September 2007 News Archive
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Copyright 2007 by Bill Fox All rights reserved.
Last Updated: September 30, 2007
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[9/29] 
Hands-On Report 2--Apple Expo 2007 Paris: Apple means Business (w/Photos)
Note: The following report with photos is the final in a series of two reports (Report 1 is here) provided exclusively to Macs Only! by Thierry Lorthioir of Sparemac. Thierry is attending Apple Expo 2007 in Paris, one of our most favorite cities.
Apple Expo Paris 2007--Show Floor Part 2
Epson introduced a new printer, the D120 (above), targeted for business with claimed speeds of 37ppm for B&W and 20ppm for color.
Also new are the MultiFunction Dx7450 and Dx8450 (above). The 8650 features a 2.5 LCD and prints at 32ppm or a letter size full-bleed photo in 26 sec.
The V500 (above) is Epson's latest consumer scanner with a basic 6400DPI resolution and USB2.
Also new in the business printer line is the Aculaser CX21NF, a heavy duty network printer with details yet to be released.
Hewlett-Packard launched nine new cameras with prices from 79 to 299 Euros--HP Photosmart E337, E427, M447 qui M547, M637, HP Photosmart M737, HP Photosmart Mz67, HP Photosmart R742, HP Photosmart R847 and HP Photosmart R937.
The least expensive has 5 megapixels at about $100 while the top of the line R937 (pictured above) features a large touch screen reminiscent of the iPod touch and a Fuji 3X zoom in an ultra flat footprint. All HP Cameras come with 90 days of phone support.
Also of note are new compact photo printers at very competitive prices starting at $120 like the HP Photosmart A526 (above).
The HP Photosmart A626 (above left) and A826 (above right) come with a touchscreen and a stylus allowing customization of photos on the fly. You can write directly on your photos before printing them. HP claims 200 modes of customization. For the A826, HP Claims "Lab Quality" and a drawer that can accept 100 pages of photo paper. HP emphasize the portability of these printers and offers custom carrying bags.
HP also introduced letter size office photo printers with HP Photosmart D7260 and HP Photosmart D7460 (above). The latter includes both WI-FI and Bluetooth and allows printing from a cell phone.
At the Apple Business Innovation Pavilion a number of new solutions were introduced including 4D v11 SQL featuring over 100 new enhancements and the versatile 8 Sens, a POS application available in French and Spanish but easily adapted to English via a text module.
Aquafadas, known for its iDive digital Media Management software, introduced three new products: the VideoPier, BannerZest and PulpMotion PRO. Watch MacsOnly! for details coming soon.
Atempo, a leading data protection and archiving software company demonstrated the latest version of Time Navigator for Mac OS X.
Balao and Agena offers aquatic photography and outdoor/indoor panoramic photography for creative publishing /advertising all edited on the Mac.
The Swiss company Ewo.SA showed their latest iPod remote solution (above).
eXcinder creates cocoa base multimedia software for pros and consumers in the fields of morphing, special effects and 3D. They demonstrated Morph Age (an application for morphing/warping images and movies on Mac OS X, such as faces, and save the result to a Quick Time movie) and the impressive Magnet to customize your digital movies with a wide variety of effects.
Mark/Space, Inc. showed a demo of their new MissingSync for Symbian and introduced their new MissingSync for iPhone.
Resources SI provides a very popular booking software used widely in Museums, Parks, theater etc. It's currently available in French so we can't wait for an English version.
SmartCom showcased its new mobility and wireless connection solution WellPhone Mac. For all people, like this reporter, who often use their phone as a broadband modem on a roaming network while traveling in a car or a train, keeping up with the different scripts for each phone and network is real difficult, an understatement. For them, Wellphone identifies the phone and its network from the computer via Bluetooth and with Bonjour zero configuration. Wellphone definitely deserves an award for Best of Show.
This gem stores all phone profiles as well as over 200 network configurations. The developer claims worldwide use with a US release coming in early 2008. [Thierry Lorthioir]
[9/28] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released iWeb Update 2.0.2
Apple released iWeb Update 2.0.2 and it is available for download via Software Update or as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to Apple,
This update to iWeb addresses issues with upgrading iWeb 1.x websites, and fixes some common publishing problems, and supports general compatibility issues.
Important Note: To install this update, you also need to install iLife Support 8.1 that we reported on yesterday.
We downloaded and installed the iWeb Update 2.0.2 on a MacBook Pro C2D (LED), an aluminum imac C2D and a white iMac C2D using Software Update. During brief use of iWeb, we encountered no difficulties. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/28] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released iWork '08 Updates
Apple released iWork '08 Updates and they are available for download via Software Update or as stand-alone files from these Apple Web pages:
We downloaded and installed them on a MacBook Pro C2D (LED) and an aluminum iMac C2D using Software Update. During brief use of each application we encountered no difficulties. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/28] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released Firmware Updates
Apple released Firmware Updates for Macs running Intel Core 2 Duo processors. However, the updates are apparently not for the latest aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo nor the latest MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (LED).
If you need the firmware update, it should show up in Software Update. If not, you probably don't need it. But first check the list of Macs on this Apple Web page:
Firmware Restoration CD 1.4 - The Firmware Restoration CD can restore the firmware of an Intel-based Macintosh computer.
If it's listed, then make a restoration CD just in case something goes wrong.
Individual updaters can be downloaded as stand-alone files from these Apple Web pages:
- iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.2 - This update improves the performance and reliability of Intel Core 2 Duo processors and fixes issues with Boot Camp for iMac computers.
- Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.2 - This EFI Firmware Update fixes several fan behavior and Boot Camp issues on Mac Pro computers.
- MacBook EFI Firmware Update 1.1 - This update improves the performance and reliability of Intel Core 2 Duo processors and fixes issues with Boot Camp for MacBook computers.
- MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.4 - This update improves the performance and reliability of Intel Core 2 Duo processors and fixes issues with Boot Camp for MacBook Pro computers.
- Xserve EFI Firmware Update 1.0 - This update is recommended for all Xserve users and improves the performance and reliability of Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors.
We tried them on our aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo and MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (LED) but the update said we did not need this firmware.
We downloaded and installed the firmware update 1.2 on a white iMac C2D via Software Update. During brief use of iMac, we encountered no difficulties. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/28] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple iPhone Software Update 1.1.1, Problems and a Fix
Apple released iPhone Software Update 1.1.1 after warning that iPhones using software or hardware changes not approved by Apple may have difficulties including becoming inoperable. Apple also noted that this issue would not be fixed under warranty. It would be smart to restore your your iPhone's software using v1.0.2 of the iPhone Software in iTunes if you have made any such changes, before you download and install the new version 1.1.1. We had problems and so have others. Fortunately, we found a simple fix to our problem.
iPhone Software Update 1.1.1 is obtained and installed via iTunes with your iPhone in its dock. The Update has many new features, including:
- iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store
- Louder speakerphone and receiver volume
- Home Button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls
- Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space
- Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape
- Stocks and cities in Stocks and Weather can be re-ordered
- Apple Bluetooth headset battery status in the Status Bar
- Support for TV Out
- Preference to turn off EDGE/GPRS when roaming internationally
- New Passcode lock time intervals
- Adjustable alert volume
Apple's online iPhone manual had not been updated for these new features at publication time but there is a video that explains them on this Apple Web page. We point to #2, #7 and #9 as particularly welcome changes.
In addition, iPhone Software Update 1.1.1 provides security fixes. Here are the details:
Bluetooth--CVE-2007-3753--An attacker within Bluetooth range may be able to cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution
Mail--CVE-2007-3754--Checking email over untrusted networks may lead to
information disclosure via a man-in-the-middle attack
Mail--CVE-2007-3755--Following a telephone ("tel:") link in Mail will dial a
phone number without confirmation
Safari--CVE-2007-3756--Visiting a malicious website may lead to the disclosure of URL contents
Safari--CVE-2007-3757--Visiting a malicious website may lead to unintended dialing or dialing a different number than expected
Safari--CVE-2007-3758--Visiting a malicious website may lead to cross-site
scripting
Safari--CVE-2007-3759--Disabling JavaScript does not take effect until Safari is restarted
Safari--CVE-2007-3760--Visiting a malicious website may result in cross-site
scripting
Safari--CVE-2007-3761--Visiting a malicious website may result in cross-site
scripting
Safari--CVE-2007-4671--JavaScript on websites may access or manipulate the contents of documents served over HTTPS
We downloaded and installed iPhone Software Update 1.1.1 on our iPhone without first restoring it with the previous version 1.0.2 despite the warnings from Apple. This proved to be a mistake because we had added custom ringtones via iToner 1.0.2 from Ambrosia Software, at least we think this could have been the source of our problems.
