Macworld articles from January 2006

Macworld archives from January 2006

Images of change.(Apple Computer Inc. forecast development of new products)
January 1, 2006... In a head-spinning flurry of activity this fall, Apple released new Power Macs, PowerBooks, iMacs, and iPods, along with a bunch of new software products. You'll find coverage of those products throughout this issue, from our explanation of the...

Tiger talk.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... The last time we checked, more than 60 percent of you had upgraded to OS X 10.4, also known as Tiger. If our reader surveys about the October issue are to be believed, pretty much every one of you who has made that switch--plus a goodly number...

Burning bright.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... ROSEANN HANSON * One of your tips in "Dashboard Confidential" ("Tiger Secrets Declassified," October 2005) promised a way to "pull as many widgets into the Finder layer as you like." I followed the directions, but I can get only one widget...

What are we losing?(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... A.W. LABRADOR # I think you need to do more than regurgitate Apple and Intel PR about why the Mac transition to Intel processors is such a good thing ("Intel's Road Map," Mac Beat, October 2005). What I'd like to see in Macworld is an...

Not really "pro".(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... LEE CARROLL # Yikes! You gave Soundtrack Pro your highest rating (Reviews, October 2005). As a professional videographer and member of the Audio Engineering Society who uses Final Cut Pro, I find Soundtrack Pro almost unusable. Importing a...

Off base.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... GRANT KIELCZEWSKI # In his review of Griffin Technology's Air-Base (Mac Gems, October 2005), Dan Frakes justifies spending $25 for what he admits is a "glorified power cable" just so he can place his AirPort Express on a desk, a shelf, or...

Don't forget Safari.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... JOSH LOCKER # Reading about Taboo (Mac Gems, October 2005), I was surprised that anyone at Macworld would admit to preferring Safari over Firefox. Almost everyone I know who has tried Firefox now swears by it. For the record, I tried...

Super error.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... RICHARD STOVALL # On page 74 of the October issue ("Which Mac Is Right for You?"), you said that all PowerBooks come with a SuperDrive. I found that odd since, at the time, I was reading that very issue on a PowerBook with a Combo drive....

Versatile, powerful and friendly: FileMaker Pro 8 proves its worth in businesses.(Advertisement)
January 1, 2006... "YOU NEED TO MAKE A LOW-END unit, an economy model. There's a good market for them." That was the word that came down from Mark Pilger's distributor network. As president of SIP Corp. in Tampa, which produces sharpening equipment for golf...

The dual-core debut: what's behind this new technology, and what does it mean for the future?(macbeat)
January 1, 2006... In his announcement that Apple would start using Intel CPUs in its hardware in mid-2006, Steve Jobs promised that innovation wouldn't suffer in the short run. Shortly after Jobs's June 2005 speech, IBM introduced its dual-core PowerPC...

Power Macs gain DDR2 RAM and PCI Express: under-the-hood improvements.(double data rate)(design of powerPC based computers)
January 1, 2006... While dual-core processors are a big step forward for Apple's Power Mac line, they aren't the only things that make the latest professional G5 systems tick. Two technologies--DDR2 SDRAM and PCI Express--are also important. Apple has been...

Hardware beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... 27dBm Transceiver for iMac G5, from QuickerTek (www.quickertek.com): Wireless network transceiver for iMac G5 provides a signal that's 10 times as strong as the desktop's built-in wire-less-networking capability ($200). EN2028, from...

Internet beat.(telecommunications software)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... Freeway 4 Pro, from Softpress (www.softpress.com): Web design application adds full Unicode support for the creation of multilingual Web sites, as well as output options for Traditional and Strict XHTML ($279; upgrades start at $99). ...

New app targets professional photographers: Apple's Aperture.(new product from Apple Computer Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Apple covers different levels of the video-, music-, and DVD-soft-ware market. The only thing missing from its lineup was a pro-level graphics program akin to Apple's iPhoto. Not anymore. In late 2005, Apple announced Aperture, a $499...

Check it out: widget.(new product Gas Widget from Interdimension Media)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... You know gas prices are high when people are willing to drive around--wasting gas, no less--to find the cheapest place to fill 'er up. No more. Interdimension Media's free Gas Widget (www.interdimensionmedia.com) delivers local low gas prices...

Apple sells more than one million videos in three weeks.(Apple Computer Inc. iTunes Music Store)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Apple announced that iTunes Music Store customers had bought and downloaded more than one million videos in the first three weeks after the release of iTunes 6 in October 2005. Apple began offering video content for purchase with the...

