Macworld articles from November 2006

Macworld archives from November 2006

Apple's home run.(home entertainment systems)(Editorial)
November 1, 2006... As Apple was conquering most of the world with the iPod and iTunes, it overlooked one bit of territory: the living room. While iLife software and iPod hardware have made us masters of creating and consuming digital media at our desks and on the...

Hidden treasures.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... Some things in the Mac world are predictable, others not so much. Take the August issue of Macworld. Dan Frakes's monthly Mac Gems column is one of our most popular regular features. So you didn't have to be Jeane Dixon to predict that our...

Gemology.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... ROBERT ORLANDO # You included the typing utility Text Expander (YERY GOOD 1/2; macworld.com/1430) in "Software Jackpot" (August 2006). I was surprised and disappointed that you did not also include TypeIt4Me (www.typeit4me.com). TypeIt4Me...

Graphics pros, Intel Macs.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... BOB HOOT # I recently decided I needed a new laptop and opted for the 2GHz MacBook Pro (YERY GOOD; macworld.com/1677). I am a graphics professional and use Adobe Creative Suite 2 and QuarkXPress 7 regularly. This machine runs both apps...

Opening the Windows.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... JIM SCHWARTZ # The "Emulation, Virtualization, and Dual-Booting" table in "Living in a Windows World" indicates that Virtual PC 7 won't run Linux. That is not true. I run it all the time. As proof, check out the screenshot. ...

Write yourself a note.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... CHRIS MANKE * About your tips in "How to Do a To-Do List" (Working Mac, August 2006): I've found it quick and convenient to keep my lists using Stickies notes. I create a note for each category and context (@computer, for example), and...

Personality crisis.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... MEL BECKMAN # Tony Thompson's letter in Feedback (August 2006) states that it is OK to give somebody else a copy of a copyrighted work as long as it is "for personal use." This is a common misconception, but it's dead wrong. Acting on this...

Death to iPod killers.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... STEVE BASILE * When will the media stop calling every new MP3 player from Sony, Creative, and others "iPod killers"? Since none of them has even seriously challenged the iPod so far, wouldn't "iPod challenger" or "iPod competitor" be more...

The small, small screen.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... BILL SHAW # Regarding Jason Snell's blurb about HandBrake (Hot Stuff, August 2006): I do not like watching videos or films on my iPod. That doesn't make me a skeptic. That makes me a realist.

Raw versus JPEG.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... SCOTT HOOBER # In "Weighing the Pros of Raw" (Digital Photo, August 2006), author Ben Long mentions that some cameras offer a Raw + JPEG mode. My camera, a Nikon D50, offers that choice. But the only type of JPEG allowed in that mode is...

For the record.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... SCOTT DAVISSON (MYOB US) # Gary Stein's letter in Feedback (September 2006) incorrectly claimed that MYOB offers no customer support for FirstEdge. While FirstEdge is a straightforward product, accounting can still be intimidating for a...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2006... Cast Easy, one of the tools listed in "Software Jackpot" (August 2006), has been renamed. It's now called Cast Life, and it's available from www.meddiecatsoft.com.

Apple goes to the movies: iTunes Store brings films to the Mac, the iPod, and the television.
November 1, 2006... Apple launched the iTunes Music Store modestly enough in 2003 with 200,000 songs. Since then, the company has added many more tracks and sold more than 1.5 billion of them. With the addition of TV shows, short films, and video podcasts over the...

New iPods, new features.(Apple Inc. updated iPod lineup, Apple iPod 30 GB, and Apple iPod nano)
November 1, 2006... Although adding movies to the iTunes Store was the big news at Apple's special event, its updated iPod lineup gives people something to look forward to for the holiday season. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New full-size iPods come in two...

Apple updates consumer desktop product lines: new iMacs, Mac minis released.
November 1, 2006... Intel's announcement a few months ago of the Core 2 Duo processor left little doubt that Apple would be using these new chips in future Macs--the only question was when. The answer has come in the form of a refreshed iMac product line, each of...

