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News & Opinion
Products
Software
News & Opinion
5 Reasons Why Macs Are Right for Most
Businesses
Blogger
Will Hinton says:
"I really didn't want to be 'that guy' always writing about how much
he loves his new Mac. I wrote last week about why I finally made the
switch. But I read an article at CNNMoney.com this week that I just
have to respond to. Jonathan Blum wrote 'Why Macs still aren't right
for most businesses'. Having worked as an IT professional at one point
in my career, I could think of a few likely reasons that someone might
suggest not using Macs in business. But I wasn't prepared for the lack
of substance in this article.
"'First off, the packaging is seriously overdone: The slogan
"Designed by Apple in California" posivitively shouts at you from the
box. Like I care.'
"Like it matters! Are you serious? This is the first reason for not
using a Mac for a business?
"Having made the decision to switch to Mac for my business, I have
given a lot of thought about how businesses use computers. I think that
many more companies can and should move to Macs for these five
reasons.
- Web-based applications
- Ease of tech support
- Productivity
- Networking
- The Lack of IT Upheaval every 5 years"
Editor's note: the arguments presented in this piece are extremely
well-reasoned and compelling. cm
Link:
Five Reasons Why Macs Are Right for Most Businesses
3.06 GHz iMac 'Packs a Wallop'
Computerworld's Scot Finnie reports:
"When Apple Inc. recently sent along one of its new iMacs - a sweet 24-inch
model with a 2.8 GHz Penryn processor - I agreed to take it home and
give it a dose of family testing at the Finnie household. And with
three kids aged 3, 6, and 16, that's saying something....
"Were I to buy a new iMac (and the kids insist that's something we
have to do) after the review unit goes back, I'd buy exactly the unit
Apple sent...."
Link:
Review: Apple's Newest 3.06 GHz iMac Packs a Wallop
OS X 10.5.3 Improves GeForce 8800's Core Image
Performance
Bare Feats'
rob-ART Morgan reports:
"I know how frustrated many of you feel who bought the optional
GeForce 8800 GS or GT for your Intel Mac only to find it that it ran
Core Image intensive Consumer and Pro Apps slower than the 'base'
Radeon 2600 Pro or XT. Good news: the GeForce drivers have been
improved with the release of OS X Leopard 10.5.3....
"The bad news? In most cases, the performance only improved enough
to become roughly equal that of the 'base' Radeon HD 2600 Pro or
XT."
Link: OS
X 10.5.3 versus 10.5.2: Has the GeForce 8800's Core Image Performance
Improved?
Products
Freestyle Convertible Keyboard: First Fully
Separating Keyboard for Macs
PR: Kinesis Corporation, a leading innovator
of ergonomic computer keyboard and related devices, has announced the
Freestyle Convertible keyboard family for Macintosh. The award-winning
design is the first Macintosh keyboard to completely separate,
providing several configurations in one modular design. The separation
feature is a key element for improving workstation comfort and reducing
injury. Kinesis also added an assortment of productivity-improving
driverless hot keys, a powerful new feature which is unique among
mainstream computer keyboards.
The stylish Freestyle family consists of the Freestyle Solo keyboard
and two accessory options. The Freestyle Incline accessory provides
simple but powerful adjustability, while the Freestyle VIP accessory
enables additional adjustments including complete keyboard separation.
Options are offered separately, enabling individuals and organizations
to add features at any time.
Kinesis President and CEO Will Hargreaves, PhD, explained
the importance of bringing this product to the Macintosh market: "We
are very excited to provide the simplicity, comfort and flexibility of
the Freestyle family to the Macintosh market. As consumers spend more
hours at their home and office workstations, they better understand the
importance of advanced keyboard design features in maximizing
productivity, ensuring comfort, and avoiding overuse injuries."
Hargreaves added, "For too long, Macintosh users have not had the
choice of an aesthetic, versatile, Mac-optimized alternative keyboard.
We designed the Freestyle product family to provide a new level of
elegance and comfort to Macintosh users everywhere."
The heart of the Freestyle family is the Solo keyboard. A familiar
compact key layout makes adaptation a breeze, but that's where
traditional keyboard design ends. The Freestyle's unique design
features include:
- Numerous Comfort Configurations in One Modular Design: the keyboard
width easily adjusts to the body size and preferences of each
user.
- Two keying modules are connected by the flexible Pivot Tether,
which allows infinite adjustment of the front opening angle (splay).
Sliding a button to remove the Pivot Tether allows the two modules to
completely separate up to 8.5 inches, accommodating a range of shoulder
widths (optional model provides 20-inch separation).
