Intempo iDS-02 iPod Speaker System
Saturday, September 30, 2006
I just love the look of all these new and innovative speaker systems for the iPod, but none more so than the iDS-02 from Intempo Digital. Two 7.5 watt speakers and a 15 watt subwoofer in this spherical design, looks really cool and available in black or white. I hope to bring you a review real soon, but until then, check out the link.
Zune extras plus exposed screen !
Well, I don't need to tell you that I am a true iPod fan, with all this Zune news really getting me wound up. Not that I think it will be any sort of threat, but I do think people may end up wasting there money and it effecting the MP3 market as a whole.
Anyway, Microsoft has made it official, along with details of accessories here.
Also, one thing worries me about the Zune, if you look at the images of it, the screen looks like a normal LCD, with no hard protection (like the iPod). So with people stuffing their Zune's into pockets and bags, I can see a lot of people crying with damaged screens. What do you think?
Grand Opening of Apple Store Manchester
Thursday, September 28, 2006
The Apple Store Manchester Arndale will open to the public on Saturday, September 30, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. BST.I love Apple Store openings, they make me tingle inside and I do not mind admitting that when I visit my local the hours just seem to fly past, even if my wallet stays in my pocket (which it does not very often). So it gives me great pleasure to bring you this news and to urge you, if you can make it down to the Arndale Centre in Manchester then you are guaranteed a great day.
From the press release:
At the Apple Store, knowledgeable salespeople are available to help customers learn about all the latest products from Apple including the all-new iPod® nano featuring a new aluminium body, 24 hours of battery life and more than twice the music capacity at the same price as the previous generation, and the new iPod with a brighter and more vibrant colour display perfect for watching music videos and viewing photos and album art. The hands-on Apple Store experience provides visitors with a chance to test-drive Apple’s entire product line including the critically acclaimed iMac® and MacBook™, featuring Intel processors, a built-in iSight™ camera and the breakthrough Front Row media experience. Customers can also visit the Genius Bar for free, face-to-face technical support and The Studio where Creatives are on hand to help with all of their creative projects from retouching photos to making professional quality movies.
Additional information about Apple’s retail stores is available at www.apple.com/uk/retail
Netgear DG834N Review
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
We all want extra speed, it doesn’t matter how fast a human can actually read a web page or surf the ever expanding internet, when we see the new offering of ‘Super-uber 500 Megabit Broadband’ we sign up before even looking at the price. We want to download that movie (legal download of course) and boast to our friends how it download in just ten seconds. For the rest of us, who want to be productive in our daily work, of course speed is important, but so is stability of service and, if you use a laptop, wireless speed is also right up there on the top of the list.Often referred to as 802.11x where ‘x’ can be an a, b or g, the differing speeds are not often noticeable, but a new offering has been around for a little while now, in the format of ‘draft 802.11n’ and we take a look at Netgear’s DG834N which offers this, plus a whole lot more. Before I continue I should make a clarification about the ‘draft’ statement. This is because 802.11n is not a standard yet, the final specification has yet to be carved into stone, so things may change. Some say some devices may become redundant if things in the final 802.11n change too much, but I say in this day and age, any changes made would most definitely be available as a firmware update.
So, the DG834N falls into Netgear’s ‘RangeMax Next’ range and is offered alongside various other devices that compliment the new speed offering. These include a wireless notebook adapter (WN511B) and a wireless PC adapter (WN311B) which we have here to test as well. It is only really when you use these in conjunction with the DG834N that you will benefit from all the new improvements on offer.
However, you can use this device with your current set-up as it does offer compatibility with 802.11b & g.
Speed Demon
So the new speed increases promise up to 270Mbps when used with the relevant adapter, compared to 11Mbps on 802.11b and 54Mbps on 802.11g, so a very worthwhile jump. In practice and without getting to technical, I found downloads over wireless to offer on average a twofold improvement, dependent on the position of my PC (with WN311B adapter installed). A handy table below shows all the different protocols and what speeds they have to offer... to download the full review click here.
Product supplied by Netgear, Inc.
Contact: +44 (0)1344 458200
Average street price: £93.88
Link to product.
Link to product datasheet.
Review update - coming soon
Thought it would be a good idea to give you an updated list of upcoming and just published reviews on the Geekanoids website. So here goes;How to Get Rich Quick - book by Felix Dennis - on the site now.
