appleJAC Macintosh Users

Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac: Virtual PC at its BEST

a review by Tom Piper

Got a Mac but occasionally need to do something in Windows? Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac is the perfect answer that lets you seamlessly run Windows and Mac OS X side-by-side, drag-and-drop your files between operating systems, and run Windows software on your Apple computer without rebooting.

With more than 70 new, exciting features and enhancements, Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac is faster, smarter and more powerful than ever — helping you run Windows programs and devices seamlessly on your Mac.

Faster

• Run Windows 7 with Aero
• Enjoy Snow Leopard
• Use 1000s of Windows applications
• Run thousands of Windows programs faster on your Mac
• Enhanced! Install Windows XP, Vista or 7 in 3 easy steps
• Enhanced! Optimized for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
• New! Full support for Aero, including Flip 3D in Windows Vista and 7 & OpenGL 2.1
• New! OpenGL 2.1 support for Linux guest Operating Systems
• Enhanced! Parallels Compressor automatically reclaims hard disk space
• Enhanced! Intel VT-x2 virtualization technology drives maximum performance
• Enhanced! Unmatched virtual machine performance
• Enhanced! KVM paravirtualization for Linux gives unmatched performance

Smarter

• Share files between Mac and Windows
• Use Windows apps like Mac apps
• Connect your favorite USB devices
• The simple and easy way to use Windows — show as much or as little of the Windows interface as you like — supporting those new to Mac and the very experienced. Easily share files between Mac and Windows
• Launch Windows apps directly from the Mac dock
• New! Support for Multi-Touch trackpad gestures in Windows applications
• Enhanced! Improved USB device compatibility — printers, cameras, mobile phones, scanners, GPS devices and more
• New! Run Mac OS X and Windows on multiple monitors
• Enhanced! Easily organize multiple windows with Exposé and Spaces
• New! Use Apple remote to control Windows applications
• New! Copy & paste formatted text and images between Windows, Mac and Linux

More Powerful

• DirectX 9.0c/9Ex with Shader Model 3
• All the security you need for Windows
• No compromise on performance or speed
• Enhanced! Run more than 60 different — operating systems, including Windows, Linux, BSD and more
• Enhanced! Full support for Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Server, 8 virtual CPUs and 64-bit Windows
• Enhanced! SmartGuard’s instant "snapshots" make backup and recovery easier than ever
• New! Use administrator tools to protect and secure virtual machines
• Enhanced! DirectX 9.0c/9Ex with Shader Model 3 support for games and 3D graphics apps
• $175 in Bonus Software Parallels Internet S

For the full version, one license is $79.99 (upgrade from earlier version is $49.99). Take a visit to www.parallels.com to learn more, download a Trial version, or buy. If you need Windows, this is one of the best solutions you can use . . . I use it every day, and just love Crystal (you have to see it to believe).

Verbatim Store ‘n’ Go: New Spin on USB Flash Drive

a review by Tom Piper

Flash drive, jump drive, thumb drive, finger drive, DiskOnKey, MemoryKey, pocket drive, data stick, data key disk, geek stick, keychain drive, memory drive, magic stick, nerd bling, pen drive, travel drive, vault drive, USB stick, etc.  . . . By any other name, this is a removable and rewritable NAND-type flash memory data storage device integrated with Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.1 or 2.0 interface which became commercially available in 2000 and ranges from a few megabytes to 256GB (and getting bigger all the time) with a life span up to 10 years.

Marketed as a “true floppy-killer”, it represented the end of floppy disk use, and a wonderful improvement in cross-platform portability and convenience. Today USB flash drives come in many sizes and an incredible number of shapes, so how do you pick the right one for you? One flash drive that stands out from the crowd for me is from the Verbatim family of electronic storage products (www.verbatim.com).

I reviewed the easy-to-use 8GB Verbatim Store 'n' Go® USB Flash Drive for Mac OS X desktop and notebook systems. As advertised, it can conveniently store and transport data including everything from presentations to photos, video clips and music, all readily accessible on any computer. An important and distinctive feature is that it can protect sensitive files by utilizing the built-in password security feature. It has a retractable “click” USB connector (so there is no cap to lose), a cool blue LED activity light, and a Verbatim Limited Lifetime Warranty.

In actual use, the “intelligent” security system offers a “public” area which any user can freely access, a password-protected “private” zone for any OS X-equipped Mac, and a write-protect feature to prevent accidental erasure of the flash drive. The setup software comes on the flash drive, installs easily, and allows you to configure your zones quickly and efficiently. Once setup, insert the flash drive and see the PublicZone; activate the V-Safe software on your computer, enter the password, and the PrivateZone appears. Very secure, very effective, very distinctive . . . very safe!

Measuring about 2.5” inches long, and weighing less than half an ounce, it can fit easily in a pocket, purse, or bag. Its a great little unit at only about $30 . . . I only wish it came with a lanyard.

