Computer Connections

Computer Connections 11.03

BY LLOYD PREZANT

11.2003
Issue No.13

Apple’s new cat
Apple says "the cat's out of the bag." Panther, that is. OS 10.3 is here! Code named Panther, it is one of a line of cat-named OS releases in the OS X line. We started with Cheetah (10.0), Puma (10.1), Jaguar (10.2) and evolved to Panther (10.3). New York City's Apple store in SoHo premiered the release on Friday, October 24th at 8PM. Mac loyalists have been scooping up the OS, and enjoying the new features.

Some will be very happy to learn that a few OS 9 goodies, missing from OS X are back. You can move custom folders and files to the lower part of the Finder window and label folders and files by color. More OS 9 features will reveal themselves as you learn OS 10.3. The Finder now resembles iPhoto and iTunes brushed-metal look, as well as search results in those applications. They appear as you type them. A new action button brings up a contextual menu pertaining to the current selection. Users can: print, alias, trash files and label files.

Expose is a new Panther feature designed to speed you through multiple open application windows. Using function keys allows three viewing modes: view all, view all in current application only, or hide all so you can use the desktop. Very useful.

Mail, the free e-mail program is more powerful. You now can: track e-mail threads (like Eudora and Entourage), use the same HTML rendering engine as Safari for more speed, have better spam filtering and have better address management with e-mail address that are now draggable objects.

Font Book is Panther's Font Panel accessory. Now you can classify organize and control font groups (similar to using Suitcase and Font Reserve). Installing or disabling individual fonts or entire font families is a breeze. A new search function finds fonts anywhere you have access to on your network. A real improvement!

Fast User Switching ends the tedious process of switching between users personal settings. Now, switching to another user does not require logging out, or the shutdown of applications. Fast switching between users is also a breeze!

More in Panther: Preview - an OS X built-in PDF viewer, FileVault - 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard that encrypts your Home directory's contents, Secure Delete Trash - completely erases files from your hard drive and iChat AV - updates the instant messaging application and lets users have video and audio chats using the iSight camera or any FireWire camcorder or Webcam.

So much has been added or updated - I didn't even touch on drag-and-drop printing (OS 9 feature added) or AppleScript improvements or the new Universal Security Pane or DVD support for 5.1 audio or iDisk Anywhere that gives you 100mb of storage on Apple servers and the Apple Chess 2.0 game. Whew! Buy it - $129. "You'll have fun, fun, fun 'til your daddy takes the Mac away" - (with apologies to the Beach Boys). www.apple.com/macosx.

Nokia eN-GAGE(d)
Nokia has released their "N-GAGE." It's an all in one mobile communications, PDA, gaming and music device. Almost oval in shape, this baby serves as: a cell phone; a game deck; an MP3 music player, a contact, calendar and messaging instrument and a neat FM radio too! You insert: a SIM card, a game module, a memory module and then the battery (charge it fully before the first use) and with a press of the power button - you are in. Pressing the menu key brings up a screen where you choose what you want to do with the N-GAGE. You can access all the features from there. On the unit, there are direct buttons that take you to the FM radio or the MP3 player. Of course, from the start screen you can just dial a phone number and use it as a phone without going to any menus (set up service with a provider that works with a CDMA phone).

I used the FM radio - it's a breeze to operate and use. There is a speaker mode that plays loud enough to annoy people sitting next to you, and it's also loud through the supplied headphones.

Game playing - response is fast and action abounds. Although the screen is smaller than other hand held game devices, I found no problem in playing. They have a "D" style multi-directional button that we gamers are used to using. Some available titles are: Tomb Raider, Pandemonium, PuyoPop and Puzzle Bobble VS. More are coming out every month. Look for: Moto GP, Rayman, MLB Slam, SonicN, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Virtua Tennis to be out by Christmas '03.

Holding the N-Gage up to your head as a phone is a different feel from your standard phone. Just remember, it does much more than a standard phone does, thus it's different shape and feel. Use the hands free accessory (supplied) and there's no difference than with using a standard phone! My review copy of the N-Gage didn't have a memory card, so I couldn't test the MP3 player. With a card that has either 64 or 128 Mbytes available, you can store one to two hours of music. There is Bluetooth in the unit for synchronizing from your home computer (Macs included), and USB connectivity too.

All-in-all, I loved using my N-GAGE, and am sorry it has to be returned after this review. Priced at $299, games are $29.95, and memory cards are $60 (64 Mb) or $99 (128Mb). You can find these at your local Electronics Boutique gaming store, or go on the Web to www.nokia.com for more information. The N-GAGE: your hi-tech handheld device!

Apple updates
Apple quick hits - Apple updates iSync. Version 1.3 is ready. Use the Software Update system preferences pane in OS X. The update now supports new cell phones by Ericsson (P900 and 800) and Nokia [3650, 7650 and N-GAGE (reviewed above)]. Must have iCal 1.5.1 or later, Bluetooth 1.2.1 or later and Palm Conduit 1.2 or later. More info is on the Apple Web page: www.apple.com/ical.

Apple updates Keynote. Version 1.1.1 is ready. Stability and user enhancements abound. www.apple.com/keynote.

Apple updates QuickTime. versions 6.4. Enhanced MPEG-4, support for 3GP and 3GPP, H.263 video codecs and Pixlet codec (10.3 only). If the tech talk is too much, you probably don't need it! Want to learn about it? www.apple.com/quicktime/products/qt.

Apple updates Bluetooth. Version 1.0.2 is ready. Better: connectivity, update performance, performance after sleep and startup key command availability. Use only with built-in Apple Bluetooth modules or D-Link DBT-120 rev. b or later. Find it: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120253.

Apple updates OS 10.2 with 10.2.8 (again). For those staying with OS X 10.2, this now fixes the Ethernet problem the upgrade caused and battery status laptop problem too. Use the Software update pane or: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120245.

Lloyd Prezant is a NYC computer consultant who
buys and sells recent
used Mac computers and
their peripherals. Call him
at (718) 548-1623.

Past Connections
October 2003
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June 2003
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