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July 12, 2008

iPhone 3G review

Posted in: Reviews, iPhone

With the iPhone 3G Apple's playing for keeps. Not only is this iPhone's Exchange enterprise support aiming straight for the heart of the business market, but the long-awaited 3rd party application support and App Store means it's no longer just a device, but a viable computing platform. And its 3G network compatibility finally makes the iPhone welcome the world over, especially after Cupertino decided to ditch its non-traditional carrier partnerships in favor of dropping the handset price dramatically. $200? We're still a little stunned.

July 03, 2008

Three weeks with Delicious Library 2

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Delicious Library 2 is most beneficial in that it provides a record of most things that you own, and it does it in a fun way. It is actually exciting to feel like you are a checker at a store as you scan items into your library.

March 13, 2008

A review of the new MacBook Pro

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

If you're interested in an in-depth review of the new MacBook Pro from the standpoint of a real user and not a journalist, head over to Shawn Blanc's blog.

February 04, 2008

Ars Technica reviews the MacBook Air

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

We decided to take a look at this thing to see whether Apple had come up with the next iPod for the computer world, or whether it had cut too many corners in its attempt to make the slimmest, sexiest notebook ever. And for that, we have to start at the beginning...

January 21, 2008

Macworld reviews Microsoft Entourage 2008

Posted in: Reviews, Software

In the four years since the last major version of Microsoft Office, Entourage has probably come under more attack from Apple’s applications than any other member of the Office suite. OS X’s Mail, Address Book, and iCal have all come to offer credible alternatives to Entourage’s core features. So how does Entourage 2008 stand up to Apple’s triumvirate? Read this article to find out.

January 11, 2008

Mac Pro Performance (January 2008)

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

Earlier this week Apple released updated Mac Pros that use Intel’s new Penryn processors. Also new is the fact that the standard Mac Pro configuration now comes with eight (instead of four) cores. How does it perform in comparison to the old Mac Pro? Read this article to find out.

January 03, 2008

First look: Microsoft Office for Mac 2008

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Regardless of where you stand on the Office versus iWork question, there's no denying that Redmond has has churned out some pretty impressive and very Mac-like software. In this review the author takes a brief look at the Office 2008 versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Entourage to give you an idea of how the MBU has spent the past few years.

December 11, 2007

An in-depth look at NetNewsWire

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

NetNewsWire is arguably the most popular desktop feed reader on the planet. That does not, however, mean that NetNewsWire is the most popular RSS reader, period. Far from it, actually. Find out heavy details about NetNewsWire in this article.

October 26, 2007

Leopard is here! Read Pogue's review, grab your copy!

Posted in: Mac OS X, Reviews

Depending where you are located in the World, you may already have a copy of Mac OS X Leopard installing on your machine. If you're one of those unsure if you should upgrade, check out Pogue's review at the New York Times.

No doubt there will be a myriad of reviews popping up all over the blogosphere and the mainstream media in the days to come so prepare to be overwhelmed. I for one am enjoying all the press and can't wait to get my hands on Leopard. If you still haven't, you can order through Amazon and get $20 off.

October 08, 2007

Mini-review: Apple Wireless Keyboard

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews

In size and shape, the Apple Wireless Keyboard makes the previous generation appear ungainly and inelegant, a dated kludge of a keyboard. But keyboards are for typing (that’s why they have keys), and the first thing you notice about the Apple Wireless Keyboard is the lack of keys.

October 02, 2007

MacBook Pro 1, 2 and 3GB memory speed tests

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

You already know you can upgrade your Mac's RAM yourself and save big money, but how much extra memory do you want? When you top out a MacBook Pro with 3GB or RAM things are a lot faster using hungry programs like Parallels and Photoshop. Take a look at some unscientific 1GB, 2GB and 3GB MacBook RAM performance tests.

September 17, 2007

Wi-Fire delivers on its 3x Wi-Fi boost claim

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

The Wi-Fire is a compact, range-extending USB device that enables you to access a wireless Internet connection from up to 1,000 feet away--three times the range of your internal wireless adapter.

Macenstein has a very positive and informative review so if extending the range of your wireless network is something you need this is the product to check out.