Apple's 2G iPod Nano (4Gb model) - on the site now.
Griffin iTrip Auto - now legal in the UK.
Lineform - by Freeverse, a nice alternative to Illustrator.
M-Audio Podcast Factory.
Netgear DG834N - wireless ADSL2+ modem router - this week.
Extensis Suitcase Fusion.
Extensis Portfolio 8.
Buffalo LinkStation Pro - 320Gb NAS hard drive.
Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 & Scantango OSX Driver Software.
Canon Powershot A640 - digital camera.
Lacie Porsche 500Gb USB2 Hard Drive.
Lacie Mobile 100Gb Hard Drive.
...plus some very interesting software reviews.
Buffalo NEW DriveStation Duo
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Dual SATA drives offer consumers and SME/SOHOs redundancy in plug-and-play external storageLondon, UK, 26th September 2006 - Buffalo Technology has today launched its DriveStation Duo USB 2.0/FireWire external hard drive. This latest addition to the DriveStation family comes equipped with two drives offering RAID 1 full data redundancy for home and small business (SOHO/SME) users. The DriveStation Duo is available in capacities of 500GB (HD-W500IU2/R1), 800GB (HD-W800IU2/R1), 1.0TB (HD-W1.0TIU2/R1) and 1.5TB (HD-W1.0TIU2/R1).
The DriveStation Duo is the first Buffalo storage device to feature both FireWire and USB 2.0 interfaces. It incorporates configurable RAID 1 (Mirroring) for improved reliability and full capacity spanning modes for maximum capacity. It also comes with a Windows® RAID utility to easily change RAID modes. For increased storage capacity, the DriveStation Duo includes two high performance SATA drives, delivering speeds of 7200rpm for improved speed and reliability.
“Having a plug-and-play direct-attached storage device equipped with RAID 1 is a big step for Buffalo because it offers our users full redundancy of data,” stated Gerardine Lynch, product marketing manager at Buffalo Technology. “RAID 1 in a two-disk product essentially means no data will be lost if one of the disks fails, and users can still operate the product during the rebuilding process. The DriveStation Duo not only provides continuous backup of the other disk but is a quick and easy way to store, access and transfer your music, photos, videos and other important files.”
The DriveStation Duo includes Secure Lock Ware, a security software tool that secures the device or selected files/folders using 256 bit AES encryption. This, along with backup software from Memeo™, delivers improved backup options, including regular system backup, scheduled backup and password protection.
Like the rest of the DriveStation range, the DriveStation Duo offers three automatic features for user-friendly operation: The Auto Setup function ensures quick, easy and driverless installation*; the Auto Power-On feature allows it to associate with the power of the attached computer and automatically power-on or off; and the Auto Backup feature enables customised backup scheduling to protect data.
The DriveStation line of storage devices can be used as backup drives to Buffalo’s other Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, including the LinkStation Home Server, LinkStation Pro, TeraStation Home Server and TeraStation Pro.
Backed by a limited two-year warranty, the DriveStation Duo will be available from October in capacities of 500GB, 800GB, 1.0TB and 1.5TB. Current estimated street prices (ex VAT) are as follows:
500GB - HD-W500IU2/R1 £135.99
800GB - HD-W800IU2/R1 £254.99
1.0TB - HD-W1.0TIU2/R1 £279.99
1.5TB - HD-W1.5TIU2/R1 £509.99
Link to Buffalo Technology.
How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis
I wanted to bring something a little different to my readers, because I felt it would be the right thing to try and entice you away from your screens for a little while. Spending hours in front of your Mac is a fine way to spend your day, but can induce back ache and eye strain if you overdo it. So, why not pick up a copy of 'How to Get Rich - by Felix Dennis'.Now, I am not a massive reader, but two things drew me to this book, firstly the title, as I wouldn't mind a bit (or a lot) of extra money, but secondly the man behind the book. We have all heard of the publication 'Mac User' and some of us may have seen 'Personal Computer World' on the shelf, well these are just a few titles by Dennis Publishing, founded in 1973 by Dennis Felix. He sold the two magazines and made millions and continues to do so in various ways.
