Macworld back issues from December 2005:
Moving pictures.(new product video-playin' iPod from Apple Computer Inc.)(Column)
Dec 01, 2005; ... About a week before Apple announced its fifth-generation, wide but thin, video-playin' iPod, I wrote my column for this very issue of Macworld. In that column, I complained about Apple's failure to enter the market for portable and downloadable video. What a difference one set of Apple ...
Hidden gems.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Every month, grassroots software developers release dozens of new apps for the Mac. And every month, Senior Writer Dan Frakes reviews as many of them as he can in Mac Gems. But a monthly column just can't include all the worthy ones--hence our September feature ...
You forgot.
Dec 01, 2005 ... SCOTT BRENNER # I enjoyed September's "50 Mac Gems" article but was surprised that the fabulous open-source FTP client Cyberduck (cyberduck.ch/) was overlooked. You mentioned a few FTP clients but passed over the mature, feature-rich, and free Cyberduck. I think many Macworld ...
Repurposed Macs.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... STEVEN MINKLER # Thanks for the great tips about converting an old Mac into a jukebox ("Old Mac, New Tricks," September 2005). I work in a college media-production department with four other highly creative people. We've always enjoyed playing background music to make the day ...
Who's the Thief?(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... KEN ALAN # With regard to your story about software activation ("Stop, Thief!" Mac Beat, September 2005): yes, there are software pirates out there--the monopoly software publishers. Thanks to dwindling competition (for instance, the recent merger of Macromedia and Adobe), we ...
Mobile surgery.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... CHRIS CLUCK # I thought the article "Laptop ER" (Mobile Mac, September 2005) was well done, but it should have included a link to Safeware (www.safeware.com). This company specializes in insuring laptops. For as little as around $200 a year, you can insure your laptop and all ...
Feedback on feedback.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005 ... BRAD MITCHELL # In September's Feedback, a reader commented on the fan noise of the 12-inch PowerBook. I had the same problem, especially after switching to Tiger. Looking at my SysStat widget, I found that Virex was eating up 60 to 85 percent of my CPU cycles. I erased Virex ...
Corrections.(Correction Notice)
Dec 01, 2005 ... September 2005's Mobile Mac misidentified the car owner who ...
Productivity booster rocket: FileMaker Pro 8 accelerates work and drives business benefits all the way to the bottom line.(new product from True North Inc.)(Advertisement)
Dec 01, 2005 ... THE CUSTOMERS OF TRUE NORTH PRINTED PLASTICS ARE AMONG THE most sophisticated manufacturers in the world, and they often demand virtually real-time updates on the status of orders from True North and other suppliers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thanks to FileMaker Pro, ...
Video iPod arrives: fifth-generation model adds video to its repertoire.
Dec 01, 2005; ... The iPod has been a hit since Apple released the original, 5GB model four years ago. But for almost as long, people have predicted and anticipated an iPod that could play more than music. With the iPod photo, Apple added a color screen and the ability to display photos and slide shows, but ...
All-in-one desktop adds video camera, remote control: the new iMac.(Apple iMac G5)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... The release of the first generation of the iMac is widely credited--along with Steve Jobs's return to the company--with helping to save a financially troubled Apple in 1998. So it's fitting that the latest iMac, announced in October, brings new technologies and ideas to the Mac platform ....
Creative beat.(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Boujou bullet 2, from 2d3 (www.2d3.com): Software for automatic tracking and match-moving adds support for 16-bit images, a new Target Tracker with zoom capabilities, and more-accurate target-shape definition ($2,500; upgrade, $999). Maya 7 Personal Learning Edition, from Alias ...
Productivity beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
Dec 01, 2005 ... BBEdit 8.2.3, from Bare Bones Software (www.barebones.com): Update to the HTML- and text-editing application runs natively as a "universal binary" on PowerPC-based Mac hardware and Intel-based Apple machines ($199; upgrade, free). ConceptDraw Business Suite, from CS Odessa ...
Now tiger compatible ... the complete Macintosh problem solving utility.(TechTool Pro)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Diagnostics and Repair TechTool[R] Pro includes options to thoroughly check various hardware components, drives, and other aspects of your computer system. One of the most important tests is the S.M.A.R.T. test, which checks for impending drive failure. [ILLUSTRATION ...
Updated music store adds TV shows, music videos, and more: iTunes 6 makes waves.(enhanced product iTunes 6.0 from Apple Computer Inc.)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Just five weeks after releasing iTunes 5, Apple updated its free music-jukebox software to version 6. The latest version adds several dramatic new features for the iTunes Music Store (iTMS)--including downloadable TV shows and music videos, and the ability to send music and videos as ...