You can also buy the Store 'n' Go Red from 2GB to 64GB,  the 3-Pack (2GB each, Red, Blue, Green), Pink (2GB), Purple (4GB) and many more can be found at: http://www.verbatim.com/products/category.cfm?pc_id=B0733EA6-8EC0-45D8-A2D2583CDBCAF4D4.

1Password 3: A Gatekeeper You Can Trust

a review by Tom Piper

How many things do you have passworded for security protection? How often must they be changed? Are they truly secure? Do you keep a paper or electronic list? Are they easy to enter, yet sufficiently complex to stop hackers? Have you gotten frustrated because you couldn’t remember an important password in a timely fashion?

For two years now I’ve been using an excellent program from Agile Web Solutions known as 1Password that has both simplified by security, and strengthened my computer defenses. Much to my delight, they have just released version 3 with lots of important improvements. Previously known as “1Passwd”, it started out as a secure login and password management tool. This is a great application that allows you to manage all your Internet logins and passwords using a single master password, securely encrypted in a special keychain.

What's really special is that it is integrated across most of the major Mac browsers enabling you to switch between browsers and still have access to all your logins and passwords. Even better, it's integrated with MobileMe so you can backup all your logins and passwords and even sync them to multiple machines. This tool also has an automatic form filler built in that allows you to complete web forms with a single click.

As if that’s not enough, Agile also produced a native iPhone/iPod Touch 1Password application via the iTunes App store which is a free download! In its standalone form, it allows you to keep a secured database of your usernames and passwords (and notes) for your commonly accessed websites. 1Password for the iPhone allows you to sync over WiFi with your desktop 1Password data, giving you access to all your stored URLs, usernames, passwords and secure notes in your pocket! I just configured the iPhone application to securely connect to my MacBook Pro over WiFi and transferred all of my invaluable web data to the iPhone ( and iPod touch). Very simple, very effective, very convenient!

With the release of 1Password 3 which is fully compatible with Snow Leopard, they have completely redesigned the interface and added over 50 new features:

• Take 1PasswordAnywhere to view your 1Password 3 information when away—enjoy a gorgeous, Mac-like interface for viewing all of your items in the browser—logins, identities, secure notes, software licenses, wallet, and even recently generated passwords.
• Organize Software Licenses with that icons make each license stand out and you can add new Software items by dragging and dropping the application, or manually add your own icons.
• Attach file attachments to any item in 1Password such as file-based licenses and receipts to software licenses, adding images to secure notes, or adding a scan of
• Edit items in your browser and delete logins, credit cards, and identities right from our browser extensions.
• Get organized with Tags giving you more flexibility to tag, search, and organize your items for the way you work.
• Sync with your iPhone and iPod touch with the new Selective Sync feature that lets you pick specific folders to sync with your iPhone and iPod touch.
• Safari Login Bookmarklet allows you to selectively sync your data to Safari as a bookmarklet—once synced, simply click the bookmarklet from Mobile Safari's bookmarks window, enter your access code, and 1Password will fill in your login information.
• New Vault-type Accounts will store passwords for AirPort routers, Mail and Entourage accounts, FTP apps, instant messaging, and the iTunes Store.
• Put a face to Login names thanks to 1Password 3 which automatically grabs thumbnails images including “favicons,” the tiny icons you see in the address bar.
• Fresh new Wallet now sports gorgeous new icons for all item types.
• Put a face to your Identities by adding a unique image to each Identity to help it stand out.
• Smart Search can now search secure notes and tags and offers multiple filters for the ultimate search-fu.
• Gorgeous new user interface redesigned for a widescreen world, featuring a new, more flexible layout, and a lock screen.
• Clipboard Security that automatically removes passwords from the clipboard to protect your data.
• New Setup Screens to help new and existing users setup 1Password.
• Main Window includes new Activity view to display and manage background tasks and improved search in Snow Leopard.
• The number of features continues on with improved List View, Detail View, Browser Extensions, Preferences, Internal changes and more.

This is a great password solution which keeps my data on my computer and iPhone, keeps it safe with strong encryption, stops keyloggers and phishers, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee (100%, no less). Its fully compatible with Leopard and Snow Leopard (use version 2 if you have Tiger). You can even download a free 30-day trial version before you plunk down the very reasonable $39.95 purchase price.

Learn more at http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password, and see how you can protect access to your electronic assets and online services with ease, power and convenience. I totally endorse this product, and fully understand why 1Password 3 is now the best password and identity manager on the market!!!

For the Guy who wants Everything Apple

 This is actually a local JeffCity/Columbia company called Rival Toilets. Mike Johnson, who is also a Mac user here in Jefferson City, had the inspiration to make this.

You can read all about it here.

