Macworld articles from June 2005

Macworld archives from June 2005

All rights reserved.(Apple Computer Inc., Apple Computer Inc. iTunes Music Store, services)
June 1, 2005... Back when Apple Computer promised Apple Records that it wouldn't switch from computers to the music industry, the idea that the two companies would ever be in the same business seemed silly. Yet today there's no telling where computers stop and...

Is your Mac safe?(FEEDBACK)
June 1, 2005... Ask Mac fans why we prefer the Mac to the Windows PC, and you'll likely get long lists of reasons. Most of those lists will have one item in common: we don't have to worry about viruses, spyware, and other digital pests that plague our PC-using...

Security insecurities.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... JOHN HALE * Your article on Mac security ("Mac Security: Fact and Fiction," March 2005) is the kind of thing I subscribe to Macworld for. However, the section on antivirus software missed the mark. Security software should follow the...

Mini: how sweet is it?(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... MANOLIS KROUSSANIOTAKIS # I just want to add my two cents on the Mac mini and its installed RAM ("Small Miracles," March 2005). Based on my experience with my iBook, 256MB of RAM is enough for most of the applications I use--Adobe...

Mellel versus Nisus.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... DR. RON RHODES # You should reconsider your ratings of Mellel 1.8 (GOOD; March 2005) and the significantly more expensive Nisus Writer Express 2.1 (VERY GOOD; March 2005). As the author of over 30 books, I've tested all the word processors...

So long, AppleWorks?(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... BRIAN SMITH # As a longtime AppleWorks user, I was intrigued by the announcement of the new iWork suite ("Sweet Software Suites," Mac Beat, March 2005). After having a closer look, though, I have to say that Apple may have a winner...

Picking on Eddy.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... MATTHEW MIGNAULT # I recently purchased an iMac G5, and now I understand why Apple users have always been such a proud group: the G5 is an elegant machine, and I can't see myself going back to a PC. But I'm disappointed by the amount of...

Stop your sobbing.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... SCOTT BROWN * What is it with your Feedback column? In every issue, it's mostly complaints. For example, in the March issue, 11 of the 12 letters were negative in tone, if not outright complaints. I don't want propaganda, but I'd like to...

It's just a tool.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... RAY SCHOCH # A Harley-Davidson is only a motorcycle, and a computer is only a tool, folks. Sure, I prefer the Apple version to the Microsoft version of this particular tool, but that shouldn't mean I have to spend a month's income every...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2005... In "Reviewed: iLife '05 and iWork '05" (April 2005), we incorrectly state that AppleWorks is free with all new Macs. In fact, the suite is not bundled with Power Macs and PowerBooks.

Apple's uphill climb: when Apple released its sales numbers for the last three months of 2004, it gave market research firm IDC the chance to compare Apple's place in the computer market with the big PC vendors' shares. So is Apple gaining ground or falling behind? Turns out it's doing a little bit of both.(Apple Computer Inc.)
June 1, 2005... According to IDC, Apple's share of the desktop market continued to rise at the end of 2004, while its laptop position slipped. Over the course of the year, Apple gained nearly 1 percent in the U.S. desktop market and about 0.5 percent in the...

Apple expands iTunes Custom Cards: take my single, please.(Apple Computer Inc. iTunes Music Store services for charity)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... At 2005's Grammy Awards, artists including Bono, Norah Jones, Brian Wilson, and Stevie Wonder came together to perform a version of the Beatles' song "Across the Universe." The next day, the recording went on sale at the iTunes Music Store,...

What's happening in the digital music world? Listen to the music: it's time once again to bring you up-to-date on some of the recent news in the digital music realm.(briefs)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Creative Drops Prices Claiming that it would "further drive our momentum" in the digital music-player market, Creative Technology dropped prices of its Zen Micro MP3 players. Although CEO Sim Wong Hoo says Creative is "putting our...

