Macworld articles from February 2009

Macworld archives from February 2009

Giving thanks: why I'm grateful for good products (and the products I'm most grateful for).(FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK)(Editorial)
February 1, 2009... The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a strange time if you're a Mac user. We know that many of the best gifts don't arrive until the first week of January, when Apple and a slew of other tech companies introduce their latest...

More new Apple wares: warm and cool reactions for fresh Apple releases.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... iPod Overhaul I hope Apple keeps the iPod classic line ("Apple Updates iPod Line," MacUser, November 2008). Not everyone needs large touch screens or fast and small solid-state drives, and I would take capacity over size and speed any day...

Kids and computers.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... In your piece on healthy computing for kids, you left out an important health concern--the danger of dare from a glossy screen ("The Kid-Safe Mac," November 2008). It can cause eyestrain and headaches. In fact, in some countries, labor laws bar...

Free form.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... I thought your article on working more efficiently was terrific ("Work Smarter," November 2008). One of the tips recommended using Response-o-matic to add a Web form to a Web site. Another option is Google Documents which offers the ability to...

Tapeless bar raised.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... You state that the Sanyo Xactic's highest video resolution isn't Mac-compatible ("Tapeless in High Def," November 2008). That was true when I got my camera in April, but it changed with the last Quick-Time update. Now I can edit my 1,080i video...

Phishing tricks.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... Using Open DNS to avoid phishing scams is a great start ("Surf Safer with Open DNS," Connect, November 2008), and the commonsense practices you listed certainly help. Here's another trick: all e-mail correspondence from sites like eBay and...

Reader poll.(Table)
February 1, 2009... READER POLL What operating system do you run on your Mac? Leopard (10.5) 83% Tiger (10.4) 15% An earlier OS 2% Source: Macworld.com online poll, October 2008 [GRAPHIC OMITTED]

No more FireWire on MacBooks: your reactions.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2009... New Mac purchasers won't care too much about the missing FireWire, but the entrenched mass of Mac users are certainly being snubbed by this stingy move. mswebb It used to be that when Apple took something away, it gave us something...

Leopard's lingering annoyances: can snow Leopard fix some outstanding problems?(OPERATING SYSTEM)
February 1, 2009... More than a year ago, Mac OS X 10.5 (aka Leopard) hit the streets. Apple touted its 300-plus new features, and I can't imagine using OS X without some of them--my always-present, always-updated Time Machine backups, easy access to Wikipedia...

Google admits violating iPhone development terms.(iPHONE)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Google's voice-search function in the latest version of its Google Mobile search application is pretty slickly implemented: it knows when you put the phone up to your ear, prompts you to speak, and then searches when you move the device away...

Mac Devs take bugs into their own hands.(DEVELOPMENT)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... When it comes to software development, bugs are the enemy. Apple has long maintained a system for tracking bugs called Radar, which lets developers submit problems they've discovered in Apple's software. Unfortunately, Radar doesn't let users...

Steve jobs should run GM, says Thomas Friedman.(PEOPLE)(General Motors Corporation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... You don't usually hear the words "innovation" and "American auto industry" in the same sentence-and for good reason. If you're dissatisfied with the options coming out of Detroit these days, author and New York Times columnist. Thomas L....

Apple sued over iPhone's mobile browsing.(LEGAL)(EMG Technology)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The field of patent lawsuits has gotten out of control. The latest bizarre one issues from EMG Technology, alleging that Apple has infringed on its patent covering" a method and apparatus of simplified navigation." oh. Well, that clears up...

Hardware.(PRODUCT WATCH)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Drone, from Callpod (www.callpod.com): Bluetooth Volp and stereo adapter connects a Bluetooth-equipped headset or headphones to a Mac ($50). Home Dock HD, from Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (www.dlo.com): Home-entertainment Peripheral...

Can't buy me Beatles on iTunes, still.(iPod + iTunes News)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Rumors that the Beatles' full discography would soon be available for digital download have been swirling for almost as long as the iTunes Store has been in existence. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But according to Sir Paul, it looks like you...

iPod touch faster than iPhone?(iPod + iTunes News)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Apple would like us to think about the iPhone and iPod touch as hermetically sealed black boxes powered by microscopic elves who turn microscopic levers as quickly as they can in order to generate that special Apple magic. [ILLUSTRATION...

