Briefly: New Mac OS X 10.6.5 beta, iPod levies in EU, News Corp shelving digital newsstand project

Apple has released a new beta for its forthcoming Mac OS X 10.6.5 update, while an EU court ruling may block 'copying levies' placed on iPods and iPhones. Also, News Corp. is putting its plans for an iPad-specific digital newsstand on hold, a new report claims.

Mac OS X 10.6.5

Apple's latest pre-release copy of Mac OS X 10.6.5 is labeled build 10H562. The beta was released to developers late Thursday as a 616MB delta update. According to the release notes, there are no known issues. With new buildscoming steadily for several months now, the update is expected to arrive in advance of the November release of iOS 4.2.

The seed note accompanying the build specifies Printing as a "Focus Area." 10.6.5 will work with iOS devices running iOS 4.2 to enable the new AirPrint wireless printing functionality. 10.6.4, the last update to Mac OS X 10.6, came in June with fixes to Adobe Creative Suite 3 issues and a resolution for unresponsive keyboards and trackpads.

EU rules on iPod levies

The European Court of Justice has ruled against overly broad copying levies that could affect iPods, smartphones and other devices, according to iPodNN. Copying levies place a fee on blank media and devices that allow copying, then distribute that fee to content owners and copyright holders. The ruling, which needs to be codified by the European Commission, would limit private copying levies to devices explicitly meant for copying (e.g., a DVD burner). If upheld, it could result in lower prices for European consumers on devices like the iPod, iPhone, and even printers.

News Corp.'s iPad Division

News Corp. is shelving a plan to create a subscription-based digital newsstand for iPad content, a person "familiar with the matter" has told the Wall Street Journal. "Project Alesia," as it was known, was a tablet-focused initiative with the goal of "selling access to news from a variety of publishers."

The source told the Journal, which News Corp. owns, that the media conglomerate had invested around $31.5 million on the venture, with over 100 people working on it in the U.K., although the company still sees the idea as potentially having "tremendous value" to the industry.

Rumors of a News Corp. tablet subscription service emerged this summer, picking up steam when News Corp.-owned Fox agreed to a99-cent TV show rental plan for streaming the network's shows to the new Apple TV. At the time, it was suggested that News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch had agreed to the rental model to cement a relationship with Apple in hopes of creating a digital newsstand for the iPad.

Inside AirPrint: How to add iOS printer sharing back to Mac OS X

Experimenters have discovered the configuration files Apple removed from the public release of Mac OS X 10.6.5; adding them back restores the ability to print from iOS devices to shared printers on the Mac.

AirPrint for shared printers on Mac OS X works using a CUPS filter. CUPS(Common Unix Printing System) is an open source package that serves as the printing architecture for Mac OS X, Linux, and other Unix-like operating systems. Apple adopted CUPS in 2002, and since 2007 has owned the code and maintained the CUPS open source project.

CUPS uses filters to process incoming print jobs and convert them into a format suitable for a given printer. AirPrint on iOS creates a print job in a format called URF, which needs to be converted to PDF to enable printing on any printer.

The CUPS is half full

Step one in activating AirPrint under CUPS is to install the "URFtoPDF" CUPS filter Apple wrote and included in developer builds of the Mac OS X 10.6.5 update, but removed from the public version for unknown reasons (believed to be related to patent issues).

Additionally, two other CUPS MIME files must be overwritten: one "apple.types," simply includes a definition of the image/urf MIME type for CUPS, which is used when advertising a shared printer's features over Bonjour. The second, "apple.convs," simply specifies that print jobs of the image/urf MIME type should use the urftopdf filter.

Once these files are installed on Mac OS X 10.6.5, the system must be rebooted and existing printers should be deleted and recreated. The moment Printer Sharing is turned on for a fresh printer queue, its name appears instantly on searching iPads or other iOS devices running iOS 4.2, thanks to Bonjour network advertising, which is turned on when a printer is shared.

The files and instructions for copying them have been posted in the comments of the previous article on AirPrint, and are also widely spread around the web.

Interestingly, one reader points out that Apple compiled the urftopdf filter in PowerPC code as well as for Intel, suggesting that the company may release a standalone update that brings the feature to Leopard users in addition to Intel-only Snow Leopard users. Additionally, a developer has outlined how to add AirPrint features to other operating systems that use CUPS (such as Linux) using the open source Avahi code, which works like Bonjour.

All Automatic AirPrint

AirPrint appears to automatically select most options for the user. In AppleInsider testing, printing an email or similar document resulted in a standard printed page, while printing a photo selected the photo-sized paper tray and photo-quality printing settings on the (non-ePrint) HP 'all in one' model we tested against.

