Continue reading OS X Tip #122: Zoom Screen Using Scroll Wheel…

Some 526,000 batteries used in ThinkPad notebook computers worldwide are being recalled in the latest problem with batteries made by Sony Corp, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said today.

IBM Corp., based in Armonk, N.Y., and Lenovo Inc. of Research Triangle Park, N.C., recalled the rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries used in ThinkPad computers because they may pose a fire hazard. About 168,500 of the batteries were sold in the U.S., while the rest were distributed worldwide, the CPSC said.
Continue reading ThinkPads Join the Battery Recall Party…

I recently had a Mac using friend complain to me that he did not like the Firefox and Google Toolbar autofill utility that much as he found it limited in what it can add to online forms. Well after thinking about it I realized the real answer is to use TextExpander to save time and be more productive not only with Firefox and the Google Toolbar’s autofill, but across all your Mac applications. I think that TextExpander is truly one of the best productivity boosts you can give yourself and your Mac.

If you are not a great typist and spend lots of time “pecking” away at your keyboard, let me introduce you to TextExpander (formerly Textpander), $29.95 from “Smile on your Mac” the same people that sell DiscLabel and PageSender. Its functionality is not really unique” users of, say, TextMate, TypeIt4Me, Typinator or the popular Windows application ActiveWords will be very familiar with this type of utility. TextExpander is very ever easy to setup, modify, and use. Smile on your Mac offers a free 30 day trial and a offer a 30 day money-back guarantee. So, no excuses read the rest of this post and get more productive.

Continue reading TextExpander: Productivity’s Best Friend…

Apple has updated Final Cut Pro to 5.1.2, the update addresses “important bug fixes and compatibility updates for certain Canon, Sony, JVC and Panasonic devices. This update is recommended for all Final Cut Pro 5.1 and Final Cut Pro 5.1.1 customers.” With this update, FCP should support Canon XL-H1 and JVC GY-HD100. Pro users should just run their software update.
Continue reading Apple Updates Pro-apps…

Apple is showcasing the next version of the .Mac webmail service on the .Mac website. Looks a lot like the Mail application in OS X. Apple is calling it “Totally new, Totally familiar. With its smart use of the latest web technology, it’ll remind you of the Mail application on your desktop, with a simple and elegant interface, drag-and-drop capability, built-in Address Book, and more.”
Continue reading Apple Showcasing New Webmail for .Mac…

Well I really do not know if this is the first iPod in space, but Anousheh Ansari, is the first female space tourist, as well as the first female Muslim and Iranian in space. She is blogging from space and notes that she slips on her headphones and uses her iPod to help her sleep.

Anousheh’s blog about her experiences on the ISS (International Space Station) and her notes can be read here. Very cool!
Continue reading First iPod in Space?…

I found this on YouTube. Woz lets everyone know how accurate the movie “Pirates of Silicon Valley” was in his opinion. Interesting video if you follow Apple.

ffmpegX is a Mac OS X graphic user interface designed to easily operate more than 20 powerful Unix open-source video and audio processing tools including ffmpeg the “hyper fast video and audio encoder”

Mac users that need to encode H.264 files, will want to take a look at the free ffmpegX (universal binary). The ffmpegX recent update allows 640×480 H.264 encoding for the new iPod that claims to be faster than Quicktime or iTunes for encoding H.264 files (many conversions are faster than realtime). To make things easier the ffmpegX website offers a nice user guide to walk you through the process of encoding hi-res iPod files.
Continue reading ffmpegX Encoding 640×480 H.264 for New iPods…

Apple this morning has updated Aperture to version 1.5 at Photokina in Germany. This was announced at a scheduled Apple Special Event. This update will be free to all current owners of Aperture.
Continue reading Apple Updates Aperture at Photokina…

If you are like me you may find these commercials entertaining. These two new ads have been airing on Canadian TV. I found these on YouTube. Here is the other one called Counseling.

Not that this is earth shattering news or that many Mac users were waiting to toss their iPod for a “brown-colored” Zune, but Microsoft’s forthcoming music player Zune will have no Mac support according to Gizmodo.

To order to support the Mac, Microsoft would have to adapt their DRM (Digital Rights Management) for OS X, which they always refused to do. Microsoft cancelled all support for Windows Media Player software development, for the Mac some time ago. Along with Mac support for Internet Explorer and Virtual PC. The Microsoft Zune will not support mass storage mode, and Microsoft hasn’t made a Mac version of the Zune Marketplace software, the Zune will be Windows-only.

Continue reading No Mac Support for Zune…

Continue reading OS X Tip #121: Fix RAR and Unpacking Archives…

Mac OS X natively can burn some types of CDs and disk images. Using iTunes burning audio and mp3 CDs are a snap. More some types of disc creation usually requires a dedicated “burning” application. I have long been a fan of Roxio Toast but what if you do not want to spend the $80 for Toast and Mac OS X’s basic burning does not cut for your needs? Burn may be the answer.

Burn, an open source and free alternative may interest you. Burn can handle many of the jobs your native Mac can’t that would require Toast without the cost. Mac OS X 10.3.9 and QuickTime 7 are required. Mac OS X 10.4 is needed for all features.
Continue reading Open Source Burning Application for OS X…

Delkin just announced they are taking pre-orders for the eFilm ExpressCard 34 Compact Flash Reader. Delkin claims they will be officially unveiling the product at Photokina and will ship around Oct. 16th.

The eFilm ExpressCard 34 - $59.99 is said to be the first Compact Flash reader for the new ExpressCard 34 slot for both Macs and PCs and will allow users to transfer photos and other data directly between their CF cards and computers at 20MB/s without the need for external USB readers.

This product adds to the accessories that are becoming available for the new ExpressCard 34 slot in the new Apple MacBook Pro and other new laptops.
Continue reading Delkin eFilm ExpressCard 34 Compact Flash Reader…

OK, an obvious mistake on the Amazon UK website will get all the rumor sites going full steam!