Apple levels DMCA on iPodhash project.(iPod + iTunes News)(Digital Millennium Copyright Act)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The iPodhash project is a group of coders dedicated to reverse-engineering Apple's data- base files on the iPod classic and iPod touch. Doing so allows third-party utilities to access information on the iPod, which is particularly helpful for...

Software.(PRODUCT WATCH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... AccountEdge 2009, from MYOB (www.myobus.com): Updated small-business management and accounting software features a streamlined interface and integration with Marketcircle's Daylite productivity management app ($299; upgrade, $159). ...

Jerry Yang logs off as Yahoo CEO.(PEOPLE)
February 1, 2009... I've got some bad new. You might want to sit down. Jerry Yang, the CEO of Yahoo--well, he's resigning. I know this is going to be hard on all of us, but--wait, what? You Knew? But how? Oh. Right. There was that whole begging Microsoft to take...

Safari goes antiphishing.(SECURITY)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... I've bemoaned Safari's lack of antiphishing features for a while now to anyone who will listen. Phishing is a type of attack that typically involves a fraudulent e-mail message that appears to be from a legitimate source (your bank or eBay,...

By the numbers.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... 2012 Year in which demand for Internet bandwidth could exceed capacity, according to a Nemertes Research study 20TB Volume of Bush administration e-mail expected by the director of the Electronic Records Archives $873 million...

Software.(PRODUCT WATCH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... iScrapbook 2.0, from Chronos (www.chronosnet.com): Scrapbooking software adds multiple object resizing and a browser for managing and searching for artwork ($50; upgrade, &30). Mathematica 7, from Wolfram Research (www.wolfram.com):...

Imitation is the sincerest form of copyright infringement.(LAPTOPS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... We've seen our fair share of knockoffs of Apple products, but this one has to be my favorite in a long while. Look, if Apple doesn't make the netbook that you desperately believe it should, why not just go make it yourself? Ergo, the MacBook...

Real Dan Lyons goes the way of Fake Steve Jobs.(INTERNET)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The man behind the Fake Steve Jobs persona has now bid adieu to himself. Newsweek's Dan Lyons will cease posting to his Real Dan Lyons blog, on which he called Yahoo's PR team, among other things, "really an unsavory bunch." He was also unhappy...

Satisfaction Calling.(Tech Trends)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... A new study finds that Apple leads Dell and HP in terms of customer service call satisfaction. VocaLabs surveyed customers after they called PC manufacturers for service. Apple customers reported a higher rate of resolved issues and were more...

Smileboxfor Mac.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Smilebox for Mac is a photo- and video-sharing service that lets you assemble photos, videos, and music into slick, stylish multimedia presentations, slide shows, or e-cards. Simply drag and drop your chosen media into Smilebox's templates. You...

Neato.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... When I think of "hot stuff," screen-cleaning supplies are generally way down the list, next to mouse pads and spare USB cables. But moshi's neato pads are pretty, well, neat. Each $16 neato package includes four small, washable cloths made of...

Road Mice.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... When it comes to puttering around on your Mac, Four Door Media's $45 Road Mice puts you in the driver's seat. This wireless RF-based three-button optical mouse pulls up onto your mouse pad in the shape of one of several different American car...

iRing Pro Zen Collection.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Hladecek's $10 iRing Pro Zen Collection gives you 21 subtle and pretty ringtones for the iPhone. So subtle, in fact, that you might not even hear them if you're someplace loud. But if you're the kind of mellow person who wants your iPhone's...

Advantageous mp3.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... I'm a fan of the iTunes Store's convenience, design, and integration with iTunes, but I'm also a fan of the Amazon MP3 store's cheaper prices and higher-bit-rate MP3s (all of which are fantastically DRM-free). Amazon isn't known for its stellar...

Photoshop CS4 and CS4 extended: streamlined, OpenGL-enabled interface offers easier access to tools.(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... Adobe made some pretty serious changes in photoshop CS4, especially in the workspace. And while such changes will take some getting used to, they're long overdue. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are lots of new features, too. This version...