This highly automatic printing system makes it easy to create printed documents from content on mobile devices, at the expense of not allowing users (so far) to create customized print jobs. However, users on a mobile device are likely to prefer a simple, easy to use system that generally selects the most sensible settings for them, rather than forcing the user to wade through complex print configuration pages just to generate a printed photo or a hard copy of a document. 

Apple seeds first Mac OS X 10.6.6 beta in advance of 10.6.5 release

Apple has issued the first build of Mac OS X 10.6.6 to developers ahead of the public release of Mac OS X 10.6.5.

Mac OS X 10.6.6 build 10J521 was released to developers Thursday, suggesting that the 10.6.5 update could arrive any day now.

The changelog for Mac OS X 10.6.6 notes that the beta "contains developer support for fetching and renewing App Store receipts." App Store receipts could be a reference to the recently announced Mac App Store that is coming to Snow Leopard in the next three months.

Taking a cue from the success of the iOS App Store, Apple will begin offering Mac applications through a digital storefront, keeping a 30 percent cut of sales. Developers began submitting the first Mac App Store apps to Apple on Wednesday.

The trio of iOS 4.2, Mac OS X 10.6.5 and iTunes 10.1 are expected to be released shortly, as the new AirPrint feature on iOS 4.2requires iTunes 10.1 or Mac OS X 10.6.5. The golden master for iOS 4.2 was released to developers earlier this week. Apple has promised that iOS 4.2 will come sometime in November.

The last update to Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard came in the form of 10.6.4 in June. Mac OS X 10.6.4 resolved issues with the trackpad and Adobe's Creative Suite 3.

On Oct. 20, Apple revealed Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, which will bring a number of iOS features back to the Mac. Drawing inspiration from the iPad, Mac OS X 10.7 will feature a LaunchPad for finding and launching apps and full screen applications.

Apple to take down apps from Mac OS X Downloads page

Apple has revealed to developers that it will be shutting down its Downloads page for Mac OS X on Jan. 6, the day of the Mac App Store launch, as it focuses on the Mac App Store as "the best destination" for Mac OS X apps.

The Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker announced last week that the Mac App Store will debut in 90 countries on Jan. 6. Chief Executive Steve Jobs unveiled the store at the October "Back to the Mac" media event, promising that the store would open within 90 days.

In an email to developers, Apple revealed its plans to remove downloadable apps from the company's Mac OS X Downloads site, instead redirecting users to the Mac App Store.

Thank you for making the Mac OS X Download site a great destination with apps that offer users new ways to work, play, learn, and create on their Mac.

We recently announced that on January 6, 2011, the Mac App Store will open to users around the world, presenting you with an exciting, new opportunity to reach millions of customers. Since the introduction of the App Store in 2008, we’ve been thrilled with the incredible support from developers and the enthusiastic response from users. Now we’re bringing the revolutionary experience of the App Store to Mac OS X.

Because we believe the Mac App Store will be the best destination for users to discover, purchase, and download your apps, we will no longer offer apps on the Mac OS X Downloads site. Instead, beginning January 6, we will be directing users to explore the range of apps available on the Mac App Store.

We appreciate your support of the Mac platform and hope you’ll take advantage of this new opportunity to showcase your apps to even more users. To learn how you can offer your apps on the Mac App Store, visit the Apple Developer website at http://developer.apple.com/programs/mac.

For years, Apple's Mac OS X Downloads site has served as a repository for Mac OS X apps. Though the site promotes a number of third-party applications, Apple also uses the page to feature several of its own Mac OS X applications, such as iTunes, Safari and iWork.

In November, AppleInsider exclusively reported that the Mac App Store would launch in January 2011 and would include the release of Apple's iWork '11 productivity suite.

Like the App Store on iOS devices, developers will receive a 70 percent share of sales through the Mac App Store, with Apple keeping 30 percent. Unlike iOS, the Mac App Store will not be a "walled garden," leaving developers free to offer their apps through other avenues. Developers have been encouraged to use their own websites for demos, trial versions, or betas of their software, since the Mac App Store will only accept "fully functional, retail versions" of apps.

By taking down the Mac OS X Downloads section of its site, Apple is effectively casting an 'all-in' bet on the Mac App Store. Apple's latest email to developers creates a unified front by communicating the message that the Mac App Store will be the go-to place for Mac OS X downloads.

Apple reseeds Xcode 4 golden master, removes Mac OS X 10.7 Lion reference

Apple this week seeded a golden master of Xcode 4 to developers with documentation that mistakenly referenced Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, only to pull the software and re-seed it without any mention of the forthcoming Mac operating system update.

People familiar with the Xcode 4 golden master available to developers say the release requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later. Previously, the software was temporarily available with documentation that said mistakenly Xcode 4 would actually require Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. No seeds of Lion have been made available to developers.