Memory shortage hits MP3 players.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(views of Craig McHugh from Creative Labs Inc. on flash memory chip)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Craig McHugh, president of Creative Labs, said an industrywide shortage of a key flash memory chip will hurt the availability of some models of MP3 player during the holiday period. He partly blamed Apple for the shortfall, which he says will...

Apple faced with class action lawsuit.(Apple Computer Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Claiming that the iPod nano is defectively designed, with the screen quickly becoming scratched during normal use, a class action lawsuit has been launched against Apple. The lawsuit seeks to represent up to 125,000 iPod nano owners. The suit...

Intel isn't the only game in town: why not AMD?(Advanced Micro Devices Inc.)
January 1, 2006... Steve Jobs sent a seismic shocker across the tech landscape in June 2005 when he announced that Apple would phase out IBM's PowerPC chips and put Intel processors inside Macs starting in 2006. To some industry-watchers, it was a puzzling move:...

Why the Mac mini is a better home media option: a Front Row seat.(Apple Mac mini Media Center Edition)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... As I watched Steve Jobs show off Front Row and the six-button Apple Remote during the introduction of the new iMac G5, my first thought was, "OK, where's the Mac mini Media Center Edition?" Don't get me wrong: Front Row is a good first...

Utilities beat.(macbeat)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... LecShare 1.0, from LecShare (www.lecshare.com): Utility converts presentations created in Microsoft PowerPoint into Web pages and into Word documents for easy distribution ($39). PCalc 3, from TLA Systems (www.pcalc.com): Scientific...

Check it out: web site.(survey on searching baby names by using websites)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Looking for a baby name that hasn't been used much in the past couple of decades? Then check out the Baby Name Wizard's NameVoyager site (macworld.com/0919). The page's applet--one of the coolest uses of Java I've seen--tracks the names of...

Multimedia beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... Finale PrintMusic 2006, from MakeMusic (www.finalemusic.com): Updated music-notation software lets users save scores as MP3 files and improves music scanning ($70; upgrade, $30). Guitar Rig 2, from Native Instruments...

Dual-core Power Mac G5s: a slew of new high-end capabilities, instead of performance breakthroughs.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... "Choose a Power Mac G5 Dual or Power Mac G5 Quad and prepare to be blown away," Apple's online store boasted when the new pro desktops went on sale. The copywriters may have a point about the Quad, but when it comes to the 2GHz and 2.3GHz...

iMac G5s: ambitious Front Row feature shows promise but suffers from irritating quirks.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Because Apple develops software specifically for its hardware, the company is in a great position to create integrated products. So it's not surprising that the latest iMac G5s are an ambitious attempt to create an all-in-one personal computer...

PowerBook G4s: latest laptops deliver higher resolution, better value.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... In announcing the latest changes to its PowerBook family, Apple highlighted the new models' higher-resolution screens and longer battery life but made no mention of their lower prices. Base prices for these models haven't changed. But because...

iPods with video: new device makes video a pleasure to watch on a small screen.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... When Apple released its latest iPod, it called it the "iPod with video" rather than the "Video iPod"--the distinction being that this iPod was primarily a music player that happened to play video, and not the end-all and be-all portable video...

iTunes 6: stellar music software takes a tentative step with video.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Like its predecessors, iTunes 6.0.1 is primarily a music-jukebox application--albeit one with a video component. And that component is not nearly as impressive as iTunes' peerless music features. Version 6 makes TV shows, animated shorts...

More reviews.(Fast DVD Copy 4.0, Graphire4, MLayout 2.1, Smart Label Printer 430, Shake 4.0, Swift Publisher 1.0, Timbuktu Pro 8.5)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... For complete reviews of the products listed here, visit www.macworld.com/reviews. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VERY GOOD Fast DVD Copy 4 ($100), from Velan Software (www.fastdvdcopy.com): This all-in-one DVD-copying program lets you make...

From playlistmag.com: cool iPod stuff.(Belkin TuneStage, Griffin Technology SmartDeck)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD SmartDeck ($30), from Griffin Technology (www.griffintechnology.com): This car cassette adapter's ability to control your iPod via your car's stereo controls is very cool, even though the SmartDeck isn't as responsive as you might...

Web development suite: Macromedia Studio 8.(Reviews)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Dreamweaver 8 ($399; upgrade, $199; as part of Studio 8, $999), from Macromedia (www.macromedia.com): This version of the famous Web-site--development tool is a solid upgrade. Developers will especially like its improved...