When we checked to see if our iToner-added custom ringtones were still there, they were no longer on the ringtones list. However, our main ringtone and those of our contacts that we had assigned custom ringtones to still listed the custom name. And, indeed the main ringtone that played when we called our iPhone was the custom one.
Then, we noticed that our Apple Bluetooth Headset no longer paired with our iPhone when we turned it on. We deleted it from the paired list but could not pair it again. No matter what we did we could not get it to pair or work. The Bluetooth icon would not light or turn blue and the new headset battery indicator did not show up next to the iPhone battery indicator.
So, we bit the bullet and clicked the Restore button in iTunes and restored iPhone Software Update 1.1.1. Then, we had to reinstall all of our music, videos, contacts and iCal entries. When done, our headset paired and its battery icon appeared when the headset was turned on. Of course, there was no sign of our custom ringtones.
It is possible that we just had a hiccup during installation of the software update and needed to restore anyway. But, we think it could be because we had the custom ringtones installed by iToner 1.0.2. We are going to wait until Ambrosia posts a note or a new version before trying it again.
Our recommendation is that if you have installed anything non-Apple on your iPhone, it may be wise to run Restore before installing iPhone Software Update 1.1.1. [Bill Fox]
[9/27] Hands-On Report 1--Apple Expo 2007 Paris: Apple means Business (w/Photos)
Note: The following report with photos is the first in a series of two reports provided exclusively to Macs Only! by Thierry Lorthioir of Sparemac. Thierry is attending Apple Expo 2007 in Paris, one of our most favorite cities.
No glamorous announcements from Apple at Apple Expo 2007 in Paris but a well-structured show greeted Mac fans who came early and lined up in front of the exhibition hall. Nearly half of the floor is taken up by Apple with distinct sections that include: Music , Education, Games, Graphics, Developers and Business.
At the center of the show is a large demo theater lined on each side with counters showcasing Apple products. Another theater is near the developer/business area and a third is in the education section. While past shows often favored only certain areas, the message is clear this time that regardless our your area of interest there is an Apple solution.
The developer and business areas exemplify this best as you will find solutions for independent medical practices, full-fledged clinics, dentists, X-ray techs, booking agents and hotels. A record amount of business management software including client management and point of sale applications are being displayed.
Bose introduced a new set of computer speakers with built in volume adjustment and impressive sound.
Bose also showed a new speaker dock station with lithium ion battery and a base that rotates out of sight when not in use. It's available in black or white.
Three car manufacturers participated. Audi was most visible with its famous R8 in the VIP lounge, the A5 coupe and the new A3 4 door sportback. Along with the iPod Ready feature came some Audi branded iPod accessories such as this soft leather case.
Microsoft provided an exact date for its release of Office for Mac 2008--January 15, 2008, as we noted previously in detail on Tuesday.
Wacom showcased its Bamboo line of tablets starting at 49 Euros and a new extra-large Intuos 3 Special Edition to celebrate its 25th year.
Ovolab released Geophoto, software that associates photos with their geographical locations and an updated version of their phone management software (Phlink v.3.4) which "provides better integration with iChat, by adding a buddy availability column to the call log, and improves voicemail retrieval over the phone."
Miglia introduced 2 new TV tuner/decoders and their own software which allows a lower price point. TVMini Express DV3 (HD for US) provides a simple solution to get digital TV on your Mac via a USB port and now starts at 79 euros.
elgato showed EyeTV Diversity, a USB tuner supporting two input sources at the the the same time, one digital (TNT or HD) and one analog.
Griffin introduced " iTrip Auto with SmartScan" an iPod FM transmitter that automatically finds the best three FM channels on your radio. The Nashville outfit also showcased its complete line of products including new iPhone cases and accessories.
Belkin presented new iPod "Powerdocks," iPhones cases; a mouse that can be hand-washed under tap water; TuneStudio (above), a personal Four-channel digital mixer for iPod;
and three new USB Hubs including the Flex Hub (2-way flex connector; rotates 180 degrees), Clip-On Hub (Grips to the edge of a surface or a bundle of cables), 2-in-1 Hub (above) with four ports that detach from the base to act as a travel hub while the 3-port base/tray stays on your desk.
Belkin also introduced a number of new cases for the new line of iPods. Among them we note the Sport armband for iPod nano and the Remix acrylic case for iPod touch. Also on display are a new series of sleeves and bags for the full range of portable Macs as well as a mouse sleeve "the Mouse Trap." Of note is a new set of laptop cushions, Belkin CushTop and PocketTop, that make it more comfortable to use your laptop anywhere in your home" .
New SQL-based communication software for small/medium business, BillJobs, emphasizes stability and versatility. Supporting both Windows and Mac, currently only in French with the possible release of an English version in 2008.
Seefile from Boston picked Apple Expo Paris to introduce is media software that can transform any Mac into a media server.
Also of note is a new version of EasyDraw. This versatile OS X drawing tool also imports and edit Claris Draw, Mac Draw II and Mac Draw Pro drawing files.
Back to hardware, Iomega announced a new line of Mac hard drives as we previously noted in detail on Tuesday.
Stay tuned for our final report directly from Apple Expo 2007 in Paris. [Thierry Lorthioir]
[9/27] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple iLife '08 Updates
Apple released five updates for its iLife '08 applications. They are available via Software Update if one has iLife '08 installed. They are also available as stand-alone updaters from the Apple Web pages linked below. If one uses the stand-alone updaters, iLife Support 8.1 should be installed first as noted by Apple in the following note that accompanies the individual application updates:
Note
In order to install this update you will need to download the iLife Support 8.1 update first. The iLife update supports system software components used by all iLife application(sic), improves overall stability, addresses a number of other minor issues and supports general compatibility issues.
Here are the stand-alone updates:
iLife Support 8.1--This update supports system software components shared by all iLife ’08 applications, improves overall stability, addresses a number of other minor issues, and supports general compatibility issues. It is recommended for all users of iLife ’08.
GarageBand Update 4.1--This update addresses isolated graphic display issues, compatibility with 3rd party audio software, fixes minor problems with Magic GarageBand, and supports general compatibility issues.
iDVD Update 7.0.1--This update improves overall stability, supports general compatibility issues, and addresses a number of other minor issues.
iMovie Update 7.1--This update addresses several areas including video and audio editing capabilities, and performance associated with opening and switching iMovie Events and Projects. This update also supports general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.
iMovie 7.1 features include:
- Multiple Clip Selection--Select multiple clips in order to assign keywords, paste adjustments or reorganize clips in your project faster than ever.
- Fine Tuning--Quickly refine the start or end frame for any clip without leaving the Project view.
- Still Frame Creation--Freeze the action for creating a dramatic ending or applying the "Ken Burns" effect on any frame of your video clip.
- Frame-by-Frame trimming--Adjust each clip to the perfect start or end frame using frame-by-frame precision trimming.
- Audio Ducking level control--Dip music tracks and background tracks to the perfect level as voice over or other audio comes in and out of your movie.
- Manual Audio Fades--Make smoother sounding audio transitions by manually adjusting the fade duration.
- Performance Improvements--Enjoy you video more quickly by switching between any of your Events.
- Set Duration for Transitions and Stills--Change the duration of photos or length of your transitions without accessing Preferences.
- Show Current Playhead Time--Get duration or timing information at a glance as you skim through your Events or movie.
iPhoto Update 7.1--This update addresses issues encountered when moving photos between Events, plus new greeting card themes, including holiday card designs. It also supports general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.
