Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2006.01.06
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review. News about Apple's
transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is covered in
The Macintel Report. iPod news is
covered in The iNews Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products
Software
News & Opinion
InfoWorld Calls OS X Best OS, G5 Quad Best
Workstation in 2006 Tech Awards
InfoWorld's special report 2006 Technology of the Year Awards
include:
Best Workstation: Apple Power Mac G5 Quad
- Impressive hardware specs, sub-$5,000 price tag, and the magic
of OS X
Best Server Operating System: Mac OS X Server v10.4
- A powerful, extensible Unix server with a uniquely robust set
of standard features
Best Client Operating System: Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger
- A rich and friendly desktop OS built with professional users in
mind
Mac mini Built Into a Kitchen
Engadget's
Thomas Ricker says:
"The Mac mini has been implanted into robots, slapped onto a
Plasma, slammed into a PC drive bay, and of course mounted in your
car's dash . . . and now it's friggin' disappeared into
the iKitchen. The goal here was to 'install a computer in the
kitchen, hidden, and with few to no visible cables.' A standard UK
double-socket faceplate was hacked with the mini's power button,
status lights, and ports all fed via extension magic from the mini
mounted under the kitchen unit. Most useful tool: blunt table
knife, a.k.a. lever or impromptu screwdriver. Ahhh modders we justs
loves 'em."
- Link: iKitchen
Mac mini mod
NewerTech miniStack Named Mac mini Accessory of
the Year
123macmini.com says:
"The NewerTech miniStack has been chosen as our Mac mini
accessory of the year. Other finalists included the LaCie mini,
Belkin Hub for Mac mini, Pressure Drop zStand, and Plasticsmith
miniTower. There are several features that make the miniStack stand
out from the crowd, including price, quality, functionality, and
performance. We also appreciate the number of different
configurations offered, software bundle, and two-year warranty.
'NewerTech has always put quality and functionality first,' said
Larry O'Conner, founder of NewerTech. 'We are pleased to find this
separated the NewerTech miniStack to be above the rest.'"
- Link: Mac mini Accessory
of the Year
FastMac and MacMod.com Team Up to Showcase Mods
at Macworld Expo
PR: FastMac and MacMod.com have teamed up to showcase a
variety of custom Mac mods at the upcoming Macworld Expo in San
Francisco, CA. The mods will be available for viewing at the
FastMac booth (#827) during the Expo (January 10-13th) and will
include the 2005 Great Mod Challenge Mod of the Year, the Real Wood
iPod. Other mods on display will include: the iTablet, a FastMac
Powered Liquid Cooled Server, Wallstreet Road Warrior, Necronomicon
PowerMac, and Evangelion Mac Mini.
"Macworld is a great opportunity to show off all the cool things
that can be done with a Mac and support the Modding community" said
Michael Lowdermilk, Business Development Manager for FastMac
Performance Upgrades, Inc. "And don't forget to stop by our website
and receive a free Macworld Exhibit Hall Pass so you can check
these Mods out without paying a dime."
"It's a great time for the Mac modding community" said Anthony
King, cofounder of MacMod.com "Even Apple has acknowledged the
coolness factor that modders can add."
For details on how to receive your free exhibit hall pass
including priority code simply visit the FastMac website.
Bluetooth Firmware Update for Mac OS X
10.4.3
PR: The Bluetooth Firmware Update 1.2 improves Bluetooth
performance and reliability issues.
When the update package is downloaded, the Bluetooth Firmware
Updater application will be launched. Follow the on screen
directions to update your Bluetooth Firmware.
The Bluetooth Firmware Updater supports D-Link USB Adapters and
Apple internal Bluetooth modules on the following CPUs:
- iMac G4
- 12" PowerBook
- 15" PowerBook
- iMac G5
- Mac mini
File Size: 1.5 MB
System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.4.3
- Link:
Bluetooth Firmware Update for Mac OS X 10.4.3
Products
Belkin Brings World's First Wireless USB
Product to Market
PR: Belkin announces its new CableFree USB Hub, the
industry's first USB Hub that does not require a cable to connect
to the computer. This Hub allows people to place their laptop
anywhere in the room while still maintaining wireless access to
their USB devices, such as printers, scanners, hard drives, and MP3
players. This is the first UWB-enabled product to be introduced in
the U.S. market. The CableFree USB Hub's wireless functionality is
enabled by Freescale Semiconductor's (NYSE:FSL) (NYSE:FSL.B)
Ultra-Wideband technology.