The Xcode 4 package includes software development kits for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, and iOS 4.2. It is also compatible with Xcode 3.2.x project files.

The golden master released to developers this week reportedly resolves an issue when editing .nib files that existed in the previous release, known as Preview 6. New snapshots are also said to properly appear in the projects organizer when a project has no snapshots.

Apple's Xcode 4 has a brand new, single-window interface for all major workflows, and the Interface Builder is integrated with the main Xcode IDE. Other major features include fix-it, which highlights code in real-time where an error is detected and can address the problem, and a faster LLDB debugger that uses less memory than the GDB debugging engine.

Xcode allows developers to create applications for the Mac, iPhone and iPad. Using the Xcode 4 golden master seed, developers can now submit iOS and Mac apps to the App Store.

MAC Defender variant quickly thwarts Apple's Mac OS X security update

A day after Apple released a security update for Mac OS X to address the "MAC Defender" malware, a new variant of the bogus antivirus software has been spotted in the wild [update: Apple has quickly responded, too].

Update: Quickly after the variant was released, Apple responded in kind in the ongoing cat-and-mouse game and updated its anti-malware definitions to address the latest version of the software.

As first reported by Ed Bott at ZDNet, the new variation of MAC Defender, named "Mdinstall.pkg," has been crafted to bypass the new malware-blocking code made available by Apple. That update for Mac OS X, Security Update 2011-003, was released on Tuesday.

"The file has a date and time stamp from last night at 9:24PM Pacific time," Bott wrote. That's less than 8 hours after Apple's security update was released. On a test system using Safari with default settings, it behaved exactly as before, beginning the installation process with no password required.

"As PC virus experts know, this cat-and-mouse game can go on indefinitely. Your move, Apple."

Security Update 2011-003 included changes to the File Quarantine feature found in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. It includes anti-malware definitions within the operating system itself, and examines external files downloaded within Mail, iChat, Safari, or other quarantine-aware applications.

The MACDefender malware first gained attention in early May, when it was spotted by an antivirus company. The program automatically downloads in Web browsers through JavaScript and originally required users to enter an administrator password, but amore recent variant does not ask for a password.

Web Design with Mac OS X

I've been developing websites on my Mac for over eight years and I've tried many of the applications available for creating different types of websites, including photo albums, blogs and HTML sites. In this article, I briefly describe some of the options available for creating a website with Mac OS X.

Photo Album Software

One of the easiest ways to create a web page of photos is to use a photo album creation program. You add images to the program, set a few preferences for how the web page displays the images and tell the program to create an album. Some of the programs available also let you upload the finished website directly to your web host. 

If you own iPhoto, you can export any album as a website and in minutes have your beautiful photos ready for posting on the web. 

Do a search on MacUpdate for "photo album" and you'll find several other one-step photo website applications.

iWeb

All Mac computers come with a web design application, iWeb, included in the iLife package, usually found on your Mac's Install disk. iWeb is not the best web design application on the market, but it works well for beginners who want a moderately easy-to-use web design application. With iWeb, you can create photo albums, blogs and regular web pages.

Third-Party Web Design Applications

There are several good third-party applications that you can use to design a website with Mac OS X. These range in price from the free Kompozer to the expensive Dreamweaver, but most have the same basic features, letting you create photo albums, blogs, contact forms, and complex HTML sites. Also included in this category are Sandvox,RapidWeaver and Freeway.

Web Browsers for Web Design

Did you know that some web browsers are also web design programs? SeaMonkey is an updated version of Mozilla and is built from the same code as Firefox, but, interestingly, Firefox lacks the web design element. Select Composer from the Window menu in SeaMonkey and you'll be able to design your web page with formatted text, images, tables and more.

HTML Editors

If you know a little about HTML code, you can use one of the many HTML editors available for Mac OS X. Most of the editors include a preview mode so you can view your web page while adding code to it. The programs also usually have easy menu options for inserting code items, such as images, tables and lists. Some will even let you create style sheets to use with your web pages. One HTML editor I've used is Taco HTML Edit, but do a search on MacUpdate for HTML editors or web design and you'll find several other programs.

Online Blogging Platforms

If you just want to blog or create a simple website, your best option might be an easy-to-use online platform likeBlogger or Squidoo. Just sign up for a free account, select a theme or topic and start blogging. Many social networking sites, like MySpace, also offer free blogging platforms, so this is another option.

Creating a website with your Mac doesn't require artistic talent, HTML knowledge or money. You just need a little bit of time and the right application or platform for your purposes. This article has, hopefully, helped you narrow down your options.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

Selecting the Right iPod

Apple currently offers four iPods - the Shuffle, Nano, iPod Classic, and iPod Touch - and one is probably just right for you. Although there are certainly aesthetic reasons for buying an iPod, in this article I describe some of the more logical reasons for selecting an iPod.

iPod Shuffle

The iPod Shuffle is the smallest and least expensive of the current iPod models. The Shuffle's amazingly small size, virtual weightlessness and good battery life (Apple reports up to 12 hours of use from one battery charge) make it ideal for long trips or walks. The built-in clip makes wearing the Shuffle easy and secure and it eliminates the need for or cost of an extra case. Clip it anywhere and start walking or jogging.

