Macworld articles from November 2005

Macworld archives from November 2005

iPods great and small.(forecast of the media players)
November 1, 2005... It never fails. Every time you think Apple is going to zig, the company zags instead. On September 7, everyone in the world was expecting Apple to announce a cellular phone that worked with iTunes. And that's what we got. But we also got...

New soul of a machine.(FEEDBACK)
November 1, 2005... Some might say the bit of silicon that powers your Mac is just a chip. But if reactions to our August issue's Mac Beat special report are any indication, Apple's decision to switch to Intel CPUs means much more to many Mac loyalists. Beyond the...

The big switch.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... MATTHEW FRIES # Thank you for your issue about Apple's switch to the Intel processor (Mac Beat, August 2005). You did a great job (as always) of explaining exactly what it all means. My big question as a Mac user and fan is this: Will we...

Finish your photos.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... PAUL LOMAURO # Wow! Your digital photo how-to guide is just what I've been looking for ("The Big Picture," August 2005). I'm one of millions of new digital camera users and a relatively new owner of an iMac. For many of your readers, the...

Cross Current.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... REID CONRAD (CEO, NEAR-TIME) # In response to your online review of Near-Time Current 1.5 (UNACCEPTABLE 1/2; macworld.com/0711), I would like to clarify a couple of points. For starters, your reviewer states, "I was unable to post entries...

Nearsighted spotlight.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... ADAM KOBRIN # In Apple's ads for its Tiger OS, one reviewer says that Spotlight "looks through absolutely everything." This is clearly not true, according to Apple's own documentation. The only way to perform a comprehensive search is to...

Apple's iPod nano: iPod mini's replacement is big on wow factor.(macbeat)
November 1, 2005... There's a new iPod in town, and its name is nano-iPod nano, to be precise. At a special music event in September, Steve Jobs introduced the nano as the replacement for Apple's enormously popular iPod mini. The new portable music player comes in...

Motorola's new Rokr plays your tunes: iTunes cell phone.(Motorola ROKR E1)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... If you're in the market for a new cell phone--and you've just got to have your music with you at all times--Apple, Motorola, and Cingular Wireless have just the thing for you: the Motorola Rokr E1, the first cell phone equipped with a version...

New and improved: iTunes 5.(new software from Apple Computer Inc. iTunes Music Store)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Although a new phone and new iPods are Apple's big news lately, the company hasn't forgotten about its free digital music software, which helps power these multimedia devices. Along with its other announcements, Apple introduced a major new...

Hardware beat.(macbeat)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... 2X1 DVI KVM Switcher, from Gefen (www.gefen.com): Switch connects two computers--Mac or PC--to one keyboard, mouse, and display, with support for DVI-equipped computers ($199). Epson Stylus CX5800F, from Epson (www.epson.com): All-in-one...

Internet beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... ConceptDraw WebWave, from Computer Systems Odessa (www.conceptdraw.com): Cross-platform diagramming application, which runs on OS X 10.2 and later, lets users plan a Web site's design and structure ($299). Microsoft Messenger 5.0 for Mac,...

Supercharge your business: new FileMaker Pro 8 ushers in the next era of productivity for small businesses.(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE OVER BIGGER COMPANIES: They can be more nimble when responding to business changes. For example, rather than paying sky-high city rents, small businesses can set up shop in outlying areas and hire...

Is the iPod in trouble? Apple's patent woes.(macbeat)
November 1, 2005... Apple and Microsoft have a long history together. Microsoft was there with Word 1.0 when Apple launched the Macintosh in 1984; Bill Gates's face appeared on screen at the 1997 Macworld Expo as the two companies announced a technology alliance;...

Used iBooks cause a commotion: one man's trash.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... If you needed even more proof of the fanaticism of Mac users, look no further than the public reaction to a recent hardware giveaway. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You may have heard about the efforts of the Henrico County, Virginia, school...

Roxio launches Toast 7: feel the burn.(new software Toast 7 Titanium)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Many of OS X's features offer basic functionality but lack advanced abilities. Apple likes to refer to such situations as "third-party opportunities," and one product that fills a gap left by Apple is Roxio's Toast. At the end of August, Roxio...

Imaging beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... Axis 207, from Axis Communications (www.axis.com): MPEG-4 network camera designed for surveillance is about the size of a deck of cards and operates independently of a computer with its own built-in Web server ($349). DSC-T5, from Sony...

Storage beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... 8X Internal SuperDrive Upgrade, from MCE Technologies (www.mcetech.com): Upgrade for slot-loading optical drives in white iBook G3s and iBook G4s also features dual-layer support ($199). ChronoSync 3.1, from Econ Technologies...