CableFree USB will be on display at the 2006 International CES
Show in Las Vegas, NV, January 5-8, at 31247 South Hall and at
Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, CA, January 10-13,
at 717 South Hall.
Beginning in early spring 2006, Belkin will offer a four-port
hub that will enable immediate high-speed wireless connectivity for
any USB device without requiring software. The CableFree USB Hub
gives desktop computer users the freedom to place their USB devices
anywhere in the room without running long cables. Laptop users gain
the freedom to roam wirelessly with their laptop around the room
while still maintaining access to their stationary USB devices.
Belkin's CableFree USB product will be compatible with the more
than 700 million USB devices estimated to be in the market today.
Indeed, according to market research firm In-Stat, the number of
USB devices is forecast to increase to 2.1 billion in 2009.
"We have always focused on ease of use when developing our
products," comments Mark Reynoso, Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing for
Belkin. "With the proliferation of USB devices and the increasing
demand for wireless functionality, it's important that we not only
continue to bring innovative wireless products to the marketplace,
but also to bolster them with easy installation. With CableFree
USB, you can now get the ease of USB without wires."
"These CableFree USB products represent innovative technology,
but, more importantly, will extend the capabilities of millions of
USB products," says Martin Rofheart, Director of the UWB Operation
at Freescale. "With the convenience of Belkin's Plug-and-Play
solution, consumers will not be burdened by software upgrades in
order to achieve wireless functionality for their USB devices.
Indeed, Belkin is taking a leadership role in bringing true
wireless USB to the market, and we are thrilled to work with them
on this initiative."
About Ultra-Wideband Technology
Freescale's UWB solutions enable high rate transfer of video,
audio, and data streams wirelessly. At rates 100 times faster than
Bluetooth(TM) technology and with wire-like quality, UWB brings a
new wireless option to auto, consumer electronics, and
PC/peripheral manufacturers. Using UWB, for example, an MPEG2 movie
or HDTV stream can be broadcast in real time wirelessly. This
allows consumers new freedom in the use of multimedia-centric
products, as they no longer need to be connected with wires.
Belkin products are available through Belkin as well as through
a network of major distributors, resellers, and superstores.
- Link: Belkin
Logitech Cordless Keyboard and Mouse for Mac
Deliver Laser Precision
PR: Logitech, manufacturer of cordless computer
peripherals, has introduced the Logitech Cordless Desktop S 530
Laser for Mac, a cordless keyboard-and-mouse combination that
accentuates the elegant simplicity and style of today's
best-selling Mac computers and provides premium controls to enhance
the experience of using a Mac.
"Apple's Mac computers consistently deliver premium style and
experience - and our new desktop expertly complements those
attributes," said Denis Pavillard, Logitech's vice president of
product marketing for desktops and keyboards. "We've applied our
award-winning design process to develop a minimalist, slim design
to match the Mac. Our keyboard delivers important additional
controls that improve the digital media experience and our
revolutionary laser mouse technology provides exceptional
precision."
The Logitech Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser for Mac is a stylish
upgrade from a standard keyboard and mouse and the perfect addition
for products such as the Mac mini, which isn't sold with a mouse or
keyboard. The keyboard and mouse are soft white with silver
accents, matching the coloring of the Mac. The sleek, ultra-flat
keyboard is less than 3/4 inches (19 mm) high, serving an ergonomic
purpose by minimizing wrist extension. To further increase the
comfort of the user, the keyboard also includes a large built-in
palm rest.
The keyboard features all the standard Mac keys and two narrow
panels, one on each of the right and left sides, with 15 additional
buttons that make it easy to launch and navigate digital media and
the Internet, and to open documents. One-touch media buttons on the
right side of the keyboard help people control music and playlists
within iTunes, and launch the iPhoto application and the Mac
Spotlight search feature. People can use buttons located on the
left side of the keyboard to launch an e-mail application, and to
efficiently scroll through documents and the Internet. Though all
of these buttons have preset functions, they can also be customized
with the included Mac-specific Logitech Control Center
software.