Hardware beat.(new computer peripherals)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... DVI Booster, from Gefen (www.gefen.com): Unit extends the length of a DVI connection between a Mac and its display by 30 to 50 feet ($249). FastMac G4, from FastMac (www.fastmac.com): Processor upgrade for CRT-based iMacs with slot-loading...

Networking beat.(new products, QuickerTek)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... 27dBM Base Station Transceiver, from QuickerTek (www.quickertek.com); Transceiver boosts wireless networking output of Power Mac G4s and G5s to 500 milliwatts, the maximum output allowed by the FCC ($160). Timbuktu Pro 8.0, from Netopia...

Oregon Public Broadcasting turns to Macs for pledge drives: members like you.(MAC BEAT)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... If you've ever watched a local public television station's pledge drive, you've probably noticed that the fundraiser isn't a very high-tech operation. Volunteers answer calls and then fill out slips of paper with donor information. The slips...

Apple furthers its inroads into the scientific community: the science of Macs.(Apple Computer Inc.)
June 1, 2005... As Apple produces faster computers, and as OS X's Unix core makes the operating system an even more viable option for researchers, Macs continue to make strides in the scientific community. Adding another notch to its belt, Apple recently made...

Creative beat.(new software)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Canvas X, from ACD Systems (www.acdsystems.com): Cross-platform workflow system for people who create, edit, present, and distribute technical illustrations and other graphics files supports more than 100 file formats and features annotation,...

Storage beat.(new computer storage devices)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... External Hard Drive Silver Series, from Iomega (www.iomega.com): External hard drive with 7,200-rpm mechanism and USB 2.0 interface comes in 80GB, 160GB, and 250GB capacities ($119-$199, depending on capacity). Forensic BayDock, from...

Biometric security options expand for Mac users: put your finger here.(new fingerprint-identification device )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Biometric devices--which analyze biological traits--have long been seen in sci-fi movies: voice identification to trigger secret doors or retinal scans to open private vaults. This technology has been somewhat slower to make it into everyday...

Is increased RAM the start of something good? Thanks for the memory.(random access memory, new computer)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Apple's last round of PowerBooks introduced a lot of features worth getting excited about--faster processor speeds, 8X SuperDrives, a new trackpad, and Bluetooth 2.0. But one addition to the PowerBook line is particularly important in my book,...

Internet beat.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... GoodPage, from Tari (www.goodpage.info): HTML- and CSS-authoring tool offers WYSIWYG selection and navigation of documents viewed at the code, structure, or browser level ($149). PocketMac Safari Scrapbook, from Information Appliance...

Multimedia beat.(new software and devices)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Black Box, from M-Audio (www.m-audio.com): Device for guitarists combines amp modeling, beat-synced effects, guitar and mike preamps, and drum tracks with an audio interface designed for recording on a Mac or a PC ($330). DMC 8280, from...

New sounds keep Apple's music apps fresh: thrown for a loop.
June 1, 2005... Apple's GarageBand has made it fun and easy to create songs made entirely out of loops--snippets of instrument recordings that you can layer and repeat for as long as you want. Start with a drum loop, bring in a bass line, add some punctuating...

iPod mini: second-generation iPod offers improved battery but lacks extras.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... In the computer world, when a new version of an existing computer offers modest improvements in processor speed, more hard-drive space, more built-in RAM, and perhaps a better graphics card, the update is sometimes referred to as a "speed...

30GB iPod photo: fewer accessories, lower prices distinguish smaller model.(REVIEWS)
June 1, 2005... When Apple released the second-generation iPod mini, it also tweaked the iPod photo line. It did so not by updating the interface or adding new capabilities to the colorful music and picture player, but rather by slashing $150 off of the price...

Photoshop plug-ins: helper applications expand the Photoshop platform.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... In the world of image editing, Adobe Photoshop has become a platform unto itself--it's certainly much more than a single application. A thriving cottage industry of plug-ins, filters, and actions has emerged around Photoshop's architecture, and...