August 24, 2007

Review: Mac Pro 2 x 2.66Ghz

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

This review is based on (almost) baseline specifications of the shipping Mac Pro, with an additional 2GB of RAM and an extra 500GB data hard drive.

August 21, 2007

Dissected: Apple AirPort Extreme gigabit and non-gigabit models

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

The burning question about whether a non-gigabit Apple AirPort Extreme (AAE) could be upgrade via a $1.99 Enabler or some other firmware update was bugging the author of this hardware exploration. So he set out to dissect both the gigabit and non-gigabit version of the AAE.

August 10, 2007

A look at Apple Numbers

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Numbers really changes the paradigm for spreadsheet work. For decades, every spreadsheet program has been basically identical: you get a grid of rows and columns on screen, and you place your numbers and text inside those cells. Over time, we gained the ability to store multiple sheets of these grids within one workbook, and to use formulas to refer to items on one sheet from another. But at the end of the day, the basic work area in a spreadsheet application is a grid of cells… unless you’re using Numbers.

August 09, 2007

Aluminum and glass: A review of the new iMac

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

Ars Technica is at it again as they have an in-depth review of the new iMac. The low quality and over compression of the photos in the review don't make the iMac look like much. However, as usual, the text is very informative so I suggest you take a look.

June 14, 2007

Santa Rosa comes to the Mac: a review of the new MacBook Pro

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

The reviewer concludes: "The latest MacBook Pros are a solid upgrade from their predecessor, thanks to the new Santa Rosa platform. If you already have a 17" MacBook Pro and aren't dying for the higher-resolution display, don't bother upgrading. If, however, you have been sitting on the fence with an old G4 or Core Duo laptop, this is a worthy upgrade. If you like your laptops large and in charge, I strongly recommend the 17" MacBook Pro." Read the in-depth review at Ars Technica.

June 11, 2007

Find WiFi easier with WiFind

Posted in: Reviews, Software

WiFind that allows you to see whether a wireless connection is locked or unlocked as well as it's signal strength before you try connecting to it. WiFind, like several of the other Tasty applications, uses SIMBL, a system hack that allows developers to write plugins for Cocoa application that do not have a plugin architecture. A complete review can be found at MacZealots.

June 08, 2007

A review of Camino

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

The Camino project is an open source Mac OS X based Web browser that features the same browser rendering engine, Gecko, used in Mozilla's popular Firefox Web browser. A rendering engine is the brains behind your Web browser that takes the HTML and CSS code and renders it into a viewable Web page. If you're a user of the Safari browser, the rendering engine it uses is known as WebCore.

May 15, 2007

Griffin Radio Shark 2 review

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews

Podcasts and YouTube and streaming Internet radio may be the latest trend, but there's still a lot of good content on the old AM/FM radio. The problem with it is that we are often not actively tuning in to the radio to catch a program, but rather leave the radio on in the background. The Radio Shark from Griffin changes that, by providing a "Tivo" like service for your radio, with time-shifting technology.

April 25, 2007

Mailplane, Gmail will replace your desktop email client

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

Desktop email clients, like Apple Mail, offer integrated OS features which are difficult to make use of with a web based email service like Gmail. Attempting to do so requires a number of 3rd party software packages or utilities which give the feeling of tight integration. Mailplane is a piece of software that will give you a different experience with Gmail, more details in this article.

April 24, 2007

Shiira 2.0 for OS X not ready for primetime

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Ed Finkler writes: "Let's get this out of the way immediately: despite the "2.0" number attached to this release, and despite the two previous beta releases, Shiira 2.0 is not a finished product. It's not even a late beta. It feels more like a late alpha: while it's not terribly "buggy" in the sense that things go wonky or break a lot, there are numerous features that just don't work."

March 10, 2007

Extreme base station puts the others to shame

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

Apple has created an attractive package, both in form and features. The Extreme looks like a warmer for a really expensive coffeemaker, whereas its competitors look about as cheerful as an Imperial Probe Droid or worse. Looks aside, it features a USB 2.0 port. Plug any USB hard drive or (nearly) any printer into the port (or plug in a USB hub and use 'em both), and they'll be wirelessly available to any Mac or PC on your network that's running Apple's AirPort client software - another strong vote for media sharing and network backups.

