Mac News Review

Apple Store Helps after Japan Earthquake, How Long Is the Desktop Lifecycle?, Stickies Tips, and More

This Week's Apple and Desktop Mac News

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2011.03.18

Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV news is covered in The iNews Review.

All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

News & Opinion

Troubleshooting

Products & Services

Software

Desktop Mac Deals

News & Opinion

Apple's Role in Japan Following the Earthquake

Blogger Kevin Rose has posted an email from a friend who works for Apple in Japan. He writes that it makes him happy that Apple went the extra mile there after the fifth largest earthquake in recorded history hit that country last Friday, noting:

"7 hours and 118 aftershocks later, the Tokyo Apple Store was still open because with the phone and train lines down, taxis stopped, and millions of people stuck in the Tokyo shopping district scared, with no access to television, hundreds of people were swarming into Apple stores to watch the news on USTREAM and contact their families via Twitter, Facebook, and email."

Publisher's note: Wikipedia has an excellent article on the earthquake and tsunami, which is being updated regularly, including details like part of Japan now being approximately 8' closer to the US, dropping 250 miles of Japan's coastline by 2', and shifting the earth's axis by roughly 10". The magnitude of this event boggles the mind, as does the human cost, especially with radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plants adding one more component to the disaster. Kudos to those who are helping out and to all those who are supporting them. dk

Become a Stickies Ninja

I've never paid a whole lot of attention to OS X's Stickies feature, but after reading Marius Masalar's tutorial, I'm going to take a lot closer look.

Masalar notes that with the Mac App Store open and business booming for Apple developers, it's easy to get into the habit of grabbing a bunch of useful third-party applications to handle your computing needs, and while there's nothing wrong with doing this, you may find yourself surprised at just how powerful some of OS Xs built-in tools are, such as Stickies, the surprisingly powerful built-in notes application that you (like this editor), may not be using to the full potential, if at all.

For example, did you know that Stickies uses the same text engine that drives TextEdit, so it's capable of handling all sorts of common text formatting tasks including modifications of font type, size, color, and style with ease. In addition, Stickies also supports the built-in dictionary, so you can use the Control + Command + D shortcut to pull up the dictionary box in an instant. Stickies also incorporates the last vestige of the Mac OS's erstwhile, lamented windowshading feature, but with a cool quick look feature on mouseover, and Stickies can send text and other data from nearly any native OS X application using the Services menu.

There's much, much more to Stickies than I (and probably you) ever imagined.

Erstwhile Eudora Holdout Explains Why He Switched

TidBITS' Adam C. Engst says it's now been some time since he used classic Eudora 6.2.4 as his everyday email program, and he's instead switched to Google's Gmail. That may come as a surprise to some of the legions of classic Eudora fans (your editor is one), considering that Engst wrote the "Eudora Visual QuickStart Guide" back in 1997 and was long a vocal supporter of the program. However, he explains that Eudora 6.2.4, which hasn't been supported by its developer, Qualcomm, for several years now, had started crashing more frequently and corrupting mailboxes in the process.

Like many orphaned Eudora users, Engst has tried the gamut of alternative email client solutions and found none that measure up to classic Eudora, noting that they all feel as though they're starting from the same conceptual base as Eudora, but with a different set of priorities and simply feel like awkward takeoffs.

Instead, he's switched to Google's Gmail, and this week has posted a quartet of lengthy tutorials on getting the best out of Google's Webmail service, noting that Gmail is free, offers excellent spam filtering, can accept mail forwarded from another account, and provides access to all your mail via POP and IMAP.

Publisher's note: Kudos to Google for making Gmail a free email service with POP and IMAP support. One of the key reasons I have nearly abandoned my Yahoo! Mail accounts is that I can access Gmail using Mail on my Mac. Additionally, Gmail's spam filtering is impressive, rarely turning up a false positive (marking legit email as spam) and leaving little span in your mailbox. dk

Links

The Desktop Lifecycle: How Long Is It?

The Register's Manek Dubash asks if should you look to squeeze an extra year out of you desktop. If so, how - and is it wise to do this? How long is the lifecycle anyway?