The book is not one of those awful 'bible' type books, that lists what you must and mustn't do, complete with diagrams, rather it is written in a light hearted and frank manner by the man himself. He really drills home why you must not let opportunities pass you by and I found myself engrossed in reading for the first time in years.
"Making money is a knack, a knack that can be acquired. And if someone like me can become rich, then so can you - no matter what your present circumstances. Here is how I did it and what I learned along the way," writes Felix.
The Fallacy of the Great Idea, strikes home with "Good ideas are like Nike Sports shoes. They may facilitate an athlete who possesses them, but on their own they are nothing but an over-priced pair of plimsolls. Specially adapted plimsolls may be a good idea. But the goal is still to win, and sports shoes don't win. Athletes do. And yet I have lost count of the number of men and women who have approached me with their 'great idea', as if this, in and of itself, was some passport to instant wealth. The idea is not a passport. At most, it is the means of obtaining one."
I could keep quoting and quoting all day long, this book is just such a great read. Even if you do not want to 'get rich' (and believe me, there are those who don't), the writing is upbeat and it is interesting to learn about the man behind Dennis Publishing, so I highly recommend you give it a try.
Product supplied by Ebury
Retail price: £16.99 ($32.33)
ISBN: 0091912652
Pages: 304
Contact: www.eburypublishing.co.uk
Apple Releases Aperture 1.5 at Photokina 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
Apple have just released details of Aperture version 1.5 at the Photokina 2006 event in Germany. The new updated application will be available this week as a free update for existing users, or at the existing £219 price for new users.Check out the new features such as iLife and iWork integration here.
Netgear Digital Entertainer (EVA700) News
In an age where movie downloads are becoming the norm and with the advent of Movie downloads from the iTunes Store, getting movies (and other visuals) to you main TV screen is something that more and more users are looking to do. I have personally just installed a network hard drive in my set-up and streaming to my computer is not a problem, but to my main TV, now that is a different matter. Netgear's new 'Digital Entertainer EVA700 could be the answer to all my problems, read on for Netgear's press release about their new product.
NETGEAR Announces the Digital Entertainer, Featuring Seamless Media
Streaming to TVs and Home Entertainment Systems from Intel Viiv™
Technology-Based PCs, Storage Devices and the Internet
NETGEAR Digital Entertainer (EVA700) First Digital Media Adapter Verified
to Work with Intel Viiv Technology; Two Popular Wireless Routers Also
Verified to Enable Access to Content and Services through Home Networks
Bracknell, UK — September 25, 2006 — NETGEAR, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTGR), a
worldwide provider of technologically advanced, branded networking
products, today introduced the first Intel Viiv technology-verified digital
media adapter (DMA), the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer (EVA700), bringing
home computers and home entertainment systems together. The sleek and
stylish Digital Entertainer enables consumers to stream digital media
content, applications and services from PCs, network storage devices, USB
devices, and the Internet via a home network to TVs and home entertainment
systems.
“Where people store their files and access the Internet shouldn’t limit
where, when or how they enjoy their digital entertainment,” said Vivek
Pathela, NETGEAR’s vice president of product marketing. “Previously you
used your PC, but now you can also enjoy the same videos, photos and music
on your TV, in the comfort of your family room. We’ve dedicated
considerable effort to ensure options for high-quality video streaming for
hours of uninterrupted video playback, so digital media and services can be
delivered from the PC to home theatres across multiple rooms. Like other
NETGEAR products, our Digital Entertainer and wireless routers verified to
work with Intel Viiv technology-based PCs are characterised by their
elegance, reliability and simplicity.”
The Digital Entertainer also supports services and applications through the
Intel Viiv Zone, which will provide over time a growing choice of
on-demand, Internet-delivered premium content including music and music
videos, information services, sports and TV shows, full-length movies, and
other entertainment. Other Intel Viiv technology features supported include
the ability to wake a sleeping PC from the Digital Entertainer, and
simplified device set-up via Intel Hub Connect Technology — which also
requires a verified router such as the NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless Router
(WPN824) and 54 Mbps Wireless Router (WGR614).
Consumers connect the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer to their existing home
networks through wired Ethernet for best results, or through an 802.11g
wireless standard-compliant router such as the Intel Viiv technology
verified NETGEAR RangeMax Wireless Router (WPN824) and 54 Mbps Wireless
Router (WGR614). For a proven wired Ethernet alternative, consumers can use
the NETGEAR 200 Mbps Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter Kit (HDXB101) (Geekanoids review here) to stream high quality video across multiple rooms in the house to ensure hours of
uninterrupted video playback.
