Latest Posts in Macworld Video
Macworld Expo Keynote recap
Apple today kicked off Macworld Expo 2009 with three major product announcements, plus a few changes to iTunes.
If you weren’t able to attend the keynote, Roman Loyola provides a brief summary of Apple’s new products in this video. He’ll talk about the new 17-inch MacBook Pro, new features in iPhoto ‘09, iMovie ‘09, GarageBand ‘09, iWork ‘09, and iTunes.
Download Macworld Video #87
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 480 x 320 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 8.5MB
- Length: 3 minutes
Show Notes
For more information on the Apple products announced at Macworld Expo 2009, read the following Macworld articles:
First Look: Axiotron Modbook Pro tablet Mac
Axiotron, makers of the Modbook, a MacBook converted into a tablet Mac, announced at Macworld Expo the new Modbook Pro tablet Mac.
The Modbook Pro ($4,999) uses the components of Apple’s 15-inch 2.8GHz MacBook Pro in an Axiotron-designed case. Weighing 6.6 pounds, the Modbook Pro has all the ports and drives found in the MacBook Pro, as well as a GPS device and an assistive technology dual switch port for connecting input devices for people with disabilities.
Andreas Haas, the CEO of Axiotron, visited the Macworld offices before the start of Macworld Expo. In this video, Mr. Haas gives us a close look at a preliminary, non-working prototype of the Modbook Pro. He also demonstrates Synergy Touch and Quickscript, two new software products for the Modbook
Download Macworld Video #86
Screen savers live!
Screen savers? Yes, screen savers! While they may not serve the utilitarian purpose—saving your screen—they once did, screen savers can still be captivating and fun. I've taken a look at hundreds of screen savers over the past couple years, with the intent of doing a Mac Gems article on the topic, but the truth is, screen savers are better suited to video. So in this week's video, I show you 13 of my favorite modules. Here in the show notes, I also include a number of other good screen savers that didn't make it into the video.
If you see one you like and decide to download it, you can install it by dropping the [screen savername].saver file into either /Library/Screen Savers (to make it available to all users of your Mac) or ~/Library/Screen Savers (to keep it all to yourself).
Download Macworld Video #85
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 480 x 320 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 11.7 MB
- Length: 6 minutes, 14 seconds
Show Notes
Below are links to the Web sites for the screen savers mentioned in the video. All screen savers work on Intel Macs; I haven't tested compatibility with PowerPC Macs.
- AlphaBabySaver (free)
- Big Time Screen Saver (free)
- Dropclock ($15)
- Econ (free)
- Euphoria (free)
- Fenetres Volantes (free)
- Marine Aquarium ($15)
- Movie Screen Saver ($12) or SaveHollywood (free)
- Plasma Tunnel Screen saver (free)
- Red Baron (free)
- ScriptSaver (free)
- Skyrocket (free)
- Soundstream (free)
- ToasterClone (free): note that the developers of ToasterClone are currently in licensing negotiations, so ToasterClone has been temporarily removed from the Web site; however, the developers expect to be able to make the screen saver available again soon, so check the URL in a few weeks.
Here are a few good screen savers that didn't make it into the video:
- 3D Desktop Aquarium ($13): an alternative to Marine Aquarium.
- Collage Screen Saver (donations accepted): creates a moving collage out of a folder of photos of your choosing.
- Electric Sheep (free): difficult to describe, this module connects your computer with others on the 'net to create, in the words of the developer, "morphing abstract animations known as 'sheep.'" You can rate each creation as it's displayed, and higher-rated animations "live longer and reproduce according to a genetic algorithm with mutation and cross-over. Hence the flock evolves to please its global audience." Make sense? Even if it doesn't, Electric Sheep is worth checking out. The downside is that new "sheep offspring" are hefty downloads.
- Flying Toasters Screen Saver (donations accepted): another option for lovers of flying toasters.
- Helios (free): a beautiful module involving colorful blobs of matter that produce and absorb tiny particles.