The Mouse that Roars

by Ken Zindle


I need to begin, of course, with appropriate apologies to the late Peter Sellers, a.k.a. Tally Bascomb, and anyone associated with that wonderful movie “The Mouse that Roared.” This is not really a movie review; it’s a short piece about the new Apple “Magic Mouse”.

I recall vividly a friend of mine stating, when the mouse was first available, that the history of computing would never be the same. I took his word for it, since I didn’t know really what a mouse was, at least not that kind of mouse, and, at the time, didn’t care much.

I have had my mouse struggles. The kind I really did like was the Kensington track balls. They were fun but sooner or later they did gum up, and become hard to use. I’ve tried others, which have failed to please over the long run for one reason or another. I settled, almost by default, on the Apple mouse products with the little ball for scrolling.

Alas, they have been in cahoots------no one says ‘in cahoots’ any more, when I was a kid and watched westerns on tv, they said it all the time!  Alas!-----in cahoots, I say, with the Kensingtons because sooner or later that little ball would stop working and gum up on me.

And now I have this “Magic Mouse”, which is mine via the good offices of our own Joe Murtzlufft----thank you Joe. It’s a marvel to use. The finger slides effortlessly across its curved spine and web pages, and computer documents are instantly responsive. It feels nice and sleek to the touch. It’s just a grand, grand mouse! Imagine my delight, when, as I was breaking  it or breaking myself in initially, with a swipe of two fingers across its surface I traveled from one photo in iPhoto to the next.  It was one of those ‘This is way beyond cool’ moments in my personal computing.

I can turn it off at night to save the battery and the computer doesn’t get cranky about that, or at least it has the ‘Cest’----Czechoslovakian for personal honor!-----to not complain until I’ve left the room. In the morning with a single click the mouse is back in business.  (By the way the mouse’s name, for those who’d like to know such arcane information is ‘Joe’)

On the mouse information page in ‘System Preferences’ an icon lets you know about the status of the mouse batteries.

If you’re at all in the market for a good, I say ‘a good’ bluetooth mouse, try it. I’ve paid more money for  much worse products often enough, mice prominently among them.
But ‘Joe’ and I are pleased to be working together.

Suddenly Everything Clicks and Swipes and Scrolls

from Joe Mertzlufft, MMCS

Apple Introduces The Magic Mouse - Seamless Multi-Touch Surface

Magic Mouse — with its low-profile design and seamless top shell — is so sleek and dramatically different, it brings a whole new feel to the way you get around on your Mac. You can’t help but marvel at its smooth, buttonless appearance. Then you touch it and instantly appreciate how good it feels in your hand. But it’s when you start using Magic Mouse that everything comes together.

The Multi-Touch area covers the top surface of Magic Mouse, and the mouse itself is the button. Scroll in any direction with one finger, swipe through web pages and photos with two, and click and double-click anywhere. Inside Magic Mouse is a chip that tells it exactly what you want to do. Which means Magic Mouse won’t confuse a scroll with a swipe. It even knows when you’re just resting your hand on it.

I hope to have these at the next appleJAC Meeting, Reserve yours now.

Joe Mertzlufft
Mid-Missouri Computer Services
PO Box 10050
Columbia MO 65205
(573) 881-6800
AIM: JoeMMCS

Verbatim Go Nano Notebook Optical Mouse

Your laptop trackpad is great for many uses, but sometimes you just want the precision and control of a good mouse. The Apple Mighty Mouse is terrific for desktop computers, but a little heavy and bulky for your computer bag. There are many alternatives to choose from in the world of wireless USB mice.

I’ve been using the latest Verbatim Go Nano notebook optical mouse which is a very nice mini-mouse size (smaller than Mighty, but not a micro-mouse). It uses a tiny 2.4 GHz USB receiver that conveniently plugs into an available port when in use, and a storage slot  in the bottom of the mouse when not in use (turns unit on when receiver is removed, and off when inserted). Even though I have large hands, I found it to still be quite comfortable with the rubberized surface and very responsive.

The Go Nano comes in seven colors, sits very firmly on the tabletop, but is fairly lightweight. It comes with a CD of drivers which are not needed on the Mac . . . all of the System Preferences for mice adjustment work just fine. The right and left buttons, as well as the clickable scroll wheel all work just as expected, and it takes very little space in my computer bag. It is powered by two AAA batteries (included) that still haven’t needed replacement yet. There is also an additional tiny button on the button to turn the unit back on if its gone to sleep after a period of inactivity.

This Verbatim Go Nano mouse is available at MSRP of $39.95, but can be found on Amazon and other competitors for as little as $22.95. For more information, and to see the other mice and other accessories, just go to www.verbatim.com. This mouse now goes with me wherever my MacBook Pro goes, so I think its a good investment.