User-friendliness is a hallmark of NETGEAR products. The NETGEAR Digital
Entertainer (EVA700) features an intuitive TV user interface that enables
families to browse their digital movie, video, music and photo files using
a single remote control. In addition to Intel Viiv technology based-PCs,
the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer supports access to content on standard
Windows XP PCs through Windows Media Connect as well as other Universal
Plug and Play (UPnP) media servers such as TwonkyMedia. The Digital
Entertainer can also stream content via the home network from the NETGEAR
Storage Central (SC101), associated with a PC, and many USB storage devices
such as flash drives, digital cameras and iPods. With its smooth burnished
platinum casing, similar in size to a standard DVD player, the Digital
Entertainer is a stylish addition to entertainment system cabinets.
The NETGEAR Digital Entertainer (EVA700) decodes many leading audio formats
(MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC), video formats (MPEG1/2/4, WMV, XviD) and image
formats (JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF, GIF). It integrates a 10/100Base-T Ethernet
controller, support for 802.11g wireless networking, and a USB 2.0 port for
additional connectivity with flash memory, digital cameras, iPod, or other
portable music and video players. The Digital Entertainer also includes RCA
connectors for composite and component video outputs with HD video support,
stereo RCA audio ports, an S-video port, and a SCART connector for regions
that require it. The Digital Entertainer complies with multiple
interoperability standards, including UPnP AV, Digital Living Network
Alliance (DLNA), and emerging digital rights management technologies such
as DTCP-IP and Microsoft® Windows Media DRM 10 for Network Devices. It
supports several security standards including WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK.
The NETGEAR Digital Entertainer (EVA700) is available now through select
retailers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers. Backed by a one-year
warranty and 24/7 technical support, it has an MSRP of £200.
We hope to bring you a full review soon.
Apple iPod Nano 4Gb - New 2G Delivers !
Friday, September 22, 2006
To say I feel honoured is an understatement, but when I took the new 2nd generation iPod Nano out of the shipping box my jaw dropped. The new transparent packaging is fantastic and I now know why Steve Jobs mentioned it in his keynote. Not thinking my jaw could get any lower I removed the Nano from its’ packaging and was once again amazed at how much sleeker it felt than the previous generation.This is my first review where I just felt that I wanted to give you two pages (or more) of high resolution photographs. They say ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ and with the new Nano those words could not be more fitting. The case of the Nano is now all anodised aluminium and is so nice to touch, a real smooth feel, no worries about fingerprints either, which is fantastic news. Colours have been introduced with the 2Gb model being available in silver only, the 4Gb being available in silver, green, blue and pink, and the new higher capacity 8Gb model in a sexy black. All have this wicked metallic look.
Back to the packaging a moment, before I tell you even more about the latest Nano. I always trump on and on about the ‘Apple buying experience’ and yet again, unpacking this baby is no different, everything is packaged impeccably, the iPod lifts out and you are presented with two fold out pieces of card, which reveal a tiny quick start booklet, the new style headphones, usb connector and dock adapter. All so neatly positioned you wonder just how they do it.
Now, back to the Nano, and connecting it to my Mac for the first time presented me with a software update, which I installed, then left it charging a little while before syncing with my iTunes application.
I already own a 60Gb iPod myself, so my iTunes library is quite large, so when I connected the Nano, iTunes warned me that my library would not all fit and gave me the option of the application creating a Nano playlist for me, I took this option for speed and let iTunes select the songs for me. The actually capacity for files on the 4Gb silver model I am reviewing is 3.68Gb, the remainder being taken up with system files etc. So I set the files transferring and it pushed 698 MP3’s across to the Nano in about 12 minutes, which to me is totally acceptable. I made a few changes to the playlist and re-synced and was ready to play... to download the full review click here.
Product supplied by Apple UK.
Retail price: £129.00 (4Gb model)
Contact: 0800 039 1010
Link to product.
Look inside the Mac Pro with Macworld
I found this nice look inside the new Apple Mac Pro on Youtube, courtesy of Macworld.
