XOISSUE 2001 EXPO
NEW MACS £699 iMAC; 667MHz POWERBOOK; iBOOK iPOD • NEWS MACS: £699 iMAC, 667MHZ POWERBOOK; iBOOK FINAL CUT PRO TIPS ACCOUNTING iTUNES 2
INSIDE: MACEXPO GUIDE
MORE NEWS, MORE REVIEWS iPod 1,000 songs in your pocket Reviewed: Apple’s digital music for the ear and the eye
• 7 pages of Mac OS X trouble-shooting tips • Mac accounting software on test • Apple iTunes 2 • KPT 7 reviewed • How-to: Final Cut Pro 2 www.macworld.co.uk read me first Simon Jary With iPod and iEverything, editor-in-chief Apple is oiling the wheels for our transition to Mac OS X.
The iCarrot and the stuck
n October Macworld UK reader poll (1,600 votes) None of this free stuff works with pre-OS 9 systems. (www.macworld.co.uk/polls) found that 74 per cent Because they’re free, we really can’t complain. And Apple of readers were planning to or had already knows we’ll be tempted by even more iGoodies. A switched to Apple’s next-generation operating Hence, Apple’s iPod. It’s a fantastic leap forward for system, Mac OS X. Apple CEO Steve Jobs was reported to be digital-music aficionados – all these guys want is more delighted. And so he should be – his company has bet big capacity and faster delivery. iPod delivers both. It’s expensive time on OS X’s success. As much as we love them for their – but the tantalizing notion of untouchable benefits may be comfortable familiarity, pre-X operating systems (System 7, enough to open our eyes to the possibilities of change. OS 8, OS 9) are antiquated in the extreme. The iPod is also symptomatic of PC companies looking “iPod and We moan about application crashes and how much time for alternative revenue streams. Just as Sony is making iTunes are so and effort is wasted in restarting the whole system, and yet headway in the PC market, both OS giants Microsoft and many of us are plain scared to move to a more modern OS Apple are trying to muscle into Sony’s – hence, Microsoft’s simple even that has built-in defences to protect us from such disasters. Xbox (Sony’s PlayStation), and Apple’s iPod (Walkman). OS X can run most of the apps we use today, but only in iPod requires iTunes 2, which, in turn, demands at least Wurzels fans its Classic mode – which lacks the robust strengths that the OS 9.2.1. With each step we draw closer to OS X. And the can use them” Unix-based OS is built for. Optimized (or Carbonized) closer we get – the more times we get used to change – the programs are slowly being released, so our excuses not to shorter our eventual jump to OS X. What was once a leap upgrade are diminished day by day. The big two Mac apps – now seems the next inevitable bound. Adobe Photoshop and QuarkXPress – will be Carbonized in iDVD 2 won’t work on anything but OS X 10.1. Neither 2002; indeed I expect an OS X-ready Photoshop very early will Microsoft’s Office v. X, nor many new applications in the next year. Other programs, such as Illustrator, InDesign, and days ahead. Apple will keep dangling iCarrots in front of us FreeHand, are already Carbonized for OS X. As soon as your until the last user bites. favourite applications are Carbonized, there’s really no This may seem cynical. It might smack of bribery. But excuse to hang about in the digital limbo of OS 9. who cares? If you’re determined not to move with the times, Clearly, Apple knows that many of its customers won’t why be envious of those who do? upgrade until well after they’re able to. Fear of change is a Apple has played this game before, and with success. All powerful brake on evolution. And the company has pledged Macs after the iMac didn’t just look different, they thought to support these users with occasional updates to Mac OS 9. different, too – with powerful G3 and G4 chips in every It would be stupid to scare these people into the arms of model thereafter. Nowadays many applications require at Microsoft’s Windows by effectively closing down OS 9 in least a PowerPC G3 processor. Most games demand you order to push OS X down nervous user’s throats. have an OpenGL-supporting video card. Suddenly, your pre- If OS X seems daunting and unwelcome, a switch to G3 Mac is left out in the cold when it comes to using the Windows XP may perversely appear a safer bet. I’m sure that latest apps or playing the hottest games. Apple is under no illusions that inducing change can And it’s not just software that makes us upgrade our provoke peculiar reactions. The company could easily send Macs. Peripherals post-iMac required USB or FireWire. Even its loyal customers spinning out of its orbit into alien arms. older G3s – if beige – were left standing idle. Apple pushed Strangers often appear kinder than weirded-out friends. us into the modern world, and while we may feel aggrieved Whether you knew it or not, Mac OS 9 was the first step at the shove, it’s obvious that we were moved in the right we took to switching to X. OS 9 is a limbo land of direction. opportunities to tempt us into change. That much was clear As OS 9 increasingly becomes the bridge between the when the first major 9 upgrade (the free OS 9.1 download) old world and new, we feel ourselves almost helpless in subtly but radically altered our Macs’ file structures. defending our aged and fragile home. Digging our feet in Suddenly, our programs were shunted into a hitherto now is just prolonging the inevitable. It’s time to change, unknown ‘Applications (Mac OS 9)’ folder. That parenthesis but it’s not going to be an easy ride. Thankfully, many braver suggested a future ‘Applications (Mac OS ?)’. souls have paved the way for us – bearing the brunt of a And, over the past two years, Apple has fostered a plan fraught introduction. that seduces with gifts. OS 9 has brought us free stuff Even if the move to Mac OS X scares you right now, at aplenty: iTools (the best thing to come out of Apple since least admit that it will be a positive and decisive step into 1984), with its free Internet storage space and pre- the modern world. Mac users have always taken a different constructed Web sites; iMovie, a video editor that’s as easy route than the rest, and we’re proud that Apple is in the to use as it is sophisticated; iTunes, digital music that’s so vanguard of personal computing. We don’t like being simple even Wurzels fans can use it; and iDVD, which makes pushed around, but we should be happy that at least Apple home video cassettes appear as old hat as flipbooks. is gilding the path to a better tomorrow. MW
6 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Join in the live IT debates on Macworld Online Forum (www.macworld.co.uk/forum). EXPO ISSUE 2001 Contents COVER STORIES
iPod and iTunes 2 58 Apple has released a digital-music player that uploads tunes 30 times faster than the competition. It works with the company’s updated iTunes 2 software.
Mac OS X first aid 84 Your first port of call when troubleshooting Mac OS X. MacFixit’s Ted Landau presents 7 pages of tips and advice on Apple’s new operating system.
93 MacExpo Guide 108 Final Cut Pro 59 New Macs tested 147 Accounts EXCLUSIVE: 12 pages If you’ve outgrown MACWORLD LAB: When it comes to from Macworld’s iMovie, it’s time to get 667MHz PowerBook accounting, Macs official Show Guide to know its big brother, 500MHz iBook match PCs anytime. to MacExpo 2001. Final Cut Pro 2. 600MHz iBook page 8
Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 7 CONTACT Editor-in-Chief Simon Jary [email protected] Deputy Editor David Fanning Macworld www.macworld.co.uk EXPO ISSUE 2001 Contents [email protected] News Editor Jonathan Evans [email protected] News Reporter Dominique Fidéle [email protected] NEWS SECRETS REVIEWS Managing Editor Sean Ashcroft [email protected] Apple unveils new portables: Chief Sub-Editor Woody Phillips [email protected] 20 550MHz & 667MHz G4 Art Editor James Walker PowerBooks; 600MHz iBooks iMac prices [email protected] Art Director Mandie Johnson slashed Apple turns up volume with [email protected] digital iPod iTunes 2 Apple financial 58 Managing Editor/Online Gillian Thompson [email protected] results Advances in G3 and G4 chips CD Editor Vic Lennard New Mac servers Macworld Lab: US Editor Rick LePage multiprocessing tests FileMaker Contributing editors David Pogue, Deke McClelland, Secrets: Mac OS X Missing Manual Adobe InCopy OS X & iDisk security 158 153 Franklin Tessler, Bruce Fraser, Be prepared, OS X can Adding animation Christopher Breen, Games news Business News Matthew Bath, Peter Cohen, open Macs up to attack. to Dreamweaver 4. 58 Apple iPod; Apple iTunes 2 Adam C Engst, Jim Heid, Andy Ihnatko, David Blatner. PRODUCT NEWS OPINIONS 59 New Apple PowerBook G4s; new iBooks Group Advertising Manager Mustafa Mustafa 63 Retro AS-1 2.1 synth emulator [email protected] EVERY ISSUE Deputy Advertising Manager Dean Payn SmartDisk HP printers 64 Corel Graphics Suite 10 [email protected] 45 Simon Jary Formac flat panel New Books 6 65 KPT Effects Photoshop plug-ins Display Sales Executive James Poulson Canon power pics Xerox Phaser 5400 We’re all edging closer to [email protected] Letters Mac OS X. Get used to it. 12 65 Auto FX DreamSuite Photoshop plug-ins Classified Sales Executive Clive Page HP photosmart 318 Apple updates Win a copy of Aladdin’s [email protected] 66 Canon S6300 A3 inkjet Production Manager Sharon Bird David Fanning Stuffit Deluxe 6.5. [email protected] 53 66 Ice Warrior 60GB FireWire Drive; Deputy Production Manager Richard Bailey Windows XP is nearly as Secrets: Print [email protected] good as the Mac. Nearly. 16 1 HighFly 80GB Production Assistant (Ads) Nikki Basten publishing [email protected] FireWire Drive Converting RGB to Marketing Manager Jo Brown Michael Prochak [email protected] 55 69 FilmBox 3.0 OS X Celebrating email’s CMYK can be a mistake. Circulation Manager Jim Birch [email protected] 30th birthday. 70 Aladdin StuffIt Marketing Co-ordinator Kelly Crowley [email protected] Deluxe 6.5 Marketing Assistant Sam French 210 Andy Ihnatko 70 ComicBase 6.0 [email protected] Meet Darwin, the mystery CD contents Pocket burner 15 71 FilmMaker 4 66 Publisher Guy Eaton SmartDisk’s VST FireWire portable CD-RW. guest at the OS X party. From weirdy games to [email protected] accounting. We’ve got it all. 2400 Pro 72 ConceptDraw Professional Macworld is a publication of IDG Communications, the world’s leading IT Competition media, research and exposition company. With more than 300 publications 106 73 Rough Guide to the Internet; in 85 countries, read by more than 100 million people each month, IDG is the 187 BUYER’S GUIDE Secrets: Web Win Microsoft Office v. X. world’s leading publisher of computer magazines and newspapers, providing 165 Rough Guide Website Directory the answers buyers need to make purchase decisions. publishing 188-191 Buying a Mac Macworld’s advice for readers buying a Cascading Style Sheets Apple Reseller Guide 75 Route 66: 2001-2002, various versions IDG Communications, 99 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8UT. 208 Tel: 020 7831 9252. Sales fax: 020 7405 0262 Power Mac G4, iMac, iBook or PowerBook G4. Includes UK’s only make design easy. UK Apple dealers listed. 75 InFocus LP630 projector Macworld (UK) is an independent journal not affiliated with Apple Computer. Apple, benchmark scores updated every month. the Apple logo, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer. 76 Microsoft Outlook 2001 All contents © IDG 2001, except articles adapted from Macworld US 168 Subscriptions © Mac Publishing LLC. 193 -199 Star Ratings Get a free copy of Real 76 nik Sharpener Pro Photoshop plug-in ISSN 1356-9503 Colour Origination: Lumis Colour Printed by St Ives (Roche). Covers A full listing of our World Photoshop 6 with 78 Digital Performer 3 printed by Hubbards (Sheffield) on paper produced in sustainable forests. acclaimed product reviews 13 issues of Macworld. Macworld editorial domestic Internet access courtesy of Netscalibur (0800 072 0000, www.dircon.net). and group tests for the Stock photography courtesy of Cadmium (www.cadmium.com) previous 12 months, Internet directory MACWORLD GAMERS’ CLUB: MACWORLD SUBSCRIPTIONS: 01858 438 867 A subscription to Macworld with features index and 204 includes 13 issues, 13 CDs and FREE gift (see page 168). detailed buying advice. Domain-name registration, 80 Star Trek Deep Space Subscribe by Direct Debit for just £44.66 UK (Europe £90; RoW, £120). hosting and support. By Post: Macworld Subscriptions, FREEPOST (WC4336), Leicester, LE87 4DE. Nine: The Fallen Fax: 01858 461 739 Phone: 01858 438 867. Web: www.macworld.co.uk/subs Q&A/tips 175 Shopping Advice on 171 Expert tips and reader 81 Fly II buying from mail-order 206 Training Macworld’s ABC-audited circulation is 31,640 companies. Plus 8 pages queries answered, Mac-skill courses. 82 Alien Vs Predator (July-December 2000). of dealer ads. including: bootable CDs.
8 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 9 cc: Macworld letters
Your Star Letter wins a copy of StuffIt Deluxe 6.5 We reward this month’s best readers’ letters with a copy of StuffIt Deluxe 6.5. Write to: Letters, Macworld, 99 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8UT. Or email [email protected]. Please provide full name and contact details.
event will definitely force me to review our policy with Star Letter: Turn to the darkside regard to buying Apple’s products in future. hanks for the fascinating insight into the S Popovic T Microsoft Macintosh Business Unit (Macworld, November). I am not much of a Microsoft fan. For Subject: Worthless vouchers years, it has been one of life’s great mysteries why Why does Apple include Macintosh users – of all people – use Office. software “upgrade” vouchers I have routinely translated Microsoft office documents to Subject: PC World of Mac with its computers, but have AppleWorks and advised others to do the same. Office 4.2, ghastly; I have never had a lot of faith restrictions on their use? Office 98, marginally better; but Office 2001, now that’s another in PC World. Not since they I bought my iMac last matter. placed Macs out of the way September with Mac OS 9.1 Yep, I can honestly say it has got my attention. And Office for in a dusty corner of the store. on it. A few months after Mac OS X – well that’s looking really interesting. However, a few weeks ago this, to my annoyance, Apple This is beginning to feel like a confession. When I make the I ventured to the store after released the next generation transition in the next few weeks to OS X 10.1, I suspect that one trying without success to of iMac with faster of my must-have pieces of software is going to be Office v. X. buy a new laser printer from processors, CD-RW drives Do you think Microsoft would deliver it in a plain brown-paper a well-known Mac retailer. and Mac OS X. package ? I stood in the middle of Apart from having to Alastair Nisbet the printer section and shouted: spend £200 on an external “Does anyone want to sell me FireWire CD-RW, I would like a printer?”. Immediately, a to upgrade to OS X with the use Subject: Salesmen must learn offer If you can’t see what the gentleman came to sell me a of my software-update vouchers. While in the computer offer is. printer, and answered all my I have been told that I can’t department of a store in John Gridley questions with conviction and because my machine didn’t have Edinburgh, I overheard a MW: Apologies for that error. authority. Then he carried the OS X installed when I bought it. woman tell the salesman that We printed the correct URL on printer to the checkout for me. I wouldn’t mind buying she fancies buying a Mac “but page 62 of that issue, alongside I’d like to congratulate the Selly OS X for a reduced cost, but I a lot my friends use Microsoft the book review. In case you Oak, Birmingham branch of begrudge having to pay almost and I’ve heard there are missed it, here it is again: PC World, and in particular Steve £100 for it. I wouldn’t expect to problems”. www.it-minds.com/goto/vqsguides Robinson who helped me out. use vouchers several upgrades “That’s true. We’ve got a Andy Frizzell later, but I only want to go from good selection of Windows Subject: Developer, developer 9.1 to 10. computers,” replied the Something occurred to me while Subject: Cost conscious Barry Sampson salesman. perusing your review of OS X I read Jonny Evans’ news article Listening to him trying to sell 10.1. While I appreciate the in Macworld’s October 2001 Subject: DVD waste her a Windows box, I started to more integrated feel of OS X, issue. He reported Apple CEO I have recently installed OS X get a bit Victor Meldrew. I picked is Apple trying to put major Steve Jobs’ statement that: “We 10.0.4 into my Power Mac G4. up a copy of Microsoft Office: Apple developers out of don’t plan to launch any new After spending a few days Mac and went over to her. Like business? hardware in Paris this year.” familiarizing myself with the something out of a 60s’ soap 1. They’ve included a On the basis of this, I went out new system, and generally powder advert, I said: “This, will development environment, and bought a 500MHz feeling fairly happy with my solve your problem!” which while good for creating PowerBook G4, firmly believing new surroundings, I decided She looked at him, and asked more Apple applications, surely no new PowerBook was due to be launched this year. to watch a DVDs. him if this would work with is going to reduce RealBasic’s Even the dealers knew To my amazement I found a Mac. “Oh yes, that’ll work.” and Metrowerks’ business? nothing about any new the latest DVD player only She was still not sure, so I 2. It has included CD-writing machine. Just two weeks later I supported G4 Power Macs with chucked in a bit about Microsoft and an MP3 software as hear of the new 667MHz AGP graphics cards. Wondering having shares in Apple. standard. While they’re not as PowerBook with AirPort card where I could find the PCI- As I walked off, she was fully featured as others, surely included, double the memory, supporting software I went to looking at Macs again. most people will stick with them and, worst of all, a completely the Apple Support Discussion Don McClymont rather than buying others. new architecture. Plus it has a area, to find there’s no support I know it’s actually quite 16MB video card and larger hard for the PCI G4s and Apple is not Subject: Missed offer a large bonus for users, but drive. I approached Apple to see planning to release software for Please note that the URL listed Apple should take not care if they would do anything. Apple them either. If Apple keeps this on the back of your Mac OS X to alienate smaller developers refused. up, it’ll lose the love many have free booklet with last month’s who filled gaps in older versions I’m in the media business for it. Macworld (November 2001) of the OS. and use a number of Macs. This Stu Calder does not work. Bit of a useless Chris Ward
12 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Join in the live IT debates on Macworld Online Forum (www.macworld.co.uk/forum). Macworld EXPO 2001 Cover CD Two top playable game-demos head up a full CD this month, ably supported by Ritz Accounting trial and the latest ConceptDraw Pro demo. Shareware, updaters, utilities & games – Vic Lennard opens the folders on our CD… MAIN ITEMS
Alien Nations demo Alien Nations combines the complexity of a god-game with the linear progression of real-time strategy. Your objective is to make your civilization the best on the planet by conducting research, trading and diplomacy. It’s easy to get into, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced players. This single campaign demo allows you to play as the Pimmons, one of the three different nations from the full version. Requires a 266MHz Power Mac with 140MB available RAM (or Virtual Memory turned on).
American McGee’s Alice demo A strangely familiar yet utterly wicked adventure. Upon her return to Wonderland, Alice barely recognizes the befouled setting. Equipped with courage and a lethal array of mischievous toys, she must penetrate the stronghold of her enemies and put the wicked Queen of Hearts in her place. Fantastic 3D action based on enhanced Quake III technology. Play the first part of the game with the demo. Requires a 400MHz G3 or better, Mac OS 8.6 or later, 3D video card with 8MB RAM, and 148MB available RAM.
Ritz Accounting & Payroll trials Ritz 2000 consists of a core accounting product that includes sales, purchase and nominal ledgers plus invoicer. Optional features include job costing, stock control, order and sales processing, multi-currency QXP Maven demo ConceptDraw Pro demo and cost centre analysis. A stand-alone utility that scans ConceptDraw Professional satisfies Payroll has everything QuarkXPress documents for more the demanding diagramming you need to run your payroll than 70 kinds of potential problems that needs of software and database developers, operation, and complies may occur at print time such as RGB images, Web designers, architects and scientists. with DSS and Inland suppressed items, spot colours and excessive The demo is Save and Export disabled, Revenue requirements. scaling. Other features include batch and places some standard text over Check the Read Me files processing, collect for output, and Autofix. printouts. Requires a Power Mac for trial periods after which The demo version has limitations to running Mac OS 8.6 or higher, and products must be registered. the number of items reported or collected. 32MB available RAM. page 16
Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 15 The CD-ROM on the cover of Macworld is supplied as is, subject to the following terms and conditions. The CD-ROM is provided as a free item to readers of Macworld for their personal use, and may not be resold or copied for distribution. The publisher shall have no liability without limitation for any losses or damage arising from using cover-CD software – or for taking advice from Macworld’s CD trouble- Cover CD shooting point-of-contact – including any loss of profit, damage to equipment or data, interruption of business, or any other damage, direct or accidental. It is strongly recommended that you back-up any programs or data on your hard disk before installing any cover-CD software. If problems occur, it is most likely to be a result of an incompatibility or conflict with other software on your system. Macworld EXPO 2001 cannot be held responsible for discontinued offers. This does not affect your statutory rights.
Before you start working your way through the software on our CD, INSTALL go to the System Utilities folder and make sure you install the following:
■ Acrobat Reader 5 ■ StuffIt & RealPlayer ■ System tools & ATM Lite ■ QuickTime 4.1.2 Install this version to be able to read many Version 6.0.1 of StuffIt Expander and DropStuff is The CD also carries the latest version of InternetConfig, Some programs require QuickTime 4.1.2. This can be of the on-screen manuals. included as is the installer for RealPlayer 8. UnZip 5.32 and ATM 4.6.2 (required for Suitcase). downloaded from www.apple.com/quicktime/download.
INSIDE MACWORLD
EjectDisk 3.2 iView MediaPro 1.2 Retro AS-1 2.1.2 CellSynth 1.5 Eject any removable Easy and fast way to view, Pro software synthesizer Software synthesizer with media from your computer organize and present the using new DSP technology. real-time functions and with the touch of a key, growing number of media Recreate the sounds of direct-to-disk recording. from the humble floppy files on your disks, from all the classic analogue Shareware. to the latest DVD. photos to sound files. synthesizers. Demo. Shareware. Shareware. and including… CD CATALOGUE Fetch 4.0.1 MP3 Rage 3.8 ArKaos VJ 2.1.1, BrickHouse, User-friendly Mac Collection of tools for Discalog 1.21, DreamSuite, Courtesy of Mark Pirri’s superb DiskTracker FTP client that allows MP3 enthusiasts. Search FirewalkX, Language program, Macworld brings you a searchable point-&-click, drag-&- for and download MP3s, Assistant 2.5, catalogue of all our CDs from 1997 to drop file transfers over edit ID3 tags, export Microsoft Outlook 2001, 2001 – almost 244,000 files! This will a TCP/IP network. files to AIFF format MTFMult for OS X, grow month by month to allow you Shareware. and more. Shareware. Who’s There? for Mac OS X. to find any file you want, without wearing out your CD-ROM drive. The latest version of DiskTracker (2.1.1) is also included – don’t forget to OS X HEAVEN SERIOUS SOFTWARE includes register if you find our library useful.
OS X Heaven – your monthly one-stop Atomik 2.0 demo XChange International Corner shop for the latest OS X-specific software. Atomik enables you to extract XChange International, which Utilities, demos, shareware and games content from QuarkXPress specializes in QuarkXPress – OS X Heaven features the best Carbonized documents as eXtensible Markup Language XTensions and plug-ins for goodies for the Mac’s new OS. (XML) format in the most efficient way, Photoshop, Acrobat & InDesign, This month 20, demos and shareware and to enhance that XML with metadata highlights products each month with demo programs include JPEGDeux, the native (descriptive data that describes the content versions available for you on the cover CD. version of the ever-popular JPEGView, MP3 of the document). Re-purpose content Create professional drop shadows in Rage 3.8, the do-it-all MPEG utility, and from print publications for use in electronic QuarkXPress with ShadowCaster, and set ads Jedit 409EX, a comprehensive OS X text publishing without cut-&-pasting from and tables with ease using the Multi Style II editor. Useful utilities include dmgmaker, QuarkXPress. XTension. For Photoshop, there’s nik Sharpener InternetTime, MenuCalendar 1.1, The demo randomly scrambles some of Pro (in Inside Macworld/Reviews) for pro image SuperGetInfo 1.0.2 and VMometer. the content in the exported XML, allowing sharpening. For Acrobat, there’s Quite A Box of There are also a couple of Carbonized you to assess Atomik right through to the Tricks, a high-powered collection of post- games: Awale X, a great version of the final output stage from QuarkXPress. production PDF utilities. Finally, check out classic African beads game, and MarbleX, Requires QuarkXPress 4.03 or later, FlightCheck Classic’s new features. a must-play for all gamers. and Mac OS 8.5 – 9.2. Visit www.xchangeuk.com for more info.
page 18
16 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 FAULTY COVER CD-ROM? •If your cover disc is broken and you want a replacement CD, please contact Cover CD Kelly Crowley, on 020 7831 9252, or email at [email protected]. •If your cover CD doesn’t seem to work as it should, please check you have read all the instructions on the cover disc pages carefully first. If it still EXPO 2001 doesn’t work, then please email Woody Phillips at [email protected].
GAMES WORLD DEMOS & GAMES
Our Top 10 Shareware Games folder has a Imp Fodder heavy strategy content this month. There’s Imp Fodder pits legions of tiny 3D Sokoban 2, an excellent upgrade from the demons in titanic battles of original version, AllOut, a fiendish new click- wits and sorcery over a variety of terrains. &-clear game, and CanYouFindIt, a spot the It will have you and your friends bent on differences pastime. Plunk! 1.5.2 is one for obliterating each other in a non-stop series the whole family while Shapes II 1.1 will of intense arcade-style battles. appeal to the Tetris fans. Finally, Traffic 1.0 Imp Fodder features OpenGL graphics, is a nice conversion of the Rush Hour game. deformable 3D terrains and harmless On the arcade front, there’s Sky Traveler 1.2, devastation that will have you laughing a nice timewaster for the kids. And there’s and crying as your imps either clean-up always space for the latest version of the the enemy, or slowly dwindle away in the evergreen David’s BackGammon 4.2.1. ensuing firefights. So sit back, relax, and Like card games? Then enjoy Alan’s Euchre let the fireballs fly! 1.2 and the latest incarnation of the Requires a G3 or better, Mac OS 8.1, grandaddy of them all – Klondike 7.7.1. OpenGL 1.1.1 or later, and 16MB available (Top row) 3D Sokoban 2; CanYouFindIt RAM. ATi Rage Pro 128 or better (Middle) AllOut recommended. (Bottom) Traffic ALSO ON THE CD DON’T MISS…
COMMS & INTERNET INFO AddressBook 4.2.6.3 TimeSlice 2.2 ■ Cool Extras Eight programs including: A-Dock 2.5 TouchCMM 1.1 Long Info CMM DownloadWizard 1.1 Alarm Clock Pro 3.8.1 uCalendar 2.5.1 Read Mac OS X’s DupliMizer 2.3 BBEdit Lite 6.1.2 255-character file names in HTML-Optimizer 5.5.2 BTV 5.1 UPDATERS the Classic environment. Mail Forward 1.4 This month’s dedicated Latest icons XML Tools 2.3.1 updaters folder includes Over 120 of the latest ATPM 7.10 over 35MB of patches pixel gems. FONTS Extension Overload 5.9.2 to bring many popular FontViewer 1.4 LandscapeCalc 1.1.1 applications bang ■ Mac ISP Mini FV 1.2 plus six utilities for up-to-date, including: Access offers from AppleOnline & Moose Internet Services. developers BTV Pro 5.1.1 CatDV 2.0.2 GRAPHICS Cool Unmount Volume 2.0 Conflict Catcher 8.1 ■ Five applications including: SOUND & MUSIC Desktop Resetter 2.7.1 CyberGauge 3.2 Netscape/Internet Explorer Designer Sextet Five programs including: DupFinder Carbon 1.2.1 Digital Performer 3.01 Complete packages for Netscape 6 (with 6.01 update) and IE 5. Amazing Slow Downer 1.11 File Freak 3.5 FlightCheck Classic 4.21 File Hider 2.1 FILTERiT 4.0.1E ■ Plus… FloatingNotes 1.0.2 LaCie Updater 6.4.3 … many thanks to Simon Youngjohns for our CD icons. iKeeper 1.2 MOTU Audio System 2.33 MovieDumper NetBarrier Updater 2.1 Notebook 2.1 Nisus Writer 6.0.3 Etchelon Macdoodle 2.3 Quit CSM 2.2 Norton AntiVirus 5-7 (10/01) SHAREWARE India Ink 1.6 Sweet MIDI Player 1.0.3 TexFinder 1.71 Office 2001 Security Updater Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. SolarCell 1.3 WhiteCap 4.1 PM2Q XT 6.2 It makes fitting your needs easier, as you can try before you Retrospect 4.3 Driver Update buy. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee – if you ICON UTILITIES UTILITIES Virex (10/01) don’t use the product, you don’t pay for it. If you try a Shareware Three items including: Five categories with VirusBarrier (10/01) program and continue using it, you are expected to register. IconizerPro 1.6.1 25 useful tools for VSE Search Engines 10/01 Support shareware authors so that they continue to provide IconCalculator 1.0.5 your Mac including: WaveBurner Pro 2.1 high-quality programs for the Mac.
18 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Macworld News PowerBook G4 up to 667MHz and Gigabit Ethernet; iBooks improved
All models ship with Mac OS X 10.1 Graphics support has been and Mac OS 9.2.1 pre-installed, with improved with the addition of the Apple boosts performance OS 9.2.1 as the default start-up ATI Mobility Radeon AGP 4X graphics system. card, which offers 16MB Double Data iBooks ship with either 500MHz or Rate (DDR) dedicated video RAM. 600MHz G3 processors. The 600MHz “We went to 16MB across model includes a 100MHz system the board on video memory. with updated portable line bus, as opposed to the 500’s 66MHz It’s something our customers have bus. All iBooks offer either a 15 or been looking for and we wanted 20GB hard drive. CD-ROM, DVD-ROM to make sure we delivered to them,” “Our Photoshop or DVD-ROM/CD-RW “Combo” drive Green said. models are available. “It will be great when they are test came out 48% Other features include a 12.1-inch working in graphics programs, but faster than on the screen, 256K L2 cache, and graphics also when they are taking a break and PlayStation 2 support from the ATI Rage Mobility playing games. We’ve doubled the 1GHz PIII Dell laptop” 128 graphics controller with 8MB frame-rates we saw previously – up to emulator for – Sandy Green, Apple RAM and AGP 2X. 45 frames per second playing Quake” iBook has dual USB ports, a Maximum hard-drive size reaches Mac planned PowerBook manager FireWire port, VGA out and composite 48GB in the new configuration, and video connectivity, with built-in there’s a choice of slot-loading DVD- French developer is running 56K modems, microphones ROM or CD-RW drives. Both Mac OS X A The Grinch Project, an and stereo speakers. They also 10.1 and Mac OS 9.2.1 are pre- “We saw a 10% performance attempt to create a PlayStation 2 support 10/100BaseT Ethernet. installed on the new pro-portables, emulator for the Mac. David Three models are available with Mac OS 9.2.1 as the default boost across the board” Allouch hopes to reach an from resellers, with a 600MHz, 15GB start-up system. agreement with Sony and Apple CD-RW version available only from – Dave Russell, director that would permit him to release the Apple Store for £1,429. Drives hard to hear of iBook marketing the emulation product in 2002. The iBook 500MHz has a The higher-capacity drives come He told MacEvangelist: “Our suggested retail price of £1,099 equipped with what Apple described module-based emulation can (inc. VAT), with a 15GB Ultra ATA as Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB). differently in the new PowerBook be used to emulate anything, hard drive and CD-ROM drive. This feature helps reduce the noise a line versus previous generations of RAM doubled and we have generated a lot The iBook 600MHz sells at a drive makes during normal operation. PowerBook and iBook is work with Apple UK has a “double the of interest.” suggested retail price of £1,299, “FDB means the drives are antenna. We have significantly pre-installed RAM” offer for Sony has strongly defended with a 15GB Ultra ATA hard drive going to run very, very quietly,” said increased the AirPort range,” Green new PowerBooks purchased against developers attempting to and DVD-ROM drive. With a DVD- Green. “This is something we had confirmed. from the Apple Store or create emulation solutions that ROM/CD-RW “Combo” drive, the the opportunity to take advantage During the launch event, Apple’s authorized resellers. bring its games titles to other iBook 600MHz with a 20GB Ultra of and we wanted to bring it PowerBook team ran a 667MHz Customers buying a 550MHz platforms. Sony and Connectix ATA hard drive costs £1,499. to our PowerBook customers. PowerBook against a Dell 1.13GHz or 667MHz PowerBook G4 battled in the courts for two Screen size remains at 15.2-inches. Pentium III notebook. Both computers between October 16 and years as Sony struggled to Gigabit PowerBooks The 30GB 667MHz model comes were tested using Photoshop and December 31, 2001 receive defend its brand. The two The new PowerBook G4s are available with 256MB RAM and an AirPort the PowerBook came out on top, double the standard RAM companies eventually agreed ortable power up is the clarion its revolutionary digital device, to drive sales even higher, with in 550MHz and 667MHz models. Card pre-installed, and costs £2,199 according to Apple. pre-installed. This means a development deal under call of Apple’s product message iPod – another strategic move faster G3 processors working at up The 667MHz PowerBook has a new (excluding VAT). The £1,599 20GB “Our Photoshop test came out the 667MHz PowerBook which they are working together P this month, as the company to stimulate sales in the currently to 600MHz, a new system bus speed system bus running at 133MHz 550MHz model offers 128MB RAM 48 per cent faster than on the Dell will ship with 512MB on emulation technologies. introduces its autumn collection depressed IT market (full details on of up to 100MHz, larger hard drives (previously 100MHz). The 550MHz and is AirPort-ready. Both offer laptop. That’s something we were of RAM, the 550MHz Allouch claims that his of significantly faster PowerBooks pages 24-27). and 128MB RAM pre-installed as model maintains the previous VGA and S-video connectivity. really pleased to see,” Green said. PowerBook with 256MB solution has been created and iBooks. Introducing the improved standard across the range. Pricing 100MHz system bus. Both models “We worked very hard to make “We think customers are going of RAM; standard RAM without breaching any patents. PowerBooks get faster processors PowerBook, Greg Joswiak, Apple’s starts at £1,099 (including VAT). offer built-in Gigabit Ethernet sure we improved our AirPort range, to be very, very excited about the is 256MB and 128MB His solution will require (up to 500 and 667MHz), larger senior director of hardware product Dave Russell, director of iBook networking. 256K of L2 cache (at making it even better than before. performance they are getting.” MW respectively. additional hardware for the Mac, hard drives and improved high-speed marketing, said: “We’ve made product marketing, explained the full processor speed) is also installed. One of the things we did a little bit Jonny Evans, Jim Dalrymple and relies on Mac OS X, which graphics. iBooks also get faster the fastest portable in the world impact of the bus-speed increase: he considers a “really good processors (500 or 600MHz), more even faster.” “We saw a ten per cent performance OS for emulation”. MW hard-drive space, RAM and a variety PowerBook line manager Sandy boost across the board just going of other improvements. Green put forward another insight to the 100MHz bus, we’re really Apple’s focus on portables reflects into Apple’s plans: “For us on the excited about the performance 74% plan Mac OS X switch the sales success of PowerBooks PowerBook side, it’s about enhancements to the iBook. and iBooks this year (see pages 28-29). performance; we wanted to ensure We think this will maintain early three quarters of Apple’s distribution did receive Quark and others run on it properly,” It’s an aggressive move by we bought extra performance to iBook’s incredible momentum N Macworld readers believe criticism: “ I went to buy 10.1 on its said a ‘No’ voter. the company to stimulate sales the line. It will be tremendous for since we introduced it in May.” Mac OS X 10.1 will make them switch Saturday release, but it had sold out It’s more than an OS, observed by beefing up two of the most our customers, especially those “The iBook is Apple’s best-selling from OS 9. 11 per cent of readers were by lunchtime. Why should I bother one reader: “I don’t run a Mac just successful products its introduced working with Photoshop. They can portable ever,” said Joswiak: “Now unsure, and just 14 per cent were if Apple can’t get enough stock into to run an OS. When my apps work this year. take advantage of Velocity Engine and with more speed, more storage and unwilling to move. 1,624 votes were shops?” asked one frustrated reader. under X, then I’ll switch.” In another market-stimulating go where they thought they couldn’t more memory, they are incredible cast in the October poll. Most ‘No’ voters will migrate The poll suggests Macworld move, Apple has made substantial go before with a portable system.” value.” “I’ve already switched. It’s so when crucial applications are readers will support Apple’s next- discounts on iMac prices (see page The top of the range DVD- much better than pre-OS X. Change Carbonized. generation operating-system plans, 23), with generous discounts too iBook success story ROM/CD-RW combination drive- Luddites, or drag Apple down!” said “I’m a graphic designer. I can’t and will move en-masse soon. on other products in its range. Apple shifted 251,000 iBooks in its enabled iBook has had £100 lopped one OS X convert. upgrade to OS X until Photoshop, www.macworld.co.uk/polls The company has also introduced last quarter. Now the company hopes of its price – it now costs £1,499.
20 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 21 Entry-level iMac now costs just £699 (inc. VAT) Macworld News
Apple cuts £100 off iMac price
pple has slashed £100 networking; and a software bundle off the cost of all iMacs, offering iTunes, iMovie 2, AppleWorks, A except the top-of-the range QuickTime, Palm Desktop, FAXstf, 700MHz model. The price cuts mirror and the usual Internet and email statements made by chief financial applications. officer, Fred Anderson during All iMacs ship with a 16MB Apple’s fourth quarter financial ATI Rage 128 Ultra graphics card results meeting (see pages 28 and a 15-inch display. Each has and 29). He promised increased a 256K L2 cache. marketing spend and special offers over the coming months. Free digital camera The company is also pushing To take advantage of the ‘Digital iMac sales by introducing the Memories’ promotion, customers ‘Digital Memories’ promotion. With should purchase iMacs from immediate effect, customers buying either the online Apple Store or a CD-RW slot-loading iMac between participating authorized resellers. October 16 and December 31, 2001 If purchased at the Apple Store, can buy an HP Photosmart 318 the camera ships with the order for a 2.3-megapixel digital camera nominal £1. If purchased at a reseller, for as little as £1. customers must download and fill in a coupon to take advantage Ton down of the offer, and pay a shipping The £100 discount means the entry- and handling fee of £15. level, Indigo 500MHz CD-ROM iMac Apple’s iMac software offer, which with 64MB of RAM now costs £699 applies to all CD-RW iMac purchases (including VAT), rather than £799. (in other words, all but the entry-level The 500MHz CD-RW iMac with iMac), has also been extended. Due to 128MB RAM drops £100 to £899, end in September, the offer now and is available in Indigo and Snow. closes December 31. Customers get inspired the usual speculation that The CD-RW 600MHz iMac with the standard software package, as they presage the release of a revised 256MB of RAM – and available well as extra titles, including: Tomb iMac range. Others suggest the in Graphite and Snow – falls Raider, The Last Revelation; Escape generous discount could simply be to £1,099. The top of the range From Monkey Island; and Sim City shrewd marketing aiming to raise 700MHz iMac price remains 3000. Reference titles include: Route sales during the crucial Christmas unchanged at £1,299. 66 Europe 2000; Encyclopaedia shopping season. Each of the four iMac models of Science; and Ultralingua language- The company has also fixed new has a built-in 15-inch display with dictionary. Edutainment titles in the prices for its Power Mac G4 speakers, 1,024-x-768 resolution. Standard for package include Adiboo Environment, DVD-R media (see below), and iBook all iMacs are: two FireWire and USB Star Wards Pit Droids and Talk Now AV cable. Apple’s G4 speakers now Snap up an iMac ports; built-in 10/100BaseT Ethernet; (French tuition). cost £41 (all prices include VAT) – Until the end of the year, all built-in 56K modem; all-digital What isn’t clear is just how long down from £46. However, an iBook single purchases of CD-RW iMacs Harman-Kardon sound system; the current crop of iMacs will be AV cable has climbed slightly in price allow the buyer to claim an HP support for optional AirPort wireless available for. The price drops have to £18, from £15. MW Photosmart 318 digital camera. iDVD 2 ‘in November’
pple will ship iDVD 2 for Mac OS X 10.1 free positioning of buttons and support for A this month. Announcing the upgrade in 90-minute DVDs. It supports drag-&-drop, July, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the software and title screens. would create DVDs to rival those from the iDVD 2 runs on Mac OS X 10.1, and Hollywood studios. will be available as a £15 upgrade to iDVD users. With iDVD (and a DVD-R SuperDrive), users It requires a Power Mac G4 with built-in DVD-R can create discs that work in standard domestic SuperDrive. It doesn’t work with external DVD-R DVD players. iDVD 2 will ship with the 867MHz drives. For more on iDVD 2, see Macworld, and dual-800MHz G4 Power Macs. September 2001. iDVD 2 offers new motion-video and sound ■ Apple has dropped the price of its menus. Other improvements include new themes, DVD-R five-pack media from £41 (inc. VAT) soundtracks in slide shows, background encoding, to £23.50. MW
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 23 Macworld News iPod ‘30 times faster than USB-based players’
61.8mm leap when it comes to music. And its also possible to load and unload iPod fits in your pocket. It’s never MP3s manually, though a note on the before been possible,” said Jobs. packaging warns: “Don’t steal music”.