Update fixes MacBook noise.(Apple has released the MacBook System Management Controller Firmware Update)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... MacBook users unhappy with their mooing laptops--caused by noisy cycling fans when the MacBook heats up--will be glad to hear that Apple has released the MacBook System Management Controller (SMC) Firmware Update for its line of MacBook (not...

Apple gets high marks.(American Customer Satisfaction Index)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Newly published data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (www.theacsi.org) shows that Apple leads other personal computer manufacturers, beating out Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and others. On a 100-point scale, Apple merited a score of 83,...

New Boot Camp beta released.(Apple Inc., Boot Camp 1.1)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Apple has released the Boot Camp 1.1 beta, a new version of its software that lets Intel-based Macs run Microsoft Windows XP. The 202MB release adds support for the Mac Pro, iSight cameras, and built-in microphones. It includes partitioning...

How does Apple's Pro system compare to a Dell on price? Mac Pro versus Dell PC.(personal computers)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... There's a widely held perception--even among many Mac users--that Macs are more expensive than their Windows PC counterparts. In the PowerPC days, direct comparisons between the two were difficult, due in part to the differences between the...

$100 million payment ends all pending litigation: Apple settles Creative lawsuits.(Apple Inc., Creative Technology Inc.)
November 1, 2006... Over the past few years, Apple and Creative Technology have filed a volley of lawsuits against each other over the iPod. Creative alleged that Apple violated what Creative calls its "Zen Patent," which describes the way musical data is...

The readers speak: Leopard upgrade plans.(Mac OS X 10.5, operating system)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The next major version of OS X may not be coming out until spring 2007, but the preview of OS X 10.5--also known as Leopard--at August's Worldwide Developers Conference made a big splash with the public. To find out how excited people are about...

Multimedia beat.
November 1, 2006... TuneFlex for iPod, from Griffin Technology (www.griffintechnology.com): Flexible car dock and charger for 4G and newer iPods features a line-out connection and includes a cassette adapter ($50). PowerBlock Travel, from Griffin Technology...

Storage beat.(macbeat)
November 1, 2006... Forensic Notebook DriveDock v4, from WiebeTech (www.wiebetech.com): Dock for 2.5-inch laptop drives lets forensic investigators download or image contents over USB or FireWire 800 ($400). SilverSATA IV, from WiebeTech (www.wiebetech.com):...

Age of Empires III on the way.(MacSoft launched computer strategy games)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... By the time you read this, Destineer's MacSoft studio (www.macsoftgames.com) should have Age of Empires III on store shelves. What makes this remarkable news is that the PC version used a physics engine called Havok that isn't available on the...

Speedier OpenGL coming.(technology that powers 3-D games on Mac operating system)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... OpenGL--the technology that powers 3-D games on the Mac--is getting a big shot in the arm, thanks to two new technologies: Multithreaded OpenGL and LLVM (Low Level Virtual Machine) optimization. Combined, they've been able to double frame rates...

Game surround sound arrives.(Griffin FireWave sound cards)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Even if your Mac has a digital audio output and you've connected it to a surround-sound system, you may have noticed it doesn't do surround sound for games. That's because the Mac's built-in sound hardware doesn't decode OpenAL, the positional...

Thinking big: SATA hard drives; New generation of RAID drives offers high performance at reduced cost.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... It wasn't long ago that buying a terabyte (TB) of fast storage meant shelling out several thousand dollars. Now, with Serial ATA (SATA) technology bringing the price down and performance up, owning a terabyte of RAID storage can cost as little...

FileMaker Pro 8.5 gets web-savvy: database app goes Universal, gains Web Viewer.(DBMS software)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... FileMaker Pro (FMP) 8.5 is one of the marquee Mac applications to be released in Universal format. It has significant advantages that aren't going to break your old databases or send you back to school. The program comes in a Pro version...

Civilization IV takes progress to a new level: strategy game features 3-D graphics and animation.(computer strategy games)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... For history and world affairs buffs, there's something very gratifying about Sid Meier's Civilization IV. The epic series Civilization, from Aspyr Media, lets you create and evolve a civilization from 4000 BC to AD 2050. Civilization IV is...