Well worth a look !
i-deck compact - Get That iPod Pumping
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Having an iPod is something I have been lucky enough to be party to from the second generation release onwards, so I have enjoyed the simplicity in design, the superb interface, the usefulness and the power for many years. I use my iPod every day for music and podcasts mainly, but the odd video crops up every now and again.About a year ago I invested in two separate speaker systems for my iPod in quick succession, the first I will not name, the second by Logitech was good and I still have it now. So it was with much excitement that I had the opportunity to review the ‘i-deck compact’, not only because it promised to be a step up from what I had been used to, but also because it is manufactured by Monitor Audio, who just happen to also make the home cinema speakers that I have now enjoyed in my lounge for the last two years.
You will hear many Apple devotees talk about how unpacking an Apple product is all part of the experience, the way things are cable tied, the box design, clever packaging and the smell. Yes, it sounds obsessive, but when you experience it you will know what I mean. Well, the i-deck compact gave that same feeling. OK, it was a big box, but the wrapping was perfect and unveiling the glossy white casing instantly made me very confident of the product.
This is a weighty unit and measures 42cm in length, which is great as is enhances stereo separation. The amplifier delivers 15 watts per channel, so when I say this thing goes loud, I mean LOUD !
The design of the unit is no less than ‘spot on’ sporting nice curves and that all important glossy white finish. The grey grills that cover the speakers are of a very fine mesh and compliment the overall design of the unit. For those of you with a black iPod, the ‘ideck compact’ is also available in black with black speaker grills.
Around the back, the unit is finished in silver and it sports the power socket, a connector for running to your Mac or PC so you can sync your iPod when it is connected to the ideck, a composite video ouput, s-video output and a 3.5mm stereo input jack, so you can connect other audio devices with the supplied cable to the ideck if you so wish. There is also an optional 12V car adaptor available, so you could use this whilst travelling or on holiday. Also in the box you will find a selection of dock adapters, that snap nice and easily into the unit, they allow a nice snug fit for all of the current iPod range.
Down & Dirty
Enough of describing the ideck to you, let’s get this baby powered up... to download the full review complete with more product images click here.
Product supplied by Monitor Audio UK
Retail price: £149.00
Contact: 01268 740580
Link to product.
Upcoming Reviews - What a busy month
Wow, it has been a busy September so far, with absolutely tonnes of new products to report on and review. I hope you are all enjoying the reviews that have been appearing on Geekanoids and that they give you a good insight into if you should splash your cash.
Over the next few weeks, we have some great product reviews lined up, so in no particular order, here is the rundown:
How to Get Rich Quick - book by Felix Dennis.
Apple's 2G iPod Nano (4Gb model).
Griffin iTrip Auto - now legal in the UK.
Lineform - by Freeverse, a nice alternative to Illustrator.
M-Audio Podcast Factory.
Netgear DG834N - wireless ADSL2+ modem router.
Extensis Suitcase Fusion.
Extensis Portfolio 8.
Buffalo LinkStation Pro - 320Gb NAS hard drive.
Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 & Scantango OSX Driver Software.
As you can see, things are going to be very busy, so keep coming back to Geekanoids and check out all my hard work, enjoy !
Seitz 6x17 Digital Camera - 160 million pixels
Wow, now that is what I call a digital camera. Check out the Seitz website for details of a new digital camera that delivers 160 million pixel images. An uncompressed panorama weighs in at 950Mb so if you have a 1Gb memory card, that is one snap per card. Just kidding, storage is supplied by a Mac Mini in a bag, just check out their website for some images of what this awesome set-up looks like.
Lacie bump FA Porsche Hard Drive to 500Gb
For many years now I have been a fan (and user) of Lacie hard drives. They have always proved to be reliable and the build quality is superb. If you ever need to ask them a question, support is very good too, so I was please to learn that on September 12th, LaCie today announced increased capacities for its LaCie Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche. Quote from press release, "New drives reach a phenomenal 500GB in a small, sleek case created exclusively for LaCie by the renowned agency Porsche Design GmbH. Exhibiting world-class style and elite performance, LaCie Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche allow people to easily add massive storage to a desktop computer. New USB drives are shipping now, and FireWire drives ship in October."LaCie Senior Product Manager Olivier Mirloup said, "LaCie’s awarded Design by F.A. Porsche hard drives are quiet, easy to carry and stack, and now have some of the largest capacities available at a low price per gigabyte. These drives are the fastest, easiest way to add storage to your computer, making room for lots of additional video, audio and music files. And our 1-Click Backup Software simplifies data protection.”
