Macworld articles from March 2006

Macworld archives from March 2006

The Intel roller coaster.(FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... Keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle, everyone. After six months of slowly ratcheting anticipation, we've finally reached the top. And a yearlong Intel roller-coaster ride is about to begin. The first Intel Macs have arrived, kicking...

FireWire firestorm.(FEEDBACK)
March 1, 2006... Hard drives aren't exactly thrilling. They're about as utilitarian as technology gets--the sensible shoe or the high-fiber cereal of the peripherals world. But ask Macworld readers what they plan to buy in the next year, and "storage" is likely...

Drives, you said.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... GARY SABO # There was something in your review of FireWire hard drives (December 2005) that I found misleading. In one of the tables, you provided the price per gigabyte for a variety of desktop drives. But that table included, among other...

All the gear that fits.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... MIKE BEDGOOD # "Macworld's Gear Guide" (December 2005) was great, but I do have one complaint: most of the iPod accessories you included can't be used on fifth-generation iPods, which were reviewed in the same issue. As that review states,...

Good riddance, beantown.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... SEAN HITE # In response to your story about the demise of Macworld Expo Boston ("Farewell, Boston," Mac Beat, December 2005): As a Mac user who has attended the East Coast Macworld Expo since the early Boston days, I have to say that the...

Be it resolved.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... WESLEY FERGUSON # In his From the Editor's Desk column in the December issue, Jason Snell reports that videos viewed on the iPod are shown at "320 by 240 pixels, roughly half the resolution of standard TV." But on page 19 of that same...

Macworld on your side.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... KEVIN MACKAY # I thought you would like to know how your magazine can really make a difference in your readers' lives. I came across an article, in the December issue, by Jim Dalrymple about scratched and broken screens on the iPod nano...

I'm no thief.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... ROBBIE PRESTON # In a letter entitled "Who's the Thief?" (Feedback, December 2005), reader Ken Alan complained about software activation, which is supposed to thwart software piracy. I think that the people who oppose software activation...

Apple releases iLife '06: updated suite adds web-creation software.(Apple Computer Inc.)
March 1, 2006... Although Apple released the first two Intel-based Mac models six months ahead of schedule (see "The Intel Mac FAQ," page 60), Steve Jobs spent the biggest chunk of time during his keynote at January's Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco...

Updated suite has new features but no new apps: iWork '06 emerges.(macbeat)
March 1, 2006... There was some heavy irony in Steve Jobs's keynote at Macworld Expo in January. Despite the fact that his entire presentation used a brand new version of Keynote, the release of the $79 iWork '06 (of which Keynote makes up one half) merited...

Make sure your system works. The complete Macintosh problem solving utility.
March 1, 2006... Diagnostics and Repair TechTool[R] Pro includes options to thoroughly check various hardware components, drives, and other aspects of your computer system. One of the most important tests is the S.M.A.R.T. test, which checks for impending...

iLife '06 and MacBook pro part of strong list of winners: best of show.(macbeat)
March 1, 2006... As we do every year, the editors of Macworld have scoured the Macworld Conference & Expo show floor to find the most-innovative products. This year we picked 14 products that we felt high-lighted a commitment to the Mac platform. * Adobe...

Microsoft kills Windows Media Player for Mac.(Flip4Mac releases new WMV Player software)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... After pledging to continue working on Office for Mac for at least five years, Microsoft quietly announced it had halted development of Windows Media Player for Mac. At the same time, Flip4Mac released a new--and free--version of its WMV Player...

BlackBerry Mac sync software now free.(Information Appliance Associates releases new software to sync data)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Mac users who want sync capabilities with BlackBerry handheld devices no longer have to pay extra for the privilege. Information Appliance Associates, maker of PocketMac for BlackBerry, has released the full version as free software. PocketMac...

Apple releases new Jam Pack.(Apple Computer Inc., Jam Pack: World Music)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... To go along with the new version of Garage-Band, Apple has come out with the latest expansion set for use with Garage-Band, Logic Express, and Logic Pro. Weighing in at more than 12GB, Jam Pack: World Music includes more than 3,000 Apple Loops...

Update adds several new features: iTunes goes to 6.0.2.(macbeat)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Your Software Update panel might tell you that iTunes 6.0.2 is an update offering only "stability and performance improvements over iTunes 6.0.1," but there's a lot more to it than that. In addition to being the first Universal version of...