The main disadvantage to a Shuffle is the limited storage space for music (up to 2 GB). Some people complain that it lacks a screen, but I find a screen is unnecessary on a Shuffle since you can arrange songs on it in the order you want using iTunes and changing the volume and moving back and forth through your songs requires no visual effort. For those who must have a screen on a lightweight MP3 player, Apple makes the iPod Nano.

iPod Nano

Like the Shuffle, the Nano is lightweight and small. The battery life of a Nano for audio playback is extremely long (according to Apple, up to 24 hours of use from one battery charge), especially if you use the screen and backlight minimally. Video playback is up to 5 hours, so you can even view a full-length movie on it.

The storage capacities for a Nano are 4 GB and 8 GB. If you have a small-to-medium size music collection, and you like the idea of carrying all your music with you in as small an iPod as possible, the Nano might be perfect for you. The addition of a screen and video capabilities make the Nano a good, small, all-purpose iPod.

The major disadvantage to the Nano is the cost - it is quite expensive for the small storage capacity it has. Also, neither of the models comes with accessories except a cable to connect it to your computer or a charger, so you need to figure in the cost of at least a cover to protect the screen of a Nano. But the Nano is small and lightweight and has video capabilities, and it may be the right iPod for users with smaller music and/or video collections.

iPod Classic

The largest of the click wheel iPods is Apple's Classic iPod. The battery life for video viewing is good - up to 5 hours of use from one battery charge for the 80 GB model and up to 7 hours for the 160 GB model. The excellent resolution (640 x 480) and brightness of the screen of the iPod make viewing videos a delight.

The iPod Classic comes in two sizes - 80 GB and 160 GB - and, like all iPods (including the Shuffle), it can be used for storing data as well as audio files, photos and videos. Storing your complete iTunes library on the iPod is very easy. Just connect your iPod to your computer, set iTunes to copy your complete library to the iPod and iTunes will do the rest. Every time you update your iTunes library and then connect your iPod, your music and videos will also be updated on your iPod.

One of the advantages of the large storage capacity of the iPod is the ability to add podcasts to your music library. You can find a large variety of free podcasts through the iTunes Store (the easiest way to add podcasts) and iTunes lets you easily update the podcasts automatically or manually. You can also visit podcast websites for more podcasts, including video podcasts.

The iPod is, naturally, larger and heavier than a Nano, but it's still small enough and lightweight enough to carry in your pocket or purse. If you need the extra storage space, the iPod Classic might be the right iPod for you.

iPod Touch

The iPod Touch differs significantly from the other three iPods in several ways. First, it no longer uses the trademark click wheel of earlier iPods, but, instead, uses the newer touch screen, also found on the Apple iPhone. Second, the iPod touch has wireless capabilities that let you connect to the Internet and surf the web on your iPod. The screen on the iPod Touch is noticeably larger than the one on an iPod Classic (3.5" versus 2.5") but the resolution is the same (640x480).

The iPod Touch has good battery life - up to 22 hours for music and up to 5 hours for video. It comes in three storage capacity models - 8 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB.

If you're looking for the latest touch screen technology in an iPod and you want Wi-Fi and Internet capabilities, but you don't want or need an iPhone, the iPod Touch is perfect for you.

As you can see, whether your needs are for a simple, no-frills, very small, easy-to-use music player (Shuffle), for a full-featured music and video player (Nano or iPod Classic) or for a full-featured touch screen iPod with Wi-Fi capabilities (iPod Touch), there is an iPod that is right for you. To help in making a choice, you can view a comparison chart of the four current iPod models on Apple's website.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

Search Options in Mac OS X

You're probably familiar with Spotlight, the Mac OS X (Leopard and Tiger) superfast search technology, and you may already use it extensively. Spotlight is accessible, of course, in the Mac OS X Finder, but it also is available in Mac OS X applications, such as Mail and Safari. But Apple doesn't limit Mac OS X searches to only Spotlight. Standard Find & Replace options are included in most applications. In addition, many Mac OS X applications include Google and Dictionary search options. In this article, I briefly explain the different search options available in Mac OS X (Leopard and Tiger) and in the free programs packaged with the operating system.

Spotlight & Finder

With Spotlight, you can search for files on all hard drives that have been indexed. There are three ways to search for files from the Finder:

1. Use the Spotlight option in the top right corner of the Mac OS X menu bar. 
2. Use the search text box on the Finder Toolbar.
3. Press Command-F to open a Finder search window.

