Memory sticks (or thumb drives) are a necessity nowadays. They are also used to store and transport files. Some people even use them for running their files in public machines and for booting Linux. A few though, use thumb drives to run classic versions of Mac OS. Maybe for nostalgia. Maybe just for fun.

Anyway, you can also do that with the help of an open source emulator, which is now available for download. It is available for multiple platforms like Classic, OS X, Windows, Linux, and Pocket PC. This actually allows you to use Mac on Windows and Linux.

Before you get started, get all the components you need here. After that, for purposes of description, the following steps assume that you are using Mac OS X. Windows users though can also work on this:

    1. Create a new folder and rename it Classic Mac.
    2. Unpack the Mini vMac archive and the vmac.rom file and copy them into the Classic Mac folder.
    3. Unpack the blanks-x.x.x.zip archive and unzip the disk image you want.
    4. To be sure, you might want to choose the largest disk image, which is in the hfs24M.zip archive.
    5. Copy the hfs24M.DSK file into the Classic Mac folder.
    6. Unpack the System_7.0.1.smi.bin archive and move the image files into the Classic Mac folder.

Then after a little downloading, you can now enjoy playing with old system software and applications without digging your old Mac.

The last bit of news we got from Apple's latest display-actuator toy was a press report from AppleInsider of Apple filing patents overseas and of their engineers giving some details of the device. Also provided there was a schematic from the patent application featuring the control mechanisms that make the display move, rotate, and click at a finger's command. And that's it. A device that promises to (probably) eliminate conventional control buttons and maximize gadget-surface real estate, and that's all the details we can get.

Until now. A report at the MacNN site finally gives details of the display actuator, also based on the patent applications Apple has filed and which the US Patent & Trademark Office and European Patent Office published. If you happen to be engineering-inclined and have a great tolerance for reading long blocks of text, you can read the source article at the link below, along with their caveat that "MacNN presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details."

Now if the MacNN details were not enough for you and you have a really great tolerance for reading long blocks of text conveniently unedited by a government office, then you can probably have a crack at the USP&TO's or EPO's publication of said patent (in case you're wondering, the USP&TO's website doesn't have the publication yet, but it probably will be uploaded in the future).

If you're neither, and you're still curious as to the future of touch-controlled technology, we've got a summary waiting for you.


Read on at the full article.

This program is billed on its website as being, "made by Mac users for Mac users." Considering the fact that at one time there was no easy method, other than emulation maybe, that would allow a Mac user to sync and transfer files between his machine and his Windows Mobile device, any Mac user who finds him or herself in the unfortunate situation of being stuck using a Windows Mobile portable device will find this piece of software indispensable.

Given high ratings by critics, The Missing Sync will make your Mac and Pocket PC play nice together. Along with the basic functions like transferring files between your Mac and your mobile, The Missing Sync lets you use a variety of different software from desktop productivity to mirrored tasks and events in iCal and Entourage. Whenever manufacturers (like Microsoft and Apple) neglect to provide solutions that bridge the final gap and fill a consumer want or need, someone else inevitably will do so, and usually rather quickly too.

Mark Space, the company that is selling The Missing Sync, is a company that specializes in Mac synchronization products. Specifically, Mark Space provides Mac synchronization software for the Sony PSP, Windows Mobile devices and Palm Operating System devices, along with a variety of small hip top smartphones as well.