Dubash notes that enterprise desktop refresh cycles of three to four years are the usual standard, often driven by the release of new version of Windows and by three-year desktop warranty and maintenance contracts, but the intervals have lengthened due to the economic downturn and sustained attachment to Windows XP.

However, he notes that research shows that refreshing desktops on a three year cycle saves money, citing a Wipro white paper "Optimizing PC refresh cycles to maximize business value" (pdf) - sponsored by Intel - which finds that a delay in refreshing desktop PCs can increase costs of ownership and, according to Wipro's research, that applies even more to mobile computers due to the rougher use they're subjected to. It's probably cheaper overall to replace laptops every two years rather than the standard three-year refresh cycle for desktops.

Dubash also cites interesting data from a study by Intel and management consultants AT Kearney showing that it actually costs less to refresh all desktops in an office at once instead of on a rolling basis due to economies of scale.

Publisher's note: That may be true in the world of Windows, but some of us here at Low End Mac are still using relatively ancient G3 and G4 Macs on a regular basis - Charles Moore has two G4-upgraded Pismo PowerBooks from 2000 in daily use, and at LEM headquarters, I'm working with a Digital Audio Power Mac G4 (upgraded with dual 1.6 GHz CPUs) and a dual 1 GHz Mirrored Drive Doors Power Mac G4, dating from 2001 and 2002 respectively.

When I worked for a local publisher, we used Macs until they were used up. Instead of replacing everything at once, as Wipro suggests, the graphics department would get the new Macs, and after everything was migrated over, their older Power Mac would go to someone a step or two down the chain - and the process would be repeated, sometimes allowing us to move 4-6 users to newer Macs. Of course, things may not be that easy in the Windows world.... dk

Troubleshooting

How to Solve the Graphics Card Problem on Some iMacs

Hardmac's Lionel reports:

"Many Mac users have had problems with the graphics card in the iMac, especially with the 7300 and 7600 GT that came in the last white 24" iMac. Phillipe, one of our readers was able to repair his own quite easily....

"You can find more details about it on his blog. It is in French but if you are interested, we can provide you with a translation." (provided in the article, which goes on to suggest replacing the thermal paste)

"On a side note, we have recently given a second life to a 3 years old aluminum 24" iMac, by taking it apart and cleaning it entirely. From a slow and very warm computer, it turned into what it was on its first day."

Products & Services

NuShelf Mounts for You Mac mini

NuShelf MountPR: Newer Technology, Inc. (NewerTech), a leading developer of Macintosh, PC, iPod, iPhone, and iPad performance upgrades and accessories, announced today the NewerTech NuShelf Mount for installing one or more 2010 Mac mini computers and/or Apple Time Capsule wireless hard drives under a desk, shelf, or cabinet. Designed and Made in the USA and priced starting from $39.95 MSRP, the precision manufactured acrylic NuShelf Mount is an ideal solution for saving desktop space by relocating a 2010 Mac mini and/or Time Capsule to a more protected, unused mounting location.

Two models available hold up to two 2010 minis

  • NuShelf Mount: holds one 2010 Apple Mac mini or one Apple Time Capsule $39.95
  • NuShelf Dual Mount: holds two 2010 Apple Mac minis, two Apple Time Capsules, or one mini and one Time Capsule $44.95

Full Access & Cool Operation

NuShelf Dual MountBoth NuShelf Mounts offer easy access to all the Mac mini's ports and power button while the front of the brackets remain open for accessing the mini's optical drive and to keep the Apple Remote sensor unobstructed. Openings on the bottom of the bracket, along with additional space above the mini, provide adequate ventilation to keep the Mac mini cool.

NuShelf Mount Features

  • Solid, single-piece acrylic construction.
  • Precision laser cut, recessed bottom seats Mac mini securely into stand.
  • Backstops keep Mac mini from sliding out back of shelf.
  • Rear cutouts offer easy insertion and removal of SD cards and power button access.
  • Saves valuable desktop space.
  • Perfect for use in home theater configurations.
  • Additional vertical clearance allows for mounting under a cabinet.
  • No ports or cooling vents are obstructed.
  • No Bluetooth or WiFi signal loss.
  • Designed and made in the USA.
  • Dimensions: 8.1" x 8.1" x 3.6" (20.7cm x 20.7cm x 9.2cm).
  • Includes four mounting screws.