March 07, 2007

24-inch iMac is nearly perfect

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

Mark Kellner writes: "It's taken 25 years or thereabouts from the arrival of my first computer, a Sanyo MBC-1000, but I believe my search for the "perfect" desktop one is over. The device sports a massive 24-inch liquid crystal display, big enough to make watching a video of the NBC-TV series "Law & Order" enjoyable."

March 02, 2007

Apple sets Wi-Fi on fire

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

At $179, Apple's AirPort Extreme 802.11 draft-n wireless base station is priced like brand X, but Cisco couldn't have done it any better. Apple's claim of 5X performance and 2X coverage relative to 802.11g is no mere boast; it was proven for this review. Apple's new base station is easy to manage from Windows and OS X, and current AirPort Extreme admins will appreciate the rewritten AirPort Utility's expert features like logging and performance charting.

February 22, 2007

Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

After a year in public beta, Adobe has released Photoshop Lightroom 1.0, a brand-new workflow tool that combines image editing and photo management with the ability to produce slide shows, high-quality prints, and Web portfolios. Like Apple’s Aperture, against which it competes, Lightroom is designed as a professional-level product that also appeals to serious amateur photographers. After a year in development, Lightroom is a feature-rich and powerful tool, even in its version-1.0 state.

January 18, 2007

Acrobat 8 Professional review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

With Acrobat 8 Professional, Adobe offers a redesigned, Universal version of its flagship application for creating and distributing PDF content. With this version, which will be part of Creative Suite 3, Mac users now have only one choice: Acrobat 8 Professional. Once you get over the loss of the Standard edition, you’ll probably love what you see.

First and foremost, it looks and feels like a true Mac OS X application. It sports a redesigned, task-oriented user interface with customizable toolbars. And, on Intel Macs, it feels remarkably faster than its predecessor.

January 06, 2007

Review: Mac OS X shines in comparison with Windows Vista

Posted in: Mac OS X, Reviews

If you believe all the hype, installing the new Windows Vista operating system will solve world famine, end the AIDS crisis and bring about world peace. Well, maybe no one is saying it's that great, but the clamor and fuss have been pretty boisterous. Hidden behind all of this hoopla, however, is the fact that as much of an improvement Vista is over XP, its main competitor, Mac OS X, still stacks up really well - and even tops Vista in several important areas.

December 29, 2006

The Mac OS X font managers review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Dave Girard writes: "Well, it was a long time coming, but I've been through the trenches and come up, sucking chest wound and all, with the Ars review of font management programs. I've also succeeded in not completely losing my mind while the developers updated the apps, nullifying half my criticisms in the process. Giving a lot of time to these programs in a production setting is crucial to seeing how they perform on a daily basis, and I am confident I've thrown enough varied scenarios at each to find out where they succeed and fail."

December 28, 2006

Retrospect Desktop 6.1 review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Retrospect Desktop 6.1, from EMC Insignia, is one of four editions of the software available for Macs. The Workgroup and Server editions add features to handle large networks and computers running OS X Server; the Express edition, bundled free with numerous hard drives and optical drives, omits network backups and tape drive support. Retrospect’s design caters to the needs of network administrators, who must grapple with backing up numerous computers (both Mac and Windows). For the average home or small business user, though, Retrospect can be intimidating.

December 22, 2006

iBank 2 review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Brian Warren writes: "The day-to-day usage of iBank isn’t anything transcendent, it is a personal finance application after all. In my opinion, an application such as iBank should be easy and quick to get in and out of. On that qualification, iBank does great. It’s easy to add new transactions, modify them and get a glance at your data."

December 15, 2006

BBEdit 8.5 - essential editing tool adds more, less

Posted in: Reviews, Software

BBEdit boxBBEdit has long been the go-to text editor of choice for Mac-using geeks. But as it aged, BBEdit started to show its years, with new features piled on top of old features, which had been piled on top of still older features. In version 8.5.2, Bare Bones has given the old star a face-lift, restructuring and simplifying the interface to make BBEdit look like a hot new app. Along the way, they’ve added in some handy new features, giving this version a full set of enhancements.