The sculpted mouse tracks accurately on virtually any surface
and enables pixel-precise editing in photo and graphics
applications, thanks to Logitech's high-performance laser tracking
technology. The innovative Logitech tilt wheel design allows people
to scroll through documents and Web pages from top to bottom or
side to side. Five customizable buttons on the mouse allow people
to control volume, and to move forward and backward in a Web
browser without moving the mouse. The sculpted mouse follows the
natural shape of the right hand, providing a comfortable grip.
Logitech's battery management technologies provide a battery
life of up to six months on both the mouse and keyboard. The
keyboard and mouse feature convenient battery-level indicators that
flash when approximately 10 days of battery life remain. The mouse
features an on/off switch to further extend battery life.
The Logitech Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser for Mac features a USB
mini-receiver that plugs directly into a Mac's USB port. It's easy
to unplug the mini-receiver and mouse for use with a PowerBook or
iBook, around the house or for travel.
The Logitech Cordless Desktop S 530 Laser for Mac will be
available in February in the U.S. for a suggested retail price of
$99.99. In Europe, the desktop will be called the Logitech Cordless
Desktop S 530 Mac and will be available in March.
BenQ FP93V Display Ideal For Mac
mini
PR: Designed to convey a simple elegance,
the BenQ FP93V's all-white exterior is embellished with a lustrous
finish. Further more, its pristine appearance is further enhanced
by its clean lines and sleek contours, highlighted by a unique base
stand. Exquisite on its own, the BenQ FP93V also perfectly
complements any decor.
Two Ways of Cable Management
More than just a great looker, the BenQ FP93V provides handy
design touches like two helpful ways to manage cable clutter.
Unique Base Stand
The base stand offers a perfect storage possibility to keep your
stationery, an external drive or media player, or even a small PC
system.
D-Sub/DVI Dual Input
Equipped with both traditional D-Sub and next-generation DVI
input support, the FP93V provides the best possible picture quality
and video performance regardless of whether you are working with
analog or digital input.
Ultra
fast 8ms response time
The BenQ FP93V excels in performance, with an exceptionally fast
8ms response time, ensuring no ghosting or trailing effects, even
in demanding applications such as DVD playback or gaming.
550:1 Contrast Ratio for Crisp Pictures
With a 550:1 contrast ratio and 270 cd/m2 of brightness, the
FP93V delivers crisp and easily viewed images and text even in
brightly lit environments.
Optimal Viewing
To ensure optimal viewing and comfort, the FP93V's screen's
position and tilt can be easily adjusted.
- Link: BenQ
FP93V
LaCie Kicks Off 2006 With 6 Fresh New Storage
Solutions
PR: LaCie brings New Year cheer to its loyal customers
with six new storage products designed to help people easily manage
their digital lives. LaCie has again teamed up with world-renowned
designers including Neil Poulton and Karim Rashid, and
award-winning tech companies such as LightScribe and Roxio, to
develop the freshest new hard drives and DVD burners on the
market.
New products will make their debut at Macworld Expo in San
Francisco's Moscone Center from January 9-13. Visit LaCie Booth
#2143 for a hands-on look. LaCie will also offer special Macworld
pricing on its most popular hard drives for a limited time via the
LaCie Store Online or direct at 503-844-4502. And stay tuned for
the launch of a brand new "Customer Profiles" web page that
showcases how filmmakers, photographers, musicians and many others
are using LaCie products to get things done.
Fresh new LaCie solutions for 2006 are:
LACIE LITTLE BIG DISK: The most powerful portable hard drive
ever in unrivaled capacities for portable storage of 320 GB and
unprecedented throughput of up to 80 MB/s over FireWire 800 (burst
transfer rate). Equipped with LaCie's flagship Triple Interface
(FireWire 800/400 and USB 2.0), Little Big Disk is perfect for
audio/video pros that require superior speed, mobility and capacity
on the road. It's powered by and bootable over FireWire making it
the ideal candidate for a fully portable editing workstation and
companion to Apple PowerBooks. Little Big Disk also comes in a
LaCie signature design by Neil Poulton, creator of the original d2
Hard Drive Series.
- LaCie Little Big Disk 160 GB 5400 rpm 16 MB, $399
- LaCie Little Big Disk 200 GB 7200 rpm 16 MB, $649
- LaCie Little Big Disk 240 GB 5400 rpm 16 MB, $649
- LaCie Little Big Disk 320 GB 5400 rpm 16 MB, $799
LACIE RUGGED HARD DRIVE: A tough and speedy portable hard drive
with Triple Interface for people on the go. It's designed to
protect data against everyday bumps, bruises and hard knocks of the
real world. LaCie Rugged's unique aluminum shell and rubber bumper
protects it from table-height drops. FireWire 800 gives it the edge
needed for video editing and digital content
creation. This exclusive creation of world-renowned designer
Neil Poulton packs LaCie reliability into a hard drive that works
hard and plays harder. Also available in Single Interface of USB
2.0.