Fun ways to learn: encyclopedia software.(Encyclopedia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite 2006 DVD)(World Book 2006 Edition)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Even in the Internet era, encyclopedias from respected publishers have their place as high-quality information sources. World Book 2006 Edition's easy-to-use interface, note-taking features, and in-depth search functions place it above...

Simulation: RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.(First Look)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... I've never seen a Windows game generate as much interest among Mac users as RollerCoaster Tycoon has. So I'm happy to report that, thanks to Aspyr Media, Mac gamers will soon be able to get their hands on the game, or at least the latest...

Arcade action: Little Gods.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Despite improved graphics, new characters, and special embellishments, game developers tend to create the same basic games over and over again. Little Gods, a new arcadeaction game by Grim Inventions, embraces this tradition by taking a couple...

Black & White 2.(News Feed)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Black & White 2 is coming to the Mac, courtesy of Feral Interactive. In this strategy game, you're a god answering the needs of the people. You can choose to be a benevolent god or a vengeful one. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ToySight Gold.(News Feed)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... If you own an iSight, you should check out ToySight Gold, an expanded version of Freeverse Software's collection of minigames for Macs with FireWire Web cams. The $25 collection puts you right in the action with skydiving, submarine battles,...

Classic role-playing.(Avernum 4.0)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Spiderweb Software is bringing Avernum 4 to the Mac in early 2006. A throwback to the dungeon crawls of old, this fantasy role-playing game features an old-school interface (some might call it primitive). But what Avernum lacks in graphical...

Macworld's 2005 Game Hall of Fame.(Star Wars Battlefront, World of Warcraft, Close Combat: First to Fight, Doom 3, Jammin' Racer, Chessmaster 9000)(X-Arcade Trackball)(Myst V: End of Ages)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... It's time to roll out the red carpet for the annual Game Hall of Fame Awards, our collection of the most wonderful and imaginative--and in some cases, the weirdest--games of 2005. Best Long-Term Investment World of Warcraft ...

ButtKicker Gamer.(Game gear)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Too much bass is never enough. It's what makes the explosions and monstrous roars in our favorite video games so lifelike. It's also a nasty form of noise pollution, especially in cramped quarters such as dorm rooms. The Guitammer Company...

Song-lyrics search tool: pearLyrics 0.5.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... In iTunes 5, Apple added a Lyrics tab to the Info window for tracks, as well as the ability to sync those lyrics with the iPod nano (and in iTunes 6, with the video iPod). But a question remains: Where do you get the lyrics? I suspect that...

Laptop-battery monitor: coconutBattery 1.3.(Mac Gems)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... I recently reviewed Battorox (GOOD 1/2; "50 Mac Gems," September 2005), a useful utility for monitoring your PowerBook's or iBook's battery. Since then, I've come across a similar app--Christoph Sinai's free coconutBattery 1.3 (GOOD 1/2;...

Spotlight modifier: Spotless 1.0.3.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... I love Tiger's Spotlight search feature, but as anyone who's used Spotlight extensively will surely agree, it's still rough around the edges. For example, I have a number of external hard drives connected to my Mac, two of which are backups of...

Menu-bar calendar: MenuCalendarClock.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... If you want quick menu-bar access to your calendar information, look no further than ObjectPark Software's convenient $19 apps for users of Apple iCal and Microsoft Entourage: MenuCalendarClock 2.0.9 for iCal and MenuCalendarClock 2.1.0 for...

Flash-card creator: iFlash 2.6.3.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... After years of saying, "One of these days I'm going to learn Spanish," I finally stopped procrastinating and signed up to do just that at my local community college. So here I am, a student again, studying a topic that requires a certain degree...

Screenshot helpers.(Screenshot Settings 1.0.1, Screenshots Preference Pane, Snapz Pro X, savescreenie 1.2)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... People who take a lot of screenshots generally agree that Ambrosia Software's Snapz Pro X (OUTSTANDING; Mac Gems, May 2004) is the reigning champ. But Mac OS X has some impressive screenshot-taking abilities of its own. The problem is, Tiger...

Midrange scanner.(Canon CanoScan 9950F)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 CanoScan 9950F ($400), from Canon (www.canon.com): The CanoScan 9950F offers improved scan quality and more-intuitive software controls. This model tops its predecessor, the 9900F, in almost every way (macworld.com/0188). ...

Low-end scanner.(Canon CanoScan 8400F)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD CanoScan 8400F ($150), from Canon (www.canon.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 8400F has limited trans-parency support but is a great all-around scanner (macworld.com/0187).