December 03, 2006

Elgato EyeTV Diversity and IceTV PIMP review

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

The EyeTV Diversity is the latest digital TV tuner from Elgato, who have been making tuners and supporting the Mac platform since the very first generation of digital TV tuners. It brings a few new features from previous models, most notably being it's Diversity mode, which utilizes two antennas to get a more powerful digital signal.

November 20, 2006

iDefrag review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

iDefrag does have a nice interface, with very simple to understand controls, and an interface full of pretty colors that are fun to watch. Each of the blocks in the interface is supposed to represent a block of data on the hard drive. I was at first alarmed at how badly my disk was fragmented, as indicated by the amount of red blocks that were viewable. But then, the next question that popped into my head was, “why?”

November 11, 2006

Apple Xserve: The final review

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

Tom Yager writes: "Apple, long known for fancy zoned, heat-piped cooling designs, went for simplicity with Xserve. A wide bank of seven fans, each with dual independent rotors, stand in straight-line formation behind the drive bays. Except for the power supply fans, this long bank of fans produces the only airflow through Xserve. Thermal sensors are scattered around the system board, busses, memory sockets, CPUs and everywhere a temperature is worth taking. Instead, all of the inflow fans, the front-facing rotors, spin up and down in sync. The rear-facing outflow fans run at another synchronized speed."

November 07, 2006

The Mouse BT II review

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews

If you have a Mac with built-in Bluetooth and you’ve wondered about alternatives to the Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse, you won’t find it in the Mouse BT II. While this mouse has some salient features, its $70 price tag makes it less compelling. Unlike the Wireless Mighty Mouse, which sports precise laser positioning, the Mouse BT II is based on older optical technology. And thus, it should be less expensive.

October 24, 2006

An introduction to Disco

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Disco burns CDs, and creates disk images. When you’re burning a disk image, as a visual indication of what’s happening, the Disco window actually smokes which is very cool indeed. But the amazement doesn’t even end there, you can interact with the smoke with your mouse, and blowing into the microphone blows the smoke too. Read the entire article here.

October 20, 2006

Review: The Laptop Desk 2.0

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews

Nick Santilli writes: "There are two modes you can use the Laptop Desk in: First is the opened/flat system which is intended for using on your lap. The 2nd is folded, with 5 possible height settings which is best suited for a desktop application."

October 02, 2006

Review: Nike + iPod Sport Kit

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

The Nike + iPod Sport Kit comes in a display box about the size of a double-CD jewel case. It prominently displays the miniatures inside: a postage-stamp sized receiver that plugs into your iPod nano’s dock-connector port, and a track-shaped sensor/transmitter about the size of a large piece of Bazooka gum. The transmitter fits snugly inside a matching compartment hidden under insole of the left shoe of a pair of Nike+ shoes, which range in price from $100 to $130. (Apple says the transmitter’s battery, which isn’t replaceable, is designed to last 1,000 hours.)

July 27, 2006

High-end compositing and visual effects with Shake

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Shake is a 2D/3D compositing suite that was once in the budgets of only high-end studios and visual effects shops. Now priced lower than Adobe After Effects Professional, it's within the range of attainability for just about anyone using making a living in the visual arts, especially users of Final Cut Studio. Version 4.1 is the first Universal Binary release of Shake, offering support now for Intel-based Macs, including the 13-inch MacBook.

July 14, 2006

FontLab Studio 5.0 review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

With unique killer features like native TrueType support and single-window Multiple Master editing, FontLab’s Studio 5.0.2 is the most capable font-editing tool available today, easily outpacing both the current Fontographer and the old FontStudio.

July 12, 2006

Fourth Mac OS X browser test

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

This test covers the latest versions of the browsers: Safari/Webkit 2.0.4 (the version that comes with OS X 10.4.7), FireFox 1.5.0.4, Camino 1.0.2, and OmniWeb 5.5 Beta. All four of the browsers are Universal Binaries which is good news for owners of Intel-based Macs.

July 07, 2006

A review of VoIP applications

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

Voice over IP, or VoIP, is an emerging technology that allows you to use your broadband Internet connection to place and receive voice and videophone calls. Macworld reviewed four Mac-compatible desktop VoIP applications: Apple’s iChat AV 3.1.4, SIPPhone’s Gizmo Project 1.3.2, SightSpeed 4.5, and Skype 1.4.

