Apple Notebooks Get Raves in Consumer Reports

As mentioned above, this week we’re offering a special low price on the Mac Box Set. The Mac Box set makes it easy to upgrade to OS 10.5 Leopard, which is the latest Apple Operating System, along with the newest versions of iWork ’09 and iLife ’09.

Separately, these programs cost $290. The Mac Box Set is normally $169. For the month of May, we’re offering the Mac Box Set for only $149.99, which is a $140 savings from purchasing the programs separately.

Buying the Mac Box Set at this price is like buying iLife ’09 and iWork ’09, and getting 10.5 Leopard totally free. Also, the software in the Mac Box Set offers so many new features and enhancements, it’s almost like getting a whole new computer. Mac Box Set also makes a great gift for Father’s day, Mother’s day, and graduation.

“Apple Mac Box Set (iWork ’09, iLife ’09, Mac OS X Leopard) – $149.99 and FREE shipping!”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag19153

“Apple Mac Box Set Family Pack – $199.99 and FREE Shipping (can be installed on up to five computers in your household”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag19154

This is an exclusive offer to readers of Small Dog newsletters and customers who purchased OS 10.4 Tiger.

_Dear Friends,_

This week it’s Ed writing for Don, who is currently in New Orleans for an Apple Sales & Marketing Co-op conference. I’ve visited New Orleans many times, including a month-long stay about a decade ago. For all its troubles, New Orleans is a city I love. Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, I remember how certain commentators said that New Orleans (a great American city) should be abandoned. I always thought that was a terrible idea. While only about 60% of New Orleans residents have returned, and there is still much to do to repair the city, New Orleans IS back, and in time will be better than it was before.

I’m grateful to live in a society that generally looks for advantage in adversity (in this case, for improving the cities infrastructure). I look forward to visiting New Orleans again soon – though I admit, not until the heat of summer and early fall is past.

We’re beginning a new month-long theme of top ten lists in this issue of Kibbles. This week Kali writes about her favorite paid iPhone apps. Next week I’ll write about my favorite free Mac apps. We’ll continue all the way to “WWDC”:http://developer.apple.com/WWDC/ on June 8.

If you have any suggestions for our future top ten favorite lists (for iPhone or Mac) please email them to Ed@Smalldog.com.

We’re also kicking off a special promotion for the month of May – all Apple software is on sale (via instant online rebates) for up to $150 off. Probably the best offer is for the Mac Box set – “$149.99 plus free shipping”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag19153. That price is exclusive to this newsletter and one other special mailing we’re sending out. More about the Mac Box set below.

Time Machine is Apple’s easy to use automatic backup program built into OS 10.5 Leopard. The concept behind Time Machine is that it’s so easy to use, you just can’t help but use it. Time Machine is well-reviewed and is one of Leopard’s most popular features. It has saved my bacon on several occasions.

To start using Time Machine, all you have to do is connect an external drive to your Mac running Leopard. You’re asked if you want this drive to be your backup drive, and if you say yes, Time Machine will start an automatic backup. Apple goes on to say “You’ll never have to worry about backing up again.”

One of the most common questions we hear about Time Machine is how to hide / remove files from automatic backup. It’s very easy to do this:

*1.* Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Time Machine.

*2.* Open Time Machine preferences

*3.* Click Options.

*4.* To specify an item that shouldn’t be backed up, click Add (+) and choose one or more items. You can also drag items to the list. To remove an item from the list, select it and then click Remove (-).

The backup disk is automatically included in the list of items that shouldn’t be backed up.

*5.* Click Done.

Note that the external drive you’re using for your Time Machine backup is automatically excluded from this list. If you want to back up an additional external drive to your Time Machine disk, you’ll need to open Time Machine and remove it from the list.

Also, note that multiple Mac systems can share the same external Time Machine disk. Each Mac gets its own subfolder, one for every backup performed on that Mac.

“Here is a Mac 101 article from Apple about using Time Machine.”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427

If you’re like me (cheap), you look for the free apps in the iTunes App Store over anything else! For example, if there’s an app listed that actually costs money, you in turn look for the “lite” version. However, a lot of great paid apps are overlooked because it’s not clear if they’re worth the price (no matter how small).

So, for all you frugal fannies out there, here’s a list of my Top 10 Paid Apps for the iPhone and iPod touch.