Video showing the new features of Photoshop Elements 8 for the Mac

This new version continues to refine the great user interface and feature set of versions 6 and 7. Mac users will be happy to see this new version on the Mac (skipping version 7). While there is a lot to like in this consumer photo editing app, here are a few of my favorites:

• Mac users get the full Bridge CS4 app included with all the benefits of Adobe Camera RAW plus the ability to create panos and access to the new Photomerge Scene Cleaner and Photomerge Exposure
• On the Windows side instead of Bridge CS4 there is a new Organizer that works with both Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements.
• Photomerge Exposure is amazing!

But don’t just read about it, Terry White from Adobe recorded this video of some of the new features.

CopyPaste Pro: Time Machine for the Clipboard

a review by Tom Piper

Isn’t the Mac’s Clipboard great, and very useful? . . . but, only one thing at a time! Remember the ScrapBook from OS9 where you used to keep lots of text, photos, and sounds at your fingertips? Now we have all of this and more in one excellent program.

From Script Software we have a very useful utility called CopyPastePro. I’ve been using iClip for several years, but believe I’ve found a very capable challenger. Compatible with Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6, CopyPaste was the original multiple clipboard utility for the Mac. Its latest incarnation has those same underlying abilities, but with this latest version unveiled in 2008 (CopyPaste Pro) is faster, has a horizontal browser (like the Apple application launcher) and 2 vertical palettes for the History and Archive clips. Also an editor called Bean is now part of the CopyPaste Pro ecology. Bean allows you to edit clipboards but is, in reality, a powerful word processor. It is simple, fast and easy to use.

Called the “Time Machine for the Clipboard, this utility is also known as No. 1 of the 3 Essential  Utilities for Mac OS X. It product is an award winning, easy to use, multiple clipboard editing/display utility. See and edit any clip in your history of copies or in the more permanent clip archives. Use the new Clip Browser (horizontal) or Clip Palette (vertical) to see all clipboards in an instant. Save all clipboards through restarts. Tools to act on clipboard data. Never lose a clip again. CopyPaste is a time saver/life saver for all Mac beginners thru advanced users, and includes a very impressive manual. As a bonus, this includes a great little word processor called Bean that has a surprising range of tools that are very useful for quick editing of clips and other stuff.

You can download CopyPaste Pro from www.scriptsoftware.com/store/index.php, and test a fully-functioning copy, but it just won’t save your clipboards. If you like it, you can immediately buy it for $30.00 (quantity discounts also available. It has good store support, an excellent Support Forum, and many other companion utilities that are interesting and productive. This could well be my next clipboard utility!

macProVideo.com: Effective Software Training

a review by Tom Piper

Trying to learn a new program, but tired of reading books? Want to see details in action, but training at your own pace, in your own time? Want quality at an economical price?

I recommend macProVideo.com with the excellent NonLinear Educating (N.E.D.) interface to participate in training videos. You can watch tutorials online through Safari (or FireFox or whatever), download high definition training videos to your Mac, and watch even watch tutorials on your iPhone or iPod touch . . . tremendous versatility with excellent instructors.

From iWork components (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) to Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Acrobat, inDesign) to iLife (GarageBand, iWeb, etc.) to sound to photo to operating system to so much more! They are continually updating their material to meet the contemporary needs of a wide range of computer users. From personal experience, I can assure you that their training style is well-paced (and modifiable), very understandable (with lots of tips and hints), and sensibly packaged (step-by-step, with humor, repeatability, knowledge and style).

A visit to their website at www.macprovideo.com is very instructive. You can test the first 10% of videos for FREE (try before you buy), subscribe for as little as $15 per month, or up to $250 per year for a Pro Subscription. There are 8,685 individual tutorial-videos currently available with a steady growth of new selections. Downloadable HD tutorials and online tutorial-videos are available from $9.50 (Core GarageBand) to $385.13 (Adobe Complete CS4 Bundle) for virtually every taste and need for Mac productivity.

macProVideo.com also excels at supporting their products and your education. You can go in to a Forum on any of their videos to clarify information and exchange ideas. Customer service and support is at the core of this business with a promise of a response to all requests with 24 hours. I have personally interviewed Martin Sitter, the sparkplug (founder and principal) for macProVideo.com, and find him inspiring, driven, and dedicated to quality and innovation. His list of talented trainers is very impressive. And, you have to use N.E.D. on your computer (or N.E.D.i on the iPhone & iPod touch) to see how easy, responsive and delightful it can be.

There is so much more I could say, but I recommend that you try it out for yourself to see how much fun and rewarding this service can be. To say the least, I have really enjoyed these products, the extraordinary service, and great value, which is why I endorse macProVideo.com for almost anyone who wants quality results.

Omniverse 13” Universal Case: A Nice Mac Fit and Finish

by Tom and Jason Piper

You spend a good chunk of change to get a great Mac laptop, so you want to protect it against the rigors of travel and stress of portability. You look for durability, value and good looks . . . we have a good choice for you.

