compatibility

Formatting glitch affects MS Word 2007 and 2010

Some readers took exception when I stated in a post from last month on future-proofing your data archive that Microsoft's proprietary Office file formats may not stand the test of time. Well, compatibility problems have already surfaced between the two most recent releases of MS Word.

Several people report spaces being dropped randomly from documents created in Word 2010 when the files are opened in Word 2007 on another machine. (A post on the Microsoft Answers forum explains the problem in more detail.)

The quick fix is to set both systems to use Adobe PDF as the default printer … Read more

Future-proof your data archive

It's easier than ever to make sure copies of your most important records, documents, photos, videos, and other personal data will be readable/viewable/playable long after the hardware and software used to create the files have bitten the dust.

The four keys to safe data archiving are to choose file formats that won't become obsolete, use storage media that won't deteriorate or become inaccessible, make multiple copies stored apart, and check your archived data regularly to ensure it's still readable.

Don't get stuck with outdated data formats Most of the files you want to … Read more

Apple releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.5, adds Nikon D7000

Apple has released version 3.5 of its Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update, which includes support for several new cameras including Nikon's D700 and Coolpix P7000.

Other cameras included in the update are:

Canon PowerShot G12 Leica D-Lux 5 Leica D-Lux 7 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

Users can find a running list of compatible cameras, here.

If you do not see Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.5 in Software Update, be sure you are running Mac OS X 10.6.5. If you have a lesser version of Mac OS X installed, the update will not … Read more

B&W's sweet new P5 headphones

Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) has a new headphone, the P5.

B&W is one of the more legendary names in British hi-fi, and its speakers are used in many of the world's top studios, including the Beatles' favorite, Abbey Road.

B&W is also known for its sleek styling, and the P5 is definitely a looker. Its real leather and chunky construction put all of the other $300 headphones on the market to shame. The P5 is a handsome luxury design, on par with B&W's high-end speakers.

Comfort? The P5's thickly padded leather headband and ear pads are soft and comfy. That's great, but the full leather-to-ears contact may promote perspiration. My ears didn't sweat, but they sure felt hot when I wore the P5s for extended periods. The upside to the close contact design is that it blocks a fair amount of external noise. Not as effectively as noise-canceling headphones, but the P5 doesn't need batteries.

The P5 is being marketed as a portable design, so it's smaller than most full-size, over-the-ear headphones. The included quilted carry bag is nicer than what you get with most headphones.

A user-replaceable 48 inch cable is attached to the left earcup. The P5 is supplied with two cables, one of which, the MFI cable with built-in microphone, is for use with the very latest Apple iPod and iPhone models. The removable (magnetically attached) earpads are more squarish than round, about 3 inches high, and they fold flat against your chest when you put the headband on your neck.

.… Read more

Blu-ray disc compatibility: It's still an issue

Disc compatibility issues have plagued Blu-ray since the format came out. At first, we figured it was part of Blu-ray's growing pains and would eventually go away, like the annoying confusion about Blu-ray profiles. However, disc compatibility issues have persisted and manufacturers regularly have to issue firmware updates for their players when certain movies won't play.

We recently posted a review for the LG BD570 and shortly afterward we saw several user opinions complaining about playback issues on "Up"--primarily, the movie skipping ahead at 1:03. That's frustrating for us; "Up" wasn't a disc we looked at during our tests, but obviously glitchy playback is a serious issue. Our review of the BD590 is also coming soon, so we wanted to investigate.

We contacted LG about the issue (they're looking into it) and rush ordered a copy of "Up." The first time we tried to load "Up" on the BD590, the player froze and we were forced to power it off. But after that, to our surprise, the movie played fine on both the LG BD570 and BD590 on several attempts, with no chapter skips around 1:03. (We had no issues with "Terminator: Salvation," either, another disc that some found problematic.)

Considering the initial freeze-up was the only time that happened during our testing period with the BD590, it's hard to consider it a major flaw. We don't doubt that people are having trouble with playback issues, but since we don't have any firsthand evidence that the BD570/BD590 have significant playback or disc compatibility problems, we're not going to ding it in our review. … Read more

Adobe tweaks BrowserLab, adds screenshot mode

Adobe Systems on Thursday is rolling out an updated version of its BrowserLab service. The tool, which was introduced last June, lets Web developers fast track Web site production by displaying how their site will look when rendered by various browsers. Its big trick is to do it all within Adobe's own Flash Player, so it will look the same no matter what browser users are on.

Thursday's release brings one main change, and that's a way for users to save a local version of its results as a full-quality JPEG image file. The company hopes this … Read more

Apple Magic Mouse now works on Windows PCs (unofficially)

Windows users still drooling over Apple's multitouch Magic Mouse might finally have an excuse to step into an Apple store, thanks to "a little hackery" by UneasySilence.

The hack exploits a vulnerability in Apple's latest Bluetooth Update, uncovering Magic Mouse drivers for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows from XP to 7. We've yet to put it to the test ourselves, but users online are reporting success with full use of the Magic Mouse's vertical touch-scrolling. Leave a comment and let us know if it works for you.

We should mention that since this is a … Read more

Rudimentary compatibility tester

MB Numerology Compatibility Software is a simple piece of freeware that uses the principles of numerology to assess the compatibility of a couple. The user enters the full names and birthdays of both partners, and the software generates a few reports on how compatible they are.

The interface is extremely basic, and offers no graphics and an outdated, late '90s feel. Users can choose to get a report on "Destiny Compatability" or "LifePath Compatibility" (although there's no explanation of the difference), or a "Comprehensive Reading" that is simply a combination of the other … Read more

Basic compatibility readings

MB Compatibility provides users with compatibility evaluations based on their and their partner's date of birth. The program uses several different methods for evaluating compatibility, allowing users to compare the readings.

Like all programs from Mystic Board, MB Compatibility's interface is cluttered with advertising for Mystic Board, so-called home business opportunities, and so on. If you're looking for something visually pleasing, this isn't it, but the program is at least fairly intuitive. The program's features are separated into sections for Chinese Zodiac, Moon Sign, Numerology, and Zodiac. Users enter the required information for each--mostly just … Read more