iPod - iLove
Apple wows us with their fourth generation iPod. Taking their cue from the success of the iPod mini, iPod mimics it's interface. iPod's Click Wheel is a continuous-scrolling surface with: five push buttons - a center push button, a play/pause push button, a menu push button and rewind and fast forward push buttons. This enables one-handed navigation. The 15GB model has been dropped. Now you can only buy a 20GB or 40GB model. Looking the same in dimensions as the third generation iPod, the new iPod is 1 millimeter thinner. New software features include: a new music menu, shuffle songs that mix up the order of songs in your playlist and the On-The-Go Playlist that lets users create custom playlists when traveling while allowing multiple saves of playlists. Previous owners of iPods will be jealous of the new iPod's battery life. Apple claims a 12 hour playing time - up from the previous 8 hour time. You can charge the new iPod through a USB 2.0 connection. Apple has licensed Hewlett Packard to produce iPods under their brand. Look for them in September. This branding makes the iPod an easy sell to the PC market. iPod 20GB sells for $299 and the 40Gb at $399. Now iPod is a bit more affordable.
www.apple.com/ipod/
Virex up to 7.5
McAfee Inc. updates Virex for Macintosh this month. Version 7.5 offers real-time scanning for viruses, scheduling options for On Demand scans, eUpdate function that downloads the latest virus updates, an updated scan engine and generic detections that lets users find and remove variations of a virus. Use Virex 7.5 with Mac OS 10.2.6 or higher. Check the Website for more info and pricing. www.mcafeesecurity.com/us/
products/mcafee/
antivirus/desktop/virex.htm Whew!!!
Giga Dual for $699
Giga Designs LLC introduces their M Series dual processor upgrades for PowerMacs that have Gigabit Ethernet and AGP graphics. It runs at 1.4 GHZ and is priced at $699. They also have a 1.33 GHZ model that works in Digital Audio Quicksilver 2001 and 2002 models. That one is also priced at $699. You'll find 2MB of L3 cache, adjustable processor speed and voltage settings with software free operation using Mac OS 9.2.1 to OS 10.3.4.
www.gigadesigns.com
iPod - iUpdate
Apple now has posted iPod Updater 2004-07-15. This includes all the software updates that were available for the first, second, third and fourth-generation iPods including iPod minis. No new features or functionality will be provided here - those upgrades reside in the iPods themselves. However, you can gain compatibility with iTunes 4.5 or later and get improved playback dynamics. A dock connector equipped iPod and iPod minis can support apple Lossless Encoder. Download at: www.apple.com/ipod/download.
WiFi Spy (oh my!)
Marware has its WiFi Spy that is a small device users can put on a keychain and carry while looking for a WiFi network. It will detect an 802.11b/g wireless network in a remote location. To use, you press its button and it scans for a signal. If it finds one, its strength is show on a four-bar display. Holding down the button and walking around helps you find the strongest WiFi hotspot signal. Works on open and closed networks. Sells for $29.95 (such a deal!) www.marware.com/WiFySpy.html
Dantz backing up
Dantz releases a free update to their Retrospect 6.0 backup software. Version 5.6.102 of the Retrospect driver adds support for Iomega's 35GB and 90GB FireWire REV removable external drives and EZQuest DVD-RW /CD-RW and CD-RW drives. It also: fixes bugs, improves memory management and gives users performance enhancements. Use Mac OS 10.1.5 or higher with a minimum of 128MB RAM and 200MB of hard drive space. Update for $129 or add a years support and maintenance for $269. www.dantz.com/en/products/macdesktop/index.html.
Vonage - your advantage
Apple is now shipping their new Airport Express base station. There were 80,000 pre-orders since the announcement of the product in June. This is the first 802.11g mobile base station for Mac and PC users. Its AirTunes feature allows users to stream their iTunes music collection wirelessly to a stereo located anywhere in their home. You will find a USB port where you can share a single printer with multiple users. There is support for up to ten simultaneous users and bridging AirPortExpress or AirportExtreme base stations extends the range of your wireless network. Priced at $129. www.apple.com/airportexpress.
Iomega is Super (DVD)
Iomega introduces their Super DVD writer 12x Dual-Format USB 2.0 drive. This DVD+RW/-RW drive comes with Mac and Windows software. It supports dual-layer recordable DVD+R DL DVD media. Users can now store up to 8.5GB on each disc. All the other popular formats are supported: DVD=R and DVD+RW (12x4x10xwrite, re-write and read speeds), DVD-R and DVD-RW (8x4x10x) and CD-R and CD-RW (40x24x40x). Burning software is included. I always prefer to use Toast software for burning. Later versions of OS X have their own DVD burn software. Use with OS 10.2.7 or higher and with a G4 Mac with a USB 2.0 port (or card). $249.95 www.iomega.com.
iTunes all around
Apple's iPod mania continues. In a partnership with Motorola, Apple would allow users to transfer iTunes music to the next generation mobile handsets. Apple will make an iTunes mobile music player and it will be standard on all of Motorola's music phones. It's not a replacement of the iPod but a compliment to it. This is the fourth partnership with a company supporting iPod or iTunes music store. The other three deals are with BMW, AOL and Hewlett Packard. The Motorola phones will hold dozens of songs and should be out the first half of 2005!
Lloyd
Prezant is a NYC computer consultant who buys and sells recent
used Mac computers and their peripherals. Call him
at (718) 548-1623.
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