Input-device beat.(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... LX7 Cordless Optical Mouse, from Logitech (www.logitech.com): Desktop mouse features a tilt scroll wheel, forward and back buttons, and "smart power management" for extended battery life ($40). USB Overdrive 10.4, from Alessandro Levi Montalcini (www.usboverdrive.com): Updated ...
Storage beat.(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Backup 3.0, from Apple (www.apple.com): Update to personal backup software adds preset backup plans for iLife content, automatic scheduling, and incremental backups (free with .Mac account). Biggest S1S, from LaCie (www.lacie.com): Four-bay RAID system can transfer data at up to ...
More storage, better backup, and groups feature included: Apple updates .Mac.(Apple Computer Inc.)
Dec 01, 2005; ... When large Web sites such as Yahoo and Google started offering free e-mail accounts with huge amounts of storage, as well as online community features, Apple's .Mac (www.mac.com) began showing its age. But now Apple has updated its suite of e-mail, online storage, and Web-hosting tools ...
The readers speak: OS usage.(use of new versions of Apple Mac OS from Apple Computer Inc.)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Although Apple would love it if everyone ran out and bought the latest version of OS X the day it hit the shelves, many users are still running older versions, according to a survey of 294 people on the Macworld Reader Panel. Because each respondent was allowed to pick every OS version he ...
Apple secretly bumps up Mac mini.(Apple Computer Inc. confirms the specifications of its product)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... In response to reports on the Internet that some users who purchased a 1.42GHz Mac mini received a 1.5GHz system instead, Apple confirmed that "some Mac mini systems may ...
iPhone on the way?(views of Ed Zander from Motorola Inc.)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... A few days after making disparaging comments about the iPod nano ("Screw the nano. What the hell does the nano do? Who listens to 1,000 songs?"), Motorola CEO Ed Zander told CNet News.com that "we know that they are going ...
Photoshop Elements not dead.(enhaced product from Adobe Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Although Adobe released Photoshop Elements 4, the latest version of its consumer-level image-editing application, only for Windows, the company says it has not killed the Mac version. An Adobe representative explained that unlike with Photoshop and the Creative Suite, Elements users ...
IDG World Expo ends East Coast Macworld trade show: farewell, Boston.(location management)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... You didn't need psychic powers or a Magic 8 Ball widget to see that the end of Macworld Conference & Expo on the East Coast was coming sooner rather than later. IDG World Expo (www.idgworldexpo.com), which produces the Macworld Expo trade show, made the demise of the Boston show official ...
Utilities beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
Dec 01, 2005 ... KeyCue 1.1, from Ergonis Software (www.macility.com): Updated menu-shortcut utility adds Tiger compatibility ($15). Stufflt Deluxe 10, from Allume Systems (www.stuffit.com): Updated data-compression tool adds JPEG compression technology, as well as new features for OS X 10.4, ...
Multimedia beat.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Cubase SE3, from Steinberg Media Technologies (www.steinberg.de): Entry-level music-production software adds a new audio engine, drag-and-drop capabilities for MIDI files, improved Hitpoint detection, and a redesigned Track Inspector ($160). EyeTV EZ, from Elgato Systems ...
Apple responds to complaints about scratched and broken screens: nano problems.(Apple Computer Inc., iPod nano)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Replacing the iPod mini--the most successful iPod model to date--with the nano was a bold move on Apple's part, but one that began paying off as soon as it was announced. The nano has earned accolades from reviewers, industry analysts, and consumers alike (for our review of the iPod nano, ...
iPod Nano: Apple's thinnest, and quite possibly coolest, iPod yet.(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... iPods have been around long enough for people to take them for granted. Yes, they're small. Yes, they hold a lot of music. And yes, they're cool. So it takes some-thing special to break through our jaded iPod sensibilities. The iPod nano--with its tiny size, sleek look, colorful display, ...
FireWire hard drives: find the right drive for your needs.(Apple FireWire 800)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Years ago, when Apple shipped its first Macs with 1GB hard drives, I remember asking myself, "Who would ever need that much storage?" It didn't take me long to figure out who, especially now that the 80GB drive in my PowerBook is bursting at the seams with pictures from my multimegapixel ...
More reviews.(DoorStop X 1.0, FileMaker Pro 8.0, iCorrect Portrait 1.0)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... For complete reviews of the products listed here, visit www.macworld.com/reviews. GOOD 1/2 DoorStop X 1.0 ($49), from Open Door Networks (www.opendoor.com); DoorStop X 1.0 is an easy-to-use replacement for the software firewall built into OS X. It gives you more control over ...
Find these reviews and more at playlistmag.com: cool iPod stuff.(DLO HomeDock, Griffin Technology iTrip, Logitech mm50)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD HomeDock ($100), by Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (www.dlodirect.com): iPod owners now have two ways to connect their beloved devices to their home stereos while retaining high-quality sound. Like Kensington's Stereo Dock (macworld.com/0870), the HomeDock provides audio output, ...