Apple releases wired remote and FM radio combo: iPod radio remote.(Apple Computer Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Many users bemoaned the removal of the remote port from the iPod (the nano was the first model without it). It was used by makers of voice recorders, FM transmitters, and more. Taking away the port also meant the end of Apple's wired remote...

Hardware beat.(computer peripherals)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser for Mac, from Logitech (www.logitech.com): The cordless keyboard features 15 programmable buttons for controlling music, photos, and e-mail applications, while the right-handed tilt-wheel mouse has five customizable...

Multimedia beat.(software)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... Kona 3, from AJA Video (www.ajavideo.com): Uncompressed capture card for SD, HD, and Dual Link 4:4:4:4 HD for PCI Express features a 4-Lane PCI-Express bus interface with integrated drives for the Power Mac G5 and Final Cut Pro ($2,990). ...

Developer pulls software after receiving letter: bye-bye, lyrics.(a case between Walter Ritter and Warner/Chappell Music Inc.)
March 1, 2006... Late last year, Walter Ritter--a university researcher and part-time software creator in Austria--received a letter. His pearLyrics app, which searches the Internet for the lyrics to any song playing in iTunes and adds them to the song's Lyrics...

Check it out: web site.(macbeat)
March 1, 2006... There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but free software is a completely different story. The problem is, there's actually so much of it out there that it's hard to tell the wheat from the chaff. That was the impetus for the creation of...

Storage beat.(computer storage devices)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... DualDisk, from Miglia Technology (www.migila.com): Storage product integrating two hard drives in a horizontal format has been redeveloped using Western Digital disk drives in capacities ranging from 320GB to 640GB ($399 to $585, depending on...

Aperture 1.0: despite some flaws, Apple's Pro imaging application sparkles.(Reviews)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Flashes of genius with room for improvement: that's Aperture 1.0.1, Apple's new professional digital imaging software. Targeted at photography pros, Aperture combines powerful photo-management and -cataloging features with basic image editing...

Brainstorming tools: applications that help you organize your ideas.(Curio 2.4 Professional Edition)(DevonThink Pro 1.0)(MacJournal 3.2)(NoteBook 2.0)(OmniOutliner 3 Professional)(StickyBrain 4.0)(VoodooPad 2.5)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Word processors and text editors help you write, spreadsheets help you crunch numbers, e-mail clients let you send e-mail, and so on. But some software is a little harder to define--for example, apps that help you generate and organize your...

Diagramming software: applications that help you visualize your thoughts.(ConceptDraw Pro V 5.2)(OmniGraffle 4.1 Professional)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Whether you're mapping a subway route or illustrating your thesis on macroeconomic theory, diagrams let you represent ideas in ways that would be tricky or impossible with words. Although you can create diagrams with image-editing or...

More reviews.(Braxton Link Tester 1.0)(ColorWasher 2.0)(Corel Painter Essentials 3.0)(Elgato Systems EyeTV EZ)(Peak Pro XT 5.0)(Rosetta Stone 3.0)(Simon 2.1)(Videolmpression 2.0)(iWatermark 3.0)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... For complete reviews of the products listed here, visit www.macworld.com/reviews. GOOD 1/2 Braxton's Link Tester 1.0 ($25), from Braxton Sherouse (www.bltformac.com): Braxton's Link Tester (BLT) 1.0.1, a new tool for Webmasters of small to...

PX 100.(Sennheiser PX 100)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... OUTSTANDING PX 100 ($60), from Sennheiser (www.sennheiserusa.com): Sennheiser's PX 100 headphones are still among the very best in lightweight, over-the-head models. They have excellent audio detail and impressive bass; few, if any, headphones...

SR 60.(Grado SR60)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... OUTSTANDING SR 60 ($69), from Grado Labs (www.gradolabs.com): Frequently described as "the gateway to audiophile sound," the Grado SR 60 headphones compete with the Sennheiser HD 497 for the title of "best full-size open head-phones for less...