- Hills (free): a realistic flyover of computer-generated grassy hills. Tip: In the settings screen, set the slider values to 8.63, 50, 5.39, 1.31, 256, 0.011, and choose your favorite blue as the Fog Color to give the illusion of a blue sky. (Thanks to a commenter on the linked site for the inspiration for those settings.)
- Red Baron (free): a fun screen saver that follows the Red Baron's biplane as it flies over a grassy landscape. Caveat: If you don't have a Mac Pro or the latest MacBook Pro, move along.
- Serene Saver 2 HD ($50): includes over a dozen high-definition videos of calm, relaxing environments to help you relax during your Mac's downtime; these videos can also be used as full-motion Desktop backgrounds. The program can also be used to force work breaks, and it smartly disables itself when running off battery power. Pricey, but attractive, soothing, and—yes—useful.
- Snowfall (free): creates complex and beautiful snowflakes that fall down your screen. You can choose either a colored background or your favorite image—it's quite odd to see it snowing over a sunny Kauai panorama.
SurveillanceSaver (free): displays a random feed from over 1000 Web-based surveillance cameras around the world. It's like on-demand cable, but with security cameras.
To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.
You can also see a complete archive of all our videos on Macworld’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to that channels and you will be notified whenever we post a new video.
Or just point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader to: http://rss.macworld.com/macworld/weblogs/mwvodcast
Screen savers live!
Screen savers? Yes, screen savers! While they may not serve the utilitarian purpose—saving your screen—they once did, screen savers can still be captivating and fun. I've taken a look at hundreds of screen savers over the past couple years, with the intent of doing a Mac Gems article on the topic, but the truth is, screen savers are better suited to video. So in this week's video, I show you 13 of my favorite modules. Here in the show notes, I also include a number of other good screen savers that didn't make it into the video.
If you see one you like and decide to download it, you can install it by dropping the [screen savername].saver file into either /Library/Screen Savers (to make it available to all users of your Mac) or ~/Library/Screen Savers (to keep it all to yourself).
Download Macworld Video #85
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 480 x 320 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 11.7 MB
- Length: 6 minutes, 14 seconds
Show Notes
Below are links to the Web sites for the screen savers mentioned in the video. All screen savers work on Intel Macs; I haven't tested compatibility with PowerPC Macs.
- AlphaBabySaver (free)
- Big Time Screen Saver (free)
- Dropclock ($15)
- Econ (free)
- Euphoria (free)
- Fenetres Volantes (free)
- Marine Aquarium ($15)
- Movie Screen Saver ($12) or SaveHollywood (free)
- Plasma Tunnel Screen saver (free)
- Red Baron (free)
- ScriptSaver (free)
- Skyrocket (free)
- Soundstream (free)
- ToasterClone (free): note that the developers of ToasterClone are currently in licensing negotiations, so ToasterClone has been temporarily removed from the Web site; however, the developers expect to be able to make the screen saver available again soon, so check the URL in a few weeks.
Here are a few good screen savers that didn't make it into the video:
- 3D Desktop Aquarium ($13): an alternative to Marine Aquarium.
- Collage Screen Saver (donations accepted): creates a moving collage out of a folder of photos of your choosing.
- Electric Sheep (free): difficult to describe, this module connects your computer with others on the 'net to create, in the words of the developer, "morphing abstract animations known as 'sheep.'" You can rate each creation as it's displayed, and higher-rated animations "live longer and reproduce according to a genetic algorithm with mutation and cross-over. Hence the flock evolves to please its global audience." Make sense? Even if it doesn't, Electric Sheep is worth checking out. The downside is that new "sheep offspring" are hefty downloads.
- Flying Toasters Screen Saver (donations accepted): another option for lovers of flying toasters.
- Helios (free): a beautiful module involving colorful blobs of matter that produce and absorb tiny particles.