Easy to use Flaming fast FireWire The device has a 160-x-128-pixel The product offers up to ten hours high-resolution display, with a white playback from its lithium-polymer LED backlight. This has been designed battery. This battery will recharge to give clear visibility in daylight itself directly from the Mac using the as well as low-light conditions, FireWire cable. The FireWire adaptor, and offers access to track and which ships with the product, lets artist information, and a range users recharge their device from any of on-screen controls. mains power source. The battery will With customary design flair, fast-charge to 80 per cent capacity Apple’s made its consumer product in an hour, and to full capacity in easy to use. iPod’s finger-controlled three hours. rotating scroll-wheel accesses the Apple claims that iPod’s built-in
entire music collection by playlists, FireWire port lets you download 102mm artists or songs. an entire CD into iPod in less than The scroll-wheel features 10 seconds and 1,000 songs in less Apple’s iPod sets portable automatic acceleration when scrolling than 10 minutes – 30 times faster through long lists so you can find than USB-based MP3 players. music in seconds. The crossfader The hard drive can also be used as automatically fades between songs. an external FireWire drive for storing It’s got customizable settings presentations, images or any other such as shuffle, repeat, startup file, just by enabling FireWire disk digital music on FireWire volume, sleep timer and menus in mode on the device. In this mode, multiple languages including English, iPod can be used as a system pple has leapt into the Pop don’t skip than hard drive so music won’t stop. French, German and Japanese. iPod disc to start up problem Macs, consumer-device market The 5GB hard drive contained within iPod plays music in the popular can display song data in any of these though, tellingly, Apple does not A by releasing iPod – a the device is just 1.8-inches across. MP3, MP3 VBR (variable bit rate), languages, enabling users to mix and support this feature. “breakthrough” £349 digital-music The size of a deck of cards (see actual- AIFF and WAV formats and can match songs from all over the world. player that’s capable of storing up size photo opposite), iPod stores support MP3 bit rates up to 320Kbps. iPod ships with an iTunes 2 Apple’s vision drives industry to 1,000 songs on its pocket-sized, digital tunes at various bit rates, Its upgradeable firmware enables CD, earbud-style headphones, a Apple’s strategy is focusing on its 6.5-ounce, 5GB hard drive. iPod will including 160Kbps (bits per second), support of future audio formats. For 2-metre FireWire cable and a FireWire- solutions as the hub for “the digital be launched for sale in the UK for the approaching CD-quality sound. CD-quality sound, iPod is equipped based power adaptor. In the US, lifestyle”. Jobs first delivered his vision first time at London’s MacExpo 2001 iPod has up to 20 minutes with a high-output 60mW amplifier the company is offering a 90-day of the digital hub at Macworld Expo iPod: actual size shown above (see page 93) on November 22. of shock protection (thanks to a that delivers 20 to 20,000 Hz limited warranty with the product. in San Francisco. As the PC industry “No one has really found the whopping 32MB of memory cache) frequency response for deep looked forward to a year of turmoil, Capacity: 5GB hard disk drive. crystal display with white LED recipe yet for digital music”, said for non-stop playback when running, bass and crystal-clear treble. iTunes 2 integration Jobs said: “We don’t think the PC is Holds up to 1,000 songs in 160Kbps backlight; 160-x-128-pixel Apple CEO Steve Jobs as he cycling, or negotiating London’s iPod’s earbud-style headphones iPod’s Auto-Sync feature automatically waning. We believe it is evolving.” MP3 format. resolution, 0.24-mm dot pitch. introduced tat Apple’s HQ in transport system during rush are built with neodymium magnets downloads iTunes songs and playlists It’s an idea that’s being picked Height: 102mm (4.02 inches). Included accessories: iPod earbud- Cupertino, California. hour. iPod skip protection works for enhanced frequency response into the iPod, and keeps them up by other manufacturers. Online Width: 61.8mm (2.43 inches). style headphones; FireWire cable “Not only will we find the recipe, by preloading up to 20 minutes and high-fidelity sound. up to date whenever it’s plugged investors magazine, Smartmoney.com Depth: 19.9mm (0.78 inches). (2m); power adaptor; CD-ROM with we think the Apple brand is great for of music into the cache at a time, “To have your whole music library (via FireWire) into the Mac. sees iPod as a significant “glimpse Weight: 185g (6.5 ounces). iTunes 2 software and electronic this”, Jobs affirmed. playing music from the cache rather with you at all times is a quantum “With iPod, Apple has invented into the tactics computer makers Audio: Up to 20 minutes of skip documentation, Getting Started a whole new category of digital-music are beginning to employ as demand protection. guide; 90-day limited warranty. player that lets you put your entire for their core products wanes”. Frequency response: Audio formats Battery: Built-in rechargeable music collection in your pocket and Compaq launched its iPaq supported: MP3 (up to 320Kbps), lithium polymer battery; 10 hours listen to it wherever you go,” said Music Center in June. It includes MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR), WAV, playtime when fully charged via Online music state of play post-Napster Jobs. “Listening to music will never a modem and hard drive and has AIFF FireWire connector to Mac system be the same again.” been developed to add functionality Upgradable firmware enables or power adaptor. pple’s decision to release iPod is well timed, Superstar Madonna defended Napster to Napster too is preparing to launch its own Jobs showed iTunes launching to home stereo-systems. Hewlett- support for future audio formats. Charge time: Fast – up to 1 hour A as the music industry and partners gear-up to Rolling Stone magazine: “Napster could be a great subscription-based online service. In July, a former automatically when iPod is plugged Packard also announced a similar Headphones: Earbud-style (charges to 80 per cent of battery launch their own subscription-based online music way for people to hear your music who wouldn’t Bertelsmann executive took over as Napster’s CEO. into a Mac. Songs and playlists product – this time integrating headphones with 18-mm drivers capacity; Full-charge time: up to services. Critics condemn the business for its late have the chance to hear it on the radio,” she said. Bertelsmann will integrate Napster’s Web are downloaded to the device CD-R – called the Digital Home using Neodymium transducer three hours. arrival on the scene, while praising companies like Subscription-based music download services infrastructure – except for peer-to-peer file sharing – automatically. Entertainment Center. magnets. Minimum specs: Mac with built-in Napster and MP3.com for getting the Internet onto from Pressplay and MusicNet are now preparing to into its BeMusic division, which includes many “There’s been anything like Microsoft’s recently launched Input and output: FireWire port; FireWire port; Mac OS 9.2.1 (or the industry’s agenda. launch. Backed by music’s biggest names these will music and entertainment properties, such as CD- this before. And I don’t think there’s Windows XP also implements many 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack. later) or Mac OS X v10.1 (or later); EMI Recorded Music senior vice president of offer tracks and albums for download for a fee. NOW. Bertelsmann has been involved in Napster another company that could do this. multimedia features and applications Display: 2-inch (diagonal) liquid iTunes 2. new media, Jay Samit sums up: “Our strategy at A joint venture of RealNetworks, AOL Time since extending a loan to the lawsuit-battered To bring everything under one roof that echo Jobs’ vision. EMI is to make buying music as easy as stealing Warner, Bertelsmann and EMI, MusicNet offers company last year. together – to be able to create a Eleven months since San it, and stealing it a hell of a lot harder.”. On behalf a subs-based digital music-download service, To avoid cumbersome licensing negotiations, product like this,” said Jobs Francisco, and Apple’s visionary the centre of your digital lifestyle. of its members (the big music conglomerates) the and streams from three of the five major recording US record labels and music publishers reached an The device does not use a digital- digital hub products include iTunes, We’re being surrounded by these Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) labels through RealNetworks, AOL and Napster. agreement in October that will allow record rights management scheme. When iDVD and iMovie, as well as its amazing digital devices these days.” bought Napster and MP3.com to their knees over Pressplay was formed by Vivendi Universal and companies to automatically license works for online it auto-syncs to iTunes 2, it can only desktop and laptop computers. “But there’s never been a device the issue of copyright abuse. With the litigation Sony Music Entertainment, and has reciprocal deals music services without having to clear songs with connect to one copy of iTunes 2 on Jobs reinforced Apple’s built to take advantage of our digital covered by the dust of history, music’s going online. with others to offer content from them. individual publishers. Jonny Evans one Mac. However, the Mac iPod commitment to the digital dream: sees as its hub can be changed, and “We believe the Mac can become continues page 27
24 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 25 iPod requires newly upgraded iTunes 2 Macworld News
continued from page 25 than PCs. However, the manner in which the digital lifestyle will applications – what if there was? evolve is open to question, and So we decided to do it,” he said. companies hoping to seize a slice “Why music? Well, we love music, of that market must risk much in and it’s always good to do something developing products to fill needs you love.” Jobs looked at the market that consumers haven’t recognized. Apple’s getting into: “Music is part of everyone’s life. It’s a large target Mac-only for now market. It knows no boundaries, In future, Apple expects to offer a and there’s no market leader.” version of iPod for Windows users, but right now the company is focused Industry reaction on its Macintosh customers, said NPD analyst Stephen Baker believes Phil Schiller, Apple’s vice president the home-entertainment business of worldwide product marketing. Apple is aiming for will be the “it” “When we get a little spare time, market of the future. It’s also a we’ll look at taking it to Windows. sign of the increasing convergence We know the experience won’t between various forms of home be as good, but we’ll probably look entertainment, computing at that down the road,” he said. and the Internet, he said. Market reaction is positive: Praise for iPod came from Susan “They won’t be able to build enough iTunes 2 answers Kevorkian, an analyst with IDC: “This of these things,” said Rob Enderle, definitely raises the bar in portable- research fellow of Giga Information music devices in terms of industrial Group. “Apple will probably struggle design and capacity.” to manufacture enough of the user music wishes Baker warns that consumer- devices to meet demand this pple has upgraded its iTunes digital-music software. electronics products, while attractive holiday season”, he said. iTunes 2 adds three of the features most requested by because they offer better profit Jonny Evans, Jim Dalrymple and Jason A users - the capacity to burn MP3 CDs, an equaliser and margins, also have longer life spans Snell contributed to this report. a cross-fader. An MP3 CD holds up to ten hours of music – over 150 songs. Standard audio CDs are limited to 74 minutes of music. iTunes 2 supports 320Kbps encoding – MP3’s highest compression setting, though its default setting is 160Kbps. iTunes 2 keeps all the features that made iTunes so popular that it was distributed six million times, according to Apple. It rips MP3s; accesses Internet radio stations; browses music collections by artist list, album or genre; searches; creates play lists; and burns CDs. iTunes 2’s CD-burning feature is twice as fast as its been before, according to Apple. The Sound Enhancer makes for richer audio playback, while the 10-band equaliser (with 22 presets) optimizes playback. The fader is for smooth transitions between songs, and makes for smoother playback of tunes mixed from different albums. iTunes 2 now features unicode support for Japanese, Korean and Chinese characters – even in the same interface. iTunes 2 is available as a free download (www.apple.com/uk) from early November, and ships as standard with new Mac systems and iPods. It requires Mac OS 9.2.1 or Mac OS X 10.1 or later. MW Download new iTunes visualizations
ndependently developed visualizations for a static viewpoint as sound waves glide by. and full-screen modes. O’Meara’s work forms IiTunes are beginning to appear. David H Goeb It contains 30 built-in presets and supports the core of some of Apple’s own iTunes software (DHB) used Apple’s iTunes Visual plug- 128 user-defined presets. Available from: visualizations. www.55ware.com ins software development kit (SDK) to create his http://members.home.net/peagreen/dhg_plugins.htm ■ Also of interest to music buffs, Analogue own visualizations. G-Force 2.1.2 is another freeware collection of Ripper 1.0 – $19.95 shareware – is available now. DHB’s BlueStarWarp 1.0.4 visualization iTunes visualizations from Andy O’Meara. These This records analogue sounds if the sound source (pictured above) features a diorama of stars and a act as screensavers accepting audio from external is connected to a Mac, so vinyl and cassettes space warp that moves to the music. It supports sources using the Mac’s audio input. It features can be converted to CD or MP3. Features include up to 128 user-created presets. FlowerPowerFlow thousands of effects, and works with iTunes, editing and playback tools to fragment sound- is also available offering flowery iMac-inspired Winamp, Sonique, Audion, SoundJam and Echo. files into smaller tracks that can then be saved sequences of dancing flowers. FreeFireBird 1.0.6 WhiteCap 4.1.2 a, wire-frame based visualization, to disc or sent directly to an MP3 encoder. has avian-themed sequences. DarkSosiaBay gives features over 130 special effects in both window http://homepages.which.net/~i.mann/TAR/Ripper.html
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 27 Macworld News Profitable quarter, but Apple loses $25m as IT market hurts; education success and iBook sales light way forward
is without doubt the best-looking notebook available today; but it’s the technology that really impressed.” Apple upbeat on financial future Four Rave Awards came from Wired magazine, three from Business pple returned a net profit of we are targeting December quarter Week, and three more from the $66 million for the fourth revenues of at least $1.4 billion,” D&AD. The prestigious US Academy of A quarter (Q4) ended September he revealed. Television Arts and Sciences awarded 29, 2001 – delivering a loss of $25 Apple shifted 850,000 Macs a 2001 Primetime Emmy Engineering million on the year’s business. The worldwide during Q4, for a grand Award to the company to recognize year’s results reflect the worsening total of 3,087,000 Mac sales globally FireWire’s “material impact on the economy and Apple’s disastrous first during the entire financial year. television industry”. quarter in which the company lost Apple sold 32 per cent more a massive $195 million. This was iBooks worldwide in its fourth Research and development attributed to the first impact of quarter compared to its third. Apple believes it can “innovate the recession. Apple has consistently Power Mac sales grew 10 per cent. its way” out of recession. Research returned profitable quarters since Conversely, iMac sales shrank and development spending Q1, helped in part by strong sales 4 per cent, with PowerBook sales Despite cautious increased 13 per cent year-on-year. of G4 PowerBooks and iBooks. declining 46 per cent during Q4. iBook expectations for the Discussing Apple’s financial Apple CEO Steve Jobs (pictured) has captured the consumer zeitgeist, quarter, Anderson said: “Over the said: “Apple accomplished a lot with 251,000 iBooks sold during the next quarter, Apple’s next year we’ll be introducing some in 2000. It gained market share quarter. Apple’s consumer portables’ corporate balance truly great hardware and software as in education, launched Mac OS X, success contrasts with the fading Apple leads the transition to a digital released the stunningly fast glory of the iMac, with 294,000 sheets remain strong lifestyle.” Mac OS X 10.1 update, and shipments. 248,000 G4 Power with $4.3 billion in Despite a depressed market and opened the first Apple retail stores.” Macs and 57,000 PowerBook a commitment to R&D, the company Apple’s chief financial officer G4s also shipped in the quarter. cash and short-term successfully attained margins of Fred Anderson said: “We’re pleased investments 30 per cent, reduced operating to have delivered solid results while Education re-learnt expenses and exercised iron control maintaining lean channel inventories Apple has regained ground lost of its inventory levels. The migration in a very challenging environment. during its damaging US educational Districts, schools and administrators, to Mac OS X 10.1 is also gaining Given the uncertain global political sales team reorganization last year. along with teachers, students power, as key applications begin environment and weak economy, In the past quarter, it tripled iBook and parents really love the iBook.” arriving on the Unix-based desktop. shipments to the US education sector. Gross margins were 30.1 per cent this IDC declared the company to hold Recognition Retail Mac 18.2 per cent of the US education Apple’s had a great year for 43 per cent of Apple’s revenue during performance of PC companies like profits for the new quarter could quarter; they stood at 25.1 per cent in the market for portables in 2000. recognition. Most recently UK PC the quarter came from the online Compaq, which is off 69 per cent from fail to meet expectations. previous quarter. Savings came from Jobs rejoiced: “iBook sales to title Personal Computer World voted Apple Store. its high; and Gateway, off 90 per cent. Anderson told analysts that education tripled last quarter, further the PowerBook G4 to be the Best In an attempt to increase its Dell has done better, off less than 30 PowerBook sales should perk up a decreased prices of key components, strengthening Apple’s position Notebook Computer of 2001. Its customer base, Apple opened retail per cent from its most recent high.” little, and iBook sales should remain including LCD displays and RAM modules. as the leader in education portables. editors said: “Apple’s G4 PowerBook outlets across the US in upmarket, Many analysts revised downward strong. The company expects iMac strategically chosen high-traffic their predicted earnings per share for and Power Mac sales to remain locations. 13 are open at the time Apple’s stock. Despite this, the consistent with Q4 sales patterns. of writing, with 25 promised by majority of analysts believe Apple’s “Looking forward, we think the pple had a strong year for a company illustrate this, demonstrating that the throughout the year, following its loss- year’s end. However, where the stock is worth hanging on to, with second half of the fiscal year should A caught up in such difficult market company has successfully managed to making first quarter. The cost of sales company originally predicted its some recommending investors buy be a little better than the next six conditions. The three graphs below maintain growth in unit sales and revenues has also been managed successfully. stores would break even by December, while the market’s low. months,” he said. it now warns of a slight loss, due Needham and Co. analyst Charles “Our own internal planning to weakened consumer confidence. Wolf said: “Apple continues to be is consistent with that outlook.” Third-party software sales in-store profitable and to earn operating He also promised more advertising have been better than predicted, returns on capital that far exceed and special promotions over the motivating Apple to double (to 600) its cost in by far the worst downturn next three months. MW the number of third-party titles to have hit the industry in 20 years.” Jonny Evans, Dennis Sellers available in its stores. An unnamed Goldman Sachs The retail stores have enjoyed analyst told AFX news: “Apple is not higher than expected sales of immune from industry weakness, but pro systems, Anderson confirmed. management has executed very well “The stores appeal to both and delivered solid, profitable results. consumers and professionals,” he said. We continue to believe the stock is attractive,” he said. Reaction and future The future remains cloudy Reaction to Apple’s announcements for business globally. was optimistic, given the malaise Anderson remarked: “Given the surrounding IT. Forbes.com columnist turbulent world, visibility for the Arik Hesseldahl observed: “At $16.99 upcoming quarter is not good.” The a share (closing price, October 17), company offered no guidance for its Apple is only 37 per cent off its 52- next financial year because of global week high. Compare that with the market uncertainty, but did warn that
28 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 29 Processor technologies looking good for Apple Macworld News
G3 and G4 head for gigahertz BM announced a major upgrade claim. Online IT news Web site to its 750 line of G3 processors The Register has been tracking the I at the Microprocessor Forum company’s progress with its G5 chip. in San Jose, the 750FX PowerPC processor – which runs at between G5 ‘blistering’ 700MHz and 1GHz, and holds The G5 – Motorola’s PowerPC 8500 a 512K on-die L2 cache. – is moving steadily closer to release, The improved G3 uses IBM’s The Register reports. This chip is the advanced 0.13-micron copper process next major revision of the PowerPC that exploits Silicon On Insulator (SOI) architecture. Features include a and a technology called SiLK low-K new internal bus structure, a longer, dielectric. IBM’s new offering is its ten-stage instruction pipeline, and highest-performing PowerPC, because redesigned math-processing units.
it harnesses these new innovations. The chip will be made available in MILES COLE SOI reduces power consumption, 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Like IBM’s as does SiLK low-K. The 0.13 micron G3, the G5 will use 0.13 micron SOI copper delivers 3.6W of power technology. The Register believes performance advantages explained at 800MHz, substantially lower the processor (at 1.4GHz) pulls 26W by Apple vice president of hardware than equivalent processors. of power in use – 9W more than engineering Jon Rubinstein at New the current G4 (at 533MHz), York’s Macworld Expo in July; and Double-decker bus though some rumour sites suggest successful product development Compared to previous versions of the a future refinement could fix this. under Motorola and IBM’s belt; 750 (the 750CX and 750Cxe), the new Tests promise blistering Apple could seize the performance processor offers double the L2 cache. performance from Motorola’s new crown from the competition. It also supports double the peak offering, soaring ahead of that of bus speed, maintaining 200MHz Intel’s 2GHz Pentium 4. Tests by the Exceeding expectations at peak performance levels. The Standard Performance Evaluation It’s widely believed that Apple bus is more efficient, delivering Corporation (SPEC) show the 1.6GHz will make use of Motorola’s newest 25 per cent greater bandwidth G5 returning a SpecInt2000 score processors in future builds of its on the bus. of 1,340 and a SpecFP2000 score professional desktop Macs. An Apple employs the 750CX and of 1,359 compared with the unexpected bonus for Apple in 750Cxe within its iMac and iBook 656 and 714 scores (respectively) recent months is that the G4 lines. If the 750FX is chosen for future of the 2GHz Pentium 4. processor inside Power Macs today iterations of these, iBooks and iMacs SPEC is a non-profit corporation has already exceeded Motorola’s stand to benefit from much faster formed to establish, maintain and speed expectations. Motorola’s processor speeds and noticeable endorse a standardized set of relevant European marketing communications improvements in system performance benchmarks that can be applied to manager confirmed that the G4 – albeit on non-Velocity Engine- the newest generation of high- processor currently used in Power enabled G3 processors. performance computers. Macs could, in theory, be produced Apple hasn’t yet disclosed It bodes well for Apple’s future, at speeds exceeding 1GHz – in if it plans to make use of IBM’s promising Macs at speeds of 1GHz excess of Motorola’s expectations microprocessor solution. Motorola and beyond – the closing of the for the architecture. MW has also been working hard, reports Gigahertz Gap. Given the PowerPC Jonny Evans New multiprocessor servers pple has added two fast 800MHz pre-installed, offer 256K L2 cache The dual-channel SCSI drive runs A multiprocessing servers to its and 3MB L3 cache per processor. at 10,000rpm. It will read and write range, complementing the 733MHz Each system contains a CD-RW drive, data at higher speeds than ATA drives, single processor server introduced NVidia GeForce2 MX graphics cards, supporting data-transfer speeds of up last month. Gigabit Ethernet, and the usual USB to 160MB per second. The multiprocessing servers and FireWire ports. With the dual channel SCSI card, boast faster processors and symmetric The mid-range multiprocessing external SCSI devices can be multiprocessing – a feature built system ships with 256MB of RAM connected to the SCSI bus without into Mac OS X Server. Symmetric- and an Ultra ATA 80GB hard drive. affecting the performance of the multiprocessing support means The top-of-the-range system in the UK drives. servers are able to do twice comes with 1GB of RAM, two 36GB The mid-range Server costs the work at the same time. Ultra160 dual-channel SCSI hard £2,799. The top of the range model They ship with Mac OS X Server drives, and a dual-channel SCSI card. is £3,749. MW
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 31 Macworld News HP masterminds Mac-friendly wireless printing
AirPort printer take-off
ewlett-Packard (08705 474 printer’s USB port free for connection 747) scores an industry first to a stationary Mac, if necessary. H this month, announcing a Mac users may print wirelessly product that lets Macintosh users from distances of up to 30 print wirelessly over AirPort networks. metres. Security is provided The wp110 wireless print server by the server’s capacity is Wi-Fi certified, so it will work with to send print jobs over other 802.11b wireless local area the network while network (LAN) products. 802.11b is employing the the name for the standard employed 40-bit WEP (Wired by Apple in its AirPort range. In great Equivalent Privacy) secrecy, HP has been demonstrating standard. pre-production prototypes of the Set up is easy via wp110 to key journalists since the an install wizard. It On the CD beginning of the year. also contains an embedded Web server, so memory ■ MP3 Rage 3.8 ($25) Ports of cool the printer may be managed to the lets you organize and edit The device, which is both Classic and and configured remotely over product for MP3 files. With it, you Mac OS X compatible, hooks up to AirPort using a standard Web future software can edit MP3 tags and your HP printer using the parallel browser. upgrades. Dimensions are 180-x-137- file information, catalogue port – which is fine, as it connects Hewlett-Packard has given the x-36mm, and it weighs 300g. MP3 files, and locate tracks to the Mac wirelessly over the 11Mbs wp110 the benefit of a little future The product is scheduled to ship by genre, title or other AirPort network. This also leaves the proofing, adding a dose of flash November 15. MW criteria in a folder or disk. It has searching abilities too – using Napster or Gnutella. MP3s can be analysed and adjusted to play at the same Handspring’s Palm volume levels, exported to AIFF format for burning onto CDs, and more. It also plays mobile Treo duo MP3s. The application runs on Mac OS X, 8 and 9. andspring has unveiled a fresh product line, Treo, that www.chaoticsoftware.com H integrates a Palm OS PDA with a mobile phone. Treo ships ■ ArKaos has released in the first quarter of 2002, and has a windowed flip-up cover Visualizer 1.5, a free plug-in in which the window is the size of the 4-bit, greyscale display. for iTunes, SoundJam 2.x Two models have already been announced: Treo 180, which uses and Audion 2.x. ArKaos a small keyboard for data entry; and the 180G, which employs offers a selection of Palm’s Graffiti handwriting recognition technology. on-screen visualizations, Mark Dadger, Handspring product manager, said: coming with 11 pre-loaded “We feel strongly that the keyboard adds advantages for files. More are available for integrating the device with cell phone capabilities,” he said. download from the company “On the other hand, we realize that people like Graffiti.” Web site. Optimized for “We’ve gone pretty far out of our way to make sure Velocity Engine/AltiVec, this these phones are usable with one hand,” Dadger affirmed. version runs on Mac OS X. Both devices will be enabled for wireless communication www.arkaos.net using GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), and ■ iView Media Pro the software lets users upgrade to GPRS (General Packet Radio manages media assets Services) services in the future, Dadger said. The product also on disks, servers and CDs. integrates a dual-band GSM radio. In the future, Handspring It enables images to be will also release software to let users check email from ISPs, viewed, plays back movies, and a version with a colour display. compares fonts, prints reports, runs slide shows, Blazer browser and publishes Internet The Treo offers a series of on-screen features, including a 50- galleries. It will also create number memory, phone keypad, address book, Short Messaging catalogues of your entire Service and an integrated PDA Web browser called Blazer. It media assets. This runs also offers an IR port The Treo is powered by a 33MHz Motorola on Mac OS X and OS 8.5 DragonBall VZ processor, contains 16MB RAM, and holds a battery having not yet made an outside-US deal with a mobile phone or later. A single user offering up to two and a half hours of talk time, or 60 hours in operator to sell the device attached to a network. When a deal license is $55. standby. The Treo will cost approximately £415 when it ships. In is made in the UK, the purchase price should drop, reflecting www.iview-multimedia.com the US the unit costs $399 – the disparity is due to Handspring a subsidy payment from the mobile network operator. MW
32 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld News OS X adds multiprocessing power, so where’s the apps?
Still trouble for double very time a dual-processor Mac arrives on the scene – whether Working together E it’s the 1996 Power Macintosh 9500/180 MP or the Power Mac n Mac OS 9, MP applications G4/500 DP that appeared four years I split their tasks between two later – Mac users hail the advent processors. But most apps run of multiprocessing. But all dual- on only one processor, and the processor Macs have faced the same OS has no way to divert tasks to hurdle: users won’t enjoy significant the second CPU. When one chip performance gains unless they’re reaches the limits of its processing using applications specifically written power, applications that are MP to take advantage of multiprocessing. optimized aren’t able to send some With Mac OS X, though, all of that of their work to the other chip. should change. For the first time, Work gets divided differently there is a universal benefit for all Mac in OS X. The operating system users who purchase a dual-processor can send different programs to machine: large parts of OS X have different processors, splitting the been designed to take advantage work more efficiently. This doesn’t of multiple processors. Unlike
translate to system performance previous versions of Mac OS, the STUART BRADFORD that’s twice as fast as it would be new operating system divides various with only one chip, but it does tasks between processors, whether running in Classic on a dual-processor performance would be foolish not to mean that one processor will reach applications are MP savvy or not machine should be faster than the consider a multiprocessor machine, its limit more slowly as other, non- (see “Working together” left). same program running on a single- because eventually every significant MP-savvy programs are launched. processor Mac. But its performance Mac application will switch to OS X. Some applications are OS X MP ready? will lag behind that of a dual- Even without these programs, native and MP savvy. Quake III is A frequent question at Macworld’s processor machine running OS 9. though, dual-processor machines perhaps the best example of this forums is: Now that Mac OS X has While the dual-processor Mac boast certain advantages. An MP (see “Twin engine”). Rather than arrived, should I run out and buy makes much more sense for someone system sports two cache buses and having to work on just one the dual-processor 800MHz G4? who uses an MP-savvy, processor- double the cache size of a single- processor while other programs The answer is largely the same as intensive app that runs exclusively processor Mac. It also boosts run on the other, Quake III can it was a year ago – an unequivocal as an OS X-native program, that’s performance by efficiently running split its tasks up, sending the work maybe, leaning toward yes. not a universal experience. The multiple apps at the same time. of game play to both processors at Although numerous processor- dual-processor Mac isn’t much Mac users have heard about the once. Therefore, the operating intensive programs have been more attractive now than it ever has wonders of multiprocessing for years. system does not have to “assign” optimized for multiprocessing, most been to a user running a non-MP The arrival of OS X 10.1 may finally Quake to one processor or the of these applications have yet to be application in Classic. It’s only slightly mark the beginning of MP’s glory other. Carbonized, let alone written in OS X’s more appealing than it used to be for days, especially for high-end Mac Cocoa programming application. those who work mainly in MP-savvy users. But with more OS X-native Double up Users running a multiprocessor- apps that haven’t been Carbonized. and MP-enabled applications slated A number of major enabled application in OS X’s Classic As more programs are Carbonized, for the future – and multiprocessor Mac applications have been mode will see some benefit, though the dual-processor Mac will become machines with CPUs that top written to take advantage of not the performance boost you an increasingly attractive option. 800MHz sure to follow – it will take multiprocessing and run natively could expect from an MP-savvy OS Users who are making their Mac time before a majority of Mac users in OS X. And more are on the way. working in tandem with an MP-savvy purchases with long-term use in are seeing double. MW This list shows which MP-savvy program. An MP-enabled application mind and who place a premium on Matthew Honan apps are Mac OS X native:
Activision Quake III Yes Adobe After Effects 5.0 No Twin engine Adobe Photoshop 6.0 No Best results in test. Adobe Photoshop 6.0.1 Adobe Premiere 6.0 No Alias|Wavefront Maya Yes Mac OS 9 Quake III * Guassian Blur RGB to CMYK ** Unsharp mask iTunes 1.1.2 Apple AppleWorks 6.2 Yes Apple Power Macintosh G4/800 DP 95 3 14 5 37 Apple Final Cut Pro 2.0 No Apple Power Macintosh G4/867 107 5 12 6 47 Apple iDVD 2.0 Yes Mac OS X Apple iTunes 2 Yes Apple Power Macintosh G4/800 DP 108 4 15 4 36 Apple Power Macintosh G4/867 70 6 15 8 46 Maxon Cinema 4D XL 7.1 Yes Media 100 Cleaner 5 No Longer is best Shorter is best Shorter is best Shorter is best Shorter is best NewTek LightWave 3D 7.0 Yes Sorenson Video 3.0 No * Running in OS 9, Quake III is not multiprocessing savvy. ** Non-MP-enabled filter. Photoshop 6.0.1 is not OS X native, so it was run in Classic mode. Macworld Lab testing by Ulyssis Bravo.
34 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Share and publish databases via the Internet Macworld News
FileMaker’s Unlimited Web ileMaker has released of middleware applications, FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited. CGIs and application servers F The application includes the for large-scale implementations. full functionality of FileMaker 5.5 FileMaker claims that when – including OS X compatibility, databases are published on the Web Aqua interface support, and ODBC they appear almost indistinguishable (Open Database Connectivity) for from their desktop-based cousins. exchanging data. Interface and data The package has also been developed fields are customizable in FileMaker to make Web deployment of data 5.5, which handles a variety of data as simple as possible. The built-in records, including contacts, video, Web server helps make the process images, and graphics. easier, the company claims. The FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited FileMaker Web Server Connector package offers workgroups the is a tool for Custom Web publishing tools they need to share and publish that bridges the gap between databases over the Web. Once in FileMaker and robust Unix servers. place, users can access the database This is how the application is able to using a Web browser. The Web-based take advantage of SSL and server-side databases are searchable, updateable security technologies. Java Database and records can be added using Connectivity (JDBC) and Extensible a browser. The package contains Markup Language (XML) are also use the FileMaker Web Server the Database CGI, Web Server supported. Connector to distribute request and FileMaker 5.5 application. This version supports a record-by- processing across multiple record safety feature. This controls computers. Server selection user access and usage of data. Web-based remote administration XPress 5.0 beta FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited’s Web There’s a number of access and is also supported. Macintosh system Quark has released a Server Connector has been improved, security features on-board designed requirements for Mac OS X include public beta of QuarkXPress so the FileMaker database can to make implementation of access 128MB of RAM and Mac OS X 10.0.4 Passport 5.0 for its integrate with a wider selection restrictions as flexible as possible. or later. The application also supports international users. of Web servers. This version also With additional copies of Mac OS 8.1 to 9.1. FileMaker Pro 5.5 The beta is available from provides SSL (Secure Socket Layer) FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited, it’s Unlimited costs £799 (excluding VAT). www.quark.co.uk, and will support. FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited possible to set up a RAIC (redundant Upgrading from a previous version be carried on next month’s may also be used with a wide variety array of inexpensive computers) and costs £399. MW Macworld CD.
InCopy out
nnounced last month, InCopy adds network and A workgroup functionality to InDesign 2.0 (right), which also ships early next year at an expected price of £450 (ex VAT). InCopy 2.0 has been developed by Adobe to aid writers and editors working in “cross-media” publishing environments. It’s built on the Adobe InDesign page-layout program. It supports XML (Extensible Markup Language), and has an improved interface and editing tools. Adobe adds that “InCopy streamlines the layout and editing process”, and claims “formatting editorial copy is simplified for designers”.
Editing windows InCopy’s interface lets an entire screen be used when editing. Copy can be edited in one window, while an “accurate” view of InDesign line breaks is displayed in another. New in version 2.0, the editing tools include to be added to a document. The file and comments in InCopy can be directly imported into a spell check and thesaurus. Tables can also be can then be exported in PDF format. Adobe InDesign. created in InCopy and exported to InDesign. In-Line InCopy lets articles in XML be created, imported, No UK price has been announced yet, Notes are also supported. These allow comments edited and exported. XML-formatted stories created and the product ships early next year. MW
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 35 Macworld News Protect yourself from potential dangers
X and iDisk security threats
pple’s shift to a Unix-based Mac OS X is not without A pitfalls, as reports of two serious security threats emerge in recent weeks. A serious flaw offering root access to any user’s Mac is one problem; another anomaly challenges iDisk security. iDisk is promoted as a secure repository for Macintosh user’s files. However, Internet security expert OpenDoor Networks has exposed a weakness in the implementation of security.
You’ve been DAV’d In OS X 10.1, Apple employs a modified form of the WebDAV protocol. Apple’s technicians have GEORGINA WATSON engineered this to mount iDisk on Macs and PCs. This replaces Apple Filing Protocol, which Apple employed Hackers can track down iDisk or save it as a Favorite. to do this job until now. The security passwords over the Internet, and The second vulnerability, experts warn that in doing so, Apple effectively gain read-and-write access which potentially gave unauthorized has exposed iDisk users to danger: to an individual’s iDisk. Selecting iDisk users “root” access to an OS X Mac “WebDAV should not send from the Go menu, or clicking on the was swiftly repaired by Apple. The passwords over the Internet, so it iDisk icon in the Finder makes iDisk company has released Apple Security should be as secure as AFP. However, vulnerable, according to the report. Update 1.0 – available only through the implementation of WebDAV It is recommended that iDisk the Software Update feature of in Mac OS X 10.1 used with iDisk should be connected in Mac OS X 10.1 Mac OS X. Without the update, violates the WebDAV specification, by connecting to the server using the applications opened from the Recent On the CD and sends your password in a Go menu and entering the address Items folder could give root access way that makes it easy for hackers afp://idisk.mac.com. Once logged without requesting an Microsoft has released two to discover,” states the report. in, users may make an alias of their administrator’s password. MW security updates: one for PowerPoint and Excel 2001 for Mac; another for Internet Explorer 5.1. The first – Macro Apple faces legal action Vulnerability Security – is on this month’s cover CD. It addresses a vulnerability over Mac Manager that permitted malicious code to run in Microsoft name and Cube failure Excel 2001 or PowerPoint 2001 files without warning, pple faces two law suits filed in recent weeks. The first The second potentially damaging data. A legal attack comes from ELS regarding rights to the name lawsuit alleges Once installed, a Mac Manager. The company claims Apple “wilfully infringed that CEO Steve warning appears when ELS’ trademark rights” by adopting a confusingly similar Jobs misled Excel or PowerPoint files name for the same type of software. investors, containing macros are ELS has marketed a product of that name that provides overemphasizing opened. Microsoft warns data security and management capabilities for six years. products on launch that PowerPoint 98 or Apple now distributes a technology of the same name for in order to inflate the company’s stock value. The suit, filed by 2001, Excel 98 and 2001 system administrators and workstation management. This members of the Hawaii Structural Iron Workers Pension Trust for Mac are vulnerable. provides a method for Mac administrators to configure and Fund, claims Jobs and Apple told investors that the G4 Cube Microsoft’s Internet control Macs working on their networks. It was first introduced and iMac computers would sell well, according to Bloomberg. Explorer Security Update in January of 1999. The plaintiffs claim Apple announced lower-than-expected prevents Internet Explorer Company president Mitchell Martin claims that Apple has iMac sales and G4 Cube production problems – but did so 5.1 automatically launching “essentially put him out of business”, as his company is dealing after company executives sold 370,000 shares for $22million. and running downloaded with complaints from Apple’s customers, and the existence of This litigation has achieved class-action status for all investors files. Available only through two products of the same name also confuses the market, who purchased shares July 19 and September 28, 2000. MW the Software Update feature reducing sales of ELS’ product line. Peter Cohen of Mac OS X.
36 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Latest, hottest Macintosh games news Macworld News
Land of the Giants iants: Citizen Kabuto – the first major commercial title for Mac G OS X only – has been released in the US. No UK release date has been set, according to distributor Softline (01883 745 111). Giants is a real-time 3D game, where creatures battle for dominance of a fragment of planet that’s hurtling through space. Three races vie for supremacy: the giant Kabuto, Fish. After escaping they stop to the Sea Reapers, and Meccaryn. make repairs on Kabuto’s island. Mark Cottam, president of ‘We fear’, the Reapers game publisher MacPlay, said: Kabuto is a solitary giant who rules “The talented engineers at Omni the land. He’s a lonely figure, Group have implemented symmetric possessive of his home to the point multiprocessing support into Giants, of killing all intruders. Sea Reapers so the game takes advantage of this once ruled the island but fled feature when run on dual-processor in fear of Kabuto, who they had Power Macs. stunning in every way, and we are created to protect against alien “Playing Giants on a dual-800MHz excited to have it as the first game attacks. Ultimately, he turned Power Mac G4 with Mac OS X and a exclusively for Mac OS X.” against his creators. GeForce3 graphics accelerator will be The already available PC version The Meccaryn are five cockney the best gaming experience one could was declared one of the top-five space aliens: Baz, Tel, Reg, Gordon, enjoy on any platform,” he added. games of 2000 by Voodoo Extreme. and Bennett. An annual lads’ holiday Ron Okamoto, Apple’s vice It became Game Guru’s Game of on Planet Majorca sees them attacked president of worldwide developer the Year and Action Game of the Year. and swallowed by a Giant “Gibbon” relations, said: “MacPlay’s Giants is No price is available at this time. MW
Empire building, and On the CD Alien Nations comes from Shogo: Mobile magic ice adventure Armor Division publisher, Titan. old has released Age of Empires system offers chances to buy and It’s a real-time 3D B II: Gold Edition. The real-time sell resources. Players must develop strategy game similar strategy game runs on Mac OS X and 9. and research technologies. Over 100 to traditional “god” It spans 1,000 years from the fall of technology nodes are available – and games. Organized Rome to the Middle Ages. Players accomplishment in these can ease into campaigns, command one of 13 civilizations the path to victory. players start with a aiming for world domination. Maps are larger in this version nation and a tiny Civilizations are developed allowing more options for extended population. The challenge with historically based strengths multiplayer play. Age of Empires II: is to build a population and weaknesses. Vikings do well Gold Edition for Macs costs £39.99. sufficient to ward off on water, but aren’t so well adapted hostile attacks from alien to land travel, for example. Monster Mac races. Races must gather There are story-based campaigns, Icewind Dale (£39.99; Softline, 01883 resources, develop science, including William Wallace, Joan of 745 111) ships in January from Interplay engage in trade, and Arc and Genghis Khan. The William division, Black Line Studios. The title communicate with each Wallace learning campaign for new takes its name from Robert Salvatore’s other. Multi-player network users puts players in command of successful book trilogy of gaming is supported. Scottish highlanders in a war against the same name. It’s a dungeon adventure Alien Nations requires better-equipped English aggressors. mainly, but also with landscapes, a 266MHz or faster Power The action starts after the fall mountain passes and glacier caves Mac, 96MB of RAM, and of Rome, and players begin with a to explore. Players collect magic items, 200MB of virtual memory. town centre, villagers and cavalry unit. and battle monsters as they struggle to A graphics card with 6MB New features include the option of survive. Icewind Dale employs BioWare’s of dedicated video RAM negotiating victory through trade and Infinity Engine, the same game engine as is recommended for best diplomacy. A market-based economic employed in Baldur’s Gate. MW results. The full version ships in early November. MW
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 39 Macworld News Business news for the Macintosh world
Macromedia sues Adobe… again
■ Apple is applying Euro pricing he year-long courtroom war between Macromedia for all its products inside the and Adobe has heated up with Macromedia 12-country Euro-zone. It enters T launching fresh legal action against its graphics full circulation on January 1, and Web rival, claiming ownership of technologies 2002. employed in Adobe Photoshop and GoLive. ■ Philip Schiller, Apple’s vice The suit (case number: C01-3940) alleges that president of Worldwide Product Macromedia owns 1998-patented technology used Marketing, has resigned from US in both Adobe applications. Macromedia acquired ISP EarthLink’s board of directors the patents from NetObjects during the summer. to focus on Apple. US Patent number 5,845,299 relates to a draw-based ■ Motorola posted a net loss of editor for Web pages. The second (US Patent 5,911,145) $1.4 billion for the third quarter relates to a hierarchical-structure editor for Web sites. of 2001. Sales at $7.4 billion Macromedia accuses Adobe of infringing the patents were 22 per cent lower than by: “Making, using, marketing, selling, reselling, offering the same quarter last year. for sale, and/or inducing others to use, software for Sales totalled $22.68 billion in creating and editing Web pages including, without differentiate our products and brand from others.” the first nine months of the year. limitation, Adobe GoLive and Adobe Photoshop.” Macromedia condemned this litigation as “without ■ RAM manufacturers face Photoshop is a crucial application for Adobe merit”, “invalid” and “unenforceable”. The court has not lower than predicted sales in and the Mac industry. Its absence from the roster yet issued its own decision on the matter. 2002, according to Dataquest. of currently available OS X applications is an excuse Macromedia’s response was to launch a counter suit in The industry is expected to for many to delay their personal migration to Mac OS X. September 2000, alleging Adobe’s infringement of several shrink to $8.5 billion next year Macromedia is asking the court to prevent Adobe of Macromedia’s patents. Macromedia wanted Adobe’s use – from $31.5 billion in 2000. selling Photoshop, as well as demanding damages. of these patents to be blocked, and an award of damages. Third-largest manufacturer, Hynix Macromedia recently announced its second quarter Semiconductor, is on the verge Tit for tat 2002 results. It noted revenues of $87.1 million – but a of bankruptcy, reports claim. Relations between the companies have become net loss of $3.3 million. This contrasts with revenues in ■ Toast publisher Roxio increasingly tense, with Adobe even promoting its the same period a year ago of $98 million, and a net exceeded second quarter 2002 open-source Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format income of $19.4 million. expectations, with net revenues above Macromedia’s Flash, the accepted industry of $30.5 million ($2 million standard for vector-graphics online. Responding Protect and survive income). This contrasts with to the charges, Adobe announced its belief that Macromedia CEO Rob Burgess discussed the “tough a net income of $6.4 million Macromedia’s claims are “without merit” and economic cycle,” and said his company remains excited in the year ago quarter. that it plans to “defend itself vigorously” in the courts. about the future of the Web. The company anticipates ■ Lexmark reported a 5.9 per Historically, Adobe filed its own suit against third-quarter revenues to be flat to down 10 per cent. cent increase in Q3 earnings, Macromedia in August, 2000, claiming Macromedia had It’s engaged in reducing costs and hopes to return to but still plans to cut 1,600 infringed against a 1996 patent for “Tabbed Palettes”. profitability next year. Macromedia has also adopted a jobs in its fourth quarter. Regarding this, Adobe president Bruce Chizen thundered: stockholder rights plan, designed to protect the company ■ Media 100 has finalized the “Adobe will not be the research and development against any “future unsolicited attempt” to acquire the $16 million all cash sale of its department for its competitors. Our patent and other company. The company said that this was not in response streaming-media software assets aspects of our user interface are key to the user experience to any immediate threat. MW to Autodesk’s Discreet division. and functionality of our products; they are essential to Jonny Evans Discreet is purchasing CineStream and Cleaner families of streaming-media products. ■ Macintosh reseller Micro Mygate casualty of IT downturn Anvika will open a store in Selfridges Technology Hall on ong-established family-run Mac and PC reseller, It’s the third casualty in Mac retail in recent years – November 15. The full range of L Mygate Ltd, entered into receivership on Tuesday, October Camelot ceased trading last summer, and Mac Supplies Apple products will be available 2. The firm closed all its operations on that day. The company’s closed its doors last year. in the store, which is on the assets, including its South-east London premises, customer A former Mygate employee was shocked at the news, lower ground floor of the Oxford database and trading name have been sold to Apple reseller revealed to staff at the eleventh hour: “We were called into a Street branch of Selfridges. Cancom by receivers Simon Michaels and David Gilbert of meeting, and told that Mygate doesn’t exist anymore,” he said. ■ ATI Technologies has reported BDO Stoy Hayward. Cancom took-over UK reseller Multiple Cancom is not responsible for furnishing unfulfilled orders revenues for the fiscal year 2001 Zones last year. taken by the now defunct company. Customers affected by this declining by 19.1 per cent to The Lee-based firm had accumulated debts to creditors should contact the receivers. If they paid by credit-card, they $1.04 billion, due to the global in excess of £1 million. Insolvency assistant-manager for BDO can contact their credit-card company for a refund under the slowdown in PC sales. Stoy Hayward, Mark Longbottom said: “The company went 1974 Consumer Credit Act. ■ Sales of personal computers into receivership because it couldn’t pay its debts.” Macworld is a member of the PPA’s Mail Order Protection continued their slide in the third Receiver Simon Michaels said: “Mygate was forced Scheme (MOPS), which offers limited protection for readers quarter of 2001, with shipments into receivership due to the continued adverse effects purchasing products in response to ads in the magazine. falling 11.6 per cent year-on-year of the economic downturn and pressure on margins More details of this protection are on page 175. MW to 30.7 million units, according in the IT sector, despite posting a turnover of £6m.” Dominique Fidéle to researcher Dataquest.
