Mac Games and More The Blog

I’ve posted this week’s game selections so try to check them out here: mac games. Below are new software, widgets, freeware and more:

Magic Tagger 1.0 – Identifies information missing from ID3 tags. (Shareware)
CompletionCM 1.0 – Contextual menu item for completing words. (Demo)
Cyclone.saver 1.0 – Screensaver displays flying particles blown up by cyclones. (Free)
Capo 1.0.2 – Slow down and learn to play your favorite songs. (Shareware)
Automaton 1.0 – Four tools for improving your workflow. (Shareware)
Willow Programmer 1.0.4 – Create shortcut for repetitive text entries. (Demo)
MeshWrite 1.1.2 – Productivity tool to help you get your ideas down on paper. (Shareware)
Iguania 1.01 – Colorize photographs. (Shareware)
ArchiveMac 1.2 – Supports archiving large files to CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray. (Shareware)
Automaton 1.0 – AutoNotes, AutoClips, AutoTyper and AutoFiler. AutoNotes is notepad unlike any other. You can activate it with a hotkey. Notes are tagged, and linked like a Wiki. A fast and powerful way of brainstorming, making knowledge databases, or simply jotting down quick notes. (Shareware)
CompletionCM 1.0 – A contextual menu item providing a series of possible character sequence completions, placing your selection on the clipboard for replacement.
SnapFlow 1.0 – Select, compare, enhance, and de-interlace video shots. (Demo)
Cartographica 1.0 – Explore and refine data, create beautiful maps, export as KML, and mor (Demo)
Clyppan 1.0 – Access your clipboard history. (Free)
iTracker 1.0 – Control your Mac’s cursor with movements from your head. (Demo)
WakeOnLan 1.0 – Wake up other computers. (Free)
Downplane 1.0 – Slow internet download speed solution. (Free)
Conquest of Phobos 1.0.8 - Destroy new and unusual robots bent on your demise. (Shareware)
Locr Uploader for iPhoto 1.0 – This new plug-in for iPhoto allows you to upload your photos to the popular Locr service directly from within iPhoto. (Freeware)
myMacTime 1.1 – Designed for anyone who wants to keep track of the time spent working on specific tasks with little effort.  (Shareware)
Plants vs Zombies 1.0 – action-strategy game (Shareware)
Search Wikipedia 1.0 – With this widget, you can type in any information that you want to search on Wikipedia and it will open the web page with the results. (Freeware)
WebGlass 1.0.1 – Turns your iSight into a live webcam. (Shareware)
GuestReel 1.0 – Interactive guestbook. (Shareware)
Convert to PDF 1.0 – Convert all of your text files to PDF. This action uses the underlying cups printing system ability to convert files, it’s a simple front end to the command line tool cupsfilter. (Freeware)
Copititolo 1.0.2 – A menu bar item which displays and copies the title of your browser’s front window to the clipboard, and provides access to bookmarks from the menu bar. (Demo)
Things 1.1.1 – Elegant personal task management. (Demo)
TubePod 1.0.5 – Download and save YouTube videos to your Mac or iPod. (Free)
SlingPlayer 1.0.8 – Stream your TV over your home network. (Updater)
MovieDek 1.0.11 – Extract frames from movies. (Demo)
iBackup for Mac 1.1.3 – Online backup service. (Commercial)
Twin 1.0b1 – Online storage solution. (Commercial)
Lightning Brain ImageHorn 1.0.1 – Plug-in enables dynamic image fitting in InDesign. (Free)
Egglomania 1.0.3 – Egg Puzzle Game. (Shareware)
Klicko 1.1.1 – Blocks clickthrough, maximizes application windows. (Free)
ScriptPal 1.0.1 – Easy access to the iTunes scripts you use. (Free)
Budget Workbook 1.5 – Track your expenses. (Shareware)
Plexoo 1.0b2 – Versatile image resizing tool. (Demo)
Read Me a Book 1.1 – Make audio clips from books to play in iTunes. (Shareware)

Have a good week.

