Macworld articles from January 2008

Macworld archives from January 2008

Making Leopard upgrade-worthy: Apple earns your $129 one feature at a time.(FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK)
January 1, 2008... In marketing Leopard, Apple doesn't suggest that you should upgrade to the latest version of Mac OS X simply because it's newer than the version you're using now. Nor does Apple try to convince you that Leopard is worth the cost of upgrading...

Raking over new iMacs.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Your review of the new iMacs ("The iMac Makeover," October 2007) convinced me to take the plunge and buy a new machine. But when I got my 20-inch iMac home, I was sad to see that the new LCD screen was horrible compared to my old iMac G5's....

Does iWork work?(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Numbers is a welcome addition to iWork '08 ("The iMac Makeover," October 2007). Now if only iWork had something like Entourage, which would integrate the functionality of Address Book, iCal, Mail, and Notes or Stickies in one program. # C....

Must-see Mac TV.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... I was disappointed with Macworld's coverage of recording and watching TV on your Mac ("Now Playing," October 2007). I'd like to purchase a device to record TV on my Mac but have been unable to get enough information to make a buying decision....

Overheard on the forums.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... At the same time that we're bulking up our home screens, we're viewing TV shows [on iPod nanos]. It's like having lunch at McDonald's and dinner at Spago. lindandtom macworld.com/3134 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When I bought my...

Reader poll.(FEEDBACK)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Which social-networking Web sites have you visited in the last 7 days? MySpace.com 24% Facebook 21% Flickr 16% Linkedin ...

The importance of Leopard: what's at stake with the success or failure of OS X 10.5?(OPERATING SYSTEM)
January 1, 2008... It's been more than two years since we've seen a major upgrade to Mac OS X, but Apple hasn't been sitting still in that time. The company has the most successful MP3 player in the world and the largest online music store; it has transitioned...

Apple sells record number of Macs.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Previously, when Apple announced its 2007 fiscal third-quarter earnings, the company posted a then-record quarter for Mac sales by selling 1.7 million units. The fourth quarter's tally of nearly 2.2 million Macs eclipses that figure by 400,000....

MacBook updated.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Apple made a few improvements recently to its consumer-targeted MacBook, which is now available with a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor on the high end (up from a 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo). At the same time, the frontside bus has increased to...

iWork versus office: Apple's suite is doing well, but it won't displace Microsoft's.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Apple's iWork '08 includes improved word-processing and presentation tools, as well as a new spreadsheet program--closing in (at least on paper) on Microsoft's Office suite. But according to research data from NPD Group, although iWork '08 is a...

Tomatometer 1.2.(WIDGET OF THE MONTH)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Looking to take in a flick? Type the movie title into Matt Comi's Tomatometer widget (payment requested) to see what percentage of movie reviewers have given the film a "fresh" review (as opposed to a "rotten" one). Click on the movie's title...

Eve Online comes to the Mac.(GAME BUZZ)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... CCP Games has released a Mac version of Eve Online, its massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) set in outer space. The Intel-only game costs $20 for the first month, and $15 for each month after that. Eve Online is superficially a...

E for all draws big crowds.(GAME BUZZ)(Entertainment for All trade show)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The debut of the gamers' trade show known as Entertainment for All (E for All) Expo drew an estimated 18,000 attendees to the Los Angeles Convention Center in October 2007. While the now-defunct E3 Expo focused on attracting the attention of...

iTunes Store happenings: changes keep things lively at Apple's media store.(BUSINESS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Seems like there's always something going on at the iTunes Store--here is some of the big news from the past few months. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Not long after Amazon.com began selling music with no digital rights management (DRM)...

Dialog box.(Mac Beat)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... "When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." Sony BMG head of litigation Jennifer Pariser "Let me just say it: We want native third-party applications on the iPhone." CEO Steve Jobs,...

Who's suing Apple now? The latest in legal woes.(LEGAL)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... When you're a large company like Apple, lawsuits are just a part of doing business. Having deep pockets can lead to fending off frequent filings, and Apple has billions in cash these days. Here are two of the lawsuits currently aimed at the...

Mac OS market share.(TECH TRENDS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Yes, at 95.7 percent, Windows still holds a commanding lead in the race for operating system market share. But research from Gartner shows that the Mac OS's installed base has grown by nearly one-third since 2004, though it lost a fraction of...

Radioshift.(What we're raving about this month)(audio software)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... They say video killed the radio star, but Rogue Amoeba's new $32 Radioshift aims to bring back the dead by applying the ease and simplicity of TiVo to radio. Taking advantage of the vast number of radio streams on the Net, Radioshift is a...

