3:46 Dec 12th, 2009 | Notes

Apple has continued to update some minor features of the iTunes store, this time the layout of App pages. The app information is now displayed above the screenshots, which is more in line with the positioning of iTunes Notes for music. The screenshots themselves are not arranged in a scrollable line instead of the previous ‘click to advance’ method. Again in line with the way music pages are laid out, the user rating for each app now appears down the a left hand column, along with the basic app information. Finally, the app icon in the top left hand corner is larger.

Voila! One newly refreshed app page layout.

Update on the Australian Student Laptop Plan

7:51 Apr 28th, 2009 | Notes

Heard anything about the Federal Government’s student laptop plan recently? Neither had I.

But thanks to my contacts at the department of education I can confirm some of the specs about the laptops to be handed out to year 9 New South Wales students later this year! Rumors were flying as to what would be installed on the laptops. Such rumors contained Windows 7, Adobe CS4 Master Collection and Office 2007 Professional!

If that was the standard of laptop the government were going to hand out then I would gladly drop back two years and repeat year 9. Unfortunately, no such dream machine is to exist. Today I discovered that the laptops would not run Windows 7, but Windows XP. They would not contain Adobe CS4 Master Collection, rather Photoshop Elements. No Office 2007, instead no mention of Office at all.

What promised to be a machine to “meet the high power needs of students in the 21st century” has turned out to be machine teetering on the dawn of the century, rather then deeply engrossed in it.

Disappointing really. Lucky that I was never going to receive one in the first place I suppose. I’ll post any new information as I get it.