Hi! I just posted this week’s game picks: mac games. More new releases for Mac are below:

Calcul Pret Immobilier – Calculator that helps you determine if you can afford a home loan. (Freeware)
PillBox 1.1 – Widget helps you remember to take your medicines. (Free)
R10BatchEmail 1.0 – Bulk emailing app. (Free)
myMacTime 1.0 – Easy time tracking. (Shareware)
mailbfr 1.0.2 – Assists administrators backing up mail settings and stores. (Free)
TabLoom 1.0 – Rapidweaver plugin supports data entry under multiple tabs within one (Commercial)
REALbasic Syntax Highlighter Module 1.0 – Operates against any EditField in your REALbasic Application. As you type, your words are matched against a text file containing keywords, words that you wish to have highlighted in some way on your EditField, an example would be a SQL Query or a Language Editor. (Shareware)
Encrypt Mail 1.0 – An easy-to-use client for sending encrypted emails and encrypted attachments. (Shareware)
Laguna Beach Flower Screensaver 1.0 – Flowers screensaver (Freeware)
Kerry King BC Rich Guitar Wallpapers 1.0 – 5 Official BC Rich wallpapers of Kerry King and his guitars at 1440×900 resolution. (Freeware)
Utilize 1.0 – Revamp your utilities with five professional replacement icons. Use for Terminal, Activity Monitor, Console, Audio MIDI Setup, and Airport Utility.
Lines 1.0 – The alternative to Lenticular. Lines is a brite, beutiful Quartz Composition that contains lenticular Halos with its setting set to look like multiple lines that are changing position and color. (Freeware)
Prizmo 1.0 – Take a picture of your document, import it into Prizmo, and then easily extract high resolution and distortion corrected image as if it were scanned in a flat-bed scanner. (Demo)
launchDictionary 1.0 – Tool to open Dictionary by shortcut or menu bar (Freeware).
Photomatix HDR Tone Mapping Plug-In for Aperture version 1.0 – Creation and processing of High Dynamic Range (HDR) images. (Shareware)
Aperture2Twitter 1.0 – Aperture2Twitter lets you send tweets and images to Twitter and TwitPic from within Aperture. (Shareware)
Arizona Cardinals Calendar 2009 1.0 – Arizona Cardinals 2009 season calendar. (Freeware)
Trend Micro Smart Surfing 1.0 – Protects your identity and personal data from malicious threats. (Demo)
Fairmount 1.0.4 – Decrypt DVDs for backup and duplication. (Free)
Mise en station 1.0 – For astronomer; helps polar align your equatorial mount. (Free)
ScreenSequence 1.0 – Create slideshows with QuickTime effects. (Free)
Tranquil Checkers 1.0 – Casual checkers game. (Shareware)
Sunsets and Clouds Screensaver 1.0 – Collection of images from that magical time of day: Sunset. (Freeware)
Projector 1.0 – Track your projects. (Demo)
Mac DVDRipper Pro 1.0 – DVD ripping tool. (Shareware)
Mashduo 1.0 – Compare iTunes music with friends. (Free)
Musicbox 1.0.3 – Download songs/audio from your favorite music websites. (Shareware)
Just Translate 1.2 – Editor instantly translates foreign language text. (Shareware)
InkLevel 1.0 – his is a utility for checking printer status and ink levels which is connected to your USB port or the network printer that is discovered by Bonjour. (Shareware)
Mousqueak 1.0 – iTunes volume controller and more (was iTunesVolume). (Free)
Serchilo 1.0 – Widget for accessing serchilo.net. (Free)
mp4vEncoder 1.0.2 – QuickTime media compressor. (Free)

Have a great week!

Here’s a new screensaver/to-do list we just released! The To Do List Screensaver is something we consider as being somewhere in between stickies and iCal. It’s a new and gentle way to see the list of things you need to do. Now, you taking care of those tasks is YOUR responsibility. We only thought this way would be much more mellow than dealing with loud bells and whistles that remind you of your tasks. The To Do List Screensaver appears on your screen, with tasks slowly moving left to right or a more orderly bottom to top) when it kicks in after a certain time (that you have designated in your System Preferences/Screensaver for your Mac). If you never want to see your to do list, you know what to do. That’s not the point, though, is it? If you want to see it immediately, click on a hot corner, and if you want to see your list on another computer or on your mobile phone later, have it send you an email! Last note: we plan to make it sync with iCal later. Try it, you might like it, and we hope you do!