Debut III/Phono USB.(What we're raving about this month)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Digitizing your LPs isn't a simple task: just to get started you need a turntable and some way to connect it to your computer, but many people with old vinyl collections no longer have a working player. The easiest solution is an inexpensive...

Iris.(What we're raving about this month)(software utility )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Maybe you don't worry that someone might be using your computer when you're not around. For the rest of us, that's where Mild-Mannered Industries' $30 Iris comes in. Using your computer's iSight, Iris can act as a motion detector, alerting you...

Clyde City.(What we're raving about this month)(product evaluation of Acme Made's Clyde City messenger bag)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The problem with most laptop bags is that they don't give you much room for anything but your laptop. Messenger bags give you plenty of room for other things, but often don't sufficiently protect your computer. If you want it all in one bag,...

Ultimate Buds.(What we're raving about this month)(company services)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... With the right adapter, you can use any headphones with the iPhone. However, upgrading your audio quality also means losing the simple but useful inline remote and microphone bud provided on Apple's iPhone ear-buds. Ultimate Buds offers a...

i-F3.(HARDWARE)
January 1, 2008... i-F3, from Sonic Impact Technologies (www.si5.com): Portable iPod speakers feature a dock station and a built-in alarm-clock function ($170).

PowerLite Home Cinema 720.(HARDWARE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... PowerLite Home Cinema 720, from Epson (www.epson.com): LCD-based projector features a 16:9 aspect ratio, displays images at up to 1,600 ANSI lumens, and projects 720p native content ($1,299).

PV2265w.(HARDWARE)
January 1, 2008... PV2265w, from PhotoVu (www.photovu.com): 22-inch LCD digital picture frame features native 1,680-by-1,050 resolution ($1,299).

XRackPro2.(HARDWARE)
January 1, 2008... XRackPro2, from GizMac Accessories (www.xrackpro.com): Server rack line adds built-in air-filtration system and is available in 12U and 25U models (12U: $1,900; 25U: $2,350).

KeyCue 4.0.(SOFTWARE)
January 1, 2008... KeyCue 4.0, from Ergonis Software (www.ergonis.com): Menu shortcuts utility now offers clickable commands and Leopard compatibility ($28; upgrade, free).

TextExpander 2.(SOFTWARE)
January 1, 2008... TextExpander 2, from SmileOnMyMac (www.smileonmymac.com): Customizable typing-shortcut utility adds features for organizing, sharing, and syncing snippets ($30).

Wide-screens within reach: seven displays that won't stretch your budget.(Reviews)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2008... It's inevitable. Over time, prices on today's high-end products will come down, and these high-end offerings will eventually become tomorrow's entry-level products. As Steve Jobs recently put it--while explaining the iPhone's surprisingly quick...

Chocolatier.(SOFTWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $20 COMPANY: PlayFirst URL: www.playfirst.com Chocolatier is a strategy game with arcade elements--a business simulation that takes place in the late-Victorian era. You're a young candymaker, tasked...

FirstEdge 3.(SOFTWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $99 COMPANY: Acclivity URL: www.myob-us.com MYOB's FirstEdge 3 is a best-of-class small-business accounting application that gives you excellent features at a great price. This version doesn't...

Logic Studio.(SOFTWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $499 COMPANY: Apple URL: www.apple.com Digital audio workstations have to do a lot: they typically record, mix, and edit audio; host instruments and effects; record and edit MIDI; arrange music;...

NovaMind 4 Pro.(SOFTWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $149 COMPANY: Nova-Mind URL: www.nova-mind.com Mind mapping is a form of visual outlining that helps you get a better overview of your projects, open your mind when brainstorming, take notes, and...

Painter Essentials 4.(SOFTWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: OUTSTANDING PRICE: $100 COMPANY: Corel URL: www.corel.com Geared toward arts and crafts enthusiasts, scrapbookers, and digital photography hobbyists, Painter Essentials 4 is a remarkably friendly home art studio that...

Bamboo Fun.(HARDWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: OUTSTANDING PRICE: small, $99; medium, $199 COMPANY: Wacom Technology URL: www.wacom.com Wacom pen tablets have been a favorite of design and photography professionals for years. Wacom's new Bamboo line brings pen and...

Biscuit for 3G iPod nano.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: colors, $20; black, $22 COMPANY: SwitchEasy URL: www.switcheasy.com The Biscuit is one of the rare iPod cases that's functional, protective, attractive, and inexpensive. It fully encases your 3G...

iGroove SXT.(HARDWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $149 COMPANY: Klipsch URL: www.klipsch.com The iGroove SXT offers full, rich sound in a package that's less than half the size of--and $100 cheaper than--Klipsch's original iGroove. Although it doesn't...

