I've been thinking about buying an iPad for some time, and with the recent release of the third generation model, I'm now even closer than I have been before.

There is one thing that could make up my mind for me, though... the release of the long-awaited Word app. Is this still planned? Are there any dates in mind for it's release? And is there still a plan to make it more than just a straight PDF conversion of the print version?

I know I'm being a wee bit cheeky asking, but this genuinely would push me over the edge and send my $500 towards Mr Apple. If this was offered in place of a print subscription and provided the same content, then it may work out a bit cheaper for those of us in the Antipodes as well.

While I'm here, are there any other magazines/newspapers that have decent apps that are worth checking out?

Cheers!

Hearing chart music blaring from the speakers in a cafe t'other day, I said to myself, y'know what, I'm getting really fed up with this digital, MP3, compressed, sound that most music has nowadays. It's horrible.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094590/Steve-Jobs-listened-viny...

I have done this to quite a few discs - annoyingly some being played for the first time while loading onto itunes.

The side slot of a mac seems to have been cut out so the sides are really really sharp. If I put a disc in that is not geometrically perfectly perpendicular I get a few scratches , same spot on every dic rendering the disc playable but with skips.

I've considered getting some emery paper and smoothing the sides but iron filings and laser burners doesn't seem like a good idea.

Suggestions

Anyone else doing Apple's 12 Days of Christmas? You download the app then get a free gift each day - some music, a game, a film etc. Always a mixed bag as you might expect - I've kept the Chaplin film Modern Times from last year whereas the sea fishing game didn't last the day.
This year, though the freebies have been total Word Marmite - yesterday it was free Coldplay live music and videos, today it's Top Gear: The Trip. I know some on here will love those choices, me, I'm dreading what comes next: Michael MacIntyre Live? A Mahavishnu Orchestra Xmas? A guide to Alternative Medicine?

"I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40bn in the bank, to right this wrong," Jobs told Isaacson. "I'm going to destroy Android, because it's a stolen product. I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this."

'Steve Jobs swore to destroy Android'

Even for the head of an organisation with a history of control-freakery such as Apple, this statement is shockingly Bond-villainesque in its levels of megalomania and paranoia...

Samsung were recently prevented from selling their tablet in australia in a significant Australian court decision.

Samsung have now struck back and are seeking to have the new iphone stopped from being sold in Australia.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/samsung-moves-to-halt-ipho...

just posting this, I make no comment:

"All external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.

"You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

If this has been done before, I apologise. It's difficult to know though, if you search "podcast" on this site, lots of stuff comes up, oddly enough.

Anyway, I've recorded a podcast for a website I write for and it's now, quite literally, out there. I'm keen to get it onto iTunes and according to these guidelines, it actually looks easier than I thought it might be.

However, the thing I'm stuck on is where to host it. Currently, it's on Soundcloud, which I don't think will be any good. So, does anyone have experience of hosting podcasts and what sites would you recommend? Overall, I'm looking for something that's cheap (free, preferably), reliable and, if possible, provides stats on number of downloads etc.

Much obliged.

I've had problem with burning CDs when I've converted a flac to a wav file.

I've been using xACT 1.71 for the decoding work. I then burn the decoded wav files to a CD. The files are all there because I can play the CD back on the iMac, but when I take the CD out and try to play on a CD player, none of the machines we have are able to read it. Nor will the disc play on my wife's Windows laptop.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so was it easily resolved or should I try different software?

I've not had any problems when using iTunes for ripping tracks direct from CD to create compilations and then burning a CD from that collection.

Over to you. And thanks in anticipation.

I've probably raised this before but, more often than not, Safari hangs when trying to access the Word site. This means that I get the 'Not Responding' message and have to Force Quit. No such problems with Chrome however. Always loads first time. Any idea why? I've got the latest version of Mac OSX and Safari.

http://www.cnet.com/8301-30976_1-20068778-10348864.html

via Metafilter

Okay so later today we will all know about the 'cloud' service from Apple but will it be for me?

So far I have not bothered with anything 'cloud' based other than the free Spotify service. The problem is that I have 18000 songs on my MacBook and they are backed up on a separate hard drive. I can stream to my i pad. Other than some new releases every few weeks or so there is very little music that I still want. So can anyone convince me Or explain why I will require a 'cloud' based library for my music?

I've lived my whole life smugly and happily in the Apple ecosystem, and giggled (mostly) at the alternatives presented to me.

So over a couple of pints last night, one of the Google folks from the Dublin office (in Sydney on a bit of a jolly) shows me his brand-new Android Samsung Google phone. And I was smitten. Jesus, that thing looks cool. Really cool. And it's fast. Compellingly fast.

What do we think, Tech Massive? Worth a go? I'm a big consumer of media (video, audio, 'select' podcasts) so am I better to stick to my beloved iPhone 4? (#firstworldproblems, acknowledged!)

I'm hoping that the Massive can offer me some advice on a computer issue.
I'm planning on buying an Apple Airport Express unit to extend the range of my existing wireless router as well as being able to connect a printer via USB for wireless access and to connect it to my hifi to stream iTunes. I have a BT Home Hub ( version 3.0 ) and I've seen numerous hair-pullingly frustrating stories about getting this setup working ( this maybe the nature of checking things out on the internet ). Has anyone got a similar setup and had any issues? Would it be better to add an Airport Extreme base station as well, if that would make the setup easier?
Any help would be, as usual, greatly appreciated.

Hi folks - had to move the modem downstairs which is a bit far away from where I'm working.

I'm using a basic d link which I had spare after the billion crapped out

As I am know using a a mac mainly I was considering getting airport and relay however the rest of the house is still on PCs.

can I hook an apple relay up to d link ? Does it matter if I have a "mixed race" household

I've also read some pretty bad reviews of airport on the apple store site- respect to them for keeping them on the site but one does have to ask the question.

any comments appreciated