"Providing more functionality to a user's technology investment is what drives NewerTech product development," said Grant Dahlke, Brand Manager, Newer Technology, Inc. "The NuShelf Mounts offer an ideal double benefit solution of cleaning up a desktop while protecting a mini and/or Time capsule by relocating it out of harm's way."

The NewerTech NuShelf Mount is available immediately starting at $39.95 MSRP from NewerTech's exclusive distributor, Other World Computing (OWC), as well as through the retail channel.

Magic Connector Integrates Wireless Keyboard with Magic Trackpad

PR: The Magic Connector combines the Magic Connector combines the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad into one single unit without adding extra bulk. It is the Only adaptor that combines the trackpad and keyboard in a side by side configuration and still allows the right and left click feature of the trackpad to work as Apple intended.

Magic ConnectorAre you ready to break free of the wires that tether you to your computer? Experience wireless freedom! Kick back and relax on the couch. Surf the web while lying down or work on your Mac while standing up. The options are limitless. The Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad give you these options and the Magic Connector brings it all together.

The Apple Magic Trackpad, aided by the Magic Connector, makes multitouch commands a part of the every day computing experience. The Magic Trackpad brings ergonomic comfort to your Mac experience in a new way, including the comfort and convenience of using your computer without it having to be right in front of you.

Apple and other companies are moving toward multitouch controls for computers and the Apple Magic Trackpad makes multitouch gesture control possible on the iMac and Mac Pro and Mac-mini. Some are using the Magic Trackpad with the MacBook even though it has its own built in trackpad because it gives them more options.

It is not uncommon to see a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air connected to an HDMI TV so users can see their entire computer interface on the big screen, from the comfort of their sofa. Some users prefer to elevate their MacBook to a higher level and keep their keyboard in a lower, more ergonomic range.

Magic Connector
Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad on Magic Connector.

By combining the Apple Wireless Keyboard Apple and Magic Trackpad into one unit while preserving full trackpad click-ability, the Magic Connector has created better experience for the user. Now you can bring the MacBook up closer to your natural eye level and keep your keyboard lower and more accessible. The Mac can be the most comfortable computer to use when positioned with proper ergonomic form & function.

The developers say that over the past year they've developed and sold nearly a dozen versions of the Magic Connector and have narrowed the features and options down to three models that seem to meet every need encountered.

Permanent Connector - for those who do not wish to disconnect their trackpad and keyboard, the Permanent Connector will do the trick. This is really a semi-permanent hold but is not easy to remove. It provides a rock-solid connection and still offers enough flexibility for the occasional battery change.

The other two models can be detached from the trackpad and keyboard 1000s of times and are easily switched from right to left handed.

The Brushed Aluminum Magic Removable Connector looks and feels like a solid, high quality product that was engineered to fit perfectly with your Apple products. It's an adapter/combiner that makes these two amazing Apple products easier to use, especially on uneven surfaces, or with no surface to set them on at all.

This model will not separate if bumped or dropped and is a fantastic option for those who enjoy a more mobile lifestyle. The industrial strength Velcro holds both the Magic Trackpad and your keyboard tightly to the connector and the feet of the trackpad rest on the aluminum so you can right and left click. In fact, all three models preserve the Magic Trackpads crucial right and left click capabilities.

Magic ConnectorThe Black Powder Coated Magnetic Magic Connector is the best choice for those that want to regularly remove their trackpad and keyboard with minimal effort. With this adapter you can instantly and easily separate your Magic Trackpad and keyboard. It is not as strong a connection as the Permanent or the Removable Connector (if dropped or bumped hard it easily disconnects. The Magic Trackpad and keyboard do feel very solid to the touch when mounted on the Magnetic Connector.

There's also a connector for the SMK-Link VP6273 Bluetooth Calculator Keypad which can really increase your productivity when you're using a iMac, Mac-mini, MacBook or MacBook Pro.

Give your muscles a much needed break by changing to a more natural posture as you type. Your Magic Connector will help solve that muscle tension issue by allowing you to have the keyboard and mouse control in a posture that works well for your body. With this configuration you can type for long periods of time while maintaining the most natural posture.