Triple Interface
- LaCie Rugged Hard Drive 80 GB 5400 rpm, $199
- LaCie Rugged Hard Drive 100 GB 7200 rpm, $399
- LaCie Rugged Hard Drive 120 GB 5400 rpm, $359
Single Interface
- LaCie Rugged Hard Drive 80 GB 5400 rpm, $169
- LaCie Rugged Hard Drive 120 GB 5400 rpm, $329
LACIE SKWARIM: A stylish handheld for those who want a portable
hard drive to match their mood. Skwarim (pronounced square-im) was
designed by the world renowned Karim Rashid with clients ranging
from Umbra to Prada, Miyake to Method. Skwarim comes in an electric
blue 60 GB or dazzling pink 30 GB version and has a 3.3" perfect
square shape with a unique textured feel. Has an integrated
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable for instant plug-and-play use without the
need to carry a cumbersome AC adapter.
- LaCie Skwarim 30 GB (Pink), $149
- LaCie Skwarim 60 GB (Blue), $199
LACIE TWO BIG: An ultra-fast SATA II RAID solution for with two
hot-swappable drives in capacities of 500 GB or 1 TB. It
delivers maximum speed of up to 115 MB/s in RAID 0, large capacity
and redundancy options at an affordable price. Simple setup makes
it easy to just plug-and-play, and drives are hot-swappable for
future expandability. Bundled with the LaCie SATA II 3 Gb/s PCI-X
Card 4E that has four ports for adding multiple LaCie Two Big RAID
units for increased speed and capacity. Works with PC and Mac.
- LaCie Two Big 500 GB, $469
- LaCie Two Big 1 TB, $949
LACIE MINI HARD DRIVE & HUB: An all-in-one storage solution
designed to expand use of the Apple Mac mini. Has enough storage
space (up to 500 GB) to accommodate a growing collection of videos,
music files or images, and (2) FireWire 400 and (4) Hi-Speed USB
2.0 ports to accommodate a variety of additional peripherals such
as printers, digital or video cameras, or additional LaCie hard
drives. It's the ideal sidekick to a Mac mini with its matching
brushed aluminum casing and identical form factor. While Apple's
iLife '05 helps people manage their multimedia files, LaCie's mini
Hard Drive & Hub gives users the freedom to expand their
multimedia libraries.
- LaCie mini Hard Drive & Hub 250 GB, $199
- LaCie mini Hard Drive & Hub 300 GB, $229
- LaCie mini Hard Drive & Hub 400 GB, $369
- LaCie mini Hard Drive & Hub 500 GB, $429
LACIE SLIM DVD+-RW DESIGN BY FA PORSCHE WITH LIGHTSCRIBE AND
TOAST 7 TITANIUM: A fully portable FireWire bus-powered DVD burner
with powerful Toast 7 Titanium CD/DVD burning software, which
includes a new set of multimedia-specific features such as
converting DivX downloads to DVD in one step, creating HD
slideshows, and burning over 50 hours of music onto a single layer
DVD with Dolby Digital sound. LaCie Slim DVD+-RW Design by FA
Porsche also has the ability to etch silkscreen-quality labels onto
special discs using LightScribe technology. It can write to all
CD/DVD media formats and comes in ultra slim casing created by
Porsche Design GmbH for true mobility.
LaCie Slim DVD+-RW Design by FA Porsche, $219
At Macworld Expo LaCie will give away a different LaCie prize
every day, so stop by with a business card to be entered in the
drawing. Winners will be randomly chosen at the end of each day and
need not be present to win. New to our booth this year is the
"Expert Panel" reception area that will be manned by two of LaCie's
technical experts who can help customers get the most out of their
LaCie hardware. New products will be on display with a focus on
LaCie's unique history of working with world-renowned designers
such as Neil Poulton, Porsche Design GmbH, Orato and more.