Optura 40.(MINIDV CAMCORDERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 Optura 40 ($999), from Canon (www.canon.com): The Optura 40 produces excellent video and respectable still photos, supports a true 16:9 mode, smooths the effects of a shaky grip, and is easy to use (November 2004;...

DCR-PC109.(MINIDV CAMCORDERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD DCR-PC109 ($899), from Sony (www.sony.com): This camcorder requires a docking station but has excellent image stabilization. It also has a spot-focus feature, headphone and mike jacks, and a hot-shoe (November 2004;...

Firewire hard drives.(Top Products)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... Company Product Rating Price Contact PORTABLE HARD DRIVES LaCie Mobile Hard VERY GOOD $319 www.lacie.com Drive by F.A. Porsche G-Technology G-Drive-mini...

Macs.(Top Products)(computer peripherals)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... DESKTOP Go to Product Processor Display Rating macworld.com/ iMac G5/1.6GHz 17 inches VERY GOOD 0172 G5/1.8GHz 17...

d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16X FireWire, with Double Layer.(DUAL-LAYER DVD BURNER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16X FireWire, with Double Layer ($189), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This DVD burner can burn 8.5GB of data to dual-layer DVDs. Although it has a relatively slow read speed, its...

LaserJet 2550Ln.(COLOR LASER PRINTER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD LaserJet 2550Ln ($600), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This inexpensive, network-able color laser printer offers crisp text and very good color fidelity, and it supports Apple's Rendezvous. But its...

7.1-megapixel digital camera.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 PowerShot G6 ($699), from Canon (www.canon.com): This digital camera takes photos with excellent color quality and clarity. It also has easy-to-use menus, Raw-format support, a live histogram, and the fastest lens (f2.0) of...

Photosmart 8450.(COLOR INK-JET PRINTERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 Photosmart 8450 ($250), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This network-capable ink-jet printer uses eight inks to print excellent-looking photos (macworld.com/0280). ALSO RECOMMENDED: ...

Midrange scanner.(FLATBED SCANNERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 CanoScan 9950F ($400), from Canon (www.canon.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This CanoScan raises the bar for midrange scanners by offering high optical resolution, improved scan quality, and more-intuitive software controls...

Low-end scanner.(FLATBED SCANNERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD CanoScan 8400F ($150), from Canon (www.canon.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 8400F has limited film and transparency support but is a great all-around scanner with some high-end features and a low-end price...

New: displays.(Top Products)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... 21-INCH DISPLAY VERY GOOD 1/2 321 LCD Monitor ($1,599), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): It's pricey, but this 21.3-inch LCD, with its 10-bit color support and antiglare hood, delivers accurate color (macworld.com/0384). [ILLUSTRATION...

Olympus Evolt E-300.(DIGITAL SLR CAMERA)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD Olympus Evolt E-300 ($1,000), from Olympus (www.olympus.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This digital SLR is well built and yields very good picture quality. But except for its 8-megapixel sensor, it doesn't have any features or...

60GB On-The-Go 7200rpm 8MB Cache.(PORTABLE FIREWIRE HARD DRIVE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 60GB On-The-Go 7200rpm 8MB Cache ($236), from OWC (www.macsales.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This fast little drive doesn't have many connection options, but it has an eye-catching clear case design and comes loaded with lots...

FireFly 20GB USB 2.0.(PORTABLE FIREWIRE HARD DRIVE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... GOOD FireFly 20GB USB 2.0 ($170), from Smart-Disk (www.smartdisk.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This supersmall drive will fit easily in a shirt pocket. The downsides are its relatively slow performance and high price per gigabyte. You...

G-Drive FW 400GB.(DESKTOP FIREWIRE HARD DRIVE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD G-Drive FW 400GB ($529), from G-Technology (www.g-technology.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This fast drive complements the design of a Power Mac G5, offers great performance, and has tons of storage capacity, but it is a bit...