More reviews.(Berlitz Premier, foreign language translation software)(M-Audio Black Box, music software)(Photomatix Pro 2.2, image processing software)(Quicken Mac 2007, personal finance software)(iBank 2.1, integrated accounting software)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... GOOD 1/2 Berlitz Premier ($40), from Nova Development (www.novadevelopment.com): Learning a foreign language can be tough. To help you get started, Berlitz, one of the better-known names in language instruction, has introduced Berlitz Premier,...

USB Microphones: easy recording on your Mac.(Blue Microphone Snowball)(Samson C01U)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Want to record vocals or instruments with your Mac? Check out Blue Microphone's Snowball or Samson's C01U. The Snowball's design and included stand (right) make it a good choice for recording audio from single and multiple sources. The Samson...

Headphones for exercise.(Bang and Olufsen A8)(Koss KSC-75)(Sennheiser PMX 100)(V-moda Bass Freq)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD A8 ($160), from Bang & Olufsen (www.bang-olufsen.com): Bang & Olufsen's A8, a combination of earbuds and earclips, is extremely comfortable thanks to padded and adjustable clips. This headset's standout design and attractive aluminum...

iPods.(MP3 players)(Product/service evaluation)(Table)
November 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 1GB VERY GOOD 1/2 $149 1.5-inch color...

inMotion iM500.(computer speakers)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD inMotion iM500 ($130), from Altec Lansing (www.alteclansing.com): Altec Lansing's inMotion iM500 is an attractive and impressive compact speaker system for the iPod nano--ideal for carrying in a bag or backpack, thanks to its thin,...

iClear for iPod with Video.(iPod accessory )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD iClear for iPod with Video ($20), from Griffin Technology (www.griffintechnology.com): The iClear is a two-piece polycarbonate case that works with both the 30GB and 60GB models of the fifth-generation iPod. The front piece is clear,...

WompWallet.(iPod accessory)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... FLAWED 1/2 WompWallet ($18), from Womp Products (www.wompgear.com): Like many other attempts at merging a wallet with an iPod case, the WompWallet for the iPod nano isn't exactly a success. The leather bifold case, which is available in various...

Keyboard app for kids: AlphaBaby 1.51.(children's educational software)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... If you have a small child at home, you've likely discovered that kids love to bang on keyboards. In fact, the first time I held my then six-month-old daughter while sitting at my desk, she typed a few nonsensical lines and even managed to print...

Application switcher: LightSwitch X 2.6.(desktop utilities)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... I've been a big fan of Proteron's LiteSwitch X--which replaces OS X's [??]-tab application switcher with a more functional version--for a long time. Unfortunately, until recently it didn't work on Intel-based Macs. The long-awaited LiteSwitch X...

Spotlight search tool: NotLight 1.4.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... Macworld's editors are both fans and critics of Spotlight, Tiger's advanced search technology. Most of our complaints revolve around Spotlight's interface--it makes performing simple searches difficult, it doesn't make more-advanced searches...

YouTube converter: TubeSock 1.01.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... Ever been frustrated by your inability to download the cool Flash-based videos you find on YouTube? And wouldn't it be nice to watch them on the go? Stinkbot's TubeSock 1.01 (GOOD 1/2; $15; stinkbot.com) may be just the thing for you. ...

Konica Magicolor 2430 DL.(laser printers)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Magicolor 2430 DL ($499), from Konica Minolta (www.konicaminolta.com): The Magicolor 2430 DL, a capable networked color laser printer, is a great buy for a home office, a small workgroup, or anyone who doesn't need PostScript...

Epson Stylus Photo R340.(photo printers)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2: Stylus Photo R340 ($200), from Epson (www.epson.com): The Epson Stylus Photo R340 prints the best color photos in its class, and it reproduces shadow detail extremely well. Its black-and-white prints are subpar, though, and...

PV-GS500.(MINIDV CAMCORDER)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD PV-GS500 ($1,000), from Panasonic (www.panasonic.com): This well-made camcorder takes great-looking video and stills (macworld.com/1673). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Macs.(laptop and portable computers)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... DESKTOP Product Processor Display Rating More Information iMac Intel Core 2 17 inches VERY GOOD macworld.com/1727 Duo/1.83GHz Intel Core 2 17 inches VERY GOOD 1/2...

