Fetch 4.0.3, a free update to his popular FTP client that fixes numerous bugs and provides improved compatibility with Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
The future of the East Coast Macworld Expo trade shows was called into question by the recent dispute between Apple and IDG World Expo, and the cancelling of Macworld Expo Tokyo in 2003 added to the uncertainty
At the beginning of 2002 in TidBITS-612, I wrote "Peering Into 2002's Tea Leaves," an article that made some general predictions about which topics would garner the most attention this year
Digital cameras remain one of the hottest pieces of hardware in the technology world, with ever-higher resolutions and ever-lower prices. However, the vast number and variety of digital camera models means you're best off reading reviews and comparing models at one of the digital photography Web sites listed below