40 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Product News
Music memory Living Memory has released SmartDisk its shareware audio-application CellSynth. It can synthesize and process audio, manipulate samples, and apply automated off to a flier sequencing routines. All output can be martDisk has launched its implements the newest recorded to disk for use new FireFly product family 12MBps FireWire bridge, with other software solutions, S and updated its Titanium SmartDisk believes its drive is ideal such as Cubase VST, Logic Audio range of peripherals. for video. The FireFly can save five hours or Digital Performer. It also FireFly is a credit-card-sized, of video. The £299 device is available contains hundreds of preset 5GB FireWire-drive in a silver case. Its at the AppleStore and Apple dealers. Fire control sounds and files. The program dimensions are 102-x-64-x-13mm. It offers SmartDisk has also updated its The 5GB FireFly drive (left) can be controlled using any data-transfer speeds of 12MB per second, Titanium range of peripherals for Apple’s weighs just 142g. The SmartDisk MIDI controller, or the built- and has been built for those who need G4 PowerBooks and iBooks. The range VST FireWire portable CD-RW in Automation Sequencer. durability and a compact design. The consists of the SmartDisk VST FireWire (above) drive ships with CD- Registration costs $65. product draws power from the FireWire Thin Drive, the FireWire portable CD-RW authoring software and Living memory, www.cellsynth.co.uk bus – SmartDisk claims the power drain drive and USB floppy drive. All Titanium supports iTunes. is minimal. FireFly is hot-pluggable. products are encased in a silver-coloured Card set for deep sleep Because shell, reflecting Apple’s PowerBooks. Village Tronic has announced the product The Thin Drive weighs 184g, and MPDD+, the first Mac OS X measures 76-x-142-x-18mm. Three graphic card designed to drive capacities are available: 10GB, 20GB and a second analogue display. It’s 30GB, at £149, £225 and £359 respectively. also the first PCI graphics card The SmartDisk VST FireWire portable CD- to support the deep-sleep mode RW drive costs £239. The USB Titanium introduced with Power Mac G4 Floppy Drive reads and writes to standard AGP computers. It supports 3.5-inch floppy disks and costs £54. Village Tronic’s “Screendoubler” SmartDisk, 01252 530 960 technology, which provides a panning mode offering a virtual desktop larger than the screen size of your display. This additional desktop workspace scrolls automatically. It costs £69. Director’s Cut the sequel Ricoh camera AM Micro, 01392 426473
Miglia Technology has released an updated version of its analogue/digital video converter, zooms in Media-eject app ships Director’s Cut Take 2 (DCT2). The unit is encased in an aluminium shell, and enables users Ricoh has launched the new Beyond Midnight Software of analogue video-camcorders or VCRs to capture video directly to a hard drive via FireWire. £638 Caplio RR1 digital camera. has released EjectDisk 3.2, Data can be input directly into a video-editing application. It has a 3x-optical zoom lens a utility for ejecting all The hardware compression chips in version 2 are more robust, and additional components that combines with the 3.6x- types of disks from the have been added to reduce any artefacts, according to the company. S-video and composite digital zoom to give 10.8x-zoom Mac from within active video input/outputs are included. DCT2 ships with free technical capability. Short movies can be applications, rather than support and a two-year warranty. It costs £299. created using the Motion picture the Finder. It will open and Miglia has also introduced a companion mode that records and plays back close the CD/DVD tray using product to Director’s Cut Take 2 called Media- AVI movie clips. A sound mode Keyboard commands from Bank. It contains a FireWire 100GB hard allows the RR1 to be used as a within active applications, and drive employing the second-generation noise recorder. The camera has can eject media when shutting FireWire chip/board set capable of an LCD screen that rotates down. EjectDisk 3.2 costs $14.95. sustained 34MBps throughput. It costs £347. for viewing at various angles. Current users can upgrade Channel Dynamics, 0870 607 0540 Johnsons Photopia, 01782 753 300 for free. Beyond Midnight, www.bmsw.com.au
Sethi speaks our language In our review of Montparnasse’s Yamaha CD-RW set to go Sethi and the Crown of Egypt (September 2001), Yamaha has released the CRW-70. This 8x for rewriting and 24x for reading. we noticed that some compact CD-RW has a USB 2.0 connection The drive has SafeBurn and an MP3/ video sequences had for “high-speed” CD recording. As the USB Audio CD playback function. Mac been left untranslated. 2.0 standard is backward compatible, the CD-burning software isn’t bundled These clips have now CRW-70 is compliant with USB 1.1 ports. The with drive, which costs £299. been fixed. CRW-70 has a top speed of 12x when writing, Yamaha, 00800 9262 4222 Montparnasse, www.montparnasse.net
continues page 46
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 45 Product News
CDs & books Aging State MouseMan hits the road HP printers Logitech’s optical MouseMan ImageState (www.imagestate.co.uk) Traveller costs £39.99. It’s Mind for Photoshop has launched 37 royalty-free image compact and has a silver-metallic Hungry Minds has launched collections. They cover topics such finish designed to complement two books: Photoshop Studio as: people and lifestyles; concepts; Apple’s PowerBook G4. Rather Secrets; and Web Design for rolled-out business; beauty; travel; sport; than being a miniature version Dummies. Priced at £39.99, and digital composites. ImageState of a standard mouse, it’s been Photoshop Studio Secrets now has 160 royalty-free image NEC’s designed as a compact mouse has tips and One time collections available on CD. Diamond for full-sized hands. It has a tricks for for winter Many of the images are high- centre-mounted scroll wheel, and creating high- One Technologies has cut the resolution 60MB files suitable NEC-Mitsubishi has connects to the Mac using USB. quality art. cost of its 24x HighFly CD-RW for oversized and larger print jobs. launched the £609 22- The mouse includes Author Deke and 80GB hard drive. The 24x P has announced four Deskjet on memory There’s 60-120 images on each inch CRT Diamond Pro Logitech’s McClelland HighFly CD-RW has been reduced printers and two additions to cards. Basic CD. The highest resolution CDs cost 2060u monitor. It has a WebWheel offers insight from £249 to £184. The 80GB H its photosmart family. image-editing £280, standard resolution CDs cost recommended resolution software, into working hard drive falls to £189 from The top-end HP Deskjet 960c has features between £220 to £250. Individual of 1,600-x-1,200 pixels and ships with QuickTime £229. Both devices have an automatic paper-sensor, and integrates are accessible royalty-free images are available at 85Hz. An optional with a carrying Virtual Reality and high-end “lightweight” enclosures. The HP’s PhotoRet III proprietary precision- through the in 1MB to 60MB file sizes, costing Mac adaptor cable pouch and one-metre cable. commercial art. Web Design FireWire devices also implement technology – which overlays tiny drops of LCD interface between £35 and £160. is available. Logitech, 01753 870 900 For Dummies looks at how low-power consumption. The colour to create photo-realistic results, the with functions ImageState, 020 7734 7344 NEC-Mitsubishi, 020 7202 6300 to design good-looking Web 24x-10x-40x CD-RW ships company claims. It offers print speeds of such as rotate, zoom and Fetch chases Mac OS X sites. There are tips on how with Roxio’s CD burning solution, 15 pages per minute (ppm) in black, crop. Users can use the interface Fetch 4.0.1 is available now. This to integrate databases within Toast 5. The 80GB external and 12ppm in colour. to print in colour, monochrome or version is fully compatible with a site. Both books are available FireWire storage drive operates The Deskjet 940c also integrates sepia. The 1315 prints at up to 17ppm Mac OS X 10.1. It’s a free at up to a 35 per cent discount at 5,400rpm. All HighFly drives HP’s PhotoRet III, as do the 920c and 845c. in monochrome, and 13ppm in colour, Canon powers pics upgrade from 3.0.3 or from Macworld Reader Offers. have a two-year warranty. The 845c offers print speeds of 8ppm according to HP. 4.0. It maintains all the Macworld, 020 7831 9252 Disc Direct, 01223 507 700 for black, and 5ppm for colour. The photosmart 1115 includes a anon has introduced the EOS-1D S40’s two-tone compact new features introduced The 960c costs £127, the 940c £84, range of on-body controls, such as a (right, top), PowerShot S40 (right, metallic body has a in version 4.0, including full Rabbit masters maths the 920c is £76, and the 845c is £67. low-ink indicator. Like the 1315, this C bottom) and PowerShot S30 sliding lens cover and Mac OS compatibility and drag- Fast Rabbit Software has The photosmart range includes printer is compatible with CompactFlash cameras. The EOS-1D has a high-resolution full manual and &-drop transfers between servers. introduced Master the Facts the 1315 and 1115 inkjet photo- and SmartMedia memory cards. It offers 4.15-megapixel XL (eXtra Large) CCD automatic SLR type The application will also resume Multiplication for OS X v1.4. printers. These also integrate HP’s speeds up to 12ppm in black, and 10ppm capable of creating 11.7MB files. It controls. downloads should Fetch quit. Master the Facts PhotoRet III technology. The Photosmart in colour. The photosmart 1315 costs offers continuous shooting speeds Available now, the Fetch 4.0.1 costs $25. Multiplication for 1315 has a 6cm-wide colour LCD that £255, the 1115 is £152. of eight frames per second in either £549 PowerShot S30 Fetch Softworks, http://fetchsoftworks.com/ OS X aims to help lets users take a look at images held HP, 08705 474 747 Single Shot or AI Servo mode. and £649 S40 have students learn The camera uses CompactFlash for 13 shooting modes Mind your language multiplication facts. image storage. It offers a range of shutter and three Automatic Xorsis.com’s Language Assistant The application can speeds – up to 1/16,000 of a second. The Focus modes. Both 2.5 is a language-translation and print the results of Formac’s flat-panel first flash can be synched to 1/500 of a second. cameras can capture dictionary application offering quizzes including score, The camera is clad in a weatherproof short bursts of movies access to three different time, date, and optionally Formac has released its 17.4-inch flat panel USB ports, and offer 17.4-inch viewable magnesium alloy body, and also hosts with sound. translators. It supports the student’s name. A version Gallery 1740 display. The first flat- TFT (thin film transistor) screens in silver a FireWire interface. The units translation between 29 for Mac OS 8.1-9.1 is also panel monitor from Formac is available enclosures. Other features include ten white- ship with Canon’s different languages, and available. This shareware in two models – the Gallery 1740 Maximum screen resolution is 1,280- balance modes and white-balance ZoomBrowser, allows access to eight online application costs $9.95. ADC and the Gallery 1740 DVI/VGA. x-1,024 pixels at 24-bit colour (16.7 million bracketing functions as standard. It PhotoStitch dictionaries courtesy of Fast Rabbit Software, The ADC model supports colours). The monitors offer 160-degree costs £4,680, and ships in December. and PhotoRecord www.dict.org. Users can add other http://fastrabbitsoftware.com Apple’s all-in-one display horizontal and vertical angles, Formac claims. The 4-megapixel PowerShot S40 and plus ArcSoft dictionary servers. This release connectivity solution, as used The monitors are wall-mountable. The 3-megapixel PowerShot S30 both have PhotoImpression adds support for 12 more Crocodile BETTs on kids across Apple’s monitor range. Gallery 1740 ADC display costs £619, while the high-resolution 3x optical-zoom lenses. and Video- languages, and supports Crocodile Clips is launching The Gallery 1740 DVI/VGA Gallery 1740 DVI/VGA display costs £649. The The PowerShot S40 has a 3.6x and the S30 Impression and displays any alphabet. Crocodile Mathematics at supports older Macs and PCs. products both ship with a three-year warranty. a 3.2x digital zoom. Other features include editing packages. Registration costs $19.95. the BETT Education Show Both carry two rear-mounted Formac, 020 8533 4040 an improved Digital Signal Processor and Canon, 0800 616 Xorsis, www.xorsis.com/software/lang_asst from January 9 to 12, 2002, RGB filter for better quality images. The 417 in Olympia. Crocodile Flash card reader Mathematics is a maths The Lindy USB Card Reader learning resource that teaches accesses data stored on Compact how to link shapes, equations, Portable drive stores 40GB MOTU music Fired up Flash, SmartMedia and matrices, numbers, graphs, MicroDrive storage cards. text and pictures. A free Amacom Technologies has released the Flip2disk, its portable hard drive. It holds Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) has posted updated or 48KHz digital audio input to – and output The hot-swappable USB preview download is available 40GB of data, achieving data-transfer rates almost as fast as an internal hard-drive, drivers for its 828 FireWire from – the computer. MOTU 828 expansion device is available now, from the Crocodile Clips Web Amacom claims. The device ships with Mac-compatible backup software. audio interface. The is supported on all G4 Power Macs equipped and costs £34. It’s site (www.crocodile-clips.com). In the event of hard-drive failure, the Mac can be booted up from the Flip2disk. The What’s inside interface can now connect with an AGP graphics card slot as well as compatible with Mac OS Crocodile Mathematics drive is available in 10GB, 20GB, 30GB and 40GB capacities at £159, £195, £289 and £385 This is the inside of up to four 828 interfaces FireWire-equipped laptops – including the 8.6-9.2.1; drivers are is priced at £190. respectively. FireWire or USB cables must be bought separately for between £20 to £47. the Flip2Disk; the external to FireWire-equipped Macs. iBook, Pismo PowerBook G3 and PowerBook G4 unavailable as we go to press. Crocodile Clips, 0131 226 1511 Amacom, 020 8993 7373 case is silver-coloured. Each interface delivers models. Lindy, 01642 754 000 18 channels of 24-bit, 44.1 Motu, www.motu.com continues page 48
46 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the day Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 47 Product News
Apple updates Several updates for non-US Speedy Phaser Macintosh users are available this month. The iMac Power Management Update 1.1 is for ‘hits 40ppm’ iMacs announced at the Macworld erox has announced its varieties of Unix (including Linux) and Expos in San Francisco “stunningly fast” A3 monochrome Windows. and New York this year. X laser printer, the Phaser 5400. Print management comes courtesy Once the update is installed, The 5400 printer can churn out 40 of Xerox’s CenterWare Web network- the iMac will maintain its PRAM pages per minute, with a first-page management system. The company settings for a longer when turnaround of just nine seconds, describes this as an “advanced disconnected from AC power. according to the company. enterprise-wide printer-management Firmware Update 4.19 for It’s aimed at medium to large tool that enables the easy installation, G4 Cubes and slot-loading iMacs workgroups, and has dedicated configuration and trouble-shooting of all improves start-up in Mac OS X, network features. the printers on a network”. This solution as well as FireWire target-disk The Phaser 5400 also features integrates CenterWare IS, which offers mode, network start-up, gigabit a built-in 266MHz PowerPC G3 the same functions and remote printer- networking, and system stability. processor equipped with 32MB management through any Web browser. The iMovie 2.1.1 updater of RAM. The maximum memory Other standard features include: makes the application more supported is 192MB. The edge-to-edge printing; secure printing; stable. Apple has also released standard configuration offers watermarks; and booklet printing. iMovie Plug-in Pack 2.1.1 for USB and parallel connectivity, Three models are available. The £1,957 Mac OS X, a collection of with 10/100BaseT Ethernet. Phaser 5400N is the basic model, with all effects, transitions and titles. The laser printer offers a the features described. The £2,445 5400DT For network managers, resolution of 1,200-x-1,200dpi. adds an additional 500-sheet A3 paper the Macintosh Manager 2.0.3 Printer languages supported feeder and duplex printing. Finally, the update for English installations Fed up include Adobe PostScript 3, PCL5e, £3,386 5400DX has 64MB of RAM of Mac OS X Server 10.0.4 will The Phaser 5400 supports paper PCL6 and a variety of emulations. installed, duplex printing, two additional install the latest version of sizes up to A3. It has a 650-sheet The printer works with all current 500-sheet A3 paper feeders and an AppleShare Client and tray as standard – expandable to Mac operating systems, including internal hard drive. administration software. 3,250 sheets using extra trays. Mac OS X. It also supports most Xerox, 0870 241 3245
Third-party updates CatDV2.0.2_Patch This OS X update is for Square Box System’s tools for HP camera adds status logging and cataloguing digital HP has upgraded its digital-camera range, introducing two entry-level units and one high-end. video. It fixes The photosmart 318 offers 2.3-megapixels, 2x digital-zoom and a 1.75-inch colour various bugs, and LCD (liquid crystal display). The unit also has automatic exposure control, a problem where red-eye reduction, automatic flash and a status display. importing an EditDV The 2.3-megapixel photosmart 612 offers all the features of the 318, project might not create with the addition of a 2x optical-zoom for a total zooming capacity of 4x. thumbnails for some clips. The 3.3-megapixel Photosmart 715 (left) offers 3x optical- plus 2x digital- Conflict Catcher 8.1 Update zoom. Images are stored on a 16MB CompactFlash card. It offers auto exposure, Casady & Greene’s extension- red-eye reduction and automatic flash, and has an optical viewfinder. It’s got management and conflict- 30-bit colour depth and captures images at a maximum 2,048-x-1,536 pixels. identifying solution gets All three cameras ship with a USB cable for downloading images to the Mac OS 9.2.1 support and computer. Each HP camera also comes with HP’s own easy-to-use photo-imaging additional file definitions. software. The HP photosmart 318 costs £153; the photosmart 715, £298; the Dantz Retrospect 4.3 photosmart 612, £212. Driver Update 2.3 HP, 08705 474 747 This updates Retrospect or Retrospect Express to support new drives, fixes bugs, and works around problems. Eizo bets on CRTs Nisus Writer 6.0.3 updater This fixes a bug that prevented Eizo has launched three CRT monitors. The x-1,024 at 100Hz. Its maximum resolution headers and/or footers from 17-inch £299 T565’s recommended resolution is 1,600-x-1,200 pixels at 90Hz. displaying in the Layout Page is 1,280-x-1,024 pixels at 85Hz. Maximum The 21-inch FlexScan £659 T965, has a window, and from being printed. resolution is 1,600-x-1,200 at 75Hz. maximum resolution of 2,048-x-1,536 pixels Nisus Writer is a multilingual The £509 19-inch CRT FlexScan T765 at 80Hz. word processor for Mac OS. supports a recommended resolution of 1,280- Avnet, 01483 719 500
48 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) David Fanning
Microsoft XP may be the latest operating system the software giant has to offer, but it still lags behind Mac OS X
Taking the P out of X
y the time you read this, you’ll no doubt have been So what’s under the hood of XP? The first thing you see touched by the massive billion-dollar launch of when you start XP is a screen that allows different users to Windows XP (pronounced XP not 10P as you might log-in. Sound familiar? Yes, multiple users á la X is now B think). Regular readers know I’m a fan of Microsoft. available on Windows. Another highlighted feature is the I love all the software Microsoft makes for the Mac. As for Windows Messenger application. You’ll also find MSN the operating systems, I have a live-and-let-live attitude. I Messenger in the latest version of Office for Macintosh, so don’t mind Windows users, as long as they don’t expect me we aren’t losing out there. However, Microsoft has video to use their operating system. It may be true that I secretly conferencing and voice over IP built into the operating pity them, but I would never be so rude as to say that to system, which is pretty cool. On second thoughts, I have their faces. tried both on the Mac, and the novelty wears off pretty So, should we be worried by the latest operating system quickly. Video phones have been around for a while now, from my favourite evil empire? Well, I’m not about to rush but the only person that needs one is John Simpson. How come out and buy it, and chances are you won’t either. Unless Another “new” thing in XP is drag-&-drop CD burning. you’re in a situation where other people decide what “Its as easy as saving to a floppy disk.” Yes, they still use Microsoft is operating system you use, there really isn’t anything to floppy disks. It has simple networking, support for digital hoisting XP worry about. cameras, and a ton of other stuff we just take for granted. Actually, XP represents the pinnacle of flattery for Apple So there are nice gadgets, but nothing you can’t do with on the public – at least since Windows first appeared. Some of our a Mac. In fact, there is nothing of great interest to your so soon after younger readers may not be aware that the Windows average Joe – unless he is one of those online nudists that operating system is based largely on the Apple operating frequent the video-conferencing sites. releasing a system. The Apple OS was of course originally inspired by I think it’s nice that Windows people are getting a look handful of work going on at Xerox PARC, but Apple paid for the at how cool a Mac is. Perhaps people will realize that it’s the privilege. This is rather different to the way Microsoft was PC user who has been the second-class citizen in computing other versions? inspired by the Mac OS. Notoriously, Apple sued Microsoft all this time, not the high tech Mac people. However, it may Well, we don’t for stealing the look and feel of the Mac OS. The suit was no be too little too late. OS X is already streets ahead of XP, and match for the legions of Microsoft lawyers, and Apple lost is bug fixed and ready for the prime time. have to look the case. This was an important turning point for both XP on the other hand is a confusing jumble of further than companies. From that point on, Microsoft had free reign to technologies being forced on people that have only just got rip off Apple ideas. So it did. Windows 98 working right. I doubt many are going to rush OS X. To be fair, the Windows operating system has been out to buy this new OS – they have learned their lesson. transformed since 1995. Windows 95 then 98 were a lot less Another thing that will mean few people are going to be ugly than the initial versions. When Windows 2000, ME moving to XP is the fact that you can’t pirate it any more. A (Millennium Edition) and whatever other versions started clever new activation step is required to keep XP working appearing, I sort of lost the plot for a bit. I’m sure Windows beyond 50 start ups. This means that the copy of Windows devotees will be able to set me straight, but from where I that the whole of China has been using will remain the OS was standing it was confusing. At some point, Windows NT of choice for them. was renamed and offered for non-workstation users. I’m not In theory, this bold anti-piracy step will mean that sure whether it’s the Millennium Edition or Windows 2000 Microsoft will sell more copies of XP. However, I can’t see that is the newly named NT. Ask a Windows user, see if they many home users shelling out hard cash for this. More know. Though you’ll probably find the vast majority of them likely, people will upgrade when they buy a new PC. But, are still using Windows 98 at best, and may not have even unlike the last couple of Christmases, PCs aren’t high on heard of Windows ME. people’s list of things to buy. The PC industry is hoping this So how come Microsoft is hoisting XP (both Pro and will spur the market back into action, and Microsoft wants Consumer) on an unsuspecting public so soon after this too. Frankly, I can’t see that happening in any releasing a handful of other versions? Well, we don’t have to significant way. look too far for one reason: Mac OS X. It must really scare So hats of to Microsoft, the plucky OS builder that keeps Microsoft to see OS X. It’s so compelling that our beloved trying to keep up with the Mac. What would the Mac OS do Aqua interface has been aped by Microsoft’s Luna interface if there wasn’t a different operating system to be better in XP. Even the name XP, seems a little derivative. than? MW
Join in the live IT debates on Macworld Online Forum (www.macworld.co.uk/forum). Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 53 Michael Prochak Email is 30 years, but it’s grown into just another rubbish-disseminating cog of the global system.
Thirty something
ne of the great hippy cliches of all time was “never message said either. But as email has continued to grow trust anyone over 30”. Forgetting for a moment almost exponentially, I’ve begun to trust it less and less. that several members of many of San Francisco’s They say that the number of email addresses currently in O finest psychedelic groups were well over 30 in existence is set to double to around 1.2 billion over the next their prime, and that acid gurus like Kesey and Leary were four years, with the volume of emails sent on a daily basis certainly older, this phrase set the squirrels running like a set to increase to 36 billion in 2005. But while usage bad flash-back when I stumbled on the fact that email continues to increase, literacy, grammar and a sense of recently turned 30. language has suffered. Let’s face it, for the most part, the That’s right, the first successful email was sent on a syntactic word-clusters of email aren’t sentences in the stonking 300baud modem (we didn’t have ‘k’ in those days) usual sense. And with the advent of text messaging, our in October 1971 by an engineer named Ray Tomlinson who language skills are not improving. worked for Bolt Beranek and Newman, the company hired OK... as someone who’s been reading Finnegans Wake off by the US Defence Department in 1968 to build ARPANET. and on for nearly 30 years, perhaps I have a somewhat Ray’s specific project was something called SNDMSG, tangential view of language. It’s more fun to shy away from ‘Having which if you read it out loud, vaguely sounds like “Send communicative utility and revelatory rhetoric, and still Message”. As it happens, SNDMSG wasn’t all that great, and maintain a twisted poetic notion that words might be email back you could send messages only between two people found employed not just to describe realities, but to create them. in the 1980s on the same machine. From where I sit, even though it’s usually behind a Mac nowadays, email just looks like another twisted disposable was a bit like @ the beginning cog in that phony commercial elite traditionally based on having one However, Ray eventually created a new system geekishly name, property and dubiously acquired wealth. It has called CYPNET, which consisted of around 200 lines of code nothing to do with a more universally neglected true and walkie-talkie. and the one innovation that would make history... the “@” civilized version based on intelligence, talent and virtue. As Perhaps, that symbol in the email name. Tom Robbins might say, most people simply use email to Now, for the historically challenged among you, the first blow smoke up each others butts. made it seem message sent in Morse Code on May 24, 1844 was: “What more fun and hath God wrought.” The first message sent over Alexander Expressing rubbish Graham Bell’s telephone on March 10, 1876 was: “Mr In theory, a post-Newtonian extrabiological phenomena interesting Watson, come here, I want you.” The first words to a that allows humans to think and act using clusters of than it was.’ phonograph in 1877 by Thomas Edison were: “Mary had a electrons should produce something memorable. The scope little lamb,” and the first words said from the moon in 1969 for expressive thought and that communication should be were: “Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has limitless. But what we tend to get with email is usually landed.” nothing more than a post-literate, semi-utilitarian version And what were the historical first words sent over of Paul Simon’s dangling conversation – without the poetic email? Well... uh... we don’t rightly know. Ray himself can’t pretensions. And as for email’s dumber sibling, text say with any degree of certainty what the first email messages... well, let’s just be kind and say that they rarely message said, and, to be frank, he doesn’t even remember display Joyce’s abiding interest in women, drink, high art or the actual date of the first sending. the operation of our own genius. Personally, I’ve been using email since the mid-80s... They say that email is moving rapidly towards a mission- starting with Telecom Gold, moving through Cix, critical system for business and without it, many Compuserve and AppleLink until consolidating with my organizations would find it extremely difficult to operate, or existing Pipex account. Having email back then was a bit would simply grind to a halt. like having one walkie-talkie. Perhaps, in some ways, that They also say that only the weak and the dull of the made it seem more fun and interesting than it was. world know where they’re going, and it’s rarely worth the Despite being an early adopter, I still had to fax stories to trip. The first email message may not have left a memorable several national newspapers for years because they either historical artifact. But as Joyce might have put it if he’d used hadn’t got email, or had email of sorts and nobody could email, it has left “all the hoolivans of the nation, prostrated actually get it to work. in their constenation and their duodisimally profusive To be honest, I can’t remember what my first email plethora of ululation”. MW
Join in the live IT debates on Macworld Online Forum (www.macworld.co.uk/forum). Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 55 Macworld Rating Macworld reviews ★★★★★/9.0-10.0 = OUTSTANDING ★★★★/7.0-8.9 = VERY GOOD ★★★/5.0-6.9 = GOOD ★★/3.0-4.9 = FLAWED ★/0-2.9 = UNACCEPTABLE
Digital music player
iPod Apple’s latest consumer and professional Mac portable lineup Manufacturer: Apple (0800 039 1010) www.apple.com/uk Pros: Large hard drive; iBook 500 CD-ROM FireWire interface; integration Manufacturer: Apple 0800-039-1010 www.apple.com/uk with iTunes; unique design; Pros: Good price for Mac portable; 500MHz G3 fast enough for most applications; works as hard drive. 128MB RAM; superb design; lightweight; compact; AirPort ready; long battery life; Cons: Pricey; no case/strap. iTools; iTunes; iMovie, plus free software. Price: £349 (including VAT). Cons: Lacks built-in CD-RW drive and DVD drive. Min specs: OS 9.2.1-X 10.1; Price: £935 excluding VAT. (£1,099 inc. VAT.) FireWire. Star Rating: ★★★★/8.5 Star Rating: ★★★★/8.7 iBook 600 DVD-ROM iTunes 2 Pros: Great for watching DVDs on the move; 600MHz G3; 128MB RAM; Pros: Free; EQ; crossfading. superb design; lightweight; compact; AirPort ready; long battery life; iTools; Cons: Still missing key iTunes; iMovie, plus free software. SoundJam features. Cons: Lacks built-in CD-RW drive. Price: Free Price: £1,105 excluding VAT. (£1,299 inc. VAT.) ★★★★ Min specs: Mac OS 9-X 10.1 Star Rating: /8.6 Star Rating: ★★★★/8.6 iBook 600 CD-RW Pros: CD burner; 600MHz G3; 128MB RAM; superb design; lightweight; pple’s 6.5-ounce, deck-of-cards- handed use. A single button in the middle uses the lightning-fast FireWire interface, compact; AirPort ready; long battery life; iTools; iTunes; iMovie, plus free software. sized iPod isn’t the first portable helps make selections, a scrolling jog-wheel up to 30 times faster than the USB and not Cons: Lacks built-in DVD drive; CD-RW/DVD-ROM model just £60 more. MP3 player. What makes it different around that navigates hierarchical menus yet available on other digital-music players. Price: £1,216 excluding VAT. (£1,429 inc. VAT.) A ★★★★ is that it was designed for Mac users and and controls volume during playback. Four In our tests, when copying 333 songs pple’s improved iBooks and or buying one for the first time, you should Star Rating: /8.6 LAB TEST uses Apple technologies such as FireWire buttons on the outside control tracks, as (1.35GB of total data), the results were PowerBooks make an even stronger consider the merits of a portable. Portable and iTunes. well as backlight and sleeps modes. It’s impressive. A G4/450 took 4:58 minutes A case for portable as opposed to Macs can do just about anything a desktop iBook 600 CD-RW/DVD-ROM Sandwiched in between the iPod’s very well designed. under Mac OS 9.2.1 and just 3:05 under desktop Mac computing. Processor speeds model can, with the added advantage of Pros: Great for watching DVDs on the move, and has CD burner, too; 600MHz G3; stainless steel back and iBook-white It’s unfortunate that Apple didn’t OS X 10.1. have increased by at least 100MHz, hard travelling around with you – be that in your 128MB RAM; 20GB hard drive; superb design; lightweight; compact; AirPort ready; front is a 5GB hard drive. That’s enough include a belt clip case or arm band, The FireWire port on the iPod does drives are bigger, some system buses are back garden or a hotel on the other side long battery life; iTools; iTunes; iMovie, plus free software. to hold roughly 1,000 songs encoded in which come with some other music players more than just allow you to download hiked a notch, and other features have been of the world. Cons: Power users may prefer PowerBook’s G4. MP3 format at 160Kbps. True audiophiles – especially since the iPod is ideal for music from your Mac. Plugging in an iPod added to the top-end. There are trade-offs in performance Price: £1,275 excluding VAT. (£1,499 inc. VAT.) ★★★★★ can even fit seven or eight complete exercise use. The ear-bud headphones also charges its internal lithium polymer A Macworld reader poll in October and flexibility, but nothing so limiting that Star Rating: /9.0 albums in uncompressed AIFF or WAV are stylish and provide good audio quality, battery. (If you’re on the road, you can surprised us with results that pointed to a portable’s advantages can be ignored. formats. but we found them too large to wear connect the FireWire cable to an AC an increasing shift to portable computers, PowerBook G4 550MHz DVD-ROM The drive’s enormous 32MB cache comfortably for long periods of time. adaptor for a quick charge.) You can despite the higher prices (caused by the iBook: all white Pros: Superb design; lightweight; super-slim; fast G4 processor; 128MB RAM; virtually eliminates skipping by loading Although there are other players even use the free space on the iPod’s requirement for smaller, cooler components, Apple’s consumer portable iBook has Gigabit Ethernet; widescreen 15.2-inch display; fast video card; AirPort ready; songs into solid-state RAM – shaking and that work with the Mac, none has been hard drive to store and transfer files. and a kind of luxury-convenience-tax to been a phenomenal success. The main long battery life; iTools; iTunes; iMovie. even banging it into things didn’t interrupt as integrated with Apple’s iTunes as iPod. iTunes 2 adds supports for the iPod, raise profit margins). Only 17 per cent of spur for sales was May’s new, all-white Cons: Lacks built-in CD-RW drive (available as build-to-order option). smooth play. The large cache also allows In fact, the release of the iPod coincides but that it isn’t a one trick pony. It adds voters plumped for desktops, with 35 per iBook design. When the company Price: £1,599 excluding VAT. (£1,879 inc. VAT.) ★★★★ the hard drive to spin down, extending with the first large upgrade to Apple’s several new features that were noticeably cent owning or planning to buy a portable, declared its recent quarterly financial Star Rating: /8.8 Fade away battery life. free player/encoder-iTunes 2. absent from the first version.Most and 38 per cent in favour of having both. results, it announced that 251,000 Another new feature is the ability impressively, iTunes 2 adds a 10-band If you’re considering updating your Mac iBooks were sold, contrasting with PowerBook G4 667MHz DVD-ROM to crossfade tracks, overlapping My kinda’ font iTunes too graphic equalizer with 22 presets for styles, 89,000 in the same quarter last year. Pros: Superb design; lightweight; super-slim; fast G4 processor; 256MB RAM; the end of one with the beginning Accessing your music files via the iPod The iPod can synchronize its contents with including rock, hip-hop, and classical – you The new design has clearly caught the 30GB hard drive; Gigabit Ethernet; widescreen 15.2-inch display; fast video card; of the next. is easy as well. The large screen has very your iTunes 2 library, automatically updating can even save your own presets. public’s imagination. Indeed, its compact AirPort Card pre-installed; long battery life; iTools; iTunes; iMovie. iTunes can now also burn crisp text – in the classic Mac Chicago itself with the latest changes to your library Some features common in other shape and light weight (2.2kg) have Cons: Expensive for faster processor; lacks built-in CD-RW drive MP3 CDs – data CDs with type, no less. Longer, scrolling track names, and playlists whenever you attach it to your players are still missing from iTunes, seduced many professional users as well. (available as build-to-order option). upwards of 10 hours of music however, are dim and ghosted. A bright Mac. You can also switch to a manual mode chief among them different interface Features The iBook’s neat design is Price: £2,199 excluding VAT. (£2,584 inc. VAT.) Star Rating: ★★★★/8.6 on a single CD-R playable in some backlight makes the information easy to and pick the songs and playlists you want, skins, extra visualization plug-ins, only slightly weightier than the super-slim CD and DVD players. You could see in the dark, but the background can or set iPod to synchronize with a custom audio recording, and Internet broadcast PowerBook, its compact (28.5-x-23-x-3.4cm) do this before via the Finder’s Disc look splotchy. iPod playlist. – all features that iTunes’ predecessor body is about the size of a standard mouse- Burner utility, but it’s easier now. The control area is designed for one- iPod does its part to safeguard SoundJam MP offered. mat. Into that tidy package, Apple has networking. You won’t find that level intellectual property by linking to included a full set of features – blowing of features in a sub-£1,000 (ex. VAT) only one copy of iTunes at a time. If you Macworld’s buying advice away any consumer Windows laptops. Windows notebook. go to a friend’s house (or another Mac An Apple portable music player sounds There’s FireWire and USB, 10/100BaseT Screen The iBook’s sharp 12.1-inch in yours) and try to sync with that iTunes like a dream come true – and it is for Ethernet, 56Kbps modem and a slot TFT screen supports 1,024-x-768 pixels at library, it will overwrite all the music anyone with a FireWire-based Mac and a for AirPort wireless millions of colours – exactly the same as on your iPod. But even iPod’s copyright love of music. Although the £349 price tag the iMac’s 15-inch CRT. The only trade-off protection features have their limits – means a hefty financial commitment, you’re between iBook and iMac displays is that you can transfer MP3 files to and from getting a unique Apple product that you’ll those pixels are squeezed into a slightly iTunes by switching into manual mode. find yourself using everywhere. And with smaller area – making icons and screen 5GB may sound like a lot of space – the new features of iTunes 2, the duo make text smaller. Otherwise, you can get on the and it is – but it’s not as much as on the a nice package. Nomad Jukebox 20GB. However, the iPod Jonathan Seff continues page 61
58 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 59 Macworld reviews
Apple’s new portable Mac range
Model Price PowerPC System Base Max Hard CD USB Fire Ethernet 56Kbps Graphics Screen type Colours ex. VAT processor bus RAM RAM disk DVD ports Wire modem card and size (pixels) iBook £935 500MHz G3 66MHz 128MB 640MB 15GB * (4,200rpm) CD-ROM 2110/100 Yes 8MB Rage Mobility 128 12.1”; 1,024-x-768 White iBook £1,105 600MHz G3 100MHz 128MB 640MB 15GB * (4,200rpm) DVD-ROM 2110/100 Yes 8MB Rage Mobility 128 12.1”; 1,024-x-768 White iBook £1,216 600MHz G3 100MHz 128MB 640MB 15GB * (4,200rpm) CD-RW 2110/100 Yes 8MB Rage Mobility 128 12.1”; 1,024-x-768 White iBook £1,275 600MHz G3 100MHz 128MB 640MB 20GB * (4,200rpm) CD-RW/DVD-ROM 2110/100/1000 Yes 8MB Rage Mobility 128 12.1”; 1,024-x-768 White PowerBook G4 £1,599 550MHz G4 100MHz 256MB * 1GB 20GB *** (4,200rpm) DVD-ROM 2110/100/1000 Yes 16MB Radeon Mobility 15.2”; 1,152-x-768 Titanium PowerBook G4 £2,199 667MHz G4 133MHz 512MB * 1GB 30GB *** (4,200rpm) DVD-ROM 2110/100/1000 Yes 16MB Radeon Mobility 15.2”; 1,152-x-768 Titanium
■ All iBooks ship with Mac OS 9.2, Mac OS X, AppleWorks 6, QuickTime 4, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, Netscape Communicator, Bugdom, Nanosaur, Palm Desktop Organizer, FAXstf Pro; Adobe Acrobat Reader. ■ All PowerBooks ship with Mac OS 9.2, Mac OS X, QuickTime 4, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, Netscape Communicator, Palm Desktop, FAXstf Pro, and Adobe Acrobat Reader. ■ AirPort card and Base Station available for an extra £319 (inc. VAT). AirPort allows you to access the Internet without attaching the modem cable to your Mac, as well as network Macs wirelessly. * Apple’s Double your RAM deal expires on December 31, 2001. After that RAM amount falls to 128MB and 256MB. ** 20GB and 30GB options available on online Apple Store. *** 5,400rpm 48GB option on Apple Store.
iBook’s screen exactly what you’ll see The next 600MHz iBook has a CD-RW Price The entry-level’s £1,099 on an iMac’s. drive, so you can record CDs on the move. (inc. VAT) is extremely good value for such Performance Macworld Lab’s But it’s the top-end iBook that is the dream a well-featured laptop. You can add an comprehensive Speedmark 3 tests show consumer portable, with a combination external CD-RW drive for about £150, that the iBook falls behind on performance. CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive that can record so – if you don’t mind your CD burner See full round-up of Speedmark scores CDs and play DVDs. being a separate unit – the slower chip on page 189) Memory All the iBooks now ship with option saves you £180 on the 600MHz All the iMacs are faster, and the 128MB of RAM, which should suffice for CD-RW iBook. Nearly £200 is a lot to pay PowerBook is streets ahead on speed. most. Memory is so cheap today, that taking for the convenience of a built-in CD-RW But it shouldn’t be forgotten that even the system to its maximum 640MB of RAM drive, so that model’s extra speed will the entry-level iBook’s 500MHz G3 would cost under £150. have to persuade you. And the CD-RW processor was the top professional engine A better bet for all the iBooks – model is just £70 shy of the combo behind the fastest desktop Mac less than especially if you’re planning to try CD-RW/ DVD iBook, so it’s definitely worth three years ago. It’s eminently up to the Apple’s next-generation operating system spending the extra for the DVD capabilities. job – even on complex Adobe Photoshop Mac OS X – would be to double memory The DVD iBook is only £200 cheaper tasks. The others are much faster, to 256MB for £15 (latest online RAM than the CD-RW/DVD iBook, so the top-end but the iBook is no slouch. prices, as of November 1). combo model wins again – as it would There are still four models of iBook. Hard disk All the iBooks ship with a cost £150 to add the external CD-RW drive, The entry-level model sticks with the 15GB hard disk – except the top-end model, and you get a larger hard drive with the previous low-end’s 500MHz PowerPC G3 which includes a 20GB drive. If you’re £1,499 iBook. processor. This is no tortoise. In our general- planning on some serious video editing, If DVD is totally irrelevant to you, task tests, the 600MHz iBook was 24 the extra 5GB of disk space is worth going the £1,099 iBook is fine. If DVD is even a per cent faster than the 500MHz model. for – although external FireWire hard drives But most iBook users – concerned mainly are available as alternatives. continues page 62 LAB TEST with Web browsing, email, business applications, printing, scanning, etc – won’t notice too much of a difference. If you’re into digital photography, the Portable Macs: G4 for performance extra 100MHz is probably worth going for, as image-editing is one area where Best results in test. the extra juice really gets noticed. Speedmark 3 iTunes Quake III In fact, the 600MHz iBook is a superb Mac model Overall score MP3 encode Normal machine for digital photographers – its PowerBook G4/667 132 71 50 portability allowing you to store, edit and iBook G3/600 99 123 24 post on the Web before returning home. iBook G3/500 80 156 21 The three remaining iBooks all use the Power Mac G4/867 186 46 77 600MHz chip. Your choices after that iMac G3/700 119 108 34 step-up largely concern the type of PowerBook G4/500 114 76 26 optical drive you require. Longer is best Shorter is best Longer is best CD/DVD The entry-level 500MHz iBook has a CD-ROM drive, which may be all you Speedmark3 scores are relative to those of a Flower Power iMac 500MHz, which is assigned a score of 100. iTunes scores require on the road if you have an external are in seconds. Quake scores are in frames per second. We tested the systems with 256MB of RAM, except the iBook recordable CD drive at home. The first G3/500 which had 320. We tested each system with Mac OS X 10.1. We set displays to 1,024-x-768 (1,152-x-768 on the 600MHz iBook features a DVD-ROM drive PowerBooks) pixel resolution and 24-bit colour. We tested MP3 encoding with an audio-CD track that was 9 minutes and 25 seconds long, and converted it using the Better Quality setting of 160Kbps in iTunes 1.1.2 from the hard drive. We that can do all the things a CD-ROM drive ran Quake 3 v1.30b1's time demo 1 at 640-x-480 pixel resolution, with graphics set to Normal. can, plus play DVD discs and allow you to – Macworld Lab testing by Ulyssis Bravo watch commercially available DVD movies – perfect for long-haul flights.
Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 61 Macworld reviews
PowerBook G4: no holds barred with S-Video and infrared
Power FireWire USB VGA S-Video Modem IrDA 10/100/1000 Ethernet
iBook: best-featured consumer laptop
56Kbps 10/100 FireWire USB VGA Audio/Composite-Video Out (AV) Modem Ethernet
Slim pickings possibility, try to save enough for the Power Mac G4. It’s difficult to tell what is That’s still a big boost when transferring The PowerBook G4 (top) is a top-end combo drive. causing this massive difference – especially giant files, but the extra expense for kitting metallic beauty in its tough- Whatever your choice, the new as Apple has increased the system-bus out a whole studio to the new standard wearing but lightweight titanium iBooks are compelling alternatives to speed of the 667MHz PBG4 to 133MHz, is still delaying Gigabit Ethernet becoming shell. Amazingly, it is just an inch iMacs – and even PowerBooks. If you the same as the Power Mac’s. the norm. Apple should be praised, slim. And, even with its larger can, get to London’s MacExpo or your local That said, the 667MHz PBG4 is however, for being the first PC manufacturer screen, it weighs just 2.4kg. AppleCentre or PC World, and get an iBook extremely fast for a portable – and, to add Gigabit to all of its pro systems. The iBook (bottom) is in your hands. It’s then that this system’s for many, that portability means Wireless networking, however, is lighter and more compact, merits become truly tempting. a whole lot more than a few becoming extremely popular, and the top-of- but professionals are likely to saved seconds on a Gaussian Blur. the-range PBG4 is now the only Mac that be swayed by the bigger screen PowerBook: G4 is key Display The PBG4 boasts a widescreen comes with an AirPort Card pre-installed (and ability to add a larger Even slimmer and lighter than the iBook 15.2-inch TFT display, which supports up – although all Macs have a card slot external monitor while back (though larger in size), the PowerBook to 1,152-x-768 pixels at millions of colours. ready for the 11Mbps technology standard. at the office), as well as by G4 (PBG4) is the best choice if you need The extra width is perfect for programs that Memory Apple has a great deal on the power of the G4. a large TFT screen on the move and a litter the screen space with palettes and until the end of the year, whereby PBG4 The PowerBook’s S-Video is separate even-larger monitor at the office. other windows – think pro-level video, buyers get double the amount of RAM superior to the iBook’s AV output, Performance The PowerBook G4 image and music apps. A marked superiority pre-installed. Until December 31, 2001 but most digital-home-movie (PBG4) adds a turbo drive to iBook’s of the PBG4’s video capabilities over the the 550MHz PBG4 comes with 256MB makers won’t notice the portable speed. As it packs a PowerPC G4, iBook is the possibility to add a larger CRT of RAM, and the 667MHz has 512MB. difference. even the entry-level PowerBook is much or LCD screen (supporting 1,920-x-1,440 Hard drive The top-end PBG4 has a faster than the top-end iBook. Although pixels) to the PB’s VGA port. (You can add large 30GB hard drive running at 7,200rpm, we haven’t yet tested the 550MHz PBG4, a second monitor to an iBook, but it will compared to the 550’s 5,400rpm 20GB disk. a guesstimate based on tests of the merely mirror the resolution of the iBook’s Optical drive Both PowerBooks old 500MHz PBG4 suggest that the 550 screen – the picture’s larger, but it doesn’t ship with slot-loading DVD-ROM drives. would be about 17 per cent faster than show anything else.) Unfortunately, you However, a slot-loading CD-RW option the 600MHz iBook. can’t add one of Apple’s LCDs to the is available on the online Apple Store. The G4 is also a lot faster on programs PB, as these require an ADC port – which Price While Mac professionals will – most notably Adobe Photoshop – that is rather short-sighted on Apple’s part. always pay top-dollar for the fastest, most have been optimized to take advantage of The PBG4’s 16MB Radeon video card capable Mac, the price difference between its Velocity Engine’s extra data instructions. offers more to graphics pros and gamers the 550MHz and 667MHz PBG4s is large. While a G3 iBook can easily handle than the iBook’s 8MB Rage 128, but most The extra £600 gains you a larger and faster Photoshop’s processor demands, consumers won’t notice the difference. hard drive, more memory and a pre-installed the PowerPC G4 is the only choice Features There’s not much difference AirPort Card, but not much more than if this is one of your key applications. in feature sets between the iBook and 100MHz in processor speed. Macworld Lab tests show that the PowerBook. What the PBG4 has that the top-end 667MHz PBG4 is 33 per cent faster iBook doesn’t, is a higher-quality video Macworld’s buying advice than the 600MHz iBook, and 16 per cent output (S-Video as opposed to AV) and If you crave portability, or just want to save faster than the previously fastest PowerBook Gigabit Ethernet networking. 1,000BaseT some space on your desk, you’re in luck – (500MHz G4). Ethernet is undoubtedly the way forward, Apple’s portable solutions are the best on However, there is still a gulf between but is still a technology in its infancy when the market. Whether you go for the iBook the high-end Mac portable and the desktop it comes to take-up. It’s a lot faster than or stretch for a PowerBook depends on Power Mac. Our lab tests point to a gaping 100BaseT, but not ten times faster as the your performance requirements, and which performance gap of 41 per cent between figures suggest – Macworld Lab tests put model is down to optical drive and price. the 667MHz PBG4 and the 867MHz the speed increase at about 50 per cent. Simon Jary
62 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld reviews Macworld reviews
Audio, Digital Performer and Pro Tools. Digital audio ‘70s’ synth emulator Also, any application that supports OMS or FreeMIDI names will automatically Digital get all of the installed bank and program Retro AS-1 2.1 names. Publisher: BitHeadz www.bitheadz.com Performer 3 You can also use Retro AS-1 with Publisher: Mark of the Distributor: Unity Audio (01440 785 843) Unicorn (MOTU) Pros: Offers a wide range of retro Pro Tools using either DirectConnect www.motu.com synth-sounds; can process live audio. or RTAS. Distributor: Music Track Cons: Fiddly set up; lots of windows. The MIDI processor application lets (01767 313 447) Min specs: 200MHz PowerPC 604; you set up splits and layers, and has an Pros: Has everything you need Mac OS 8.1; 40MB hard-disk space; arpeggiator (multi-note sequencer) that for MIDI+ Audio sequencing; 64MB RAM. you can apply in realtime. first-rate user interface. Price: £195 (excluding VAT) The arpeggiator can be triggered Cons: Continuous scrolling ★★★ Star Rating: /6.4 automatically or manually, and its tempo is sluggish. Similar sequence can be synchronized to the MIDI clock. Min specs: PowerPC 604e; 64MB available RAM; The closest comparison to DP3 is Pro Tools 5.1 – as DP3’s new Sequence Editor presents all the MIDI and Audio tracks in one window. This is similar The Mixer application lets you load up Mac OS 8.5.1. to the Pro Tools Edit window, where you can view and edit all your MIDI notes, audio soundbites, audio automation and MIDI controller data. As in etro AS-1 – a software analogue to 16 sounds for playback from an external global effects to let you add overall reverbs Magic mix Price: £599 (including VAT) Pro Tools, both MIDI and audio tracks can be independently resized vertically, and you can record multiple takes into any track. synthesizer – is the stable mate of controller. Using an external MIDI-controller, and delays. Retro AS-1 can also process Retro AS-1’s Mixer documents, Star Rating: ★★★★★/9.1 R the Unity DS-1 sampler (reviewed you can switch between different MIDI live audio signals with its ring modulator, containing a snap-shot of all in November). Now you can have those channels, load up different patches on each filters, and effects. You can even trigger the settings, can be saved ark of the Unicorn first automation modes for the Mixing Desk, and voices are made possible by DP3’s new killer sounds from the ‘60s and ‘70s at channel, and then simply cycle between the MIDI notes from an external audio source. and reloaded. developed its Performer software a dedicated MIDI Machine Control window. Automatic Voice Allocation feature, which your fingertips. channels to play the different sounds. M for the Mac in 1985. It quickly A new Continuous Scrolling preference allows the program to dynamically assign Key features include up to 128 stereo- You can modify the factory sounds, or Macworld’s buying advice became established as the leading music causes the playback wiper to stay anchored audio voices from a pool of 96 mono voices voice polyphony, over 1,300 factory sounds, create sounds from scratch using the editor Retro AS-1 is a full-featured analogue sequencer in the USA, and was renamed to the centre of the window while the data and 64 stereo voices. For example, MOTU’s up to 96KHz sample-rate and 32-bit internal application. This features three oscillators synthesizer emulation, which integrates Digital Performer when audio features were in the window scrolls behind. However, preliminary bench tests – running DP3 on processing. You can play Retro AS-1 live or – each with fifteen waveforms, such with most Mac MIDI and audio added about 10 years ago. For the first few scrolling performance was surprisingly an 800MHz dual-processor G4 equipped from a sequencer using OMS (Open Music as random tuning, sync, and pan-ring applications. The supplied sounds give you years of the Mac’s existence, it was not clumsy and sluggish on my dual-processor with a MOTU 2408mkII audio interface System), FreeMIDI, or a native Logic modulator – and two filters. access to many of the classic synthesizer widely adopted in the UK. Consequently, 500MHz Power Mac G4. – reveal that Digital Performer is able interface. And, it works well with ASIO There are also two insert effects per sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s in a very Performer users were few and far between, to play back 128 tracks of 16-bit 44.1KHz cards, ReWire, MAS 2.0 and DirectIO for MIDI channel – including EQs, delays, affordable software package. and sequencers from Steinberg and Emagic RAM recording audio, with eight bands of parametric EQ audio integration with Cubase VST, Logic chorus and distortion – along with two Mike Collins – available originally on the Atari computer Digital Performer has a number of unique and dynamics 32-bit processing used on – became better-established. features, including the Polar and Samplers each track. This compares very favourably Available on the Mac for the last windows. Polar lets you record audio to with Pro Tools systems, which are restricted Mix master decade, Emagic’s Logic Audio is the RAM, overdubbing on the fly, while the to a maximum of 64 tracks. Interestingly, DP3’s logically laid-out Mixing software of choice for most music Samplers window lets you transfer samples you can transfer entire projects containing Board incorporates just about all professionals, while Steinberg’s Cubase VST between DP3 and most popular hardware- audio and MIDI data between Digital of the features you’ll find in Pro is more successful in the home-studio samplers. Anyone working with loops Performer and any other system that Tools – although some of these market. Now MOTU is making a bid for will appreciate the ease of Polar, while supports the OMF Interchange file format. are positioned or accessed a little sequencer superstardom with the release sampler users will appreciate the benefits Most importantly, this means you can differently. You also get Window of Digital Performer 3 (DP3). of such close integration with the sequencer transfer projects to or from Pro Tools Sets, an Input Quantize window, New professional features include software. using Digidesign’s DigiTranslator software. and a Tool Palette. time-stamping of the audio regions, various Surround-sound recording, mixing and mastering are introduced in DP3 – Macworld’s buying advice support for all formats, including LCRS Performer was the first computer-based and 5.1. Multiprocessor support has also sequencer I worked with. I continued been introduced, effectively doubling the to use it until three years ago when available processing power for plug-ins. Logic Audio leapt ahead. More recently, DP3 includes an excellent selection of audio Pro Tools 5.1 has been my preferred plug-ins. These are available when using environment, but now I can work in Digital the MOTU Audio System with the Mac’s Performer as easily and efficiently as within built-in audio, or with the wide range of Pro Tools – but with the benefit of far- supported cards – although not when superior MIDI features. And, I can still using Pro Tools TDM hardware via the use my Pro Tools TDM hardware via the DAE software. DAE software. Even better, I can swap All the standard effects are provided, projects to and from Pro Tools as I please. I including EQ, delay and dynamics can also run DP3 on any of my Macs using processing. Many of the new plug-ins the native audio, or with most popular audio introduced with DP3 are designed for cards, and take advantage of the wide surround applications, such as Speaker range of MOTU plug-ins. One of the most Calibration, and Feedback Delay. Other powerful things in favour of DP3 is the useful newcomers include MasterWorks excellent user-interface. This completely Gate, which provides real-time, look-ahead blows away Logic Audio and Cubase VST gating; Trigger, which converts audio – both of which have very messy interfaces. waveform peaks in an audio track into MIDI I can highly recommend DP3 for notes; and Plate, which simulates vintage professional work, as it now provides a plate reverbs. great alternative to any of its competitors. A high number of tracks and audio Mike Collins
62 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld reviews Macworld reviews
All-round graphics bundle compatible filters include Corel PhotoPaint Graphics-app plug-in and Painter, as well as some 3D applications – including Bryce 5, Maxon Cinema 4D XL 7 Corel Graphics Suite 10 KPT Effects and Lightwave 3D 7. Publisher: Corel www.corel.com Publisher: Procreate www.procreate.com In all there are nine plug-ins: FraxFlame Distributor: Computers Unlimited (0800 581 028) Distributor: Computers Unlimited II, Channel Surfing, Fluid, Gradient Lab, Pros: Runs under OS X and OS 9; good value; decent feature set. (0800 581 028) Hyper Tiling, Ink Dropper, Lightning, Cons: Rough around the edges; some interface anomalies. Pros: Creates complex-looking effects; Pyramid Paint and Scatter. As is often the Minimum specs: PowerPC G3; Mac OS 8.6-X; 64MB RAM some useful utilities; Carbonized. case with third-party filters, how to put (128MB RAM for OS X); 250MB hard-disk space. Cons: Effects are identifiable; getting them to good use is not always apparent. Price: £399 (excluding VAT). good results from some of the filters The filters fall into two distinct categories, Star Rating: ★★★★/8.5 can take time. Min specs: Mac OS 8.6-OS X; PowerPC; the utility filter and the it-just-looks-cool Adobe Photoshop 4.0; 128MB RAM for filter. Of the set, the most obviously useful he Corel Graphics Suite 10 consists Mac OS X. is Channel Surfing. This can be used to add of four Corel applications, Photo- Price: £149 (excluding VAT). sharpness and snap to scanned images or T Paint, Draw, Trace and R.A.V.E., plus Star Rating: ★★★★/8.1 digital photos, and it’s very quick and simple a bundled version of Canto Cumulus 5 LE to use. The other fairly obvious utility is the – a media-database tool. The two main Gradient Lab. This can create all sorts of applications in the suite are Draw and Design space PT is a well-known name in the complex gradients, which can be used replaces tones in an image with particles – Fractal frames Photo-Paint, both of which are successful Photo-Paint is a full image-editing and painting tool along the lines of Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop world. It evokes pleasant for masks or to create detailed illustrative which can be simple spheres or complex FraxFlame II produces intricate in their own right. Painter. Layer lenses are similar to adjustment layers, but they support filters as well as colour K memories in those of us who can effects. Gradient types include Shapeburst, images – to create custom mosaic images. fractal patters that are very pretty This release has a number of new, adjustments. recall when a drop shadow was a thing of which maps the gradient around the edges You can create some interesting organic but also very identifiable. Highly pro-oriented features – one being improved beauty, and 3D graphics meant struggling of a selection – very useful for making 3D effects using this filter. detailed flames can take a while colour management across the board. you scroll down a list of Fonts, a large get complicated the enhanced preview with Photoshop channel operations. effects. Its interface lets you blend multiple to render too. There’s new support for ColorSync and sample pops out at the side showing you mode is slow to update. In fact, drawing These days, KPT is part of Procreate, gradient layers. FraxFlame II is of the Macworld’s buying advice an intuitive flow-diagram management how the typeface looks. Another example simple wireframe béziers seemed a little the provocatively named range of products second type, and produces strange wispy KPT Effects is not cheap, and like most window. It would still take a lot to convince is the excellent layer-blending modes pop- sluggish, too. from Corel – which includes Knockout and fractals. The interface has been improved third-party filters, they are only as useful a Photoshop devotee to switch to Photo- up, which applies each mode to the layer Trace, the third part of the Graphics- Painter 7 as well as this new version of KPT over previous versions, and you can now as you make them. Lightning, which creates Paint, despite the better colour type as you move your mouse through the Suite puzzle can create vector artwork Effects. KPT is a set of effects that can be zoom and pan through the fractal, though detailed forks of light and electric arcs, management, unless the program has list. Conversely, there are some problems from bitmap images using a variety of installed in any host program that supports the result is not infinite. Want to create a doesn’t seem flexible at first. However, it something really special to offer. too. Moving an object layer results in a styles. These can then be opened in Draw Photoshop-compatible filters. The CD comes movie that looks like an image is flowing provides avenues of exploration that can bounding box, while Photoshop maintains as the basis for further work, or to export with both Carbonized and un-Carbonized like a liquid? Well, now you can with Flow, lead to interesting designs and ideas. At Face lift the display of the object in motion. Other it as an embedded Flash file for the Web. versions so that you can install them in any which lets you save a QuickTime movie the very least they’re fun to use, but pros The interface is as you’d expect for an new features include Publish to PDF, a new The final application is R.A.V.E., which host program – whether they run on OS X directly from the filter interface. should be wary of using recognizable filters. Aqua-compliant application. Lots of white Preflight engine for collating final output, is basically Draw on wheels. It’s a vector- or not. Applications that support Photoshop- Scatter is both funky and useful. It Simon Danaher ribbed palettes and transparent menus. It’s and In-RIP trapping that has a full range of based animation program that you can use actually nicely designed with tool bars that features for PostScript 3 devices. to create all manner of animated graphics can be docked or floated at the top or sides for Web pages and multimedia applications. the obvious effects have been done. of the screen. It has a few very nice tricks Vector player The interface is almost identical to Photoshop plug-in DreamSuite offers some refreshing up its sleave, such as effects layers called CorelDraw is the vector-drawing part of Draw, except there is a large timeline at changes to the usual stuff. a Lens. Photoshop has a limited set of the Suite. Its main competitors, Adobe the bottom of the screen. You animate by There are some simple effects such adjustment layers, but Photo-Paint lets Illustrator and Macromedia FreeHand are adding keyframes for elements as normal, DreamSuite as 35mm frame – which puts your image Publisher: Auto FX www.autofx.com you apply filters – such as an Sharpen already available for OS X. Draw feels a little and the program supports transformations in a frame resembling a slide holder. In Distributor: XChange (020 7588 5588) and Noise – non-destructively too. Not all slicker than Photo-Paint, and the interface of the object as a whole or from individual Pros: Fresh effects, both odd and useful. the same vein there is Instamatic, which filters are supported – there’s no blur lens is similarly well designed. Context-sensitive points. You can also animate fills, colours Cons: The interface can be fiddly. is like a Polaroid frame, and PhotoBorder, Drawn out – but there are the usual Levels, Curves pop-up menus give you quick access to and effects too for interesting results. Min specs: G3 or better; OS 9. which is like an aged photograph. Corel’s vector-based Draw is a and Hue/Saturation colour adjustment tools and a smooth workflow. The program The program also lets you create rollovers, Price: £229 (excluding VAT). There are some effects that are well-designed and easy-to-use tools. While these are good, they don’t quite has a shallower learning curve than so any object can become a button. Star Rating: ★★★★/8.6 especially suited to text, such as HotStamp, system, and – like the rest of compete with Photoshop’s adjustment tools. Illustrator – but about the same as Dimension X, Metal Mixer, Liquid Metal the suite – has an Aqua-compliant There is an impressive degree of FreeHand – and there are plenty of pro-level Macworld’s buying advice and Chisel. HotStamp adds a fiery outline interface under OS X. interactivity in Photo-Paint. For example, as features, such as embedded ICC profiles. The programs in the Graphics Suite are he DreamSuite series of Photoshop to text. Liquid Metal and Metal Mixer give Filter effects can be applied to bitmaps Carbonized (as opposed to being fully- plug-ins consists only of volume excellent chrome and metal effects to text too, and you can convert any vector element fledged Cocoa apps), which means T one currently, though Auto FX or any selected shape. Dimension X adds a to a bitmap inside the current file. There that they can run on both OS X and is off to a good start with this selection. high-quality embossed look, quite unlike the is a handy Prepare Files For Service Bureau OS 9 systems. In all the packages, The first thing I noticed was the usual emboss filter you find in Photoshop. wizard that will help the less experienced under OS X, there is a problem with slow speed. Thank goodness this was More unusual still are effects such as This lets you add different types of tape to In focus when it’s time to get a job printed. Again, the interface fonts. They’re just too fixed with an upgrade from the Auto FX Crease, which lets you scrunch up your an image, from Duct tape to clear tape. The Focus filter draws the eye to the streamlined and easy to understand small, hampering legibility. Web site. image as if it had just been pulled out the geisha in the picture, while colour-management system is a bonus, and It’s a very good overall package at an The fix is essential as it makes the of a bin. Macworld’s buying advice the tape effect makes it look like you can publish your job in PDF format or to extremely decent price, and will appeal to product much more useable. The interface, If there is one filter in this collection There are too many effects to mention here, a rubbish postcard. HTML with embedded Flash for Web output. the cost conscious and aspiring pro alike. while pretty to look at, does have some that is likely to be used every day it’s Focus. but they vary from the really useful to the Draw doesn’t have the rich palette This initial release, like OS X itself, is a quirks. The navigation was a little sluggish It lets you select a part of your image and occasional and fun ones. All the effects of calligraphic strokes that you find in little rough around the edges, but the more and hierarchical menus could be a little then gradually blur the surrounding area. that I have mentioned are fully customizable Illustrator, but, like FreeHand, text handling options we have as Mac users the better. over sensitive. If your mouse isn’t perfectly This is terrific as an instant depth of field and have lots of presets too. As a first is very good. Creating text on paths and Maybe Adobe could take a tip from Corel placed, the nested options disappear. effect, and a great way to subtly direct volume, it’s a diverse and promising start. flowing text around shapes is handled and show its true colours as far as The effects themselves are both good attention to where you want it. I look forward to seeing more from Auto FX well, as is text formatting. It’s also quite commitment to Mac OS X is concerned. fun and useful. Photoshop has been around Another favourite, and I’m sure people in the future. easy to use and learn, but when things Simon Danaher for more than ten years now, and most of will find ways to use it, is the Tape effect. David Fanning
64 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 65 Macworld reviews
he Bubble Jet S6300 prints anything and with a minimum of fuss. Full-bleed A3 printer from 4-x-6-inch card up to A3+ size Unless you’re a workflow colour- T – offering full-bleed on A4 and A3 management expert, complicated print Canon S6300 output – and is pitched at computer-aided interfaces – such as Epson’s – can Manufacturer: Canon designers. Without having its competitors be more trouble than they’re worth. (0121 680 8062) www.canon.co.uk on hand, I was unable to quantify Canon’s Canon’s is simplicity itself, offering Pros: Full-bleed A4 and A3; claim that the S6300 is the fastest in its three quality-options: Text, Graphics single-ink colour cartridges; class (17 pages per minute (ppm) in A4 and Photo. There is also a manual impressive colour accuracy mono and 12ppm in A4 colour). option for the pros. The test image and photo-quality output; However, manufacturer speed-claims was output on photo-quality glossy Mac OS X driver available should be taken with a pinch of salt. They paper and the results were both for download. are almost impossible to reproduce and colour-accurate and photo-quality. Cons: It’s no beauty. Min specs: Mac OS 8.1; USB. don’t reflect real life. The Macworld Test To view and download this image, Price: £312 (excluding VAT). Centre image includes a couple of go to www.macworld.co.uk/testcentre. Star Rating: ★★★★/8.8 photographs and some text, which Canon claims that its Microfine Droplet is a more realistic trial. Technology “delivers exceptional photo- and its all-in-one colour cartridge quality printouts as standard across all £19. And remember, with the all-in-one Out of the blocks types of papers”. Most people don’t care colour approach, when one of the colours is The S6300 is no slouch, outputting why printers work, only that they do – empty – yet the others still full – all have to Macworld’s print-test image at its top- and I can report that the 6300 performed be replaced. resolution (2,400-x-1,200 pixels) in just admirably across the board, from A3 under 3 minutes 30 seconds, which makes full-bleed images on glossy photo-paper, Macworld’s buying advice it the fastest A3 inkjet we’ve tested. down to 8pt-text documents on crappy The S6300 is a no-nonsense, high-quality The S6300, as well as being a larger old photocopying stock. A3 inkjet that does everything asked of it format, offers a number of technology Canon’s Single Ink technology means to a high standard. Its format also makes enhancements. One is Photo Optimizer Pro, each colour is self-contained and can it a flexible solution for graphics pros who an image-correction feature that analyses be replaced independently of the others, work with a variety of media. Although hue and brightness, and automatically offering considerable savings. no beauty on the outside, beauty is only corrects parameters such as colour, The S6300’s black cartridge costs £8.99 plastic deep. Mac OS X users will be exposure and saturation to produce to replace, while the colour ones are £6.99. pleased to know there’s an S 6300 optimized prints. If our test-output is Compare this to the Epson Stylus Photo X-driver on Canon’s UK Web site. anything to go by, then it works – 1290 A3 inkjet, whose black cartridge is £17 Sean Ashcroft
ireWire hard drives have always the Macs, in either OS 9 or X. FireWire drives held the promise of fast, simple-to- One drawback with using F use storage. Unfortunately, in practice these drives is that there is no they haven’t always lived up to the promise formatting software supplied. Ice Warrior – until now. These drives offer the ease It’s good that they need no 60GB FireWire of use of FireWire, plus more speed than drivers, but a little software Drive previously available. safety-net would be nice. When Manufacturer: Mac & More The difference is in the bridge – the the HighFly is reluctant to work (01442 870 300) bit that turns a common EIDE drive into a with a machine, there’s little that www.macandmore.co.uk FireWire drive. In the past, the only bridges can be done to fix the problem, Pros: Reliable; compact; fast. available managed just 15MBps, a fraction because there were no drivers Cons: Not as cheap as the of the speed that FireWire is capable of. to check for or install. HighFly range. The new bridges more than double that Min specs: FireWire. speed, offering 35MBps. It still doesn’t Macworld’s buying advice Price: £279 (excluding VAT). reach the full 50MBps capability of While both drives offer similar Star Rating: ★★★★/8.0 FireWire, but it is much closer. specifications, the Ice Warrior proved more robust, with no problems HighFly 80GB Clear improvement running on any of the machines. The FireWire Drive The drives here all use the new HighFly, though cheaper, had a few Manufacturer: bridge. The Mac & More Ice Warrior problems. OneTechnologies (top) is more slimline than the HighFly Both models Distributor: Disc Direct (bottom). It uses clear plastics similar are available with (01223 507 700) to the smaller FireLight series that have a range of drives Pros: Cheap; silver design. proved to be such a success for Mac & internally – varying Cons: Failed to work in one More. in capacity and RPM instance. When it comes to hard drives, speeds. Different Min specs: FireWire. Price: £235 (excluding VAT). compatibility and reliability is paramount. drives will offer Star Rating: ★★★/6.9 In theory, these drives should be compatible different speeds, with any Mac with FireWire and Mac OS 9 so performance will or X. For the most part, this is true. vary depending on the However, the HighFly wouldn’t work drive included. However, with one machine for reasons I couldn’t both are a step forward fathom. The Ice Warrior seems very robust, for FireWire and had no problems working with any of David Fanning
66 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld reviews
Motion capture 3D-animation tool
FilmBox 3.0 OS X Publisher: Kaydara www.kaydara.com Distributor: Gary Taylor Graphics Domain (01494 515 500) Pros: Dedicated motion-capture animation system; fast OpenGL display; non-linear editing. Cons: Non-Aqua interface can be complex; awkward non-OS X open/save dialog; dongled. Min specs: Mac OS X; G4; 1,024-x-768-pixel monitor. Price: $15,000. Star Rating: ★★★★/8.6
reating 3D animation is complex enough, but 3D characters require computer is more or less sorted. The multiple sequences and overlay then to Operating constraints C a special attention to detail and a next step is to organize that raw data. create a composite. The beauty of the FilmBox has a powerful set of specialized tool kit. FilmBox 3.0, available FilmBox can map the output of each system is that it lets you blend hand- constraints provided in three on Windows and Irix systems for some sensor to markers on a skeleton using keyframed animation with the motion- groups. The first are simple time, is now available on OS X. It’s a special template, which lets FilmBox capture data, giving you the best of constraints, such as being able a dedicated 3D-character animation know which sensor should control both worlds. For example, you like the to link positions between objects. system aimed at the high-end user. which part of the skeleton. performance in take 10 and want to use The second group are called There are many different approaches The skeleton can then be used to it, but you want to exaggerate a particular Relations, which utilize a to designing and bringing to life a digital control an imported 3D-character mesh, gesture by increasing the rotation values graphical interface that allows actor. However, there are two broad since FilmBox is purely an animation and of an arm joint. You can hand-key a few you to link virtually any parameter categorizations that can be made interactive rendering system, and is not poses for this joint in a separate take, with any other. A Sender or depending on the look of the end intended for modelling. Skin mode allows then blend it in the NLE with take 10. parameter output can be linked result, and the intended purpose you to attach a mesh to a skeleton so it Rendering is via a very fast OpenGL via an Operator to a Receiver of the character. will smoothly deform, and it has vertex display, and the performance was excellent or parameter input so that, for weighting tools for precisely controlling on a stock G4 machine. You can apply example, the position of your Cartoon animation the effect of each joint on the mesh. different materials and textures to objects, mouse can control the translation First is hand animation, a slow but Once the technical aspects of setting and there are several basic real-time of an object. Operators modify ultimately rewarding process, usually up or rigging the character to be controlled shaders – very useful for broadcasting the data being transferred. Large used to create exaggerated or cartoon-like is completed, you can begin the process real-time 3D characters. Point Spot and and complex custom constraint movements. The second is motion capture, of actually recording animation. Distant lights can be added, and Spotlights systems can be built. The which produces lifelike, natural animation, can display pseudo-volumetric cones in third type of constraint is because it’s recorded from the motion of Real-time control real time. You can render using antialiased an expression, which uses a real human actor. These two approaches FilmBox uses the concept of takes OpenGL to a file, though you can also mathematical equations are not mutually exclusive, and can be used to describe each recording of an actor’s output the finished animation as a to create custom effects. together as long as you have a system that movements. The beauty of the system is Lightwave scene file for better rendering. can properly handle the demands of both that data can be captured in real time – approaches. This is where FilmBox comes as an actor performs he or she will directly Macworld’s buying advice in, because it’s a specialized 3D-animation control a character within FilmBox. This FilmBox is an excellent system, though Alien dialog system that’s designed for this very makes it easy for directors to see if a it can seem very complicated at times. FilmBox’s interface is well purpose. performance looked good when translated Like Maya, it’s contributing to the new structured, but unfortunately The program has a wide range of to the character, and it also means that chapter in 3D graphics on the Mac, it doesn’t use OS X’s open and features geared towards acquiring and the actor can get instant feedback on how and for motion capture and real-time 3D- save dialogs – instead using managing motion-capture animation data. their movements look on the character. animation, it’s the only high-end solution. a custom path-browser that For those unfamiliar with this sort of 3D Simply recording motion capture is Simon Danaher is very un-Mac-like. animation, it involves a human being’s only half the story, you need tools to be motion being saved and converted into able to work with it, and FilmBox has keyframe data so it can be applied to a these in abundance. First, motion capture digital character. This can take the form data is dense – its function curves consist of a full body performance, where the actor of keyframes at every frame – so editing wears a special suit containing sensors or them is difficult. However, FilmBox allows reflective markers (depending on the type you to filter the function curve in order of system used) at certain positions on to reduce the number of keys and clean their body. It could also be a single glove to the data. This allows you to work with capture hand gestures. Even the computer the animation as if it was hand-keyed. mouse and keyboard can be used for very FilmBox also lets you cut and blend simple live-data recording. between different takes using its FilmBox can interface with most of non-linear editor (NLE). This works the motion-capture devices currently like the NLEs in other 3D systems such available, so getting the data into the as Maya’s Trax, and allows you to take
Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 69 Macworld reviews
tuffIt has long been the de-facto Compression utility standard on the Mac, with advanced S features and extra usability added with every release. Version 6.0 was no StuffIt different, but although it came with the Deluxe 6.5 Carbonized tag, certain of these features Publisher: Aladdin Systems – most notably the shortcut-utility Magic www.aladdinsys.com Menu – were not available under Mac OS X. Distributor: Softline Version 6.5 solves many of these problems, (01883 745 111) and adds cross-platform functions. Pros: Wide ranging file StuffIt Express PE, a personal edition compression and transfer of the file-transfer utility, covers the latter. options; greater Mac OS X integration; increased The personal edition ships with 16 Actions cross-platform compatibility. to automate multiple tasks such as Cons: Search Archives utility file compression and ftp transfers. This separate from main package. works by dragging items to be actioned Min specs: 6MB RAM; onto custom-built drop boxes, which 30MB hard-disk space. then perform the sequence of actions the Price: £65 (excluding VAT) user has previously set up. In the Enterprise ★★★★ Star Rating: /8.5 Edition, you can distribute these drop boxes to clients, but here you can only use drop Search Archives boxes on the Mac they were created on. StuffIt Deluxe 6.5 has the ability to search archives for specific file names and types, enabling This edition also has 10 fewer actions than further expansion options. For example, these Palm OS files can be launched straight into the the full version, but it’s a handy addition HotSync manager. to the Deluxe arsenal nonetheless – meaning, for instance, you don’t have to mess around with stuffing files and setting Magic Menu has been rewritten for this Macworld’s buying advice them up as email attachments for regular update, allowing Mac OS X users access Stuffit Deluxe 6.5, as well as extending its deliveries. to the StuffIt and Finder shortcuts from essential Mac OS X compatibility, has many Next up on the new additions front a drop down in the menu bar. Installing welcome time-saving attributes. There is a is the ability to compress files in the .tar this is simply a case of double-clicking free version available in the form of StuffIt format. This is especially useful for cross- on the application and, hey presto, you Lite, but if you’re serious about compatible platform compatibility. A dropper application have a Magic Menu to use. Any highlighted and reliable file compression, this called DropTar is included in the package, file can now be stuffed, expanded and commercial upgrade is well worth which you can place on your desktop and so on without first opening up any of considering. use in the usual StuffIt drag-&-drop fashion. the main StuffIt Deluxe applications. Michael Burns
n every comic-book collector’s life there and Swamp Thing. ComicBase’s database Swap-Thing tracker is a moment when, looking over a vast lists only the beginning and end titles. The I trove of issues at a comic shop, the cancelled series Doom Patrol and Animal question arises: “Do I own this already?” Man weren’t listed. Luckily, it’s possible for ComicBase It’s hard to keep track of an ever-expanding the user to make additions to the database 6.0 comic-book collection, but with ComicBase and download updates via the Web. Publisher: Human Computing 6.0, the job is made easy – and fun. Because many comic-book publishers www.human-computing.com ComicBase compiles the details of a print limited runs of comic series and one- Pros: Ample data-entry fields; comic-book collection and calculates its shots, keeping on top of the data is difficult. easy to compile and assess monetary value. But that’s not all. It also One flaw is not being able to find or personal collection; excellent includes a vast repository of comic-book catalogue a crossover issue (an issue in Web support; frequent information, detailing everything from which the plots and characters from at updates to address gaps comic-book titles, writers, and artists to least two separate series are featured in in database. Cons: Can’t select multiple special editions of issues. For the most one comic). Another problem is in the way entries for inclusion in part, the list of titles is both deep and wide. the information is displayed: while titles personal collection; deluxe (There is a Deluxe Edition that includes a are typically listed by issue number and edition offers only additional bonus disk with thousands of extra comic variation, it would also be useful to include graphics and movie files, no covers, video interviews, and movie trailers.) the month and year, and to let users expanded functionality. There are multiple ways to search, and customize which fields they’d prefer Min specs: Mac OS 9.1. results are impressive. When I entered The to see and sort data by. At present appraisal given by other, more expensive, Price: Standard, $129; Nocturnals and Zero Girl, two comics that the user cannot sort and view data. professional comic-book programs. Deluxe edition, $149. do not have a vast following, I found entries Staying organized doesn’t have to Star Rating: ★★★★/8.4 for both. However, the die-hard comic be scary. Despite the limitations of dealing Macworld’s buying advice collector will find that the list isn’t with one-shots, crossovers, and limited For comic aficionados, the software is a complete. I recently searched several stores series, ComicBase 6.0 is a useful program worthwhile investment to aid in the building for a series titled Children’s Crusade, that for tracking a collection, identifying missing and maintenance of a collection. Navigating begins and ends with a one-shot (single- issues in a series, and indicating how much the interface is easy, entering and amending release only) issue, and includes annual issues are worth. The value that ComicBase information is simple, and printing out issues from the series Black Orchid, The 6.0 gives to comics is debatable, however – collection details is straightforward. Books of Magic, Animal Man, Doom Patrol, as it’s typically more conservative than the Lisa Schmeiser
70 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld reviews
of paper sizes, and media – including do more than just Quick film-printer polyester film up to 13-x-35.5-inches. film separations. The ability to print directly to film makes Its mono output FilmMaker 4 this ideal for small design, repro or print is second to shops. While it’s unsuitable for four-colour none. The 2,400- 2400 Pro printing, it can handle single ink and duo- x-2,400dpi Manufacturer: Xanté www.xante.com tone jobs easily. You can, in theory, print resolution results Distributor: Info-Tec (0870 742 0802) Pros: The best mono printing available; four-colour separations, but the margin in crisp lettering can print to film; fast. of error is too great for high-quality work. and smooth Cons: Minimal OS X support. Though for jobs where image quality is gradients. If Min specs: Ethernet. less important it will do fine. you have a Price: £4,299 (excluding VAT). Not any old laser printer can output on densitometer, you can Star Rating: ★★★★★/9.0 film. For instance, film shrinks as the fuser calibrate the output easily heats it. This can cause problems, unless to get accurate greyscale the printer has the ability to adjust to fit, reproduction. Fine distinction ne of more tedious products I get which of course the FilmMaker does. It A feature designed to improve to review is the mono laser-printer. prints a test page so you can measure Macworld’s buying advice printing both positive and negative O Sure, mono lasers were integral to this shrinking or lengthening of the printed The FilmMaker is unlike any other mono film with FilmMaker is NEIT the birth and boom of the Mac and desktop image. Then you simply tell the printer laser-printer I’ve seen. The kind of quality (Negative Enhanced Imaging publishing. But I find it difficult to get your results, and – presto – your images you get from the FilmMaker comes at a Technology). This helps with the excited by them anymore – until this one. are the correct size. price, and at £4,299 it’s more expensive problem of fine lines disappearing The Xanté FilmMaker 4 is a different kind The FilmMaker can also adjust the than some colour models. However, the when they are on a black of laser printer. It brings the highest-quality density of the toner for different media. unique ability to print onto film makes it background. mono printing ever seen to the office. For instance, if printing on film it would worth the price tag. In fact, it could pay But this isn’t really an office printer, it’s be advisable to step up the amount of for itself pretty quickly if you do a lot of designed to be a graphics printer through toner used. This thickens the letters slightly, single-plate printing. The FilmMaker’s and through. which allows for the burnout effect when output is as good as mono printing gets. The difference between the FilmMaker the plates are made from the film. These Its speed, quality and unique features and other lasers is that it is designed from features are fiddly and a pain to use, but make it the only choice for desktop-film the ground up for graphics. Therefore it they are essential to the film-making printing. includes the capability to print on a range process. Of course, the FilmMaker can David Fanning Macworld reviews Macworld reviews
onceptDraw Pro is a charting, design CAD and graphics app and planning tool that has a curious Web guide-books C way of working. If you’re used to ConceptDraw Illustrator or FreeHand, you’ll get confused Rough Guide to the by the bewildering interface full of little Professional boxes with lines and points. Jumping Internet (for PCs and Macs) Publisher: Computer Publisher: Rough Guides www.roughguides.co.uk straight in throws you a bit too, as this Systems Odessa Pros: Mindless PC sheep will have their anti-Mac prejudices reinforced. is an environment where almost every tool www.conceptdraw.com Cons: This is only a good thing if you’re a mindless PC sheep. Pros: Wide variety of features; bears more than a passing resemblance to Price: £6. highly customizable; extensive the bézier curve creators of other packages. Star Rating: ★/0.5 library of objects; large However, this soon passes and you can template resource. see that this is actually quite a powerful Cons: Initially confusing; utility, with an intuitive – rather than Rough Guide Website Directory over-ambitious range of Publisher: Rough Guides www.roughguides.co.uk confusing – interface, and a pile of features applications. Pros: Entertaining; time-saving guide; cheap. to make creating diagrams a lot quicker Min specs: Mac OS 8.6-X Cons: May help you waste the time you save too. 10.1; PowerPC 603e or higher. and easier. Price: £3.99. ★★★★ Price: ConceptDraw Pro You begin using the software by Star Rating: /7.6 (electronic version), $249; creating a totally blank document and ConceptDraw Pro (box working from scratch, or you can use one version), $299; Academic of the many included templates. Templates s part of my job, I advise readers One thing that I have found lately is discounts are available. include business plans, industrial and Sparks will fly on what equipment to buy, what’s that there simply isn’t as much Internet ★★★★ Star Rating: /8.1 electrical-engineering diagrams, database ConceptDraw provides a host of library objects for almost any type of diagram – from circuit boards A good, what’s bad and what is as there used to be. This means fun sites and flow charts, home design and to bar charts. ugly. It’s something I take extremely to look at (particularly the ones with no architectural layouts. seriously, which is why I was so angry real revenue stream) are becoming more when reading The Rough Guide to the scarce. Having this book is a good way to Dishwashers feature that reads and assigns hyperlinks Connectors can be either line segments Internet. browse sites with a little less randomness. The templates come accompanied by to any Web-related text string in the – known as Direct connectors – or Smart I hadn’t got very far into the book There is a ton of interesting sites in this another powerful feature – object libraries. drawing. Hyperlinks can also be set to jump connectors, made up of horizontal and before I realized that the “For PCs and directory – such as Bert (from Sesame These include all the components that to another page of the document, another vertical lines. Both rebuild themselves Macs” on the cover was there purely to Street) is evil – which makes it an ideal you’ll need to create most everyday ConceptDraw document, or to launch any automatically when objects are moved, sucker potential Mac buyers into shelling resource to sit by your Mac and help charts and plans. Each template pulls up a file or application you specify. but the smart connector always ensures out for it. Basically, the only mention you idle your time away. relevant library, full of things such as tasks, ConceptDraw offers four types that nothing overlaps. Basically a quick it gives Macs is to suggest that buying timetables, dishwashers and logic gates. of objects in the Mac version: figures, way to draw the relationships between one would be computing suicide. Macworld’s buying advice Being vector based, everything is scaleable. connectors, groups and pictures. Figures objects in diagrams, connectors are The Rough Guide to the Internet should You can create a component and add are made up of elementary segments, of especially useful when a revision is required Moronic be avoided at all costs. Anybody that it to the library for future use. which there are four types: LineTo, SectorTo, on a complex layout. Any object can be It includes such moronic phrases as “think thinks that the Internet is there purely for Other powerful features are the import ArcTo and SplineTo. When segments are converted into a connector, and multiple carefully before locking yourself in the PC users is missing the point. The Internet and export capabilities. Most of the usual connected, they become a Geometry – a connections from one object are possible. Apple closet” and the more gracious: was designed to work with any computer, graphics file formats are supported, as solid path that closes to form a filled shape Text support, not surprisingly, is fairly “You can certainly get by with a Mac, and the fact that a fraction of a per cent well as AutoCAD .DXF files and EPS, and when the first segment meets the end of extensive. As well as style, format and but the Internet is overwhelmingly of sites don’t work perfectly with Macs ConceptDraw can import and export data the last. As line width and fill properties can editing commands, there are advanced geared towards PC users.” Thanks a lot is irrelevant. I’m sure there are more sites to and from PowerPoint files and HTML. be preset, this enables charts and drawings tools such as Autoexpand – which adjusts for that. Can I have my money back now? that don’t work with AOL or Netscape, It also has the ability to import and export to be quickly constructed. There are also the size of an object to accommodate the The Rough Guide Website Directory but I don’t see the author warning drawings as text. This may seem odd, but basic shape tools, such as rectangle and text contained within. isn’t nearly so annoying. It’s a pretty good against that. He must have his head the text can either describe the position, ellipse, and a box for text entry – all of Layers are also a useful addition to the list of the sites that are useful, amusing stuck in a very dark place indeed. relationships and attributes of the which serve to further speed the process. toolset. Up to nine layers can be used in a and informative. For the most part, it’s The Website Directory is a much components of a drawing, or as Outline Several Geometries can be combined document, providing a host of possibilities. accurate. In the current financial climate, better bet. An ideal stocking filler for the Data organized in a similar fashion to HTML to form more complex figures, automatically Take planning a house layout, for example. Web sites are dropping like flies, and any jaded Internet adventurer, it offers lots of – with tabbed indents for each subordinate formatted to share line and fill attributes, Instead of all wiring and plumbing being book about the Web can only hope to be new and interesting places to visit. component. and show overlapping areas as transparent. visible in a single drawing, each subsystem a snap shot. David Fanning Internet integration is also built in, with This is especially useful for creating complex can be assigned to a different layer, able Changing Rooms the ability to send drawings by email and shaped holes in closed figures. to be viewed singly or as a combination Plan your dream home launch searches from the File menu. The Objects can be snapped to the of views. This is a key feature of advanced in rapid fashion. software features URL autoparsing, a background grid to aid positioning, architectural and construction packages, or glued so that all connected objects so to find it in this relatively low-priced move when one is repositioned. package is a big plus. Objects can also be aligned in a variety of directions, reshaped, resized, rotated Macworld’s buying advice and flipped around axes. By opening its If you’re looking for a technical-drawing Object Parameter Table, each object is tool, this package has it all. Perhaps the almost totally customizable – with full only criticism is that it’s not focussed access to behaviours, attributes and enough on certain disciplines. However, characteristics. Pictures can also be if your requirements are general purpose, imported and used as ConceptDraw this is a reasonable investment. It’s fairly objects. cheap, runs on Mac OS X back to 8.6, and Connectors are another strength of the is extremely customizable. If you’re in package. These are used to link two objects education, it’s definitely worth a look. together even if they are moved or resized. Michael Burns
72 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 73 Macworld reviews
66. Route Britain offers street-level mapping Pan-Europe route finder and routes for Britain, and Route Europe offers city-to-city maps for the whole of Europe. Route Europe Pro offers street- Route 66: 2001-2002 to-street directions for Europe – though, various versions curiously, it doesn’t cover the same Publisher: Route 66 www.route66.nl territory as the non-Pro version. Distributor: Softline (01883 745 111) There are new features in all of the Pros: Door-to-door directions (Pro and versions, and the maps are up to date. Britain versions); faster than previous The Route Britain version now gives versions; live traffic data; GPS support. Cons: Complete installations can take live traffic reports when you have a a huge amount of disk space (over four Net connection. gigabytes for the Europe Pro version). One thing that has been improved in Min specs: 200MHz Power Macintosh; all versions is searching for a street. The Mac OS 8.5 or OS X. Route Britain, 720MB previous version used to try to pre-empt hard-disk space; Route Europe, 1.1GB hard- your search by throwing up matches as disk space; Europe Pro, 4.2GB hard-disk you type. This actually slowed the search, space. because it was doing so much work to Price: Europe Pro, £59.99; Europe, £29.95; pre-empt you. Now it won’t search for Britain, £29.95. (All prices include VAT.) Star Rating: ★★★★/8.5 a place until you hit return. was getting to grips with this extended Wheel quick One thing that is missing from Route 66 Europe, I looked at the Route Europe Pro. Route 66 works out the quickest is a proper postcode search. It will work on Confusingly, the Pro version has greater way from one destination to he people at Route 66 have been the first three digits of a postcode – so it detail, but covers less territory. Now Russia another. It will add time for making maps for years now. It’s will find WC1 without a problem – but if is nowhere to be seen. In fact even Ireland accidents and congestion T difficult to see how things could you type in a full postcode it won’t find isn’t on the map. Only Britain, Germany, the when it’s hooked up to the be improved further, because the last anything. This is something that the online Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark have Web. version worked pretty well – but they’ve map services do easily, so Route 66 should full street-level maps. Portugal, Spain, managed it. add it next time around. France and Italy have slightly less detail. Having a computer-stored map is One of the most confusing things about convenient, but I was wondering how the the different versions of Route 66 is the Macworld’s buying advice Route 66 products could compete with the varying coverage. Route Britain is fairly There are limitations, such as limited online competition. After all, streetmap.co.uk straightforward, though it only covers postcode support, but it is still better and multimap.com offer maps of Britain for Britain – not Northern Ireland or the Isle of than any online service. If you spend free, so why would you buy Route 66? Man. Route Europe, which has main roads a lot of time travelling, then it’s a handy Actually streetmap.co.uk doesn’t offer route but not all city streets, covers all of Europe thing to have around. If you are of a planning, and multimap.com can be a bit and some territories beyond Europe. It particularly technical nature, you can flaky on directions. includes Iceland and a load of other places even hook it up to your GPS. There are three new versions of Route I didn’t think were in Europe. Just when I David Fanning
The one benefit of the bigger machine is Heavyweight projector the extra brightness, it can output a massive 2,000 lumens, almost double the amount generated by the smaller models. This means LP630 that even in bright environments, the image Manufacturer: InFocus should be clear – although pulling the (0800 028 6470) www.infocus.com blinds won’t do any harm. Pros: Bright, versatile with good When a projector is used in an office connectivity. environment, it’s likely to be used with a Cons: Heavy. number of different computers. The LP630 Min specs: VGA or DVI video output. offers a huge array of connections. There Price: £3,250 (excluding VAT). is the usual VGA connection for most ★★★★ Star Rating: /8.2 computers, plus a digital connection (DVI) for suitably equipped Macs. Video and audio is also well catered for, with S-Video, sually when I look at data projectors, composite and component video. It also Macworld’s buying advice I am evaluating the ultra portable has stereo audio (RCA), and 3.5mm audio Five years ago, a projector this size would U type that weighs a kilo or two. The connections. have been as small as they came. The price InFocus LP630 is at the other end of the The controls and connections make for would have been about the same, but the scale though, at a hefty four kilos. The an easy-to-use and practical projector. It’s brightness would have been about a quarter reason is that it’s an extremely bright, ideal for non-IT experts – simply plug in your of the level this model has. If you’re currently high-resolution (XGA) projector aimed source, and it will be automatically selected. using an old model, you’ll be amazed at at conference rooms or classrooms. The projected image can be from the improvements that have been made. Unlike the majority of InFocus projectors, 2.5 feet to a massive 25 feet diagonally It’s an excellent choice for companies the 630 uses LCD projection methods rather in size – enough for almost everyone’s that need a projector big enough for than the more compact DLP (Digital Light needs. You won’t want to lug this projector large meetings, and small enough to Processor) system. This helps keep costs around for meetings on the road, but move from room to room. down, but makes for a bulkier machine. otherwise it’s very versatile. David Fanning
Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 75 Macworld reviews
acintosh users in a Microsoft calendars, contacts, and other Exchange Microsoft email client Exchange community fight resources. Overall, the new interface is M a constant uphill battle for very pleasing, even though it lacks the compatibility with their Windows-based Aqua sheen that users are starting to Outlook 2001 neighbours. Until just recently, Mac users expect. And, Mac-friendly features abound: Publisher: Microsoft could barely exchange formatted email message-preview zooming magnifies those www.microsoft.com/mac messages with Windows Outlook users, insanely tiny Windows fonts, for example, Pros: Fully compatible with Exchange Server; folder let alone participate in the rich traffic of and the Mac’s Keychain security feature sharing; clean interface. Exchange calendars, meetings, task and saves your password. Interactive Cons: No support for contact lists, notes, and document archives documentation via the program’s HTML mail formatting. enjoyed by their Windows colleagues. Mac Help Center is a real boon. Min specs: PowerPC; Those days are over. Microsoft Outlook Behind the slick interface, Microsoft Mac OS 8.6 ; connection for Mac 2001 offers feature parity with has added a mountain of new capabilities. to an Exchange Server. the Windows version, letting Mac users A full-featured calendar keeps track of Price: Free participate in group scheduling, share appointments and lets you share them with Star Rating: ★★★★/8.1 address books, collaborate on projects, others. You can have calendar items sent and publish documents. It even has a automatically to other Outlook users and few features – such as drag-&-drop copying create public calendars for jointly managing and easy setup – that Outlook for Windows vacation or project schedules. doesn’t, and the Mac interface makes this A meeting planner helps you arrange It’s a date version more user friendly than its Windows meetings with multiple users. You choose Outlook 2001 lets you share schedules with counterpart. several users from an address book, display other Exchange users. a consolidated view of all their schedules, X out and select a compatible time or let Outlook one minor omission remains: HTML mail There are only two real disappointments: 2001 choose one for you. All invitees get formatting. Outlook 2001 converts incoming Outlook 2001 doesn’t run natively in Mac an email message about the suggested HTML messages to RTF format and doesn’t OS X – you can run it in OS X’s Classic time, which they can confirm or, with let you compose HTML mail messages. mode, but performance suffers – and it permission, reschedule. Windows users don’t suffer this. requires Microsoft Exchange Server. Shared folders let you delegate Outlook 2001 is easy to install: simply management of some or all of your Outlook Macworld’s buying advice drag the application folder from the CD functions to another person. A feature Outlook 2001 is elegant and responsive in to your hard drive, and the program self- unique to Outlook 2001 for Mac is Mac OS 9, but it drags somewhat in OS X’s installs when you first launch it. A start- the Sharing Panel, which consolidates Classic mode, and the user interface isn’t up up wizard walks you through the initial permission controls for all Outlook functions to Aqua standards. Still, if you’re living in a configuration, offering context-sensitive in a single dialog box; Windows users Microsoft Exchange corporate culture, you troubleshooting advice if things go awry. must click through dozens of windows have to get along – and with Outlook 2001, Once launched, Outlook presents a to configure sharing and delegation. you finally can. single multipaned window displaying mail, Beyond the lack of native OS X support, Mel Beckman
dobe Photoshop’s Unsharp Mask Pro-sharpening plug-in filter compares each pixel in an A image to neighbouring pixels – nik the greater the contrast between two pixels, the more it increases the contrast. Sharpener Pro This results in a halo effect around edges Publisher: nik Multimedia that appears to increase an image’s www.nikmultimedia.com sharpness. Distributor: XChange The Unsharp Mask filter can also (020 7588 5588) Pros: Sharpens images have the undesirable effect of exaggerating optimally and automatically; texture in flat areas, noise introduced offers profiles for different by a scanner, and artifacts from JPEG output devices. compression. Even when happy with your Cons: Pro-package price Unsharp Mask settings, there’s still a rub. Before and after will put off all but the most If the image is for online use, then the The picture on the right, which was sharpened using nik Sharpener Pro is clearly sharper than the committed. sharpened on-screen version will be what left-hand picture. Price: Sharpener Pro, £229; you get when it’s uploaded. However, if it’s Sharpener, £75. (Both prices destined for print, there’ll be a difference Photoshop filter menu, and all trigger an example). There’s also a printer-quality exclude VAT.) Min specs: Adobe Photoshop between the on-screen version and how easy-to-use preview window. The great slider, that compensates for varying paper 4.0; Corel Photo-Paint 8.0; it looks on paper after being put through thing about this plug-in is that – although and printer standards. or Ulead PhotoImpact 4.2. the halftoning print-process. what it does is complex – it’s fully Star Rating: ★★★★/8.3 nik Sharpener Pro is a clever plug- automated. Macworld’s buying advice in that not only automatically sharpens The image-quality options on offer For graphics pros who use Photoshop’s images optimally, but offers output profiles are optimized by default, and so will rarely Unsharp Mask, Sharpener Pro will prove designed to retain that image’s integrity – need tweaking. One interesting feature is a boon. However, for home use, the boiled- whether it’s being output on a laser, inkjet the eye-distance settings: these compensate down Sharpener – which lacks some fine- or an offset press. for the distance between image and viewer tuning features – will prove adequate. Sharpener Pro’s options appear in the (a magazine as opposed to a poster, for Sean Ashcroft
76 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld reviews
Digital audio Digital Performer 3 Publisher: Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) www.motu.com Distributor: Music Track (01767 313 447) Pros: Has everything you need for MIDI+ Audio sequencing; first-rate user interface. Cons: Continuous scrolling is sluggish. Min specs: PowerPC 604e; Similar sequence 64MB available RAM; The closest comparison to DP3 is Pro Tools 5.1 – as DP3’s new Sequence Editor presents all the MIDI and Audio tracks in one window. This is similar Mac OS 8.5.1. to the Pro Tools Edit window, where you can view and edit all your MIDI notes, audio soundbites, audio automation and MIDI controller data. As in Price: £599 (including VAT) Star Rating: ★★★★★/9.1 Pro Tools, both MIDI and audio tracks can be independently resized vertically, and you can record multiple takes into any track.