Zoo Tycoon returns.(enhanced product from MacSoft Games)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Fans of the first Zoo Tycoon should keep their eyes peeled for Zoo Tycoon 2, which should be out soon, from ...
The Sims go to school.(enhanced product The Sims 2 University from Aspyr Media Inc.)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Aspyr plans to have the first expansion pack for The Sims 2 out in November. The Sims 2 University takes your sims to college, where they can ...
Radeon and on.(enhanced product Radeon 9800 Pro Mac Edition from ATI Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
Dec 01, 2005 ... ATI used to have two Mac Radeon 9800 cards--one for G5s and one for G4s. Now the company is down to one card that works in both systems ....
Simulation; X2: the threat.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Space simulations--open-ended adventures that let you make (or lose) your fortune out on the final frontier--have been in a state of steep decline over the past couple of decades. And the latest entry, Virtual Programming's X2: The Threat, certainly isn't doing the genre any favors. ...
Puzzle: Atlantis.(Game Room)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... If you want to know how I feel about FunPause's Atlantis, just read my review of MacPlay's Luxor, because they're fundamentally the same game (VERY GOOD; mac world.com/0833). While Luxor's backdrop is ancient Egypt, Atlantis takes you to the 19th century, where you lead a team ...
Action: Gold Miner Joe.(Game Room)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Gold Miner Joe is a fun new platform action game by Mac Joy. In it, you command Joe, a bearded miner who must make his way through 50 levels of mines as he collects treasure and avoids foes--including the pesky Kentucky brothers, who hide in barrels and try to shoot poor Joe right in the ...
Puzzle: Word Craft.(Game Room)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Do you consider yourself a wordsmith? Put your skills to the test in Word Craft, a spelling game in which thinking on your feet is the key to success. If you're familiar with the tabletop game Boggle, you have the basic idea of what to expect here. Word Craft shows you letters ...
Recently reviewed.(Myst V: End of Ages)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Myst V: End of Ages VERY GOOD 1/2; Ubisoft, www.mystvgame.com; $60 Myst V: End of Ages marks the end of the road for one of the most beloved adventure games of the modern era. The Myst series, created by Cyan, started life on the Mac, so it's only fitting that it ...
Gunroar.(Top downloads)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Longtime readers know that I absolutely adore anything produced by Kenta Cho, a Japanese developer of offbeat and psychedelic shoot-'emups. His latest effort, Gunroar, hasn't changed my opinion at all. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like Cho's previous games, Gunroar takes a ...
Web-page-screenshot utility: Paparazzi 0.2.3.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Taking screenshots of what you see on your screen is easy--but grabbing a picture of an entire Web page, including what's currently scrolled out of view, isn't so simple. Or at least it wasn't--the free Paparazzi 0.2.3 (VERY GOOD; www.derailer.org), from Nate Weaver and Johan Sorensen, has ...
Rewritable-disc eraser: QuickErase 1.5.(Mac Gems)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Mac OS X's disc-burning functionality has improved with every release, but one task remains a hassle: erasing rewritable (CD-RW and DVD-RW) discs, which you can reuse as many times as you want. However, to reuse a rewritable disc, you must first erase it. In OS X, this means inserting the ...
Mighty Mouse driver: SteerMouse 3.0.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... There has been a lot of debate about Apple's new multibutton Mighty Mouse, and one of the most common complaints is that its software doesn't give advanced users as much control as they would like over the mouse's functions. Specifically, Apple's driver--accessible via the Mouse tab of the ...
GarageBand installation helper: GarageBand Anywhere 5.0.1.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Apple's GarageBand is a killer app, but it's also a huge one--including all of its support files (loops, instruments, and so on), it takes up nearly 2.5GB of hard-drive space. (And that's not counting any additional loops or Jam Packs you download or purchase.) Because of these space ...
Promising prospect: Rawr-jour 0.6b5.(Mac Gems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Thanks to OS X's Bonjour technology (formerly called Rendezvous), it's easy (at least in theory) to find Bonjour-enabled devices and services on your local network. For example, if two computers are running OS X with Personal File Sharing enabled, a user of one Mac should be able to ...
Notification utility: Growl 0.7.2.(Mac Gems)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005; ... OS X has made multitasking an everyday occurrence for Mac users. But this capability has introduced a new problem: knowing the status of background tasks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some software developers have altered their application's Dock icon so it indicates event ...
d2 DVD[+ or -]RW 16 X Fire-Wire with Double Layer.(DUAL-LAYER DVD BURNER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD d2 DVD [+ or -] RW 16X Fire-Wire with Double Layer ($189), from LaCie (www.lacie.com): This DVD burner can burn 8.5GB of data to dual-layer DVDs (which offer twice the capacity of single-layer discs). Although it has a relatively slow read speed, its performance is ...