Have you ever wanted to kick back and relax on the sofa or in your easy chair and access your computer on your big screen TV, with full keyboard and mouse control? Now you can! Just flop down on the couch and set the combined Apple Wireless Keyboard & Magic Trackpad in your lap. Without the Magic Connector, it is nearly impossible to keep these two devices in your lap. With that other popular adaptor you can do it but you cant right and left click. With the Magic Connector you can. With it you will have a single, balanced unit that will easily stay in your lap even when you shift around in your seat.

The Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard combiner/connector is designed to work with your Mac desktop computer, Mac-mini, Mac Pro or MacBook. Of course the Wireless Keyboard also works with the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad but they are not designed to work with a mouse or trackpad at this time. The Magic Connector combines the Magic Trackpad and the Wireless Keyboard into one unit, without adding much weight or bulk.

The patent pending Magic Connector allows you to combine the Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard in seconds to let you set the Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard on many different surfaces (its most commonly rested on one's knees). We've even had people use this with their PC although the Magic Trackpad is intended for use with Apple Computers running Windows in Boot Camp or OS X and the multitouch gestures may not work have full functionality on a PC.

Now you can keep your monitor on the desktop near eye level and have the Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard at hand level. If you use your big screen TV as a display for your Mac, just sit on your couch and comfy chair and set the Magic Connector in front of you to have full control of your computer. You can have the comfort and convenience and ergonomic safety by using the Magic Connector with the most advanced Apple products (which you would purchase separately).

Right or Left Handed Users Instantly Switchable

The Magic Connector can reconfigure from left to right handed in approximately five seconds, and is easily removable once installed and is not permanently affixed so batteries can be quickly changed in both the trackpad and keyboard.

Bluetooth range is not impacted by the Magic Connector.

If the Magnetic Connector or Brushed Aluminum Removable Connector combination is dropped accidentally, any temporary separation of devices is easily reconnected.

The connector is smaller than the keyboard and trackpad so it fits beneath and is nearly invisible from above. The connector does not stick out beyond the edges of keyboard and trackpad perimeter.

Though the connection is quite solid, you can disconnect the Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard in only a few seconds for stand alone use. It preserves the AppleDesign ergonomics and allows the keyboard and trackpad to lie almost directly on the table.

Magic Connector sells for $29.95. Shipping & handling is $6 shipping per connector within the continental United States. An additional shipping charge will apply to international orders.

Software

Air Display Turns Second Mac or iPad into Wireless Remote Monitor

Air Display for MacPR: Ever wish you had an extra display for your Mac or Windows computer? There's an app for that! With Air Display, you can use your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch as a wireless display, to extend your computer desktop.

Developed by Avatron Software, home of the Air Sharing and Print Sharing apps, Air Display lets you position your iOS device next to your computer, drag windows onto it, and interact with those windows as you would on any other computer display.

Features:

  • Air Display's performance is responsive, employing a unique dynamic compression algorithm. On a typical WiFi network, mouse cursor refreshes are indistinguishable from a wired mouse.
  • Air Display works in both landscape and portrait configurations. Just rotate your screen, and it automatically reconfigures.
  • Air Display makes a laptop much more useful. Adding the iPad's 1024x768 display nearly doubles the screen area of a laptop or netbook.
  • Air Display not only gives you a wireless computer screen extender, but also works as a tablet input device. You can use your finger to draw directly on the screen's surface. Try it with a calculator app, painting tool, or music control surface. Simple gestures allow you to operate the right mouse button and scroll wheel.
  • You can connect to Air Display from both Mac and Windows. And because it's a universal app, it works on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.
  • When you rotate the screen, or disconnect and reconnect, your windows are automatically repositioned appropriately, so you don't have to drag them back to the iOS device.
  • You can choose to connect automatically to Air Display every time you launch the app (Mac only, for now).
  • Some Practical Uses For Air Display:
  • Fill your Air Display screen with your utility apps, like iChat, Mail, iCal, and Calculator.
  • Amaze your friends by playing Flash animations on an iOS device
  • Graphic design: Make Photoshop and Illustrator usable on your laptop by putting your tool palettes on the iOS screen.
  • Music: Use your iOS screen as a wireless control surface for Logic or Pro Tools.
  • Programming: Use the extra display area for such auxiliary development tools as Console, Terminal, and the Debugger.
  • Business: Move all of your iWork and Office palettes and inspector windows onto Air Display, and let your document fill the screen.