We downloaded and installed all five updates via Software Update on several Macs, including a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (LED), aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo and white iMac Core 2 Duo. No problems were encountered during installation no with brief use of each updated application. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/26] Adobe sets Approximate Delivery Date for Next Mac Version of Photoshop Elements
Earlier this week, Adobe released Photoshop Elements 6.0 (and Premiere Elements 4.0) for Windows while the Mac version of Photoshop Elements languishes at 4.0, a version that must run in Rosetta emulation on Intel-based Macs. Photoshop Elements is Adobe's consumer version of Photoshop for digital image editing. We have been anticipating the next Mac version of Photoshop Elements because it is our primary image editing tool and we would like to run it natively on our MacBook Pro.
Enclosed with Adobe's announcement was a note about the next Mac version,
"...we just issued press releases about our consumer digital imaging and digital video products. These are updates to our Windows versions of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements. Currently, our Photoshop Elements Windows and Mac versions are on different product development tracks. Photoshop Elements for the Mac customers continue to be very important to us and we want to bring them the best solutions possible for their platform. A Mac version of Photoshop Elements is expected in early 2008."
So the good news is that there will be a new Mac version and it will arrive early in 2008. [Bill Fox]
[9/26] Apple films Documentary on Technology in Education
Apple has chosen four schools across the nation to be the subjects in a film documentary on technology in education. Last week, Apple filmed at Skowhegan Area Middle School (right) in Skowhegan, Maine, the home town of the late Sen. Margaret Chase Smith.
Since the teachers at Skowhegan Area Middle School have long been at the forefront of integrating technology in the classroom and the State of Maine has chosen Apple iBooks and MacBooks as the hardware for the now famous Maine Learning Technology Initiative, it is only fitting that Apple chose that school to be one of four for the documentary project.
Apple's film crew toured the school. Then, they filmed two teachers and two students while they worked at school, at home, and at different places in the community.
According to Macs Only!'s sources,
"The Skowhegan Area Middle School has a long tradition of involving students in community-based history projects. In recent years they have worked in partnership with the Maine Historical Society and their local historical society as students learned more about local history and they've created web pages and movies to share what they've learned. This year they are entering a new phase of their work which will involve the Skowhegan Area High School."
Through the Department of Education's Maine Learning Technology Initiative, the state bought over 30,000 iBooks for all of the state's seventh and eighth graders and their teachers plus support and AirPort networking from Apple as first reported on Macs Only! four years ago. This year the initiative was extended to all teachers and administrators in the state's high schools, again as first reported by Macs Only! [Dana Baggett & Bill Fox--Image courtesy of MLTI]
[9/26] NVIDIA's New Outstanding Motherboard GPU Coming to Macs?
We certainly hope so since NVIDIA has just extended its family of GeForce 7-Series motherboard graphics processing units (mGPUs) to Intel processor-based computers. Perhaps, the NVIDIA mGPUs will find their way into upcoming updates to the MacBook and Mac mini that are saddled with Intel's rather pedestrian GMA 950 integrated graphics.
"Integrated graphics are no longer 'good enough' for mainstream applications," said Drew Henry, general manager of MCP business at NVIDIA. "We are ecstatic that our customers will now be able to harness the power of NVIDIA graphics and application compatibility and have an exceptional [computing] experience no matter what their price budget or intended application usage is."
According to NVIDIA, the GeForce 7150 mGPU delivers the performance of an entry-level discrete GPU and leading graphics compatibility when compared against traditional integrated graphics solutions. The GeForce 7150, 7100, and 7050 mGPUs are designed to support a full range of Intel CPUs (Core 2 Duo and upcoming 45nm Intel "Penryn") processors and other new features, such as 1333MHz frontside bus technology. The GeForce 7-Series mGPUs also support optional HDMI or DVI digital output capability to enable the playback of protected digital content directly to high-definition televisions and other displays.
"The use of powerful graphics is not limited to just games anymore. Many of today's most popular business and consumer applications, including Adobe Acrobat...and Apple iTunes are optimized for the power of a modern GPU," said Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research.
A video on the NVIDIA GeForce 7 Series mGPU versus "the competition" (read Intel Integrated Graphics) running Adobe Reader 8, Google Earth, Call of Duty 2 and Sims 2 is available on this NVIDIA Web page (free Flip4Mac WMV Player for QuickTime needed). NVIDIA's GeForce 7 Series mGPU looks outstanding! [Bill Fox]
[9/25] Apple Expo 2007 Paris--Iomega introduced New Mac Hard Drives (Photos)
Iomega is making a big play for Mac users with its dramatically expanded line of external storage products for the Mac community that was unveiled today at the annual Apple Expo trade show in Paris.
Those who visit the Iomega booth at Apple Expo 2007 in Paris from today through Saturday will see demonstrations of Iomega's new and existing single- and dual-drive products for Mac users in capacities of up to 1.5TB. With Mac-friendly features like the HFS+ file system, elegant designs, and an array of leading-edge interfaces to choose from, the new Iomega UltraMax and UltraMax Pro Desktop Hard Drive models represent Iomega's biggest advance to date in external storage for the Mac user.
"Our new lineup of external storage products on display at Apple Expo strike just the right balance between ease-of-use and functionality and attractive Mac-friendly designs that look great on the desktop," said Romain Cholat, vice president of international sales for Iomega Corporation.
The new hard drive line includes:
- the dual-drive RAID 1.5TB UltraMax Pro with four ports in a triple interface (2-FW800, 1-FW400, 1-USB2) for $599.95--now;
- the dual-drive RAID 1.5TB UltraMax Pro with a dual interface (eSATA and USB2) for for $599.95--now;
- the single-drive UltraMax with five ports in a quad interface (1-eSATA, 2-FW800, 1-FW400, 1-USB2) and two sizes of 750GB for $319.95 and 500GB for $219.95--both October;
- the single-drive 500GB UltraMax with a dual interface (1-FW400, 1-USB2) for $189.95--October;
- the 750GB MiniMax with six ports in two interfaces (3-FW400, 3-USB2) and the 500GB MiniMax with three ports and a single interface (3-USB2) for $179.95--now;
- the eGo portable with a dual interface (FW400, USB2) in 160GB ($159.95--now) and 250GB capacities--Late Q4; and
- the eGo portable with USB2 interface and 250GB capacity for $259.95--now.
Iomega's drives come with cables for each interface.
Some of the drives are available today while others will be available in October. One drive, the dual interface 250GB eGo portable, will be available late in the fourth quarter of 2007. [Bill Fox]
[9/25] Apple Expo 2007 Paris--Microsoft revealed Office 2008 for Mac Details
Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) today announced its product lineup for the upcoming Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac release at Apple Expo 2007 in Paris. Office 2008 for Mac, is the core suite that includes Word 2008, Excel 2008, PowerPoint 2008 and Entourage 2008. A new combination for Mac users is Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition which features the Office 2008 applications together with the Microsoft Expression Media digital asset management system. Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition is geared toward professional users who need Microsoft Exchange Server support and Automator tools and are looking for one product to meet their productivity and digital asset management needs. Completing the product lineup is Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition, a specially priced version for users with basic productivity needs.
All versions of Office 2008 for Mac support the new Open XML file format and are Universal applications that will perform natively on Power PC- and Intel-based Macs. Each version will be available in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Swedish, and, for the first time, in the Nordic languages (Danish, Finnish and Norwegian).
As showcased at Macworld Expo 2007, Office 2008 for Mac is designed to help users get more from their Macs by making key functions accessible through a more intuitive design and by introducing smart features such as Ledger Sheets in Excel 2008, My Day with Entourage 2008, Publishing Layout View in Word 2008 and SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint 2008 that are simple to use and yield powerful results. Entourage 2008 also features improved Windows Exchange Server support, with enhanced reliability and functionality.
The Mac BU will offer two versions in addition to Office 2008 for Mac that meet distinct user needs:
- Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition features the complete Office 2008 for Mac productivity suite specially packaged with a full version of Microsoft Expression Media for Mac to empower the media-savvy Mac user with smart digital asset management tools. Expression Media is a powerful and customizable image management software application for importing, annotating, organizing, archiving, searching and distributing users' ever growing collections of digital files.
- Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition provides the basics of Office 2008 for Mac for home and school users. This version includes three user licenses for use by consumers and students but does not include connectivity to Microsoft Exchange Server or support for automated workflows.