Chip company's CEO shows his hand: the Intel way.(Paul Otellini talks about the contract with Apple Computer Inc.)
November 1, 2005... In late August 2005, I attended the Intel Developer Forum at San Francisco's Moscone West Convention Center--which is, coincidentally, where Apple holds its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Although both conferences are venues where a...

Original MP3 player discontinued; Creative loses ground: her name was Rio.(macbeat)
November 1, 2005... Before the iPod or the iTunes Music Store, there was the Rio--the first handheld MP3 player to hit the market, in 1998. But in another demonstration of how popular Apple's music players have become, the makers of the Rio line announced in late...

iBook G4s and Mac minis: value is the key as Apple adds features, lowers prices.(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Some Mac hardware offerings are groundbreaking--the Mac mini's January debut comes to mind--while others are just incremental. The latest revisions to the iBook G4 and Mac mini lines fall somewhere between these extremes; they have few new...

Web browsers: Mozilla's Firefox and The Omni Group's OmniWeb help you navigate better.(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Conversations about Web browsers are like conversations about religion or politics: if you join one, you'll probably hear some strong opinions. But you might also hear questions like "You mean that thing I look at the Web with?" Perhaps...

More reviews.(Apple Mighty Mouse, Cosmic Blobs 1.1, Flip4Mac WMV Studio Pro 1.0.6, HP Photosmart 385 GoGo, InCopy CS2, InterComm 1.3, Internet Cleanup 3.0, PHP Studio 1.1, QuicKeys X3 3.1, iSale 2.0)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... For complete reviews of the products listed here, visit www.macworld.com/reviews. GOOD 1/2 Cosmic Blobs 1.1 ($45), from SolidWorks (www.cosmicblobs.com): If you have the Mac horsepower and kids who want to begin exploring 3-D modeling,...

Coaster to coaster.(new product Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 from Aspyr Media)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Long-suffering Mac gamers will finally be able to build, and rule over, their own roller-coaster parks when Aspyr (www.aspyr.com) brings Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 to the Mac in November. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Like a Deere in the headlights.(new games from Bold Games)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Bold Games (www.boldgames.com) has created two new games for kids. Based on John Deere farm and construction equipment, Welcome to Merriweather Farm and Busy Days in Deerfield Valley should be on store shelves by the time you read this. ...

Charge!(new product from Feral Interactive)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Feral Interactive's Imperial Glory, due out in November or December, will let you relive the excitement of commanding troops during the Napoleonic Wars. It's a real-time-strategy game set in the early 19th century (www.feralinteractive.com)....

Adventure; Myst V: End of Ages.(First Look)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... It's the end of an era. After more than a decade, the Myst series--hugely popular adventure games with rich prerendered graphics, detailed stories worthy of a novel, brain-twisting puzzles, and nonviolent game play--is finally complete, with...

Action: Lego Star Wars.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... It would be easy to discount a game that combines Lego building blocks with Star Wars mythology as a bit of fluff for kids, but to do so would be a mistake. This is a very fun game that's sure to appeal to adults--especially those who have a...

Action: Midnight Mansion.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... One of my first gaming experiences on the Mac was with Dark Castle, an ancient black-and-white game from Silicon Beach Software. In it, you explored a castle that was overrun by creatures of all types--swooping birds, rats, bats, and more--and...

Strategy: Salvo.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Salvo may appeal to hard-core fans of strategy war games, but almost everyone else will want to avoid this clunker. It has a lousy look and fairly beastly system requirements. Salvo takes you back to the great Age of Sail, so you can lead...

Superstar Chefs.(Top Downloads)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... The premise behind Superstar Chefs--one of my favorite games by developer Mac Joy--is simple: someone has stolen the chefs' secret recipes and spread them all over Cocktail Land. It's up to you to get them back. Under your direction, adorable,...

Radeon 9600 Pro PC & Mac Edition.(First Look)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... ATI Technologies is the only graphics-card maker to support Power Mac G4 gamers with viable retail graphics cards. Until now, though, the pickings have been slim: you could either spend $129 on an underpowered Radeon 9000 Pro Mac Edition or...

FireWire and USB 2.0 hub: hub for Mac mini.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... I love my Mac mini, except for one thing: its paucity of USB and FireWire ports. It's got only one FireWire port, which means that if I want to connect more than one FireWire device, I have to daisy-chain them--assuming those devices offer...

Text-saving tool: AppendNote 1.0.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... When I come across interesting or useful information while surfing the Web, I either save it as a text file (or text clipping) or write it down on a scrap of paper. Needless to say, neither of these methods is very efficient or effective. In...

Address book add-on: Google Maps Plugin 2.2.1.(Mac Gems)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... You probably already know that if you control- or right-click on a contact's address in Address Book, you can choose the Map Of option from the contextual menu that appears--which then displays a MapQuest.com map of that address in your Web...