X500n.(HARDWARE)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $499 COMPANY: Lexmark URL: www.lexmark.com Even at the low price of $499, the X500n color laser multifunction printer delivers solid results with its ability to print, scan, and copy. Its scanner...

Acorn 1.0.(Image Editors)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $40 COMPANY: Flying Meat URL: www.flyingmeat.com Acorn 1.0.2 is a wonderfully simple image editor designed for people who just want to crop a photo, add some text, and perhaps do some minor...

Picnik 1.0.(Image Editors)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: Free; $25 per year (Premium version) COMPANY: Bitnik URL: www.picnik.com As people increasingly upload photos to the Web or e-mail them directly from their cameras and cell phones, Flash-based online...

Pixelmator 1.0.(Image Editors)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $59 COMPANY: Pixelmator Team URL: www.pixelmator.com Pixelmator 1.0.1 is a fantastic layers-based image editor that uses Apple's Core Image technology to work much of its magic. With over 20 selection...

Laser printer.(PRINTERS)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... C6100dn RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $759 COMPANY: Oki Data URL: www.okidata.com The C6100dn, from Oki Data, produces great-looking prints and includes built-in duplexing. It also offers easy network connectivity and...

Ink-jet photo printer.(PRINTERS)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Pixma iP6700D RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $195 COMPANY: Canon URL: www.canon.com The Canon Pixma iP67ooD prints excellent-quality photos comparable to those developed in a lab. Its ease of use ensures that veteran...

Compact photo printer.(PRINTERS)(product evaluation of Epson PictureMate Zoom)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... PictureMate Zoom PM 290 RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $200 COMPANY: Epson URL: www.epson.com Affordable, problem-free, and fun to use, the PictureMate Zoom is the best and fastest portable photo printer you can...

Multifunction ink-jet.(PRINTERS)(product evaluation of HP Photosmart C7180)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Photosmart C7180 RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $260 COMPANY: Hewlett-Packard URL: www.hp.com The HP Photosmart C7180's features, connection options, and solid print and scan quality make it an excellent ink-jet MFP...

Multifunction laser.(PRINTERS)(product evaluation of Epson AcuLaser CX11NF)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... AcuLaser CX11NF RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $600 COMPANY: Epson URL: www.epson.com This device has it all: it's a color laser printer, a sheet-fed scanner, a copier with networking capabilities, and a fax machine...

Perfection V700 Photo.(FLATBED SCANNER)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $506 COMPANY: Epson URL: www.epson.com The Epson Perfection V700 Photo is an excellent midrange scanner for people who need to scan both reflective media and transparencies, especially at high...

Digital SLR.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(product evaluation of Nikon D40)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... D40 RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $475 COMPANY: Nikon URL: www.nikonusa.com The Nikon D40 is a great value. This 6.1-megapixel camera comes with every feature you'd desire in a DSLR, such as adjustable ISO, Raw mode, and a...

Compact digital camera.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(product evaluation of Samsung NV11 )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... NV11 RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $270 COMPANY: Samsung URL: www.samsung.com An excellent all-around camera, the Samsung NV11 is equally accommodating of beginners and advanced shutterbugs (macworld.com/2984). ...

PV-GS320.(MINIDV CAMCORDER)(product evaluation of Panasonic PV-GS320)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $372 COMPANY: Panasonic URL: www.panasonic.com Compared with other 3-CCD MiniDV camcorders, the Panasonic PV-GS320 is a bargain. And it's a good choice for people who want a camcorder that shoots...

Large display.(LCD MONITORS)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... LP2465 RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $553 COMPANY: Hewlett-Packard URL: www.hp.com The LP2465 is an affordable and flexible 24-inch desktop LCD with a 16:10 wide-screen aspect ratio that immediately calls to mind the cinema...

Medium display.(LCD MONITORS)(product evaluation NEC MultiSync 2190UXi)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... MultiSync 2190UXi RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $997 COMPANY: NEC URL: www.necdisplay.com The 21-inch NEC MultiSync 2190UXi does not come cheap, but it offers vivid and accurate colors, as well as a wide viewing angle...

d2 DVD+/-RW with LightScribe.(DUAL-LAYER DVD BURNER)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $170 COMPANY: LaCie URL: www.lacie.com Speedy and versatile, the LaCie d2 external rewritable drive has the added bonus of being able to burn Light-Scribe images--a cool disc-labeling technology...