*1) Twittelator Pro – $4.99*

There are a ton of Twitter apps out there, and it’s tough to determine which is the best. Tweetie has gotten a lot of praise lately–with Mac gurus and celebs alike singing its praises–and admittedly it’s a great one, though my top Twitter app for iPhone is Twittelator Pro. (The desktop version of Tweetie is a different story and it’s my choice for my Mac, hands down.)

Twittelator Pro has a great user interface (UI from here on out) with a few different themes from which to choose, and is chock-full of features. It offers multi-account access, automatic link-shrinking (a MUST for a mobile Twitter app), landscape composition, copy and paste within the application and a “send links from Safari” feature, to name a few. All-in-all, it’s been the best mobile Twitter experience for me so far.

“Read more about Twittelator Pro”:http://www.stone.com/Twittelator/
“Read more about Tweetie”:http://www.atebits.com/tweetie-iphone/

“Purchase Twittelator Pro from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=288963578&mt=8
“Try Twittelator Lite”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284698706&mt=8 (free version)

__Additional note: I appreciate being able to try an app before I buy, and there’s currently no “lite” (free) version of Tweetie for those who want to do the same. However, Tweetie is slightly less expensive at $2.99.__

*2) MLB.com At Bat – $9.99*

One word: Orioles. Three words: Orioles in Vermont. OK, OK… I realize that most of you out there don’t care about the Orioles, but here’s the part that’s great: with MLB At Bat, I can listen to Orioles in New England (in Red Sox Country). Plus, I don’t have cable TV (by choice, though the only things I seriously miss are baseball games and the Olympics), so it’s nice to be able to listen to the games on my iPhone instead. It’s also nice that the $9.99 price for the iTunes version is $5 less than the version on the MLB website.

“Purchase MLB.com At Bat from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309327900&mt=8
“Try MLB.com At Bat Lite”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=281969989&mt=8 (free version)

*3) Feeds – $2.99*

I’m not a huge RSS person, but I became convinced that Feeds is a great app after trying it at my husband’s suggestion. There are countless free RSS readers out there, and generally they’re fine, but also painfully limited. If you have numerous RSS feeds that you follow, definitely give Feeds a try.

For one, it’s fully integrated with Google Reader, which is a popular web-based aggregator (just a fancy word for colletor and distributor) of RSS feeds. It also offers the capability to: email a feed link within the application, read feeds offline, use landscape mode, categorize your feeds and mark items for later.

Only con that I’ve found? I hate the icon… (oh, well!)

__I had been using Pro RSS (also a paid app at $1.99) which does most of the above, but the UI is not as slick; it also had some initial stability issues. A recent update may have alleviated those, though I haven’t tested it yet.__

“Purchase Feeds from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=286063131&mt=8
“Read more about Pro RSS”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=293365321&mt=8

*4) Bento – $4.99*

This is a recent favorite as well. Just announced in the App Store on May 1, Bento brings the awesome OS X app for organization and data management to your iPhone. FileMaker introduced Bento to tackle personal organization, so it’s basically FileMaker for the average person: from your expenses to your wine collection, you can manage most anything.

Bento has the advantage of being an Apple app and all that it entails right out of the gate. I’m a big fan of Mac/iPhone app integration, and that’s one of the first things I look for in a new app for my Mac… __”Well, this is cool, but does it work with the iPhone?”__ Now, I can take all of my stuff mobile (scary as that is!).

With the Bento mobile app, one can “view libraries and collections, create new records, edit details, sort data, modify forms [and] even use the iTunes-style search to find information quickly when on the go.” It integrates natively with Safari, Address Book, Mail and Maps, and I anticipate that it will become even more powerful when iPhone 3.0 software debuts this summer (hello, copy and paste!).

“Read more about Bento for iPhone”:http://www.filemaker.com/products/bento/iphone.html
“Purchase Bento from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=314638461&mt=8

*5) Air Sharing – $4.99*

Air Sharing is a really cool app that gets a lot of love. Among the praise: “Most Useful App” (2008 Best App Ever Awards), “Editor’s Choice” (PC Magazine), “App of the Week” (Apple), “Editor’s Pick, 10/10” (AppCraver), as well as kudos from Gizmodo, The Chicago Tribune and others.