Desktop drive.(Iomega Black Series Triple Interface)(OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 Black Series Triple Interface, 250GB ($240), from Iomega (www.iomega.com): You can't go wrong with its speed, connection options, and low price per gigabyte. This drive can boot OS X via FireWire and includes Retrospect...

Portable drive.(OWC Mercury On-the-Go)(Rocsecure Rocbit 2B)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... OUTSTANDING Rocbit 2B ($230), from Rocsecure (www.rocsecure.com): Rocsecure's Rocbit 2B, with 40-bit encryption, is priced a bit higher than similar unencrypted portable drives, but it is well worth the premium if security is a concern....

CanoScan 9950F.(flatbed scanners)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 CanoScan 9950F ($399), from Canon (www.canon.com): The CanoScan 9950F offers improved scan quality and more-intuitive software controls. This model tops its predecessor, the 9900F, in almost every way--resolution, color...

23-inch display.(liquid crystal display monitors)(HP L2335)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 L2335 ($1,599), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): Along with its outstanding value, analog and digital connectors, ability to pivot to portrait mode, and adjustable height, the L2335 provides excellent video-in options and...

20-inch display.(liquid crystal display monitors)(NEC MultiSync LCD2070NX)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 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. It sports digital and analog...

17-inch display.(Dell UltraSharp 1707FP, liquid crystal display monitors)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD UltraSharp 1707FP ($279), from Dell (www.dell.com): Budget-conscious display shoppers won't be disappointed by this highly flexible 17-inch monitor that has a built-in USB hub. Its display of text is very good, and its color is...

8-megapixel digital SLR.(digital cameras)(Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 EOS Digital Rebel XT ($899; with lens, $999), from Canon (www.canon.com): Canon defined this market with the original Digital Rebel, and the company keeps its lead with the EOS Digital Rebel XT. The Rebel XT is a very small...

Advanced digital camera.(Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30K)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30K ($700), from Panasonic (www.panasonic.com): The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30K is a sizable beast: at 1.5 pounds and just over five inches long, it feels more like an SLR than an all-in-one camera. The chunky...

PX-716UF DVD[+ or -]R/RW.(Plextor PX-716UF, DVD recordable drives)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD PX-716UF DVD[+ or -]R/RW ($239), from Plextor (www.plextor.com): The PX-716UF DVD[+ or -]R/RW drive features flexible connectivity options; it burns 2.4x-rated dual-layer media at 4x; it has fast 16x burn speeds; and it has the...

6-megapixel digital camera.(Fujifilm FinePix F30)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... GOOD 1/2 FinePix F30 ($399), from Fujifilm (www.fujifilm.com): The unassuming FinePix F30 is a master at low-light photography. The sensitivity of most cameras this size usually tops out at ISO 400 or 800, but you can crank Fujifilm's...

Color laser printer.(Oki Data C6100dn)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD 1/2 C6100dn ($1,102), from Oki Data (www.okidata.com): If you're in the market for a color laser printer, the Oki C6100dn has a lot to offer small and midsize workgroups. It produces great-looking prints, and it has built-in...

Multifunction printer.(Epson AcuLaser CX11NF)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... VERY GOOD AcuLaser CX11NF ($800), from Epson (www.epson.com): The Epson AcuLaser CX11NF has it all: it's a color laser printer, sheet-fed scanner, copier with networking capabilities, and fax machine. Aside from its somewhat complicated...

Point-and-shoot digital camera.(Canon PowerShot SD630)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... GOOD 1/2 PowerShot SD630 ($350), from Canon (www.canon.com): The PowerShot SD630 is the first camera in Canon's expanding Digital Elph line to offer a three-inch LCD, which makes short work of composing your shots and then showing them off...

Inside the Mac Pro: we dissect, test, and review Apple's powerful new desktop system.
November 1, 2006... Apple's professional-level desktop systems have always been designed with one thing in mind: speed. And that hasn't changed just because the Power Mac is now history. The Mac Pro shares its predecessor's silvery good looks and its commitment to...

