Apple Mac and iPhone news for New Zealanders

Sign up for the free monthly newsletter full of tips, tricks, demystification and news! It's emailed to the private macnz email list as a PDF ... no strings attached. Just put 'Subscribe' in the Subject Field of the email.

The home of Mac info for New Zealanders, mac-nz serves daily Mac, iPhone and related news from the world of Apple Inc.

For reviews, tips, advice and interviews of new Apple and related hardware and software, take a look at the Newsletter section.

Contact: Hip Enterprises (macnz), PO Box 47036 Ponsonby, Auckland, NZ

About this site

mac.nz is owned by Mark Webster, an experienced writer and IT commentator with articles published over the years in Monitor, Stamp, Loose, Macguide, Tone, Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll, D-photo, NZ Classic Car, The Dominion Post, NetGuide, NZ Herald online and for PC World. He is also a director of the CreativeTech conference.

He was the editor of NZ Macguide magazine for five years and has worked exclusively with Macs for 20.

Mark is the author of the NZ history book Assembly: NZ Car Production 1921-1998 (Reed Books, 2002).

He is a speaker on Information Technology and automotive, historical and Apple subjects, and works as a Mac trainer with wide experience. Mark has dispensed Apple knowledge at Natcoll, to MAINZ, for ImageText, to 3Media, MacMillan Publishing and for Microsoft, and to dozens of individuals.

Take the Quick Poll

I have steadily increased services on mac.nz – what should I do next? Help me out – tell me what else you would like to get from this site. Please tick all that apply.
Follow macnzMark on
Contact mac.nz
mac.nz@me.com

The New Zealand Herald Mac Planet blog by Mark Webster

Developer costs eased

Tuesday, 09 March 2010

Apple reduces price of Mac dev program: Apple has announced it is scrapping its old developer programs, which included multiple tiers that cost thousands at the top end, for one modeled on its wildly successful iPhone Developer Program. Simply called the Mac Developer Program (pic), it will now cost just US$99 per year (about NZ$142).
There's still a free option, by the way. TidBits has more. 

Macs look like continuing sales boom: “We expect the strong (year-over-year) growth in NPD data that we saw (in January) to continue in the month of (February),” analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said on Monday.
In January, Mac sales rose 36 per cent, which appeared gargantuan standing next to a six percent drop for the month in 2009. January was the “Year of the Mac,” Munster proclaimed.
Meanwhile, there are very strong rumours of imminent MacBook updates with i7 processors. 

Apple testing updates of Safari, QuickTime and ProApp: Apple is currently testing updates to three pieces of software, sources note. The first is Safari 4.0.5, which is being tested in separate builds for Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard and Windows. The emphasis of the patch is said to be a regression in the browser's JavaScript engine.
MacNN has more info. 

Rob Griffiths of Macworld does not use Google Docs: he gives five reasons, including that it's not an app but a browser. 

Using Command key shortcuts for switchers: One of the adjustments those new to the Mac need to make is to familiarise themselves with the Command key shortcuts – see TUAW.

Great case disguises MacBooks: BookBook is a one-of-a-kind, hardback leather case designed exclusively for MacBook and MacBook Pro. Available in Classic Black or Vibrant Red, BookBook brings three levels of security to your prized Mac. First, the hardback cover and spine provide solid protection from the rigors of the road. Second, the vintage book design disguises MacBook for superior security. And third, the stylish case protects you from being like everyone else because BookBook is totally original, just like you.
You can pre-order it from Macgear from the 18th March.