The scoop on Apple's Mac Mini and iPod Hi-Fi Dock, plus other goodies like a $3000 CD Player.
Steve Bass writes PC World's monthly "Hassle-Free PC" column and is the author of PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer,available from O'Reilly. He also writes PC World's daily Tips & Tweaks blog. Sign up to have Steve's newsletter e-mailed to you each week. Comments or questions? Send Steve e-mail.
A while back, I talked about a couple of Apple announcements on my blog. Apple had just announced its Mac Minis with Intel inside, plus an iPod Hi-Fi Dock. I sent readers to Senior Associate Editor Narasu Rebbapragada's write-up on the demos she attended. I also pointed readers to tuaw.com (The Unofficial Apple Weblog).
Oh, did I get into a fine mess.
I didn't even think about mentioning Macworld. So I get a note from the magazine's editorial director, Jason Snell: "Links to tuaw.com? Hey, Steve, where's the love for PC World sister publication Macworld??"
Oh, geez, I thought, I never know who's reading my blog.
"Well, umm, yeah, uh, I, uh..." I started to reply. I don't do well with Editorial Directors. The best I could do was promise I'd pop a link up right away.
"BTW," I said, figuring I already stepped into a bucket of the stuff, "tell me the truth--do you really use a Mac?"
Jason shot right back: "Basically every day of my life since 1990. I do have a PC, though--it's a P100 I keep in my garage so that I can upgrade my TiVo's hard drive. You tell me--do you really use a PC? It's hard to believe anyone gets any work done with those things. ;-)"
Ouch. I should never tangle with anyone in editorial.
So this week I try to set things right, with some links to useful Macworld stories and podcasts and a couple of other Mac-related items. And while scouting around the Web for Mac stuff, I've collected an impressive wish list. I'll share that with you, too.
Take a Bite of Macworld
Start with the March 2006 cover story, cleverly titled " Chip Story: The Intel Mac FAQ, 2006 Edition." Then move on to the podcast that covers the Intel Mac Minis and iPod Hi-Fi Dock.
A few Mac-related items on our site caught my eye. Mac Skeptic Rebecca Freed has lots to say in " Straight Talk on Mac Security Risks." Be sure to read her update to that column, " More on Mac Security."
There's also a news piece that explains how a " Mac OS X Worm Wiggles Into the Wild."
Dig This: Is your overclocked PC running a little hot? You can dump the fans and use, uh, cooking oil.
Non-Apple Mac Products
Check out the ZVOX Mini, which does basically the same thing as Apple's Hi-Fi Dock, but at $200, it's about $150 less.
You might also be interested in Belkin's Flip for Mac Mini, an $85 KVM-switch gadget that lets a Mac Mini and another Apple computer (or a PC) use just one monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
Dig This: Dilbert is so often so, so on target. Here are two strips that made me LOL: " Fix My Computer" and " E-mail Not Working." BTW, did you know that Scott Adams, Dilbert's creator (who doesn't answer my missives any longer--oh Scott, yoo hoo, you still reading your e-mail?), has his own blog?
Gotta-Have Gear
A $3000 CD Player: The specs on the Olive Opus are nifty. Its 400GB drive can store up to the equivalent of 1100 CDs (using lossless compression) or over 7200 MP3s encoded at 128 kilobits per second. It has a Panasonic CD-R/RW drive and a pair of USB ports built in, and it networks with your computer wirelessly using 802.11g or wired with a four-port switch. Check it out at the Olive site and decide for yourself whether it's worth $3K.
A Mouse for Lefties: Here's something I don't think about often: How do left-handed folks use a mouse? And I probably wouldn't have thought about it today had Logitech not announced its new MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse. It retails for $60, but I've seen the right-handed MX610 selling in the $40 to $50 range on our Product Finder.
Inexpensive All-In-One: I've been trying out Brother's MFC-640CW. It's a multifunction device--a fax and answering machine, a scanner, a copier, and a color ink jet printer all in one. It also has a built-in reader for printing directly from memory cards including CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Sticks, and others. It connects with your PC wirelessly (802.11 b/g) or using a USB or parallel port. It runs about $200.
Add Legs to Your Flashlight: The Flashlight Friend from Nite Ize is a clear plastic case with four legs. I've just tried it for the first time, using my Maglite flashlight. Just put your flashlight in the case and arrange the feet so the light is pointing at whatever it is you want to point at. The gadget costs about $6.
http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/howto/125063