July 03, 2006

Macworld reviews Parallels Desktop for Mac

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Rob Griffiths writes: "Parallels Desktop for Mac is an OS X solution for running “guest” operating systems within OS X. Parallels utilizes the Intel chip’s hardware virtualization technology (VT). Although that’s a mouthful of buzzwords, what it means is simple: VT lets an Intel CPU act as if it were several distinct CPUs, which in turn enables guest operating systems to run much faster." Read the entire review here.

June 30, 2006

Macworld reviews Final Cut Express HD 3.5

Posted in: Reviews, Software

How many shiny, new features make a software update worthwhile? A dozen? A handful? Three? The quandary that potential purchasers face with Final Cut Express HD 3.5, the new version of Apple’s intermediate digital video editing software, is that it only has three significant new features - most cocktail recipes include more ingredients. However, the advances in this update, while few, make it a more compelling upgrade than the move from version 2.0 to 3.0.

June 27, 2006

NTI Shadow 3 backup software review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Shadow 3.0 is the latest version of NewTech Infosystems’ award-winning backup software for Macintosh, Windows and U3 devices. Their step-by-step set up process makes it easy for consumers to make a backup copy of their important files and folders. You can even set up Shadow 3.0 to monitor your system and to continuously check files for changes.

June 21, 2006

Road testing a MacBook Pro

Posted in: Hardware, Reviews

Daniel Terdiman writes: "After four days of traveling, I finally found myself camping Sunday night. After setting up my new tent and cooking a "gourmet dinner," I got to try out one of the coolest new features of the MacBook Pro has loaned me for this trip."

June 19, 2006

Mori 1.2 mini review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Charles Jade writes: "Did you ever feel that if you could just get organized your whole life would suddenly make sense? While the number of notebook/outliner/organizer applications available for OS X may not be indicative of the validity of that belief, certainly an argument can be made that people are willing to spend money for such software. Enter Hog Bay Software and the release of Mori 1.2." A good review can be found here.

June 08, 2006

Macworld reviews Kaijin

Posted in: Reviews

Pete Cohen writes: "Recently updated as a Universal Binary for Intel-based Macs, Phelios’ Kaijin is definitely worth a look if you have an Intel-based Mac and you crave arcade gaming the way it used to be. It’s a classic top-down shoot-em-up, or shmup in gamer’s parlance. Great production quality and varied gameplay keep Kaijin from getting boring, too."

May 25, 2006

Review: VisualRoute - traceroute on steroids

Posted in: Non Stop Mac, Reviews, Security, Software

VisualRoute is a tool aimed at networking professionals that need reliable diagnostics software. It comes in six versions that give you the power of connectivity analysis from a single computer, a remote desktop or a remote server.

Continue reading "Review: VisualRoute - traceroute on steroids" »

Macworld reviews the DoorStop X Security Suite

Posted in: Reviews, Software

DoorStop X Security Suite puts a friendlier front end on OS X’s built-in firewall, making it an excellent solution for users who like the idea of using that built-in firewall but would like to be able to configure it more completely without resorting to the Terminal.

The question is, are you willing to pay $80 for such access? I think it’s definitely worth the ducats. But if you’re on a tighter budget, you can opt to purchase the firewall alone, without the rest of the Suite, for $49.

May 11, 2006

Ars Technica reviews Aperture 1.1

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Dave Girard writes: "I have to admit, I was very skeptical that Apple could whip together professional-quality RAW conversion for numerous camera models in a few months. Their competitors have been honing their technology for years and reverse-engineering your way into the subtle differences in manufacturer's RAW formats is not a matter of ticking the "unsuck" radio button."

May 08, 2006

Review: Little Snitch 1.2.2 - acts as a great informant

Posted in: Non Stop Mac, Reviews, Security, Software

When it comes to your workstation, one of the things you certainly want to be aware of is what’s happening with your outgoing network connections. If you’re curious to find out if a program is sending information about your machine to a remote server or just want to see exactly what’s happening in the background during your usual surfing activities, Little Snitch will promptly tell you all about it.