Pricing will be as follows:
- Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, $399.95 for the full retail version; $239.95 for the upgrade version
- Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition, $149.95 for the full retail version
- Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition, $499.95 for the full retail version; $299.95 for the upgrade version
Today also marks the start of the technology guarantee program that allows customers in select regions who purchase qualifying Office 2004 for Mac product(s) to upgrade to a version of Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac for only the cost of shipping, handling and applicable taxes. More information about the program specifics in various regions is available at local Office for Mac Web sites.
Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac will be available in the United States beginning Jan. 15, 2008, with global general availability in the first quarter of 2008. [Bill Fox]
[9/25] Brief Hands-On Report--MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0 plus Additional Instructions
Apple released the MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0 and it is available via Software Update or as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to the Read Me file,
This update enables file system journaling on MacBook and MacBook Pro notebook computers. Some MacBook and MacBook Pro systems were shipped with file system journaling turned off. Journaling is recommended on all Mac computers as a preventative measure against file corruption.
The MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0 supports the following products:
- MacBook (13-inch Mid 2007)
- MacBook Pro (2.4/2.2GHz Mid 2007)
and requires Mac OS X 10.4.10. Apple's note requires one to follow explicitly these steps following installation of the update:
- Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer then restart the computer while holding the "C" key.
- When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (You must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
- Click the First Aid tab.
- Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
- Select your internal hard disk drive volume. This is usually Macintosh HD but your internal hard disk drive may have a different name.
- Click Repair.
We downloaded the update via Software Update and installed it on our 15" 2.4GHz MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (LED). Then we followed Apple's directions with some modifications:
- Step 2. Disk Utility is found under the "Utilities" menu.
- Step 3. We had to choose our internal startup hard disk volume (Step 5) before the "First Aid" tab appeared.
- Step 4. There was no triangle.
- Step 5. This had to be performed before Step 3.
After we performed the the repair, our disk was fine and needed no repairs. Perhaps, this was because we repair our hard drives routinely. Then we performed the following steps:
- Step 7. (New) Quit Disk Utility.
- Step 8. (New) Choose "Startup Disk" under the Utilities menu, check to see that the internal hard drive is selected and click the Restart button.
After several hours use, no issues cropped up. [Bill Fox]
[9/24] Apple Expo 2007 begins Tomorrow in Paris--Watch for our Reports
Thierry Lorthioir of Sparemac will be attending Apple Expo 2007 in Paris this week and reporting for Macs Only! So, stay tuned for Macs Only! exclusive reports later this week after Thierry has had a good chance to see most things at least once. [Bill Fox]
[9/24] Macworld 2008 Registration Opened with Special Deals
Macworld is the coolest technology conference, of course, because it features all things Mac, not just from Apple but also from 100's of vendors of third party products for Apple's products. Macworld 2008 will happen January 14-18 in San Francisco's Moscone Center. Learn from some of the most successful leaders in the industry and discover what's possible with the latest technology and tools. Registration is now open with special deals.
Conference Registration Special Offer--Register by December 14, 2007 with Priority Code: 08-E-VF01 to take advantage of the following special savings:
- Platinum Pass, a $4,227 value, for only $1,1695 - Now includes full access to Macworld Encore to download all sessions at home after the event
- Early Bird Pricing on all Conference Programs, a savings of $100
- Access to the Conference Attendee Networking Lounge
Exhibits Only Special Offers--Register by October 5, 2007 to take advantage of these exclusive savings with Priority Code: 08-E-VF01!
NEW! Exhibit Only Enhanced Pass for $20 (a $60 value). For just $20, you can upgrade your Exhibit Hall pass to an Enhanced Exhibit Hall Pass, which gives you exclusive access to the following benefits:
- Attendee lounge featuring complimentary wireless access
- Limited edition Macworld t-shirt
- 10% off at the Macworld Store onsite
- Meet and greet opportunities with featured speakers
Limited Offer: FREE Exhibit Hall Pass--Register for the Exhibit Hall pass by Friday, October 5th and it's FREE (a $45 value)! Don't miss out on your chance to test drive the latest products and services from the most innovative companies in the business! When registering, be sure to enter Priority Code: 08-E-VF01 to take advantage of this limited time offer.
To receive the complimentary Exhibit Only or discounted Exhibit Only Enhanced registration, you must have attended Macworld Conference & Expo within the past 3 years, and register for your Exhibit Hall Pass before October 5, 2007 to attend the upcoming January event. [Bill Fox]
[9/24] TransIntl shipping New Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1.0TB SATA Hard Drive
Trans International is now shipping the newly-released 1.0 TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 SATA drive for $399.00.
The Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 hard drive is a perfect combination of value and performance and the only second-generation perpendicular recording technology in the industry, the Barracuda 7200.11 drive offers the ideal balance of world-class technology and value, providing customers with an optimal overall solution. The capacity, reliability and performance of this drive, along with its 5-year limited warranty, ensure the longevity of digital content for years to come. [Bill Fox]
[9/24] WAPi September Meeting this Saturday--Sandvox and Dreamweaver Demos
Washington Apple Pi (WAPi), the metro Washington DC AMUG, will hold its September General Meeting on Saturday, September 29th beginning at 9:30 a.m.
This month's meeting is going to pick up where the July meeting ended. As you may recall, a capacity crowd was introduced to Web basics and how to publish to the Web using iWeb and Easy iWeb Publisher applications. We want to show you more!
Dick Rucker is going to demonstrate another Web publishing application called Sandvox. He swears by it and will show you why. Another Pi member, Mindy Nash, will lead a short presentation on the Mother-Of-All Web design apps, Dreamweaver. Prepared to be Wowed!
The full agenda will go something like this:
09:30 - 10:00 Questions & Answers - Lawrence Charters
10:00 - 10:20 Welcome, By-Laws vote – the Prez
10:20 - 11:00 Sandvox - Dick Rucker
11:00 - 11:20 Coffee Break with unConferences
11:20 - 12:00 Dreamweaver - Mindy Nash
12:00 - End Club items, Special Announcement (??) and Pi Dollars Raffle (3 prizes)
Meeting After the Meeting - lunch at Chevy's. [Bill Fox]
[9/24] WeSquare launched Internet-based Time Management Tool
WeSquare recently launched its online application for firms and individuals selling their expertise based on time. According to WeSquare, their service gives America's more than 25 million small businesses a secure, cost-effective and easy to use tool to facilitate delivering services and billing clients.
WeSquare's timer monitors the period during which a service is provided, calculates the fees, and automatically bills through PayPal. The service provider and client maintain equal control of the transaction, having agreed to terms and fees before starting the service. WeSquare works with services that are delivered by telephone or using instant message systems such as GoogleTalk, AIM, or Skype. The client or seller can stop the transaction at any time during the session, with no penalties.
"WeSquare is designed for companies and individuals selling services such as translation, tutoring, legal advice or even fortune telling," said WeSquare founder and CEO Kin-Tai Chan. "As the software is Web-based, anyone with a computer can utilize WeSquare’s services."
WeSquare has numerous advantages for buyers and sellers of timed services, including instant refunds and commission that is a one-time fee of 10 percent, with no Value Added Tax or additional charges. WeSquare requires no downloads, installations or software upgrades and works on Macs and PCs.
WeSquare is entirely secure; PayPal manages and facilitates all billing. WeSquare does not maintain any customer financial data to ensure user safety and data security. [Bill Fox]
[9/21] Brief Hands-On Report--iToner 1.0.2 is Out
Ambrosia Software released iToner 1.0.2. It is available for download and installation within the application ("Check for Updates" under the iToner menu) or as a stand-alone file from this Ambrosia Web page. According to the Read Me file, the changes to iToner 1.0.2 are:
-- More robust iTunes 7.4.x support
-- Fixes an issue where iTunes ringtones might not properly sync
-- Improved handling of playlists, again
-- GUI improvements
-- Other bug fixes and enhancements
iToner adds your custom ringtones to the iPhone very simply. We favorably reviewed iToner on September 4.
We updated iToner 1.0.1 to 1.0.2 within the application with no issues. We've had no problems with iToner 1.0.1 and none so far with v1.0.2. [Bill Fox]
[9/21] 1,000 Free PocketDock FW iPod Adapters from SendStation
SendStation Systems is giving away 1,000 of its PocketDock FW iPod adapters, which allow you to charge the iPod or iPhone using any standard 6-pin FireWire cable. Offer available while supplies last or until October 1, 2007, limited to one PocketDock per person.