ark of the Unicorn first a dedicated MIDI Machine Control window. Automatic Voice Allocation feature, which developed its Performer software A new Continuous Scrolling preference allows the program to dynamically assign M for the Mac in 1985. It quickly causes the playback wiper to stay anchored audio voices from a pool of 96 mono voices became established as the leading music to the centre of the window while the data and 64 stereo voices. For example, MOTU’s sequencer in the USA, and was renamed in the window scrolls behind. However, preliminary bench tests – running DP3 on Digital Performer when audio features were scrolling performance was surprisingly an 800MHz dual-processor G4 equipped added about 10 years ago. For the first few clumsy and sluggish on my dual-processor with a MOTU 2408mkII audio interface years of the Mac’s existence, it was not 500MHz Power Mac G4. – reveal that Digital Performer is able widely adopted in the UK. Consequently, to play back 128 tracks of 16-bit 44.1KHz Performer users were few and far between, RAM recording audio, with eight bands of parametric EQ and sequencers from Steinberg and Emagic Digital Performer has a number of unique and dynamics 32-bit processing used on – available originally on the Atari computer features, including the Polar and Samplers each track. This compares very favourably – became better-established. windows. Polar lets you record audio to with Pro Tools systems, which are restricted Available on the Mac for the last RAM, overdubbing on the fly, while the to a maximum of 64 tracks. Interestingly, decade, Emagic’s Logic Audio is the Samplers window lets you transfer samples you can transfer entire projects containing Mix master software of choice for most music between DP3 and most popular hardware- audio and MIDI data between Digital DP3’s logically laid-out Mixing professionals, while Steinberg’s Cubase VST samplers. Anyone working with loops Performer and any other system that Board incorporates just about all is more successful in the home-studio will appreciate the ease of Polar, while supports the OMF Interchange file format. of the features you’ll find in Pro market. Now MOTU is making a bid for sampler users will appreciate the benefits Most importantly, this means you can Tools – although some of these sequencer superstardom with the release of such close integration with the sequencer transfer projects to or from Pro Tools are positioned or accessed a little of Digital Performer 3 (DP3). software. using Digidesign’s DigiTranslator software. differently. You also get Window New professional features include Surround-sound recording, mixing Sets, an Input Quantize window, time-stamping of the audio regions, various and mastering are introduced in DP3 – Macworld’s buying advice and a Tool Palette. automation modes for the Mixing Desk, and support for all formats, including LCRS Performer was the first computer-based and 5.1. Multiprocessor support has also sequencer I worked with. I continued been introduced, effectively doubling the to use it until three years ago when available processing power for plug-ins. Logic Audio leapt ahead. More recently, DP3 includes an excellent selection of audio Pro Tools 5.1 has been my preferred plug-ins. These are available when using environment, but now I can work in the MOTU Audio System with the Mac’s Digital Performer as easily and efficiently built-in audio, or with the wide range of as within Pro Tools – but with the benefit supported cards – although not when of far-superior MIDI features. And, I can using Pro Tools TDM hardware via the still use my Pro Tools TDM hardware via DAE software. the DAE software. Even better, I can swap All the standard effects are provided, projects to and from Pro Tools as I please. including EQ, delay and dynamics I can also run DP3 on any of my Macs processing. Many of the new plug-ins using the native audio, or with most introduced with DP3 are designed for popular audio cards, and take advantage surround applications, such as Speaker of the wide range of MOTU plug-ins. One Calibration, and Feedback Delay. Other of the most powerful things in favour of useful newcomers include MasterWorks DP3 is the excellent user-interface. This Gate, which provides real-time, look-ahead completely blows away Logic Audio and gating; Trigger, which converts audio Cubase VST – both of which have very waveform peaks in an audio track into MIDI messy interfaces. I can highly recommend notes; and Plate, which simulates vintage DP3 for professional work, as it now plate reverbs. provides a great alternative to any A high number of tracks and audio of its competitors. voices are made possible by DP3’s new Mike Collins
78 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld reviews For 25% discount on games, visit www.macworld.co.uk/games
hird-person action games, such Prophet-chasing action as those in the Tomb Raider series, T are related to, but subtly different Star Trek Deep from, games in the first-person-shooter genre. They not only present action from Space Nine: diverse perspectives – vantage points The Fallen outside your on-screen persona – but also call on different skills. These games often Publisher: Simon & Schuster require a better sense of spatial awareness Interactive and feature more puzzles, platforms, and www.simonsays.com mazes. Distributor: MacGold This month I’m taking a look at (01723 582 100) third-person-action game Star Trek Deep Pros: Follows the plot of the Space Nine: The Fallen. books. By far, my favourite Star Trek show Cons: Occasional sound has been Deep Space Nine. So I had popping. Min specs: PowerPC G3; high expectations of Simon & Schuster Mac OS 8.0; 64MB RAM; Interactive’s release of Star Trek Deep 150MB hard-disk space. Space Nine: The Fallen, a game that Price: £39.99 (including VAT). finally came to the Mac after a delay Star Rating: ★★★★/7.8 of almost a year. Was it worth the wait? By the Prophets In some respects, yes; in others, no. Star Trek Deep Space Nine: The Fallen combines familiar elements of Star Trek storytelling with The Fallen fits into the framework of engrossing – and challenging – 3D gaming action. Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek Deep Space Nine series of novels. If you’re a fan of the books, you’ll be pleased to find a game beyond a basic action game. You wield a television show – it’s engrossing and a lot that maintains their storyline. Developed tricorder to find items and life forms, and of fun. And you get a chance to explore the by Collective Studios, The Fallen alternately you match your phaser to the frequency Defiant, visit Bajor, check-out different parts puts you in the roles of characters Sisko, of alien shields. You can call upon Bashir, of the Deep Space Nine station, and travel Kira, and Worf. You must recover the Red Dax, Odo, and others to help you. to a Dominion prison base. Orb, an ancient artefact containing the One of The Fallen’s most unusual The game’s soundtrack production essence of the Pah Wraiths – a race of alien aspects is that it’s a story told in three and voice acting are top-notch, too. In fact, creatures that once threatened to destroy parts. You’re required to play each of the the game’s producers lined up most of the the people of planet Bajor. Two opposing three characters in the story, although the actors from the television series, although forces have discovered that recovering order in which you play them is largely up sound-alike actors supplied the voices of the Orb can lead either to peace or to to you. This sounds better in theory than O’Brien and Sisko. Those replacement the development of a superweapon. it is in practice, because it can lead to actors did admirable jobs, but I must The Fallen is powered by the Unreal inconsistent storytelling. It’s worth playing admit that I missed hearing Avery Brooks’s Tournament engine, and it looks and plays the game out as all three characters, distinctive and commanding voice in the great – most of the time. Collective Studios though I had to stop between characters role of Sisko. has added some advanced features to the and play something else to avoid burnout. Alas, The Fallen had problems on my engine that help provide fluid character Call me uncoordinated, but I repeatedly G4/500 equipped with Mac OS 9.1 and animation and realistic special effects. All found myself getting cut to ribbons by 512MB of RAM. Audio would occasionally the requisite elements of the third-person various menaces as I fumbled with the click or pop, and I had to restart my Mac action game are here. You’ll spend much sometimes-complex combination of at times when the game froze. I also had of your time exploring different areas, keyboard and mouse movements needed to a few problems getting the game to start recovering items you need to continue execute commands or use some items. The at all. the game, and achieving goals such as game’s difficulty level seems to be tweaked collecting keycards. A lot of this game well above what’s customary for games of Macworld’s buying advice play is similar to other third-person action this ilk. Star Trek Deep Space Nine: The Fallen is games, but it does drive the story forward. The Fallen has a well-crafted story filled beautiful to look at, but it’s hampered by The game’s interface is very Trek-like, with interstitial sequences that make the audio glitches and can be unreliable. and certain elements take The Fallen game move forward like an episode of the Peter Cohen
Myth III news Myth III: The Wolf Age Publisher: MacSoft www.wizzardworks.com/macsoft Myth III: The Wolf Age for the Mac should ship by late November, MacSoft claims. The company has released the best screen shots yet of the hotly anticipated title.
80 Macworld NOVEMBER 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month 25% discount on top games to all Macworld subscribers Macworld reviews – register at www.macworld.co.uk/games
Civilian flight-sim
Fly! II Publisher: MacSoft www.iflytri.com Distributor: Softline (01883 745 111) www.softline.co.uk Pros: Realistic aircraft, controls and flying; network play; large community of developers making extra planes and airports etc. Cons: Landscape and cities not convincing; needs fast machine; Mac OS X performance poor. Min specs: Mac OS 8.6-X; 1.2GB hard-disk space; 128MB RAM; 350MHz PowerPC G3; 16MB video-card hardware acceleration. Price: £35 (including VAT). Star Rating: ★★★★/8.7
love flight simulators, I really do. But while researching the background for I this Fly! II review, I realised that I am but perhaps it appeals to commercial Obviously, if you were to map the High flyer nothing but a lightweight amateur – there pilots when they are relaxing in the whole world with the same detail as is So long as you fly high enough, are some very serious flight-sim fans in evening. applied to the aircraft, it would take until the landscape is very realistic. the world. I’ll try to avoid offending them That’s a good point, actually. I always the end of time. So simplifications must be If you get to close though the (the flight-sim freaks), while trying to thought of pilots as being dashing heroes made. The weather is very well done, and illusion is quickly lost with blocky get to the bottom of the phenomenum. of the sky. Not the kind of people to take the ground as seen from the air looks much graphics and square buildings. Fly! II goes for realism. It contains pleasure in reliving their airborne exploits like the real thing. You can see fields and thousands of airports around the world – on the small screen. Surely they are too towns and lakes. some with realistic taxi lanes and terminals. busy charming flight attendants while If you find your local airport is only drinking gin and tonics. I can’t believe San Francisco fake represented by its runway, you may find real pilots want to fly fake planes. This is fine until you fly a little lower. that somebody has posted a more detailed So presumably, the people buying The towns are more obviously pixelated map, and possibly terminal buildings, on flight-sims are aspirational pilots, making and the landscape is very flat. Some efforts the Internet. do with the closest thing to flying. I’m an have been made to render more popular aspirational pilot, but I would much rather cities in greater detail – however, this just Choice craft be dog-fighting with Fritz in a Sopwith shows how the rest of the landscape is There is a selection of aircraft including Camel than flying executives to an urgent unrealistic. For example, San Francisco a seaplane, a luxury jet and a helicopter. meeting in the Florida Keys. has the more recognizable landmarks, There’s a community devoted to adding such as the Trans America Pyramid, more models to the original list, though Fly by wire Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. currently I can find only aircraft designed Another level of realism is available by There are other tall buildings represented, for the previous version of Fly! playing, if that’s the right word, online. You but nothing in between them. Also, the The world of flight sims is divided can immerse yourself in a virtual world with whole city is shown as being flat, which into combat and realism genres. Personally, other virtual pilots. couldn’t be further from the truth. I can’t get excited about flying from London The level of realism in Fly! II is in Actually flying the aircraft feels very to San Francisco in real time, but I know some ways extremely high, yet in others realistic, though you will be well advised people do. I would rather be launching very basic. The aircraft you fly are lovingly to have at least a joystick or yoke to control air-to-air missiles at enemy MiGs, and recreated in every detail, the dashboard it. I found I could land my aeroplane quite trying to land on aircraft carriers. Missions (or whatever the aeronautical equivalent easily, which probably points to the realism like this are found in combat flight-sims, is) is based on the real thing, even including being a little toned down. I’m sure if I really Fly! II has its own adventure scripts. The a cigarette lighter. The controls are as close tried flying a plane with only a cursory Fly! Adventures are a little less frantic – to the real thing as possible, and the aircraft glance at the manual it would end in such as getting the plane across themselves are exact models of the full-size a much less gentle touchdown. The the country, but with only just enough ones. Details like the propeller speed and helicopter, on the other hand, proved fuel. This doesn’t get my heart pounding, windows all add to the realism. far beyond my piloting skills. Gamer’s Club page 82
All subscribers to Macworld are entitled to register for you details of how you can become a fast-track FREE membership to this fantastic club – all you need to subscriber, with immediate membership to the Gamers’ do is go to www.macworld.co.uk/games, input your email Club. address and subscriber number, and you will Alternatively, register your interest at MacExpo automatically be entitled to a 25 per cent discount on (22-24 November, at the Business Design Centre, many top Mac games. Islington, London N1). Visit Macworld at Stand 170 to get If you’re not a Macworld subscriber, register your full information on a variety of great subscription offers, interest at www.macworld.co.uk/games. We’ll then send and immediate membership to the Club.
Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 81 Macworld reviews For 25% discount on games, visit www.macworld.co.uk/games
While Fly! II is a capable, intricate Macworld’s buying advice you’ll need the latest hardware. In fact, you and highly detailed game, it doesn’t If realistic flight-sims are your thing, then could spend thousands turning your house quite feel finished. Fortunately, people this is a must-have product. It isn’t without into the cockpit of a 747 if you want to – are dedicated to adding to it, improving its quirks, and the manual is a little thin. there really doesn’t seem to be any limit to the scenery, aircraft selection, audio for It will run under OS X, but I found it too what you can spend making your flight-sim control-tower feedback and all sorts of slow to be useable. So ideally you will be more immersive. If you want realism, you other stuff. The end result is a game that running OS 9, on a fast Mac, with a recent won’t find more realistic aircraft on the forms a hub for a whole community of graphics card. The requirements are less Mac. flight-sim fans. than that, but if it’s realism you want, then David Fanning
Face-huggable blaster eyland-Yutani bioweapons research facility on LV-426. W 2154 – ten years after Ripley Aliens Vs effectively shut down all xenomorphic Predator research. Until now. Publisher: MacPlay The sensuous female voice of the www.macplay.com facility computer jolts you awake. Distributor: Softline “Massive biocontainment failure. (01883 745 111) Scientific and civilian personnel evacuation www.softline.co.uk complete. Serious xenomorph infestation Pros: The most atmospheric reported in level 1. Level 3. Level 6. Levels 9 game ever; three playing styles; too scary to put down. through 14.” Cons: Too scary to put down; “Expected time until help arrives… graphics slightly dated. 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 53 seconds.” Price: £35 (including VAT). And, as if to ram the point home, Min specs: Mac OS 8.6 or the entire facility plunges into darkness. higher; Rev A iMac or higher. Incoming message blip from security ★★★★★ Star Rating: /9.5 HQ. “OK. Stay frosty, marine. No sweat – Gang killing just follow standard evac procedure. Head Everything in Aliens Vs Predator is straight from the movie set: massive APCs (Armoured Personnel to the dropship on apron four, and we’ll Carriers) and dropships dominate the external environments, while the aliens will approach with burn our way outa here.” tails whipping and double jaw extended. Acid splashes over walls when the aliens explode, all “I hear you, sarge,” you reply. “Pulse adding to an incredibly tense gameplay experience. rifle is locked and cocked. Little low on ammo, though. Image enhancer is online. Motion tracker is A1… but – nah, this can’t navigation. The game mechanics are spot came out on Windows a couple of years be right. I’m getting some pretty strange on. Aliens dash along walls and ceilings ago. While well realized, the textures can readings here. Are you seeing this?” with reaction-stretching speed, and marines look a little grainy and the characters are So begins the terrorfest that is Alien Vs saunter past while you’re cloaked as the slightly blockier than modern gamers are Predator, dropping you headlong into the Predator. used to. The upside is that it will safely frightening conflict between xenomorphic The audio hasn’t been skimped on work on anything from a Rev A iMac creatures with too many teeth and acid for either. Dynamic music is straight from running Mac OS 8.6 upwards. It’s not a blood, and the relentless Predator, complete the film series, while the weapons sound happy alien playing in Mac OS X, but it with cloaking device and human skulls. exactly as they do in the various Alien will comfortably work in Classic. Alien Vs Predator is a first-person movies. Even better, the motion tracker It’s realistic, with aliens, marines, and shooter in the style of Quake or Marathon. pings rhythmically, its mini radar flashing the Predator able to be killed in a instant. However, instead of taking on the role of a ever-more urgent warnings as it picks up It can make for frustrating restarts, but it Top Ten UK Games gun-toting hero, you can adopt the role of aliens closing in. all adds to the atmosphere. battle-hardened marine, nightmarish alien, Gameplay is additionally involving. Included is a worthy multiplayer game, 1 Tropico or the seemingly unstoppable Predator. The ability to take on the role of any of although the weighting given to the 2 The Sims House Party It’s also the game you always dreamed the game’s main protagonists gives it a sometimes invincible-seeming Predator does 3 Tomb Raider Trilogy of. Unsurpassed lighting, audio, gameplay unique edge, and each race demands mean that the best online experience is to 4 Sheep and visuals combine to conjure up an varying tactics and delivers a refreshingly be had between bands of marines and a 5 Escape from immersive feeling of fleeing down tight different experience. The aliens are brood of aliens. Multiplayer is only Mac-to- Monkey Island corridors, frantically reloading weapons, or astoundingly quick, but little armour means Mac at present, although a patch is 6 Myst III Exile simply waiting in ambush as an alien then they can be quickly dispatched. Playing as promised. Collectors Edition pouncing on you helpless foe. the Predator, on the other hand, demands 7 American McGee's Never has a game been able to stealth and cunning to reach your objective. Macworld’s buying advice Alice create an environment that literally drips That said, this is a shooter in the truest Aliens Vs Predator is a rare gem of a game, 8 Tony Hawks atmosphere of this calibre. Inside, the sense, and the objectives are simple. Get oozing atmosphere and creating genuine Pro Skater 2 rooms are grimly lit, red emergency lights from A to B, remembering to pull a lever feelings of tension. Lighting, graphics, and 9 The Sims blinking on and off, while outside rain pours on the way that will open the exit door. audio all conspire to pull together a game 10 Tomb Raider Chronicles down. Some places are shrouded in inky It’s uncomplicated fun, instead allowing the that sports a unique playing style and added blackness, with the marine having to rely player to be sucked into its futuristic world. multiplayer matches. It has face-huggers, List supplied by Softline on the ghostly light on night-vision goggles, While graphically rich, this is no Unreal too. while the Predator has to switch to infrared Tournament, being a port of a game that Matthew Bath
82 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Mac OS X first aid What you need to fix your Mac’s problems By Ted Landau
elcome to square one. When you’re troubleshooting in Mac OS X, most of W what you learned about OS 9 is irrelevant. There’s no more rebuilding the desktop, no more isolating extension conflicts – OS X is much more than an upgrade to Mac OS; it’s an entirely new operating system. When trouble strikes (and it will), your reliable set of OS 9 remedies will be of little help. Now that Apple is including OS X on every system it sells you need to know how to keep your new operating system in excellent condition. That’s where this article comes in. It provides a first-aid kit for nursing Mac OS X back to health when problems MARVIN JANOVITZ arise. For everything from system crashes to files that won’t go into the Trash, here’s what you need to keep your OS X system in good health.
continues page 86
84 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 85 out, and then log back in. This almost always fixes a freeze. Thaw a frozen Mac Because the freeze probably affected only one application, How privileged are you? Applications can freeze in Mac OS X, just as they do in OS 9 you can save your work in any other open applications – most commonly resulting in an endlessly spinning before doing this. our log-in status determines your directory, and the system is the owner Copy cats When you copy an item beach-ball cursor. However, unlike in OS 9, freezes in OS X With those rare freezes so severe that you can’t get the ability to access the contents of of just about everything else. Your access to a new location, the privileges of the don’t usually bring your Mac to a screeching halt. If you Log Out command to work, you may need to restart your Y each and every file on your Mac OS X to files owned by the system depends copy will change to match those of the click on a window belonging to an application other than Mac. However, before you do, let it sit idle for a minute or system’s hard drive. To check your status on your group assignment. As an destination location. So, if you copy a the frozen one, the Mac responds normally. Still, you’ll two. This gives it a chance to write cached data from RAM with regard to a particular file or folder, administrator, for instance, you’re a program from the Applications folder to probably want to thaw out the frosty application, to the hard disk (something it may still be able to do, select its Show Info window (⌘-I) and member of the Admin group, which your Home directory, the owner of the especially if you need to use it again. Here are the steps despite the freeze), possibly preventing data corruption. select Privileges from the pop-up menu. has Read-&-Write access to what’s in file will change from the system to you. that you need to take: After you’ve done that, use whatever method works with You’ll then see the privileges assigned the Applications folder – even though Folders trump files Folder privileges your particular model (pressing ⌘-control with the power to each of three categories: the owner Admin does not own have priority over the privileges of files Force quit button on laptops or with the reset button on desktop of the folder, the group whose members within the folder. Suppose that as an To get out of a Macs). can access the folder’s contents, and administrator, you place an application in freeze, the Force everybody else. If you are the owner, the Applications folder and enable Read-&- Quit Applications Prevent panic attacks you can modify the privileges Write access – which imparts the ability window lets you Most Macintosh users have come across the dreaded assigned to the various categories. to drag it to the Trash – for all users. choose an application system bomb from time to time, but the types of crashes For example, if a folder is Read Only Because the program resides in the to force quit. that cause it do not occur in Mac OS X. Don’t start for everybody and you want others Applications folder – which limits celebrating quite yet, though – as OS X has its own version to be able to modify the contents, deletion power to administrative of the system crash. It’s called a kernel panic – and it’s just you can change that category’s members only – a non- as debilitating as any OS 9 crash. A kernel panic happens privileges setting to Read & Write. administrator’s attempt when the underlying Unix core that Mac OS X depends on On the surface, this seems to to delete the file will fails. You’ll know it’s happened to you if strings of text be the equivalent of the Sharing be denied. containing error messages appear over the current display settings accessed from the Ignore privileges ✚ on your screen – right before everything stops working. Get Info windows of OS 9. (sort of) There is an option TIP Kernel panics are rare but can be triggered by familiar However, there are critical called Ignore Privileges On This demons: corrupted software, a software bug, or differences: to start with, Volume, in the Show Info window of You can apply Force incompatible hardware. For example, as of OS X 10.0.4, a in Mac OS X, privileges are volumes. Enabling it theoretically turns Quit to any open 1. Use Force Quit If you’ve used ⌘-option-escape to kernel panic may occur if you eject a CD while the iTunes always enforced. Similarly, for off the enforcement of privileges for that application from the force quit an application in Mac OS 9, you’ll be pleased that application is opening; if you start up with a blank CD in a users who aren’t on a network, volume. The rationale is that when you Dock. Just click and this keyboard command works in OS X. Alternatively, you SCSI-connected CD-RW drive; or if third-party RAM isn’t these settings become relevant mount an external volume, the privileges hold the mouse on can select Force Quit from the Apple menu. Either method within your Mac’s specifications, even if that RAM works in OS 9 only if you enable Multiple settings used in the volume’s prior location the application’s Dock brings up the Force Quit Applications window (see “Force fine in OS 9. Here is how to recover from a kernel panic: Users. In OS X, you always log in as will be irrelevant. Enforcing the privileges icon. When the pop-up Quit”, above). From here, you get to select which 1. Restart If a kernel panic occurs, just restart your a specific user. And privileges can be will likely prevent you from accessing the menu with a Quit application (including the Finder) you want to quit. Mac – you should be fine. set separately for each file in OS X, those contents of the volume, defeating the option appears, hold 2. Use Process Viewer In Mac OS X, some programs 2. Reinstall Alternatively, you can check for updates. down to the last text document. In Mac files. Items purpose of mounting it. But either by down the option key, (the Dock, for example) run behind the scenes. Since you Typically, the only thing you can do to prevent the panic’s OS 9, settings are limited mainly to folders. assigned to the group design or due to a bug, the option and Quit will change didn’t launch them, they aren’t listed in the Force Quit return is to avoid whatever caused it. In the long term, you Finally, in OS X, even the owner can’t “wheel” (including nearly everything in the doesn’t work as expected. to Force Quit. Applications window. Still, you may someday need to quit need to get a bug-fix upgrade to the offending software. reassign a file to another owner or group System Folder) can also be accessed by Make Unix your friend Show Info’s one. A Dock icon may stop working, for example, or the An update may already exist; to find out, check sites such – at least not from the Show Info window. administrators – but only via root access. privileges are actually a subset of the full “puff of smoke”that appears when you drag an icon off the as www.versiontracker.com and run OS X’s Software Update. All this makes dealing with privileges You can get a complete list of all Unix-based permissions settings that OS X Dock may not disappear as it should. If this happens to you, Otherwise, on the off chance that the kernel panic was unavoidable in OS X. It also can be a groups and see their members by opening uses. If you want to easily take advantage quitting and then relaunching the Dock may be the cure. caused by corrupted software rather than a bug, try to source of irritation, as you’re faced with NetInfo Manager and clicking on the of the available settings, try a $10 This is where Process Viewer (found in OS X’s Utilities reinstall the suspected culprit. “insufficient privileges” errors never seen Groups item from the Directory Browser. shareware utility called Get Info folder) comes to the rescue. Launch it, and select the Dock in OS 9. Here are some guidelines to help Click on the name of a group, and the (www.gideonsoftworks.com/getinfo.html). process from the list that appears (see “Dock Quit”, left). Get your OS out of the traps you through this tangled web: Users list at the bottom of the window will It allows an administrator to change the Dock quit Then select Quit Process from the Processes menu. The When your Mac won’t even start up, you know you’re in Who owns what? Each user is show the names of its members. You can owner and group of any file and to modify To quit processes not listed in the Dock will vanish and then reappear in about ten seconds. trouble. In Mac OS X, that problem can take any of several the owner of the files in his or her User even create new groups with this utility. the read, write, and execute permissions. Force Quit Applications window, 3. Log out or restart If neither Force Quit nor Quit forms. You may wind up with a blank “blue screen of use Process Viewer. Process works, select Log Out from the Apple menu to log death” or a ripped-in-half System Folder icon, or – most unsettling for a Macintosh user – you may get dumped into a command-line mode displaying several lines of error 3. Run a disk-repair utility You may be able to fix your messages. Try the following tricks: start-up problem by repairing corrupted data. Disk First 1. Reboot in OS 9 On most OS X-supported Macs, you Aid, part of the Disk Utility application that comes with can hold down the option key while restarting. This will Mac OS X, is designed to do just that (see First Aid, right). bring up a window in which you can select which OS you Unfortunately, the current version of Disk First Aid won’t wish to use. Select the OS 9 start-up icon. In OS 9, open the make repairs to the start-up volume. The solution is to Startup Disk control panel. Make sure you’re using version restart from the OS X installation CD, select Open Disk 9.2.1 or later of Startup Disk – run Apple’s Software Update Utility from the Installer menu, and use Disk First Aid to control panel to see whether you have the latest version, as attempt to repair your drive. earlier versions may cause problems when you try to As of this writing, there’s only one third-party repair switch to OS X. Then select an OS X system and restart. utility that can run from Mac OS X: Micromat’s Drive 10 With luck, OS X will now start up. (£75, Softline, 01883 745 111). However, the latest versions 2. Disconnect hardware Certain SCSI cards and USB of Alsoft’s DiskWarrior (£65, Softline), Micromat’s TechTool hubs are among several hardware peripherals linked to Pro (£95, Softline), and Symantec’s £68 Norton Utilities start-up crashes. The workaround? Remove the card or (Computers Unlimited, 020 8358 5857) can all make device from your Mac. Then check with the hardware repairs to OS X volumes when run from OS 9. They may be manufacturer (or a Mac Web site, such as my own MacFixIt able to fix problems that Disk First Aid misses. (www.macfixit.com) for information about a possible 4. Run fsck If you don’t have a Mac OS X installation permanent solution, such as an OS or firmware update CD or another repair utility handy, all is not lost. Restart, that allows the card or device to work. In some cases, you First aid can still use the hardware if you reconnect it after start-up. continues page 88 Disk First Aid, Apple’s well-known Mac OS 9 repair utility, survives in OS X as part of Disk Utility.
86 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 All prices exclusive of VAT at 17.5 per cent Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 87 and hold down ⌘-S. This dumps you into single-user mode. OS 9, OS X requires you to log in with an identity every time down a system by mistakenly deleting or modifying the You’ll see a distressingly long block of white and yellow you start up. Depending on the privileges associated with wrong files. text against a black background. Don’t despair; this is just your log-in, you may run into problems (see “How privi- Another method involves the $15 shareware a variant of OS X’s Unix command-line interface. leged are you?”for more information). Here’s how to get OS application Pseudo (http://personalpages.tds.net/~brian_hill When the scrolling has stopped and you can actually X to cooperate: /pseudo.html), which essentially grants root access in a enter text, type /sbin/fsck -y and press return. This will 1. Unlock the file A common reason for the inability to limited way, circumventing the need to log in as root. It lets initiate a Unix repair function called fsck (for file system delete a file in OS X is that the file is locked. The easiest way you launch an application that you couldn’t otherwise check). In OS X, Apple has added Disk First Aid code to this to fix this – if it works – is to deselect the Locked option in launch (or open documents that you couldn’t otherwise function. If fsck makes any repairs, you’ll get a message the file’s Show Info window (similar to OS 9’s Get Info open) unless you had root access or went to the command that says “File system was modified”. Run fsck again until windows). You may run into trouble if the file was locked line. To use it, simply drag onto the Pseudo icon any the message no longer appears. (The first run may uncover under Mac OS 9. In this instance, you can try DropNuke application you want to work with. The program will open, additional errors that will require a further run to fix.) Once (www.divnull.com/products.html). This freeware utility prompting you for your admin password along the way. all repairs are made, type reboot and press return. should unlock and delete any file or directory of files After entering the password, you’ll have root access to the If you get the start-up error that dumps you dragged onto it. Otherwise, go back to OS 9 to unlock and application and to any files you open from within it. This immediately into the command-line interface, you can run delete the file. means that you can use TextEdit to open documents (such fsck directly from there, without needing to restart. Occasionally, OS X may allow you to place a file in the as preferences files) in the System Folder or even in OS X’s 5. Reinstall OS X Corrupted files in the OS X Library Trash but then refuse to delete it. If that happens, try invisible Unix directories; you would otherwise be folders can cause a start-up crash. Though you can spend placing the file in a folder and dragging the folder to the prohibited from opening them. time trying to track down and remove the offending file(s), Trash before selecting Empty Trash. You can also try to it’s often easier to start up from the OS X installation CD reboot in OS 9 and delete it. Be careful to remove the file Make files and applications get along and reinstall OS X (being careful not to select the option from the Trash before switching to OS 9, or you may have How often do you get an email attachment – a picture Three of a kind that erases the disk). Doing this will leave almost all your trouble locating it. from your parents’ trip to the Lake District, say – and find To make a user an administrator, custom changes intact. But if you’ve updated the OS to a 2. Run Disk First Aid If the file isn’t locked, start up that double-clicking on it sends your Mac into a confused ✚ select his or her name, click version that’s newer than the one on the CD, you’ll have to from the Mac OS X installation CD and run Disk First Aid as search for an application that can display it? When you TIP on Edit User, and choose reinstall those updates, too. If an initial reinstall doesn’t described earlier. There may be a problem preventing you double-click on a document icon in Mac OS X, the file the appropriate option. work, try restarting from OS 9 and deleting the entire OS X from deleting the file; hopefully, the utility will fix it. should automatically open in an appropriate application – The Reset Password command is useful if you ever System Folder. Then restart from the OS X installation CD 3. Be an administrator Still no luck? Open Users typically the one that created it. But OS X may sometimes forget your Administrator password. Just boot from and reinstall the operating system. System Preference. For the name of the currently logged-in open the wrong application or even claim that no the Mac OS X CD, and then find the command in user, look in the Name column. Then check the Kind application is available to open the document. Here’s how the Installer menu. After that, select an account Modify this column (see Three of a kind, right). If the Admin to avoid that problem: name and create a new password. OS X will sometimes refuse to let you move a file to the designation does not appear next to your name, you’re not 1. Check for updated applications The version of trash – typically informing you that you don’t have an administrator. There are some things an administrator Microsoft Internet Explorer that came with the initial “sufficient privileges”. You may get the same sort of error can do that other users can’t. For example, regular users release of Mac OS X has a problem decompressing files: it message when you try to copy, move, or open a file. Unlike can’t add files to or remove them from the Applications tries to launch a version of Expander from OS X’s Classic If the Change Application button is dimmed or folder. mode rather than one available in OS X. Update to the otherwise doesn’t work, try the xFiles shareware utility latest version of Explorer to fix this. ($20; http://personalpages.tds.net/~brian_hill/). It won’t Sharing responsibility 2. Check for Fix-It utilities In some cases, .dmg (disk always fix the problem, but it’s worth a try. Launch the If you’re an administrator and another user isn’t (for image) files downloaded from the Web show up in utility, and drag the file that you want to modify to the ✚ example, if your daughter has her own log-in on the home Mac OS X as text files. Double-click on them, and you xFiles window. Delete whatever code is listed in the text TIP computer), you can opt to give that user administrator launch TextEdit rather than Disk Copy. You can work around box next to Creator. Click on Change. Now double-click on Don’t run an older version of a disk-repair utility, status as well. To do this, highlight the user name and click this by dragging the image file’s icon to the Disk Copy icon the file. It may already open in the correct application. For unless the documentation specifically says it can on Edit User. Select the Allow User To Administer This or by mounting the image from within Disk Copy. If you example, I had a document that launched PictureViewer in be used with Mac OS X. This is because pre-OS X Machine option, and then click on OK. find these extra steps annoying, you can use a freeware OS X’s Classic environment when I double-clicked on it. versions may corrupt your data. The latest versions 4. Get root access (if needed) Mac OS X occasionally utility called DMG Fixer (http://homepage.mac.com/mnkd/ After I eliminated the Creator code, it opened in OS X’s ought to work just fine. blocks you from modifying certain files even if you’re an dmgfixer10.sit). Just drag the problem file’s icon to the DMG Preview. If that doesn’t fix it, return to the Show Info administrator. Prime examples are the files in the System Fixer icon, and the utility will permanently fix the file. window; the Change Application button should now be Folder. If you try, for example, to move a file from the Afterward, you’ll be able to open the file correctly by enabled. Select the desired application. System Folder, you’ll get a message such as “The double-clicking on it. 6. Change the file-name extension Unlike Mac OS 9, operation cannot be completed because you do not have 3. Place the application in the Dock If you’ve got two Mac OS X uses file-name extensions (suffixes that are Root of the matter sufficient privileges for item or folder name”, or you could versions of the same application on your drive (for appended after a period to a file’s name, such as .doc for To enable root access – or be faced with “The item item name could not be moved example, one for OS 9 and another for OS X), and disable it, if it’s already been continues page 90 because system cannot be modified.” The rationale documents for that application open by default to the enabled – use Netinfo Manager. behind this is to protect these essential files from wrong one, drag the preferred application’s icon to the accidental harm – not a bad idea, because you usually Dock. Typically, OS X will open that version of the program have no need to mess with these files. However, if you’re by default when you double-click on documents created an administrator and you want to modify the contents of with it. the System Folder, you can do so by giving yourself root 4. Make the application open the file From the access. There are several ways to accomplish this bit of Mac Application pane of the problematic file’s Show Info OS X magic. window (see Quick change), select Open This Document One method is to log-in as the root user. Before you can With A Specific Application. To change the listed do that, you have to set up a root account. Select OS X’s application, click on the application’s icon, and from the NetInfo Manager (see Root of the matter, on page 89) via pop-up menu that appears, select Add Application. In the its Enable Root User command (after first clicking on the resulting window, select the desired application. If the lock icon to allow changes to be made, choose Domain: application you want is dimmed, change the Show pop-up Security). You can also start up from the Mac OS X menu from Recommended Applications to All Applications. installation CD, and select the Reset Password command Remember, however, that this will fix the problem for only from the Installer menu. From there, select System that particular file. Quick change Administrator (Root) from the pop-up menu that appears 5. Get more document control To get all files of the To choose the application that will and establish a password. Once you’ve set up the account, same type to open with an assigned application, select open when you double-click on a restart as usual and enter the word root as your user name, Show Info: Open This Document With The Generic document, use the Applications along with the password you selected. You’ll then have Application For Documents Of This Type, and if necessary, pane of the file’s Show Info access to nearly everything on the drive. Be aware that click on the Change Application button to select the window. logging-in as root can be dangerous: the root can bring application you desire.
