LAUG 2.0 News

A podcast from the March 2008 meeting of the Lawrence Apple Users Group. This month’s meeting revolved around the iTunes and the iPod combo, as well as ways to enhance your iPod through software.

The meeting opened up with introductions, recent Apple news, followed by presentations from Group members on how to utilize their iPod to the fullest extent.

The meeting concluded with our monthly door prize, which included iPod skins from Gelaskins, ClearCal iPod protectors as well as iPod: The Missing Manual courtesy of O’Reily Media.

Check us out on the web and subscribe to the podcast at http://www.laugks.org/news/.

 

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They say there is no such thing as love at first sight, unless of course you are watching a Hollywood movie. On the big screen, you see your life partner from across the room and you both know you’ll end up together, though it may take years.

I saw the Contour Design Rollermouse at Macworld ‘07 and instantly fell in love. I’m in that tiny minority that actually like track pads. I type pretty darn fast and hate having to stop typing and remove a hand from the keyboard to control the mouse. Also, it’s an awkward strain to reach over all the time, and I have particular shoulder problems on that side of my body from repetitive mousing over. (more…)

My laptop tends to be my best friend ..tagging along with me places I wouldn’t ask my worst enemy to follow. Unfortunately, using a laptop in these conditions take their toll. Balancing a latte and a $2,000 laptop is a recipe for destruction. That is, if you don’t have a Futura Laptop Desk. The Futura combines elegant design and world-class ergonomics to provide a ‘body-friendly” workspace at almost any location.

Elgato EyeTV 250 with QAM

Watching TV and using a computer are fairly distinct activities. TV programs do not crash. The characters on “Lost” don’t start walking slowly and stuttering when too many people are watching the show at the same time. Unlike Microsoft Office, Dwight Schrute from “The Office” won’t unexpectedly quit at the worst possible time (which is more then can be said for his writers!)

Still, TV does have a lot in common with your Mac…both require you to watch what goes on on a screen, and these days, both contain digital content that you, as a consumer ought to be able to watch and use at whatever time you see fit. In our brave new world of TiVo, video on demand, and YouTube, television is no longer “broadcast” to your home on the schedule of some fat cat TV executive; consumers today have more control then ever of how and when they watch their favorite shows.
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Apress and the freindsofed division is a fairly new player to the Mac book industry, having focused in the past on heavier topics for programmers and hard core web designers. They are a welcome addition to the Mac Family.

Justin Williams wrote a very first-person account of his adventures with OS X Leopard. This should not be considered a beginners book, especially given the family this book is in. The book is designed for Tiger or other OS X users wanting to know what is new in Leopard. The book is a great effort, but at points I got annoyed that he was stating the obvious things a OS X user knows. Williams writing however was spot-on: easy to understand with plenty of screen shots and detailed examples. He also includes the basics of iLife ‘08, which is a bonus, though makes the title a bit misleading and leaves the reader with the assumption Leopard includes iLife ‘08. Unless you upgraded to iLife ‘08 and Leopard, 30% of the book isn’t applicable to you. Even with the iLife ‘08 the book is refreshingly short and can’t be used a child’s booster seat like so many technical books can be.

Though I’m an experienced Leopard user, I even learned a few tricks from this book, based on Williams personal experience with the operating system. This would be a good book to give a experienced Mac user that wants to know “what’s new” in Leopard. It was quick, straightforward and to the point: a good book for people who don’t like to read manuals.

Pros: Excellent tips, easy to understand for a experienced OS X user new to Leopard
Cons: Covers iLife ‘08 which adds unnecessarily to the book, covers thins many in the target audience would consider obvious

Three out of Five DogCows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Serene Saver 2 HD

While at Macworld, I usually pick one product I simply can’t wait to try until I get home. When I saw Serene Saver, I knew it would be the product I’d try that very night. The booth’s location was in the “low rent district” as I like to call it. These are small kiosks usually staffed by the writer of the software. There aren’t sales people or flashy presentations because there isn’t any room. The quality of the product needs to stand on it’s own and Serene Saver doesn’t disappoint. Of course, when I saw “Serene Saver”, I immediately remembered the Seinfeld episode of a similar name. Ironically, that episode was inspired by “The Net” which was filmed at a Macworld Expo I was at.

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