Midrange scanner.(Canon CanoScan 9950F)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD 1/2 CanoScan 9950F ($400), from Canon (www.canon.com): This CanoScan offers improved scan quality ...
Low-end scanner.(Canon CanoScan 8400F)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD CanoScan 8400F ($150), from Canon (www.canon.com): The 8400F has limited ...
Macs.(macintosh computers)(Illustration)(Buyers Guide)
Dec 01, 2005 ... <Pre> DESKTOP ProductProcessor Display Rating iMac G5/1.8GHz 17 inches VERY GOODG5/2GHz 17 inches VERY GOODG5/2GHz 20 inches VERY GOOD 1/2 eMac G4/1.42GHz 17 inches GOOD 1/2...
23-inch display.(HP L2335)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD 1/2 L2335 ($1,599), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Along with its outstanding value and ability ...
20-inch display.(NEC Display MultiSync LCD2070NX)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD 1/2 MultiSync LCD2070NX ($799), from NEC Display Solutions (www.necdisplay.com): The MultiSync LCD2070NX ...
19-inch display.(Sony SDM-HS95P)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD SDM-HS95P ($699), from Sony (www.sony.com): This display lacks some of the features found on other displays (such as a USB hub, ...
17-inch display.(Sony SDM-HS75P)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD SDM-HS75P ($450), from Sony (www.sony.com): It's short on bells and whistles--no built-in USB support, speakers, or ability to ...
Photosmart 8450.(COLOR INK-JET PRINTER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD 1/2 Photosmart 8450 ($250), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): This networkable ink-jet printer uses as many as eight dye-based inks to produce great-looking photos with or ...
LaserJet 2550Ln.(COLOR LASER PRINTER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD LaserJet 2550Ln ($600), from Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com): This networkable printer offers crisp text and good color fidelity. It also supports Apple's Bonjour. But its paper capacity is only 125 sheets (macworld.com/0083). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Optura 60.(MINIDV CAMCORDER)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD Optura 60 ($899), from Canon (www.canon.com): The Optura 60 shoots excellent video (as long as you have enough light) with true-to-life, vibrant color. It also offers optical ...
Desktop drives.(Iomega Black Series Triple Interface, OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD 1/2 Black Series Triple Interface, 250GB ($240), from Iomega (www.iomega.com): Fast; many connection options; low price per GB; can boot OS X via FireWire (macworld.com/0580). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ALSO ...
Portable drives.(LaCie Mobile Hard Drive, OWC Mercury On-the-Go OWC Mercury On-the-Go 7,200 rpm 8MB)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD Mobile Hard Drive, Design by F.A. Porsche, 7,200 rpm USB and FireWire, 60GB ($240), by LaCie (www.lacie.com): Very fast; various connection options; can boot OS X via FireWire (macworld.com/0314). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ALSO RECOMMENDED: ...
Digital cameras.(Top Products)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Dec 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Product Rating Price Contact Mega-pixels Canon EOS VERY GOOD 1/2 $899 www.canon.com8 Digital Rebel XT Canon VERY GOOD $399 www.canon.com5 PowerShot SD400 Hewlett- GOOD $150 www.hp.com ...
Midrange scanner.(Epson Perfection 4490 Photo)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... GOOD 1/2 Perfection 4490 Photo ($250), from Epson (www.epson.com): Here's a fast, easy-to-use scanner that can create high-resolution scans of both reflective and transparent media. Although its colors ...
Color laser printer.(Xerox Phaser 8500/DN)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD Phaser 8500/DN ($1,099), from Xerox (www.xerox.com): The Phaser 8500/DN is a very good general-use color laser printer. But if you're ...
Color ink-jet printer.(Canon Pixma iP4200)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... VERY GOOD Pixma iP4200 ($130), from Canon (www.canon.com): Though a little poky at high resolutions, the Pixma iP4200 is a great all-around ink-jet printer ...
Low-end scanner.(Epson Perfection 3590 Photo)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... GOOD 1/2 Perfection 3590 Photo ($149), from Epson (www.epson.com): This easy-to-use flatbed scanner is capable of scanning reflective media, as well as limited transparent ...
17-inch monitor.(Westinghouse LCM-17w7)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
Dec 01, 2005 ... FLAWED 1/2 LCM-17w7 ($249), from Westinghouse Digital Electronics (www.westinghousedigital.com): Despite its appealing design, this display has a slightly ...
Macworld's gear guide: in the market for a Mac-compatible gadget--for yourself or as a gift? Here are more than 40 of our favorites.(Buyers Guide)
Dec 01, 2005; ... IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR when a Mac fan's mind turns to thoughts of gadgets. So we're here to help, with more than 40 of our favorite gizmos--from the coolest new office gear to the latest laptop bags, from geek-chic T-shirts to a Photo-shop-themed cruise. So whether you're shopping for ...