When you type a search term in the Spotlight or Finder text box, search results will immediately appear below the search box. If you see the file you want, you can open it by double-clicking on the file name in the search results pane in the Finder or single-clicking on the file name in the Spotlight pane.

There are two major differences in how the results are displayed and how you can use the results:

1. When you select a file in the Finder results window, the folder path for the file is displayed on the bottom of the window. You can then open the folder that contains the file instead of opening the file. The Spotlight pane, on the other hand, displays only the file name.
2. Searches from the Finder window can be saved and used again at a later date, but searches from the Spotlight pane cannot be saved.

Because of the differences in display and use options, the Spotlight pane and Finder window search functions can be used for different purposes. For example, if you want to quickly find a TextEdit file that you want to open and edit, the Spotlight pane option might be quicker and more efficient. However, if you want to find a file that you would like to delete from your computer, the Finder option would be the better choice.

Spotlight & Mac OS X Applications

Spotlight is also used for superfast searching of email messages in the Apple Mail program, songs in iTunes, bookmarks in Safari, addresses in Address Book, and for similar functions in other Mac OS X programs. When you search in a Spotlight enabled application, results appear immediately, just as they do in the Spotlight pane or Finder window. Some programs even expand Spotlight's features or use Spotlight for more than one function. For example, Safari uses Spotlight technology for searching RSS feeds and for searching your bookmarks and browsing history.

Some Mac OS X applications don't use Spotlight within the program itself but they provide ways to mark documents so that the files can be easily found with global Spotlight searches. For example, TextEdit lets you record document properties, such as author, title or subject, that you can search for in the Spotlight pane or Finder window. Other programs like Preview, let you assign keywords that can later be used for Spotlight searches.

Find & Replace

Spotlight is great for finding files and data but it doesn't let you replace information, so many Mac OS X applications also provide a more standard Find & Replace feature. Since Apple knows that users need consistency, the Mac OS X Find & Replace function is similar in all programs that use it. The feature is usually accessed from a program's Edit menu and several options appear on most of the menus. These includeFind..., Find Next and Find Previous. The Find & Replace pane is also usually the same across programs, with common options, such as Replace, Replace All, Replace & Find, Previous, and Next.

Google Search

A special search feature in some Mac OS X programs is the ability to start an Internet search from within the program. The option is usually accessed with a contextual menu that offers an option to "Search in Google" for a highlighted word in a document. For example, you can highlight a word in a TextEdit document, right-click with your mouse on the word and select Search in Google from the contextual menu. The Safari web browser will open to a search results page for the highlighted word.

Dictionary Search

Another special search option in some Mac OS X programs is an option to search for a highlighted word in the Mac OS X Dictionary application. Like the "Search in Google" feature, the "Look Up in Dictionary" option is accessed with a contextual menu. When you highlight a word and then access the option, Mac OS X will launch and open the thesaurus page for the word.

As you can see, Mac OS X provides many options for searching for information on your computer. When you combine good file organization with the search functions, you can make your computing life easier and quicker.

Managing Your Finances with Mac OS X

Are you like me, always trying to keep track of every penny you own and spend? Or are you someone who never knows where your money goes? In either case, or if you're somewhere in between the two extremes, there are plenty of tools available, including free ones, to help you manage your money with Mac OS X.

Spreadsheets

One of the simplest ways to keep track of your money is with a spreadsheet. You can have separate worksheets for each of your accounts, your income and expenses, and your budget. Spreadsheet programs let you record data and then use formulas, ranging from simple sums to complex accounting formulas, to calculate additions, deductions, averages, totals, and more. For example, you can have a worksheet for your checking account that computes your account balance every time you write a check or make a deposit. Once you understand how a spreadsheet works, it's quite easy to use one.

The most popular spreadsheet is the commercial (and expensive), but there are free or low-cost alternatives. If you have an older Mac, you probably also have AppleWorks, the original Apple office suite that includes a basic spreadsheet program. A more powerful, free alternative is the Calc program packaged with NeoOffice. Or, if you own Apple's low-cost office suite, iWorks, you can use Numbers.

Personal Finance Programs

A second popular way to keep track of your expenses is with a personal finance program. This type of program lets you store all your financial data in one place. Most of the programs include common features, such as account creation and management, categories for income and expenses and reports of net income. More advanced programs may also include features that support budgets, printing, multiple currencies, and online transactions.

The commercial program, Quicken, is probably the most popular program in this category, and some of you may own it. There are also some shareware and freeware options you can find through MacUpdate.