ToughTech 800 250GB (TT8-250).(DESKTOP FIREWIRE HARD DRIVE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD ToughTech 800 250GB (TT8-250) ($300), from WiebeTech (www.wiebetech.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ToughTech may cost a bit more than most drives, but it has great FireWire 800 performance, a USB 2.0 connector, and a very...

More reviews.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... For complete reviews of the products listed here, visit www.macworld.com/reviews. VERY GOOD 1/2 Popcorn * ($50), from Roxio (www.roxio.com); GOOD 1/2 DVD2oneX 1.4.1 ([euro] 50 [about $68 at press time]), from DVD2one (www.dvd2one.com);...

Designed for children: Kid Pix Deluxe 3X.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2; $40; from Software MacKiev (www.mackiev.com): The latest version of the famed children's art program goes beyond simple drawing--it also includes a host of background images, stickers, animations, and prerecorded sounds that will...

Simulation: the Sims 2.(First Look)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... We all know that if only the people around us took our advice, they'd be happier, healthier, and generally better human beings. But while you won't get any thanks for meddling in the lives of your friends and coworkers, you can have the smug...

Golf season.(new game from Aspyr Media Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Aspyr Media is planning to release the 2005 edition of its best-selling golf game, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, in June. The new version features even snazzier graphics than the impressive 2003 version, along with Tiger Proofing, an editor that lets...

Space pilot.(new software from Guild Software)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... If you are intrigued by Guild Software's Vendetta Online but don't want to pay the monthly online fees, check out Freeverse's X2--The Threat. This new single-player game puts you in the cockpit of a spaceship as you explore, raid, or trade....

The force is with you.(new game from Aspyr Media Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... June should also see the release of Aspyr Media's Star Wars Battlefront. This crossbreed of Battlefield 1942 and Star Wars franchises lets you participate in your favorite Star Wars battles as infantry or from the cockpits of famous vehicles....

Puzzle: Cosmo Bots.(GAME ROOM)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... If you were a fan of the arcade classic Qix or Ambrosia Software's Barrack, you should consider Cosmo Bots, by Cornerstone TSP Games, a must-have. The game offers retro arcade action that's more addictive than a bag of potato chips. ...

Kill Monty.(Top Downloads)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... Kill Monty, by Freeverse Software, is an homage to classic arcade shooters such as Robotron: 2084 and Smash TV--and a useful reminder that games don't have to be complex to be a lot of fun. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Freeverse's plucky...

Third-person shooter; True Crime: Streets of LA.(GAME ROOM)(Los Angeles)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... Taking its cues from the popular (though sadly Mac-incompatible) video game Grand Theft Auto, Aspyr's True Crime: Streets of LA lets you explore what it's like to walk on the bad side. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the game, Russian and...

Action: GooBall.(GAME ROOM)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... In Ambrosia Software's GooBall, you're the Goober--a many-eyed alien blob encased in a gooey ball of slime. That slime serves as both propulsion and protection as you collect points and wend your way through mazes on platforms floating high in...

Action: Tennis Titans.(GAME ROOM)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... If you're looking for some casual fun that doesn't involve death and mayhem, check out Tennis Titans, by Skunk Studios. This lighthearted game puts you in control of adorable, big-headed cartoon creatures as you test your mettle on the tennis...

Mac Gems.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... If you have Apple's AirPort Express, then you probably know you can use iTunes to wirelessly send your music to speakers connected to the Express. But this technology, called AirTunes, has several drawbacks, the most significant of which is...

Secrets of Mac superheroes: highly effective Mac users share their smart work habits.
June 1, 2005... We are all creatures of habit. But sometimes those habits aren't doing us any good. Take the way we use our Macs. All too often, we figure out a way to do something--surf the Web, handle e-mail, or any other little computing chore--and...