InDesign CS4: pleasant but middling update offers some valuable new tools.(REVIEWS)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... The newest version of InDesign would be welcome on any layout designer's desktop. But it may not be worth the upgrade price; the degree of change is not nearly as high as in the previous move to InDesign CS3. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Dreamweaver CS4: Web design application aims to win over design pros.(REVIEWS)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 is a solid upgrade to an already impressive Web design program. Through it, Adobe enriches the features introduced in Dreamweaver CS3 and presents a completely revamped interface that more closely resembles other products...

Premiere Pro CS4: Adobe's video-software comes of age.(Adobe Creative Suite4)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... Premiere Pro CS3's debut on the Mac last year was impressive, especially given the challenges it faced. It not only had to overcome the lackluster reputation of its Mac-compatible predecessor, Premiere 6.5, but it also had to reclaim the...

Refreshed air: can the new 1.86GHz MacBook Air compete with the MacBook?(MacBook Air)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... The new MacBook Air 1.86GHz looks identical to the original MacBook Air. But it's different inside, with a new processor, upgraded video circuitry, and a lot more. The upgrades made to the MacBook (VERY GOOD; macworld.com/4061), however,...

After Effects CS4.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $999 COMPANY: Adobe Systems URL: www.adobe.com This major upgrade to After Effects lets you more easily search and nevigate your project; import 3-D layers from Photoshop CS4 Extended; fine-tune your 3-D...

BBEdit 9.0.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $125 COMPANY: Bare Bones Software URL: www.barebones.com BBEdit 9.02 boasts more than 120 new features and fixes compared with version 8.5 Many of them are relatively minor, but several will be of interest to all...

Flash CS4 professional.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $699 COMPANY; Adobe Systems URL: www.adobe.com With its revamped animation logic, substantial new animation tools, and radical interface redesign, Flash has a much more accessible environment for designers who...

Illustrator CS4.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE $599 COMPANY; Adobe Systems URL: www.adobe.com The biggest change to Illustrator is the addition of multiple art boards which allow artists to create documents of up to 100 pages in length. However, Adobe's...

Jade Empire: special edition.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $40 COMPANY: BioWare URL: www.jade.bioware.com Inspired by Asian history and mythology, Jade Empire is a role-playing game that feels a bit hackneyed at times but is nonetheless an engaging and fun romp. You start...

QuickBooks 2009 for Mac.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: GOOD PRICE: $200 COMPANY: Intuit URL: www.quickbooks.com The latest version of Intuit's small-business accounting software features better iCal integration, better online banking support, and integration with XSilva's LightSpeed...

BlackBerry Storm.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $200 COMPANY: Research In Motion and Verizon URL: www.rim.com What's great about the BlackBerry Storm is that it's not an iPhone clone, though it's clearly RIM's answer to the iPhone--the Storm has everything that...

Flip MinoHD.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $230 COMPANY: Pure Digital Technologies URL: www.theflip.com The latest entry in the mini-camcorder market, the Flip MinoHD records 60 minutes of video at 1,280 by 720 HD (720p) resolution. The camcorder has a...

iP99BR clock radio and audio system for iPhone.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $150 COMPANY: iHome URL: www.ihomeaudio.com The iP99BR iPod-compatible alarm clock is compact, provides good sound, has plenty of useful features, and sports a relatively easy-to-use interface. The front...

Sonos speaker bundle 150 with Sonos ZoneBridge 100.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: SUPERIOR PRICE: $1,248 COMPANY: Sonos URL: www.sonos.com This is one of the best systems available for playing your digital music collection in multiple rooms. You use an iPod-like controller to navigate easily through your iTunes...

Workforce 600.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $200 COMPANY: Epson URL: www.epson.com This multifunction device, with a copier scanner, fax, and photo printer, is ideal for a home office or small business. Our time tests revealed the Work Force 600 to be one of...

Top products: your guide to the best hardware we've tested. See more at macworld.com/reviews.(REVIEWS)(Product/service evaluation)(Table)
February 1, 2009... CAMCORDERS High Definition PRODUCT RATING PRICE TYPE FIND CODE Vixia HV30 VERY GOOD $580 MiniDV 3708 (pictured) www.canon.com HDR-SR11 VERY GOOD $745 hard drive, 3731...