The Uniea Store has a new selection available that we’ve used for a new 13” MacBook Pro. The Uniea Omniverse for MacBook 13-inch laptop is a universal tote that really fits the bill for quick and easy-to-use case that will hold just about any cable you might need for a lightweight trip. The demo unit we received is in black nylon, but the case is also available in a  black “silk fiber”. The inside is padded with wavy material that Uniea says "absorbs and dissipates heat", although I can't say the laptop ran any warmer or cooler while in the case.

The design of the case is very well thought out as the zipper goes all the way around the laptop which gives easy access to all the accessory ports and the CD/DVD drive, also allows you to keep the laptop in case at all times. This case does offer excellent shock protection as the wavy material covers both sides of the laptop, but the corners do leave a bit to be desired since the only protection is basically the zipper.

This case will function in either briefcase or slipcase modes thanks to the two small handles easily packing away into mini-snap pockets on either side of the case. These pockets also work to hold little items like a flash drive when the handle is not tucked away. This case also has elastic triangular panels in the corners that keep it attached to the computer while it is open. They might be a tad thick for the latest Mac unibody designs as the laptop does not close all the way, and the laptop could turn back on.  The fit and finish of this case is very good, and creates a snug fit.

For more information, visit www.unieastore.com where you will find this nylon case for $39.95 (also available in Silk Fiber, which is a quilted look). Uniea's entire line of products includes cases for 13-, 15- and 17-inch MacBooks, 10.2-inch Universal, Large/Small Digital Cameras, Hard drives, and iPods. They are also made in similar materials and designed very much in the same manner. Their cases are also water-resistant, although we did not test this functionality. They range from $14.95 to $39.95, which is priced very competitively for similar cases, although these cases excel in places others fall short.

Evouni Style: Protection and Performance

by Tom Piper

Having a stylish portable speaker for your computer is sometimes a confusing decision, particularly if you need something other than the usual 2.5 or 3.5mm plug.

Evouni has just released its new PUSH-PUSH Speaker in a stylish white or black package. PUSH-PUSH touch speaker is a 2.0ch speaker, circular in shape and made from aluminum alloy. Just one finger touch provides easy control for PUSH-PUSH touch speaker. The volume is managed with a circular touch, moving the finger clockwise and counter-clockwise on the outer edge of its surface. Equipped with a retractable USB cable that charges the unit from your desktop or laptop computer, with no need for an extra AC adapter. Cable tidies away nicely. Its features include:

• PUSH-PUSH design
• Touch top volume control
• Built-in retractable USB cord
• Compact carry case (3.88 oz., 3.31” dia. x 0.94” thick)

Similar to the Push-push Card Reader I previously reviewed, this unit’s speaker’s “grills” pop-up when the top is firmly pressed down, and the logo glows a nice blue hue. The USB cable easily pulls out an cord up to 18” long, and you will need to change your sound output in System Preferences to this USB Audio Device. Its important to charge this unit before using it, then you will get a respectable personal sound.

When looking for an iPhone case, you should also consider Evouni’s Hard-shell Protective Case which is designed to protect the device against scratch and scuff damage. For the finest in sleek, durable protection of your iPhone 3G or iPhone 3G S, Evouni utilizes hard-shell plastic and aluminum alloy casing. This offers a dualistic approach to allow for a stylish and elegant look, with a soft feel. Interior silicon rubber provides shock absorption plus impact and scratch protection.

This case offers greater protection while giving you full access to widescreen touch controls. With the streamlined, low-profile design, it forms to the sleek lines of your iPhone 3G to create a custom-finished look. In addition to the case with the removable base (for easy insertion onto iPhone stand), a screen protector and Microfiber cleaning cloth are also included. When fully assembled with the iPhone, it has a sound, well-protected feel.

This unique speaker is available at www.evouni.com/store for $50 (also www.amazon.com). The iPhone Case is available at the same locations for $35. If you want style and protection, these items could be a good buy for you.

CrashPlan: Backup for Home and Business

by Tom Piper

How many time have you been asked the question: “Have you backed up your hard drive?” Well, did you? Storage media is volatile and will fail, sooner or later. There are many ways to do this, but you must do it. In case of fire, flood, burglary or worse, offsite storage is vital.

I’ve been using CrashPlan for the past month to automatically backup key parts of my User Folder to the CrashPlan Central off-site location (a set of remote servers). It’s pretty easy and automatic with no buttons to push or CDs to burn. I simply installed CrashPlan, and it now quietly runs in the background protecting my files without slowing down my desktop activities.

And, best of all,it's free to back up my files to my own local and offsite destinations. These files are encrypted at my choice of multiple offsite destinations. I could backup to my old PC, a friend's desktop, an external hard drive, or whichever I want (see below). As indicated earlier, only offsite backup protects these files from theft, fire, and other local disasters. CrashPlan also insures my privacy by encrypting these files before they are sent, keeping personal files personal. I’m not limited to just one, but can select any or all local and remote backup destinations.