Magicolor 2430 DL.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Magicolor 2430 DL ($499), from Konica Minolta (www.konicaminolta.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Magicolor 2430 DL is a capable networked color laser printer whose setup could use a bit of finessing. But it has an attractive...

Macs.(Top Products)(desktop computers and portable computers)
January 1, 2006... DESKTOP Product Processor Display Rating iMac G5/1.9GHz 17 inches VERY GOOD G5/2.1GHz 20 inches VERY GOOD eMac G4/1.42GHz 17 inches GOOD 1/2 (Combo...

Optura 60.(MINIDV CAMCORDER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Optura 60 ($899), from Canon (www.canon.com): The Optura 60 shoots excellent video (as long as you have enough light) with true-to-life, vibrant color. It also offers optical image stabilization, a true 16:9 wide-screen mode, and...

23-inch display.(HP L2335)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 L2335 ($1,599), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Along with its outstanding value and ability to pivot to portrait mode, the L2335 also provides excellent video-in options and very good color...

20-inch display.(MultiSync LCD2070NX )(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 MultiSync LCD2070NX ($799), from NEC Display Solutions (www.necdisplay.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The MultiSync LCD2070NX is great for people who want a moderately priced 20-inch monitor that can display bright,...

19-inch display.(Sony SDM-HS95P )(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD SDM-HS95P ($699), from Sony (www.sony.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This display lacks some features found on other displays (such as a USB hub, speakers, and the ability to pivot), but it's a bright and nicely designed LCD...

17-inch display.(Sony SDM-HS75P )(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD SDM-HS75P ($450), from Sony (www.sony.com): It doesn't have built-in USB support, speakers, or an ability to pivot, but the SDM-HS75P is a good choice for people who have limited desk space (macworld.com/0637).

Hard drives for the Mac mini.(Top Products)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... Product Rating Price Contact Comments NEW LaCie mini VERY GOOD $200 www.lacie.com Unlike the other FireWire 400 hard drives for Companion Hard ...

Photosmart 8450.(COLOR INK-JET PRINTER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Photosmart 8450 ($250), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This networkable ink-jet printer uses eight dye-based inks to produce great-looking photos with or without your computer. And it produces...

d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16X Fire-Wire with Double Layer.(DUAL-LAYER DVD BURNER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16X Fire-Wire with Double Layer ($189), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This unit can burn 8.5GB of data to dual-layer DVDs (which offer twice the capacity of single-layer discs). Its...

Desktop drive.(Iomega Black Series Triple Interface)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Black Series Triple Interface, 250GB ($240), from Iomega (www.iomega.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You can't go wrong with its speed, connection options, and low price per gigabyte (macworld.com/0580).

Portable drive.(OWC Mercury On-the-Go)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Mercury On-the-Go 7,200 rpm 8MB, 60GB ($240), from OWC (www.macsales.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Loaded with useful utilities, this little drive has good connection options and an eye-catching design (macworld.com/0580).

Also recommended.(Wiebetech ComboGB)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD ComboGB, 60GB ($250), from Wiebetech (www.wiebetech.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This drive has a lot of connection options and is fast, but it comes at a relatively high cost per gigabyte (macworld.com/0580).

Photo ink-jet printer: Stylus Photo R340.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Stylus Photo R340 ($200), from Epson (www.epson.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For home use, Epson's Stylus Photo R340 prints the best color photos in its class. Its ability to print to CDs and DVDs extends its usefulness....

Photo ink-jet printer: Photosmart 8050.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... GOOD 1/2 Photosmart 8050 ($150), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Though it has a small preview LCD and lacks some of the bells and whistles of its more expensive competitors, the Photosmart 8050 does a very...

Desktop FireWire drive.(OWC Neptune 7,200 rpm FireWire Solution)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Neptune 7,200 rpm FireWire Solution, 320GB ($220), from OWC (www.macsales.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OWC's Neptune line of basic drives performs solidly. And it's very affordable (macworld.com/0580).

Photo ink-jet printer: Pixma i6600D.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Pixma i6600D ($200), from Canon (www.canon.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This printer's six inks print great-looking photos with or without your Mac's help. Though its text printed on plain paper is a little lacking, it...

Desktop FireWire hard drive.(MicroNet Platinum FireWire+USB 2.0)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Platinum Fire-Wire + USB 2.0 Hard Drive 7,200 rpm, 300GB ($246), from MicroNet (www.micronet.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MicroNet's Platinum drive offers solid FireWire 400 performance in a sturdy case (macworld.com/0580).