Tax Preparation Software

A final type of software program that can help you is tax preparation software. These programs help you complete most US tax forms and prepare your final tax statements for the IRS. Most of the commercial packages are for US residents only, but Mac OS X has one free option that can help people in other countries also complete tax forms. If you can download tax forms in PDF format, you can use the Preview application to complete, print and save the final forms.

Managing your finances with Mac OS X doesn't have to be difficult or cost you any money. Download NeoOffice and a free personal finance program and soon you'll know how much money you have and where it goes when it seems to disappear.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

Quality Free Software for Mac OS X

If you are like me, you enjoy using good free software on your Macintosh computer. But where do you find this software?

Download Sites

There are several good download sites for Mac software and you may already be familiar with the most popular ones - VersionTracker and MacUpdate. Of the two, I prefer MacUpdate because of its easy-to-use interface. But how can you find the best free programs from the thousands listed on the site? Fortunately, MacUpdate has a few features that can make this task a little easier. First, you can sort any list of files by "license" and then all free programs will be listed together. You'll find a short description of each program next to the program's name. If you click the program's name, you'll see a screen with information on the program including a link to the developer's site ("More information" link). If you scroll down the page, you'll find reviews of the software submitted by readers/users. This feature can be useful for determining the quality of a program, especially when reviewers seem to be in agreement on the strengths and weaknesses of a program.

VersionTracker's features are similar to those on MacUpdate, and, like MacUpdate, the VersionTracker site lists thousands of programs. There are, however, other download sites that list far fewer programs and that use screening methods so they will only list "better" programs. Apple's website also has a Mac OS X downloads section with descriptions of programs. However, no evaluations or reviews are given on Apple's site.

Open Source Software

Another excellent source for good software for Mac OS X is an open source software site. Some of the best free software programs - like NeoOffice or the Gimp - are open source programs. One good site for downloading quality open source software is FreeSMUG. Here you'll find some of the highest quality software programs available for Mac OS X, including programs that emulate the most expensive commercial software for the Mac. For example, the Gimp is a Photoshop-like advanced photo editing program and NeoOffice is a free version of an office suite similar to Microsoft Office. Note that some open source programs require that you first install X11 (on the Mac OS X install disk) and some will not yet work on Intel Macs or with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or X 10.6 (Snow Leopard).

Mac Magazines

Another source for good free software actually requires a small investment of money. Several of the top Macintosh magazines include a disk full of software with the magazine. Most of the freeware programs can be downloaded from the previously mentioned websites, but if you don't have a fast Internet connection, the small cost of a magazine may be a good alternative for you. Also, at least two of the UK magazines, MacFormat and MacWorld UK, often include full free versions of top quality commercial software. Usually the programs are not the latest versions of the software, but some run fine on Mac OS X 10.5 and X 10.6, and, in many cases, the older versions of quality commercial programs serve the needs of most home users very well. The programs offered sometimes cost several hundred dollars when originally sold so the small cost of the magazine may be worthwhile for programs that meet your needs. In addition to the free programs, you usually get special offers for upgrading the programs as well as a quality magazine with excellent and interesting articles.

With the information in this article you should now be able to acquire most of the quality software you need - for free.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

Organizing Video Files with Mac OS X

My friends are always commenting on my ability at organization so I thought I'd share some of my strategies for organizing video files with Mac OS X. I have several hundred video files spread over several hard disks, CDs and DVDs, as well as over 100 purchased DVDs, and keeping track of all those files can be made easy with some free cataloging tools. In this article, I describe ways to organize video files using Mac OS X built-in software as well as some free programs you can download.

Finder

The most obvious way to start organizing your video files is with Finder folders. The only problem with traditional Finder folders is that you need to manually add items to the folders, and, therefore, need to know where your video files are located. This can be time consuming and difficult if you have hundreds of video files scattered all over your hard drives. Fortunately, Mac OS X has a feature that makes working with folders easier. A Smart folder stores links to files based on criteria you set for the Smart folder, so you can easily create a Smart folder that contains links to all your video files. Smart folders use "live updating" and, therefore, when you add new video files to your hard drive, links to those files are automatically added to the Smart folder.

iTunes

iTunes is perfect for storing certain types of video files, especially if you own an iPod. The latest version of iTunes helps you by providing automatic separate divisions for Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, and iTunes U. Within each of most of Apple's categories, files are further divided according to information you assign to your files. For example, I have my movies divided into several genres such as Music Videos, Mac Videos, Old Videos, and Home Videos and they are all neatly organized in iTunes' Movies section according to these genres. In addition, iTunes divides subcategories by artist and album (or by show and season for TV shows) to make it even easier to find the exact video you're looking for and to keep all videos in iTunes well organized.