Macworld's Guide to healthy computing: simple strategies for staying pain-free while on the job.(Column)
November 1, 2006... DAVID POGUE'S SORENESS CAME ON gradually, and was often most pronounced after long sessions at his Mac. It started with some aching in his wrists. After a while, the pain he felt after typing became so severe that he couldn't button his shirt...

Get more from Mail.(Apple Mail )(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... Apple's Mail is not only easy to use, but also much more powerful than it may appear. If you feel that you're not making the most of Mail 2.0 (bundled with Mac OS X 10.4), try using these tips to dig into some of its interesting and less...

Network to new music.(PLAYLIST)
November 1, 2006... You've probably heard of social-networking Web sites such as Face-book, Flickr, and MySpace.com--online communities that let you establish a linked group of friends and contacts. But social networking is not merely a way to meet new people....

Back up photos on the road.
November 1, 2006... There's no point in lugging along a laptop on your vacation just so you can archive or organize your digital pictures. A laptop not only adds weight and heft, but is also vulnerable to theft and damage. Luckily, you have other options. Our...

Design for any browser.(web site designing)
November 1, 2006... Designing Web sites that look good in every browser can be heartbreaking work. Your carefully crafted site may look great in Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari, and then become a jumbled mess in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, the default browser...

Your apps in your pocket.(portable disk drives)
November 1, 2006... Imagine carrying the applications you use all the time--a Web browser, an e-mail client, a word processor, and even an image editor--in your pocket, ready to run on any Mac (and in some cases, Windows PCs), with all your preferences and...

Keep your Secrets with Mail.
November 1, 2006... Sending something confidential via e-mail is the equivalent of writing it on the back of a postcard. Every e-mail message passes through dozens of servers, and it's not difficult to intercept data anywhere along the line. If you want to keep...

Mac OS X Hints: the insiders' tips you won't get from Apple.(HELP DESK)(Column)
November 1, 2006... Stop Clicking on Dialog-Box Buttons Don't reach for your mouse when you encounter dialog boxes that require clicking on a button--for example, Don't Save, Cancel, or Save. Often, you can use your keyboard instead. [ILLUSTRATION...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(using Apple Inc.'s MacBook computer)(Column)
November 1, 2006... Remotely PowerPoint I recently bought a MacBook, which comes with Front Row and an Apple Remote. Is there any way to use that remote for Microsoft PowerPoint presentations? Via the Internet [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You've got a...

Gorillapod SLR.(Joby's single lens reflex cameras)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Even amateur photographers know how useful a tripod is, but not everyone wants to carry one around. That's where Joby's $50 Gorillapod SLR (5.8 ounces) comes in handy: use it as a nine-inch tabletop tripod or, like its compact sibling for...

Transmission 0.6.1.(file sharing software)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... I admit it--I'm addicted to BitTorrent. This unique peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing system has changed the way I acquire live music (yes, there are legal uses). The official client works pretty well, but it doesn't run natively on Intel Macs...

CSSEdit 1.7.2.(desktop utility)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... If you design or maintain a blog or Web site, MacRabbit's $25 CSSEdit 1.7.2 may be one of the most useful utilities you'll ever find. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) allows you to change items, such as fonts, across an entire site by changing a...

What's hot.(Apple Inc. and Creative's patent infringement case)(Apple Inc. recalls PowerBooks and iBooks computers)(Apple Inc.'s Steve Jobs not giving the keynote at Apple Expo Paris)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... 1 Apple agrees to pay Creative $100 million to settle iPod patent disputes. "But someday," Steve Jobs told Creative chairman Sim Wong Hoo, "I may call upon you to do a service for me." 2 Apple recalls 1.8 million laptop batteries due to the...

Dealmac.(purchasing computer accessories)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... I don't like paying any more than I have to for my favorite gadgets. So I was happy to come across the dealmac Web site--a great place to find bargains on hardware and software for your Mac and related gadgets, including digital cameras, iPod...

MyStickies.(desktop utility)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... If you're like me, you're always losing login information for Web sites that you rarely visit. MyStickies, a free Firefox extension, lets you assign a virtual Post-it note to any site. Just click on a button in the Firefox toolbar to add a...