Macworld articles from October 2007

Macworld archives from October 2007

To get the shot, Vincent Laforet battled vertigo, high winds and the pressure of an early deadline.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Atop Manhattan's famous Chrysler Building, routine maintenance is no easy task. Neither is capturing breathtaking photos of it. So with just a limited amount of time to shoot an engineer at work on one of the building's famous eagles, Vincent...

The rise of the Mac: the iPod and iPhone? Try record Mac sales and exciting new Mac products.(FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK)(Editorial)
October 1, 2007... While iPods and iPhones have been garnering all the newspaper headlines, the untold story is that the Mac itself is on a roll. In Apple's most recent financial quarter, the company sold more Macs than it ever has before (see Mac Beat,...

The digital darkroom: plus: backlit LED displays and lessons in arithmetic.(FEEDBACK)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Aperture versus Lightroom I just read with great interest your comparison between Apple's Aperture and Adobe's Lightroom ("The New Digital Darkroom," July 2007). It seems to me that you left out the most important difference between the...

The other advantage.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... Your article on Apple's use of LED backlit displays ("LED-Backlit Displays Coming Soon," Mac Beat, July 2007) missed a key point about this issue: battery life. It's been reported that in some testing, LED displays increased battery life up to...

Safari's incompatibilities.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... One thing Safari needs to get right is compatibility with secure sections of Internet commerce sites. Several times, when trying to make a purchase via the Internet, I've been stonewalled on the last link before checking out, and Safari has...

All the way to 11.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... Somewhere between the time you polled readers about their plans to upgrade to Leopard and the appearance of that poll's results in the July Feedback, the number of respondents grew: according to your pie chart, 125 percent of respondents...

Apple's record sales: earnings show best Mac quarter ever.(BUSINESS)(Financial report)
October 1, 2007... We write a lot these days about all the things Apple makes that aren't the Mac, but the Mac business has never been better than it is right now. For the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2007, Apple had record Mac sales--and continued iPod sales...

Intel breaking European antitrust rules?(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The European Commission has accused Intel of abusing its dominant position in the micro-processor market to exclude its rival Advanced Micro Devices, in breach of European antitrust rules. The Commission sent Intel a Statement of Objections...

Quark lets students keep educational licenses.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Quark announced that students world-wide who acquire their desktop publishing software QuarkXPress under educational licenses can continue to use the software commercially after they've graduated. QuarkXPress is commonly used in graphic design...

Wozniak's words: Apple cofounder talks about Steve Jobs, Apple.(PEOPLE)(Steve Wozniak)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... Steve Wozniak isn't perhaps as well known as his fellow Apple cofounder, Steve Jobs, but "Woz" invented the Apple I in 1976 and, in 1977, the Apple II, which was one of the best-selling PCs of that time. In this interview with Peter Moon, the...

AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix Edition.(CREATIVE NOTES)(IK Multimedia)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery--especially for guitar players. Over the years, many of us have bought equipment similar to that of our heroes, trying to duplicate the tone mastered by players such as Eddie Van Halen and Eric...

Hardware.(PRODUCT WATCH)
October 1, 2007... Wave, from Logitech (www.logitech.com): Keyboard features U-shaped constant curve design, and a cushioned, contoured palm rest along with hot keys (corded version, $50; cordless version with mouse, $90). Data Traveler 100, from Kingston...

FileMaker 9 released: new version focuses on ease of use.(DATABASE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... In July, FileMaker (www.filemaker.com) unveiled the latest version of its popular cross-platform database software, FileMaker 9 -- what the company calls its most dramatic offering in years. As with the FileMaker 8 and 8.5 releases, version 9...

Dialog box.
October 1, 2007... "The iPhone with AT&T is kind of like a 'Hotel California' service. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." Representative Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), during a House subcommittee hearing "The iTunes Store and...