First look: Adobe Creative Suite 2; Adobe's revamped Creative Suite sports upgraded apps, tighter integration, and new project-management tools.(Adobe Systems Inc.)
June 1, 2005... Adobe (www.adobe.com) is doing two things with its brand-new Creative Suite 2. First, all of the suite's applications--Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and GoLive--have gotten major upgrades, with promising interface tweaks and new tools for...

Monitor misbehaving Macs.(ways to use computer monitoring software)
June 1, 2005... What's the best troubleshooting tool you already own but have probably never used? Activity Monitor, a utility tucked away in OS X's/Applications/Utilities folder. Most users can ignore its geekier features and focus on its straightforward...

Faking your focus.(methods to use digital camera properly)
June 1, 2005... To draw attention to an important part of a scene--for example, an object in front of a cluttered background--many photographers will shorten the image's depth of field. This narrows the camera's focusing range and leaves anything outside of...

Start your own Podcast.(CREATE)
June 1, 2005... Imagine running your own radio station--but without the hassle of transmitters, expensive hardware, or training. With Podcasting, it's that easy. Podcasting is amateur radio at its best: people from all around the world are recording their own...

Brilliant playlists.(use of digital music)
June 1, 2005... As our iTunes libraries swell to gargantuan proportions, it can become difficult to manage the music we listen to (or would like to listen to if we could only find it). Thankfully, iTunes offers a leg up with the Smart Playlists feature, which...

How to use hotspots.
June 1, 2005... You'd have to be living far, far away from a Starbucks not to know that Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere these days. Since we last looked ("Hop on a Hotspot," Mobile Mac, March 2004), thousands of new hotspots have come online. Just about every...

3 cool AppleScripts.(ways of computer programming)
June 1, 2005... AppleScript has been around since the days of System 7. Despite its maturity, snooty Mac programmers often look down on AppleScript for being too simple, too easy to learn, and too much like English. Of course, those are precisely the traits...

Mac OS X Hints: the insiders' tips you won't get from Apple.(HELP DESK)
June 1, 2005... Clean Up Text Using Summarize Service Have you ever come across a selection of text you'd like to keep--for example, a how-to on a Web page or an article on your local paper's site? You may have tried copying it and pasting it into...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(HELP DESK)
June 1, 2005... Cross-Platform PowerPoint I've been using Microsoft PowerPoint v. X for some time, and I've had only one problem. When I need to present my files on a Windows computer, minor incompatibilities often arise. For example, text that is white...

Big Tiki Drive.(new product from TikiMac)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Want to protect your data? Perhaps it's time to think about storing it inside a sinister-looking tiki idol with glowing red eyes. Standing 3.75 inches tall, the bus-powered Big Tiki Drive, from TikiMac, is a USB 2.0 flash drive available in...

Disctop Pro.(ne desktop utility)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Sure, my Mac can play DVDs and audio CDs, but when I insert a disc in my optical drive, all I see on the desktop are generic icons. So I tried Disctop Pro, a free preference pane that displays the disc on my desktop as if I were peering into...

LaunchBar 4.(new product from Objective Development)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... If you ask me, every Mac user should use Objective Development's $20 LaunchBar, a productivity-enhancing utility. I mean, why would you not want to type the first three letters of a song, press enter, and listen to it immediately? Why drill...

What's hot.(Apple Computer Inc., market share)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... 1 The Mac increased its share of the desktop market in the fourth quarter, and analysts predict that the trend will continue. Mac users vehemently denounce this report before saying, "Wait. Did they say increased?" 2 An iPod shuffle...

Squeezebox2.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... I've converted all my CDs into digital form and stored them in a closet. Now when I want to listen to music in my living room or bedroom, I use a music player from Slim Devices. The company's new Squeezebox2 ($249; wireless version, $299)...

Make: technology on your time.(new magazine from O'Reilly Media)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... If you enjoy tinkering--or if, like me, you enjoy fantasizing about tinkering--O'Reilly Media's new quarterly magazine Make offers all the geek inspiration you could possibly crave. The $15, 192-page premier issue features beautifully...