Hi! I’ve posted this week’s picks here, so feel free to check ‘em out here: mac games. The new software, widget and app releases are below.

WhoPaste 1.0 – Creates a vCard based on info extracted from the clipboard. (Shareware)
Organised 1.0 – Script automatically moves your Desktop’s contents to a dated folder. (Free)
Circle 1.0.7 – Uniquely intuitive audio synthesizer. (Demo)
TheVideoDiary 1.0 – Record a video diary from your webcam. (Shareware)
SigmaTerm 1.0a16 – Professional terminal emulation. (Shareware)
atMonitor 1.0.8 – System monitoring software tracks CPU, RAM, GPU, VRAM, FPS, more. (Shareware)
xampp 1.0.1 – Complete Web server solution. (Free)
Jewel Twist 1.07 – Match-3 game with over 100 unique levels. (Shareware)
FinderMinder 1.0.1 – Make new windows appear at a specific location and size on the screen. (Free)
Download Manager 1.3.6 – Manage your downloads. (Shareware)
ITMTouchBridge 1.0 – Touch screen driver. (Free)
TexWriter 1.0.0.4 – Work on large projects in one window. (Free)
Espresso 1.0.2 – Powerful new HTML, XML, CSS and JavaScript development tool. (Shareware)
LinkByLink 1.0.13 – Scans and reports dead web page links. (Demo)
Investoscope 1.0b15 – Portfolio tracker for the individual investor. (Shareware)
Giftedmotion 1.10 – Easy to use GIF animator. (Free)
myDocuments 1.0 – Find, track, use and package needed documents and files. (Shareware)
inVIZible 1.0 – Make files invisible on your computer. (Free)
New Sticky 1.0 – Create new stickies with one click. (Free)
svnX 1.0 – An open-source GUI for Subversion
QuizMaker Pro 2009 1.0 – A full-featured application in which the user can generate, administer, archive, upload, export, and score tests.
Ariil’s Icon Pack 1.0 – This icon pack contains icons for Safari, iTunes, Mail, Address Book, System Prefs and VLC.
Archimade 1.0 – A simple Cocoa archiving utility.
Geneforge 5 – Overthrow 1.0.3 – The final chapter in this fantasy epic. Return to the world of the Shapers one final time. Explore a vast, war-torn world, create and mold your own army of strange, powerful monsters, and choose a side to help lead to final victory.
Chandler 1.0.3 – Personal info manager. (Free)
Projector 1.0b2 – Track your projects. (Demo)
Accounted 2.0.1 – Double entry accounting app with a totals ticker. (Demo)
Willow 1.0.3 – Gives you fast access to frequently used text snippets. (Demo)
CrumplePop Master Templates 1.0 – High-quality pen-and-paper elements for Final Cut Pro. (Commercial)
MadRuby 1.0.2 – On-the-fly keyboard macro recorder. (Demo)
iTunes Converter 1.0.3 – Convert DRM protected music to unprotected formats. (Shareware)
Aperture2Twitter 1.0 – Send photos to Twitter from within Aperture. (Shareware)
launchDictionary 1.0 – Launch Dictionary by shortcut or Menu bar icon. (Free)
Change Folder Icon 1.0 – Change the default icon of non-system folders. (Free)
InstallerApp 1.0.3 – Easily download/install apps to your iPhone. (Shareware)
Pantry 1.0.3 – Keep track of how much food is in the pantry. (Free)

Have a good week!

Here’s something new just in time for the weekend: Ice Cream Craze: Tycoon Takeover!

A mysterious tycoon began BigCo, a Walmart of sorts of the ice cream world and became the dominant leader. As usual and tragically, this situation put the little guys out of business. Anyone attempting to contend with BigCo failed – until now. With her grandpa’s wisdom on her side and a beat up, old ice cream truck, help Anna beat the odds. Will she be able to deal with the town’s business owners and win their respect? Can she cash in on the big bucks? Will she be able upgrade her truck? Will there be a Tycoon Takeover? The path of her success is related directly to the power of your actions.

Gamers who loved Build a Lot, Fish Tycoon, Virtual Villagers and The Great Chocolate Chase will probably like playing Ice Cream Craze: Tycoon Takeover.

Find more mac games.