- Productivity-Boosting Hot Keys: Unprecedented productivity is
achieved with the driverless hot keys, which reduce awkward key
combinations and excessive mouse clicking. Ten left-side hot keys
include Web Page Forward and Back, Beginning of Line, End of Line, Cut,
Undo, Copy, Select All and Paste. Top Row driverless hot keys go well
beyond the special function key actions on the new Apple keyboards,
providing one-touch keys for Force Quit, Brightness, two Exposé
actions, Dashboard, Play Audio and Audio Volume groups, toggle Dock,
Eject CD, and Off/Sleep.
- Snap-and-Go Incline Accessory (Freestyle Incline Kit): transforms
the Freestyle Solo keyboard into a moderately-tented keyboard providing
all of the ergonomic benefits of a Microsoft "natural-style" keyboard
but without the long reach for a mouse! A 10-degree lateral slope
("tenting") relaxes your forearm muscles while the fully adjustable
(and lockable) front opening angle (splay) keeps your wrists straight
and comfortable. The Solo keyboard mounts easily onto the Incline base.
Snap-on palm supports with replaceable palm pads are included to ensure
that wrists are neutral (straight) and comfortable at all times.
- Sturdy, Advanced Ergonomic Accessory (Freestyle VIP Kit): The VIP
kit (V-Lifter and Integrated Palm Supports) provides adjustable
tenting, variable splay and/or complete keyboard separation. The VIP
accessory clips on in seconds and provides rock-solid support of the
keyboard at 10 or 15 degrees of tenting, with or without the pivot
tether installed. The integrated, padded palm supports ensure that
wrists are always neutral.
Additional features include:
- Low-profile design, which promotes neutral wrist posture.
- Narrow footprint, which allows for closer reach of a mouse.
- Double-wide Escape, Delete, and Backspace keys, which enable faster
editing.
- Quiet and tactile key switches with a special low force, which
reduces typing effort.
- Plug and play (no special drivers) and fully compatible with OS X
10.4 and newer operating system versions.
According to Jon Biggs, Kinesis Director of Sales
and Marketing, "Our design objectives in creating the Freestyle
Convertible keyboard family were (1) to provide the widest possible
array of ergonomic features without complex or costly mechanisms, and
(2) to provide a flexible configuration in order to meet a full range
of user needs at the lowest possible cost." Biggs added, "We
accomplished these goals by creating a modular design which allows
users to pick the features they need, and to easily change
configurations as needs change."
The Freestyle family was initially introduced to the PC market in
2007. With both PC and Macintosh models now available, corporations
which are increasingly using Apple computers can standardize on the
Freestyle Convertible keyboard family for both PC and Macintosh. They
can benefit by maximizing both comfort and productivity for all their
computer users, even when needs and users change. A common key layout
eliminates learning curves when employees change assignments or
locations. And the IT department is spared the cost and challenge of
installing and maintaining the special drivers which are required for
other keyboards with advanced key actions.
The Kinesis Freestyle keyboard family is both innovative and
effective, as validated by ergonomics professionals attending the
recent National Ergonomics Conference. The PC Freestyle model was
awarded the "Attendees Choice Award" (Dec 2006) as one of the products
most likely to increase productivity and profitability while improving
workplace health and safety.
Suggested retail price for the Freestyle Solo keyboard is $99 and
$40 for either accessory kit.
Link: Freestyle Adjustable
Split Keyboard for Mac
MaxConnect SAS/SATA Link for Mac Pro
PR: MaxUpgrades introduces MaxConnect SAS/ SATA Link, a
product designed to connect four internal disk drive bays of the
Mac Pro System to a PCI Express
SAS or SATA Controller installed in any PCI Express Expansion Slot of
the computer.
MaxConnect SAS/ SATA Link offers Mac Pro users highest level of
flexibility in data speed and redundancy, users can now integrate
fastest internal SAS/SATA storage system for Mac Pro based upon their
need and requirement.
MaxConnect SAS/SATA Link has micro form factor of just 0.45" H x 1"
W x 2" D inches, it is housed in completely covered machined thermo
plastic micro case for maximum protection and reliability.
Mac Pro users can now install SAS/SATA Host Bus Adapter or RAID
Controller in any PCI Express Expansion Slot of the Mac Pro System and
can be configured as RAID 0,1, 5 , 6 or more for maximum speed and
redundancy. Note: ( RAID Level Support Dependent on the type of
Controller)
Link:
MaxConnect SAS/SATA Link for Mac Pro Systems
Software
xVM VirtualBox: Free Open Source Virtualization
Software
PR: Sun xVM VirtualBox software is the world's most popular
open source virtualization platform because of its fast performance,
ease of use, rich functionality, and modular design.