There are many ways to customize a backup by way of scheduling, frequency, destinations, exclusions, verifications, file size, old file deletion, status, alerts, and more. CrashPlan flags changes, has unlimited versioning (move backward in time), backup priorities (new vs. old, local vs. remote), data is compressed, and setup is quick. I would recommend that, if backup up over the Internet, pay close attention to limiting the sending rate to ensure that other access (like mail and browser activities) are not restricted (my initial settings shut out all other Internet access for everyone in the house because my backup was “filling the pipe”).

 

Did I say that CrashPlan is FREE? The initial basic license is immediately downloadable (www.crashplan.com) and can be up in running in five minutes. For more advanced features (continuous protection, free upgrades, priority support), you can get CrashPlan+ for up to 10 computers for $59.99. For an additional $49.80, you can buy a-one year subscription to 50 gigabytes of storage online (remote backup like what I’m using). You can even buy a combo package with CrashPlan+ and a 500GB LaCie hard drive for $119.98. There are even more variations on these concepts to choose from, for home and business.

I am also particularly impressed by their support which includes a special support wiki, frequently asked questions, email support, user forums, PRO service, and more. This system has worked well for me as an adjunct to Time Machine that I use for incremental local backups, and Carbon Copy Cloner that I use for bootable external drive backups. If your data is as important to you as mine is to me, having multiple local and remote backups is a good insurance plan.

ecamm BT-1: World’s First Bluetooth Webcam

by Tom Piper

The iSight video “tube” camera was a terrific FireWire-tethered tool to capture images, and the built-in iSight camera in new Mac laptops and monitors is an excellent resource, but both have limitations of distance and direction. Wouldn’t it be great to have a wireless A/V device you can use almost anywhere?

Announced at Macworld Expo 2009 as “Best of Show”, and released for purchase in June, the very new BT-1 from ecamm is the wireless solution for which we’ve been waiting. This Bluetooth Webcam includes a mini-tripod, USB charging cable and very simple instructions. With the download and installation of a small interface file (requires Mac OS X 10.5 or newer, and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR or better), this webcam is immediately usable by iChat, Skype, QuickTime, Evocam, and virtually any other software that access a camera.

Like the iSight, the BT-1 is 640x480 H.264 video with 48 kHz stereo AAC audio and 4-hour battery  capacity, plus Bluetooth range of 10-30 feet, depending on age and type of Mac (extendable up to 200 feet line-of-sight with a Class 1 Bluetooth USB dongle, for about $10). Its really small at 2”x2.5”x0.6” in size, and very lightweight. It is rechargeable with the provided USB cable (it will work while charging too, about 2-hour charge time), and has a standard 3.5mm audio port for an external microphone. The tripod legs extend from 2.5” to 7.0”, making for a very stable platform (the legs on some tripods have been known to jam). Bluetooth pairing begins automatically with a simple “0000”, and controls on the BT-1 are extremely simple with an on/off button, a power light, and a charging indicator light, and a nice preferences icon in the top menu of your screen  . . . that’s it.

 So far, I’ve used this unit with Ustream to share an hour at the Coffee Zone, on iChat to conduct a video call with a local friend and another a thousand miles away, on QuickTime to record a walkabout inventory of the house, via Skype with my son from his laptop to mine, and with Evocam to monitor the activities of my grandson (on both my Mac and iPhone). I’m sure that there are many other creative ways to use it, particularly since it is compatible with any camera mount (C-clamps, photo bags, gorilla tripods, etc.). It has excellent screen quality, even in low light situations. Color rendition is amazingly good, focusing well from 10” to infinity at 15 frames per second, and sound reception was good even 20’ away (a powered microphone would work even better in the sound jack).

The ecamm BT-1 can be yours for only $149, plus shipping, at www.bt-1.com (and probably in your local stores soon). I fully endorse this innovative product as yet another in a long line of successful products that you can see at www.ecamm.com. The “ecamm network” also includes iUSBCam, iGlasses, Conference Recorder, Huckleberry, PhoneView and Call Recorder (all of which I have), as well as PowerBoost, DockStar and CardRaider (which I hope to get soon), and iMage USB Webcam (this is what got me interested in the webcam when a friend first showed it to me). For a pair of great interviews with co-founders Glen and Ken Aspeslagh, go to www.bt-1.com and click on the Media tab.

Easy simplicity, high quality, excellent reliability, thoughtful service, and competitive pricing make the ecamm BT-1 Webcam a great value for many of our video needs. I can’t wait to see what the Ecamm Network comes out with next!