88 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 89 Unix: controlling the strings
here’s much more than root access, which may or meets the eye in Mac OS X may not be needed. (For T – that is, there’s a lot going more on sudo, see Mac on that you won’t even notice OS X Secrets, November most of the time. Located at 2001.) It’s essentially what the root level of the drive, and the Pseudo utility mimics. normally invisible, is the true The -R option is needed only power behind Aqua’s throne: if you’re trying to delete a the dozens of files and folder that isn’t empty. In directories that constitute some cases, you may need OS X’s version of Unix. To to type the following lines truly master OS X, you’ll before using the rm need to grapple with command (these Unix. And the primary commands unlock any way to do this is via locked files): the Terminal application. chflags -R noschg However, for those who file name or directory would just as soon avoid name or chflags -R nouchg Unix’s command-line interface, file name or directory shareware authors have come name. If this fails, try sudo to the rescue. They’ve designed chmod 777 name of file or Aqua-based utilities that directory you want to do many of the things you delete. This changes the otherwise need Terminal to do. permissions of the file, so These include several of the that everybody has read-&- utilities mentioned in this write access to it. Now try article, such as Pseudo, Get again to delete it – either Info, TinkerTool, and xFiles. via rm or by selecting But if you already know – or are willing Empty Trash from the Finder. to learn – how Unix works, Terminal offers currently in the Trash. This step is optional, When entering the name of the file, the advantage of allowing you to do tasks but confirms that you’ve made it to the type the first letter, and press the tab key. that can’t (at least not yet) be done any desired location (see Take out the Trash, If no other files in the Trash have a name other way. This is neither the time nor the below). that begins with that letter, Terminal place for a full introduction to using Unix. Type sudo rm -R name of file or completes the name for you. If you want But to give you an idea of the power you directory you want to delete. You will be to delete everything in the Trash, type can wield with it, here’s an example. asked for your password. Give it, and the rm -R. But be careful: if you’re somewhere Still can’t empty the Trash? If, after file or folder should be deleted. Note: sudo other than in the Trash directory, this could following my other suggestions, there’s a is a command that temporarily gives you delete files you never intended to erase. file or folder in the Trash that you still can’t delete, try launching Terminal. By default, Terminal should be in your Home directory. I’m assuming you want to delete a file from your own Trash (every user has his or her own separate Trash in OS X), so you’re already almost in the right place. Type cd .Trash to move into the Trash directory. Take out the Trash Type ls. This should list everything When the Finder’s Empty Trash command doesn’t cut it, you can locate and delete trashed items from Terminal.
Word documents) to identify the document type. For has a lot of people working to keep it healthy. From tips on example, files with a .txt extension will open in TextEdit by how to best use the features built in to OS X – to freeware default, while graphics with a .tif extension will open in and shareware utilities that provide the features Apple Preview. Assuming you know what extension you want, omitted – troubleshooters (such as Macworld’s simply append it to change a document’s icon as well as Christopher Breen, see page 169) have already given us a the application that opens it. For example, change a text well-stocked medicine cabinet filled with remedies. MW document’s extension from .txt to .cwk and it will open in AppleWorks instead of in TextEdit. You may still need to eliminate the Creator code, as described in the previous tip, before this will work. ✚ Stay healthy TIP Mac OS X – like any new OS – will have to contend with a Do you need help finding out where a particular few teething problems. Fortunately, this operating system file is supposed to go? No problem. Just double- click on the Installer.pkg file, continue until you get to the Select A Destination screen, and select Show Files.
90 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month FLOORPLAN, EXHIBITORS, OPINION, NEWS…
MACEXPO 2001 SHOW GUIDE
Apple, Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft, Alias|Wavefront, Hewlett-Packard, Epson, IBM, Sony, Iomega, FileMaker, iView, Wacom, Hermstedt, Extensis, 4Sight, LaCie, Connectix, Microtek, Minolta-QMS, iProof, SmartDisk, Village Tronic, Oki, Macally, SoftPress, Contour, iRez, PowerLogix, Proxim, Keyspan, Corel, Eovia, Digicom, Alta, Computers Unlimited. MacLine, MacWarehouse, AM Micro, MicroRent, Micro Anvika, RealViz, Dantz, Dataworld, Softchaos, Mac Accessory Centre, Demon, Digit, Macworld… 820 825 830 835 Exhibitor List 795 990 VIP ROOM Company Stand Company Stand 510 MACWORLD OS X DEVELOPERS X OS MACWORLD 4Sight Limited 310 Keyspan (AM Micro) 200 790 515 GROUND FLOOR Alan Stirling Technologies 705 LaCie 640
MAC USER SOLUTIONS USER MAC 978 Alias/Wavefront (Maya) 700 Macintosh User Groups 820 520 Adobe Systems 300 Mac Accessory Centre 220 975 535 Alta Technology 955 Mac Recovery Club, The 125 780 970 AM Micro Distribution 200 Mac Repair Centre 340 540 969 MEZZANINE Apple 600 MacAcademy/Windows Academy 540 500 Apple Solutions 750-795 Macally 210 965 Apple Training 515 MacLine 150 770 345 962 Arbiter Group 959 Macromedia 40
360 340 959 Arlon Printers 143 Mac Support Company 980 600 Canon UK (MacLine) 150 MacUnlimited.com 30 370 955 GALLERY LEVEL Cartridge Company,The / SureBasic 520 MacUser 370 760 330 640 952 Central Solutions (CGA) 969 MacWarehouse 745 460 380 350 Channel Dynamics Distribution 950 Macworld 170 320 Compu B 825 Macworld OS X Developers 952-978 Computer Technique 470 MAG / MacPower 345 750 430 470 450 950 Computers Unlimited 80 Market Link Publications 225 310 Connectix (CU) 80 MCE Technology (AM Micro) 200 435 400 300 Contour Design 130 Micro Anvika 235 420 Corel Corporation (CU) 80 Microrent 510 CPS (Creative Publishing Solutions) 400 Microsoft 460 940 Dantz Development (LaCie) 640 Microtek Europe 110 DataWorld 245 Minolta-QMS (MacLine) 150 200 745 210 938 Demon InterNet / Thus 20 OakTree Software 140 110 Digicom (AM Micro) 200 Oki Systems 270 742 220 934 Digit Magazine 740 PC Bookshop, The 240 DIGIT 235 150 125 DrawWell/One Step Solutions 970 Perforce Software Europe 952 Duraweld Limited 360 Popular Communication Courses 142 740 930 NENTDSGN & ART DESIG INTERNET 225 245 270 165 160 128 Epson (CU) 500 Power Logix (AM Micro) 200 730 928 Eovia / TGS 15 Proxim/Farallon 430 170 130 230 241 250 EvEnt Engineering Services 230/962 RealViz 380 Extensis 450 SmartDisk 10 725 924 240 140 141 142 143 145 FileMaker (CU) 80 Softchaos 830 720 920 Formac 435 SoftPress Systems 320 G2 FileMaker Association 705 Sony 241 Hermstedt 250 Splash Printing 330 715 918 Hewlett-Packard (MacLine) 150 TeamAgenda / X Generation 535 914 IBM Speech Recognition (MacLine) 150 Village Tronic (AM Micro) 200 80 20 15 Iomega 350 Virtual Training Co 128 iProof Systems (AM Micro) 200 Wacom Europe (CU) 80 705 910 iRez Technologies (AM Micro) 200 XYZ Digital Map Co 145 iView Multimedia 165 Zürich Advice Network/Allied Dunbar 141 40 30 10 700 900 904 908 Macworld MacExpo 2001 Show Guide Edited by Simon Jary Designed by Mandie Johnson Research by Jonathan Evans, Dominique Fidéle, David Fanning Cover by Bulletproof Design Floorplan by TWELVETEN.COM RESTAURANT [email protected] All contents © IDG 2001 Macworld is a publication of IDG Communications, the world’s leading IT media, research and exposition company. Macworld With more than 300 publications in 85 countries, read by more than 100 million people each month, IDG is the world’s www.macworld.co.uk leading publisher of computer magazines and newspapers, providing the answers buyers need to make purchase decisions.
IDG Communications, 99 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8UT. MAIN ENTRANCE Tel: 020 7831 9252. Sales fax: 020 7405 0262 Macworld (UK) is an independent journal not affiliated with Apple Computer. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer.
94 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the day Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 95 Venue information
Business Design Centre MacExpo 2001 52 Upper Street Tel: 020 7359 3535 London N1 0QH www.businessdesigncentre.co.uk
EXHIBITION DAYS: Thursday, 22nd November 10.00 - 18.00 Friday, 23rd November 10.00 - 18.00 Saturday, 24th November 10.00 - 16.00
ADMISSION: Pre-register at www.macexpo.co.uk (until November 12). Or turn up at the door, and register on the day.
GETTING THERE: BY CAR The Business Design Centre is situated on Upper Street, to the left at Islington Green – where Essex Road and Upper Street diverge.
From outside London, follow the A1 down the Holloway Road and Upper Street.
From central London, follow the A1 out of the City to Islington after crossing Quick guide to Islington, London N1 the Pentonville Road. Islington has become infamous as the trendy hang- out of New Labour and media luvvies, and is certainly Parking in the area is the place to socialize in North London. Its main extremely limited, so use thoroughfare is Upper Street, on which the Business public transport if you can. Design Centre (BDC) is situated. Upper Street is nearly entirely populated by restaurants, pubs and bars – so there’s a wide choice of watering holes BY BUS and food places for you to rest your show-weary The following routes go past legs in at lunch or after the show for dinner. or close to the Business Coffee Between Angel and the BDC, Upper Street has all the major coffee-shop chains. Design Centre: 19, 30, 38, Pubs The nearest pub is the Antipodean Walkabout, which is likely to be full of funny-voiced Accommodation 43, 73. Alight at Angel or rugby shirts on Friday night and all-day Saturday. The Slug & Lettuce is also very close to the Islington Green. BDC (turn left towards Highbury & Islington (H&I) tube, cross the road to corner of Islington HOTEL BOOKINGS Green). The crowds both inside and outside will show you how popular (and crowded) it is. First Option has been Get there early, or find a seat in the less busy upstairs bar. If you feel like mixing with the appointed to assist visitors BY TRAIN/TUBE Henley crowd, there’s a Pitcher & Piano a couple of minutes away. Also towards Angel: there’s in booking overnight Euston, Kings Cross and often seats at The Steam Passage (1 min from BDC); faux Irish delights can be had at O’Neil’s accommodation. As St Pancras train stations a bit further down (3 mins); and The York, is practically next door to Angel tube station. November is such a busy are all nearby. Bars Close to the BDC is Café Flo, and The Dome is just down the road from there. period, it has pre-booked Restaurants There’s a clutch of pizza/pasta places close to the BDC. There’s an Ask restaurant rooms to be able to offer A regular underground train actually in the BDC, a large Pizza Express just over the road (335 Upper St), and an Est Est Est a advantageous rates at good service (Northern line) runs minute’s walk away (58 Upper St). If you want the best pizza/pasta in London, visit Oregano – a local hotels – all subject to to and from Angel Station, minute’s walk towards H&I tube, and off Upper St on St Albans Place (next to Reckless Records). availability: which is a two minutes’ We also recommend: mussles or chicken and frites, plus a choice of 400 Belgian beers at walk from the Centre along Bierodrome (173-174 Upper St); French at Le Mercury (140 Upper St) and Alastian fare at Tartuf Contact: First Option Events Upper Street. (88 Upper St); Thai at Tuk Tuk (330 Upper St); Chinese at Youngs (154 Upper St) or Yellow River Department, and quote Alternatively, Highbury & Café (206 Upper St); Turkish at Pasha (301); oriental at Wok Wok (37 Upper St); organic nosh, ‘MacExpo’. Islington Station (Victoria beer and wine at The Duke of Cambridge (30 St Peter’s Street); and tasty oriental dumplings Europoint, 5-11 Lavington Line) is a fifteen-minute at New Culture Revolution (42 Duncan St), just round the corner from The York. Street, London SE1 0PA walk from the Centre. If you’re arranging a business lunch or dinner around the show, (or just fancy a posh meal), Tel: 020 7454 5005 book a table at: Lola’s (modern British cuisine) at The Mall, 359 Upper St (020 7359 1932); Fax: 020 7454 5001 Julius Brasserie (modern European) at 39 Upper St (020 7226 4380); or former Tony Blair [email protected] favourite, Granita (modern European) at 127 Upper St (020 7226 3222). MW
96 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) read me first Simon Jary With few High St Apple stores, editor-in-chief MacExpo gets us all excited. Macworld But don’t rush in unprepared…
How to survive MacExpo
t’s at shows such as London’s MacExpo that newcomers 3. Don’t enter the Design Centre thirsty – the mineral water buy their first Macs, and old hands upgrade to the costs more than a monthly ISP account. Gulp! But beware latest Apple models. It’s the excitement of actually over-filling – the toilets are often a five-to-ten-minute walk I seeing, touching and playing with the latest Macs that away up and down more stairs than an Escher drawing. makes people give into temptation, and buy straight away. 4. Plan ahead. Peruse this show guide, and take a look at Ordering off the Web or through a mail-order dealer suffices the floorplan before venturing into the hall. There’s plenty to for the rest of the year, but walking away from a show under see, and if you wander aimlessly, you may miss something the weight of a brightly boxed new Power Mac, iMac, you were really interested in. (Please note that what you’re 21-inch monitor, or digital camera is a real thrill. Even if it’s reading in this issue of Macworld is just an extract from the a webcam, high-capacity CompactFlash card, or bunch of full Macworld MacExpo Show Guide – pick-up a copy at the RAM, that hands-on purchase of stuff for your Mac knocks venue as soon as you arrive.) the slippers off an online transaction or phone call. There’s 5. Don’t pick up a bag, literature, or products until late in no hold-music for a start… the day. If you grab a free, colourful bag the moment you Many people don’t live near an AppleCentre or PC World, walk in the door, you’ll be tempted to put things in it. Why so our hands-on purchase choices are severely limited. weigh yourself down for hours? Make a note of stuff you Apple has opened its own-branded shops in the US, which want to take home, and pick it up towards the end of the day. look great. There’s every type of Mac just sitting there 6. Touring the show floor can be very tiring. Take a break waiting to be played with, alongside third-party digital every now and again, and find a place to sit down. Head for cameras, printers, scanners, etc. Walk into even a Mac- the main café on the upper level. Check-out the exorbitant friendly PC store, and you’d think the only usable software prices, though – see Point 3. was a choice between a dusty copy of SimCity and a 7. The best break you can have is outside of the show. Plan crumpled ClarisWorks 3.1 box. Each new Apple shop has acres on having lunch somewhere close-by. The food will be of shelves covered in the latest Mac-compatible software. cheaper, and, believe me, you’ll need the air. There’s less “The hands-on Apple doesn’t have any plans to open such shops outside oxygen in a show venue than there is a breached mini- purchase of the US, so the closest we get to such shopping opportunities submarine. After an hour, you’re breathing the air you is the traditionally hidden-out-of-the-way AppleCentres and brought in with you, and that’s already gone through 100 stuff for your occasionally decent high-street store. Apple is increasingly strangers. Step outside, and get some fresh air. Find a pub or relying on PC World to sell its Macs in the UK. While PC restaurant, and take-in refreshments. Mac knocks World’s recent attitude to Macs is better than it used to be, 8. You’re taking a break for lunch in The Slug and Lettuce. the slippers it’s not an ideal solution in a Windows-dominated world. Don’t think that doing a show will be easier after five pints. For instance, there’s no high-street AppleCentre in Save the drinking for after the show. You’ve still got things off an online Birmingham, Britain’s second-largest city. Apple is in to pick-up, and just because you’re seeing double doesn’t transaction desperate need of a public face in many metropolitan areas. make that 733MHz Power Mac G4 a multiprocessor system. In the meantime, a big Apple show is the perfect place to 9. You’ve restricted yourself to a shandy with your BLT, so it or phone call. get to grips with an iMac, PowerBook, Power Mac or iBook, should be easy to remember not to leave your bags in the There’s no and query the experts on all sorts of matters: RAM, video pub… or your show pass – you won’t get back in without it, cards, USB, wireless networking, screen compatibility, and you’ll have to register all over again. hold-music storage solutions, and so on. 10. Don’t leave the show with that nagging question still for a start.” Follow Macworld’s advice, and your visit to MacExpo will troubling your mind. There really will be someone at be a pleasure, as well as helping you buy the right hardware MacExpo who knows the answer, and will be more than and software. Here’s ten things to make sure it’s not just happy to speak to you. They might try to sell you something your feet you’re thinking about after visiting MacExpo: – but, who knows, maybe you need it… 1. Arrive early. You could rush around the whole show in 15 MacExpo 2001 is the biggest Mac show in the UK for minutes – but why not just run round your back garden four years. If it’s a success, there’s almost certainly going to instead, and save yourself having to leave home. If your Mac be another MacExpo in 2002. In the meantime, keep up-to- is more than just funny coloured furniture, one of the date with developments by reading Macworld, and visiting exhibiting companies is sure to have something that could www.macworld.co.uk. The more you know about a subject change the way your computer works for you – be it via before you attend a trade show, the more you’ll take from it. hardware, software, consultancy, repair or training. You won’t need to upgrade the Mac you bought at this 2. Wear comfortable shoes. When you’re not walking a lot year’s show, but there’s bound to be new peripherals and at MacExpo, you’ll be standing up. Most of the Business software coming through in the next 12 months. Design Centre is carpeted, but it’s not a beanbag showroom. See you at MacExpo! Check-out Macworld’s own show See also Point 6. specials at stand number 170. MW
98 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Join in the live IT debates on Macworld Online Forum (www.macworld.co.uk/forum). Exhibitor News Apple’s new, fast portables on show
acExpo 2001 marks the first public showing of Apple’s new lines of faster, improved portables. M The new titanium PowerBook G4 notebooks ship Maya on OS X brings 3D with faster processors, high-speed graphics and larger hard drives. to life at MacExpo 2001 The new iBooks also feature faster chips and larger hard drives. Alias|Wavefront will attend You’ll also be able to have hands-on experience of Apple’s desktop MacExpo to demonstrate Maya Macs – the newly priced iMac range (some now available with for Mac OS X. This release of the free HP digital camera), and the Pentium-busting Power Mac G4s. entertainment industry’s leading The new PowerBooks now come with G4 chips of up to 3D animation and effects software Titanium tearaway 667MHz, a new system bus running up to 133MHz, speedy new package has been long awaited by The new entry-level 550MHz PowerBook G4 offers a 100MHz ATI Mobility Radeon AGP 4X graphics, and built-in Gigabit Ethernet Mac-using professional graphics system bus, while the 667MHz model features a 133MHz networking – the first time ever in a portable on any platform. artists. Features unique to this system bus. Apple claims that the new Titanium PowerBook The top-end hard drive has a giant 48GB capacity, and there Mac version include support for G4 outperforms Pentium III-based 1.13GHz notebook systems are new optional CD-RW slot-loading optical drives available via QuickTime, tear-off menus in the on average by 48 per cent. Both models provide advanced the online Apple Store. hot box, and a fully Aqua interface. graphics and fast 3D rendering with the ATI Mobility Radeon Apple enhanced its hugely popular iBook line-up of consumer The return of high-end 3D to the graphics processor with AGP 4X support and 16MB of fast and education notebooks with faster PowerPC G3 processors up Mac platform is a real boost to DDR video memory. Its Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BaseT) to 600MHz, a new system bus running up to 100 MHz, larger hard Apple, as well as showing off the is a world-first on a laptop. drives up to 20GB, and 128MB of RAM standard across the line. robust performance hallmarks of The new PowerBook G4s and iBooks include both the new its new Unix-based operating Mac OS X version 10.1 (see below) and Mac OS 9.2.1 pre-installed. system. No longer do 3D artists www.apple.com/uk 020 8218 1000 have to purchase Windows SGI Stand Number: 600 workstations. Maya works perfectly on Apple’s G4 Power Macs – indeed it’s specially optimized for them. The combination of Maya, OS X and the dual-processor The future is Power Mac G4 is a 3D artist’s dream setup. “Maya is the largest, most here: OS X 10.1 technically sophisticated program to be built for OS X. We couldn’t pple’s next-generation operating system Mac OS X have done it without OS X’s support A (pronounced ‘ten’) combines the industrial-level power of OpenGL, the high-level Carbon of Unix with the refined elegance of the Mac OS. It’s aimed at API, and Aqua’s transparent overlay both the experienced Mac professional and the new consumer. windows,” says Andrew Pearce, Apple will be using MacExpo 2001 to show-off its new operating Director of Maya Technologies. system, which it claims is the “future of Macintosh computing”. “Mac OS X provides the kind of Mac OS X is both faster and more robust than Mac OS 9 powerful, open environment Maya and all Mac operating systems before that. For example, due users demand with a user interface to sophisticated memory management, if an application crashes, New look, new power that artists love,” states Mark the rest of your Mac carries on working. And, with its Aqua user MacExpo 2001 is the perfect chance to try your hand at Apple’s bright Sylvester, ambassador at interface, it looks stunning. new operating system, Mac OS X. Alias|Wavefront. Apple made its first major upgrade to Mac OS X in September, “Mac OS X provides an releasing version 10.1 – which it claims further improves extremely rich environment for performance, and adds several features that were missing from add a Burn button to your Finder toolbar. A sleek new controller all types of graphics applications, the original March release. Menus draw more quickly and smoothly. lets you navigate DVDs with ease, and you can choose to arrange and we’re thrilled to see leading Applications launch two to three times faster. Finder windows its controls vertically or horizontally. developers like Alias|Wavefront are more responsive when you resize them. And OpenGL Windows NT/2000 and Unix-based SAMBA file servers appear taking advantage of Mac OS X’s is 20 per cent faster in 10.1. right in the Finder like any other file server – making Mac OS X capabilities,” said Ron Okamoto, OS X’s Print Centre now ships with over 200 PostScript fluent in all of today’s network languages. Apple’s vice president of Worldwide printer description files, from companies such as HP, Lexmark ■ Apple is also likely to demo its forthcoming iDVD 2 software – Developer Relations. and Xerox. There is also improved support for most USB printers, which, combined with the Power Mac G4’s DVD-R SuperDrive, lets www.aliaswavefront.com with automatic selection of the driver for that particular printer. you create your own discs to play in standard domestic DVD players. 0800 4125 4125 With OS X 10.1 you can create your own data CDs using This new version was first shown during Steve jobs’ keynote speech Stand Number: 700 CD-burning capabilities built right into the Finder. You can even at Macworld Expo New York in July. continues page 100
For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk) Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 99 Exhibitor News
Apple solutions on show Aside from its most recently Adobe delivers OS X Microsoft’s X announced products, Apple staff will be able to show you the company’s rich solutions creative solutions Office party for FireWire-based digital-video editing dobe will be showing the latest Market-leading business (iMovie 2, Final Cut versions of its most recently Epson gives it large Pro), DVD creation (iDVD A announced products, vector- apps updated for Mac OS X, Epson will use MacExpo 2001 and DVD Studio Pro), multimedia drawing champ Illustrator 10 (shown to exhibit its wide choice of Mac development (QuickTime), and in action, top right) and page-layout and on-sale at show printers, scanners, projectors and music (iTunes). They will also contender InDesign 2.0 (bottom right) digital cameras. The company is be able to show you the benefits – both are now optimized to work with oftware giant Microsoft has been icons and alerts have been changed showing its large-format printers of signing up for Apple’s free Mac OS X. Adobe is also likely to be working on the development of to match the appearance of Mac OS X’s and colour lasers at the show. iTools services, which enable giving sneak peeks of its forthcoming S applications for the Macintosh throbbing-blue Aqua interface. As a show special, visitors may you to quickly post your favourite OS X applications, as well – so don’t platform for over 15 years. The first New features to Office v.X include Formac flat out bring Zip and Jaz disks containing digital snaps and movies to forget to ask about an OS X Photoshop… version of Works for Mac appeared Auto-recover (a new Undo in Excel), Formac provides an award-winning large images to the stand, and your own pre-made Web site. Macworld previewed both new in 1985, and Office 1.0 first came new Powerpoint packages, multi-selection range of Mac monitors, making use of Epson will print them – at poster Stand Number: 600 products in the November 2001 issue. out on the Mac Platform in 1989. options in Word, programmable keyboard tubes from Sony, Mitsubishi and Fujitsu. size – on their large-format We tested the beta version of Illustrator, Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit shortcuts, and improved QuickTime The company also produces FireWire hard machines. There’s a number Macally peripherals and commented: “Existing users will software team is the largest Mac team movie options. disks, CD-RW and DVD storage solutions, of other special offers available Mac Accessory Centre distributes adore what this upgrade brings, and the outside of Apple, and is dedicated to Macworld previewed Office v. X in and Studio AV products. Formac is at the stand, which is being run a range of top-quality Macintosh OS X version looks and runs beautifully.” creating a great partnership that produces the November 2001 issue, where we exhibiting its first flat-panel display, the on Epson’s behalf by distributor peripherals, accessories The company will be showing the high-quality applications for Macs. commented: “If you use Office and Gallery 1740 – a 17.4-inch (viewable) Computers Unlimited. and software. This full suite of its products (including image- The company will be previewing you’ve been sitting on the fence TFT active-matrix display at MacExpo www.epson.co.uk 08702 416 900 ranges from editing market-leader Photoshop 6.0.1, its very latest OS X-native Macintosh wondering whether you should move to 2001. Formac is also exhibiting Stand number: 500 specialized PDF creator Acrobat 5.0, DTP veteran product, Office v. X for Mac – Word OS X, Office v. X is a good reason to make its Studio AV and FireWire storage replacement PageMaker 7, and Web-site editor GoLive (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet), the leap and hit the ground running”. solutions. There are special MacExpo MicroRent on-site input devices 5.0), demonstrating how they fit in to PowerPoint (presentations) and Entourage Microsoft also has new versions of offers available from resellers MacLine, MicroRent is providing computers such as Adobe’s Network Publishing vision of (email) all updated to take advantage Internet Explorer and Windows Media Micro Anvika and MacWarehouse. and on-site engineers for keyboards, mice delivering reliable, personalized, content of Mac OS X’s promised stability and Player for Mac on display. www.formac.co.uk MacExpo’s registration area, email and other products from anywhere, anytime, and on any device. reliability, and dressed up in gorgeous www.microsoft.com/mac 0870 60 10 100 020 8533 4040 corner and many of the exhibitors. MacAlly, through an exclusive The decision to exhibit at the show Aqua. Over 1,000 dialog boxes, toolbar Stand Number: 460 Stand number: 435 Over the past 18 years, MicroRent range of computer-related underlines the company’s commitment has grown to become Europe’s luggage products from Epac to the UK Mac market. Mark Floisand, leading Macintosh and PC rental – including a range of laptop marketing director Adobe UK and Ireland, company, and now operates one cases for the PowerBook G4 and told Macworld: “Adobe is delighted The quiet scan of the UK’s largest and most up-to- new iBook – to small- to be exhibiting at MacExpo in London. date fleets of computer hardware business We’re looking forward to a strong show.” and presentation equipment. accounting www.adobe.co.uk 020 8606 4000 www.microrent.co.uk software, Stand Number: 300 01494 768 768 Office/2. Stand number: 510 Macally makes quality Simplify with Softchaos accessories for Win a multifunction HP Softchaos is at MacExpo Macs. At MacExpo, 2001to launch WorkStrip 1.5, the company is introducing PSC 750 at MacLine’s stand which simplifies work processes its new Optical Trackball with by reducing search times, Of mice and Macs five programmable buttons MacLine, one of the largest and fastest-growing it will be giving away organizing separate applications, – alongside the tiny Optical UK resellers, has set up the MacLine Village a free Minolta ontour Design sells computer peripherals and accessories, icrotek is showcasing its ScanMaker 3800 remembering previously opened Micromouse and Airstick, its at this year’s MacExpo. Here, show goers can Dimage digital C including the award-winning Perfit Mouse that comes in five M at MacExpo. The “whisper-quiet” 3800 documents and applications, and motion-sensing joystick. Also explore a range of solutions from top brand camera worth right-hand and three left-hand configurations. The company incorporates five smart-touch buttons and a new enabling instant previews of files. on show is Macally’s iShock 2, names including Hewlett-Packard, Minolta-QMS, £400. There will is exhibiting its USB-based ShuttlePRO and the MiniPRO Ti high-speed scanning system. The company is also A key feature of WorkStrip is the only game-pad with force- NEC-Mitsubishi, PhaseOne, Sony and more. also be a fabulous optical mouse at MacExpo. The 13-button ShuttlePRO has a fully demonstrating the ScanMaker 9800XL with triple “Workspaces”, which help users feedback available for the Mac. HP promises to show some exciting new show-offer on the programmable shuttle wheel that can remember any keyboard interface, and the latest FireWire versions of the track files and Internet activities, Regular draws will be products – including a brand-new range of inkjet award-winning Magicolor shortcut and communicates with a range of applications, award-winning ArtixScan 4000t and 2500. Also gathering them into meaningful held on the stand, with prizes printers, its price-busting A3+ DesignJet proofers, 2200GN colour laser – available including Cubase, Adobe Premiere and Pro Tools. The MiniPRO Ti on show is the FilmScan 3600, its newest film groups. Innovative features include including Macally products, and its space-saving all-in-one multifunction for only £1,395 (excluding VAT), a saving mouse is designed to complement Apple’s Titanium PowerBook scanner. Microtek is offering a show goers special instant previews of sound files, boxes of Verbatim CD-Rs, Epac devices. If you leave your business card at the of over £200. G4. It’s a compact, accurate, optical mouse that ships with the price on the ScanMaker 8700 – £899, including QuickTime movies, Flash animation computer carrying bags, and a HP stand, you could win a PSC 750 Multifunction NEC-Mitsubishi offers include the stunning Pack N Go carrying case. Contour has a number of special show a full version of Adobe Photoshop 6.0. The and HTML files. An OS X version number of copies of Office/2. device with scanner, printer and copier. LCD1830 18-inch LCD TFT screen for an amazing discounts on those products, as well as G-Risers, G-Racks and ColourPerfexion colour-management solution should be available later this year. www.mac-ltd.com Minolta-QMS will be showcasing its leading- £699 (ex. VAT), a saving of over £100. UniRiser peripherals. will also be on show. www.softchaos.com 0191 296 1500 edge colour A3 laser printer, the Magicolor www.macline-online.com 01223 247 111 www.contourdesign.com 020 8731 1410 www.microtekeurope.nl 01327 844 880 020 7434 0775 Stand Number: 210/220 6110GN – for every one purchased at the event, Stand number: 150 Stand Number: 130 Stand Number: 110 Stand number: 830
continues page 102
100 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the day Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 101 Exhibitor News
Channel Dynamics digital Peer at Iomega’s video and storage solutions Channel Dynamics specializes in solutions for cutting-edge broadcast and film media, as well as for home video Peerless drives enthusiasts. The company is at MacExpo 2001 to exhibit solutions from its key manufacturing partners, including stablished in 1980, Iomega has become Aurora, EZQuest, Quantum, Miglia, XLR8 and Acard. Solutions well known as a leading provider of storage on display at the stand include those for true 24-frames-per- E solutions – especially removable-disk systems. Alta kicks off MacExpo second video editing, fast FireWire storage, DVD-authoring, The company is demonstrating all its products at Alta Technology will be showing two and network attached storage. MacExpo, including the popular Zip, new Peerless, new products from Griffin Technology: www.channel-dynamics.co.uk 0870 60 70 540 musical HipZip digital- the PowerWave USB audio adaptor Stand number: 950 audio player, and the and PowerMate universal audio ZipCD CD-RW drives. controller. PowerWave USB is ■ EZQuest (www.ezq.com) FireWire and USB 2.0 storage Also on show will be designed with music lovers in mind, products are on display at its UK distributor Channel Dynamics’ Iomega’s USB and Macromedia’s Web on show combining incredibly high-quality stand. Exhibited products include the Cobra+ FireWire Predator audio recording and playback and Cobra Slim drives, which have been CD-RW drive. The Macromedia is one of the leading providers of software dynamic content can be created easily on a Mac using capabilities with a powerful built-in developed to deliver the performance company is offering solutions that enable designers and developers working Dreamweaver UltraDev 4. amplifier. It has RCA, audio input and required in today’s digital video- some special offers in the Mac community to create compelling dynamic Each of the 30-minute seminars will provide Mac output connectors, a built-in USB hub, editing environments. These solutions at the show. content and applications for the Web. users with information and solutions on maximizing the an Apple Pro speaker connector, and are also practical alternatives for www.iomega.com/europe At MacExpo, Macromedia will be demonstrating its potential of the products within their work environment standard hi-fi speaker connectors. graphics, 3D modelling and 01628 822 444 portfolio of award-winning products including vector- and enhancing their work-flow through applications, The PowerMate is a USB device imaging applications. Also Stand number: 350 drawing application FreeHand 10, Web animator Flash 5, such as the recently announced SiteSpring 1.0. that controls your Mac’s volume and on show is the Boa FireWire Web-site editor Dreamweaver 4, and Web-graphics editor www.macromedia.co.uk 01344 458 600 audio applications. It supports soft DVD-RW/CD-RW drive (pictured), which Fireworks 4. Macromedia will also be demonstrating how Stand Number: 40 power on, and can be used as a ships with Roxio Toast 5.0 Titanium. This device can be used universal input device and game to backup data, and to burn DVD projects. The unit is fully controller. It has a programmable compatible with Apple’s DVD Studio Pro. Scan a few button that can support tasks from ■ See the XLR8 (www.xlr8.com) products are distributed in the UK by Latest from muting audio output, to marking in Channel Dynamics, and will be on display at stand 950. XLR8 has CU crew and outpoints in iMovie, Final Cut Pro, developed solutions to add dual processors to fonts at show Premiere, After Effects, and other systems such as the Power Mac 9600, AM Micro Computers Unlimited is out video-editing applications. beige G3 desktop and mini-tower, blue- PS is showcasing a host of in force at MacExpo 2001 Alta Technology will also &-white G3s and first-generation G4 C products from Heidelberg ith a mission to “source and to showcase products from show KickOff from Sophisticated Power Macs. These solutions – and Linotype Library. The company resolutions up to 2,400-x-2,400dpi. W distribute innovative products,” many of its key suppliers. Circuits. KickOff (above) will reboot the Velocity 66 and Velocity 100 will be demonstrating the complete This scanner costs £5,495. AM Micro delivers products Its stand is the venue for a your Mac in the event of system products – are Mac OS X compatible. range of Heidelberg desktop scanners, The Linotype Library of fonts has from a portfolio of companies, series of 25-minute demos hangs and application freezes. This enables upgraders to take advantage of true including (for the first time a dedicated area on the stand, and including Digicom, iProof Systems, of all the latest products. The company also sells training symmetric multiprocessing, pre-emptive multitasking, in the UK) the Linoscan 1800, exhibition goers can discuss font iRez Technologies, Keyspan, MCE Tech, Connectix will show CDs from VTC, and software for using and other performance gains promised by OS X. 2200 and 2650 scanners. requirements with CPS Fontshop PowerLogix and VillageTronic. The Virtual PC and DoubleTalk. PDF in the pre-press and document- ■ The Igniter video-capture solution from Aurora Video Systems The company’s Fontshop experts. Among the exclusive range company will be bringing the newest FileMaker will exhibit management market. (www.auroravideosys.com) offers the broadest range of options will focus on the latest typefaces from of offers available for visitors will products in its portfolio to the show. FileMaker Pro, the cross- www.altatechnology.co.uk for capturing, editing and playing back video on the Macintosh the world’s leading font manufacturer, be the new version of the Linotype Shown in public for the first time at platform data-management 020 7622 6606 platform. The product is fully compatible with Apple’s Final Cut Linotype Library, as well as fonts from FontExplorer 1.6 Gold Edition Library this show are: Digicom’s new high-speed system. Corel’s OS X- Stand number: 955 Pro 2.0 and Adobe Premiere 6.0. The choice of component or SDI other libraries. and TakeType 3 font selection, featuring Palladio USB GSM kit; iProof’s PowerRIP compatible graphics range, interfaces makes Igniter a potential solution for even the most The A3 Heidelberg Linoscan more than 130 exclusive fonts. 2000 for OKI printers; iRez StealthFire includes Corel Graphics Learn with MacAcademy demanding broadcast or film project. The Igniter RT delivers real- 2650 debuts at the show. It offers both 01242 285 100 FireWire Web cam; Keyspan’s Suite 10, Bryce 5 and MacAcademy, a leader in computer time editing, along with uncompressed and compressed MJPEG- SCSI and FireWire connectivity, with Stand Number: 400 newly-introduced USB KPT. Also on show at CU’s training Since 1987, provides award- A as standard. Full YUV (a professional-level colour system) Hub and USB 2.0 stand will be Wacom’s winning training CD-ROMs and colour space and a 10-bit pro amp ensure best quality capture, connectivity graphics tablets, including videos. You can catch the latest rendering and playback. Support for true 24fps editing makes solutions; and MCE the iForce G4 upgrade for iMac from its Graphire2 (pictured). products at including products Igniter the leading interface card for the professional film editor. Hermstedt launches WebShuttle II Transport Pro FireWire PowerLogix, and VillageTronic’s MPDD+ www.unlimited.com covering Acrobat 5.0, Pre Press to ■ Quantum Snap Servers (www.snapappliances.com) are At MacExpo, Hermstedt is introducing new versions of its LeoShare and and USB pocket desktop doubler graphics card. 020 8200 8282 Print, Flash, Premier, DreamWeaver, market leaders in cross-platform network storage solutions Webshuttle products. Webshuttle is entering a new era, facilitating Internet drives. Also exhibited www.ammicro.co.uk 01392 426 473 Stand number: 80 FileMaker 5.5. Visit the stand and – offering fast, reliable, low-maintenance network-storage access, email, fax, IP file transfer and remote access all in one. The new call at the show will be Stand Number: 200 receive a discount of over 20 per cent solutions for Mac. These devices are easy to manage and bumping function in Webshuttle II enables users to surf the Internet at 128kbits/s if you purchase any complete set of set-up, perform happily on workgroup and enterprise networks, using both B channels, and yet still be available for incoming or outgoing phone training CDs or videos. For example, and are distributed in the UK by Channel Dynamics. calls, through the automatic release of a B channel. Version 2 of ISDN solution Micro Anvika has 15 years’ experience as an independent retailer of Mac and this special discount reduces the total There are a variety of storage capacities from 40GB to LeoShare will also be launching at MacExpo. Running on a Mac server, equipped PC hardware, software, peripherals and accessories. It stocks over 2,500 different price of the six-CD FileMaker Pro 5 nearly 1TB within a single unit. Snap Servers are managed with one or more Hermstedt ISDN adaptors, every computer in a local network products in six stores in Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Chenies Street, series from £222 to only £177, from any Mac using a Web browser. They appear on the can use the ISDN adaptor via the LeoShare server without it being installed on London, and the Whitgift Centre in Croydon. There will be special offers available plus VAT. network as AppleShare volumes. The products feature the client itself. at MacExpo 2001, from Swann, Hauppauge, Apple, Symantec, Microsoft, Epson, www.macacademy.co.uk configurable access control, maintaining data security www.hermstedt.co.uk 020 7242 4060 Kensington and NEC. 01953 457 600 and preventing unwanted access. Stand Number: 250 www.microanvika.com 01494 768 768 Stand Number No 540 Stand Number: 235 continues page 104
102 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the day Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 103 Exhibitor News
Bar-gains galore LaCie makes big Free camera I(BM) said “ViaVoice!” MacWarehouse, the UK’s largest 3D Mac speed with printer IBM Voice Systems is demonstrating Apple reseller, is sponsoring the the latest version of its ViaVoice central show bar, right next to things smaller Minolta-QMS UK is a for Mac OS X at MacExpo 2001. its stand. The stand overlooks (Right) Marble marvel ecently merged with leading manufacturer of This will be the first the show, with a view on the Eovia will also showcase Carrara TGS, Eovia is a 3D aCie will be showing off the latest of its high-performance colour time that the new entire Mac marketplace. Studio, which it released in June Rcompany run for and storage and display products at MacExpo 2001. These include the latest, and monochrome printing incarnation of the Microsoft is teaming up with 2001. This combines 3D solutions by 3D enthusiasts. It aims L and fastest DVD-RW and combination DVD-RAM and DVD-R drives, as well as its solutions for office application has MacWarehouse for an exclusive Ray Dream and Infini-D with a to deliver professional distinctive dark-blue monitors. The company’s popular USB/FireWire PocketDrive portable automation, electronic been on show to launch-offer on the new number of new features, and is a products that are easy hard disks offer an unrivalled sustained transfer rate that can reach 35MB/sec when publishing, graphic design, the public. Mac OS X-native version solution for modelling, animation, to learn but powerful. using the FireWire interface. The current series is available in 10GB, 20GB, 30GB and a and advanced imaging ViaVoice for Mac of its Office suite of business rendering, and special effects. Laurent Billy, Eovia’s new 48GB PocketDrive, which can store more than four hours of digital video and over applications. The company OS X is the latest applications (see page 101). Eovia claims that it offers strategic marketing 70 CD-audio images. The LaCie Network Box allows workgroups to share CDs through will demonstrate its version of IBM’s www.macwarehouse.co.uk rendering speeds up to 11 times manager said: “The Mac the network with unmatched simplicity. new over-size A3 colour award-winning and 08705 168 740 those of its predecessors. has always been the LaCie’s Photon18Blue flat-panel monitor is designed to meet the specific laser printer, the £2,995 best-selling speech- Stand Number: 745 preferred choice for digital requirements of today’s graphics professional, with advanced wide-angle viewing magicolor 6110GN. recognition artists. Eovia products are technology and a precise natural colour matrix for highly accurate image For a limited period only, program – complete with OS X Aqua Imaging supplies perfect 3D companions for display. With a maximum resolution of 1,280-x-1,024 at 60Hz, the Minolta-QMS is giving user interface. New features include The Cartridge Company is one all major graphic creation Photon18blue delivers sharp, bright pictures, with vivid, accurate away a Minolta Dimage the ability to dictate directly into of the leading computer imaging titles on the Mac.” colours and zero distortion. E203 digital camera (worth Mac applications. It’s also possible supplies companies supplying At MacExpo, Eovia exhibit Amapi 3D, which was originally developed exclusively LaCie will give live demonstrations on its booth including how £399) with every magicolor to command and control using original and remanufactured for the Mac. Now up to version 6.1, this popular 3D package offers the full functionality to optimize RAID configurations to increase transfer rate and data 6110GN purchased. voice, as well as to define additional printer cartridges, speciality and modelling speed it’s famous for – with many new modelling tools, an enhanced security, how to calibrate a monitor to ensure maximum www.minolta-qms.co.uk commands for keyboard shortcuts inkjet papers, CD-R and magnetic rendering interface and 3D for the Web, including support for Flash and Shockwave 3D. colour accuracy, and how 01784 442 255 and AppleScripts. The application media direct to professional Eovia is offering a special show discount at MacExpo 2001, chopping up to 30 per cent NAS technology can provide Stand Number: 150 now has an enlarged vocabulary of users throughout the UK. off the price of Amapi 3D and Carrara Studio. an easier and faster method to share 150,000 UK English words, improved It specializes in quality Eovia www.eovia.com +33 (0) 556 13 37 77 data across a network. recognition accuracy, and is faster remanufactured cartridges that Stand Number: 15 www.lacie.co.uk 020 7872 8000 Stand Number: 640 for individual users to set up. carry an “as original” performance The £99 product ships with a noise- guarantee and deliver significant cancelling USB headset microphone cost savings, together with an and 30-days free telephone support environmental contribution Wireless wonders form IBM. through recycling. SmartDisk and hard drive roxim delivers a range of multi-standard www.ibm.com/software/speech/uk MacExpo attendees visiting P wireless-networking, Ethernet and 01475 555 047 the Cartridge Company stand martDisk is launching several PowerBooks and iBooks. It will HPNA solutions via product families such Stand Number: 150 will receive £10 discount vouchers S new products at MacExpo also be exhibiting card readers, as Symphony, Skyline, Netline and Homeline. and free entry into the company’s 2001 – including the world’s hard drives and other storage The Stratum product family offers a range Mac User Groups help “Win a Case of Champagne” draw. smallest and lightest external peripherals. SmartDisk’s of broadband-access solutions and building-to- The Macintosh User Groups are www.thecartridge.co.uk hard drive. The size of a credit- products are designed to enable building networking connectivity for enterprises Extensis packs at MacExpo 2001 to inform visitors 0800 08 08 08 card, it offers 5GB of storage. the transfer, storage and and service providers. about the benefits of joining Stand number: 520 A number of new additions management of digital music, Proxim is demonstrating its new Skyline a MUG (Macintosh User to the SmartDisk VST range will video, images and data. wireless broadband gateway and Skyline its Suitcase Group) and the Stiched up also be revealed at the show, all www.smartdisk.co.uk USB Adaptor at MacExpo. help and RealViz creates image-based of which have been specifically 01252 530 960 As a multi-standard wireless LAN platform, xtensis develops and friendship content for film, broadcasting, designed to complement Apple’s Stand number: 10 Harmony (below) offers built-in support for E supports software that can be gaming, architecture, Internet IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, and OpenAir, and Internet-based found for and CAD. Stitcher 3.1 creates and is designed to support new standards such services for design and beginner and panoramas and immersive Dataworld, in association with as IEEE 802.11g, HiperLAN/2, and Bluetooth. marketing professionals. experts. They do this by helping environments by combining mac-1, is exhibiting the Media Proxim will be providing wireless-networking From design through to people find their nearest MUG, horizontal and vertical overlapping Asset Management (MAMS) Tough disc storage support for some of the vendors present at output, Extensis’ co-ordinating activities in Great photos taken from one location system. MAMS is a secure the show, as well as in the registration area. products and services Britain & Ireland, and building into a single high-resolution data-archiving and retrieval Duraweld is showing Compupack, its www.proxim.com 01494 563 737 are designed to make relations between MUGs both panoramic image. Stitcher 3.1 ordering system. Dataworld latest solution for archiving, storing and Stand Number: 430 the process of creating, here and in Europe. has improved Thumbnail Rotations will also demonstrate new packaging CDs and DVDs, as well as its editing and managing The stand will be manned and 20 per cent faster rendering. Apple RAID systems. range of CD sleeves. CD/DVD storage materials for print and electronic publishing more by members of MUGs from all over ImageModeler 3.0 is an Clients send all their data to binder Compupack was developed for productive and efficient. Britain and Ireland, so come and image-based modeller that mac-1, where a copy is Macintosh users with too many CDs and Its products include Suitcase 10, the font- say hello. simplifies building photo-real catalogued and archived on DVDs and insufficient shelf space, and management solution that helps users find the Last year, the MUGs put many 3D models. ImageModeler 3.0 Dataworld RAID systems, and for those whose CDs lack cases. Each right font quickly; Portfolio 5.0, the digital asset- people in touch with their local has a new interface and published on a secure Web binder can store up to 50 CD/DVDs, and are virtually unbreakable featuring management solution; and Preflight Online, the groups, and even resuscitated contextual menus, for improved server. Tape copies of the data Clearview Safety-Sleeves with pockets for index cards. Duraweld’s Multipacks Web-based service that allows users to check files the old groups in Cambridge calibration workflow and easier are rotated regularly by are also on display – available in a variety of bright colours. for potential printing and pre-press errors before and Brighton. If you fancy camera navigation. Securicor to a secure bank vault Each one combines five binders with a self-standing slipcase. The submitting them for output. The company also starting your own local MUG, www.realviz.com for maximum security. company also supplies user-branded binders for promotional material. manufactures a range of plug-ins and XTensions you’ll get all the help you need here. 01727 810 203 www.dataworlduk.com www.duraweld.co.uk 01904 610 077 for Photoshop and QuarkXPress. www.lmug.org.uk Stand Number: 380 01952 299 944 Stand Number: 360 www.extensis.com 01604 636 300 Stand Number: 820 Stand number: 245 Stand number: 450