Air Sharing makes dragging and dropping possible between your computer and iPhone/iPod touch by allowing your mobile device to mount as a wireless hard drive. It supports a vast array of file types, including Microsoft Office files (DOC, PPT, XLS, etc.), PDF, RTF, Plain Text, HTML and iWork docs (Note: It currently only supports iWork ’08, though a Save to that format on your Mac bypasses the issue until that’s addressed). Air Sharing supports OS X (10.4 and 10.5), Windows (both XP and Vista) and Linux.

While you can’t (yet?) edit any of these docs on your mobile device, it’s helpful to view them. I’m hoping it’s only a matter of time before I’m able to edit and share as well. Bottom line: It’s a handy app that’s worth the $4.99.

“Purchase Air Sharing from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=289943355&mt=8

*6) Keynote Remote – $.99*

I realize the apps I’ve mentioned have been (comparatively) pricey, so here’s one for 99 cents: Apple’s Keynote Remote. Worth just as much as the others, Keynote Remote is a must-have because of its simplicity and Apple integration. If you have a presentation in–you guessed it, Keynote–you can use your iPhone or iPod touch to control your computer.

Ed and I have a presentation coming up in a couple of weeks that this will be great for…

__Note that this app requires iWork ’09.__

“Purchase Keynote Remote from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=300719251&mt=8

*7) Color Splash – $1.99*

Color Splash is just plain cool. The main feature is that it will take your color photos (from the iPhone’s camera or your photo library) and make them black and white… with a twist. It will keep certain elements in full color, all with the sweep of your finger. There are four different brushes to choose from as well as alternate views to ensure accuracy and an unlimited number of ‘undos’.

Additionally, Color Splash supports uploading to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

“Purchase Color Splash from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=304871603&mt=8

*8) Print & Share – $6.99*

Print on your iPhone! Print & Share allows printing of emails, files, photos, contacts and web pages right from your phone or iPod touch. Taking advantage of the “shake” technology, Print & Share utilizes it to view or browse in full screen mode. It requires helper software, “WePrint,”:http://mobile.eurosmartz.com/print/download.html on your computer which is then synced to your device. Added bonus: if you’re traveling, you can put the WePrint software on a flash drive to use with other computers (I’m not sure if this requires a restore of your device, though).

__Plus: Check out the companion app, Print, for 99 cents. It’s basically a Lite version that prints Contacts, Photos and web pages only.__

“Purchase Print & Share from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=301656026&mt=8
“Read more about Print”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=299423224&mt=8

*9) Bejeweled – $2.99*

This is by far the most-used app on my iPhone. I loved this game on my Mac many years ago, and I had forgotten it existed until the launch of the App Store. It has three modes, game preferences, music and an unknown (to me) number of levels. Bejeweled is extremely polished (pardon the pun); it flawlessly (again, sorry) stops and starts again if your game is interrupted by a phone call and saves all games where you left off.

The concept is simple: match jewels to elevate your score and complete levels. Be careful, though–it’s highly addictive. I’ve played multiple games in the process of writing this article (true story).

“Purchase Bejeweled from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284832142&mt=8

*10) Tetris – $4.99*

No Top 10 list is complete without Tetris, and it needs no introduction. The best-selling game in the US has 15 levels, 4 music tracks and 2 modes to go along with your block stacking. Sure, you’ll have to cough up $4.99 for the famous game, but the hours you’ll spend playing will more than make up for it…

Good for: Long car rides, killing time between classes and insomnia.

“Purchase Tetris from the App Store”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284800458&mt=8

So there you have it, and for just under $50. Enjoy! Let us know what your favorite apps are; we’ll be reporting soon enough on the iPhone 3.0 software update, which will undoubtedly mean big changes in the App Store as many apps will become obsolete and new ones are introduced.

Kibbles subscriber Josh M. sent in the following tip, after reading Mac Treat #82 “How to Remove Custom Dictionary Entries”:

A shortcut to check a definition (rather than editing an entry, which is what you were focussing on) is to place your cursor over a word, and click Command-Control-D. After a second’s hesitation, a drop-down window appears with a brief and usually helpful definition. You can even switch to thesaurus view! It works in any Apple program like Mail or Safari or Pages; not sure about non-Apple programs.

The only downside is that if you accidentally substitute Shift for Control (Command-Shift- D) in Mail, you will trigger an unintentional and premature sending of your draft. This can be embarrassing if you aren’t quite ready to have your message read!

Submitted by Josh M. Thanks Josh!