Continue reading "Review: Little Snitch 1.2.2 - acts as a great informant" »

May 03, 2006

Review: Quake 4

Posted in: Reviews

Peter Cohen writes: "The Mac conversion of Quake 4 has been a long time coming; if you’re a first-person shooter fan, it’s been well worth the wait. The game has the highest production value of any first-person shooter I’ve seen since Doom 3 (4 mice) and terrific single-player gameplay. Unfortunately, multiplayer modes left me wanting more."

April 24, 2006

What is the best font manager for Mac OS X?

Posted in: Reviews, Software

That's the question this special project attempts to answer. In this shoot out we'll put today's four major font management utilities through a series of head-to-head comparisons.

April 20, 2006

Work with CSS code using Xyle Scope

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Whether you want to find out how to do that cool CSS effect or you need to debug a gnarly specificity issue, diving into (X)HTML and CSS doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience. At least that’s what the people who built Xyle Scope believe.

April 19, 2006

First look: Roxio's Popcorn 2

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Peter Cohen writes: "You can turn to shareware or free programs to burn backups of DVDs or transcode DVD videos to other formats. So why would anyone want to pay $50 for a commercial package that does many of the same things? Because the commercial package in question happens to be easy to use and reliable—that’s certainly the case with Roxio’s Popcorn 2."

April 14, 2006

Hands on: A Windows expert tries out Apple's Boot Camp

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Scot Finnie writes: "After putting Apple's Boot Camp Beta through its paces, I have to applaud the company's decision to release this functionality. The work Apple has done so far is excellent. With some additional hardware support and a few tweaks, Boot Camp will be all that it can be. And nothing will put a smile on your face faster than watching how fast Windows XP runs natively on a 2-GHz dual-core MacBook Pro. Boot Camp is a boon for both Mac and Windows aficionados — not an easy thing to achieve."

April 11, 2006

Exploring VersionTracker Pro 4.1

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

One of the best ways to keep your Mac working smoothly is to make sure all of your software is up to date. Developers routinely issue updates to their programs to fix bugs, add features, and ensure compatibility with the latest Mac OS and hardware. If you ever wished that Software Update feature worked not only on Apple’s software, but rather on all the software installed on your computer, then VersionTracker Pro may be of interest to you. This program attempts to take over where Software Update leaves off by letting you know when your third-party programs are out of date.

March 26, 2006

Macworld reviews Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0

Posted in: Reviews, Software

With an eye toward its core audience of non-professional photo enthusiasts, Adobe has made improvements to its fourth version of Photoshop Elements that make it easier than ever to edit, organize, and share digital photos. The Macworld review finds that despite its consumer-level price tag, Photoshop Elements 4.0 sports some new tools that gurus wish the full-blown Photoshop had.

March 14, 2006

Review: Take care of duplicate files with Tidy Up!

Posted in: Non Stop Mac, Reviews, Software

I am one of those computer users that have hundreds of icons on the desktop and stuff lying all around my user folder. I often tend to complicate my life by not organizing files, so often my iBook gets clogged. In the process of finding cool tools to help me in my "spring cleaning", I came across a piece of software that should at least assist by finding duplicate files.

Continue reading "Review: Take care of duplicate files with Tidy Up!" »

February 15, 2006

Review: Chicken of the VNC - the way to go

Posted in: Internet, Non Stop Mac, Reviews, Software

I had a situation where I needed to control two computers over the Internet. The best solution for me was to use VNC networking technology. VNC stands for Virtual Network Computer and is a real nice way to remotely control computers through a GUI interface in which you see the remote desktop. I tried all of the Mac OS X VNC clients I came across and from my experience Chicken of the VNC is the way to go.

Continue reading "Review: Chicken of the VNC - the way to go" »

February 11, 2006

Tax-preparation software makes it easy to file your return

Posted in: Reviews, Software

TurboTax has consistently been the best tax-prep app available for the Mac, and the latest version includes several minor improvements that should make your yearly wrestling match with the IRS a little easier. The Macworld review finds that TurboTax is a great program thanks to its ease of use, excellent educational features, navigational freedom, and superior error checking.

January 29, 2006

Yojimbo information manager review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

yojimbo-logo.gifTim Gaden writes: "When Bare Bones Software launched their new information manager, Yojimbo, last week I decided to give it a go. I’ve been using it a lot and I like it."