DT 231.(Beyerdynamic DT 231)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 DT 231 ($60), from Beyerdynamic (www.beyerdynamic.com): If you're looking for excellent closed headphones that won't break the bank, the DT 231 model is a real winner. Providing balanced sound, very good detail, and impressive...

iDJ.(Numark iDJ)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... FLAWED 1/2 iDJ ($250), from Numark (www.numark.com): If you have two compatible iPods and want to be able to dock them at home in a DJ-style mixer, or if you're looking to hold iPod parties where friends bring their iPods and try mixing, the...

iPODS.(iPod Gear)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... Product Capacity Rating Price Display iPod 30GB VERY GOOD 1/2 $299 2.5-inch color iPod 60GB VERY GOOD 1/2 $399 2.5-inch color iPod nano 4GB VERY GOOD 1/2 $199 1.5-inch color...

Third-person shooter: Gangland.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Crime-themed games, which let you embrace your inner thug, are all the rage on PCs and consoles, but they rarely make it to the Mac. Perhaps that's just as well, if Virtual Programming's tepid Gangland is any indication of what we can expect...

Quake 4.(News Feed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Aspyr Media is bringing Quake 4 to the Mac in early 2006. Based on the Doom 3 graphics engine, Quake 4 picks up where Quake 2 left off--you're an elite warrior sent to battle the evil Strogg. In addition to offering a strong single-player...

Close Combat: Red Phoenix.(MacSoft plans to develop the new version)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... MacSoft has announced that it will publish a Mac version of Close Combat: Red Phoenix. The game will combine the real-time strategy gaming that Close Combat enthusiasts have come to expect with all the psychological modeling that makes the...

Call of Duty Deluxe Edition.(News Feed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Aspyr has released a compendium edition of the World War II--era first-person shooter Call of Duty. The Deluxe Edition box set includes the original game and its expansion pack, United Offensive. You can play historic battles such as the Battle...

Children's game; SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie.(Game Room)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... GOOD; Aspyr Media, www.aspyr.com; $30 SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie is an adventure game aimed at young fans of the popular cartoon series. The game loosely follows the plot of the similarly named 2004 movie: megalomaniacal Plankton has...

Children's game: busy days in Deerfield valley.(Game Room)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... GOOD 1/2; Bold Games, www.boldgames.com; $20 This adorable and entertaining game, aimed at the preschool and kindergarten set, features characters licensed from equipment vendor John Deere. These cute, big-eyed vehicles have lots of work to...

Third-person action: Stubbs the Zombie.(Game Room)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD; Aspyr Media, www.aspyr.com; $40 This cheeky, off-color game puts you in the role of Stubbs, a zombie who has arrived in 1950s-era Punchbowl, Pennsylvania, with an unending hunger for gray matter. The game is rife with ribald...

Children's game; Care Bears: Catch a Star.(Game Room)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... GOOD; ValuSoft, www.valusoft.com; $20 Care Bears were treasured by little kids in the 1980s. Now that those fans are all grown up and have kids of their own, the bears are hoping to charm a new generation with a collection of games called...

PC Con Wireless.(Game Gear)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD; Mad Catz, www.madcatz.com; $30 If you're looking for a game pad that closely resembles Microsoft's Xbox Controller S but you don't want the mess of wires, check out Mad Catz's PC Con Wireless game controller. This attractive...

Mail enhancer: DockStar 1.0.(Mac Gems)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... One of the things I've always liked about Apple's Mail application is that when new messages arrive, Mail's Dock icon tells you how many there are. However, one limitation of this feature is that the number displayed includes only the messages...

E-mail rules utility: Mail Act-On 1.3.1.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Speaking of e-mail, as much as OS X's Mail application has improved over the past couple of years, those improvements haven't yet compelled me to switch from using Microsoft Entourage as my primary e-mail client. Two of the reasons I still...

Search tool: EasyFind 3.8.1.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... I'm sure that as Apple releases updates to OS X, Spotlight will improve. But in the meantime, I get frustrated when I try to perform even the simplest searches. Recently I wanted to find a file with the word Eddy--as in Macworld's yearly...

Productivity app: LaunchBar 4.0.2.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... As long as we're talking about Spotlight's shortcomings, it's worth mentioning that although Apple's search technology lets you find and launch applications, that's not really its strong suit. For fast launching, Objective Development...

iPod photo extractor: Keith's iPod Photo Reader 1.1.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... iTunes makes it easy to load pictures onto photo-capable iPod models. But how about getting photos off of an iPod? While I was visiting relatives, many family members requested that I e-mail them specific photos they saw on my iPod. I wrote...