Software.(PRODUCT WATCH)
October 1, 2007... CrossOverMac 6.1, from CodeWeavers (www.codeweavers.com): Windows-compatibility program for Intel-based Macs adds the ability for Microsoft Outlook users to work remotely, using RPC over HTTP ($60). Skype 2.6, from Skype (www.skype.com):...

iPhone causes wireless problems? Duke University mistakenly blames iPhone for network woes.(INTERNET)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The iPhone has been getting a lot of publicity, but not all of it is good. A few weeks after the iPhone's release, Duke University said that the device's Wi-Fi connection was responsible for taking down between a dozen and 30 of the school's...

The iPhone's halo effect.(TECH TRENDS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Marketers like to talk about the halo effect--the positive feelings a buyer may feel about one product because of favorable impressions of other offerings from the same company. A new study from ChangeWave Research shows that the iPhone maybe...

Transparency overkill? New menu-bar effect may be too pretty.(OPERATING SYSTEM)(Apple Leopard)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... When Steve Jobs showed off Leopard at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, one of the new features included in the revised Desktop is a semitransparent menu bar. It's clearly visible in the streaming video of the keynote, and in many of...

Baseball 2.5.(WIDGET OF THE MONTH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... For fans of our national pastime, Andreas Amann's free Baseball widget provides an at-a-glance scoreboard of all the day's games. And if you choose your favorite team in the widget's settings, its games will be easier to find and you'll get a...

Software.(PRODUCT WATCH)
October 1, 2007... ColdFusion 8, from Adobe (www.adobe.com): Internet application-development software adds Server Monitor, to help developers identify code bottlenecks, and the ability to provide data to applications and frameworks that use Ajax (Standard,...

Gears of war is Mac-bound.(GAME BUZZ)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Gears of War, the popular third-person action game, is coming to the Mac along with Unreal Tournament 3. Mark Rein, Epic Games' vice president and cofounder, revealed the news during an interview on Spike TV's Game Head show. Gears of War has...

I want buttons; Why the next iPod shouldn't be like the iPhone.(iPOD)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, he said it was the "best iPod ever." In many ways, he was right--the larger screen and touch-screen content browsing are stellar. On the other hand, the iPhone also has something in common with the worst...

Tiki Magic Mini Golf.(GAME BUZZ)(Freeverse Tiki Magic Mini Golf)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Freeverse has announced the release of Tiki Magic Mini Golf, a new game for OS X and Windows. The $30 3-D action game features three different courses--the tropical paradise of Lono's Lagoon, the Lost Temple, and a volcanic region called Fire...

YummySoup 1.5.(Hot Stuff)(Hungry Seacow YummySoup 1.5)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... As a strict vegetarian, I have some pretty hefty requirements when it comes to recipes, and those extend to the software I use to keep them all together. While there are numerous recipe programs out there, I really like Hungry Seacow Software's...

PXC 450.(Hot Stuff)(Sennheiser PXC 450)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... If you think Bose's well-known noise-canceling headphones are expensive at $349, avert your eyes; Sennheiser's PXC 450 headset costs a whopping $450. But for frequent travelers, the PCX 450 may make up for its high price with features and...

Jawbone Bluetooth headset.(Hot Stuff)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... One of the most useful accessories for the iPhone is a Bluetooth headset. I chose Aliph's $120 Jawbone model because its noise-cancellation features were supposed to be better than those of any other headset on the market. I've tried a lot of...

Simplify Media.(Hot Stuff)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The music-sharing feature in iTunes has always been one of my favorites. Since iTunes limits music sharing to local networks, though, the free Simplify Media software (currently in beta, from the company of the same name) might be your ticket...

Cog.(Hot Stuff)
October 1, 2007... I like listening to music while I work, but most of the time I don't use iTunes. That's because much of my aural enjoyment comes from downloaded lossless concert files--in formats that iTunes can't understand. For years I've been using MacAmp...

Mac, camera, action! Adobe's Production Premium restores Premiere Pro and introduces Soundbooth.(Reviews)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Adobe's Creative Suite 3 Production Premium is unique among the [CS.sub.3] bundles in several respects. It features the return of an old favorite and the introduction of a newcomer--Premiere and Sound-booth, respectively--and it is the only...