This comes in handy. Read about how to mute the startup sound on your mac: macworld. Simple and makes sense.

Get ‘em while supplies last: MacBook Pro 17″ 2.6Ghz, 2GB RAM for a pretty good deal at $1799.

Specifications
Processor:
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.6GHz Processor 4 MB L2 Cache 800 Frontside Bus
RAM:2048MB DDR2 (PC2-5300) (can be upgraded to 4GB)
Video:17″ Matte WXGA Display (max 1920 x 1200 pixels), NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT Graphics with dual-link DVI support and 256 MB, Dedicated Video Memory, Built-in iSight Camera and internal Omnidirectional microphone

Storage:
200GB ATA Drive @ 7200 RPM

Media:
8x Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Networking/Connectivity:
Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi wireless Networking (802.11a/b/g/n)
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet
Ports/Expansion:
1 ExpressCard (34 slot)
3 USB 2.0,
1 Headphone out,
1 Microphone-in,
DVI Output port,
1 FireWire 400,
1 FireWire 800,
1 RJ-45 LAN

Dimensions:
Approximate Unit Dimensions: 15.4″ (W) x 1″ (H) x 10.4″ (D)
Approximate Unit Weight: 6.8 lbs

Box Contents:
MacBook Pro, Lithium-polymer battery, 85w MagSafe Power adapter, AC wall plug, Power cord, Apple Remote, DVI to VGA adapter, Install/restore DVDs, Software Bundle: Mac OS X Leopard, iLife ‘08, Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Test Drive, iWork ‘08 (30-day trial), Photo Booth, Front Row, 1-Year Limited Warranty

Shipping:
Flat rate shipping, just $20 for UPS ground shipping in Continental US

For more information and to order one

[Thanks for the tip, Jeff!]

This week’s mac game picks are up! Here they are mac games. Have a great week, everyone!

Below are newly released mac software, widgets, etc.:

SAPO Messenger Mac 1.0 – A free Jabber/XMPP client.

Pointy Guys Icon Set 1.0 – Cute little pointy guys mac icons with horns. Free.

Par2 For Mac 1.0 – Repair usenet downloads that are accompanied with par2 files. After repair the archive can be safely un-archived with popular apps such as Stuffit Expander.

Calcul Engine 1.0 – a user-friendly calculator which evaluates expressions with parentheses, basic functions and variables.

Collaborative drawing for iPhone, iPod touch – a full-featured vector drawing app which allows users to sketch in real-time with friends on multiple iPhones.

Invoy 1.0 – Easy to use invoicing and more. (Shareware)

RoboRail 1.0 – Watch how your Mac attempts to write a computer program that steers a robot on a track. Will it eventually succeed? The machine learning experience for your coffee break turns you Mac into an AI lab.

Reference Tracker 1.0 – Create documents to store citations and references. (Demo)

Mathusalem 1.0 – Unintrusive backup system for Leopard. (Free)

iPhone apps for travelers – travel info on the go.

Eternal Lands 1.0 – Massive multiplayer online role playing game. (Free)

PhotoCalc 1.0 – a utility for iPhone and iPod for photographers to calculate exposure reciprocation, depth of field, and flash exposure.

HD Quick Look 1.0 – lets you view the first frame of your AVCHD (mts and m2ts) files without even opening them. View multiple files as a slide show, as an index sheet or full screen – all with a single click.

Xray Vision 1.0 – Make files invisible on your computer. (Shareware)

PsychWidget 1.0 – Latest psychology news from around the world, with search function. (Free)

This week’s picks are all games again. Hope you enjoy them. They’re here: mac games.

Other new releases:

PDF Counter 1.0 – easy to use PDF page count application.

Renamer 1.0 – an all-in-one power-packed utility to rename files quickly and efficiently.

Ivano 1.0 – helps Mac users to find the price of everything without tax.

Hab.la 1.0 – allows you to easily chat with visitors to your website seamlessly through iChat or Adium.

Jade 1.0 – Improving your digital images has never been so easy.

Darwine 1.0 – allows Darwin and Mac OS X users to run Windows.

HTML Mini 1.0 – a freeware HTML/XHTML editor.

Window Wrangler 1.0 – lets you move and resize your windows with your keyboard.