Desktop drive.(FIREWIRE HARD DRIVES)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... G-Drive Q 500GB RATING: OUTSTANDING PRICE: $248 COMPANY: G-Technology URL: www.g-technology.com The G-Drive Q SATA hard drive has nearly every type of connection you could want. It operates without a fan, so it's very...

Portable drive.(FIREWIRE HARD DRIVES)(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Rocbit 2B RATING: OUTSTANDING PRICE: $187 COMPANY: Rocsecure URL: www.rocsecure.com The Rocbit 2B is a fast and pleasantly quiet portable hard drive featuring real-time encryption. It's well worth its cost if security is...

Macs.(Top Products)(Table)
January 1, 2008... PRODUCT PROCESSOR RATING PRICE (A) DISPLAY DESKTOP iMac Intel Core 2 VERY GOOD $1,175 20 inches Duo/2GHz Intel Core 2 VERY GOOD $1,490 20 inches ...

iPods.(Top Products)(Table)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... PRODUCT CAPACITY RATING PRICE (A) DISPLAY iPod classic 80GB VERY GOOD $240 2.5-inch color iPod classic 160GB VERY GOOD $340 2.5-inch color iPod touch 8GB GOOD 1/2 $299 ...

Leopard lands: take an in-depth look at what's new in OS X 10.5, and learn how to upgrade the right way.(FEATURE)(Cover story)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2008... The fifth major update to Mac OS X, Leopard contains so many features--more than 300 by Apple's count--that it's difficult to boil down the $129 operating system release to a few easy bullet points. Leopard is, all at once, a major change to...

Creative shortcuts: 29 ways to save time and work smarter in iLife '08.
January 1, 2008... Working with photos, video, and music is supposed to be fun--a fact that's easy to forget when you've been hunched over your computer for hours trying to finish up your latest masterpiece. But being creative doesn't have to be a pain. iLife '08...

Jump into Leopard: you've installed OS X 10.5. Now make it your own.(Working Mac)
January 1, 2008... You've loaded the big spotted cat on your hard drive, your Mac has rebooted, and you're standing at the gateway of a brand-new OS X experience. Where do you begin? Right here. I'll show you ways to start off your Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)...

Dealing with digital rights: living with (and without) protected music.(Playlist)
January 1, 2008... In April 2007, Apple and England's EMI record label held a joint press conference to announce that individual tracks from EMI would be available at the iTunes Store in two forms--the current 99-cent copy-protected form and a new $1.29...

Your photo here: turn your favorite shots into rock posters, night-lights, and more.(Digital Photo)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2008... How many photos did you take this past year? A few hundred? A few thousand? If you're anything like me, most of those photos are probably languishing on your hard drive, waiting to be rediscovered. A print isn't the only way to show off...

Improving AirPort's range: when Wi-Fi nodes are too far apart, network performance suffers.(Mobile Mac)
January 1, 2008... Wi-Fi networks can reach only so far. The range of wireless equipment--such as the radios and antennas that are built into consumer equipment like the AirPort Extreme Base Station--can vary from network to network, even minute to minute. But...

Tracking down trouble with the console: how to use OS X log files to troubleshoot your Mac.(Geek Factor)
January 1, 2008... Your Mac talks to itself a lot. OS X takes copious notes on what its various parts are doing; your applications send a constant stream of status messages to the operating system, too. All these notes and messages are stored in log files, which...

Mac OS X Hints: the insider tips you won't get from Apple.(Help Desk)
January 1, 2008... Save Desktop Pictures with Safari If you like to dress up your desktop, you may have envied an ability Windows users have had for years: using Internet Explorer for Windows, they can right-click on any image they see on a Web page and...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(Help Desk)
January 1, 2008... Make Your Own System Alerts Q: It used to be so easy to create your own system alert sound right in Mac OS. You'd click on New and record the sound through the built-in microphone. But those days are over. What program would you recommend...

Macworld Conference & Expo[R].(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... Plan for the future. (It's in January.) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CONFERENCE: January 14-18, 2008 EXPO: January 15-18, 2008 macworldexpo.com Special $10 Exhibit Hall Registration! Register with Priority Code: 08-A-MWJA*...

What Leopard is worth: if you had to pay for Leopard's features individually, would you?(SPOTLIGHT)(Apple Mac OS X 10.5)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2008... I really like Leopard, but it lacks that one sledgehammer feature that insists you immediately make this the first day of the rest of your Leopard life. Instead, Leopard is a game of inches. It doesn't have one or two major features that'll...