Macworld articles from June 2008

Macworld archives from June 2008

The $2,500 solution: how the old rules of buying a Mac have changed.(FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK)(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... There was something odd about the first few Macs I bought: though each one was more technologically advanced than the one technologically advanced than the one before, they all seemed to cost about the same. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That...

To Air is human.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I tried out the new MacBook Air ("Thin Air," March 2008) today and decided I'm not ready for it. It is well built, is a nice weight, and has good features. Unfortunately, when I go on the road I always take a Kensington mouse. I also work with...

Apple TV: tune in?(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I would hope that Apple and the studios would consider giving us more than 24 hours to watch a movie ("Apple Introduces iTunes Movie Rentals," Mac Beat, March 2008). I am a Netflix member, and sometimes we keep our DVDs as long as a week before...

Everything hard drive.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I was disappointed to see that your review of large, Time Machine--capable external hard drives ("Huge Hard Drives," March 2008) did not include any products from LaCie. I purchased a LaCie Big Disk Extreme+ drive (macworld.com/3444) about a...

Reader poll.(FEEDBACK)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... How do you currently back up your Mac? Don't currently back up 12% Time Machine only 17% Time Machine plus another method 18% Another method only 53% Source: Karlin Associates, February...

Lyric blues.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I appreciated your article "Sing Along with Your iPod" (Playlist, March 2008). But I wonder why Apple hasn't implemented a nicer way to view lyrics. I can't view them in Front Row or on the Apple TV. I can see them in iTunes if I pull up an...

Incompatible printer.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... Based on your four-mouse (VERY GOOD) review (Top Products, March 2008), I bought a Lexmark X500N printer to work with my MacBook Pro running OS X 10.5.2 (Leopard). Unfortunately, after I set it up, I found out from Lexmark that there is no...

Web-Based programs making headway; But don't expect them to replace desktop software soon.(SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2008... You may have heard a lot lately about the benefits of using Web-based applications instead of traditional hard-drive-based versions: you don't have to install (and, in many cases, buy) any to install (and, in many cased, buy software, you can...

Aperture 2.1 update.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Less than two months after releasing Aperture 2.0, Apple unveiled a 2.1 update to its pro fessional photography workflow program. The new version includes an open plug-in architecture that will allow photographers to use third-party imaging...

Apple tops Brandchannel.com lists.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The awards just keep piling up for Apple. The company recently captured top spots in almost every category of Brandchannel.com's 2008 Brand-junkie Survey. Brandchannel surveyed almost 2,000 of its readers (74 percent of whom are in the...

Adobe launches Photoshop Express: Web-based service caters to photo-sharing crowd.(PHOTOGRAPHY)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... When I first started hearing whispers of an online version of Photoshop, I wondered if such an offering would be a good move for Adobe. But now that the company has drawn back the velvet curtain on the Adobe Photoshop Express public beta, I...

TriBand Antenna for Time Capsule.(HARDWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... TriBand Antenna for Time Capsule, from QuickerTek(www.quickertek.com): Upgrade to Apple's network backup device adds three external 3dBi antennas for boosting Time Capsule's wireless coverage (self-installation kit, $130).

USB to DVI Graphics Adapter.(HARDWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... USB to DVI Graphics Adapter, from Gefen (www.gefen.com): Adapter lets Macs or PCs connect a DVI or VGA display, using a USB port instead of a conventional video port ($129).

OS X turns VII: you've come a long way, kitty.(OPERATING SYSTEM)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Alot can change in just a few years. Take OS X, for example, which recently celebrated its seventh birthday. OS X 10.0, code-named Cheetah, was the first ground-up overhaul of the Mac operating system since its introduction in 1984, and...

Big screens, big payback.(TECH TRENDS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Turns out large monitors aren't just pretty looking. A new study finds that users of larger or multiple displays are significantly more productive. Researchers estimated productivity gains in both word processing and spreadsheet work that could...

Intel's open Book: road maps offer clues to future Apple products.(HARDWARE)
June 1, 2008... As positive as the Intel relationship has been for Apple, one aspect of that partnership must drive Steve Jobs absolutely bonkers: secrecy--or, more to the point, the lack of it. In the pre-Intel days, when IBM and Freescale (nee Motorola)...