RadioRocker 1.0.2 – is the simple way to listen to terrestrial radio on your Mac.

Stitches 1.0 – a professional level cross-stitching and charting application.

Quick Links 1.0 – Instantly be on a popular site with only a click. (Free)

PocketMac Tic-Tac-Toe 1.0 – hangman game with the look and feel of a real chalkboard. Try the new Tic Tac Toe too.

Helix Pro 1.0 – ear training tools for engineers and producers.

Inceptdate Radio Screensaver 1.0 – Exploring the Art of Chill.

WebScrub 1.0 – a tool for preparing text for the internet.

Shatner Facts 1.0 – widget for every Captain Kirk, Denny Crane or T.J Hooker fan providing you with 101 facts about William Shatner including his career, personal life, social life, likes and dislikes.

BEATAnalyzer 1.0 - determine the exact BPM (beats per minute) of any song of any genre.

Precipitate 1.0.1 – search for and launch your cloud data from within Spotlight or Google Desktop for Mac.

Séquence 1.0 – capture and save an image or a movie of your screen to your computer’s clipboard or a file (in an image format of your choice).

Shtaggle 1.0 – ag your music by retrieving tags from the last.fm community, or through your own custom tags.

From dumblittleman (i love dumblittleman!):

“RSS is an amazing technology which helps you to read different websites and blogs through your feed reader. It saves you a lot of time because you don’t need to visit your favorite blogs everyday if you are subscribed to them in your feed reader. Apart from saving you time, it also brings in a world of information and knowledge and acquaints you with the latest happenings in your fields of interest. And it does all that at one place – your RSS feed reader.

However, keeping aside the numerous merits of RSS, it could well be addictive too. Yes, when you subscribe to a huge number of RSS feeds, you could easily end up spending hours everyday just reading feeds. And that’s when you conclude that you are a victim of RSS overload and you need to do something about it.

So here are those 8 tips which will help you manage your RSS feeds in a better manner and avoid RSS overload.

Make a ‘ Primary ‘ or ‘ Everyday ‘ Folder
You may have different folders in your feed reader, but I strongly suggest you to create a folder named ‘Primary’ or ‘Everyday’, which will house all those blogs which are your favorites and you have to read them everyday or have to read them first.

Make a ‘ News ‘ Folder
In the list of your favorite blogs/sites, it’s possible that you’ve got NY Times and Techmeme. Put such news feeds in a separate ‘News’ Folder. DO NOT put them in your primary folder. The news related blogs or websites produce tons of posts everyday and it’s better to create a separate folder for them.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Most of the feed readers provide keyboard shortcuts. I use Google Reader and it has some excellent keyboard shortcuts which help me wade through feeds quickly. So whichever feed reader you use, just make sure you utilize its keyboard shortcuts feature to read feeds at a good pace.

Track your time
If you think that you are reading too many feeds everyday and are addicted to it, it’s better to set a time frame for reading feeds. You should not compromise your other important tasks by spending hours in reading feeds.

Create an ‘ Unread ‘ Folder
If you come across an article which you would like to read word-by-word later, then instead of marking it as unread, transfer it to a folder named ‘Unread ‘. Then you can set a particular time of the day to read the articles in your unread folder. If you just mark them as unread, then chances are you will miss them later due to the ever increasing new items in your feed reader.

Mark all as read when required
You come back from a vacation and find 1,000+ articles in reader. What do you do ? Start reading them? I think it’s better to mark all of them as read because there are simply too many to read. However before you do that, read the next point.

Search
Before you mark all the feeds as read, you could always search for some specific terms or keywords in your feed reader and get acquainted with the latest happenings in your fields of interest. Most of the feed readers like Google Reader and FeedDemon have nice search features and help you to search through feeds easily.

Analyze once in a while
We come across new blogs, like them and add them to our feed reader. Thats what RSS is for, but once in a while you should also analyze your feed reading habits and check which feeds you are paying attention to and what you need to get rid of. This again depends on your feed reader and what kind of analysis tools it provides. For example FeedDemon has a Reports feature and Google Reader provides Trends. Here is an article which explains how to use the trends feature in Google Reader to manage RSS overload.