- Hills (free): a realistic flyover of computer-generated grassy hills. Tip: In the settings screen, set the slider values to 8.63, 50, 5.39, 1.31, 256, 0.011, and choose your favorite blue as the Fog Color to give the illusion of a blue sky. (Thanks to a commenter on the linked site for the inspiration for those settings.)
- Red Baron (free): a fun screen saver that follows the Red Baron's biplane as it flies over a grassy landscape. Caveat: If you don't have a Mac Pro or the latest MacBook Pro, move along.
- Serene Saver 2 HD ($50): includes over a dozen high-definition videos of calm, relaxing environments to help you relax during your Mac's downtime; these videos can also be used as full-motion Desktop backgrounds. The program can also be used to force work breaks, and it smartly disables itself when running off battery power. Pricey, but attractive, soothing, and—yes—useful.
- Snowfall (free): creates complex and beautiful snowflakes that fall down your screen. You can choose either a colored background or your favorite image—it's quite odd to see it snowing over a sunny Kauai panorama.
SurveillanceSaver (free): displays a random feed from over 1000 Web-based surveillance cameras around the world. It's like on-demand cable, but with security cameras.
To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.
You can also see a complete archive of all our videos on Macworld’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to that channels and you will be notified whenever we post a new video.
Or just point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader to: http://rss.macworld.com/macworld/weblogs/mwvodcast
Hands-on with the Chill Mat for Mac
Mac laptops can get hot, and one of the biggest liabilities of laptop computing is a burned-out lap. The Chill Mat for Mac, as its name implies, sits directly on your lap while your furnace of a laptop sits on top of it. Inside the Chill Mat sit two quiet USB-powered fans that keep your laptop cool.
In this Macworld Video, Jackie Dove takes a close look at the Chill Mat. She’ll take a look at the product design, how to set it up, and how it works.
Hands-on with Butler
Over the years, various editors here have espoused their preference in the way of program launchers—Dan Frakes prefers LaunchBar, Dan Miller relies on QuickSilver, while I find Butler to be indispensible. Since that piece was written, Butler has found a new homepage.
Despite our differing opinions on which launcher to use, all of us agree that you can be much more productive with a launcher utility than without.
While I’ve discussed Butler here in many different articles over the years, I realized that I’d never covered it on video…and since a picture is worth 1,000 words, I thought I’d use this installment of the Macworld Video to demonstrate just a few of Butler’s more interesting features. What I don’t actually demonstrate is the basic use of Butler as a launcher; it’s covered pretty well in my original write-up, and honestly, it’s one of Butler’s more basic features.
Download Macworld Video #83
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 320 x 240 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 10.9MB
- Length: 8.5 minutes
Show notes
In the video, I chose to focus on a few of the other non-typical things that Butler can do for you. In particular, I cover a couple of setup tips, and show you how to create your own use-from-anywhere web search hotkeys, build a customized pop-up menu, and use Butler’s multi-item permanent-storage clipboard. Butler has a ton of additional features, of course, but I could only cover a few in the video.
If you’ve been thinking of trying a launcher, you can download and test Quicksilver, LaunchBar, and Butler for free…which one you end up using will really come down to personal preference. In my case, Butler won out for its ability to do much more than just launch programs. Watch the video to get a small sense for some of its other capabilities.
To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.
You can also see a complete archive of all our videos on Macworld’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to that channels and you will be notified whenever we post a new video.
Or just point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader to: http://feeds.macworld.com/macworld/video/
Shooting the holidays
The holiday season is upon us. And because it is, your digital camera and camcorder are going to get more of a workout.
In this edition of the Macworld Video I offer a few simple tips that will help prevent you from ruining a precious holiday moment.
Download Macworld Video #82
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 320 x 240 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 8.5MB
- Length: 4 minutes
Show Notes
During the video I show you the most basic pitfalls one can encounter when handling a digital camera and camcorder. If you’re truly interested in taking better photos (and yes, you can use many of the same techniques with a camcorder), allow me to recommend a couple of very helpful resources.