System Requirements

Mac OS X

  • Air Display requires 10.5.8 (Leopard) or 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or later, on an Intel CPU. Both 32-bit & 64-bit systems are supported.
  • Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.2 or later

Windows

  • Air Display requires Windows XP (32-bit only), or Vista or 7 (32-bit or 64-bit). Windows 7 Starter edition is not supported. Aero and DirectX will be disabled while connected to Air Display, and re-enabled upon disconnection. Display mirroring is not supported on Windows.

Your computer and iOS device must be connected to the same WiFi network.

New in Version 1.3

New Features:

  • Improved tolerance for unreliable networks (Windows & Mac OS X 10.6)
  • Now translated into 26 languages
  • New Application Icon
  • Bug Fixes

$9.99

Air Display for Mac is $9.99 and is available only in the Mac App Store.

Free Bean Word Processor

PR: James Hoover's Bean is a small, easy-to-use word processor (or more precisely, a rich text editor), designed to make writing convenient, efficient, and comfortable. Bean is available free of charge.

Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, etc. try to be all things to all people. But sometimes you just want the right tool for the job. That is Bean's niche. Bean is lean, fast, and uncluttered. If you get depressed at the thought of firing up Word or OpenOffice, try Bean.

Page Layout & Inspector
Bean's Page Layout & Inspector

Page Layout & Inspector - Here you see Bean in page layout mode, using two text columns, with the Inspector panel open. Changes in the Inspector panel apply instantly to text. Also visible are the zoom slider and the live word count in the status bar at the bottom of the window. (Text of Emily Bronté article is from Wikipedia.)

Bean is not a replacement for Microsoft Word. It doesn't do footnotes or use stylesheets and is only partially compatible with Word's file formats.

If you use TextEdit but have to jump through hoops just to get a word count or change the margins, try Bean.

If you're pining away for Write Now-esque simplicity or just want a low-pressure writing environment, try Bean.

Features

  • a live word count
  • a Get Info panel for in-depth statistics
  • a zoom-slider to easily change the view scale
  • an Inspector panel with lots of sliders
  • date-stamped backups
  • autosaving
  • a page layout modean alternate colors option (e.g., white text on blue)
  • selection of text by text style, paragraph style, color, etc.
  • a floating windows option (like Stickies has)
  • find panel allows regular expressions (pattern matching)
  • all of Cocoa's good stuff (dictionary, word completion, etc.)

Bean doesn't...

  • ...do footnotes, predefined text styles, floating graphics (but it does do inline graphics).

Full Screen & Statistics
Bean Full Screen & Statistics.

Full Screen & Statistics - Here you see Bean in full screen mode with the Get Info... sheet open. Alternate editing colors are turned on (white on blue here, but they are customizable), and the margins are set at 16% of the screen size. (Text from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronté, courtesy Project Gutenberg.)

File Formats

Bean natively reads and writes these file formats:

  • .rtf format (rich text)
  • .rtfd format (rich text with graphics)
  • .bean format (identical to .rtfd)
  • .txt format (Unicode and legacy)
  • .html format (as source code)
  • .webarchive format (Apple's web archive format)

Rich text editing, Plain text/HTML editing, Export to HTML
Rich text editing, Plain text/HTML editing, Export to HTML

Rich text editing, Plain text/HTML editing, Export to HTML - The left window shows Bean editing a rich text document with images (a version of Beans' webpage). This document was then exported to HTML using Bean (the HTML file is open in Bean in the middle window). In the frontmost window, this same HTML file is shown rendered as a webpage in Safari (after copying the image files to the HTML files directory).

Bean transparently imports and exports these formats:

  • .doc format (MS Word '97, minus images, margins, and page size)...more info here
  • .docx format (Word 2007, minus images and some formatting)...more info here
  • .odt format (OpenDocument, minus images, margins, and page size)
  • .xml format (MS Word 2003 XML, minus images)

Bean can export all of the above formats to these formats:

  • .html (web page format, minus images)
  • .pdf
  • .doc compatible (with images intact)
  • .rtf (with images intact)

New in version 2.9.2:

  • Changes: fixed a bug involving Show Invisible Characters that would cause a crash.