At a Glance:
- Broad host platform support.
- Huge guest platform support.
- Free and Open Source.
- Open and extensible.
- High performance.
- Rich host-to-guest integration.
- Great hardware and device support.
- High security.
- RDP server for remote access to virtual machines.
Sun is continuing to improve its comprehensive family of xVM
Virtualization offerings. VirtualBox 1.6, the high performance, free
and open source desktop virtualization software, now includes 2,000
enhancements, improved scalability and web services.
VirtualBox 1.6, the high performance, free and open source desktop
virtualization software, now includes 2,000 enhancements, improved
scalability and web services.
Features & Benefits
Higher, Wider, Deeper - Sun xVM VirtualBox is available to run on a
higher number of host platforms than any other virtualization platform,
has wider guest platforms support than any alternative, and a deeply
compelling feature set too.
Run multiple operating systems concurrently on the same computer
- Hosts: Windows, Solaris, Linux, Mac OS X.
- Guests: Support for practically any x86 based OS.
Open APIs and Modular Design
- Supports both GUI and rich CLI commands.
- COM/XPCOM interfaces.
- Web services interface.
Sun xVM VirtualBox can easily be built upon to deliver custom
solutions or products, or be embedded as a component into systems.
High Performance Sun xVM VirtualBox is highly efficient at
delivering high performance virtual machines for its guests.
Guest platforms perform at near-native speeds.
Rich Host/Guest integration The Guest Additions make the experience
even faster and more seamless.
- Seamless windows - rather than a whole desktop environment, just
the guest application windows can coexist alongside native host
applications.
- Shared Folders - easily move documents and files between the host
and guest systems.
- Mouse pointer integration - it just works how you'd expect it
to.
- Dynamically adjustable screen resolution in the guest.
- Time Synchronization.
- Shared clipboard.
Intuitive and natural blend of multiple platforms and apps resulting
in a more efficient workspace.
Great hardware and device support
- Full ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) support so,
for example, guests can see the power levels of the host.
- VESA Virtual Display Adaptor augmented with custom
resolutions.
- NICs supporting NAT or bridged configurations.
- USB 2.0 with filter control to limit which host devices the guest
can see.
- Multiscreen resolutions to allow guest displays to span
monitors.
- CD/DVD passthrough.
Virtual Machines under Sun xVM VirtualBox are as capable as physical
machines.
Remote access to guest virtual machines
- Sun xVM VirtualBox includes an RDP Server integrated into the
virtualization platform.
- Boot-level remote access to guests.
Access your virtual machines from anywhere.
Snapshots
Sun xVM VirtualBox can save multiple snapshots of the state of
virtual machines.
Easily revert to known "good states".
High Security
- Military-spec architecture.
- No interference between virtual machines (VMs).
- Zero data leakage between VMs.
A secure multi-platformed desktop.
Open Sourced under GPL - Free for Personal Use and Evaluation.
Link: Sun xVM
VirtualBox
Totus Copy Hard Drive Rescue Software
PR: Totus Copy is a utility for transferring data off of a
failing hard drive. OS X has a number of safety features built
into it's copy functions, if it detects an I/O error or a stalled read
the transfer will fail.
Totus Copy is a utility for transferring data off of a failing hard
drive. OS X has a number of safety features built into it's copy
functions, if it detects an I/O error or a stalled read the transfer
will fail. OS X also gets file information for all files before it
even copies the first one. While these are great functions to prevent
further damage to a hard drive it makes it very difficult to transfer
data.
Totus Copy will scan a failing hard drive and recover the files from
it onto a separate functional hard drive. It does this by using a very
gentle nonintrusive scanning method. Unlike other transfer utilities
there is no timeout for file copies. If the data is readable Totus Copy
will transfer it. Although this will cause more damage to your hard
drive it has a high success rate of retrieving data.
Features:
- Ignore invisible files and applications, which increases the chance
of recovering your important data.
- Target files of a specific kind, such as music, pictures, or
documents.
- Error correcting transfer protocols with no timeout limit.
- Transfer partial files, if 99% of a important document is damage
other utilities will fail while Totus Copy will copy that 99%.
- Handles files one by one instead of in large batches that are more
likely to fail.
- Target a specific directory to recovery only files that you
need.
- Scans directories as needed to minimize failures.
- Recreates bundles and directories as opposed to trying to transfer
them.
System Requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
- A failing hard disk that still mounts (Can be used in conjunction
with Alsoft's Disk Warriors preview feature)
Link: Totus Copy
Desktop Mac
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