New products are immediately available for preorder via the
LaCie Store or by calling 503-844-4502. All hard drives ship with
LaCie Backup Software for Mac/PC, and all necessary cables for
immediate use. For more detailed product descriptions and
availability, visit:
- Link: LaCie
Seagate Introduces New Hard Drive Products at
CES
PR: At the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, Seagate
Technology is introducing innovative consumer products that add
benefits and functionality to already proven Seagate consumer
product lines. The Seagate Portable Hard Drive will boost storage
capacity to 160 GB, which is 30% over the current standard while
maintaining the same compact footprint. For data-intensive
applications such as video editing or massive data transfers, the
Seagate Pushbutton Backup Hard Drive now backs up and transfers
data five times faster than existing storage devices, by taking 3
Gb/s Serial ATA out of the box.
"Our storage innovations are driving the infusion of exciting
new capabilities into applications of all kinds, from the home to
the office to the road and beyond," said Jim Druckrey, general
manager, Branded Solutions. "We design and deliver products that
will help consumers make the most of their active digital
lifestyles, whether they are at work, play, for entertainment or
learning."
First of Its Kind Portable Drive
The Seagate 160 GB Portable Hard Drive is the industry's first
portable drive built with perpendicular recording, an innovative
technology that Seagate has employed to deliver the market's
highest capacity in a 2.5" form factor. The new portable hard drive
provides 30% more capacity than comparably sized drives.
The 160 GB Portable External Hard Drive enables users to carry a
massive array of business files, digital music, digital photos,
digital videos and games in a package that weighs less than one
pound. Engineered to be taken on the road, the Portable Hard Drive
features a robust internal shock-mounted design and aluminum alloy
enclosure to protect from drops and falls. Additionally, it is
powered through the computers' USB port, eliminating the need for a
power cord; delivers up to 480 Mbps, optimal for transferring huge
amounts of data; and is Macintosh and PC compatible. The Portable
External Hard Drive also includes the award winning Bounce Back
Express software used in Seagate's desktop storage solutions,
making backups easier and faster than ever.
Back-up or transfer Important Files Up To Five Times Faster The
Seagate 500 GB eSATA Pushbutton Backup Hard Drive provides external
data backup and protection with speeds up to a 300 MB/s or 3 Gb/s
interface rate - up to five times faster than existing external
storage solutions such as USB 2.0 and 1394a. Seagate eSATA
Pushbutton Back-up hard drives are advanced, high speed solutions
for desktop systems, entry servers or digital video work stations
needing fast, reliable single drive speed or even faster, larger,
multi-drive capacities. With 500 GB of capacity, the newest Seagate
Pushbutton Backup Drive is capable of holding up to 8,330 hours of
digital music, 160,000 digital photos, 500 hours of digital video
and 250 exciting games.
The Seagate 160 GB Portable Hard Drive will be available in
February, 2006 and will retail for $379. The Seagate 500 GB eSATA
PushButton Hard Drive will be available in April, 2006
- Link: Seagate
Cornice Introduces Ultra-Thin 8 GB and 10 GB
Micro Hard Drive
PR: Cornice Inc. has announced the expansion of its
storage offerings with the addition of an ultra thin, high-capacity
personal storage device. The Cornice Dragon series micro hard
drives, available in 8- and 10-gigabytes, will allow OEMs to offer
thinner and higher-capacity consumer electronics (CE) devices while
featuring industry-leading robustness, durability, and low power
requirements for everyday consumer use. Audio/video players, mobile
phones and personal storage devices will all be enhanced by the
Dragon series micro hard drive.
Thinner and Smaller
By narrowing the casing around the disk and by shrinking the "z"
height, Cornice was able to produce the smallest and thinnest drive
on the market - a necessity for next-generation, high-capacity
mobile phones, audio/video players and personal storage devices.
The Dragon series drives are 40-percent smaller than its
predecessor, Storage Elements, as well as current competitive
drives.
Higher Capacities and Lower Power
Cornice's unique architecture is designed from the ground up and
exclusively for CE devices. By focusing only on components required
for the CE market, Cornice has created a disk drive solution that
is streamlined specifically for these pocketable products. At
8-gigabytes today, and 10-gigabytes in the near future, Cornice is
firmly in the leadership position for storage density. In response
to enduser endurance demands, Cornice has decreased the power of
Dragon by half, and now represents only five percent of the total
battery consumption within a typical MP3 player system.
