On August 24, 2002, Apple Computer released Macintosh OS X 10.2. Among the many improvements included in that now-ancient release was the first official support for ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (the Hawaiian language) by any major computer platform. The story, originally published by the Honolulu Advertiser, was syndicated by Associated Press and was picked up by over a hundred news outlets (here it is on MacWorld). Here is the original press release sent out by Hale Kuamo‘o on that date. I later posted a story about how a serendipitous meeting at Apple’s headquarters led to this development. I couldn’t share the backstory…
Getting Māori Language Programming Outside of Aotearoa
Since I began study of te reo Māori a bit over a year ago, I’ve enjoyed watching Māori language TV programming. But it hasn’t always been enjoyable. I first used a VPN connection from my phone, but, well, it’s my phone. I was able to accomplish the same thing on my computer, and also used chromecast to stream the programming from my phone to our TV, but that neither satisifying nor elegant. I also experienced buffering and less-than-optimum video quality on our TV. The Easy Ways There are three relatively easy ways to accomplish this. I’ll only provide a brief…
He Roa Te Wā (It’s Been A Long Time)
It’s been nearly four years since I’ve done anything significant with this website. It was hacked a few years ago and it took some effort and a lot of help from the folks at Pacific Pro-Tech Services to get it ressurected. I noticed that most of the graphics are broken and I’m working with them to get them working again. The only significant new post here was my development of a Hawaiian keyboard for Chrome OS, which can be found in the ‘Ōlelo Tech area above. In May 2020 I started a new journey in learning Te Reo Māori (the…
Nā Hōkū Hanohano 101, Part 4: Compilations, Anthologies, and Hybrids
Disclaimer: I am a member of the Board of Governors of HARA, but this document is not an official HARA communication. What I write here is based on my prior experience as a board member, continuting interaction with them and other members, and continuing service on the selection committee. Hopefully it will help, inform and entertain you, but take it with a grain of salt, and a dash of sarcasm. This document was updated on 7/5/17. This is the continuation of a series of essays I posted here, starting a few years ago. I am posting it in the hope…
Back On (The) Board
After a two and a half year long respite from the Board of Governors of the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts, I’m back. Or at least I will be back officially after the swearing-in ceremony at the General Membership meeting. Mahalo to the current members of the board for accepting my offer to step back in and fill a vacant seat on the board. The General Membership meeting will be held on November 11, 2015 at Island Sound Studios in Hawai‘i Kai. I hope to see many members there. Please contact the HARA office for more information by calling (808) 593-9424…
Cutting The Cable, Pt 1
A few weeks ago I mentioned to some friends that my wife and I were considering cutting off our cable TV services and simply going with their RoadRunner service for Internet, getting a Roku 3 (about $95) and an HD antenna (about $20 for a basic model from Amazon.com). Weʻre figuring that if we cut the cable TV weʻll be saving $80 or so a month. The HD antenna has not been all that we had hoped. We get the following Hawai‘i broadcast services from our place just above the new Pu‘u Kukui School and below Wailuku Heights: 4.1 –…
Nā Hōkū Hanohano 101, Part 3: Award Categories
Disclaimer: I am a member of the Board of Governors of HARA, but this document is not an official HARA communication. What I write here is based on my prior experience as a board member, continuting interaction with them and other members, and continuing service on the selection committee. Hopefully it will help, inform and entertain you, but take it with a grain of salt, and a dash of sarcasm. This document was updated on 7/5/17. It is important for HARA members, individuals who may submit product for consideration, and fans to understand the various categories for which Nā Hōkū Hanohano…
Nā Hōkū Hanohano 101, Part 2: Eligibility
Disclaimer: I am a member of the Board of Governors of HARA, but this document is not an official HARA communication. What I write here is based on my prior experience as a board member, continuting interaction with them and other members, and continuing service on the selection committee. Hopefully it will help, inform and entertain you, but take it with a grain of salt, and a dash of sarcasm. This document was updated on 7/5/17. The first hurdle to understanding the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards entry process is knowing what determines a release’s eligibility for the awards, and there…
The Origins of Hawaiian Language Support in Mac OS and iOS: So You Want To Change The World?
Only a handful of my friends will recognize the gentleman standing in the back of this picture, Brian Frye. He is one of the unsung heroes of getting technology support for ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i to where it is today. I’ve told this story to some folks privately, but never shared it publicly before. Since he’s not at Apple anymore, it’s safe to do so. Brian was an Apple support engineer for Hawai‘i in the mid-late 1990s. During his time here we became friends, and he tried to help me find the individuals who could assist us in getting support for the Hawaiian…
Nā Hōkū Hanohano 101, Part 1: Educate Yourself
Update: This post and other HARA and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award posts here were updated on 7/5/17. Disclaimer: I am a member of the Board of Governors of HARA, but this is not an official HARA document. What I write here is based on my prior experience as a board member, as chair and a few years of service on the selection committee continuting interaction with them and other members. Hopefully it will help, inform and entertain you, but take it with a grain of salt, and a dash of sarcasm. I’ve gotten a lot of messages, texts, and emails…