VueScan: Universal Software Image Capture Tool

by Tom Piper

How do you capture text, photos and other images into your computer? New scanners often come with enabling image scanning software, and companies like Adobe provide excellent tools. But, with older or less popular digital scanners, matching these models with powerful software is sometimes a challenge. I’ve found a solution that solves many such problems.

VueScan is the world's most popular third-party scanning program. It has over 160,000 users and supports over 1200 different brands of scanners on three operating systems. Available only online, VueScan offers over 50 advanced scanning features, vast improvements in speed, and enables many of the older scanners to work. It can be downloaded and totally tested for free.

My long-time challenge has been to use an IRIScan very small (but high quality) portable USB scanner that I acquired at Macworld 2008 with something other than the software that came with it. So, I downloaded VueScan, cranked it up, and it couldn’t find my scanner . . . a cross-check with the owner of the company confirmed that this software doesn’t work with my scanner . . . a disappointment.

The overall listing of compatible scanners is impressive. As shown in the example below, the controls for scanning and adjusting are easy to find, and simple to use, while offering many options to customize your scan and output. The interface is logical and intuitive, and it also has some great editing options to automatically correct for color, saturation and resolution on old photos.

Learn more about VueScan, and download it for testing, from http://www.hamrick.com/. You can purchase the standard edition for $39.95, or the professional edition for $79.95. It is available for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. This is a dandy tool when you are challenged.

Evouni Cases: Soft Protection for Your Portable Treasures

by Tom Piper

How do you protect your precious iPhone, or iPod? You see cases of all sorts everywhere you go in plastic, cloth, rubber, metal and more (actually, I haven’t seen wood yet). More than that, do they also protect those tangled earbuds?

Have you considered a pouch? Evouni Corp. offers a series of very elegant slip-in soft synthetic leather pouches with microfiber lining. It includes an aluminum logo frame (to wrap the earphone cord around), soft-padded material front and back, lanyard slot at top (lanyard available separately), light weight, and custom fit for our treasures. A small version is available for the iPod nano, and a large version for the iPhone (first or second generation) or iPod Touch.

In my experience with both of these pouches, I found them to be comfortable, secure, attractive and useful in not only protecting these treasures, but also securing the earbuds very nicely under the spring-loaded aluminum frame. It was also easy to quickly extract my iPhone and nano, both of which came out cleaner than they went in due to the microfiber liner . . . very clever idea.

More information is available at www.evouni.com, which also shows their full range of products. The prices are moderate. These are very nice and useful protectors for your electronic investments.

Uniea: Soft Protection for Your Portable Devices

by Tom Piper

How do you protect your precious camera, 2.5” hard drive or PDA? You see cases of all sorts everywhere you go in plastic, cloth, rubber, metal and more. So what do you use?

Uniea has introduced its Omniverse Universal Sleeve measuring W 5.6” x H 4.3” x D 3.1” with some great features including:

oversized case accommodates digital cameras, small hard drives and other small devices;
Shock absorbent inner lining protects devices from bumps and drops;
Unique, stylish silk fiber material and inner cushions are very lightweight;
Large front pocket holds cables, batteries, removable media, and such;
Belt loop and aluminum, carabiner-style ring for great portability; and
Secure, quality stitching and reliable smooth zipper for maximum reliability.

This is a very versatile case for small devices (including iPhones and iPod Touches) that provides excellent protection in a sleek, quality case that should withstand years of wear and tear. I need to get several of these cases to protect a wider range of my small portable devices.

You can learn more about this (and other Uniea products) at www.uniea.com. This case is available for only $17.95, available in silk fiber, or nylon . . . other sizes and materials are available, up to the universal tote for 13” notebooks. These all seem like very good values to me . . . more great protection for your valuable investments.

MacScan: Security at Your Fingertips

by Tom Piper

“The iBotnet, a ‘Trojan horse’ program, has appeared in pirated copies of Apple's productivity suite iWork '09 that circulate on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks,” the New York-based Post Chronicle reported. Since only a few thousand Macs were infected with iBotnet, we probably have little to worry about now, but this could be a sign of many more to come since hackers are testing Apple’s security parameters more and more. How do we defend ourselves against such impending attacks, or even current “Spyware”?

I’ve started using a new program from SecureMac called “MacScan”, and am very pleased with the results. My program runs automatically everyday at noon (you set the schedule), and immediately let’s me know what it finds that might be troublesome (see some recent results below):

Using advanced detection methods, MacScan detects, isolates and removes the program which could allow your privacy to be violated. Anti-virus software does not commonly protect you from spyware. Many spyware programs used by hackers to gain remote access to your computer, often goes undetected. Keystroke loggers have been undetected for years. MacScan by SecureMac — Leader in Macintosh information security — is designed specifically to detect and eradicate the threat to your Macintosh. MacScan protects your Mac from security risks like no other program can, filling the missing gap of security protection for the Macintosh.