The Big Mean Folder Machine 1.5.1.(UTILITY)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $15 COMPANY: Publicspace.net URL: www.publicspace.net The Big Mean Folder Machine (BMFM) makes organizing huge file collections a snap. The program can help you with all your filing needs, walking you through the...

Mail Act-On 2.0.1.(E-MAIL)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $25 COMPANY: indev software URL: www.idev.ca Mail Act-On, a handy plug-in for Apples's Mail, lets you use your keyboard to invoke mail rules. The latest version offers many new features, easier rule creation,...

DiskAid 1.5.(iPHONE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... RATING: GOOD PRICE: free COMPANY: DigiDNA URL: www.digidna.net A common complaint about the iPhone and the iPod touch is that, unlike other iPods, neither one offers Disk Mode--a way to use the divice as a removable stroage device. I...

Fluid 0.9.4.1.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Rumor has it that Safari 4 (not yet released) will let you turn a particular Web page into a stand-alone application (also known as a site-specific browser, or SSB). But why wait when you can do it now, with Todd Ditchendorf's Fluid (VERY GOOD...

Editors' Choice Awards: our picks for the best products of the year.(THE 24TH ANNUAL)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... The Mac market had a great 2008. Reliable hardware suppliers like Canos Epson, Logitech, and NEC, as well as a crowded field of Mac developers large and small, gave us a huge assortment of new products to sort through when it came time to...

Our 38 favorite iPhone apps: must-have apps for your iPhone and iPod touch.(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2009... The iPhone software updates introduced by Apple this year delivered plenty of benefits to iPhone and iPod touch users--so many that we recognized the iPhone 2.1 update as one of the top products of the year (see "The 24th Annual Editors' Choice...

3 essential e-mail tricks: manage your messages more efficiently with these techniques.(Secrets)
February 1, 2009... Microsoft's Entourage 2008 (VERY GOOD; macworld.com/3346) and Apple's most recent version of Mail (VERY GOOD; macworld.com/3510) are stuffed full of powerful tools that can help you store, organize, and search the hundreds (or thousands) of...

Playlist grab bag: working with iTunes U, podcasts, and iPhone Restrictions.(SECRETS)
February 1, 2009... I get a lot of questions from readers, family, and friends about iTunes, iPods, and iPhones. Here are a few answers that might help you. Syncing iTunes U Videos Q: I've downloaded a serious of iPhone developer videos from the iTunes U...

Troubleshooting Back to My Mac: and what to do if you can't get it to work at all.(SECRETS)
February 1, 2009... When Leopard's Back to My Mac feature was first announced, it sounded great: a simple way to securely share screens and exchange files between two Macs over the Internet. Sometimes, Back to My Mac really does work as intended: you enable Back...

Best drum software: how to create the ideal beat.(Recording Studio)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2009... Drums are the backbone of almost any song, the driving rhythm that sets the pace and keeps the time. And for computer-based recording, drum software can be indispensable. Thankfully, drum samplers have come a long way from the lame beats...

Mac OS X Hints: the insider tips you won't get from apple.(Help Desk)
February 1, 2009... Strip Formatting from Copied Text When you copy text in Mac OS X, one of two things ends up on the Clipboard: formatted text, which retains font and style information, or unformatted text, which consists of your letters and nothing more....

Mac 911: solution to your most vexing Mac problems.(HELP DESK)
February 1, 2009... Document-Switching Shortcuts Q: When I used Windows, I could switch between open Microsoft word documents using a keyboard command. Can you offer any suggestions for more easily switching between documents on my new Mac? David Utts ...

Bugs & Fixes.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... * Tracking iPhone Crashes If your iPhone or iPod touch crashes more often than you would like, conventional wisdom typically attributes this to third-party programs on your phone--the ones you added via the App Store. However, this is not...

2 ways to capture streaming content.(TOOLS OF THE TRADE)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The Web is full of rich media content, but regrettably, much of it is streamed to your computer with no obvious way to download it, meaning that you either watch it right now or not at all. You can't save it for later or transfer it to a...

Why I don't need a new Mac: upgrade every two years? Not anymore.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 1, 2009... Most people and businesses replace their old computers with new ones every couple of years. Until recently, I did, too. I currently have two Macs: a Mac Pro (bought in September 2006) and a MacBook Air (purchased in early 2008). In the...