I hope the aforementioned tips help you to manage your RSS feed reading habits in a better and effective manner.” [source]

Sorry I didn’t alert you last week. I was on vacation and didn’t have much time or internet access. Anyway, this week is ALL games of various sorts – so you’re sure to find something you like. Here are this week’s picks: mac games. Have fun!

For those of you celebrating Memorial Day, have a big, juicy cheese burger for me.

Lastly, here are some mac game and software items that didn’t fit on the list:

Aria 1.0 – use Aria for internal projects and customer relations (Ie. bug tracking, sales, and support)

Cast off calculator 1.0 – Calculates chapter layout for books and other publications, based on number of words and pictures per page together with fixed number pages.

Loan Calculator 1.0 – Allows you to determine monthly payment for loan and look at the loan schedule.

Fisheye-Hemi 1.0.1 – Plug-in filters which provide correction for hemispheric fisheye lens distortion. Fisheye-Hemi provides a more normal view of people by not distorting their faces and bodies, as it straightens vertical lines.

2008 Moon Void of Course Calendar 1.0 – During Moon void of course, contracts, promises or new laws bring on difficulties, and purchases prove to be unsatisfactory, among other negative things. Know when to make important decisions.

Changes I Ching Software 1.0 – Bring the wisdom and insight of this ancient oracle into focus in a way that’s entirely accessible and straightforward.

Espy 1.0 – Quickly access the information you need or browse through your contacts’ pictures in the unique SnapFind interface. Espy is intuitive and easy-to-use, featuring a clean, informative look and drag and drop photo assignment.

Got this week in a little bit early. I hope you enjoy them here: mac games. BTW, Happy Mother’s Day!!

The other new items that didn’t fit on the mac picks page are:

Times 1.0.2 – news reader for Leopard.

CopyPaste Pro 1.0 – Multiple clip utility.

Bezipped 1.0 – A file compression and archive utility freeware.

Moody 1.0.2 – Plays a mood instead of an album or a genre. Shuffles better in iTunes.

pngweasel 1.0 – Convertis an image to the PNG image format and makes parts of the image’s background transparent. Freeware. See also gifweasel.

m.o.t.e.s. 1.0 – a fun way to kill some time.

WeatherSnitch 1.2.2 – Displays weather information in your menubar. Freeware.

Macnification 1.0 – Enables scientists to organize, find, annotate, analyze, adjust, compare and publish microscopic images.

Viveza 1.0 – Control light and color in photographic images.

Lingo 1.0.1 – A word game where you have to use your vocabulary and deduction skills.

Leech 1.0 – Queue, pause and resume downloads, download from password-protected servers and store your passwords in your system-wide, secure keychain. And you won’t have to worry about downloads that were disrupted by a crashing browser ever again.

Saturn Fighter Wing – Red Zone 1.0 – “Red Zone” is the code name for the Saturn Test and Training Range (STTR). You are required to collect all green and red gems in the area avoiding missiles, bullets and mines.

Travel Tips for Globetrotting Geeks – Guide to mastering the art of high tech travel.

From mactipsandtricks:

“1) Only use the battery as needed. For example the less you use the battery the long it will last. Instead of using the battery only a little and then recharging keep it plugged in.

2) Drain the battery down. Although it is not as need as much, it has shown (on my battery) that by draining the battery down and then doing a recharge it seems to make the battery last as long as possible.

3) Keep your battery cool. Batteries are designed to run at around 15 degrees Celsius. So if you keep your battery really hot, for example using it outside all day, or two cold (inside a fridge). By keeping your battery at a good temperature you may keep the charge longer and more healthy.

4) Calibrate your battery. It keeps it up to date with the maximum and minimum battery capacity and helps you computer work out how to use its charge more effectively.

5) Keep firmware the latest. Download the latest firmwares and it will help. Although you may not see an immediate difference. It will help you keep it in tip top shape.

Finally buy a new battery. If you battery has really died, and has become a lump of metal it might be time to buy a new battery. Until we develop a battery that always keeps its charge you may have to keep replacing them every 18months.”