January 27, 2006

iPhoto 6 review

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Glenn Wolsey writes: "This year’s update to iPhoto is a substantial one. Apple has worked hard, improving current features, and also introducing some cool new features. Upfront, the notable change you will see when launching iPhoto 6 is the interface. The interface now matches that of iTunes 6, which looks very smooth and attractive."

January 26, 2006

Keynote 3 keeps improving with age

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Franklin Tessler writes: "At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss Keynote 3 as a minor upgrade - even the icon hasn’t changed. But lurking beneath the surface are many new features Keynote users have been clamoring for. Although the program still isn’t perfect, those enhancements make Keynote an even more compelling alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint 2004."

January 16, 2006

Review: Comic Life 1.2 - a deep look into making comics

Posted in: Multimedia, Non Stop Mac, Reviews, Software

A couple of weeks ago we received a review copy of Comic Life. Until that moment I wasn't introduced to this piece of software, but I always liked comics, so I took this software from our review queue. As you can probably figure out yourself, Comic Life gives you the possibility of easy creating your own comics or comic style photo images. I must say I am quite impressed with it, but read on for all the details.

Continue reading "Review: Comic Life 1.2 - a deep look into making comics" »

December 28, 2005

iDive 1.5 is a must-have for videographers

Posted in: Multimedia, Reviews, Software

Dennis Sellers writes: "iDive is easy to use, a great time saver and looks so gorgeous you’d think it was an integrated part of Apple’s iLife suite. The latest version (1.5) adds a Mosiac feature that makes the app—which is also great for Final Cut users—even better, especially if you’re a pro user or 5G (video) iPod owner."

December 15, 2005

Ars Technica Aperture 1.0 review follow-up

Posted in: Reviews, Software

Because of the low rating Aperture got in the in-depth Ars Technica review no wonder their review sparked a lot of discussion. In order to clarify some of the things readers asked about they published a follow-up to the review with even more details.

December 14, 2005

Review: Mac OS X Tiger Pocket Guide

Posted in: Books, Mac OS X, Non Stop Mac, Reviews

Author: Chuck Toporek
Publisher: O'Reilly
ISBN: 0596009143
Pages: 236

As Mac OS X evolves, new things are added and some things are done differently. There are many books on Tiger but few (if any) are so compact as the one I'm reviewing today. Let's see what it brings to the fold.

The first thing you'd expect this book to cover are the new features and this pocket guide covers most of them: Spotlight, Automator, Dashboard, etc. But that's not all.

Continue reading "Review: Mac OS X Tiger Pocket Guide" »

December 13, 2005

Manage your mail with MailSteward - review

Posted in: Internet, Reviews, Software

Find Spotlight slow when searching your e-mail? Justin Williams reviews MailSteward, a new utility that archives your e-mail and allows you to search it in a variety of ways.

December 07, 2005

Review: NewsMac Pro 1.2.2 - manage your RSS feeds with style

Posted in: Internet, Non Stop Mac, Reviews, Software

There's an abundance of software titles and services you can use to keep an eye on RSS feeds. Today I'm taking a look at NewsMac Pro, a software title that's been on the market for a while and has received praise for both its usability and overall feel. The target of this review is NewsMac Pro 1.2.2, the latest version of the program, released only a few days ago.

Continue reading "Review: NewsMac Pro 1.2.2 - manage your RSS feeds with style" »

December 06, 2005

NewerTech NuShelf mini reviewed

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews

The NewerTech NuShelf mini is designed for mounting the Mac mini underneath a desk or shelf. This simple and stylish clear acrylic mount allows you to free up valuable desktop space and protect your Mac mini at the same time. We also think the NuShelf mini would be ideal for mounting the Mac mini in a Home Entertainment Center above or below the TV.

Drive + Play can make your iPod auto experience safer

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews, iPod

Harman Kardon’s Drive + Play, an integrated iPod docking system specifically designed for automotive use, is a great addition to the “iPod lifestyle.” It offers a pleasant listening experience, but even more importantly, it makes it safer to listen to an iPod on the road. Read the review at Macsimum.

December 05, 2005

Review: DockStar 1.0 - make Mail.app more powerful

Posted in: Non Stop Mac, Review