Dock customizer: TransparentDock 2.3.3.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... When I finally upgraded my mission-critical Mac to Tiger, I noticed something amiss. I'd been using Free Range Mac's $8 TransparentDock 2.3.3. (VERY GOOD 1/2; www.freerangemac.com) to customize my Dock for so long that I'd forgotten what a...

Mouse-button enhancer: One Finger Snap 1.2.1.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Even with the introduction of Apple's new Mighty Mouse--the first multibutton pointer in the company's history--Macs still ship with a single-button mouse (or, in the case of laptops, a single button for the trackpad). And without purchasing a...

Hot widgets.(Air Traffic Control 1.0, BART, ScoreBoard, WidgetTerm, Wimic, iCal Events, iClip Lite)
November 1, 2005... There are more than 1,100 Dashboard widgets on Apple's Web site alone, and I review lots of them in the Mac Gems Weblog. Here are seven of my current favorites (and they're all free). Air Traffic Control 1.0 If you've got an...

d2 DVD[+ or -] RW 16X FireWire, with Double Layer.(DUAL-LAYER DVD BURNER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD d2 DVD[+ or -] RW 16X FireWire, with Double Layer ($189), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): This DVD burner can burn 8.5GB of data to dual-layer DVDs (which offer twice the capacity of single-layer discs). Although it has a relatively...

Midrange scanner.(FLATBED SCANNERS)(Canon CanoScan 9950F)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 CanoScan 9950F ($400), from Canon (www.canon.com): This CanoScan offers improved scan quality and more-intuitive software controls. The 9950F tops its predecessor, the 9900F, in almost every way (macworld.com/0188). ...

Low-end scanner.(FLATBED SCANNERS)(Canon CanoScan 8400F)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD CanoScan 8400F ($150), from Canon (www.canon.com): The 8400F has limited transparency support but is a great all-around scanner (macworld.com/0187).

Macs.(macintosh computers)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... DESKTOP Product Processor Display Rating iMac G5/1.8GHz 17 inches VERY GOOD G5/2GHz 17 inches VERY GOOD G5/2GHz 20 inches VERY GOOD 1/2 eMac ...

Digital cameras.(Top Products)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... 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...

Photosmart 8450.(COLOR INK-JET PRINTER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 Photosmart 8450 ($250), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): This networkable ink-jet printer uses as many as eight dye-based inks to print great-looking photos with or without your computer. Its LCD makes direct-from-camera...

FireWire hard drives.(Top Products)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... Product Rating Price Contact DESKTOP HARD DRIVES Iomega Black Series VERY GOOD 1/2 $240 www.iomega.com Triple Interface OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro VERY GOOD 1/2 $399 www.macsales.com FireWire...

LaserJet 2550Ln.(COLOR LASER PRINTERS)(Magicolor 2430 DL)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD LaserJet 2550Ln ($600), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): This networkable printer offers crisp text and good color fidelity. It also supports Apple's Bonjour. But its paper capacity is only 125 sheets (macworld.com/0083). ...

Optura 60.(MINIDV CAMCORDER)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... 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 accurate, vibrant color. It also offers optical image stabilization, a true...

23-inch display.(LCD MONITORS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 L2335 ($1,599), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Along with its outstanding value and ability to pivot to portrait mode, the HP L2335 provides excellent video-in options and very good color...

20-inch display.(LCD MONITORS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD 1/2 MultiSync LCD2070NX ($799), from NEC Display Solutions (www.necdisplay.com): The MultiSync LCD2070NX is great for people who want a moderately priced 20-inch monitor that can display bright, accurate colors...

19-inch display.(LCD MONITORS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD SDM-HS95P ($699), from Sony (www.sony.com): This display lacks some of the features found on other displays (such as a USB hub, speakers, and the ability to pivot), but the SDM-HS95P is a bright and nicely designed LCD that...

17-inch display.(LCD MONITORS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD SDM-HS75P ($450), from Sony (www.sony.com): It's short on bells and whistles--no built-in USB support, speakers, or ability to pivot--but the SDM-HS75P is a good choice for people who have limited desk space and who want a bright...

Color ink-jet printer.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD Photosmart 8250 ($199), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): Though innovative, this six-color ink-jet printer's key features are a little disappointing. Its fast speed and durability are made less impressive by the quality of the...

Color laser printer.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD Magicolor 2450 ($699), from Konica Minolta (printer.konicaminolta.com): Konica Minolta's latest Magicolor has nearly everything you could ask for in a sub-$1,000 color laser printer, including PostScript 3 support and accurate...

Digital SLR camera.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD D50 ($900), from Nikon (www.nikonusa.com): This 6.1-megapixel digital SLR camera delivers excellent image quality and a decent feature set in a well-designed, comfortable body. It's missing some features found in Canon D-SLRs, but...