104 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the information as it happens visit Macworld Online Daily News (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the day Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 105 Preproduction under the Scratch Disks tab to guide Final Cut Pro to your The entire editing process will go more smoothly if you chosen media drive. keep the demands of video editing in mind as you set up Use another screen Final Cut Pro can display your work your system. on a FireWire camcorder’s LCD screen, but it can do so A solid foundation Although Final Cut Pro 2 will run on better on a television monitor connected to the camcorder. a 300MHz G3 Mac, it’s much snappier on a G4 system Many analogue capture products, such as Matrox’s £699 because this version is highly optimized for the G4’s RTMac (www.matrox.com; 01753 665 624), also hook up to Final Cut Pro 2 Velocity Engine circuitry. an external TV monitor. A TV screen is preferable to Final A multiprocessor system is better still: a 533MHz dual- Cut Pro’s relatively tiny Canvas window for previewing your processor Power Mac G4 renders images faster than a work, and it’s essential for accurately assessing and 733MHz single-processor machine. Final Cut Pro demands correcting colour. a Mac with at least 256MB of RAM – and more memory You can even add a second computer monitor to display Expert guide will boost performance. some of Final Cut Pro’s many windows. To cut down on Have enough room All modern high-capacity hard scrolling and zooming, put your Timeline window on the drives meet the 3.6MBps data-transfer rate that FireWire- wider monitor and stash lesser-used windows on the based DV camcorders require. But that doesn’t always other. Outgrown iMovie? It’s time to harness the power of Apple’s mean you can get by with your Mac’s built-in drive; DV- Arrange your windows Final Cut Pro provides several format video gobbles up 216MB per minute. preset window arrangements that you can customize. You professional video-editing software. By Jim Heid and Tom Wolsky What’s more, a hard drive can have trouble playing might use the Standard arrangement when logging and back a project containing multiple audio tracks, capturing video or working on a PowerBook; it provides transitions, and effects. As the drive’s heads seek from one large Viewer and Canvas windows. When you’re in the irector Alfred Hitchcock once said, “Drama is life approach those in editing workstations with five-figure preview file to another while reading several tracks of editing trenches, switching to the Wide arrangement will with the dull bits left out.” In his day, creating that price tags, such as Avid Technology’s Media Composer audio, playback may suffer dropped video frames and give you a bigger Timeline window. D drama involved slicing film, hanging individual family. Apple’s latest release is as adept at working with stuttering sound, especially if the drive has been The Viewer and Canvas windows are smaller in Wide shots in fabric-lined bins, gluing those shots together, and low-cost MiniDV-format camcorders as it is at controlling fragmented by the addition and removal of files. mode, but if you’re using an external TV monitor, this scrawling on them with a grease pencil to call for effects high-end DigiBeta broadcast gear. It’s suitable for creating Consider using a second, dedicated hard drive to store won’t be a problem. The Standard arrangement, with its such as fades. Today, you can cut out the dull bits – or more both movies for Web sites and feature films for the silver captured video. If you keep your System Folder and the larger Canvas window, is always just a keyboard shortcut accurately, assemble the interesting ones – using your screen. And its power is wrapped in an elegant, responsive Final Cut Pro application on one drive and your work on away: control-U. Macintosh and affordable video-editing software. And for interface that looks and works much like that of a high-end another, you’ll reduce the need for seeking, improving your You can also save your own window arrangements – a growing number of professional and independent video Avid system. system’s overall performance and lowering the risk of handy if you’re using two monitors, or if you simply prefer editors and filmmakers, Apple’s Final Cut Pro is the editing To help you take full advantage of Final Cut Pro’s power, playback problems. a custom window layout to one of Final Cut Pro’s. Just program of choice. we’ve organized tips to use throughout the video- To direct Final Cut Pro to use a drive other than your press the option key and choose Set Custom Layout 1 or Set The £700 Final Cut Pro 2 (★★★★/8.2; Reviews, May production process: setting up your system, capturing startup drive for captured and rendered video clips, choose Custom Layout 2 from the Window menu’s Arrange
NAOMI SHEA 2001; Apple, 0800 039 1010) has a wealth of features that footage, editing, applying effects, and outputting. Preferences from the Edit menu and then use the buttons submenu. continues page 110
108 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 109 Creating video in text
he ability to composite (or A combine) video layers is a feature T normally found only in dedicated compositing programs such as Adobe After Effects. But Final Cut Pro supports many standard Photoshop compositing modes (such as Add and Multiply), and it can track the luminance value and alpha channel (the transparency information) of a layer. These capabilities permit effects such as video footage inside text. Step 1 Place your background on the V1 track. In our example, we’ve used a solid-colour matte created in Final Cut Pro, but a Photoshop texture, a B gradient, a still image, or even another video clip would also work. Stop whining You’ve captured some DV-format video Step 2 Add your text to the V2 track. and disconnected your camera. Now every time you launch Using the Text Generator pop-up menu Final Cut Pro, it tells you that the “external device is in the lower right corner of the Viewer missing.” window, create a large, bold block of C To eliminate this annoying message, first choose text that takes up most of the screen Audio/Video Settings from the Edit menu. From the Device (A); this will allow more video to show Control Preset pop-up menu that appears, choose Non- through. With the Text Generator’s Controllable Device. From the External Video menu, choose Aspect control (B), you can make the None. Now click on the Create Easy Setup button, enter a characters taller. Adjust the Y origin setup name and description, and deselect the Enable point to position the text below the Verification Of Device Control In First Start Dialog option. screen’s default centre point. Finally, click on the Create button and type in the new Easy Step 3 Put the video – the footage D Setup’s name. that will show through the text – on the You can use this setup when you don’t want Final Cut V3 track (C). Pro to look for your camera. When you reconnect the Step 4 With the clip on V3 selected, camera, simply switch back to your previous setting. choose Travel Matte-Alpha from the Composite Mode submenu of the Capture strategies Modify menu. To edit video, you have to bring it into your Mac; here are After you’ve done that, Final Cut Pro’s some tips on Final Cut Pro’s capture features. Text Generator creates an alpha Dropped frames Many users who upgrade to Final Cut channel, and the clip on V3 takes its Pro 2 find that it aborts when capturing from a DV device. alpha-channel information from the Because of a long-standing glitch with QuickTime text block on V2. Just render the captures, the Mac’s FireWire interface often misses a few effect, and presto – your video is frames and duplicates others as it starts to capture DV. playing inside your text (D). Final Cut Pro 2 interprets this as dropped frames and therefore aborts the capture. To prevent this, tell Final Cut Pro to not abort on dropped frames: Choose Preferences from the Edit menu, and then deselect the Abort On Dropped Frames option. Select and modify settings When you embark on a If Final Cut Pro reports dropped frames after you’ve project, you must specify settings for audio and video captured a clip, check the clip’s properties (control-click on capture, camcorder control, video playback, and more. the clip in the Browser window and then choose Item Configuring these correctly is critical in avoiding problems Properties from the contextual menu). If you see an such as dropped video frames or distorted or out-of-sync unusual frame rate, such as 23.483 frames per second (fps), audio. instead of the proper 29.97 fps, chances are that a problem Final Cut Pro’s settings are scattered across numerous in your system—such as a heavily fragmented hard drive – dialog boxes, all of which have multiple tabs containing is causing dropped frames. several options. Fortunately, Final Cut Pro 2’s new Easy Log and capture Final Cut Pro’s device-control features Setup options usually eliminate the need to venture into can save you hard-drive space by logging and capturing these dialog boxes at all. only those portions of a tape you think you’ll use. In the Log An Easy Setup is a collection of settings stored under a And Capture window, specify which clips you want, and single name; when you choose one (via the Edit menu), click on the Batch Capture button; then take a break while Final Cut Pro applies a dozen or more settings in one fell Final Cut Pro does all the work. swoop. And to save you time and spare your tendons, Final Cut Pro includes Easy Setups for several common familiarize yourself with Final Cut Pro’s keyboard shortcuts production scenarios, but you may have to modify certain (see “Essential keyboard shortcuts” for a list). settings. To capture footage shot using 32KHz audio rather By default, Final Cut Pro prompts you to name than the preferred 48KHz, for example, you’ll need to select individual clips as you log them. If you’d rather name clips the DV NTSC 48KHz Capture setup and then click on the after you’ve batch-captured a group of them, deselect the Duplicate button. In the dialog box that appears, choose Prompt option in the Log And Capture window. 32KHz audio. Don’t forget to edit the new setup’s name and description to reflect your changes. continues page 112
110 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Love handles If you disable Sequence: Nest Items). The new sequence will appear in To designate a default transition, control-click on your the Abort On Dropped Frames the Timeline window as if it were a single clip, so you can choice in the Effects browser and then choose Set Default option, consider padding your apply the Widescreen filter to all its contents with just one Transition from the contextual menu. captured clips with handles that trip to Effects menu. You can also create custom effects filters. Apply the are a few seconds long. Final Cut Nesting sequences also makes sophisticated filter to a clip and tweak its settings as desired; with the Pro can add time to the beginning compositing (combining video layers) possible. If you nest clip selected, choose Make Favorite Effect from the Modify and end of each clip; if, as is likely, a series of shots in one sequence, it becomes easy to layer menu. Then go to the Effects browser and give the filter a dropped frames occur at the very and otherwise modify those shots using Final Cut Pro’s descriptive name. beginning of a clip, they’ll be in the compositing and effects features. Watch as you tweak When you’re adjusting a filter’s in-point handle. Multiple sequences have other organizational benefits. settings in the Canvas window, you can’t see the effects of To add handles, click on the Dividing a lengthy project into several sequences makes it those adjustments on your video clip. The solution: drag Batch button in the Log And easier to move edited scenes around within the larger the Video tab out of the Viewer window and create a Capture window. In the resulting structure of a project – especially helpful in documentary separate window for it. This way, you can see results as you Batch Capture dialog box, be sure work, where you might want to experiment with different tweak the filter’s settings. the Add Handles option is structures or versions. It’s also valuable when you’re selected; then enter a timecode editing a project while it’s still being shot, since scenes can Timeline tweaks value in the adjacent text box to more easily be rearranged as new ones come in. Alternatively, you might want to drag the Filter tab out of set the duration. Editing shortcuts Final Cut Pro provides a dizzying the Viewer window and down to the Timeline window. This Alternative to logging Final array of keyboard shortcuts, but the most efficient is useful if you plan to modify a filter’s settings over time – Cut Pro controls DV camcorders technique is often a combination of the mouse and for example, to have a clip get progressively blurrier. You’ll with aplomb, but most DV keyboard. Say you’ve specified the in- and out-points for a have a wide Filters window in which you can set keyframes camcorders don’t lend themselves clip and you’re ready to add it to the timeline. With the to animate the filter. to the demands of batch timeline’s playhead positioned where you want to insert Falling short You add a transition, but you don’t get capturing. Delays of a couple of the clip, press F9, the keyboard shortcut for an insert edit. the results you expect – perhaps you wanted a three- seconds each time the camcorder switches from, say, Now double-click on the next clip in the browser, set its in- second cross-dissolve but Final Cut Pro gave you one that’s rewind mode to playback mode are common. And all that and out-points, and press F9 again. 2 seconds and 4 frames long. starting and stopping can take a toll on the tape-transport Similarly, you might prefer to flesh out the overall To use Final Cut Pro’s current default transition This usually happens because there aren’t enough mechanisms in consumer-grade camcorders. structure of scenes by creating a rough cut in which the between the clip you’re adding and the one to the video frames in the outgoing and/or incoming clips to If you have sufficient hard drive space, it’s better to clips are in their final order, but their lengths aren’t playhead’s immediate left, press shift-F9. To replace the accommodate the transition you wanted – a common simply capture large chunks of video all at once and then precisely trimmed and no effects or transitions are applied. footage at the playhead (an overwrite edit), press F10 or, to source of confusion for Final Cut Pro newcomers. divvy them up into separate subclips. A subclip is a kind of This lets you concentrate on establishing the rhythm of the overwrite with a transition, press shift-F10. Titling Final Cut Pro’s titling features are not among its virtual clip: it simply points to a section of footage in project as a whole, and it eliminates the waste of rendering Similarly, you can use the numeric keypad along with finest attributes. The titling effects, or text generators, another clip, yet you can manipulate it as you can any other effects that may change later. the mouse to make precise edits. Say you want to perform can’t use PostScript fonts, and they limit you to one font, clip. For some ventures, your editing will often be a two-second rolling edit. (A rolling edit adds footage to size, and style per title. Nor will they let you manually Final Cut Pro 2 has some slick new features that make determined by the audio: with a documentary, for one clip and subtracts an equal amount from the next clip, adjust the spacing between characters – tuck a lower-case this process easy with a DV camcorder. You can even use example, you might cut to show different scenes of a preserving the overall length of a sequence.) In Final Cut o beneath a capital T, for example. Final Cut Pro 2’s terrific media-management features to historic site as a narrator describes them. In such cases, lay Pro’s tool palette, select the rolling-edit tool (or just press Some text generators have an automatic-kerning organize assets and reclaim hard drive space. out a rough audio bed first – for instance, add the final R). Next, select the edit point that separates the two clips. feature that tightens up character spacing overall, but First, use the Log And Capture window’s Capture Now narrative audio to the timeline – and then edit your visuals Finally, type -200 and press the return key. avoid it if your content will be distributed on VHS tape. button to grab a chunk of video; then drag the footage to to fit. The ability to type time-code values directly into the Automatic kerning tends to space characters tightly, which the Browser window to save it. With the footage still Managing bins In Final Cut Pro you can organize your Timeline window makes possible all manner of tricks. To can make them difficult to read. selected in the Browser window, choose DV Start/Stop media assets – audio and video clips, still images, and the move a clip four seconds later, select the clip, type +400, Although its text generators are weak, Final Cut Pro’s Detection from the Tools menu. Final Cut Pro will scan the like – into folder-like bins. Using multiple bins is a great and press return. To jump to the timeline’s two-minute ability to combine, or composite, video layers makes it easy footage and set markers at each scene break (see “Divide way to bring order to the hundreds of assets that make up mark, deselect all clips (press ⌘-D), type 2... (that’s 2 to create special titling effects. (For an example, see and conquer”). a lengthy project. followed by three periods), and press return. “Creating video in text.”) To create subclips, select these markers and then The nature of your undertaking will influence how you After Effects plug-ins One of the best additions in Final choose Make Subclip from the Modify menu (or press use bins. For a wildlife-documentary project, you might Transitions and effects Cut Pro 2 is actually a third-party product. Boris Script Ltd, ⌘-U). Use the Browser window to give each subclip a create subject-oriented bins: ocean shots, bird close-ups, Of course, Final Cut Pro has the standard array of video an After Effects plug-in found in the Extras folder on the descriptive name. Now you can open and work with any and so on. For narrative films, each scene or act might have transitions – dissolves, wipes, irises, and so on. But it also Final Cut Pro 2 CD, is a scaled-down version of Boris FX’s scene in the Viewer window by double-clicking on its a separate bin. You could also make a bin to hold the provides some productivity-boosting variations. And the Graffiti titler. It’s a great tool with none of the limitations name. And don’t worry if you find yourself needing a bit original shots that you captured and later divided into strength of its video-effects and compositing features of Final Cut Pro’s text generators: with it, you can mix and more footage from the master clip; with your subclip subclips. You can put bins inside other bins, but don’t go means you can often do without a dedicated motion- match fonts and styles, kern characters, and even set tabs selected, choose Remove Subclip Limits from the Modify overboard: locating an item that’s buried too deep can be graphics package such as Adobe After Effects. to create small tables. menu to gain access to the entire clip. difficult. Optimize your display If you frequently work with a Titles that span clips It’s common for a superimposed Final Cut Pro normally sorts the list of a bin’s contents specific type of transition – dissolves, for instance – create title to run for more than one clip – and a lengthy, scrolling In the cutting room by name. The problem with this is that when you rename a separate tab in the Browser window that shows only title might span numerous Among software-only solutions, Final Cut Pro alone an item, it may jump to a different location in the list, dissolves. shots. But applying Boris Script provides the kind of industrial-strength editing features becoming hard to find in a bin with many items. In the Browser, click on the Effects tab, and then to multiple individual shots is that serious video producers demand. These let you tweak If you want renamed items to stay put, you can sort double-click on the Dissolve folder. Final Cut Pro opens a a lot of work, and you can’t do edits with single-frame accuracy, manage the gigabytes your bins’ contents by a different criterion, such as an separate window containing just the dissolve transitions. it for animated titles. What’s that make up a large project, and more. unused label column. (To change the sort order, click on the Drag that window by its tab into the Browser window, and more, if you change a shot to Edit efficiently Video-editing programs don’t force you heading of the column by which you want to sort.) it becomes another tabbed window in the Browser. Now which you applied Boris Script, to work in a linear, beginning-to-end fashion – that’s why Sequence strategies One Final Cut Pro advantage that you can access dissolves simply by clicking on the Dissolve the title will disappear and they’re called nonlinear editors. You can trim clips either you won’t find in Adobe Premiere is the ability to divide tab. you’ll have to reapply it. before or after adding them to the timeline. You can add your projects into multiple sequences, each with its own Customize transitions and filters Say you’re working Here’s a better approach: transitions and other visual effects as you edit, or apply timeline. You can even nest sequences, putting one within on a wedding-video project that uses a lot of Page Peel First, create a slug – a black clip them at the end of the entire process. And you can tackle another. transitions between still images. Build your custom Page that you can use as a individual scenes in any order. Nested sequences make it far easier to create certain Peel with just the right curl, a splashy bit of highlight, and placeholder for other clips or Still, it’s more efficient to perform editing tasks in a kinds of special effects. An example: after editing your a backing that matches the peach-coloured roses in the to perform special tricks – and certain way. For example, we like to tweak the lengths of movie, you decide it would look better in letterboxed bride’s bouquet. Now drag that transition from the Viewer add it to the second video (V2) clips before they’re added to the timeline. (Open a clip in format. Instead of applying Final Cut Pro’s Widescreen window into the Favorites bin of the Effects panel. Rename track, above the clips that it the Viewer window, and as it plays, press I to set its in-point filter to every shot in your movie, you can just select them it Peach Peel, and you can use it throughout this wedding and O to set its out-point.) all and nest them into another sequence (choose project and future ones. continues page 114
112 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 113 overworked hard drive. (Choose Mixdown Audio from the Sequence menu.) This method of outputting to video won’t incorporate any extras, such as colour bars, audio test tones, or countdown footage. If you need those – say, for a duplication house or a broadcaster – add them to the beginning of your sequence. This is another occasion when multiple sequences come in handy: you can create a standard “beginning of tape” sequence to insert at the start of a sequence before you record it to tape. Print To video A more sophisticated means of outputting a project is the Print To Video command. It will add extras such as colour bars for you, and it can also record an identification message, called a slate, to run prior to the sequence’s content. By default, the slate text is the name of the clip or sequence you’re printing to video. To change it, choose Text in the Print To Video dialog box and Divide and conquer will be superimposed over. (To create a slug, use the then type in your desired text. You can use Final Cut Pro 2.0’s Generators area of the Effects browser or choose Slug from Another option is to use an image file for the slate: in scene-detection features, such the Generators pop-up menu in the Viewer window.) Apply Photoshop, create a custom slate with your company logo as the DV Start/Stop Detection Boris Script to this slug. Next, with the titled slug visible in on it, for example; then choose the File option in the Print and Make Subclip commands, the Viewer window, click on the Filters tab and deselect the To Video dialog box, click on the file-chooser button, and to divide DV footage into Composite On Original option. select the file. You can even have an audio slate: in the file- separate clips. Now change the slug’s duration to match the length of chooser dialog box, select Sound Files from the Show pop- the clip or clips that the title will span. To fade the title in up menu, and then navigate to the sound file. and out, use the opacity controls under the Filters or Although the Print To Video command offers more Motion tabs. output options, we recommend using the simpler record- and-play approach – Print To Video isn’t always reliable. Output options Some users have reported dropped frames, others have The final step in production is to record your edited project encountered missing audio channels, and still others have back to videotape and compress it for Web or CD-ROM described random glitches. Most Final Cut Pro gurus advise delivery – or perhaps both. simply playing your sequence while you record it. Use the spacebar Final Cut Pro provides several ways to Edit to tape Use the Edit To Tape output method for output to tape, but the easiest and most reliable is simply professional-level features, such as the ability to cleanly to put your video deck in Record mode and then press the replace a shot in the middle of a tape without having to re- spacebar to play your sequence. record the shots around it. Editing to tape requires a video Before you proceed, be sure all transitions, filters, and deck capable of frame-accurate insert editing (a Betacam effects are rendered at the Hi-Res setting – lower- or DigiBeta deck, for example). These connect via an RS- resolution settings you may have used to preview your 422 serial interface and use different device-control work won’t look good on a TV. If you have numerous audio protocols than FireWire-based DV devices do. tracks or effects, mix your audio down to a stereo pair to Go beyond TV Final Cut Pro 2 includes Media 100’s prevent stuttering and other problems caused by an Cleaner 5 EZ, a scaled-down version of the £299 Cleaner 5 compression utility (Computers Unlimited, 020 8358 5857). You can use Cleaner 5 EZ to prepare your video for Essential keyboard shortcuts the Web or for CD-ROM distribution. Before you compress a sequence in Cleaner 5 EZ, choose PRESS THIS TO DO THIS Final Cut Pro Movie from the editing program’s Export submenu (located under the File menu). In the Export Logging and Capturing dialog box, be sure that the Make Movie Self-Contained I, O, F2 Set a clip’s in-point, set its out-point, and log it. option is not selected – doing so will dramatically speed up the export process and save hard-drive space. ⌘-H Batch capture. Note, however, that this requires the file you’re shift-C Capture now. exporting and its original media to be on the same machine. If you plan to be doing your compression on a Playing Video different computer, select the Make Movie Self-Contained J Rewind (press repeatedly to increase speed). option. Then after you’ve exported the movie, open L Play forward (press repeatedly to increase speed). Cleaner 5 EZ and compress it. K Stop. shift-\ Play from the in-point to the out-point. The last word Final Cut Pro has helped bring video-editing tools to the masses, but it hasn’t changed the arts of editing and Editing filmmaking at all. As you master this remarkable program, option-T or control-T Apply default transition. remember that every shot, every cut, every transition, and ‘ (apostrophe) Jump to the next edit in the timeline. every effect should contribute to the story you’re trying to ; (semicolon) Jump to the previous edit in the timeline. tell. And bear in mind another of Hitchcock’s famous A Select the arrow tool. quotations: “The length of a film should be directly related B Select the razor-blade tool. to the endurance of the human bladder.” MW NTemporarily toggle snap-to in the timeline. Contributing Editor Jim Heid (www.jimheid.com) has been writing ⌘ while dragging Slow the mouse for greater precision. about digital video since 1991. Tom Wolsky (www.southcoasttv.com) home or end key Jump to the beginning or end of the timeline (or clip, in the Viewer window). is a former producer for ABC News in New York and in London, and shift-page up, shift-page down Scroll the timeline left or right. is the author of Final Cut Pro 2 Editing Workshop, coming soon from CMP Books.
114 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month The Mac does count When it comes to accounting, Macs can match PCs anytime. By Bob Foley
ust as Macs are associated with home-movie business just as ably as it can help you make an iMovie. It
making, music-authoring and desktop publishing, can help you stay on top of billing, determine how much Jthe PC is often thought of as a home- and office- coffee you need to order for your staff, and, most accounting tool. But all Macs – from entry-level iMacs to important of all, calculate, organize and administer your
the 867MHz Power Mac G4 – can be accounting finances.
GEORGINA WATSON powerhouses, if you so choose. A Mac can run your continues page 148
Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 147 Data creator Accounting systems Entry level make data-entry Torsoft Cashbook Manager As its name suggests, highly automated, so Cashbook Manager (£34; Torsoft, 01752 895 100) is not a that the only things fully fledged accounting package. The basic product is a user need type are similar to a personal-finance package such as Microsoft the description of Money, or Intuit Quicken. It’s simply a means of recording the sale and the and analysing money that been spent or received. A amount, excluding module for sales and purchases can be added, that allows VAT. you to add customer contact-details, supplier details, and information concerning issued and received invoices. Unfortunately, you can’t actually print-out an invoice to send to a customer. There’s also a contact-management module. The modules cost £25.50 for the pair. Torsoft has a number of standard “charts of accounts”, tailored for specific businesses, such as hairdressing, Accounting basics gardening, electrical work, and so on. These career areas If you’re new to accounts, show that the product is aimed at the self-employed with it might be helpful to think small payrolls. This approach allows for transactions to be of accounts activities as a categorized in an appropriate way: a hairdresser will want nested-folder system – similar a shampoo account, whereas a gardener may want a There are standard (but customizable) charts of accounts What’s in the box? to the way folders are arranged There is now some excellent accounting software separate modules for some of them. For instance, your fertilizer account. for a wide variety of businesses, and each aspect of the As well as the usual ledgers, on a Mac. available for the Mac, and, with no problems concerning debtors’ account may have a balance of £250,000 – made Being an entry-level product, Cashbook Manager’s system has an Easy Setup Assistant – a sort of wizard – MYOB’s basic system includes a incompatibility of data with Wintel machines, maybe it’s up of hundreds or thousands of amounts owed by analysis and reporting facilities are limited – you can’t, for which asks the user all the questions it requires answers to, payroll module – great value for time to persuade your accountant to invest in a speedy individual customers. example, produce a trial balance. You could export data to enabling it to properly configure the system. the price. Macintosh. To keep track of these requires a separate debtors Excel and manipulate it that way, but what’s the point? You This feature is both for those looking to buy their first ledger – or sales ledger – module. This allows you to record may as well enter data straight into a set of Excel Back to basics accounting software-package and those seeking a more a mass of other useful information about customers, spreadsheets in the first instance. MYOB’s basic system (see “What’s in the box”) includes powerful package. including address, phone number, contact names and Hansa FirstOffice This product (£95; Hansa, 0191 296 nominal, sales and purchase ledgers, plus a cashbook and At the low-end is Torsoft’s Cashbook Manager and terms of trade. 1500) is a pared-down version of Office2, which is covered basic stock-management module and – a great bonus for Hansa FirstOffice. Next up, for between £200 and £400, The same applies to your creditors: there will be a later on. The basic version lacks functionality dealing with the price – a payroll module (see “What’s in the box?”). For there’s MYOB Accounting and Ritz 2000. At the start of the creditors ledger module – or purchases ledger – to keep stock control, payroll, costing features, and multi-currency. an extra £100, you get a time-billing module (useful for higher end of the market – at around £350 – are Hansa track of suppliers, and what you owe them. Although not as full-featured as the more expensive MYOB, typical Mac service-based companies), multi-currency Office2 and Access FoundationsXP, although products in The above form the basics of any decent accounting it is suitable for a company that already uses Office2, and options, and a more-advanced stock-management module. this group can cost several thousand pounds when adding system, but any number of modules – for dealing with so possesses the necessary knowledge in-house. Although There is a boiled-down version of this product, called all the optional modules available. stock, payroll, fixed assets and so on – can be bolted on. You affordable, FirstOffice is not the logical starting point for MYOB Accounting (£195, MYOB).This offers more basic may also want tools that help with job costing, or time the average first-time buyer who would need to factor-in stock-control features, but lacks costing and billing What’s in an accounting system? allocation, and for any other aspect of running a business the cost of basic accounts training. functionality. MYOB Accounting is something of a bridge It’s useful to think in terms of a folder system (see that can be represented in unitary and monetary terms. product between the entry-level and mid-range packages. “Accounting basics”). Every package has at its heart the Data entry in an accounting system is usually Mid-range Ritz 2000 This product sits somewhere between MYOB nominal ledger (or general ledger), that contains records of highly automated. For example in “Data creator” (above), MYOB Accounting Plus This is a well-established and truly and the higher-end FoundationsXP and Office2 – even if, at the business’s assets (computers, desks, cash, etc), and the only things the user will actually type are the excellent package. MYOB (it stands for Mind Your Own £395 (Ritz Software, 01689 860 444) for the basic package, liabilities (bank overdrafts, etc), as well as sales and description of the sale and the amount, excluding VAT. All Business) is by far the best choice for a first real accounting it’s actually more expensive than these two titles. expenses. other information is either selected from drop-down system for small companies, being able to handle accounts Those new to accounting packages will like the fact it Check out this month’s cover CD Because there’s a large amount of data underlying menus, drawn from the database, or calculated systems involving at least 10,000 transactions per year. helps with initial set-up, although, unlike MYOB, its set-up for a trial of Ritz 2000. some of the figures in nominal-ledger accounts, there are automatically. Everything in MYOB Accounting Plus (£295; MYOB UK, screens are not as intuitive for the uninitiated. 01344 397 222) is made easy for the inexperienced user. Ritz is well-illustrated with screenshots and example data, and its context-sensitive online help is perhaps the best of all the products under review. Its interface is also Accounting software compared well designed (See “Plain and simple”). PRODUCT Torsoft Cashbook Manager Hansa FirstOffice MYOB Accounting MYOB Accounting Plus Ritz 2000 Access Foundations XP Hansa Office2 One annoying thing is you can have only one window Plain and simple URL www.torsoft.co.uk www.hansaworld.com www.myob.co.uk www.myob.co.uk www.ritzaccounts.co.uk www.access-accounts.com www.hansaworld.com open at a time, which limits its flexibility. For instance you Ritz 2000’s interface may be Phone 01752 895100 0191 296 1500 01344 397 222 01344 397 222 01689 860 444 01206 322 575 0191 296 1500 could be working on a multi-line purchase invoice, and plain, but is well-organised continues page 150 and so easy to follow. Downloadable trial version No, although the Web site says there is. No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Price (ex VAT) £34 for basic product plus £25.50 £95 £195 £295 £395 £375 £350 for two additional modules. Concurrent users Single Single Multi Multi Optional add-on Multi Multi Platforms OS 9, OS X, Windows OS 9, OS X, Windows OS 9, OS X, Windows OS 9, OS X, Windows OS 9, OS X, Windows OS 9, OS X, Windows OS 9, OS X, Windows Export to common format(s) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes KEY MODULES AND FEATURES Cash book YesYes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (part of other ledgers). Nominal ledger Rudimentary Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Sales ledger Rudimentary Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Purchases ledger Rudimentary Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Stock control No No Basic Advanced Yes Yes Yes Payroll No No Yes Yes No, but a separate Payroll module is available. No, but a separate Payroll module is available. No, but recommend dbsPay2. Costing features, time billing No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Contact management/CRM Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Multi-currency No No No Yes Add-in Yes Yes Star Rating ★★★/6.5 ★★★★/8.3 ★★★★/8.8 ★★★★/8.8 ★★★★/7.2 ★★★★/7.7 ★★★★/8.3
148 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 149 suddenly remember Instead I got a page of waffle, which seemed to bear no you need to enter a relation to the matter in hand. Only after a careful read did journal in the nominal it begin to make any sense. High-end or not, users always ledger. In Ritz 2000, want quick results – not a plethora of options. you will be unable to The manual is worse still. Even something as simple switch temporarily to as entering a payment to a supplier requires the user to the relevant part of wade through ten pages of turgid instructions. By contrast, the program and then in the Hansa Office2 documentation, there’s a heading switch back and carry simply entitled Entering a payment, followed by field-by- on with your original field instructions: click on this, hit that keyboard shortcut, task: you’ll lose all enter this data, and so on. It’s simple, clear, and posted data if you comprehensive. attempt this. Hansa Office2 This is from a well-established company Another drawback based in Denmark. It produces versions of its software for is the issue of many countries in Europe. Office2 (£350; Hansa, 0191 296 scalability: Ritz 2000 1500) is a stepping stone to Hansa’s products for medium- Fat help offers a number of add-on modules, and a separate payroll to large-companies, called Hansa Financials. Online help in FoundationsXP is package, but that’s as far as it goes. Once the basic Ritz Office2 is a nice package, offering all the more poor, with a query relating to the 2000 package is outgrown, you’ll have to switch to the sophisticated features and data-manipulation ability of above window triggering a page Access or Hansa products. If you’re going to spend about Access, including time billing and costing features, contact- of waffle – which only made £400, why not start-off with FoundationsXP or Office2? management features, and multi-currency capability. sense after much careful re- Moreover, it’s remarkably swift, making the other packages reading. High end on review feel sluggish by comparison – particularly Access To get the most from the more complex packages, you’ll FoundationsXP. need someone with specialist accounting knowledge – Also, compared with FoundationsXP, there’s a good otherwise you’re well advised to seek advice or training deal less mouse-work and menu selection work necessary from an accountant or a suitably qualified reseller. to get data on screen in the required form and order. This Access FoundationsXP Access Accounts is nothing to will be particularly appealing to data-entry staff, whose with either the credit-card company, or the Microsoft work is made that much easier by keyboard-friendly database. interfaces. FoundationsXP (£350; Access Accounts, 01206 322 575) One feature I particularly liked was the uniform is a stepping stone to Access’s products for medium and shortcut-key, Paste Special (⌘+Enter). This brings up large companies – Access Horizons and Access Dimensions whatever list of codes or other data is appropriate, at respectively. almost every data-entry field throughout the system. Also There are some lovely features in this package, one of extremely useful is the ability to have as many windows which is the ability to select data from on-screen reports open as you like (see “Window boost”). Other packages and paste it into an Excel spreadsheet – with no need for – notably Ritz 2000 – tend not to allow you to make comma-separated file exports or the like, as required in changes in one part of the system while you are working in most other packages. another. Because the system is designed to be used in so many Advanced features different countries, Office2 can be eccentric. For instance, Besides the standard ledgers and modules, FoundationsXP to make the system automatically calculate VAT on an offers more sophisticated features for stock management, invoice, you’d expect to enter the current rate (17.5 per sales and purchase-order processing, costing and credit cent) as a default. Instead, you have to enter the result of control than the cheaper packages. It also appears to be the calculation 17.5 divided by 117.5 (which comes to better geared-up to the euro than most other packages on 14.8936). test. Practically every aspect of the system can be This is clearly explained in the manual, and you only configured to behave exactly as you like, and this is what have to do the calculation and enter the result once – but you would want when you are ready to step up from a you’d have thought the software could do this bit of maths smaller computerized system such as MYOB, because by for itself. then you will have a lot of data in a semi-customized form Another criticism of Hansa Office2 is that its Window boost (your system of coding and numbering, your tailored chart documentation is unavailable as part of a context-sensitive One feature in Hansa Office2 of accounts, and so on). online help system. that’s a real boon is the ability One drawback with FoundationsXP is that the to have as many windows open documentation and online help are quite atrocious. For Macworld buying advice as you like, adding much to its instance, I brought up a window entitled New Analysis (see By necessity, we’ve only scratched the surface of available flexibility. “Fat help”) whose fields to complete included code, accounting software – particularly with regard to the description, sort key, weightier packages. The titles reviewed, though, are a VAT, currency, debit, representative cross-section of what’s out there. and credit. I clicked Until someone produces a better sub-£100 entry-level the “help” question accounting product for the UK Mac market, you’re better- mark expecting to off using a good spreadsheet package, such as Excel. You see, at the very least, may even find that your favourite database has built-in an example of this accounting templates. window completed Of the mid-range products – ideal for small businesses with sample data, – MYOB is the clear first choice. Go for MYOB Accounting followed by a more- Plus if time-billing or stock management are important in detailed description your business. showing each field, Larger businesses require more accounting power and the type of data and configurability. Both Access FoundationsXP and to be inserted and Hansa Office2 are high-end products, and are up to the where it can be job – but Hansa Office2 is the winner, for its speed and found. ease of use. MW
150 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Search Macworld’s Reviews database online (www.macworld.co.uk), updated throughout the month Missing manual
Flash hoardings Add animation to Web sites with Dreamweaver, Flash and Shockwave. By David McFarland
ith Cascading Style Sheets Dreamweaver Behaviors, and Images, you can bring Web pages Multimedia move W and banner adverts to life with interactivity and animation. But as you may External multimedia files like this Flash movie can add a dimension of sound, animation, have noticed, more and more Web pages and interactivity that brings new life to a site, and makes possible a complexity that’s these days blink, sing, and dance with difficult to emulate using HTML alone. In this case (at www.safetreekids.net/hidden_dangers/ sound, video, and advanced animation. index.html), clicking the man on the pole adjusts your score and lets you play for bonus You can create these effects too, but they points. require outside help from other programs such as Flash, Director, or Java; all of them let you create complex multimedia presentations. Dreamweaver provides powerful tools for adding these external media files and embedding them within your Web pages. Four warnings, however. First, while all of the technologies discussed in this article let you expand your Web pages into new and exciting territory, they also require external applications (not just a Web browser). Missing audience These programs, usually called plug-ins, are controversial in the Web-development community, mainly because they limit your audience. Not all Web site users have the necessary plug-ins installed on their computers. Those guests must choose from three equally unpalatable options: Go to a different Web site to download the plug-in; skip the multimedia show (if there’s a second, plug-in-free version of the site); or skip the Web site entirely. All media types mentioned here require a plug-in of some kind. Second, it’s worth noting that Flash is quickly becoming the standard these effects can bulk up your Web page for Web animation, and with good reason: considerably, making it slower to load – Macromedia’s Flash technology produces and making it still more likely that some high-quality, animated images – known as of your visitors (especially those using dial- Flash movies – at a relatively small file size. up modems) won’t bother sticking around. Its drawings and animations are vector Third, these flashy multimedia effects graphics; they use mathematical formulae are easy to overuse. Blink and flash too to describe objects on the screen. By contrast, much, and you’ll find your audience beating bitmap technology such as GIF and JPEG a hasty retreat for the cyber-exits. graphics include data for every pixel of Finally, creating external movies, an image, gobbling up precious bytes animations, or applications is an art – and and adding download time. Flash’s vector a book or two – unto itself. This is a guide to graphics, on the other hand, save file size inserting such add-on goodies into your Web with their compact mathematical expressions. page; it assumes that a cheerful programmer Furthermore, Flash can also handle MP3 near you has already created them. continues page 154
For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 153 the Flash plug-in installed. In fact, Macromedia Property inspector is the place to do it. says that – insert pinch of salt here – over 90 As with images and navigation buttons, Show All per cent of Web browsers in use now have you can use JavaScript to control Flash movies. Scalability some version of the player (only 55 per cent For example, Dreamweaver’s built-in Control have the latest version of Flash). Shockwave or Flash behaviour lets you start, A Flash movie’s Scale property specifies To insert a Flash movie into a Web page, stop, or jump to a specific frame in a Flash how a movie should be scaled when Control strip audio and advanced-programming features, click where you want to insert the movie; movie. its Width and Height properties are set No Border The Parameters button opens a dialog box that offers providing an added dimension of sound and choose Insert-Media-Flash (or click the Flash However, if you plan to use JavaScript with differently than the original movie. If additional technical controls (see the Flash manual). interactivity that can make a plain HTML page button on the Objects panel). Either way, a your Flash movie, you need to give the Flash you’ve resized a movie, press F12 to see look dull by comparison. For example, advanced Select File dialog box appears; navigate to element a name. To do that, type the name you how it looks in a Web browser, then, if Flash gurus can build automatic score tracking the Flash movie file (look for a .swf extension) wish to use in the Name field – the box directly necessary, choose a different setting from Exact Fit into an online game, or add a cannon-firing and double-click it. below “Flash Text” in the Property inspector. the Scale pop-up menu in the Property animation each time the player clicks the Dreamweaver automatically determines JavaScript uses this name to identify the inspector. mouse. While Dynamic HTML can do some of the width and height of the movie and movie in its code. these things, Flash movies are easier to create generates the appropriate HTML to embed The File field specifies the path to the and less likely to contain programming errors. it into the page. The movie appears as a grey Flash movie file on your hard drive. To select An intriguing advantage of Flash movies is that rectangle with the Flash logo in the centre; a different file, type a new path into the File To add space above and below a selected they look and work exactly the same on every you can adjust its settings as described on field, or click the folder icon to access your movie, type a number of pixels into the V space browser, whether on Windows or Mac. Don’t the next page. site folder’s contents. field in the Property inspector; press enter to try that with HTML. To preview Flash files directly in Although dragging to enlarge a GIF or see the results of your change. Dreamweaver, just select the movie and then JPEG image can turn it into a pixelated mess, To add space to the left and right, type a Trade off click the Play button on the Property inspector. you can usually resize Flash movies without pixel measurement in the H space field. Ten or Of course, all of this power comes at a price. To stop the movie, click the same button, which problems, since their vector-based images 20 pixels usually provides an attractive amount Although Dreamweaver has some limited has become a Stop button. are based on mathematical formulas that of space. Unfortunately, you can’t specify Flash-creation abilities, such as Flash buttons, If your page has lots of Flash movies – scale well. (The exception is when you’ve independent values for each of the four you need another program – such as numerous animated buttons, perhaps – you included bitmap images, such as GIFs or JPEGs, margins – only top/bottom and side/side. Macromedia Flash or Adobe Live Motion can play all of them at once by pressing in your Flash movie. Then, as when resizing an – to produce full-fledged movies. These control-shift-option-P. Sit back and watch the image in a Web page, you’ll see distortion and Choppy sees programs aren’t difficult to learn, but show. To stop all running movies, press control- pixelation in the movie.) If your Flash movie’s heavy data requirements they’re more programs to buy and more Shift-Option-X. (You can also preview To resize a movie, do one of the following: overwhelm a visitor’s computer, it may run technologies to get under your belt. Shockwave movies in Dreamweaver. And no ■ Select the movie in the document window; slowly and appear choppy, especially if the In addition, your visitors can’t play Flash wonder: Macromedia makes Shockwave, too.) drag one of the three resizing handles that animation is action-packed and complex. movies without the Flash Player plug-in. If You’ll rarely have to change the default appear at the edges of the movie. To avoid Until the day when everyone has a 800MHz they don’t have it, they’ll have to download and properties created by Dreamweaver. But if you changing the movie’s proportions in the computer with 2GB of RAM, you may need install it – a sure spontaneity-killer. Fortunately, ever want to change the margin of space process, press Shift as you drag the lower-right to adjust the quality settings of your Flash chances are your visitors already have it – all around a movie, restore it to original size after corner handle. movies to help them look better on all major browsers (even Opera) now come with resizing it, or swap in a different movie, the ■ Select the movie in the document window; computers, from the sluggish to the speedy. type new width and height values into the W By default, Dreamweaver sets the and H boxes in the Property inspector. You can quality to High, but you can choose any of also use percentage values; this way, Web the following four settings from the Quality Overcoming the limits of links in Flash browsers scale your movie to fit the window. menu in the Property inspector: If you make a complete mess of your page ■ High provides the greatest quality, but When you create Flash movies in Macromedia Flash or location for any links in the Flash movie. In other words, instead by resizing the movie beyond recognition, just the movie may run slowly on older computers. Adobe LiveMotion, you can embed links in the movie itself. of following the link in the movie, the player first appends the click Reset Size in the Property inspector. ■ Low looks terrible. This setting sacrifices You can create navigation bars, for instance, or animated path specified by the BASE property’s value. quality by eliminating all anti-aliasing (edge push-buttons that open Web pages. Here’s an example: Suppose the Flash movie mentioned above Relative values smoothing) in the movie, leaving harsh jaggy But, links in a Flash movie add a great deal of complexity – the one that links to the welcome.html page – is on a page in You can align Flash movies relative to the lines on the edges of every image. Movies set to your site; when you link from a Flash movie to a Web the same folder as welcome.html. The document-relative path paragraphs around them, just as you do with to Low quality look bad on all computers; to page, the link is stored in the movie itself, not in the Web from that page to the welcome page is welcome.html – but ../ images. For example, choosing Right from the accommodate both the fast and the slow, use page that contains the movie. So, if the Flash file isn’t in welcome.html relative to the Flash movie. Since the link is in the Align menu positions the movie at the right of Auto High or Auto Low. the same directory (folder) as the Web page containing it, Flash movie, the path relative to it should work. But some the screen and wraps text around its left side. ■ Auto Low forces the movie to start in Low a browser may get confused: Should it follow a path relative browsers try to follow the path relative to the Web page, leading (If the movie is inside a layout cell, Align Right quality mode, but to switch automatically to to the Web page or relative to the Flash file? In fact, different to broken links. moves it all the way to the right of the cell.) High if the user’s computer is fast enough. browsers handle this differently. Using the BASE parameter, you can specify that all links in the To set a background colour for a Flash ■ Auto High makes the movie switch to You could avoid the problem by simply storing the Flash movie movie should be followed relative to the movie. Here’s one movie, use the Bg Color box in the Property low-quality mode only if the user’s computer in the same folder as the Web page. But doing so can be limiting; instance where a root-relative path comes in handy. inspector. This colour overrides any background continues page 156 for example, you won’t be able to use a single animated-Flash Since document-relative links in Flash movies can confuse colour set in the movie itself; it fills the space navigation bar on many different pages of your site, filed in browsers, a root-relative path is the only way to indicate the exact where the movie appears when the page first different folders. location of a file within a site. In this case, suppose the “flash” loads (and the movie hasn’t). Fortunately, you can use a little trick to make your document- folder is stored in the site’s root folder; a root-relative path to the The ID field at the left of the Property The