Magicolor 2430 DL.(COLOR LASER PRINTER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Magicolor 2430 DL ($499), from Konica Minolta (www.konicaminolta.com): The Magicolor 2430 DL is a capable networked color laser printer whose setup could use a bit of finessing. But it has an attractive low price, accurate and...

Stylus Photo R340.(PHOTO INK-JET PRINTERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Stylus Photo R340 ($200), from Epson (www.epson.com): 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. Its only weakness as a photo...

Pixma iP6600D.(PHOTO INK-JET PRINTERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Pixma iP6600D ($200), from Canon (www.canon.com): The Pixma's six inks print great-looking photos with or without your Mac. It has a large color LCD and autoduplexing (February 2006; macworld.com/0950).

Macs.(evaluation of Apple Computer Inc. products)
March 1, 2006... DESKTOP Product Processor Display Rating More Information iMac G5/1.9GHz 17 inches VERY GOOD macworld.com/0943 G5/2.1GHz 20 inches VERY GOOD macworld.com/0944 eMac...

Desktop drive.(Iomega Black Series Triple Interface, OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro 7,200 rpm FireWire)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 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). ALSO...

Portable drive.(OWC Mercury On-the-Go, WiebeTech ComboGB)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Mercury On-the-Go 7,200 rpm 8MB, 60GB ($225), 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). ...

Optura 60.(MINIDV CAMCORDER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Optura 60 ($899), from Canon (www.canon.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 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...

Digital cameras.(Top Products)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... BUDGET CAMERA GOOD Photosmart M22 ($150), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com); macworld.com/0595 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOR DIGITAL PHOTO BEGINNERS VERY GOOD PowerShot SD400 ($399), from Canon (www.canon.com); macworld.com/0634...

d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16x FireWire with Double Layer.(DUAL-LAYER DVD BURNER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16x FireWire with Double Layer ($129), 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). It has two...

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

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

23-inch display.(HP L2335)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 L2335 ($1,299), 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.(NEC MultiSync LCD2070NX)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 MultiSync LCD2070NX ($799), from NEC (www.necdisplay.com): The MultiSync LCD2070NX is great for people who want a moderately priced 20-inch monitor that can display bright, accurate colors (macworld.com/0636).

19-inch display.(Sony SDM-HS95P)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD SDM-HS95P ($550), from Sony (www.sony.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This display lacks some features (such as a USB hub, speakers, and the ability to pivot), but it's a bright and nicely designed LCD (macworld.com/0638).

17-inch display.(Sony SDM-HS75P)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD SDM-HS75P ($400), from Sony (www.sony.com): It doesn't have built-in USB support, speakers, or the ability to pivot, but the SDM-HS75P is a good choice for people who have limited desk space (macworld.com/0637).

Portable firewire hard drive.(LaCie Mobile Hard Drive)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Mobile Hard Drive, Design by F.A. Porsche, 100GB ($250), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When it comes to portable drives, it's hard to beat the petite, stylish 100GB LaCie Mobile Hard Drive. It's fast,...

19-inch display.(NEC MultiSync LCD1970VX)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... GOOD MultiSync LCD1970VX ($440), from NEC (www.necdisplay.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The NEC LCD1970VX is a decent monitor with some nice features, like height adjustment, dual inputs, and the ability to pivot to portrait mode. But...

Color laser printer: Phaser 6120/N.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Phaser 6120/N ($499), from Xerox (www.xerox.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you're shopping for an inexpensive color laser printer, you should consider the Xerox Phaser 6120/N. It gives you excellent photographic image...

Color laser printer: C522n.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VERY GOOD C522n ($499), from Lexmark (www.lexmark.com): Lexmark's inexpensive color laser offers quick print speeds, Bonjour support, and high-end features like Ethernet and PostScript 3 emulation. Though it may be a tad loud for tight...

The ultimate Mac tune-up: want to speed up your Mac? Lots of little tweaks here and there can add up to a big performance boost.
March 1, 2006... Apple does a pretty good job of making sure your Mac's performance is well tuned right out of the box. So there aren't many single things you can do to make your Mac dramatically faster. But like a mechanic tightening this and loosening that,...