MacScan detects, isolates, and removes as well as notifies you of any spyware applications that may be active. MacScan also audits and protects your system from remote administrative programs that may have inadvertently been left on or installed (see below).

And, yes, SecureMac even provided an “iServices Trojan Removal Tool.app” to check my computer for an iBotnet presence (there wasn’t one), and eradicate it if necessary. I also like the idea that SecureMac’s website keeps track and reports all known incidents of possible security threats to the Mac. It’s good to know that someone is looking out for our welfare, and even has a current discount (see below) for Apple user group members.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MacScan Protection: 20% Off

MacScan from SecureMac quickly detects, isolates and removes spyware from Macintosh computers using both real-time spyware definition updating and unique detection methods. It also includes Internet clutter cleanup with blacklisted tracking cookie detection and removal. Since 1999, SecureMac.com has been at the forefront of Macintosh system security. The site also operates as a clearinghouse for news, reviews and discussion of Apple computer security issues.

Regularly available for $29.99 (US), this special  user group is discount 20% off. Try before you buy with free trial.

Review and purchase: http://macscan.securemac.com/      
This worldwide offer is valid through October 31, 2009.

macProVideo: Video-Assisted Software Learning

by Tom Piper

Get really interested in a new program, but don’t want to read a book, or Help menu in order to learn how to use it. Video instruction can be an excellent answer for many of us.

I am particularly impressed by Nonlinear Educating Inc., and its Founder and Publisher, Martin Sitter. Several years ago I ran a vendor discount offer about their macProVideo line of products, and had an opportunity to use several of the videos first-hand. This month I even did an interview with Martin for the Apple User Group Market Podcast (available at http://web.mac.com/ugab/). They used to provide these tutorials on DVDs, but discontinued this on Earth Day 2009, and are doing their part to protect the environment by providing only download services.

Featuring in depth, real-time video training created by the multimedia industry's top educators, macProVideo.com brings high quality video training to your computer desktop. They are committed to providing the best software training on the web for applications such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro & Express, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, Reason, Ableton Live, Mac OS X and more! These training videos use easy-to-follow live screen captures combined with clear voice-over instruction to teach you how to use multimedia software applications . . . as they say, it's Nonlinear Educating! There is no delay in educating when you use macProVideo.com. With an ADSL or Cable modem, you could be in class 10 minutes from now, anywhere you can connect to the Internet. Some of videos are even free, such as “Mac OS for Switchers.”

Their software tutorial-video player is called “N.E.D. 3” (see above), and is a complete solution which allows you to download, organize, learn and burn tutorials with one simple, but powerful tool. Versions are available for Mac OS Leopard, Tiger and Panther (even Windows XP and Vista) on Mac G4, G5 and Intel processors. Their trainers are articulate, interesting and understandable, plus online discussion forums to clarify and learn even more. I highly recommend this service, which is getting even better with new tutorial releases and the new designProVideo.com service (see the limited time user group offer below).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
designProVideo.com: 40% Discount

designProVideo.com (the sister site of macProVideo.com) produces pro-level tutorial videos for Adobe CS4 and Final Cut Studio. Their trainers are Apple courseware authors and respected industry professionals! Watch tutorials online or download them to your computer. There's no need to wait for discs to be sent in the mail. Start learning now!

Apple user group members can save 40% off the regular Online Tutorial Library subscription price of $25 (US). For just $15 (US) a month, you can access the entire designProVideo.com Online Tutorial Library. As a subscriber, you'll also receive an additional 25% discount on all HD Tutorial downloads!

Subscribe today and save!
https://www.designprovideo.com/subscribe/info/usergroup40

WeatherCal: Forecasts in Your Calendar

by Tom Piper

Checking your calendar for activities, and want to be sure that you’re dressed for the weather? Bare Bones Software just released WeatherCal™, a new Mac® utility that adds current weather conditions and four-day forecast to iCal® on the Macintosh® and to the iPhone® or iPod® touch.

WeatherCal creates calendars which contain info on current and predicted weather conditions in user-specified locales. The WeatherCal system preferences panel allows the user to choose their favorite U.S. and international locations. Once set, WeatherCal obtains the current day’s weather and four days of forecasts, and presents the information in iCal as all-day events which are easy to read at a glance, with additional details available in a single click. These calendars and events can synchronize to other computers or to your iPhone or iPod touch along with the rest of your iCal data, using MobileMe (or iTunes) syncing.

This is simple and easy to install in less than 5 minutes. After that, just forget about it. I also use it at the office where it is “published” so my staff sees the forecast too. Very cool.

For more information on WeatherCal, or to download a fully functional demo version, visit the company’s web site http://www.barebones.com/products/weathercal/. WeatherCal is a Universal application, and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

WeatherCal is available immediately for $10 from their online store: http://www.barebones.com/store/.