Digital photography help desk: solve tricky shooting problems. Fix flawed pictures, and create amazing photo projects.
January 1, 2006... Some photographers have a sixth sense for taking perfect shots. But for most of us, the process is full of wonder and mystery--wonder at how things went so wrong, and mystery as to what to do next. Wouldn't it be nice if you could go...

Faq: Apple's new hardware; Everything you need to know about the latest PowerBooks, Power Macs, iMacs, and iPods.(Apple Computer Inc.)
January 1, 2006... New iMacs. New iPods. New Power Macs and PowerBooks. We know that it's a lot for a Mac fan to grasp--in fact, we're still trying to get a grip on all of Apple's recent product announcements. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] And as usual, the...

Killer address book tips: tucked inside Tiger's Applications folder is a slew of free apps. Mail and Safari get all the attention, but an often overlooked application--the humble Address Book--can also save you time every day. Here are Scott Kelby's tips for making the most of Address Book.(WORKING MAC)
January 1, 2006... Merge Two Records If you have two contact entries for the same person (it happens more often than you might think--at least to me), you can have Address Book merge the two. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] First, press [??]-1 to make sure...

Convert video for the iPod: after years of consumer speculation and anticipation, Apple has finally released an iPod that not only plays music and displays photos, but also plays videos. And along with updating iTunes and the iTunes Music Store, Apple has made video content available for purchase and download.(PLAYLIST)
January 1, 2006... But how about taking the video you already have--iMovies, DVDs you own, TV shows you've recorded with a Mac-based digital video recorder (DVR)--and converting them so you can play them back on the new iPod? No problem: just read on to get the...

CSS tricks for custom bullets.(web page design, cascading style sheets)
January 1, 2006... Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) give Web developers precise control over a page's typography and layout. One secret weapon of CSS-based designs is the background property, which adds images and color to the background of any element on a Web page....

Laptop ergonomics.(trends and design)
January 1, 2006... For years, using a laptop meant putting up with an undersized screen, a puny hard drive, and an anemic processor. Not anymore. Today's PowerBooks and iBooks are powerful enough to be used as everyday computers. But they lag far behind desktop...

Hidden preference power.(disk and file management )
January 1, 2006... When you want an application to fit the way you work--for instance, you may want your Dock to appear on the left side of your screen, or prefer that Microsoft Word save files as Web pages--a trip to its Preferences dialog box often does the...

Mac OS X Hints: the insiders' tips you won't get from Apple.(HELP DESK)(methods of file management)
January 1, 2006... Pry Open Files in the Trash Have you ever moved a ton of files to the Trash, and then wanted to check a few of them one last time before they were gone for good? You would double-click on a file--but, alas, OS X would only tell you that...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(HELP DESK)
January 1, 2006... Running RAID I'd like to improve my Power Mac G5's performance by using a RAID array as my boot volume. What's the best way to do this? I have two Western Digital Raptor hard drives with a RAID 0 (striped) configuration. Miguel...

iSubwayMaps.(Our Favorite New Stuff)
January 1, 2006... One of the best features of color iPods is that they can display more than just your iPhoto pictures. William Bright has taken advantage of this fact with iSubwayMaps, free iPodformatted subway maps for 22 transit systems in cities around the...

Apple's Parental Persuasion page.(Our Favorite New Stuff)
January 1, 2006... Everybody knows that a college dorm room has to have a lava lamp, a miniature refrigerator, and a Gustav Klimt poster--but parents may need to be convinced that a PowerBook or an iBook is the right computer choice in a PC-dominated world....

ScanSnap.(Our Favorite New Stuff)
January 1, 2006... For those of us who dream of a paperless office, the $495 Fujitsu ScanSnap brings our dream one step closer to reality. This very small paper-feed scanner scans up to 50 pages at a time to PDF or JPEG, knows when the paper is double-sided and...

What's hot.(new products from Apple Computers Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... 1 Apple releases a video iPod with a 2.5-inch screen. The move was immediately hailed by the American Optometric Association. 2 iTunes 6 lets users purchase and download TV shows from Disney and ABC. Bored youngsters are already complaining...

eNook.(Our Favorite New Stuff)
January 1, 2006... Some rooms don't have the floor space for a desk--but there's usually available wall space. That's why Anthro's $399 eNook--a flip-down, hanging desk--is a very clever idea. Open it up, and you've got a 30-by-16.5-inch desk surface. Fold the...

The complete New Yorker.(Our Favorite New Stuff)
January 1, 2006... I have a hard time keeping up with all the great articles in The New Yorker, and now The Complete New Yorker--the magazine's archive set--is going to make things even worse for me. The $100 package is composed of eight DVD-ROMs that contain...