SendStation Systems is also offering its PocketDock AV for a limited time 33% off, that's $24.75, compared to the regular USD 36.95. The ultra-compact, thumb-sized iPod adapter provides connections for USB, line out audio, as well a both composite and S-Video, allowing you to sync & charge, attach your iPod to your home stereo and output iPod videos in supreme quality on TVs or projectors. [Bill Fox]
[9/20] The :-) Emoticon turned 25 Yesterday
Professor Scott E. Fahlman of Carnegie Mellon University is credited with the invention of text-based emoticons some 25 years ago when the Internet was in its infancy. The first was the :-) smiley face emoticon to signal sarcasm or cynicism in a comment in order to prevent an inappropriate direct response, usually an off-base diatribe instead of amore appropriate ROFL or a more recent LMAO. More... [Dana Baggett]
[9/20] T-Mobile is Apple's iPhone Service Partner in Germany starting November 9
Apple's iPhone will also debut November 9 in Germany as well as in the UK. The 8GB iPhone will sell for $558 when converted from 399 euros, slightly more than the $537 converted from 269 UK pounds sterling.
Like O2 via Cloud in the UK, T-Mobile will provide free Wi-Fi access to iPhone owners at its 8600 hot spots in Germany. T-Mobile has 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots world wide, including U.S. locations. We use T-Mobile at airports that do not provide free Wi-Fi access and most we visit don't.
T-Mobile will be the only German cell phone network to have EDGE throughout its GSM network. T-Mobile claims its EDGE network has a transfer rate of 220 Kbps, roughly 4X ISDN. Remember ISDN? It was the expensive and faster alternative to dial-up used by businesses before cable and DSL networks were available. No monthly service plan rates were posted with Apple's press release.
Apple's French partner may be divulged today. [Bill Fox]
[9/19] It's O2 Yes and 3G No for UK iPhone due out November 9
Apple announced that the UK subsidiary of Telefonica, O2, will provide service for Apple's iPhone in the UK and the iPhone will be available November 9. O2 claims to be the leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK.
The first European iPhone will be identical to the current U.S. 8GB version, ending speculation that it would be a "more advanced model" and work with faster, broadband cell phone networks labeled 3G. The UK iPhone will work with 2G EDGE technology supplied by O2 and Wi-Fi just like the U.S. model. It will sell for about $536 at yesterday's exchange rate, with most of the difference from the U.S. model ($137) being due to Britain's VAT (value added tax).
Activating the iPhone will be very similar, if not identical, to the U.S. process.
O2's service will differ significantly from AT&T's in that it will include unlimited Wi-Fi at 7,500 Cloud hotspots but otherwise it's very similar covering 200-1200 minutes, 200-500 text messages and unlimited data with visual voicemail. O2's monthly rates of $70 (200 min), $90 (600 min) and $110 (1200 min), are similar to the U.S. rates that do not include Wi-Fi but include more calling minutes.
We'd gladly give up 250 minutes for free Wi-Fi at, say, Starbucks. [Bill Fox]
[9/19] Brief Hands-On Report--Mozilla released Firefox 2.0.0.7
Mozilla updated their Firefox Web browser to v2.0.0.7. It's available within Firefox via "Check for Updates..." under the Help menu or as a stand-alone file from this Mozilla Web page.
Firefox 2.0.0.7 is just a security update that fixes this issue:
MFSA 2007-28 Code execution via QuickTime Media-link files
We downloaded and installed v2.0.0.7 using "Check for Updates...", the quickest and easiest way to update Firefox. We used Firefox 2.0.0.7 for several hours without encountering a problem. [Bill Fox]
[9/19] Apple Stores get Exclusive Ultra-Compact Laser Printers from Samsung
Samsung announced that its ultra-compact monochrome laser printer, the ML-1630, and multifunction printer, the SCX-4500, will be available exclusively at Apple Retail Stores nationwide and at the Apple Store online.
These two new printers are for consumers who value both style and functionality. The devices--which are two-thirds the size of traditional laser printers--feature high-glossy and seamless exteriors that create a truly ultra-minimalist design. The ML-1630 and the SCX-4500 include button-less touch-sensor panels that reduce the user interface. Plus audible alerts and blue LED scan-process indicators ensure that the devices are extremely user-friendly.
The Samsung ML-1630 and the SCX-4500 will be sold exclusively at Apple Retail Stores until they are widely released in January 2008. The MSRP is $299 for the SCX-4500 and $199 for the ML-1630. [Bill Fox]
[9/19] Alaska Airlines to test Satellite Wi-Fi Next Year
According to AP, Alaska Airlines announced that it will be the first U.S. airline to test satellite-based Wi-Fi on one flight this coming spring. If it works, the service may be added to all of its flights. The Wi-Fi service will be available for notebooks as well as smartphones.
Alaska Airlines will test Row 44 Inc.'s technology and no pricing was released. [Dana Baggett]
[9/19] Mozilla to spin off Thunderbird Email Client as Separate Company
According to Mitchell Baker's blog, an entry posted Monday stated that Mozilla will create a separate company funded with $3 million to pursue the development of Mozilla's stand-alone email client called Thunderbird.
"...Mozilla is launching a new effort to improve email and internet communications. We will increase our investment and focus on our current email client -- Thunderbird -- and on innovations in the email and communications areas. We are doing so by creating a new organization with this as its sole focus and committing resources to this organization. The new organization doesn't have a name yet, so I'll call it MailCo here. MailCo will be part of the Mozilla Foundation and will serve the public benefit mission of the Mozilla Foundation. (Technically, it will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation, just like the Mozilla Corporation.)"
Baker's blog also posted four goal for the new company:
- Take care of Thunderbird users
- Move Thunderbird forward to provide better, deeper email solutions
- Create a better user experience for a range of Internet communications -- how does / should email work with IM, RSS, VoIP, SMS, site-specific email, etc?
- Spark the types of community involvement and innovation that we've seen around web "browsing" and Firefox.
Baker is CEO of Mozilla.
We use Thunderbird as our general backup for Apple Mail and for one email account that uses a proprietary custom security certificate that Apple Mail does not work with. We like Thunderbird as an alternative to Apple Mail. [Bill Fox]
[9/19] GhostReader 1.1.1 is ready for Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard"
ConvenienceWare/AssistiveWare announced the release of GhostReader 1.1.1 text-to-speech software for Mac OS X. GhostReader 1.1.1 is Leopard-ready, now creates true bookmarkable audiobook files from text, offers better PDF import and enhanced performance on large documents. Through a partnership with Application Systems Heidelberg, a boxed version of GhostReader will be introduced next week at the Apple Expo in Paris and will be available shortly throughout Europe in Apple Stores and other retail channels.
GhostReader is a Universal Binary, multilingual speech solution for Mac OS X that allows users to listen to their Word, PDF, RTF and text documents with naturally sounding voices in a language of choice. It also allows users to create their own personal podcasts or audiobooks by exporting to iPhone and iPod-ready iTunes tracks. Or, users can just use GhostReader to speak selected text in a handy reader window with play, fast forward, rewind, skip sentence/paragraph and re-listen to sentence/paragraph functionality. In some applications, such as Safari, GhostReader enables users to listen to text by just pointing the cursor at the text. Sit back and relax while GhostReader reads for you!
GhostReader 1.1.1 new and improved features:
- Now creates a true, bookmarkable audiobook file when exporting to iTunes 7 AAC format, ready to load onto an iPhone or iPod
- Now Leopard-ready
- Improved PDF import with smart-stripping of end-of-line hyphens
- Improved performance when speaking long texts
- Various other improvements and fixes
Pricing for GhostReader starts at 39.95 Euro/USD excluding VAT for a single-user monolingual version. [Bill Fox]
[9/18] Hands-On Report--Apple released iTunes 7.4.2
Apple released iTunes 7.4.2 and
it is available for download via Software Update or as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to the Read Me file,
iTunes 7.4.2 addresses an issue with creating ringtones using iTunes Plus song purchases and includes bug fixes to improve stability and performance.