Premiere Pro [CS.sub.3]: Adobe's video-editing software returns to the Mac.(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... HOW WE RATE OUTSTANDING: ***** VERY GOOD: **** GOOD: *** FLAWED: ** UNACCEPTABLE: * If you remember Adobe Premiere 6.5 (GOOD 1/2; macworld.com/2963), the first thing that will strike you about Premiere Pro [CS.sub.3] is that it's an...

Soundbooth [CS.sub.3]: audio editor provides essential multimedia tools.(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... Soundbooth [CS.sub.3], Adobe's new Intel-only audio-editing program, was created with videographers in mind. Soundbooth makes it easy for multimedia creatives--including Flash developers and motion graphics artists--to fix common audio...

After Effects [CS.sub.3] Professional: Adobe adds new tools and improves integration with the suite.(REVIEWS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... Adobe has added impressive new animation features and improved functionality to After Effects [CS.sub.3] Professional. New timeline tools, true 3-D animation of individual text characters, and tight integration with Adobe Photoshop [CS.sub.3]...

Desk Doctor 1.3 [DELTA].(SOFTWARE)(Enispine Desk Doctor 1.3.1)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $139; download, $129 COMPANY: Enispine URL: www.einspine.com For some people, working at the computer all day can be a painful experience--literally. Einspine's Desk Doctor 1.3.1 offers to help by keeping you...

iFamily for Tiger 2.2.(SOFTWARE)(KS Wilson iFamily for Tiger 2.2)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $30 COMPANY: KS Wilson & Association URL: www.ifamilyfortiger.com iFamily for Tiger 2.2 is a genealogy program that allows you to gather and organize information about your family in an easy-to-navigate, two-paned...

MindManager7.0 [DELTA].(SOFTWARE)(Mindjet MindManager 7.0.270)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $129; upgrade, $69 COMPANY: Mindjet URL: www.mindjet.com/us MindManager 7.0.270 is a top-notch brainstorming tool. As with many other mind-mapping tools. As with many other mind-mapping tools, you start with a...

Sequel.(SOFTWARE)(Steinberg Sequel 1.0.1)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $100 COMPANY: Steinberg URL: www.sequel-music.net Trying to beat GarageBand as its own game, Sequel 1.0.1 seeks to appeal to both entry-level musicians and pros frustrated by the daunting interfaces found in most...

Wacky Mini Golf [DELTA].(SOFTWARE)(DanLabGames Wacky Mini Golf )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD1/2 PRICE: $25 COMPANY: DanLabGames URL: www.danlabgames.com Although the new Wacky Mini Golf doesn't offer quite as many holes as its predecessor, Islands Mini Golf, it's much more challenging, and throws up a greater...

Drobo.(HARDWARE)(Data Robotics Drobo)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $499 COMPANY: Data Robotics URL: www.drobo.com Drobo is an external USB storage device that accepts up to four SATA drives. It features built-in RAID-like redundancy, that can protect you against drive failure....

NX-PS1 digital music speaker system.(HARDWARE)(JVC NX-PS1)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: GOOD PRICE: $250 COMPANY: JVC URL: www.jvc.com Whereas previous JVC minisystems offered CD players, radios, and even MiniDisc decks, the NX-PS1 has no audio source of its own; it's up to you to provide the music, in the form of an...

Mac Pro 3GHz eight-core.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $3,997 COMPANY: Apple URL:www.apple.com Power-hungry computer users are always looking for tools to speed up time-consuming tasks. Many hotshots go straight for the top-of-the-line models when shopping for a new...

Pixma Pro9500.(HARDWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: $850 COMPANY: Canon URL: www.LlSa.canon.com The new Pixma Pro95oo represents Canon's entry into the higher end of the photo-printer market. It prints on papers up to 13 by 19 inches and offers support for thick media...

Vibe Duo.(HARDWARE)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $101 COMPANY: V-Moda URL: www.v-moda.com The Duo is essentially V-Moda's original Vibe headset with the addition of an in-line microphone. With it, you can make and take calls on your iPhone without having to...