System requirements: A Mac with a PPC or Intel processor running OS X 10.4 Tiger, OS X 10.5 Leopard, or OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

Bean is open source, provided at no monetary cost, and is released under the Gnu General Public License.

Publisher's note: At LEM headquarters, we use Bean to open Word documents before whipping them into shape for publication, a process that usually involves TextSoap, Claris Home Page (in good old Classic Mode), and TextWrangler. (I have a copy of Dreamweaver MX 2004 on the way, which runs in OS X and may replace Home Page, which I've been using since 1997.) I'll have to experiment with Bean's HTML export! dk

FileMaker Introduced Bento 4 for Mac, Updates for iPhone iPad Versions

Bento familyPR: FileMaker is shipping Bento 4 for Mac, now available on the Mac App Store, and Bento 1.1 for iPhone and Bento 1.1 for iPad. With many new features including the ability to print labels, export libraries with data, automatically add geographical locations to records and lock down forms, Bento 4 is a major next step for the popular personal database family.

"People just love the way Bento helps them organize their lives especially their work tasks like managing contacts and tracking projects," says Ryan Rosenberg, vice-president of marketing and services for FileMaker, Inc. "We've enhanced the entire product line: Bento for Mac, Bento for iPad, and Bento for iPhone to provide you with a major productivity boost at your desk and when you're on the go."

Bento contactsIn Bento 4, you can create custom labels or choose from more than 250 ready-to-use Avery and Dymo label formats for mailing labels, inventory tags, name badges, file folders and many other uses. Labels can be customized with information from your database and with images.

With built-in support for a wide array of the most popular Avery labels, Bento makes it easy to print labels for business or home use, said Brenda Dillon, Group Product Manager for Avery Dennison Office Products.

Sharing databases is simpler than ever using Bento 4. For the first time, you can export Bento libraries populated with data and share these with other users. Now sending a complete library to another Bento user is as easy as emailing a file. You can also share your great ideas with the world by sending your custom Bento templates directly to the popular Bento Template Exchange from within Bento 4. The Bento Template Exchange features over 800 free downloadable templates that bring to life the huge variety of uses for Bento.

Bento homesBento 4 is faster and easier to use. With faster launch times, the new version allows you to lock forms to prevent unwanted changes to a layout, easily switch from Table view to Form view, search by date ranges, and automatically create media fields.

While many software products allow you map an address, Bento goes one step further by automatically capturing the locations where your activities occur. With the addition of a new location field type, Bento 4 will automatically log your exact location using WiFi, GPS, or cell tower triangulation, depending on which Mac or iOS device you may be using when you enter or modify a record. With automatic location fields, you can record the location of site inspections, log customer visits, track travel sites, or capture survey locations.

Bento 1.1 for iPhone and Bento 1.1 for iPad

Bento for iPhone and Bento for iPad have both received significant updates. You can now record voice memos into media fields on your mobile devices and tie them to your records, perfect for capturing events, logging meetings for later review, and just capturing notes without typing. Voice memos can be synched with Bento 4 for the Mac.

Bento data use on iPad and iPhoneBento for Mac users can make more use of their information on the Bento for iPhone and Bento for iPad. Now you can sync iCal tasks from the Mac, edit simple list data on your iPhone, and use related records to link libraries.

Other enhancements include multitasking and improved support for the iPhone Retina display.

For the first time ever, Bento for iPhone and Bento for iPad will be available in multiple languages including Japanese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch.

Available immediately, Bento 4 is priced at a suggested retail of $49 ($99 for a family pack of five licenses), and is now available on the Mac App Store, FileMaker Store, and Apple retail stores. Current owners of Bento 1, 2, and 3 for Mac are eligible for a $20. rebate.

Bento 1.1 for iPhone and Bento 1.1 for iPad are priced at $4.99, each are sold separately, and are available on the Apple App Store. Current owners of Bento for iPhone or Bento for iPad are eligible for a free update via the App Store.

Desktop Mac Deals

For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4, iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.

We also track iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.

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