We downloaded and installed iTunes 7.4.2 via Software Update on a number of Macs: aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo, white iMac Core 2 Duo, MacBook Pro (LED), Power Mac G4 and PowerBook G4. No problems were encountered. Then, we sync'd our iPhone with a problem. Thankfully, our custom ringtones installed by iToner were not erased.
Finally, we briefly used iTunes to play some of our music, download some podcasts and check out music on the iTunes Store, all without encountering any issues. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/17] Hands-On Review--Morpheus Photo Animation Suite for Mac
If you like to have fun with your digital photos, the new Morpheus Photo Animation Suite for the Mac may be just your cup of tea. Morpheus Photo Animation Suite, now in V3.0.1, was released last month and is a universal binary so it runs natively on Intel-based and PowerPC-based Macs. It was created by Morpheus Software and is distributed by SmithMicro Software.
The suite comes with three fun applications: Photo Morpher, Photo Warper and Photo Mixer. The three applications are merged as one in the Suite edition of this popular set of programs and one simply switches among them without having to open separate applications. Included are 15 sample morphs, warps and mixes.
Photo Morpher uses two photos. It starts with one photo and with animation morphs into the second one. We primarily used this application to check out how easy Morpheus Photo Animation Suite for the Mac is to set up and use.
Photo Warper uses one photo. It starts with the original photo and with animation morphs into a distorted version of the original that you have created. With this, one can easily make a person in a photo look slimmer or distorted in any way that you choose.
Photo Mixer is a compositing application. Using two photos, one can mix up or blend parts of the two photos into one composite photo.
Morpheus Photo Animation Studio allows one to email the result to someone or post it to the Morpheus Web site just by selecting from the Share menu. One can also save the result using Render Timeline under the File menu as an animated gif, Flash SWF, QuickTime movie or uncompressed .avi file for morphs or warps or as a .jpg, .png, .tiff or .bmp file for mixes. There are other file formats as well.
Use
Morpheus Photo Animation Suite comes on a CD as a .pkg file. Just double-click on it and the standard Mac OS X installer opens to install Morpheus Photo Animation Suite in your Applications folder. Our copy installed without a hitch.
We launched the application and entered the software key located on the back of the CD jacket. We were presented with the Morpheus Photo Animation Suite wizard that asked us what we wanted to do so we selected create a new morph. Then a window popped up where we select the starting and ending digital image or photo. One slight knock is that one can not simply drag and drop the images, one has to use the picture button and navigate to the images on your hard drive.
After the two images were loaded, Morpheus Photo Animation Suite opens the user interface, displaying large images of the start and finish images side-by-side, a Preview window and a Wizard window listing the three simple steps with instructions to create the morph: Place Dots, Adjust Dots and Viewing Your Morph. We discovered that you really can't go wrong and once you get the hang of it, you can turn the wizard off.
First, you simply place dots on the starting image by choosing the Place Dots tool and clicking on places in the starting image. Dots are placed on and around the main features of the starting image and corresponding dots show up on the ending image. The more dots you place, the smoother will be the morph.
Second, you adjust the dots on the ending image by selecting the Move Dots tool so that they correspond to its main features. One can also zoom in/out and pan to place the dots precisely.
Third, you view the morph by clicking on the play button (green triangle) in the Preview window or by selecting Play in the Preview menu. You can go back an add more dots or adjust them as needed until you have a cool-looking and smooth morph.
We found Morpheus Animation Suite to be very easy to use and made a couple of quick morphs, saving one as an animated .gif (pirate flag to Macs Only!'s original logo) and another as a QuickTime movie (aluminum iMac to Macs Only!'s original logo) displayed below.
Don't take our quick attempts as examples of how good one can do with Morpheus Photo Animation Suite. Morpheus has many terrific examples on their Web site. We just wanted to determine how easy it is to make a morph using the application and, indeed, it is very simple.
As you get better at making morphs, warps and mixes, Morpheus Photo Animation Suite has options that give you much greater control over the animation for tweaks beyond the default values. We used the options to slow down the morphs above and the include a slight start and finish delay in the QuickTime movie example.
In Summary
Morpheus Photo Animation Suite is much easier to use than we had expected. It is really so simple to use that anyone should be able to have loads of fun with their digital images and photos. Morpheus Photo Animation Suite, while amazingly simple, is also quite powerful with a number of options for advanced users and professionals alike. It is also inexpensive at an SRP of $59.95 from Morpheus Software but SmithMicro is currently offering a $20 discount to $39.99. [Bill Fox]
[9/17] iMac Software Update 1.1--How Fast Is It?
On Friday, we noted that Apple had released iMac Software Update 1.1 for the new aluminum iMacs and that it contained new ATI Radeon X2000 graphics drivers. One of the things we noted in our review of the 24" 2.8GHz aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo, was that its OpenGL graphics performance, especially using the game Doom3, was not on par with its predecessor 24" 2.33GHz white iMac Core 2 Duo with CTO Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT graphics.
We speculated that the Open GL 3D game performance issue might be due to immature graphics drivers for the new iMac's ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO graphics. So, we re-ran several of our graphics speed tests to find out if the new drivers in the iMac Software Update 1.1 improved the game performance. Here are the results with iMac Software Update 1.1 installed are in the first column:
Speed Comparisons of 2.8 GHz Aluminum iMac C2D
| Test |
2.80GHz
Aluminum 24"
iMac C2D |
2.80GHz
Aluminum 24"
iMac C2D |
2.33GHz
White 24"
iMac C2D |
|
w/ 1.1 Update |
|
|
BENCHMARKS |
|
|
|
Cinebench 9.5 Rendering (2x) |
876 |
876 |
726 |
-- OpenGL Hardware Lighting |
5091 |
5418 |
4416 |
Xbench 1.3 |
|
|
|
-- Quartz Graphics |
206 |
200 |
167 |
-- OpenGL Graphics |
156 |
154 |
169 |
-- User Interface Graphics |
570 |
652 |
495 |
Doom 3 (frames/sec) |
128 |
107 |
127 |
There are only two significant differences with and without the update. The main difference is that the framerate of Doom3 increased by 20 percent (128 vs 107) and the aluminum iMac tested on par with the framerate of the white iMac. The User Interface Graphics score in Xbench 1.3 dropped almost 13 percent but still is 15 percent higher than that of the previous iMac. [Dana Baggett & Bill Fox]
[9/15] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple posted iPhone $100 Store Credit Details
Apple posted the details on how to get a $100 store credit for iPhone early adopters. To qualify, you must have bought an iPhone (a 4GB or 8GB model is not specified) at full price, i.e. without a discount of any kind, before August 22, after which Apple's price protection policy applies. The price protection claim for $200 must be made at the exact place of purchase by September 19, after which you may still file for the $100 store credit.
The $100 store credit claim must be filed by November 30 or you will get nothing.
We followed the three steps listed on the store credit Web page and received the $100 store credit for our 8GB iPhone.
In step one, you enter your iPhone's 10-digit number and serial number. The latter is found under Settings->General->About. After doing this, you will get a text message with an access code. Our text message arrived within seconds of entering the serial number.
In Step 2, you enter the access code from the text message.
In Step 3, a store credit number and PIN number are displayed in Safari following Step 2. You can print out the credit number and PIN and make a screen shot of it using the shift-command-4 keys.
The $100 store credit can be used to purchase any Apple product from an Apple Store, retail or online, and it appears to be good forever until expended. [Bill Fox]
[9/15] Brief Hands-On Report--Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.2 and Camera Raw 4.2 Updates
Adobe posted Photoshop Lightroom 1.2 and Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in 4.2 updates. Both updates are available immediately for download (Lightroom 1.2 and Camera Raw 4.2).
Lightroom 1.2 and the new Camera Raw 4.2 plug-in support 14 additional digital cameras including the Canon EOS 40D; Fuji FinePix IS-1; Leaf Aptus 17, 54s and 75s; Olympus EVOLT E-510; Panasonic DMC-FZ18; Pentax K100D Super; Phase One P 20+, P 21+, P 25+, P 30+ and P 45+; and Sony A700. Both updates also include improved noise reduction for Bayer patterned sensors, providing better image detail at default noise reduction values.
We downloaded both updates and installed them with no problem. We don't any of the new cameras that the updates support but we encountered no problems with Lightroom 1.2 [Bill Fox]
[9/15] iFixit posted iPod touch Disassembly Guide
iFixit's disassembly of the iPod touch examines Apple's hardware design in detail, reveals their choice in component manufacturers, and clearly shows their elegant industrial design.