Photoshop CS4 won't be 64-Bit on the Mac; Windows version to get improvement first.(GRAPHICS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Adobe's flagship product, Photoshop, will become a 64-bit application in the next major revision to the company's bundle of creative pro applications, Creative Suite 4. However, the 64-bit version will be available only to Windows users--Adobe...

Men fall harder for online fraud; Women typically lose less in Web-based scams.(INTERNET)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... When it comes to being taken in by Internet fraudsters, it seems that men have a knack for losing cash. According to a new report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC[sub 3]) data compiled from more than 206,000 complaints received in...

DoBeDo 4.2.(WIDGET OF THE MONTH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I've just started using to-do items in Mail and iCal--but better late than never, right? And to get the most from to-dos, I've also started using Blue-Henley's free DoBeDo. The widget lets you not only view...

Digital music sales going up.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A recent report from market research firm In-Stat says that digital music sales will account for 40 percent of all music purchases worldwide by 2012. In 2007, digital sales accounted for 10 percent of the worldwide music market, up from 6...

Adobe Media Player released.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... With a shipping version of its Adobe Media player software, Adobe has officially entered the online video space, offering not only software that rivals Apple's Quick Time and Microsoft's Windows Media Player, but also video content including...

Keynote objects FX2.o.(SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2008... Keynote Objects FX2.o, from Jumsoft (www.)umsoft.com): Collection of 3-D images and photo objects can be used with Apple's Keynote and Pages ($39; upgrade, $19).

Outspring Mail.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Outspring Mail, from Outspring (www.outspring.com): E-mail client boasts features that automate e-mail processing with an Intelligent Summary view for summarizing messages and a Message Deferment function ($95).

Peak Pro 6.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Peak Pro 6, from BIAS (www. bias-inc.com): Pro audio-editing software adds mastering and classical-editing cross-fade modes, new controls, and improvements to delivery tools ($599; contact BIAS for upgrade pricing).

Toast 9 titanium.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Toast 9 Titanium, from Roxio (www.roxio.com): Disc-burning software adds TV-streaming capabilities, as well as the ability to burn high definition video to Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD via an optional add-on ($100; upgrade, $70).

ReQall.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Keeping track of appointments and tasks is easy when you're at your Mac: just fire up iCal (or whatever program you use). But what about all those other times? Try QTech's reQall, a free service that lets you dial an 888 Number and dictate...

Surveillance saver.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... So it turns out that there are a bunch of $400 Web-enabled surveillance cameras out there from Axis that aren't password-protected by default. And someone had the brilliant idea to write a screen saver that uses Google to search for these...

Ergotron multiple-display mounts.(Hot Stuff)(Neo-Flex Dual LCD Lift Stand )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Like many Mac users, I'm a fan of multiple displays; I'm much more productive with two monitors than with one (see Tech Trends on page 24). Ergotron's $149 Neo-Flex Dual LCD Lift Stand offers a unique approach to mounting two displays. Instead...

ExpanDrive.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Integrated network support in OS X has always been a dicey proposition. While the Finder can handle FTP, it doesn't do so with particular aplomb. Most frustratingly, while you can copy files from an FTP share mounted in the Finder, you cannot...

Knapsack.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Remember how, back in the day, people would put pins in a giant world map to show where they'd traveled? Tiny planet Software's $40 Knapsack brings this activity into the digital realm, let-tingyou place digital pins on a world map to organize...

Photo opportunities: feature-rich DSLRs put new power into the photographer's hands.(Reviews)
June 1, 2008... A digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera is a great step up from a point-and-shoot camera; it gives you the option to change lenses, plus it offers improved image quality, a more functional viewfinder, better lowlight performance, and more...

Building a better backup device: firmware updates have the Time Capsule living up to its billing.(REVIEWS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... Apple's Time Capsule promises simplicity. It pairs an internal hard drive for storing networked backups via Leopard's Time Machine with the connectivity of an 8o2. 11n AirPort Extreme Base Station. Apple's new storage device should work...

AccountEdge 2008.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $299 COMPANY: MYOBUS URL: www.myob-us.com The latest version of AccountEdge, the excellent business accounting program, sports an updated appearance, better tools for handling employee sick and vacation...