The Intel Mac FAQ: everything you need to know about the Intel transition, the MacBook Pro, and the new iMac.(Cover Story)
March 1, 2006... In June 2005, Steve Jobs announced that the Mac would be leaving the PowerPC chip behind in favor of a new generation of processors made by Intel. For longtime Mac users, that announcement was a psychological shock--half of the former Wintel...

Merge data and save time.(use of Microsoft Word 2004)
March 1, 2006... Whether you send letters and promotional pieces to clients or make name tags for office functions, getting names, addresses, and other unique information into boilerplate documents can be a serious pain. Microsoft Word's data-merging tools...

Multiple iPods and computers.(PLAYLIST)
March 1, 2006... Apple has made it pretty easy to sync an iPod with a computer, but what happens when things get a bit more complicated? You may have an entire family fighting to synchronize several iPods with one Mac. Or you may need to share sync duties...

Optimizing Photoshop CS2.(DIGITAL PHOTO)
March 1, 2006... Most people would prefer not to see the spinning beach ball when working in Photoshop. Although eliminating it is not always possible, you can go some way toward doing that by managing your resources wisely. To that end, it's worth spending a...

Send video abroad.(National Television System Committee)
March 1, 2006... Movies may have a universal appeal, but video standards do not. To send movies from North America to Europe (and some other places), you must first convert the video from the NTSC standard to the PAL standard. Until recently, that meant paying...

Big file, slow connection.(use of email services)
March 1, 2006... You're out in the boonies, and you've got to send a huge file--100MB, let's say--but you have no reliable, high-speed way to do it. Maybe the Internet connection you have is slow or intermittent. Maybe your carrier has blocked FTP service. Or...

Take command of permissions.(GEEK FACTOR)
March 1, 2006... The command line may not be the most intuitive way to control your Mac, but often it's the fastest--especially when it comes to permissions. These behind-the-scenes settings determine whether you're allowed to open, change, or delete files and...

Mac OS X Hints: the insiders' tips you won't get from Apple.(HELP DESK)
March 1, 2006... Don't Wait on Spotlight If you use Spotlight searches in the Finder and you've got one or more large, data-laden hard drives (my system has two drives with ten partitions), you're probably well aware of the ability of these searches to...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(HELP DESK)(Apple Disk Utility, Apple Mail, Apple Power Mac G5)
March 1, 2006... Delete Incorrect Mail Addresses I've entered some incorrect addresses when addressing new e-mail messages in Apple's Mail. Now when I create a new message and enter the first couple of letters of an address, these unwanted addresses...

Lapvantage Loft.(Our Favorite New Stuff)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... When I'm at home, I connect an external keyboard and mouse to my PowerBook and place the computer itself on a stand--that lets me use more-ergonomic input devices and keeps me from hunching over to look at the screen. At $80, Plasticsmith's new...

Knight Rider on iTunes.(use of iTunes)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Knight Rider -- the 1980s TV show known for its handsome star, David Hasselhoff, and its talking car, KITT--was a prime-time staple for my family during its four-year run. So when the first season of Knight Rider became available for download...

Gmail File Space 0.2.(Our Favorite New Stuff)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... Got a Gmail account with more spare megabytes than you know what to do with? Consider cannibalizing some of that unused space to store and transfer files with a makeshift FTP server. Rjonna's free Gmail File Space (gspace) 0.2 is a Firefox...

What's hot.(new products MacBook Pro, iMac and iLife 06 from Apple Computer Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... 1 Apple releases the 15.4-inch Intel Core Duo-based MacBook Pro. Shortly thereafter, the remaining members of the PowerBook G4 family were seen at a Cupertino Kinko's getting their resumes in order. 2 Apple introduces iLife '06, which...

What the Dormouse Said.(What the Dormouse Said: How the 60s Counter-culture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
March 1, 2006... The next time you wonder, "Was this computer designed by someone on drugs?" I recommend picking up a copy of What the Dormouse Said: How the 60s Counter-culture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry (Viking Adult, 2005). In this book, New York...

G-Force 3.1.(Our Favorite New Stuff)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... One thing I love about watching live music is the way the visual component adds to the music. Recently I've also been enjoying SoundSpectrum's G-Force 3.1 iTunes visualizer. The free trial version provides hours of eye candy that responds to...