Some information from iFixit's disassembly revealed:
- Apple made the display more easily removable than the iPhone, and
attached it with Phillips screws instead of strong adhesive. This will
significantly enhance the maintainability of the iPod Touch by
reducing the cost of LCD repairs.
- The new iPod's battery is 81% of the volume of the iPhone.
- The iPod Touch has a Wolfson audio chip.
- The multi-touch display uses glass, just like the iPhone.
iFixit plans to sell parts for the iPod touch, just as they sell parts
for iPods, iPhones, and Apple portables. This first look at Apple's
new iPod continues their commitment to enable anyone to disassemble and
repair their mobile devices. [Bill Fox]
[9/14] iPhone seen as Consumer Precursor to 95 million Ultra Mobile Device Market
A whole new class of "always-on" Internet-connected products, collectively termed "Ultra-Mobile Devices" (UMDs), will become popular over the next five years, according to a new report from ABI Research (Mobile Inernet Devices and UMPCs). By appealing to a wide range of buyers they will reach shipments of nearly 95 million units by 2012, and should prove extremely profitable for their makers.
"UMDs are a very exciting, potentially very lucrative area," says ABI Research vice president Stan Schatt. "What makes this market so intriguing is that products will assume so many different forms. That product differentiation will be an integral part of the ultra mobile device marketing plan."
UMDs are of two types, Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), which target consumers, and Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs), which run Windows and business applications and are aimed at business users. The former, with their lower prices and wider appeal, will make up by far the majority of the devices shipped. Apple's iPhone may be seen as a precursor of the MID. Both UMPCs and MIDs will feature multiple wireless connectivity technologies – Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and cellular – to maintain "any time, anywhere" Internet connectivity.
This diversity is also reflected in the range of applications that will be offered: Web browsing, music, navigation, voice, and data communications including email and IM, photo/video, and vertical commercial applications will all be popular. Apple's iPhone has applications in all of these categories.
ABI Research identified several user-types who will find varying combinations of these applications appealing. These include "Frugal Generalists", "Lifestyle Boomers", "Soccer Moms", "Gen Y Social Networkers", and "Multimedia Enthusiasts." ABI Research also believes the ultra mobile device ecosystem will ultimately contain hundreds of vendors – chipmakers, display and device manufacturers, application developers and service providers – and the new report offers strategic recommendations for all of them. But maybe not, if Apple can help it.
Apple has a real head start with the iPhone and the iPod touch. We may now be seeing the real reason for the iPhone's early price drop to $399, i.e. an all-out attempt to make the iPhone (and iPod touch) in the consumer end of the 95-million UMD market what the iPod is in the music player market rather than a reaction to flagging initial sales as we surmised from the iSuppli sales reports. Of course, it is also consistent Apple's official statements on the price drop. This may also mean that we will see more rapidly the iPhone 2.0 as Apple fights to dominate the UMD consumer market.
Apple has already scheduled a press event in the UK for next Tuesday with an invitation inscribed with "Mum is no longer the word." according to Macworld. The big question is whether the initial European iPhone will support 3G cell phone network technology which is much faster than the 2G EDGE network technology used in the U.S. model. Unless there have been some significant advances in battery technology or power efficiency, we would suspect not. As we have stated before, EDGE is perfectly good for all iPhone services except for extensive Web surfing and the iPhone's W-Fi is best for that. If battery life is to be sacrificed at all, we'd much prefer to see GPS technology incorporated in the iPhone. But it is best that battery life not be sacrificed at all. [Bill Fox]
[9/14] [Updated]Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released iMac Software Update 1.1 for Aluminum iMacs
Apple released iMac Software Update 1.1 Thursday night and it is available for download via Software Update or as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to the Read Me file,
This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for 20-inch and 24-inch iMac models with 2.0, 2.4, or 2.8GHz processors.
We downloaded and installed it. Bluetooth is currently turned off and after the restart our aluminum iMac kept searching for Bluetooth devices. Another restart fixed that. We note that many of the new files are ATI Radeon X2000 drivers so we'll check to see if they sped up the graphics any. [Update: added "Hands-On" results.] [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/14] NFL Game Day and Team Season Passes for 2007-2008 added to iTunes Store
With the National Football League 2007-2008 season under way, Apple has added NFL features to its iTunes Store again this year. You can buy NFL Follow Your Team, individual games ($1.99 per game or $24.99 for the season) or NFL Game Day, a summary of the week's games ($1.99 per week or $24.99 for the season). [Bill Fox]
[9/13] Apple released Logic Express 8 for $199
Along with the professional Logic Studio with Logic Pro 8 noted below, Apple released its prosumer audio software, Logic Express 8.
The new areas in version 8 are: single-window design; multitake recording is easier; there are new tools like snap-to-transient selection, graphical time stretching and sample-accurate editing in the Arrange window; new instruments like Ultrabeat, ES2, and the complete EXS24 Sampler; setup is simplified with production-ready templates, a streamlined track setup window, and dynamic channel strip creation get you up and running fast. Improved ReWire support provides easy integration with other music applications; quick swipe comping; settings saved via .Mac; and new effects like Guitar Amp Pro, Ringshifter, and full-featured Pitch Correction.
Logic Express ships in 3-5 days from the Apple Store online for $199 or $99 with upgrade pricing. [Bill Fox]
[9/13] Apple's Logic Studio, including Logic Pro 8, debuted for $499
Apple unveiled Logic Studio, a comprehensive suite of professional tools that gives musicians everything they need to create, produce and perform in the studio and on the stage for just $499. Logic Studio features Logic Pro 8, a major upgrade that combines an intuitive new interface with Logic's renowned sound quality and rock-solid timing, and introduces MainStage, an innovative new live performance application that turns the Mac into a streamlined live rig. Logic Studio also includes Soundtrack Pro 2, Apple's professional audio post production software; Studio Instruments, made up of 40 pristine quality instruments; Studio Effects, with 80 professional effect plug-ins; a vast Studio Sound Library; and a powerful set of production utilities.
"From the fun and intuitive GarageBand to the all new Logic Studio, there’s never been a better time to be a musician on the Mac," said Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. "For less than $500, Logic Studio transforms the Mac into the most powerful musical instrument in the world."
At the heart of Logic Studio is Logic Pro 8, now with an intuitive single-window interface for instant access to powerful music creation and production functions, including snap-to-transient selection and sample accurate editing directly in the Arrange window. New audio production tools such as Quick Swipe Comping and dynamic channel strip creation speed up common tasks. Logic Pro 8 also includes end-to-end surround production capabilities with innovative surround panning controls, multichannel tracks and busses, and support for True Surround software instruments and effects.
MainStage turns the Mac into a powerful live performance rig that produces reliable, consistent sound—whether music is being made at home, in a rehearsal space, or in front of an audience. Screen controls link software plug-ins to hardware knobs, faders and buttons, so musicians can use their favorite gear while performing live. An easy-to-read interactive display, designed for distant viewing in dim light, shows exactly the information needed on stage. Professional templates simplify set-up giving musicians more time to explore and create their own unique sounds.
Soundtrack Pro 2 is the musician’s bridge to sound for picture with professional editing tools and seamless film and video integration that simplifies every aspect of the audio post production process. Musicians can compose their score in Logic Pro 8 then use Soundtrack Pro 2 to edit dialog, design sound effects and complete the mix in cinematic sound.
Studio Instruments with 40 instrument plug-ins enable musicians to access and play almost any sound imaginable, including enhanced versions of Ultrabeat, Sculpture and ES2 synthesizers, and the EXS24 sampler. Studio Effects include a new Delay Designer plug-in that offers in-depth control over individual delay taps, and Space Designer, now with True Surround enhancements for multichannel audio processing. Logic Studio gives musicians a vast Studio Sound Library, featuring content from the five Jam Pack collections and Final Cut Studio 2, for a total of 18,000 Apple Loops, 1,300 EXS instruments and 5,000 sound effects that span a huge variety of genres and styles. Production utilities include WaveBurner for CD mastering, Compressor 3 for surround encoding, an Apple Loops utility and a new Impulse Response utility for capturing the acoustics of real performance spaces.