154 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 155 the movie. Notice how the top and bottom of “Cosmopolitan farmer” (see page 155) are chopped off (third from top in Scalability). Shocking behaviour ■ Exact Fit This option may stretch your This Shockwave game offers animation movie’s picture either horizontally or vertically. and interactivity just like a Flash movie. In Scalability (bottom), “Cosmopolitan farmer” However, for games that require precise is stretched wider. timing and action, Shockwave is usually As the Internet-ready form of movies a better choice. Its advanced 3D features created with Macromedia’s Director, and built-in physics principles – like Shockwave is an older brother to Flash. Director gravity and collision detection – has a longer history as a tool for developing make it perfect for advanced gaming complex interactive presentations. It began life applications. To sample this technology, as a program for creating CD-ROMs; but when go to www.shockwave.com. There you’ll the Web exploded onto the scene, Director find a mixture of Flash and Shockwave quickly morphed into a Web-authoring tool. movies. Because of its CD background, Shockwave offers far more complex programming possibilities; it’s ideal for detailed interactive presentations. User base Like Flash, Shockwave requires a plug-in; but unlike the Flash plug-in, this one doesn’t generally come preinstalled with Web requires it. In this way, you can deliver a high- browsers. If you include Shockwave animations quality image to most users, while still letting in your Web site, many of your visitors will those with slow computers view the movie. need to download the Shockwave player This is the best choice if you want to provide a – a 3.5MB download. high-quality image, but still make your movie That annoying requirement is a good accessible to those with older computers. argument against using Shockwave for When you resize a Flash movie, changing general-audience Web sites. Some of your its original proportions, your visitors’ Web visitors – especially the ones that don’t have browsers will scale or distort the movie to cable modems or ADSL – may not put in the fit the newly specified dimensions. Scaling time and effort required to enable their becomes an issue particularly when, for browsers to view your masterpiece. example, you give a Flash movie relative But if you just can’t do without Shockwave, dimensions (setting it to, say, 90 per cent you insert a Shockwave movie into a Web of the browser window’s width), so that it page just as you would any multimedia format. grows or shrinks as your visitor’s browser Click where you want to insert the movie; then window grows or shrinks. choose Insert-Media-Shockwave (or click the Shockwave button on the Objects panel). Movie plug Either way, a Select File dialog box appears; The Scale property lets you determine how find and double-click the Shockwave movie the Flash Player plug-in scales your movie. file (look for the .dcr extension). The Shockwave For example, in Scalability, the top movie’s movie appears as a grey rectangle with original size is 200-pixels wide and 50-pixels the Shockwave logo in the centre. But tall. But if you resize the movie so that it’s Dreamweaver can’t automatically calculate the 300-x-50-pixels, one of three things may dimensions of Shockwave movies, so you need happen, depending on the choice of to type the width and height of the movie in Scale setting you make: the W and H fields of the Property inspector. ■ Show All This setting, the default, Use the same dimensions you specified when maintains the original aspect ratio of the creating the file in Director. movie (second from top in Scalability). In other You can preview Shockwave files directly words, although the overall size of the movie in Dreamweaver by selecting the movie and may go up or down, the movie’s width-to- clicking Play on the Property inspector. To height proportion remains the same. This stop the movie, click the same button keeps the movie from distorting, but it (which is now a Stop button). may also cause borders to appear on the top, You resize a Shockwave movie just bottom, or either side of the movie. (To hide as a Flash movie. There’s more on importing animation in Dreamweaver 4: the borders, match the movie’s background The only Shockwave movie property The Missing Manual by David Sawyer McFarland (Pogue colour to the colour on the page.) you have to set by hand is the width and Press/O’Reilly; ISBN: 0-596-00081-2). This article is the ■ No Border This setting resizes the movie height of the movie. Most of the time, second of a series of Macworld extracts from the book, according to your specifications and maintains you won’t need to bother changing the which costs £17.50 from all good booksellers. its aspect ratio, but may also crop the sides of default properties; the Property inspector does, however, let you change the movie’s name (a requirement for using JavaScript As with other Flash file included in a Web page, such as graphics or external to control its playback), substitute a different Cascading Style Sheets, you can keep flash movies anywhere inside your movie, choose the movie’s alignment relative TIP site. However, if your Flash movie contains links – for instance, if it’s an to the text around it, specify a background animated navigation bar – keep the Flash movie file in the same folder as the Web page colour, select an ActiveX ID, or specify itself; otherwise, links in the movie may not work. For a workaround to this problem, top/bottom or side/side margins. All see “Overcoming the limits of links in Flash”. of these options work just as they do for Flash movies. MW
156 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. secrets: OS X Mac OS X tips and tricks Don’t panic Command console shift-4 you can take a picture of a selection. Or ⌘- shift-3 for the whole window. The pictures end up Should OS X crash with a kernel panic at startup, You can access OS X’s Console from the Log In screen. on your desktop. Apple suggests that you try these remedies: To do so, select Log Out from OS X’s Apple menu and Make sure that your Mac has the latest firmware. when the Log In screen appears, click Other. Sherlock clipboard clash Remove all peripheral devices except for your Mac’s In the Name and Password window, type keyboard and mouse. If the Mac no longer panics “>console” (without the quotes) in the Name Apple reports that if you have a graphic file in OS X’s once these devices are gone, add one at a time field. Don’t bother to enter a password, and press clipboard and open Sherlock (or make it the active until the Mac malfunctions. Once you’ve isolated Log In. In a flash, you’ll see the command-line application), you may receive an error that reads: the funky device, check for OS X-compatible drivers. console, ready to do your bidding. “An unexpected error occurred. If you continue to Remove any internal third-party upgrades such encounter problems, quit and start again.” as RAM, accelerators, and PCI cards. Again, add them Screen-grab shortcut The solution to this problem is to place something Secret service back in one at a time. If a RAM upgrade seems to be other than a graphic file in the clipboard – select a causing the problem, contact its manufacturer to see The shortcut keys for taking screen grabs are back in block of text and copy it, for example. Annoying, but if it’s up to Apple’s specifications. 10.1 (they went missing in 10.0.x) When you press ⌘- necessary for now. OS X can open Macs up to attack. By Shelly Brisbin
aybe you don’t work on top- easily mess with your Mac, Apple has done applications such as Timbuktu, and access protect the administrator password by giving secret documents, run a Web a lot to protect your system – and you can to FileMaker Pro databases. But don’t enable users with administrator accounts different site, or write clandestine love do much more, short of pulling the network services that you don’t need. passwords. M letters on your Mac OS X machine. plug altogether. Here’s how. When you install OS X, most networking Mac OS X Web sharing is actually a version Still, if it’s on a network or continuously logged Mac OS X provides two kinds of accounts: services that allow others to connect to your of Apache Web server (found on many Unix on to the Internet, you should be concerned administrator accounts and user accounts. Mac are turned off (though your Mac will systems). By activating Web sharing (in the about security. Always-on broadband An administrator can change settings, install be ready for you to log on to other networks Sharing panel), you launch Apache. The Sites connections leave your Mac vulnerable to software, and open accounts for other users. if you used the Setup Assistant during folder in the directory of each user on your Mac attack. It’s up to you to see that you don’t Administrators also have access to much of installation). then becomes publicly accessible – along with become a victim of criminals – or of plain the Mac’s hidden Unix-folder structure. Find out which incoming network services any files that are contained within that folder. old mistakes. Users, on the other hand, can see and are deactivated. Open the Sharing application Because it doesn’t expose the rest of your What can happen if you don’t take use only folders within their Home directory within System Preferences. Here you’ll find Mac, Web sharing is fairly secure, and there are our security recommendations to heart? or other users’ Public folders. They can run the doorways to most methods of network no passwords or command-line entry methods Determined intruders can not only read applications, but they can’t modify system access to your Mac; activating any one of to protect. The key to secure Web sharing is and destroy your data, but also damage preferences. Administrators can safely give user them provides a means for intruders to placing only files meant to be shared into Sites ‘Determined your operating system by changing settings accounts limited access to an OS X machine. access your computer. Use only those folders. If a user doesn’t need to share files via or deleting or adding files. They can even steal that you know you need. the Web, delete that user’s Sites folder or use intruders your identity – which they can use in gaining Account manager the Privileges settings to make the folder access to other computers, sometimes leaving If, like most Macs, yours has only one primary Share options unavailable. can not behind harmful programs that will cause user, you can protect yourself by not creating File sharing is safer than other networking If you plan to allow network access to problems later. extra accounts, especially administrator applications. You can grant access to only your Mac, you should consider taking some only read Although the flexibility of OS X’s Unix accounts. Anyone who gets hold of the the directories you want to share, keeping additional precautions. Software firewalls can foundation means that miscreants can more administrative-account password can change file-sharing users out of your machine’s track and repel unwanted visitors, and you can and destroy system preferences or install applications; you sensitive system directories. In addition, file- set them to allow access only from approved IP may want to log-in routinely as a user, entering sharing passwords are encrypted, so they’re addresses or to block port scans, pinging, and your data, the administrative password only when you less likely to be intercepted by a network other tactics hackers use to size up your Mac’s need to make a change. sniffer – a program or device that captures vulnerability. but also steal Most attacks on Unix computers network data as it travels to its destination. You can also use firewall software to block happen when an unauthorized person gains You can add further protections by setting some or all of the communications channels, your identity’ root access to the machine. The Unix root privileges for individual folders. To do this, called ports, that network services such as account is all-powerful; with it, someone select the folder in the Finder, choose Show Web sharing use to connect to your Mac. If you can completely control the Mac from a Info from the File menu, and then select blocked port 80 using a firewall, for example, a remote location, modify or delete important Privileges. Provide the fewest privileges you visitor wouldn’t be able to get to your Web site. files, enable network services, and destroy can get along with. For example, if you don’t Some tools, including Brian Hill’s shareware system components. Apple has disabled the need to share your files, you might deny access BrickHouse ($25; http://personalpages.tds.net/ root account in Mac OS X, and although you to the Public folder in your Home directory. ~brian_hill) and Pliris’s Firewalk X ($12; can activate it, there’s no reason to, even if The riskiest options in the security www.pliris-soft.com), provide a graphical you need access to Unix applications. spectrum are Remote Login and FTP access. interface for ipfw, OS X’s built-in Unix- By using the sudo command instead, Remote Login lets a user connect to your Mac based firewall. You can also assess your experienced users can act as root without remotely using a terminal emulator (see Mac security risk by using Open Door Networks’ fear of compromising the Mac’s security or OS X Secrets, September 2001). Though Mac OS security-auditing application Who’s There? doing any serious damage (see Mac OS X 10.0.1 and later replace the very insecure Telnet Firewall Advisor ($49; www.opendoor.com). Secrets, October 2001). And with root access with the safer SSH, you should probably leave Despite the security challenges posed unavailable, intruders have one less way to Remote Login turned off. If you must enable it, by its Unix foundation, Mac OS X has built- enter your system. be sure you’ve updated to the latest version of in protection that should help you in your An easy way to protect your Mac is to give Mac OS X. efforts to keep your Mac safe. With a outside users only minimal access to it. OS X Mac OS X 10.1’s enhanced support for file combination of common sense and judicious Build that wall includes support for file sharing; remote access sharing between Macs and PCs makes using limits on incoming Internet access, you can BrickHouse lets you set your Mac’s access controls individually for network services via the command line using SSH (Secure Shell); FTP unnecessary. It’s also risky, because FTP minimize your Mac’s exposure to potential such as POP mail and Timbuktu. You can even grant access to only specific IP Web sharing; and FTP (File Transfer Protocol). passwords are not encrypted as they traverse danger and lessen the likelihood of security Check out this month’s CD for
[email protected] addresses, so only recognized computers can connect. You can also add third-party network a network. If you must allow FTP access, breaches. MW software mentioned in OS X Secrets.
158 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 159 print secrets: publishing
Colour difference Converting to CMYK from RGB to edit pictures for print can be a mistake. By Bruce Fraser
hen you send digital images to a printing press, the colour files must be in CMYK format – but W that doesn’t necessarily mean the images should start out that way. Editing files in RGB mode can have advantages, while some editing tasks are best done in CMYK, so it’s wise to be comfortable with both modes. If you’re lucky enough to work in a closed- loop, all-CMYK workflow, where you know the printing conditions at the time you scan your images, stick to that format. If you start out with CMYK scans, converting them to RGB for editing purposes is a mistake – you’ll lose more than you’ll gain. However, the circumstances that call for an all-CMYK workflow – always printing to the same press, with the same inks, on the same paper stock, with no other use for the image – are becoming rarer. CMYK craziness It’s crazy to work in CMYK if you don’t have a clear idea of your job’s printing conditions, because CMYK separations that work well on a sheet-fed press can produce mud on a web press, and worse than mud on newsprint. Unless you know which inks and paper the printer will use for your job (and can therefore adjust for them), your image may wind up It’s a great deal easier to correct looking quite different from what you colour casts in RGB than in CMYK. One of envisioned. the wonderful properties of Adobe Photoshop’s Designers often put images to multiple RGB working spaces is that equal values of red, uses: they may need an RGB version for the green, and blue always produce a neutral grey. Web, a CMYK one for print, and even multiple You can fix the vast majority of colour print versions. But turning a CMYK scan into an problems by finding an image element that RGB file typically produces poor results on the you know should be neutral and then using Web – monitors can display many colours that the Curves feature to make it neutral. When CMYK print can’t reproduce, and CMYK print you do so, the rest of the colours simply fall contains a few colours that monitors can’t into place. It’s much more difficult to tweak reproduce. four curves to produce the unequal amounts The other extreme – working entirely of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black that result in RGB and then putting your RGB image in a neutral colour. through an automated conversion process Compositing and image manipulation are before printing – won’t give you good results also easier in RGB. In CMYK, many Photoshop either. Great colour takes intelligent human filters, including Lens Flare, Lighting Effects, intervention. The RGB-to-CMYK conversion and all the Artistic and Texture filters, don’t that can do justice to both a pastel early- work at all. Others, such as Emboss, produce morning landscape and a saturated tabletop unpredictable results. In RGB mode, you can product shot simply doesn’t exist and probably avoid violating ink limits.
[email protected] never will. continues page 162
For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 161 CMYK colour tweaks
colour’s detail is always carried by its opposite colour. In CMYK, I gave the green foliage and blue water in the original photo (far left) some snap (middle) by using A Photoshop’s Curves tool (far right) to increase the contrast in the magenta and yellow channels, respectively.
No press can handle 100 per cent of all four improve head shots, where you want to inks. At best, overinking will cause images to sharpen hair, eyes, and eyelashes without look muddy. At worst, it causes the paper to emphasizing skin texture. Sharpening only the disintegrate, making a mess on a sheet-fed black channel while leaving the cyan, magenta, press and creating a life-threatening situation and yellow channels makes the hair and eyes on a web press if the paper breaks! Most snap without oversharpening the skin or lips. presses work best when they reproduce the In CMYK, making subtle adjustments using darkest tones using somewhere between 240 the Hue/Saturation tool is much easier than it per cent (for newsprint) and about 340 per cent is in RGB. (for high-quality sheet-fed printing) total ink. CMYK also makes it easier to control detail ‘At best, overinking will When you work in RGB, your CMYK conversion in red, green, and blue objects by manipulating settings determine your total ink limit. But the opposite colour: in a green object, the cause images to look there’s no ink-limit safeguard in CMYK. magenta plate holds most of the detail; in Probably the best reason to make as many a red object, it’s the cyan plate; and in a blue muddy. At worst, edits as possible in RGB before converting an object, the yellow plate. (The same principle image to CMYK is that when you convert the applies in RGB images, but it works instead for it causes the paper image, it loses about half a bit of potentially cyan, magenta, and yellow objects, which seem valuable data. These losses aren’t obvious to be a lot less common than red and green to disintegrate, making at first, but the more you edit the image, ones.) So to increase detail in green foliage, the likelier you are to see posterization or you increase the contrast on the magenta a mess on a sheet-fed colour banding. plate. I usually use the Curves tool to do this – the steeper the curve, the greater the contrast. press and creating RGB editing To get the same results in RGB, you’d have to To enjoy the best of both the RGB and CMYK, adjust both the red and blue curves, and that a life-threatening do most of your editing in RGB, but check takes more work than adjusting a single curve. your work as a CMYK simulation (use the Proof situation on a web press.’ Colors tool in Photoshop 6, and CMYK Preview Flat images in older versions). An image on a monitor will When converting an image to CMYK, never exactly match an image on paper, but Photoshop asks if you want to flatten it. it can come very close – probably as close as You do. Layer blending that works beautifully traditional proofs. Photoshop’s CMYK previews in RGB may look very different in CMYK. will show you the more muted colour of CMYK. It’s always a good idea to save and archive Some types of editing you can do in only the edited, layered RGB file and then convert a CMYK, and other types are easier in CMYK duplicate to CMYK. If a client suddenly decides than in RGB. The black plate in CMYK has a that an image prepared for a newspaper ad major effect on the overall image, and some would look great in an annual report, you’ll powerful techniques rely on manipulating have a much easier time getting a good the black channel, which isn’t possible in RGB. sheet-fed CMYK separation from the edited For example, I often use Photoshop’s RGB file than you would from the newsprint Channel Mixer tool to take black out of some separations. Ditto if the ad runs in magazines flesh tones: I set the output channel to black, that use different inks from UK publications. subtract some magenta and a bit more yellow, If you handle most of your editing in RGB, and then increase the black value to slightly you’ll find that fine-tuning is all that’s needed more than 100 per cent to preserve the tonal after converting an image to CMYK. And it’s values (a typical setting might be Magenta –4, this fine-tuning that will make the difference Yellow –12, and Black +108). between an acceptable colour, and one that Another classic black-plate trick can makes clients say “Wow!” MW
162 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. secrets: OS X
Sheet’aime
Cascading Style Sheets speed design. By David McFarland
ll Web designers share two goals: to tag – for example, td for a table cell or p for build Web pages quickly, and to keep a paragraph. those pages fast and lean so visitors In addition, you don’t need to apply the A to their sites don’t have to wait. With style manually; Web browsers automatically even a basic understanding of Cascading Style apply the tag selector’s formatting to every Sheets (CSS), you can achieve both of these section of text contained within that tag. goals. And by using techniques outlined in this Although automatic formatting can be article to raise your CSS skills to the next level, a time-saver, a tag selector’s approach isn’t you’ll be able to build fast-loading pages in always desirable. You might not want every record time. paragraph to look the same. You may need CSS gives Web designers a wide range of to divide a Web page into different sections formatting options not possible with HTML – for example, a main content area, and alone; a CSS style can include margin settings, two sidebars that have smaller text than first-line indents, text leading, and precise the main area has. border control. If you know how to use a CSS refinement CSS pages tend to load more quickly, too. called contextual selectors, it’s easy to take CSS lets you format text without the font tag continues page 166 and can more succinctly define attributes for other HTML elements, such as tables and images. At its root, a CSS style simply tells a Web browser how to display a particular piece of an HTML document. The two main types of CSS styles – class styles and tag selectors – let you control how formatting is applied. Class styles As you can with styles in programs such as Microsoft Word and QuarkXPress, you can name class styles and then apply them manually. For example, to format the main text of a Web page, you could create a class style named bodyCopy that specified font, colour, leading, and other formatting options. To apply it to a paragraph, you’d simply add a small amount of code to the appropriate tag:
. Time wasting But although class styles allow you to format just the page elements you choose, they also require additional code and extra work. Adding class=”bodyCopy” to a single paragraph tag isn’t too time-consuming, but formatting hundreds of pages in this way certainly is. Tag selectors There is another method – tag selectors redefine the behaviour of a page’s HTML tags. By creating a style for the p tag, for example, you could make all paragraphs on a Context is crucial page display in red text that is 36 pixels tall. The HTML code in the table cell on the left is exactly the same as the code in the cell on the right. Only their With tag selectors, instead of making up a contexts differ; a cell that has a class style applied to it contains the sidebar content. Therefore, all of the tags
[email protected] name for the style, you use the name of the in that cell are in the context of the sidebar style.
For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 165 Contextual Selectors in Dreamweaver and GoLive These visual HTML editors have slightly different methods. the name of the contextual selector: for example, .sidebar p Macromedia Dreamweaver to create a style for every p tag in the sidebar class. When creating a new contextual selector, choose the Use CSS Unfortunately, although GoLive does let you create contextual Selector option in the New Style window, and then type the style selectors, it can’t display contextual-selector styles – you’ll need name in the Selector field. For example, if you want to create to preview your Web page in a CSS-compliant browser to see a style for all p tags that appear within the context of HTML how they look. In addition, GoLive treats any contextual selector formatted with a sidebar class style, type .sidebar p in the field. that begins with a class name – such as .sidebar p – as a class Click on the OK button and continue to create your style using style. Dreamweaver’s standard method. The contextual selector will appear under the Style tab of the Adobe GoLive Text Inspector, and GoLive even lets you apply it as you would Creating a contextual selector in GoLive is even easier: in the any other class. However, applying it in this way is incorrect, and Style Sheet toolbar, click on any of the three Style buttons – Tag, although GoLive will display the style properties, CSS-compliant Class, or ID. In the Basics tab of the CSS Selector Inspector, type browsers won’t.
advantage of the benefits offered by class automated formatting of tag selectors. It’s no styles and tag selectors while avoiding their more difficult to create a contextual selector pitfalls. style than it is to create a class style or tag A contextual selector allows you to limit selector. Simply add the context (which class the application of a style to HTML in a specific or tag the style must appear within) when context. For instance, you can create a style defining the style. To create two styles – that formats the text contained within a p main and sidebar – for the layout cells of tag as blue and nine pixels tall only when that a page, and two styles for paragraphs that text appears within a sidebar. How does a Web appear inside the cells, you might use this browser know the tag is inside a sidebar? You code: need to tell it – by using a class style to define inside that cell to be within the context of the The .sidebar p code is a contextual selector, main style. This approach combines the and indicates that the style should apply to p selective control of class styles and the tags only when they’re inside a segment of the document defined as class=sidebar. With this approach, you must create styles for each context on a page; this example would call for Web publishing tips and tricks a set of contextual-selector styles for each tag that appears within the sidebar cell, and a set Style choice Flash copying of regular styles for each tag in the rest of the page. After you complete this initial style-sheet On certain Web sites, text links don’t Again in Fireworks, to copy an object to another frame, building, your Web pages will nearly format appear underlined; instead they select the object you want to copy, then click the blue themselves. Once you’ve set the context – show up in a different colour. You too rectangle to the right of the frame while holding the applying the sidebar class to the left table cell, can do this by redefining the Option key. Release the mouse button when the for instance – you can just type or paste text tag with Cascading Style Sheets, flashing black square is over the frame you want into the cell. The only formatting you’ll need turning on the none option for the Decoration property. to copy to. to do is applying the appropriate tag – h1 for heading 1, for example. The Web browser Fireworks movement Change of command takes care of the rest. There’s an added benefit – if you copy In Fireworks, you can use the Resize, Skew or Distort In Dreamweaver, if you want to delete a Command or text from the sidebar and paste it into the tools to move objects. When using one of these tools to change its name, choose Commands-Edit Commands main content cell, you won’t need to do transform an object, move the tool over the object and List. In the resulting dialog box, click the commands any formatting. As the context of that text the cursor becomes a four-headed arrow. When this name to select it. Type a new name or click delete. changes, so does the style used to format arrow appears, click-&-drag to move the object. it, making it easy to reuse HTML content Frequent fonts in other parts of the page or elsewhere on Framed target your site without having to reformat it. Fonts that should work on both Mac and Windows CSS provides designers with previously If you get carried away using frames nestled in frames browsers include: Arial; Arial Black, Comic sans MS, unavailable power to control the look of Web – or link another framed site to find its frames loading Courier; Courier New; Georgia; Impact; Monotype pages – and looking good can go hand in hand inside yours – you can use Target=”_Top” to Sorts; Times; Times New Roman; Trebuchet MS; with working smart. Using these simple steps, cancel out the frameset and use regular HTML. Veranda; Webdings; and Wingdings. you can take advantage of the space- and time- saving benefits of contextual selectors. MW
166 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Q&A/tips
• Make a bootable CD • Mac maintenance • Protect privacy Q&A/tips Readers’ questions answered and handy tips. By Christopher Breen
Bootable CDs
How do I create a bootable start-up CD, and what should I put on it? Q Joan Taft Unless, like me, you’re sometimes heedless about where you leave those items most A precious to you, you already have a start-up disc of sorts – the system software CD that came with your Mac. But it doesn’t include all the tools you need to boot your Mac and bring it back from the dead. You can create a CD that will do both. First, you’ll require software with which to create a bootable CD. I regret to say that Apple’s Disc Burner does not fit the bill – it can’t create bootable discs. If you’ve bought a third-party CD-RW drive, though, you’ve probably got the best tool for the job – Roxio’s Toast. If you don’t have a copy of Toast, you can buy Toast Titanium for £49 (Computer 2000, 01256 463 344). The version of Toast that ships with most third-party CD-RW drives doesn’t have as many features as Toast Titanium, but it can create bootable CDs. Here is how I’d do the job: Launch Apple’s Disk Copy (in Mac OS 9.1, it’s in the Utilities folder inside the Applications Image is everything folder), and select Create New Image from the To create a bootable start-up CD, Image menu. In the resulting window, give the you must first make a disk image disk image a descriptive name – for example, with Disk Copy. “Emergency”. Select 663,000K (CD-ROM 12cm, Full) from the Size pop-up menu, make sure the Mount Image option is selected, and click on Save (see “Image is everything”). Insert your system-software installation CD; then locate and launch the Mac OS Install destination. Once the program has installed, launch application. Select the disk image you just created the copy of Disk Warrior on Emergency; then enter (in our example, the Emergency disk image) as your name and serial number. If you don’t do this, the installation’s destination. You can install a full Disk Warrior won’t run from your CD. system, or you can click on the installer’s Customize The procedure is much the same for Norton button if you want to install a slimmed-down Utilities. However, after installation, you may want System Folder – just the Mac OS 9.1 option, for to remove a couple of unnecessary items from the example. After the installation is complete, open Emergency image. I’ve never found Disk Light to Startup Items inside the Emergency image’s System be very useful, so I drag it out of the Control Panels Folder. Remove the Mac OS Setup Assistant alias folder. Likewise, because you can’t update the (so you won’t be asked to configure the system version of Norton Utilities on the CD (it’s read- when you boot from this CD). only, after all), I also toss out Live Update. Now that you’ve created an image of a bootable TechTool Pro 3 is a little trickier. You must first CD, it’s time to put something worthwhile on it. install it on your Mac’s hard drive, along with any To me, that means diagnostic and repair utilities. available updates. Then run the copy on your hard If you’re installing Alsoft’s Disk Warrior, launch the drive and select Preferences in the Edit menu. In the installer and select the Emergency image as your continues page 172
For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 171 Tip of the month: Download restart Desktop dreams
If you have an unmetered account To get a different desktop picture with your ISP, chances are it’s every time you start your Mac (OS TIP probably configured to disconnect TIP 8+) just create a folder with your you after a fixed time, often an hour or two. This chosen desktop pictures then simply drag-&-drop is very frustrating when trying to download large that onto the desktop of the desktop section of files, for example software demos or updates. the Appearance control panel. You can access The ISP disconnects halfway through the that control panel by control clicking the desktop. download, and the file is useless. Simon Jones If you’re using Internet Explorer for Mac, though, there’s a convenient way out. As soon Congratulations to Philip Caine, he wins an hp as your connection fails, reconnect through the deskjet 990CM printer. If you think you have a Remote Access control panel. Once reconnected, Tip of the month, send it to: droplet from Scotland Software polloi as French quotation marks). To create the go to the Explorer download window that is still click on “resume”. The file immediate reloads [email protected] (www.scotlandsoftware.com) that strips the creator guillemets (« and ») in the script below, type open, double click the half loaded file in question. to the point where it broke off and automatically code from any document dropped on it. Removing option–\ (forward slash) and This opens the progress window where you can continues the download. this code allows OS X to open files in OS X-native shift-option–\, respectively, not the angle bracket applications. For example, if you drop a JPEG file on characters. Wipe Creator, that file will open in OS X’s Preview tell application rather than in the non-OS X app that created it. “Appearance” window that appears, deselect the Auto-Update 745 111), Micromat’s TechTool Pro (£95, Softline) set scroll bar arrow Protection Files option (because your Emergency and Symantec’s Norton Utilities (£77; Computers Privacy opt-ins style to «constant CD will be read-only, TechTool can’t update its Unlimited, 020 8358 5857) – I fall into the “If it ain’t ****dubl» protection files). Quit TechTool. broke, don’t fix it” camp. These are useful tools, but I’ve read reports that some online marketers quit Install a copy of TechTool Pro 3 and its updates they have the potential to leave your Mac in a more track users’ Internet browsing in ways I’m end tell on your Emergency image. Open the Preferences fragile state than it was in before you enlisted their Q not comfortable with. Is there anything I folder on your Mac, and copy the TechTool Pro Prefs help. I therefore use these utilities only when my can do to keep them from tracking me? Different stroke file to the Preference folder of the System Folder Macintosh really seems to need them – when it Turner Rouse on your Emergency image. This allows the copy routinely crashes for no apparent reason, or a Marketing outfits, such as DoubleClick, In Mac OS 9.1, you can hide of TechTool on the Emergency image to launch volume refuses to mount. have engaged in practices that make people a background application with properly, without trying to update your protection Underlying my somewhat lackadaisical attitude A uncomfortable – for example, using browser TIP a single keystroke. Here’s how: files. toward preventive maintenance is the sense of well- cookies to gather personal data and employing that Launch the Keyboard control panel and click on You’re finally ready to burn your Emergency disc. being that comes with having an up-to-date backup information to target Web advertisements more the Function Keys button. Open your Mac’s System Just launch Toast, select the Files & Folders option of all my important data. If you don’t have the same specifically. You can stop DoubleClick doing so by Folder, then the Apple Menu Items folder, and then from the Format menu, and click on the Data button sense of security, you should implement a backup travelling to this Web site: www.doubleclick.net:80/ the Speakable Items folder. If the Speakable Items and then on the New CD button. Select all the files strategy today. us/corporate/privacy /privacy/ad-cookie/default. folder isn’t present, you must custom-install the in your Emergency image and drag them into Toast’s asp?asp_object_1=& and, with cookies enabled, English Speech Recognition software from the Files & Folders window. Now burn, baby, burn. Opening X files clicking on the Opt-Out button. This places a cookie Mac OS 9.1 installation disc. Drag the Hide All in your browser that repels any additional cookies Applications AppleScript to an empty function-key Maintaining Macs I’m having trouble getting some of my files the DoubleClick system might want to plant. slot, and click on OK. Now when you press that to open in OS X applications. For instance, function key, the AppleScript will hide all open How often should I perform maintenance Q when I double-click on a file that should be Spam is spawn of Satan applications and return you to the Finder. on my hard drive, and what kind of viewable in OS X programs such as TextEdit and Gregory Meach Q maintenance should I perform? Preview, the Classic environment launches and My greatest desire is that spammers – Tom Kisanuki the file opens in something like SimpleText. How the soulless scoundrels who fill your X screen grabs If you were to ask ten Mac troubleshooting can I force these files to open in a native OS X TIP email box with unsolicited crud – gurus for an opinion on this subject, application? someday meet an everlastingly fiery end. But while The shortcut keys for taking screen A you would probably get eleven answers. Robert Sinclair we wait for divine retribution, you can do something grabs are back in 10.1 (they went For example, there are those who religiously This is frustrating, and it’s something I hope about their effluvia. Namely, use your email TIP missing in 10.0.x). When you press follow Apple’s advice to rebuild the desktop Apple will address in a future update of OS X. client’s filtering feature to prescan email for certain ⌘-shift-4 you can take a picture of a selection. file once a month. Others rattle around under A Although OS X allows you to designate a key words in the subject heading. You can direct Or ⌘-shift-3 for the whole window. The pictures the hood only when a Mac refuses to boot. particular application to open a particular document your client to channel these messages directly into end up on your desktop. I fall somewhere in between those extremes. type (you do so in the Show Application portion of the Deleted Items folder (though you may want to Chris Leat When it comes to a relatively harmless the Get Info window), the method it provides does scan the contents of this folder from time to time, maintenance procedure, such as rebuilding the not work with SimpleText documents. If SimpleText in case a correspondent accidentally used one of G4 server power desktop, (holding down the ⌘ and option keys was used to create a file, then OS X will launch the forbidden words in the subject heading of a Psychedelic iMacs Macworld’s chief sub-editor Woody Phillips at start-up), I wait until my Mac is acting up. An the Classic environment (if it’s not already running), message that you want to receive). I’d suggest If you have a Macintosh Server and contributing editor Christopher Breen obvious sign that the desktop needs rebuilding where it can open the document in SimpleText. that you add the following words and phrases to G4 and this error message appears: Should you dangle a strong magnet in front answer readers’ questions and select reader- is when generic icons appear in place of their Thankfully, this conundrum has some fairly your junk-mail filter list:$$$; £££; ADV; advertising; TIP “Your server’s redundant power supply TIPof your iMac’s monitor – causing colours submitted tips for this column. Send your colourful counterparts. But there are also less- simple workarounds. If you have the Developer Tools anything anyone; barely legal; casino; credit card. requires attention. It’s recommended that the power reminiscent of a 1960s light show to appear on the question or tip (include your address and obvious indications of trouble. For example, CD that ships with OS X, install it. Included in the supply be replaced to maintain system reliability. screen – you can get rid of those colours by phone number) to Q&A, Macworld, 99 if my Mac seems sluggish, I’ll run Micromat’s installation is a Carbonized version of SimpleText. Pardon my French Contact your Apple service provider for details.” degaussing the iMac. Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8UT. You free TechTool Lite (www.micromat.com) to rebuild When you have this version of the application …and the Mac appears to be functioning normally, There’s a trick to it, however. The degauss circuitry can also send an email, marked Q&A in the desktop from scratch. Zapping the PRAM – installed, and you double-click on a SimpleText For those of you confounded by the ignore the error. It can result if you have no kicks in only when the iMac boots up from a shutdown the subject line, to [email protected]. resetting the Mac’s parameter RAM by holding document, the new version of SimpleText launches AppleScript (published in October additional hard drives or PCI cards installed in the state or when the computer restarts. It doesn’t activate We pay £25 for each tip published here. down ⌘-option-P-R at start-up – I leave for more without booting up the Classic environment. TIP 2001’s Q&A ) that lets you place Mac. The error is triggered because the back-up when you wake the iMac from sleep. We cannot make personal replies, serious situations (like when a Mac refuses to boot). Unfortunately, this native version of SimpleText is double arrows on scroll bars, a bit more information power supply expects to detect a certain current Also, degauss works better if the iMac has had so please do not include a stamped When it comes to more-intrusive maintenance not available for download from Apple’s Web site.) may help. The “double angle brackets” that appear draw on the +5-volt line, and when it doesn’t, the time to cool. Therefore, if your iMac really needs a addressed envelope. procedures – running diagnostic and repair utilities I drag-&-drop documents not created by in the tip are actually punctuation marks known to back-up power supply assumes something’s gone good degaussing, shut it down for awhile before such as Alsoft’s DiskWarrior (£65; Softline, 01883 SimpleText to Wipe Creator, a free AppleScript discerning grammarians as guillemets (and to hoi wrong. It hasn’t. MW booting it back up.
172 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 For the latest daily news, hot reviews, buyers’ guide and special offers. Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 173 Andy Ihnatko
Darwin may be stashed away in Mac OS X’s darkest corner, but it’s what Macintosh users the world over have been looking for.
Open invitation
ow refreshing it is to be at a party and on the other serving power. Then both companies wrote very pretty Aqua side of the snide comment “Good God – who applications – in Cocoa for FileMaker, and Java for WebStar – invited him?”. We’re at a big party celebrating the for us to use when we’re setting up server preferences. H success of Mac OS X. And the him is Darwin, the Standards Boy, this is a big deal. The Big Shimmering Evil Unix creature who lives underneath OS X’s Aqua interface. Green Cloud that once threatened to kill operating systems’ Ever since Apple’s new operating system arrived, everyone futures was lack of hardware. Later, it was lack of software. has been bit uneasy about the little guy. But here in the world of the future, it’s all about being agile It’s not Darwin’s fault. Much like a fish-out-of-water enough to accept and implement any new standards – partygoer no one knows anything about – except for one particularly networking standards – that come along. ‘The Big woman who’s pretty sure that he plays bass in a Duran Take Microsoft’s .Net strategy, a scheme for deploying Shimmering Evil Duran cover band – the very presence of this Microsoft-proprietary software modules from servers, across implementation of Unix has caused suspicion, fear, and networks, using open protocols. In the absolute worst-case Cloud that once loathing to spread throughout the OS X celebration. scenario, it would create new standards for establishing threatened to Social conventions can be cruel. But looks can be identity and conducting secure commerce that relied on deceiving. Even the most questionable invitee can end up Microsoft-licensed software. Bang – Microsoft would have a kill operating being the centre of attention. Darwin’s like that. Here’s what stranglehold on the Internet. But there’s already an open- systems’ futures he brings to the party: source movement to create a free implementation of .Net When Apple announced its plan to build its future on an technologies for Linux… and since Linux is Darwin’s cousin, was lack of open-source (well, open-source-ish) operating system that an initiative for OS X is right behind that. hardware, but would be based on Unix, the number of Mac OS developers Power in numbers Before OS X, the world consisted of instantly increased by one order of magnitude (the exact Windows and a balkanized collection of other operating here in the number quoted varies depending on the people you ask – systems. Now, there’s Windows, and then there’s the open- future, it’s and on how much glue they’ve been sniffing). This fact alone source community. Would you believe that this community, makes Darwin worth keeping around, even if he does keep working together, could totally screw up any chance that all about pestering the DJ to play something by The Bangles. Microsoft might have to abuse its .Net leverage? By getting accepting and .Net into everyone’s hands, it could transform one Darwin’s evolution company’s power play into a free standard that would implementing Darwin made Mac OS instantly palatable to Unix benefit everyone. new standards.’ developers; so far, more than 2,500 open-source apps have RSVP to Darwin As OS X matures, Unix operations will been brought to Mac OS via Darwin. Granted, few Mac users become something akin to AppleScript: a powerful resource are going to see the ability to run the Pine mail client in a that doesn’t confuse people unless they willingly dive into it, Terminal window as a great leap forward, but all the and one that most users never exploit until they see the greatest hits of open source are here, including a lot of apps frabjously slick ways someone else is using it. I’ve been that’ll shore up the Mac’s presence in academic and recommending two books published by O’Reilly and enterprise computing. Browse through the links on Associates: Unix Power Tools and Unix in a Nutshell. Of the www.macgimp.org – the home of MacGIMP, a next-to-free two, Power Tools is the one you’ll be referring to most often. image editor that offers many of Photoshop’s features at a Nutshell takes a classroom approach, but reading Power very un-Photoshop-like price – to get an idea of the larger Tools is like idly watching an expert go about his business. world that lies just beyond Aqua. You won’t retain the entire picture right away, but it’ll fix in Unix developers aren’t the only ones who’ll welcome the your mind what you’re capable of doing with the command arrival of Darwin on the desktop: old-school Mac developers line, and your eyes will thus be open to simpler ways of are also getting in on the act. Just in the past few months, doing things that don’t involve mousing. two longtime Mac apps, FileMaker’s FileMaker Pro Server I want you to walk right over to Darwin and introduce and 4D’s WebStar, announced new OS X versions that are yourself. Don’t pretend he isn’t there. OK, maybe he has radically different from their previous Mac incarnations. caused us an inconvenience or two, but he’s got a heart of Both programs are actually Darwin applications, lurking gold. Once you get to know him, you’ll understand why he beneath the surface of Aqua and providing huge amounts of was invited in the first place. MW
210 Macworld EXPO ISSUE 2001 Join in the live IT debates on Macworld Online Forum (www.macworld.co.uk/forum).