"Through our strong strategic customer relationships, we've
learned that portable consumer storage markets not only require a
very small and thin form-factor, but they also require low power
storage solutions rugged enough to meet the stringent consumer
usability requirements," said Camillo Martino, Cornice's president
and chief executive officer. "The Dragon series micro hard drive is
Cornice's answer to our customers' needs and demands and a result
of focusing our storage solutions for portable consumer
electronics. The market opportunity for this type of storage is
growing rapidly and Cornice is in a prime position to capture a
large long-term market share."
Durable for an Active Lifestyle
Cornice technology ensures that consumer electronics devices
will provide continuous and uninterrupted playback even during
today's most active lifestyles. The new Dragon series drives are
protected by Cornice's rugged design, Crash Guard(TM), and can
withstand excessive shaking, extreme drops, and other abuse without
skipping, stopping, or crashing.
Crash Guard Consists of:
- Active Latch - When dropped, the most common damage to a hard
drive occurs when the head scrapes across the surface of the disk
(not unlike the needle scratching across an old vinyl LP record
when the turntable was bumped). Cornice securely locks the head in
place with an active latch mechanism.
- Skip Control - Hard drives are going places they have never
been before - jogging, 4-wheel driving, skydiving - and are
expected to operate even with excessive and repetitive motion.
Cornice designed the Dragon series drives from the ground up to
withstand the most extreme conditions while providing continuous
playback without skipping or restarting.
- Drop Safe - This feature in the Crash Guard family allows the
drive to actually sense being dropped. This means that even if the
drive is in the middle of reading or writing data to the disk, it
can immediately react and place the head safety under the active
latch well before the unit actually strikes the ground.
Cornice will be showcasing the new Dragon Series storage at the
International Consumer Electronics Show from January 5-8, 2006, at
the Las Vegas Convention Center (South 4 Hall, booth 35579).
The Dragon Series drive is available in volume quantities in Q1.
List price is $85 per unit in quantities of 10,000 per year. Email
Cornice's sales staff at sales@corniceco.com or call
303-651-7291.
- Link: Cornice
Cornice Launches Smallest-Ever Hard
Drive-Based Personal Storage Reference Design
PR: Cornice Inc. has announced the smallest-ever hard
drive-based personal storage reference design, which incorporates
the Company's new storage offering - the Dragon Series 8-gigabyte
micro hard drive. This reference design, called Dragon Tail, allows
consumer electronics (CE) OEMs a faster time-to-market option and
the expertise and knowledge of the Cornice design team. Dragon Tail
brings the convenience of a USB stick and the huge capacity of
external hard drive storage together in a device that can now truly
be carried around comfortably in your pocket.
Cornice's engineering team, responsible for dozens of
integration projects in MP3, mobile phones, GPS, personal storage,
and video products, has applied all that expertise resulting in the
optimum solution for USB storage. The relentless focus on
ruggedness, durability, usability, and size has resulted in a truly
unique product that can retail for about $18.50 per gigabyte - four
times cheaper than Flash's $80 per gigabyte retail price point.
Dragon Tail, roughly the size of a matchbook, is designed to
withstand the extreme abuse of daily operation in a pocketable
environment and operates exactly like the popular Flash based USB
sticks but with at least four times the capacity at the same price
point. That enables whole new uses beyond the simple "share your
PowerPoint file with your coworker." Without the capacity and write
speed limitations of Flash, computer backup, complete MP3/Video
library storage, picture storage from digital cameras, and even
home/work computer synchronization is now possible. Larger capacity
at an affordable price opens up a whole new world of consumer usage
models that will be exploited by Cornice's OEM customers.
"High-capacity storage in a package that can be easily carried
around in your pocket will change the way people use portable
storage," said Steve Haddad, GM of personal storage for Cornice.
"The increasing infusion of digital media into daily life is
creating a demand for storage that Flash devices cannot fill. Since
many of the HDD-based portable storage devices currently on the
market are too large to carry around in your pocket and too
expensive, they have been relegated to the under the counter niche
product section in local electronics stores - Dragon Tail changes
that."
Cornice will be showcasing the new Dragon Series storage at the
International Consumer Electronics Show from January 5-8, 2006, at
the Las Vegas Convention Center (South 4 Hall, booth 35579).
The Dragon Tail reference design is available now and is priced
at $10,000 for the complete manufacturing design data plus 25
samples for qualification. Email Cornice's sales staff at
sales@corniceco.com or call (303) 651-7291.