Logic Studio is now available for a suggested retail price of $499. Upgrade pricing from Logic Pro 7 is available. (Images courtesy of Apple.) [Bill Fox]
[9/13] Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack Pro 2 by Martin Sitter is Out
Peachpit announced Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack Pro 2 by Martin Sitter (ISBN 0-321-50266-3, $49.99), the only Apple-authorized guide to the digital audio tool designed specifically for Final Cut Pro editors.
Audio producer Martin Sitter created all-new projects and revised this best-selling book to take advantage of the software's new streamlined interface, surround mixing features, new dialogue track tools, and ability to synchronize changes between picture and sound. After introducing the Soundtrack workspace and showing how to work with audio clips and tracks, Sitter moves to the essential tasks of audio restoration and clean up, including instruction on arranging, editing, and mixing multi-track audio projects; recording and editing voiceovers and narration; and experimenting with advanced mixing and effects. Each chapter presents a complete lesson in an aspect of sound design or editing, with step-by-step projects to complete as you go. [Bill Fox]
[9/13] Tonight on The Tech Night Owl LIVE--David Biedny, Adam Engst and Denis Motova
Tonight, host Gene Steinberg chats with his outspoken Special Correspondent, David Biedny, who appears for an encore discussion of the new Apple announcements, focusing on this week's surprise release of Logic Studio, and wondering why it didn't happen last week.
Adam Engst, of TidBITS, talks about his upgraded site, the new beta of the Eudora e-mail client, and, of course, the iPhone, a product he says he'll probably never buy.
In this week's Web Tips segment, HostICan's Denis Motova explains the ins and outs of DNS and how you can take control of its power for your site.
You can tune into the audio Web broadcast tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Pacific, 9:00 to 11:00 PM Eastern. [Bill Fox]
[9/12] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released Keyboard Software Update 1.2
Apple's Keyboard Software Update 1.2 is available for download as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to the Read Me file,
Install this software to take advantage of your aluminum Apple Keyboard's special features.
We downloaded and installed the update on a dual 2GHz Power Mac G5 using the new Apple aluminum wired keyboard and mouse that came with an aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo. No problems were encountered. [Dana Baggett]
[9/12] Brief Hands-On Report--Apple released Compatibility Update for QuickTime 7.2
Apple's Compatibility Update for QuickTime 7.2 is available for download via Software Update or as a stand-alone file from this Apple Web page. According to the Read Me file,
This update delivers increased compatibility with iLife.
We downloaded the update via Software Update and installed it on several Macs, including an aluminum iMac Core 2 Duo and a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo (LED). We used QuickTime to view movies and trailers, including WMA files via Flip4Mac, without encountering any issues. [Bill Fox & Dana Baggett]
[9/12] Brief Hands-On Report--Parallels released Desktop for Mac 3.0 Build 5160 Final Feature Update
We have been reporting on the beta builds of Parallels Desktop for Mac 3.0 for some time now. Parallels just released Build 5160, the final build of the feature update to version 3.0. It is available within the application's "Check for Updates" under the Help menu or as a stand-alone file via MacUpdate.
There are many improvements from the first stable build 4560 of Desktop for Mac v3.0. See the PDF enclosed with Build 5160 for a complete list.
We uninstalled Build 5158 beta, downloaded Build 5160 and installed Build 5160 with no problems. When we launched our Windows XP SP2 virtual machine to install the new Parallels Tools, we got an error message and had to reboot our MacBook Pro. After rebooting we installed the new Parallels Tools and restarted XP with no problem. We're on travel and don't have our Vista Ultimate virtual machine to test.
We used Windows XP SP2 extensively with Office 2007 applications and encountered no problems. Build 5160 seems to be much faster than previous versions of Desktop for Mac--it is very fast. [Bill Fox]
[9/12] Samsung introduced Faster, More Efficient 60nm Process 2GB DDR2 Memory
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., announced that it has developed the industry's first 60 nanometer (nm)-class 2 gigabit DDR2 DRAM and will begin mass producing it later this year.
Compared with 80nm 2Gb DDR2 memory, the 60 nanometer (nm)-class with a speed of 800 megabits per second has improved DRAM performance up to 20 percent. Moreover, production efficiency for the new 2Gb DDR2 will be enhanced by about 40 percent using the finer 60nm-class process technology.
The new high-performance, high-capacity DRAM is well-suited for applications in servers, workstations and notebooks where operating speed is a major concern.
The 2Gb DDR2 device cuts in half the number of components used in a 1Gb-based 8GB (four-rank) module, which consists of 72 1Gb chips. The new solution consumes approximately 30% less power than a module of the same capacity using 1Gb chips. The lower power level generates less heat, improving reliability and minimizing cooling requirements.
Samsung can supply the 2Gb DDR2 in four types of modules: 8GB fully-buffered, dual inline memory modules (FBDIMMs); 8GB registered, dual inline memory modules (RDIMMs); 4GB unbuffered, dual inline memory modules (UDIMMs); and 4GB small outline, dual inline memory modules (SODIMMs) for notebooks.
With mass production of the 2Gb DDR2 scheduled to begin by year end, Samsung will have its complete DDR2 product line-up in production at the 60nm–class from 512Mb to 2Gb. Samsung’s 1Gb and 512Mb are already being produced using 60nm–class process technology.
Industry research firm Gartner Dataquest expects the 2Gb DRAM market to reach $14billion--accounting for up to 47 percent of the total DRAM market--by 2011. [Bill Fox]
[9/11] Hands-On Review--Kensington Ci70 Wireless Desktop Set
Intro.
We're fans of wireless devices. We started using Apple's white wireless keyboard and white wireless mouse not long after they were first introduced in September 2003. Except for the tendency of our wireless mouse (not a Mighty Mouse) to burn out its AA batteries every month, we liked them a lot. If we had turned them off every night, we might have gotten longer service but we eventually bought rechargeable batteries to feed its insatiable appetite.
We automatically included the optional sleek wireless keyboard and wireless Mighty Mouse when we ordered our 24" Aluminum 2.8 GHz CTO iMac Core 2 Duo on the day they were introduced, August 7. But the new wireless keyboard would have delayed shipment of the entire order by three to four weeks so we switched back to the wired version of both. While that saved us $50 on our initial order and allowed it to be shipped right away, obtaining the new wireless keyboard and wireless Mighty Mouse subsequently through The Apple Store would cost $148. So, we decided to explore other alternatives that might be compatible with our latest and greatest iMac (see our Hands-On Review).
Preferably, we wanted a wireless keyboard with a numbers keypad. We haven't used a keyboard with a desktop Mac without one since our original 512K Mac circa 1984 which came with a keyboard that intentionally mimicked the touch and feel of the IBM Selectric, then the gold standard for commercial electric typewriters. The number keys ran across the top of the keyboard as they do now on laptops.
Our search for an alternative wireless keyboard and mouse didn't include an exhaustive review of every one on the market. The new (released in June 2007) Kensington Ci70 Wireless Desktop Set caught our eye, perhaps because of its silver motif. At a SRP of $80 for both keyboard and mouse (street price is typically less), the set meets our budget.
Specifications.
The Kensington Ci70 keyboard and the new Apple aluminum USB keyboard are the same thickness. Measuring from the top of the key caps to the desk on which they sit, both are 3/4" thin. Both are also about the same size. The Ci70 keyboard is 16" wide while the new Apple USB aluminum keyboard is 17" wide. The Ci70 keyboard is 5" deep, front to back (excluding a 2" raised ledge with a mouse dock and "secondary function keys," about which more below) while the new Apple USB aluminum keyboard is 4.5 inches deep front to back. The Ci70 keyboard can sit flat on the desk or optionally tilted up one half inch with two flip-down feet. The new Apple USB aluminum keyboard is tilted up to accommodate the two USB terminals, one on either side underneath it.
The Kensington Ci70 mouse measures 4.5" long x 1 1/8" high x 2.5" wide and weighs 4 oz with two AA batteries while the wireless Mighty Mouse measures 4 3/8" long x 1 1/4" high x 2 3/8" wide and weighs 8 oz with two AA batteries. The silver-colored Kensington wireless mouse has two buttons and a scroll wheel.
The keyboard and mouse communicate with the iMac on