Live 7.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $599; download, $499 COMPANY: Ableton's URL: ww.ableton.com Ableton's Live is a digital-audio work-station (DAW) program that lets you trigger prerecorded audio with a Mac's keyboard or mouse, or a MIDI...

Neon Tango.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING:VERY GOOD PRICE: $25 COMPANY: Freeverse URL: www.freeverse.com Neon Tango is a deconstructed arcade action game that's psychedelic, intense, and really cool-looking. There's no storyline--just a whole lot of action. In this 2-D,...

OmniFocus 1.0.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING:GOOD 1/2 price: $80 COMPANY: The OmnoGroup URL: www.omnigroup.com Managing to-do items is a very personal thing. Some people deploy elaborate project-management systems to make sure they get everything done. Omni-Focus 1.0.1, based...

Peggle deluxe.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING:VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE:$20 COMPANY: PopCap Games URL:www.popcapgames.com Peggle is one of the most fun and addictive casual games available for the Mac. In it, you have to make orange-colored pegs disappear by rebounding a ball...

Photoshop elements 6.(SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING:VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE:$90 COMPANY: Adobe Systems URL: www.adobe.com Adobe promised to make photo editing easier than ever--and the company has delivered. Brimming with new features like a Guided Edit mode, an amazing PhotoMerge Group...

i-Station Traveller for iPhone and iPod touch.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $60 COMPANY: Logic3 URL: www.logic3usa.com The i-Station Traveller, a tiny speaker system designed specifically for the iPhone and the iPod touch, stands out not necessarily because it offers superior...

SCX-4500.(HARDWARE)(multifunction laser printer )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: GOOD 1/2 price:$300 COMPANY: Sam-sung url: www.samsung.com For the cost-conscious customer, a monochrome multifunction laser printer like Samsung's SCX-4500, which includes a built-in scanner and copier, is a welcome alternative to the...

Vers 2x.(HARDWARE)(iPod speaker )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $180 COMPANY: VersAudio URL: www.versaudio.com The Vers 2x is a unique iPod speaker system, but whether it appeals to you will depend largely on the relative value you place on design, environmentally focused...

Xserve.(HARDWARE)(rack-mount server)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $2,999 (base configuration) COMPANY: Apple URL: www.apple.com Apple has upgraded the Xserve, its rack-mount server. Now outfitted with Intel's latest quad-core Xeon processors, today's Xserve packs a lot more power...

AirPort Express (802.11n).(Wi-Fi access point)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $99 COMPANY: Apple URL: www.apple.com. Like the original AirPort Express base station, Apple's latest version is a Wi-Fiaccess point that's compact enough (3.6 by 2.9 by 1.1 inches, and 6.7 ounces) to fit in a...

Top products: your guide to the best hardware we've tested. See more at macworld.com/reviews.(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... PRINTERS LASER PRINTER C6100dn. RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $699 COMPANY: Oki Data URL: www.okidata.com. The C6100dn offers great print quality, duplexing, easy network connectivity, duplexing, easy network...

Airfoil 3.1.1.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING:VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $25; upgrade from Airfoil 2, $ 10 COMPANY: Rogue Amoeba URL: www.rogueamoeba.com The Air Tunes feature in iTunes lets you wirelessly stream audio to an Airport Express Base Station or an Apple TV, so you can...

MsgFiler 2.0.2.(Adam Tow's MsgFiler 2.0.2 for Apple's Mail)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: PRICE:$8 COMPANY: Adam Tow URL:www.tow.com/msgfiler If you prefer typing keyboard shortcuts to using your mouse, you'll like Adam Tow's MsgFiler 2.0.2 for Apple's Mail. MsgFiler is a Mail add-on that helps you file e-mail messages....

Mail Attachments Iconizer 2.1.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $15 COMPANY: Adam Nohejl URL: lokiware.info On the topic of Apple's Mail, one thing that bugs me about the program is that it often tries to display the actual contents of attachments in the message window,...

AllBookmarks 2.5.1.(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: Free COMPANY: Agile Web Solutions URL: allbrowserbookmarks.com It's not uncommon for people to use multiple Web browsers, whether for developing Web applications, trying out new browser features, or simply logging...