- Link: Cornice
Software
emlx to mbox Converter Recovers Mail
after Crash
PR: In Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, the default message format
for Mail messages changed from the Apple custom mbox-package format
to the new emlx format (where messages are stored in individual
files for Spotlight indexing). However, if you need to recover from
a hard drive crash, it's almost impossible to recover your mail
messages easily since Mail won't import emlx files and you can't
add them to your mailboxes any other way.
This tool will convert your individual emlx mail files (found in
~/Library/Mail/) to the old mbox format, used by almost every
UNIX/Linux mail client and recognized by many more.
With this tool, you could convert some individual emlx files to
mbox and then import the mbox file using Mail for Mac OS X or
almost any other mail client.
To use the tool, drag your emlx files into the main window.
Click the "Save mbox..." button and a prompt will appear, allowing
you to save an mbox file.
Version 1.0.3 improves performance and now supports "partial"
emlx files.
Donationware
- Link: emlx
to mbox Converter
CLIX: 1,100 System Commands and
More
PR: Don't sell a man a fish when he really needs to know
how to fish himself or you're ripping him off. Then too, there are
times when he needs you to throw him a line.
CLIX ('command line interface for OS X') makes it easy to
harness the power of Unix. It becomes both a fish to buy and a
series of lessons in how to fish and ultimately a handy way to
work.
It doesn't try to rip you off - it tries to teach you, so you
become more independent and don't need that line thrown at you all
the time.
The CLIX package includes a starter command database with over
1,000 (yes, you read that right) system commands for investigating
your system status, for cleaning out the junk files, for getting at
secret settings for the Dock, the Finder, Spotlight, Dashboard,
Exposé, and all of your most used applications, and all
sorted for easy access, any way you wish.
You also gain access for the first time to the tens of thousands
of unused files in your BSD subsystem, files no one's really told
you about.
If it can be done in OS X, it can be done in CLIX - if it can't
be done in CLIX, it can't be done.
And most importantly, CLIX is infinitely extensible: you can add
to it at any time and in any way you please.
WYSIWYG, Black Box, Rolodex
With all the commands out there, it's good to have a general
work of reference so you can easily find what you're looking for
without having to struggle with manpages all night.
You don't have to struggle to remember syntax; you don't have to
type a command more than once; you're always just a mouse click
away.
Unlike other systems, CLIX is 100% WYSIWYG. What you see is what
you get: exactly the command lines you would use at a terminal if
you were so inclined.
So sometime you might remember a command or two and try it on
your own...
CLIX is very secure. It will not need your 'sudo' password more
than once for an entire session. And nothing is stored on disk or
in any keychain, so it's gone when you exit the program.
And you don't have to click on doodads to make it work: it's all
automatic: put 'sudo' in a command line and CLIX will automatically
submit it to your system - without use of 'carbonised' core
services.
Manpage
It's right there all along but you don't see it; it stays
discreetly out of your way until you need it: the new 'manpage'
feature in CLIX.
Just click on the area to the left of the command buttons on the
command sheet; the manpage box will appear; type in your search key
and hit Enter: CLIX will format the manpage you requested in its
output window.
You can't have your Unix documentation closer at hand.
Safety First
CLIX clears your password if your computer goes into sleep mode
and also clears your system wide sudo time stamp. Whoever next
accesses your computer through either CLIX or Terminal will have to
submit your password again.
Before and after: when your computer goes to sleep, CLIX clears
your sudo password everywhere - even where you forget to look.
So you needn't worry anymore about interlopers accessing and
taking advantage of your unattended machine: if you need to leave
in a hurry, just put it to sleep.
[Safety update: CLIX 1.7 clears its TTY-specific sudo time stamp
after every command.]
It's Everything, It's Free, No Strings
CLIX comes with commands for viewing all your system logs, for
cleaning out browser caches, for pruning 'plist' preference files,
for spelunking in root's back yard, for ridding your system of all
kinds of junk, for seeing what your virtual memory is up to, what
your Netinfo database manager is up to, and more, and more, and
more.
And it's all infinitely extensible. All you have to do is add to
it.
Only 91.9 KB complete
New in CLIX 1.7.2a
- 'ligaz' has two 'help' systems for quick access to Unix
'manpage' information: one built in, the other an interface with
the ManOpen application. Full details included in the package.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
Free
- Link: Clix
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