WiDock.(HARDWARE)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $150 COMPANY: Silex Technology URL: www.silexamerica.com At $150, the WiDock--a wireless iPod dock--is not cheap, especially considering its lack of a full-featured remote control; the convenience of a wireless...

Printers.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... LASER PRINTER C6100dn RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $676 COMPANY: Oki Data URL: www.okidata.com The C6100dn, from Oki Data, produces great-looking prints and includes built-in duplexing. It also offers easy network...

Flatbed scanner.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... Perfection V700 Photo RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $415 COMPANY: Espon URL: www.epson.com The Epson Perfection V700 Photo is an excellent midrange scanner for people who need to scan both reflective media and transparencies,...

Digital cameras.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... DIGITAL SLR D40 RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $399 COMPANY: Nikon URL: www.nikonusa.com The Nikon D40 is a great value. This 6.1-megapixel camera comes with every feature you'd desire in a DSLR, such as adjustable ISO,...

MiniDV camcorder.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... PV-GS320 RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $385 COMPANY: Panasonic URL: www.panasonic.com Compared with other 3-CCD MiniDV camcorders, the Panasonic PV-GS320 is a bargain. And it's a good choice for people who want a camcorder...

LCD monitors.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... LARGE DISPLAY LP2465 RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $585 COMPANY: Hewlett-Packard URL: www.hp.com The LP2465 is an affordable and flexible 24-inch desk top LCD with a 16:10 wide-screen aspect ratio that immediately makes...

Dual-layer DVD burner.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... DRX-830UL-T RATING: VERY GOOD1/2 PRICE: $98 COMPANY: Sony URL: www.sony.com The Sony DRX-830 UL-T is an external rewritable drive that's capable of burning multiple formats at very fast speeds. You can't ask for much...

Firewire hard drives.(Top Products)
October 1, 2007... DESKTOP DRIVE G-Drive Q 500GB RATING: OUTSTANDING PRICE $243 COMPANY G-Technology URL: www.g-technology.com The G-Drive Q SATA hard drive has nearly every type of connection you could want, and it operates without a...

SafariSource 1.7.2.(DEVELOPMENT)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: payment requested COMPANY TildeSoft URL: www.tildesoft.com One complaint I hear from Safari users--especially those who do Web development--is that Safari's source view (View: View Source) doesn't provide syntax...

iConiCal 1.2.(PRODUCTIVITY)
October 1, 2007... RATING: GOOD 1/2 PRICE: payment requested COMPANY: BlockSoft URL: www.blocksoft.net Apple introduced iCal back in July 2002. Yet here we are five years later, and iCal's Dock icon still shows the current date only when iCal is actually...

Finder Window Manager 1.9.7.(UTILITY)
October 1, 2007... RATING: VERY GOOD PRICE: $15 COMPANY: Jonathan Nathan URL: www.jonn8.com/fwm In this column, I've covered a number of ways to work with Finder windows, but most have focused on letting you quickly switch to particular windows or easily...

PDF roundup.
October 1, 2007... I've got PDFs scattered all over my hard drive, and it's getting harder to keep them all in order. Ironic Software's Yep 1.6.4 (GOOD1/2; $34; macworld.com/2961) is here to help. Simply put, Yep is a file manager specifically designed for...

The iMac makeover: new desktop model sports a suave aluminum finish and an innovative keyboard.(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... Let's face it--the iMac, Apple's flagship consumer desktop Mac, was long overdue for a face-lift. The thin-display-on-a-solid-foot design first arrived on the scene in August 2004, as the iMac G5, and survived through the January 2006 Intel...

First look: iLife and iWork 'o8.(The iMac Makeover)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... iLife'o8 iPhoto'o8 The bulk of the enhancements in the new iPhoto are about organizing, rather than editing, your photos. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Instead of Rolls (which group photos by import date), your photos are now...

Now playing: watching television on your computer has never been easier.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The phrase watching TV used to mean sitting on the couch in front of a stationary set. But these days, you can watch an episode of Law & Order on your iPod or your computer as easily as you can on the boob tube in the den. [ILLUSTRATION...