Two other features of iTunes can help you stay organized. First, you can create Smart playlists that contain links to files that meet specific criteria such as artist, type of file and date created. A second feature of iTunes that you might not be aware of is the ability to have more than one iTunes library. If your iTunes music and video collection is too large, you can store the files in separate libraries, perhaps one library for each iPod you own. You can also store your libraries on external hard drives so disk space is no longer a limitation for iTunes libraries.

iPhoto

iPhoto is not just for photos anymore - it can also be used for movies and, just like iTunes, iPhoto lets you create multiple libraries that can be stored on any hard drive. Once you've created a video library and imported your video files into the library, you can organize them is by adding keywords to the files and then creating Smart albums based on keyword criteria.

Free Video Cataloging Programs

Finder, iTunes and iPhoto are great for videos on your hard drives but they can't catalog your DVD collection. However, two good free programs can do this. fennel DVDManager and DVDtheque are similar and, interestingly, both are created by French developers. Both programs are universal binary and, therefore, can be used with PPC and Intel Macs. Either program can search the Internet for information on any DVD title and, if the title is found, you can add the information and a cover picture for the DVD to your catalog.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

How to Buy a Mac Computer

Deciding on which computer to buy can be a daunting experience, especially in today's world of constantly changing technology. But if you do a little planning and research before buying, the experience will be a much easier and better one.

So where do you start? The first thing to do is make a list of the absolute minimum requirements for your computing needs:

Memory

How much RAM (internal memory) do you need?

The amount of RAM affects the speed of your computer probably more than any other feature so it's important to pay attention to this factor. All Macintosh computers now come with at least 2 GB of RAM and this will probably be adequate if you just use your computer for basic tasks, such as word processing, receiving and sending email messages and Internet surfing. But if you plan on running memory intensive programs, such as games and graphics programs, you might want to purchase a computer with more than 2 GB of RAM.

Hard Drives

How much storage (hard drive capacity) do you need?

Laptops and the Mac Mini come with smaller hard drives, but all can be upgraded to larger drives. If you're planning on adding large libraries of music, videos and digital photos to your computer, you probably want to invest in as large a hard drive as possible or plan on purchasing a large capacity external drive.

Optical Drives

What kind of optical drive (CD, DVD) do you want? How fast must it be?

All Macs, except the MacBook Air, come with a CD/DVD burner. However, the speed of Apple's built-in drive is relatively slow, especially for burning CDs and DVDs. If you want faster burning than 24x for CDs and 8x for DVDs, you'll need to invest in a fast external optical drive.

Essential Peripherals

Do you need a display, keyboard or mouse?

If you're switching from a PC to a Macintosh computer, you might not be interested in investing in the more expensive all-in-one iMac. The low-end Mac Mini might be a better choice if you already own a good display and a USB keyboard and mouse. If you're a power user, and money is not an obstacle, the Mac Pro might be the right option for you.

Next, consider other needs you might have:

Physical Size

Is physical size of the computer an issue?

Today you have a wide range of sizes for Macs, from the incredibly small Mac Mini to the large PC-sized Mac Pro. Laptops, too, have a range of sizes from the almost weightless, incredibly thin MacBook Air to the extra wide 17" MacBook Pro. Many people don't consider size when purchasing a computer but it can be important, especially if you have limited desk space and prefer to invest money in your new computer rather than in new furniture.

Aesthetics

Do you care about aesthetic appeal?

Related to size is the aesthetic appeal of your new computer. Some Mac computers are attractive enough to add to the beauty of many living rooms. Before making a purchase, think about where you want to place your new computer. If it will be in a hidden away room, looks probably won't matter, but if you want or need to place your computer in a room visible to guests, a Mac Mini oriMac might be the choice for you.

Portability

Do you need portability?

Another important consideration is portability. Will you need to use the computer in different locations or will it be in one set location? Laptops usually come with slower processors and slower and smaller hard drives than desktops, but sometimes sacrificing the power is worth it to gain the portability.

Expandability

Do you need expandability?

If you're a power user, you'll want a computer that can be expanded with time. Most Macs can be expanded with extra RAM, but the low-end models have limited internal expandability. Naturally, adding external peripherals is much less limited, but if you want a laptop computer, you probably will not want to be adding external drives. So, if you need a laptop and also want expandability, you might prefer to purchase a MacBook Pro rather than the lower-cost but slightly less expandable MacBook.

Final Decisions

Now comes a critical factor in narrowing down your choices - cost. How much can you afford for your basic minimum requirements plus any extras you want or need, such as software or a printer?

The next step is to gather information on available Mac computers that fit your budget and needs. Go to the Apple website for your country and check the prices of all the Macs and click on the links for any Macs that fall within your budget. Print out the technical specifications for each Mac you can afford.

For the final step, read each of the technical specification sheets and compare them to the first two lists you made (basic requirements and other needs). After you've decided on the Mac that's right for you, contact your local Apple dealer or place your order online. You can also order the Mac of your choice through Amazon.