Desktop FireWire hard drive: miniStack 320GB 7200RPM.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD miniStack 320GB 7200RPM ($290), from Newer Technology (www.newertech.com): This drive for the Mac mini offers two FireWire 400 and three USB ports, making it a hub, too (macworld.com/0580). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Desktop FireWire hard drive: mini FireWire Companion Hard Drive.(Hardware Products We Tested This Month)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... VERY GOOD mini FireWire Companion Hard Drive ($199), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): An airflow-improving, four-corner crown on top of this device distinguishes it from other drives that are designed for the Mac mini (macworld.com/0580). ...

Spinning a better web: expert tips for getting the most out of Safari and Firefox, building better blogs, and creating professional-looking web pages.
November 1, 2005... You'd think that, 15 years after the Web was invented, we'd know everything we need to know about browsing and building the Web. But we don't. For one thing, browsers keep getting better. The latest version of Apple's Safari has plenty of...

Kid-proof your Mac.(WORKING MAC)
November 1, 2005... "Don't take e-mail from strangers." "Look both ways before you IM." "Stay away from bad Web sites." Being a parent can be complicated--and now modern parents have the Internet to worry about, too. Luckily, Tiger's new parental controls can...

Picking the right iPod.
November 1, 2005... In 2001, when Apple introduced the iPod, there was just one model--the only decision you had to make was to iPod or not to iPod. But in the past four years, the company has made things more complicated by adding several members to the iPod...

3 fast photo tricks.(DIGITAL PHOTO)
November 1, 2005... Looking to spice up your photos? Many of the hottest photographic tricks (the ones you see every day in magazines, in movies, and on the Web) only look hard. In fact, they're quite simple--once you know the secrets behind them. Here are three...

Newsletter first aid.(CREATE)
November 1, 2005... When creating a holiday newsletter or a PDF outlining your company's new dental plan, you generally don't have a cadre of nitpicking designers and copy editors to help you--you may not even have a page-layout program other than Microsoft Word....

Get online with a cell phone.(MOBILE MAC)
November 1, 2005... The best way to access the Internet when you're on the road is to connect your laptop to a broadband service via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. And your laptop's internal modem can provide a reliable, if slow, way to get online. But what if none of these...

Take control of text.(TextWrangler)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Do you need to find a quirky string in a huge source-code file and replace it with something else? Do you need to peer into a log file and search for a specific IP address or event? You could use a command-line text editor, such as pico, nano,...

Mac OS X Hints.(use of Apple iPhoto)
November 1, 2005... The Insiders' Tips You Won't Get from Apple Cycle Your Desktop Images Prior to version 5, you could use iPhoto to create cycling desktop picture albums: You could create a new album in iPhoto, go to the Desktop tab of the Desktop &...

Mac 911.(use of Apple Power Mac G4 and utility software)
November 1, 2005... Solutions to Your Most Vexing Mac Problems Classic Conundrum I erased my Power Mac G4's hard drive during a clean install of OS X 10.4. Now I can't seem to reinstall OS 9 to run the Classic environment. Is there a way to install Mac OS...

Sidekick.(new product from Sonnet Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... I've found a new addition for my PowerBook bag, and its name is Sidekick. Sonnet Technologies' $13 USB 2.0 contraption rotates 180 degrees left and right and bends up and down to give your USB cable some breathing room. It's perfect for use on...

R-Name 3.0.(File Buddy)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... I download a lot of (legal) live music from the Net and find that often there's no rhyme or reason to the way people name files. For consistency--and the ability to find particular concerts on my computer--a renaming utility is vital to me....

Smithsonian Global Sound.(report on online music trading)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Good roots music can be hard to find, and digitizing what I do find can be a pain. That's why I'm so excited about Smithsonian Global Sound--the folk-music lover's answer to the iTunes Music Store. It has everything from Woody Guthrie to...

What's hot.(demand of Apple Computer Inc. services)(avalability of Apple Computer Inc. iTunes Music Store service in Japan)(new iBooks)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... 1 In Virginia, a mad rush for $50 used iBooks injures several people. In Missouri, a "free iPod" giveaway turned ugly when organizers tried to give away Creative Zen players instead. 2 Apple tells a French Web site to remove pictures of OS...

Apple Lego art.(a tiny toy developed portraying Steve Wozniak the cofounder of Apple Computer Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... As a Mac geek, I love seeing Apple lore captured in art. So I was thrilled to find out that an artist known as Tomi has been creating iPod- and Apple-themed art with Legos since early 2005. The latest creation--which went on sale in early...

iPod and PowerBook etchings.(new products from Etchamac.com)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Sometimes the stylish--but, let's face it, austere--appearance of an iPod or a PowerBook seems too boring for my tastes. So I was happy to come across Etchamac.com, a company that will laser etch your favorite custom design onto the back of...