Stream programs to your Mac.(NowPlaying)
October 1, 2007... Uh-oh--when your DVR lost power during the season finale of Heroes, you thought you'd have to wait for the DVD release to find out if Sylar blew up New York after all. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But you didn't need to worry; the Internet...

Watch and record live television.(Now Playing)(Elgato Systems EyeTV)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... DVRs, such as the ubiquitous TiVo and even those nameless boxes that many cable companies provide, have changed the way we record and watch TV. While they do a great job of time-shifting your favorite TV programs, DVRs either tether you to your...

Internet-calling FAQ: curious about VoIP? Here's what you need to know.(Secrets)
October 1, 2007... Making calls over the Internet can shrink your home phone and cell phone bills. But voice over IP (VoIP) is more than just thrifty--it mixes traditional calling with new features that simply aren't possible with a plain old telephone. Ready to...

Take a video snapshot.(TRY THIS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Whether it's the second when your child carved the perfect nose on her first jack-o'-lantern or the moment when your spouse took a particularly wild tumble off the mechanical bull, sometimes you want to capture your favorite instants from video...

The iPod study buddy: turn your player into the ultimate learning guide.(Playlist)
October 1, 2007... Walk down the street in most cities--or through any college campus--and you're likely to see more iPods than you can count. But those iPods can do more than just pump up gym-goers as they work out, or enable students to rock out as they walk to...

Five Great Courses.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Wish you had paid more attention when you were in school? Visit the iTunes Store and check out these podcasts of some popular college classes. Astro C10: Introduction to General Astronomy If you're interested in the universe, start with...

Printing on unusual surfaces; From fine-art paper to fabric, there's a world of possibilities.(Digital Photo)
October 1, 2007... Many people assume that when printing photos at home, you have to use paper from the same company that makes your printer. But while there are certain advantages to sticking with the same brand--a printer's driver is fine-tuned for the...

Laptop gems: low-cost software that can really help when you're on the road.(Mobile Mac)(Buyers guide)
October 1, 2007... It's obvious that using a MacBook or a MacBook Pro isn't like using an iMac or a Mac Pro. But the differences go beyond simple issues of portability. You interact with a laptop in different ways (relying more on the keyboard and using a...

Roadside assistants.(wireless networking)
October 1, 2007... When you're on the road, wireless networking can be your lifeline. These three tools make finding and using public and private Wi-Finetworks easier and more productive. Fon Hotspot networks that enable free or inexpensive roaming aren't...

Linux on the Mac: parallels desktop and VMware fusion do more than Windows.(Greek Factor)
October 1, 2007... By now, you know that you can run Windows on an Intel Mac, using either Apple's own Boot Camp or a virtualization program like Parallels Desktop ([VERY GOOD]; macworld.com/2930) or VMware Fusion (www.vmware.com). But those virtualization...

Mac OS X Hints: the insider tips you won't get from apple.(Help Desk)
October 1, 2007... Surf with Your Voice Speech recognition is probably one of the most underused features in Mac OS X. But you can do some fun and practical things with it--for instance, use your voice instead of your hands to open your Apple Safari...

Mac 911: solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.(HELP DESK)
October 1, 2007... Blurry iMovie Stills Q: Even it my pictures are sharp in iPhoto, they lose quality when I add them to an iMovie project and then burn them to disk with iDVD. After a transition, each picture appears fuzzy before snapping into focus. Is...

Tools of the trade.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Awesome Automator Workflows Just about everyone has heard of Automator, the OS X utility designed to automate tiresome tasks. Yet how many of you use it? I though so. To give you a leg up, allow me to devote this month's Tools of the Trade...

Bugs & fixes.
October 1, 2007... Adobe CS3 Security Breach When you install Adobe Version Cue CS3 Server (included as part of Adobe CS3), its installer turns off your Mac's firewall (if it's on) and then adjusts the settings of ports the program will need to function....

The iPod of phones: game-changing, fun to use, stunning: Sound familiar?(SPOTLIGHT)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... It doesn't have every feature in the world, but most of those it has work very well. It's fun to use, its design and interface are stunning, and it integrates seamlessly with content on your computer. And though people may not realize it yet,...