New the rules for buying AMAC: think you know what kind of Mac you need? We bust the most common shopping myths.
June 1, 2008... The world has a lot of unwritten rules: In social etiquette. In baseball. And in buying computers. For years, we have unquestioningly followed numerous unwritten rules when buying a Mac. Like many customs, these rules were once based on a...

Shopping advice: once you've decided which Mac best meets your needs, you're only halfway finished. You'll also need to decide where you'll get it and what you should add to your base purchase to make it the Mac for you.
June 1, 2008... Where to Buy You have many choices to consider when you're shopping for a Mac. Apple Retail Stores Apple has made a massive retail push in recent years--both online and with its brick and mortar Apple Stores. And shopping with...

Best of both worlds: how to make Mac OS X and Windows live in perfect harmony.(FEATURE)
June 1, 2008... By now, you know that--thanks to Intel chips in Macs and software such as Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, and Apple's own Boot Camp--you can run Windows software on your Mac. But you may not know the answers to a bunch of other related...

Evade e-mail exasperation: you've got e-mail problems. We've got answers.(Working Mac)
June 1, 2008... If you're like 99.7percent of computer users, your e-mail client gets more of a workout than any other software you use. And given the amount of time you spend with this particular software, it's not surprising that minor annoyances you'd...

Share your videos online: hosting sites are easy to use and often free.(Digital Video)
June 1, 2008... Video is an extremely effective way to communicate with others--whether the video is a demo of your startup's new product, a video blog of your opinions on the latest iPod, or just footage from your daughter's birthday party for the...

Shredder's tools: hardware and software for the home guitar player.(Recording Studio)
June 1, 2008... Welcome to Macworld's new Recording Studio column. In this space, we'll be writing about issues important to those of you who use Macs to create music and other kinds of audio content, whether you're a consummate professional or merely an...

Yamaha debuts new synth, tone generator.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Yamaha (www.yamaha (www. yamaha. com) unveiled several new products at the Musik-messe trade show in Frankfurt, Germany. Available in June, the $1,500 Motif-Rack XS is a rack-mountable tone generator that includes 1,152 dynamic and authentic...

Two new m-audio pianos.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(ProKeys Sono 6i and the $550 ProKeys Sono 88)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... M-Audio (www. m-audio. com) has announced two new digital pianos equipped with built-in audio inter-faces: the $450 ProKeys Sono 6i and the $550 ProKeys Sono 88. Each of the portable keyboards offers a variety of sounds that you can use to...

Steinberg's new FireWire audio.(NEWS IN BRIEF)(MR816 CSX and MR816 interfaces)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Steinberg (www.steinberg. net) has announced two new FireWire audio interfaces that feature integration with the company's own Cubase digital audio workstation. The MR816 CSX and the MR816 X interfaces have eight discrete Class A analog...

Essential mobile gear: heading out on the road? Here's what I'd take.(Mobile Mac)(Buyers guide)
June 1, 2008... For many people, laptops are just a way to take work down to the corner cafe. But for true road warriors, portable computing means bringing along all your computing essentials without having to schedule a visit to the chiropractor. As a...

Control the world: microcontrollers connect hobbyist hardware to your Mac.(Geek Factor)
June 1, 2008... Your Mac can already talk to all kinds of electronic devices, including digital cameras, camcorders, printers, external disk drives, mobile phones, and other computers. But there are plenty of other gizmos that your Mac can't communicate with:...

Mac OS X hints: the insider tips you won't get from Apple.(Help Desk)
June 1, 2008... Check Your Current Word Count One of Microsoft Word's more useful features is a live word count (shown in the status bar at the bottom of the window). When you're editing a document, this count shows you exactly where you are in a...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(HELP DESK)
June 1, 2008... Spiff Up Cover Flow Images Q: I download video podcasts and can't help but notice that many of their images don't look very good when displayed in Cover Flow view. Is there a way to force Cover Flow to show a better-looking frame from the...

The end of the world: why Apple doomsayers are full of hooey.(SPOTLIGHT)
June 1, 2008... Apparently some of you think that Apple's about to go out of business; that its very existence is threatened; that fire, plague, and pestilence lie just around the corner for our favorite fruit-themed computer and consumer-electronics company....