Sep 18
Mike Bombich’s Carbon Copy Cloner is one of those “must have” programs for the Mac, allowing you to completely clone/backup your hard drives.
Well, version 3.0 is out now with a nice new feature set:
• Support for block-level disk-to-disk clones.
• Synchronization built-in, not bolted on.
• Support for backing up across the network to another Macintosh.
• Advanced scheduling capabilities — Backup tasks can now be scheduled on an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly basis, or you can indicate that a backup task should run when the backup device is attached (e.g. an iPod).
• CCC recognizes iPods specifically, allowing time for the iPod:iTunes synchronization to complete.
• The ability to drill down into folders to select exactly what gets copied and what doesn’t (you can drill down indefinitely).
• Built-in software update feature notifies you when updates are available.
CCC is a Universal binary, which means it’s for both Power PC Macs and Intel Macs. The program is donation-ware, so Bombich has a tip cup if you find CCC useful.
Jun 27
I just found this on the package of an iPod charger I purchased:
Do I have to be over 21 in order to use this?
Jun 22
Here’s a great little program:
KeyQue is a small shareware program that shows you all the keyboard commands of a program by just holding down the Apple/Command key for about a second or so. A translucent window appears showing you all the key commands for the current program you are working with. Here’s what it looks like:
So now you have no excuse for not learning all the keyboard commands for each and every program you use!
It’s shareware, folks, priced at $20 and you can download a demo here.
Jun 20
Macworld has a nice, long comparison between Apple’s Aperture and Adobe’s LightRoom. I haven’t read the entire article yet and here’s a little taste:
Which is right for you?
Aperture and Lightroom are both well-designed applications. Aperture will appeal most to photographers who largely compose in-camera and want an application that will make quick work of culling images. The program offers better options for importing and storing your photos, and its project structure is better tuned than Lightroom’s collections- and folder-based approach. While the simplicity and power of Lightroom’s Develop module may seem like a big deal, in reality I was able to get the images I wanted from both programs. When you factor in Aperture’s excellent Web and Book modes and integration with Apple’s iLife suite, it’s clear that this is the more mature product. It may take you longer to feel comfortable in Aperture, but once you are, you’ll be happy with the breadth of its features.
That said, Lightroom is no slouch. For a version-1.0 program, it offers an impressive collection of features. Despite a few rough edges, Lightroom gives you much of the same functionality as Aperture, and has an excellent image-editing engine with an intuitive and effective set of tools. If you already have a structured workflow, and pixel editing is your primary concern, Lightroom may be the better fit.
I use both programs quite a lot. I love Aperture for its system of organizing images yet I prefer LightRoom’s develop module. I wish I could crazy glue the two together. Better read the article to see what will suite you better.
You know what? Just buy both (J&R is still selling LightRoom for $199 at the store itself).
Jun 12
There are a couple of articles that you should check out if your are thinking about the iPhone: One at Forbes and the other at MacWorld.
Basically, the (potential) issues with this device will be:
- Battery life
- Lack of real keyboard
- Internet speed
- Cost
- Cost
- Cost
Forbes says it’s possible that you will spend nearly $2,000 to own and use this phone over the two year (required) contract. That’s a lot of bucks.
I think I’ll wait, for a little while at least.
Nov 15
For those of you who cannot afford a $90 monitor calibrator, you might want to give this little app a try.
Super Cal is a small program designed to help you calibrate your monitors. There is no device to buy… you just use your eyes (not the best calibration devices, BTW). But, at they say… some calibration is better than no calibration at all.
Oct 16
It’s back, only $339 at Dell. Click here for the deal.
Details:
The Dell™ UltraSharp™ 2007WFP 20.1-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor is a wide aspect desktop display that redefines the performance of LCD displays with a stylish Dell™ industrial design, and advanced functionality. With this monitor, you can watch DVDs in natural format, run multiple applications simultaneously and improve productivity with less scrolling and toggling. The 2007WFP provides an excellent option for video editing and 3D imaging as both source and destination video can be viewed in a single window.
Oct 02
This is a great deal for a limited time. This 20″ monitor works perfectly with Macs (I have 3 of these myself).
Details:
The Dell™ UltraSharp™ 2007WFP 20.1-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor is a wide aspect desktop display that redefines the performance of LCD displays with a stylish Dell™ industrial design, and advanced functionality. With this monitor, you can watch DVDs in natural format, run multiple applications simultaneously and improve productivity with less scrolling and toggling. The 2007WFP provides an excellent option for video editing and 3D imaging as both source and destination video can be viewed in a single window.
Click here for the deal.