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We're starting a new segment on the blog called Ask MacTalk. This is your chance to email me and ask a question regarding anything to do with Apple. You might have a technical issue you want solved, you might be seeking advice with a new computer, or just want to settle a bet with a friend. Either way, as long as it's Apple related, I will take a stab at answering one question, every Monday. If I pick your question to be answered, you win a $20 iTunes voucher!

If you have a question you'd like to ask, just email ask@mactalk.com.au - just note, not every email will be answered or published, so if it's something urgent, your best bet is to post on the forums.

Our inaugural question this week comes from Jamie Ragen in Sydney, regarding how to share music and photos across his family computers. ...

We start today off with some new iPhone ads. 'On Hold' describes the versatility of the iPhone and how, unlike a normal phone, you can be equally productive when you're waiting for a customer service representative and you're 7th in line.

The second iPhone ad "First Steps" shows off the video, MMS and conference call functionality and how it can bring a family closer together and share special moments together (cue collective awwwwww)

Sex...it's fun and it often involves boobs which I believe have to go down in history as the greatest thing in the world (from a male perspective of course). A couple of days ago Apple pulled a number of sex-themed apps from the iTunes store  and as many as 5,000 have been caught in the net. So I propose a MacTalk debate...do we agree with Apple's new rules or do we think that the Puritans have gone too far? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

We all know that new MacBook Pros are on their way soon. When the Apple Store went down a few weeks ago I suggested it could be a spec bump however it turned out to be a software release. One of the major advantages of the new MBPs is how it handles dual graphics Appleinsider explains. ...

The 21st century is a beautiful thing. Just an hour ago, I added a new contact to Address Book on my MacBook, then switched over to my iPhone, only to find that MobileMe's push sync service had already added him to my iPhone contacts - which I was of course expecting, but not quite so quickly. Yay for push.

I called the new contact, opened Sygic and was cozily navigated to his house using the address info it took me a handful of seconds to type into Address Book. I gave a familiar mental nod to the fact that I typed in all this info once, and it was immediately available to me in three applications across 2 platforms. I've been through this process countless times now, but I get a nice little nerd-kick every time. How can we get this symphony of awesome happening on all our services? ...

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A lot of people complained that you had to log out to switch graphics cards in the latest (and not-so-latest) generation MacBook Pros. News from the front suggests that <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/19/apple-planning-smoother-transitions-between-graphics-processors-in-upcoming-macbook-pros/">this could all change with an upcoming MacBook Pro update</a> - hey, if Windows/Sony can do it, why can't Mac?

I think 9to5mac originally broke the story of <a href="http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2010/02/14745/">enabling an alphanumeric passcode lock without jailbreaking</a>, but I'm going to source my story from the awesome Uneasy Silence.

Find My iPhone (as well as other MobileMe services) <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/19/find-my-iphone-now-works-in-mobile-safari/">now work on your iPhone</a>. This is cool for two reasons - one, it means you don't have to be on a desktop computer to use MobileMe, and two, you can now play the most incredible game of "catch me if you can" using just two iPhones, a couple of mates, and some really expensive plane tickets.

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We're almost at the end of February, which means there's only one month to go until the iPad is released here, there and everywhere. App Advice says you might well be able to pre-order your Wi-Fi model starting next week.

In other iPad related news, our very own Australian Broadcasting Corporation is keen to be on the iPad, hopefully with all that lovely iView content (minus the Flash).

As reported on our forums and at Cult of Mac, Apple's been going around the App Store and getting rid of a few of those dodgy bikini babe apps.

9to5mac thinks an iPad + MiFi beats the iPad 3G model. I would agree, if Optus wasn't the only network MiFi operates on in Australia. (several commenters have pointed out that MiFi is available unlocked in Australia, my apologies for the incorrect statement).

If you've ever owned an 8-Track player, it's time to pull it out of the basement. Gizmodo gives us instructions on how to turn it into an iPod dock.

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<h3>This is a guest piece by forum user andoneo. Agree, disagree? Tell us why in the forums!</h3>
Open source they cry! A world wide web free of proprietary formats and buggy plug-ins they say! HTML 5 is here and finally spelling the end for Flash. It sounds like an Apple fan boy’s wet dream. A text pad wielding code monkey’s paradise too perhaps? But does the Flash platform need to die in order to achieve online Zenith where we ascend to a magical place where JavaScript libraries and cascading style sheets run wild and free.

I hope not. I have a soft spot for Flash. Fundamentally because it’s one of the most empowering creative tools of the digital age. It was a huge catalyst for content creation in the early days of the web, but flash also played a key role in the emergence of Web 2.0 through YouTube and Flickr technologies. It showed the web could have more than just static text and pictures, things like atmosphere, transitions and graphic style unparalleled in any HTML sites. As a disclaimer, I have a vested interest in Flash. I work with it and I get paid quite well to do so. I haven’t got a bachelor in computer science. I’m self-taught for the most part and I owe it all to Flash. It empowered me to great heights.

The <em>Flash Bashers</em> (as I like to call them), who are typically Apple die-hards and coder elitists, baffle me with their hate. I just feel like saying to them: world with iPad, vs. world without iPad. Which would we prefer? It may not be for you, so don’t buy it or use it. But don’t tell me I can't or shouldn't be able to. It’s akin to censorship. ...

Someone at RealMac Software has their head screwed on. First they grace the world with RapidWeaver, now this...

[caption id="attachment_4985" align="alignright" width="272" caption="Google Reader in Socialite"][/caption]

Welcome to the app that tries to save your job and your sanity at the same time. Or at least ease your guilt. Socialite is an all-in-one client for popular social networking and feed services including Facebook, Twitter, Digg and Google Reader. Combining these into a single (and downright sexy) window, it distills each down to a single feed. It's a one-stop-app for catching up on your whole digital life without ever reaching your web browser. So what's not to like? ...

<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5089" src="http://www.mactalk.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/steve_0002-232x300.jpg" alt="steve_0002" width="232" height="300" />What a week - on Tuesday Raffe gave us a serious look at events and happenings around the world, James presented the news in his usual laid-back way on Wednesday, yesterday was marked by Nick making a serious grammatical error on the front page, and now, I'm going to just give the news to  you straight - no joke. It's all seriousness on the MacTalk news desk today - on with the news!

SUBERAPPS look at ten use cases for the site-specific browser, Fluid, and <a href="http://www.suberapps.com/2010/02/14/useful-tips-ideas-for-fluid-app/">how you can combine multiple sites to create a truly useful mashup</a>.

John Gruber made an appearance at the Macworld conference, <a href="http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/02/13/apples-10-biggest-problems/">where he spoke about Apple's 10 biggest problems</a>. At the top of the list: Steve Jobs.

<a href="http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/02/apple-wins-designs-for-aluminum-imac-iphone-3g-dock-ipod-classic-more.html">Apple have won designs for products</a> such as the the aluminium iMac, the iPhone 3G dock, the iPod Classic, and more. Congrats, Apple!

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