LaCie Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche offer the choice of a USB or FireWire interface for use with Windows, Mac OS or Linux. Cables are included for immediate use. Drives are durable and lightweight for transporting from one machine to another, and multiple drives can be stacked thanks to secure rubber feet underneath.
I hope to bring you a full review of a Lacie offering very soon.
Link to new 500Gb Hard Drive.
TechTool Pro Review - Protect your Mac
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Having the knowledge that your Mac is safe and secure is a good thing, backing up is also a must nowadays (even before we get Apple's Time Machine), but what about keeping your system in top condition, looking out for hard drive problems, recovering data in the event of corruption, or even having a method of recovering your system if OSX goes all wonky on you. Well, there are many applications out there, but only a few that users rely on and MicroMat's Techtool Pro is the latest of the bunch.Inside the box you get the install DVD and a printed (yes I said printed) manual. Many applications come with online or PDF manuals nowadays, so it is nice to see a really good manual to guide you through the process.
Installation was really straightforward (screenshot 1) and you are also given an uninstall option, should you wish to use it (very doubtful, but nice to see it). The version reviewed here is 4.5.1 which is the latest Universal Binary release. A restart is required to complete the install and you are also prompted to test that your Mac actually boots from the install DVD, in case you need to do this at a later date. For my testing I was using an Apple MacBook 2GHz laptop and I am happy to report that it booted fine (and fairly snappily) from the DVD. To note, this DVD is 'Dual Boot' so should work fine with both Intel and PowerPC based Macs. Also on the DVD is a disk image for version 4.1.2 which should give earlier compatibility, should you need it.
On first run you are asked to personalise the TechTool Pro with your name and serial number and to register it online. The whole process takes just a few minutes and is well worth doing.
The main screen (screenshot 2) presents you with five icons across the top, clicking on each expands the window to show the options in each category. I will run through each in turn, but feel I should jump to a feature that is very important, that I have previous knowledge of.
The Knowledge
Clicking on the 'Tools' icon gives you six new options (screenshot 3). I will cover all the other options later on, but here I want to run you through 'eDrive'. When first clicking the 'Tools' icon you are prompted to only run things in this section when connected to the mains power, this is a safeguard worth noting, as you definitely do not want your laptop to switch off whilst performing a task.
Now, to put it simply 'eDrive' creates a mini partition (about 4Gb required) of Mac OSX and a copy of TechTool pro. This means that should you system crash and become unusable, you will be able to boot from your 'eDrive' without the need for a bootable CD or DVD. It is also worth noting that if you have updated your main TechTool Pro application, you can also update your eDrive too, so this would supersede a bootable CD or DVD anyway.
The procedure is simple, click the 'Go' arrow next to 'eDrive' and you are presented with a window (screenshot 4) where you select a destination for your bootable 'eDrive' and the source drive (which contains your OS). It is worth noting that you do not need to create a 4Gb partition for this procedure as TechTool Pro does this all for you. In my tests, it took nine minutes to create my MacBook's eDrive, which is pretty fast. I used an external firewire mini hard drive, running at 5400rpm, but you can create your eDrive actually on your Macs internal hard drive, or any drive physically connected to your Mac.
The process creates a small partition on your hard drive which contains a basic OSX install, the TechTool Pro application and a few other applications, such as Safari, Disk Utility, Console etc. All of your other applications are stripped out, which is good to see... to download the full review complete with screenshots click here.
Product supplied by Micromat Inc.
Retail price: $98.00
Contact: 1-800-829-6227
Link to product.
Bargain 128Mb SanDisk Memory Stick Duo
Monday, September 18, 2006
Not one to really post bargains to the site, but I came across this at www.bigpockets.co.uk and just had to let you all know. It is a SanDisk 128Mb Memory Stick Duo, suitable if you want a bit of quick storage for your Sony PSP or compatible digital camera. At £3.99 plus only £1.09 postage, this has gotta be worth picking up.Link to product.