See my reasons for buying a Mac computer at Reasons to Buy a Mac Computer.

Learn more about the Mac Mini at Why You Should Buy a Mac Mini Computer.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

Benefits of External Hard Drives

Copyright 2006, 2008 Claire J Rottenberg

Now that most computers come with larger internal hard drives, many people may feel that they don't need an external hard drive. But there are several good reasons to add an external hard drive to your computer configuration. Many companies produce excellent hard drives and selecting the one that's right for your needs may not be an easy task. In this article, I give some of the reasons for using an external hard drive and discuss briefly what you should look for when buying a hard drive.

Storage capacity

One reason for using an external hard drive is to increase your storage capacity. When I bought my iBook six years ago, I thought 10 GB would last me forever. I now use a Mac Mini with two external hard drives - a 300 GB drive and a 500 GB drive. What seems like more than adequate storage space now may seem miniscule in just a few months, so think to the future when you buy an external hard drive.

Backup Drive

An external hard drive can be used as an emergency backup drive. Hard drives crash and die, so having a backup is essential if you depend on your computer for work or for personal needs. If you're buying a hard drive to use as a bootable backup for Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.4, make certain that the drive has a firewire connector and that the drive is bootable (check with the manufacturer). Also, if you plan on using more than one firewire device with your Mac and the computer has only one firewire port (like on a Mac Mini or MacBook), buy an external hard drive with two Firewire 400 ports. Note that, although you can boot with a USB drive on an Intel Mac, a firewire drive is faster and more reliable as a boot drive.

Improved Performance

Using an external drive as your boot (or main) drive can speed up the performance of Macs with slower internal drives. I use an external 7200 rpm hard drive as the main drive for my Mac Mini and it's noticeably faster than the Mini's slower internal 5400 rpm drive. If you're planning to use an external hard drive as your boot drive, look for a 7200 rpm drive with a large cache buffer.

Portability

Many of the hard drives made today are small and lightweight and easily moved from one location to another. This can be useful if you want to take your data (for example, your iTunes library) with you when you go on a long trip, perhaps to visit friends or relatives. Just plug your hard drive into another Mac, boot up the computer using your hard drive as the boot drive and you'll feel like you're back home. If you want portability, look for one of the smaller but fast external hard drives made today.

Longer Life

If you use an external drive your life won't fall apart when your hard drive dies. Remember, when the drive in your computer dies, you can't use the computer, but if your external drive dies, you'll still be able to use your computer. Furthermore, getting your external drive repaired might take less time and cost less than repairing the internal drive on your computer. Also, using an external drive as your main drive can save wear and tear on your internal drive, and, thus, help it last longer.

As you can see, there are good reasons to use an external hard drive. Just decide on how much storage space you need, how much portability you want from an external drive and how much you want to spend, and you'll be able to find the drive that's best for you.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

Alternatives to Dot Mac iCards

On October 10th, Apple will discontinue a part of its former .Mac service that some users will miss. iCards let .Mac users create and send personalized ecards. Unfortunately, with the switchover to MobileMe, Apple decided to completely eliminate iCards. There are, however, alternatives available for iCards and, in this article, I describe some of those alternatives.

Mail Stationery

Apple, realizing that some users were unhappy with the loss of iCards, posted a solution for users of Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). The latest version of Apple's Mail program has an often forgotten new feature. You can now use stationery templates to create colorful, personalized email messages. You can even create your own templates and save them for use at a later time. Although Mail stationery can be used to send ecards, it is not a complete replacement for iCards. Mail stationery can only be used on a Mac computer that is running Mac OS X 10.5 and Mail. On the other hand, iCards was available to .Mac users on any computer with an Internet connection and a web browser.

Third-Party Applications

There are some free or low-cost third-party applications that let you create personalized postcards that you can send as emails using your favorite email application. These programs, like Mail stationery, need to be used on a Mac computer, but some of them are not limited to Mac OS X 10.5 or Mail so they can be useful for a greater number of Mac users than Mail stationery.

PDF Attachments

A third alternative to .Mac iCards is available to most users. You can use many graphics programs, including iPhoto, to create a card and then save or export the card as a PDF file. The PDF file can then be emailed using most email clients, including some web-based ones. This option is available to anyone with a computer and a graphics application.

Online eCard Services

A fourth alternative, available to anyone with an Internet account and a web browser, is to use an online ecard service, such as Hallmark eCards. Although this option does not allow as much personalization as the other alternatives or iCards, the services are usually free and easily accessible and they often provide many more choices for templates than were available with iCards.

Conclusion

Although iCards will be missed by some .Mac users, there are free alternatives available. Some of these alternatives are Mail stationery for Leopard users, third-party postcard applications, PDF attachments, and online ecard services.