Protect your Mac from dust
I have an old Power Mac G4 tower used at home as an Internet kiosk and personal information manager. A few weeks ago, I decided to open it up. To my amazement (accompanied by slight embarrassment), the internal components were coated in a sickening layer dust. My first thought: Ugh. My second thought: Hey, I could make a video out of this.
In this Macworld Video, you get to see the horror that lay before me. And then I’ll show you how to clean the dust out of a computer. It’s easy to do and won’t take a lot of time—unless your computer is a box of dirt like my Power Mac.
Download Macworld Video #81
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 432 x 320 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 9.8MB
- Length: 4 minutes, 36 seconds
Show notes
There's always some risk involved when working on the internals of a computer. Don't do anything you're not absolutely comfortable doing yourself. Paying a professional is worth it if it gives you peace of mind.
First look: Microsoft Arc Mouse
Microsoft’s Arc Mouse takes a different and unique approach to mouse design. It looks like, well...an arc. And it actually folds so it doesn’t take up a lot of room in a laptop bag.
In this Macworld Video, Jackie Dove takes a close look at the Arc Mouse. She’ll talk about its arc design, how it works, and how to modify the Arc Mouse’s settings on the Mac.
Read more...Wake up to Squeezebox Boom
I’ve been a fan of Logitech’s Squeezebox family of networked music players for some time. More than five years ago, we discovered the original SLIMP3, which gave you access to your iTunes music library from within your stereo cabinet. The line was modernized with the Squeezebox. Now, at long last, there’s a version with an integrated amplifier and speakers, targeted not for the stereo but for a place of honor next to your bed as your Internet-enabled alarm clock and music player—and it’s called Squeezebox Boom.
Despite the name, the Squeezebox Boom is not the size of a boom box, as you’ll see in this video. It’s much smaller. The sound is good, the pre-set buttons let you play back Internet radio stations, playlists, or artist shuffles with ease… and it’s really cool to be able to wake up to an Internet Radio stream instead of buzzy old A.M. radio or, worse, a loud and droning beep. The device uses wi-fi (or optionally, Ethernet) to connect to a Mac or PC on your network with a nice collection of MP3s.
If you’ve had a hard time picturing what one of these players would look like and how it works, I hope you’ll take this brief video tour with me. The Squeezebox Boom costs $299, and for more information, visit its home on the web at slimdevices.com
Download Macworld Video #79
- Format: MPEG-4/H.264
- Resolution: 432 x 320 (iPhone & iPod compatible)
- Size: 13.3 MB
- Length: 5 minutes, 1 second
Show Notes
One important note: If you’ve got a large collection of protected iTunes music, this product isn’t for you. It doesn’t play back protected iTunes music. As a result, I refuse to buy protected iTunes music. If I can’t buy it as an iTunes Plus track, I buy it from Amazon.com MP3 instead. I’ve converted all my protected iTunes tracks by ripping them to CD and then back into MP3s, or via a third-party utility such as Requiem.
Everybody always asks me how these products compare to iPod docks. They don’t. iPod docks are for when you want to stick your iPod somewhere and listen to music played off of it—I do that, too. But the idea with these players is, you’ve got your iTunes library somewhere else on your network, but you want it to play out of speakers in a particular place. Yeah, you could copy them all to an iPod. But you have to walk over to the iPod in order to choose what playlist to play. These devices have a bright screen that you can see from across the room, and an infrared remote that lets you pick what to play next.
(Yes, using an AirPort Express or Apple TV and an iPod Touch is another way to go. Though I don’t always have my iPhone with me when I want to hear music and investing in an iPod touch just to run the Remote app seems like overkill to me. Your mileage may vary.)
To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.
You can also see a complete archive of all our videos on Macworld’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to that channels and you will be notified whenever we post a new video.
Or just point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader to: http://feeds.macworld.com/macworld/video/
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