FileMaker Pro 8.5 Review - Power to your Data
To be honest, reviewing FileMaker Pro 8.5 scared the hell out of me, not because of how powerful the application promised to be and believe me it is not an overcomplex application, but because I really wanted to do it justice. I have used the Mac for many years now and have collected data in a variety of ways, but have never spent the time to sit down with FileMaker and learn if it could really work for me.So for those not in the the know, what is FileMaker? Well, in the simplest of forms it allows you to create a database such as an address list, or pushing a little further perhaps details of what you sell in your shop. Perhaps you run a club, so keeping track of members details and subscription status is important. For this type of data you need look no further.
If you want an application that pushes the boundaries further still, then FileMaker Pro also allows the creation of very complex databases, that use multiple tables, often referred to as ‘Relational Databases’ these can cross reference each other and work together.
Creating a database is easy, much better if you plan it first, perhaps on a piece of paper. Make a note of the information you need to store, such as name, address, town, city, postcode, member number, subscription rate, renewal date etc. The excellent manual walks you through the planning process and step-by-step instructions for entering fields within the application (see screenshot 1). You can even simplify the process by basing your database on a template (see screenshot 2), some are supplied and installed with the application, many extra ones are available as free downloads, with specialist solutions offered by many companies. So if you need something specific and do not have the time or knowledge to put it together yourself, then a bit of searching will normally find you someone who can.
Once you have set up all your fields you can create a nice on-screen layout for your database. This is done in layout mode, where you can create multiple layouts for the same database, by simply dragging elements around, adding background colours, even importing a picture into the header (screenshot 3). In just five minutes it is possible to create something very pleasing to the eye (screenshot 4) with the minimum of effort... to download the full review complete with screenshots click here.
Product supplied by FileMaker UK.
Retail price: £219 (ex. VAT)
Contact: 0845 603 9100
Link to product.
Shrink your PDF files the 'PDF Shrink' way !
Sunday, September 17, 2006
For someone who spends most of his time evaluating products and writing reviews, it is always nice to have a passion for what I am reviewing, that is what makes my job a pleasure to do. Having been involved in graphic design and the publishing industry for many years, it made me very happy to find Apago's PDF Shrink (version 4) universal binary software.Apago are by no means a new company, they were founded in 1991. The North Atlanta based company offer a wide range of software solutions, mainly based around PDF workflow and manipulation, with a few other bits thrown in for good measure.
PDF Shrink is probably the most appropriate software I could look at, as the past few months I have been producing the downloadable (and printable) version of the reviews that appear on Geekanoids. With so many reviews going onto the website, size is very important, without compromising on quality. Toward the end of this review, instead of the regular download, you will find two options, one created in my normal workflow with Quark Xpress, the second was optimised with PDF Shrink.
So to kick off, let us take a look at how PDF Shrink presents itself to the user on first launch. The main window (screenshot 1) has a row of icons across the top, these are mainly used for creating various PDF settings. They are all pretty self explanatory, so I will not insult you with the obvious. Of interest are the 'New', 'Save Droplet' and 'Save PDF Service' buttons.
'New' allows you to create a preset PDF workflow, where you can specify the settings in one of two modes. 'Basic' shown in screenshot 2 allows you to make the settings by clicking options that appear in plain English, this is a great idea and allows most non-tech users to be up and running in no time. You can choose how the resulting PDF file is going to used, which viewer will likely be used to read the PDF, security settings (password protection etc), how the file will be saved (you can even add a suffix to the resulting filenames), the last option is saving, where you can assign an icon and description to the workflow you are creating.
Clicking the 'Advanced' button toward the bottom of this window (see screenshot 3) allows you to make the same sort of settings, but with options that would make more sense to the more advanced user. So for example, instead of choosing how the PDF is going to be used (to post on a website for example), you would choose the resolution, type of compression and amount of compression.
Once you have made all the settings you require, the name and icon for the workflow appears in the main window, ready to use. If you look back at screenshot 1, you will see settings for Email, Print, Web Reviews and Web. All of these are preset into PDF Shrink when you first launch it, with the exception of 'Web Reviews' which I created to test how the procedure worked... to download the full review (PDF created by Quark Xpress) click here.
... to download the full review (PDF processed with PDF Shrink) click here.
Product supplied by Apago Inc.
Retail price: $35
Contact: 770-619-1884
Link to product.