From consumerist:

“A tech support supervisor, from what we figure to be Apple, has stepped forward to break down some behind-the-scenes workings with his underlings who sometimes make both his and consumer’s lives difficult. For instance, one of the reasons you might be on hold so long is agents using fake work codes to avoid taking calls. Also, we know that metrics rule the call centers, but, in one of the confessions, he talks about how not only is it important to not go over your average handle time, you also can’t go too far under. Just strive to be perfectly average, and you’ll go far…

“I am a tech support supervisor for a very well known computer company. (If you must know, this company is notoriously secretive. I think that’s a big enough clue.) I felt the need to respond to the “7 Confessions Of A Verizon DSL Tech Support Rep” article you ran with some insights of my own.

I also started near the beginning of a new call center that was supporting three different product lines for said computer company. Customer service was stressed over and over and over again. I’ve been with the call center for about 5 months, but I’ve worked in other non-call center positions with the company since 2002. I thought someone needed to shed light on the fact that the seven confessions are not the exception to the rule — they ARE the rule in most cases when it comes to tech support call centers.

This particular call center is all “Tier” (or Level) one support. Within this center, we have Quality Assurance to monitor the agent calls in-house. If necessary, these Tier 1 agents escalate difficult calls to Tier 2 — which can be anywhere in the world. It will almost never be the same person twice.

You’re not going to speak to someone’s actual supervisor
There is a specific, direct queue line to “Supervisor Requests” for our agents. I don’t know why most people think they will actually speak to the support agent’s actual supervisor. We’re too…”

Full article

From arstechnica:

“Apple’s approach to security can be a little bewildering at times. It’s a well-trumpeted aspect of the OS, marketed in detail on the website. Mac OS X has integrated smartcard support and Apple has certified the OS under the Common Criteria guidelines; a section of Apple’s developer site is devoted to the subject of security.

The phrase “security through obscurity” gets…”

Read full article

4th Saturday of every odd month, except where holidays conflict.

Premier Event: Saturday, March 22, 2008.

Mac Day L.A.
CBS Studio Center — “Radford Studios”
4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City CA 91604
Website: Macdayla (for details and required RSVP)

Just uploaded this week’s mac games and software picks. Here they are: mac games

If you missed last week’s game, Build a Lot, make sure to download the free demo and play it because it’s really fun and I’ve become very addicted to it. Basically, it’s a real estate tycoon simulation game.  Download it now

Try these:

Griffin Courier Case for iPhone (new!) – All praise the bicycle courier. Street warriors. Bi-pedal bicycle workaday daredevils. Taking their lives into their own hands when they hit the streets bearing your packages. Any time, any day, in any kind of weather. That’s the life they have chosen. And this is their iPhone case.

Griffin Leather Sleeve Case for iPhone – includes a removable two-way clip to attach the case to a bag, briefcase or backpack strap for multiple carrying options. To help you keep your iPhone as clean and fresh as theday you bought it, a static peel screen protector and premium cleaning cloth is included with every Elan Sleeve.

iPhone Ranger Case – This one is the best for carrying the iPhone externally, regardless of price. By externally, I mean clipped to your belt, bag, pack, etc. The clip is strong yet does not intrude or poke into your flesh like some do, especially the swivel clips. The horizontal orientation ensures one can sit comfortably while ‘wearing’ the phone. The magnetic closure is quick and secure. I don’t like push snaps because I don’t want to risk undue pressure on the phone. It holds the phone securely, yet with the strategically placed openings on the corners and bottom, it is easy to extract with one hand. The interior is soft against the phone and very stiff to protect it. Comes in different colors.

Black Leather Holster for iPhone – Featuring a horizontal belt-clip, the HipCase provides the utmost in comfort and accessibility. As with other smartphones before it, the iPhone’s dimensions virtually require a horizontal waist holster for optimal comfort–and the HipCase delivers.

Fun etching at Make Magazine [via]

From .mac tips:

“You can now protect the movies in your Web Gallery from unwanted visitors, just as you can with your published photos.

1. In iMovie ’08, create a new movie or open an existing one (it can be one that you’ve already published to your Web Gallery).

2. In the menu bar, select Share > .Mac Web Gallery…

3. In the sheet that appears, select your access options from the “Viewable by:” dropdown menu. (If you select Only Me, the movie will be hidden on your Web Gallery home page as well as password-protected.)

4. Click Publish.

Any user/password combinations you’ve created for your .Mac account in iPhoto will also be available in iMovie.”