Reviews

[Posted Monday, March 12th]

Ted Landau March 2007

Last month, I offered a "first look" at Apple's new AirPort Extreme Base Station. It was written after only a couple of days experience with the new device. Such articles have their value, especially for those who are considering an immediate purchase and want the instant feedback that has become the modus operandi on the Web.

Still, there is remains a useful place for less hurried more deliberate analyses. With this in mind, this month's column takes a second look the new AirPort Base Station, providing results from … Read more

Ted Landau February 2007

My new AirPort Extreme Base Station arrived the other day. As you probably know, its most significant feature is support for the (as-yet-unfinished) 802.11n protocol, which allows for much faster wireless transmission speeds and a wider reception range. This speed increase may be especially welcome if you plan on getting an Apple TV (due out later this month), which similarly supports the 802.11n protocol.

The new Base Station also sports three local Ethernet ports (compared to the lone such port on the older Extreme model) as well as the capability to add a USB … Read more

Ted Landau January 2007

As I exited the keynote address at last week's Macworld Expo, images of the iPhone were dancing in my head. If Apple had set up a booth just outside the hall for selling the device, I would have signed on the dotted line without a moment's hesitation. Fully aware of Steve Jobs' persuasive powers, my defensive shields had been set to full strength prior to going into the keynote. But the device itself was so amazing, more than living up to its pre-Expo hype, that it shattered my shields with ease. I was not … Read more

Ted Landau December 2006

In last month's column, I described the hurdles that Mac OS X puts in your way when you try to create a bootable disc, especially a custom bootable CD, DVD or flash drive. I offered various solutions but omitted coverage of one critical category: a custom bootable disc that you can make yourself (that is, without having to purchase any specialized third-party software) and from which you can launch your preferred selection of utilities. That's the entire subject of this month's column.

Create a custom bootable CD or DVD

Here are the step-by-step &… Read more

Ted LandauNovember 2006

I harbor no nostalgia for Mac OS 9. Aside from a couple of old games, I never even think about using OS 9 anymore. With one exception...I long for OS 9's simplicity in creating bootable drives and discs.

How simple was it? For hard drives, it was as simple as dragging a System Folder from one drive to another. Actually, it was even simpler than that. You could usually get by with just copying the System and Finder files that resided inside the System Folder. The rest of the System Folder was desirable but optional. … Read more

Posted Wednesday, September 6th

Ted Landau September 2006

A wireless network, especially one set up with an Apple AirPort Base Station, combined with broadband Internet access is a surefire recipe for computer joy. For starters, there is the obvious benefit of the speedy 24/7 online access. If you have more than one Mac in your home, perhaps you have discovered the added joy of sharing data among your connected Macs, such as via iTunes Music Sharing or even via the Finder. But all of that just scratches the surface of what you can do. Ignoring these features is a … Read more

Ted Landau July 2006

Apple will offer its first peek at Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) at its WordWide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month. This means it's already too late to expect Apple to add new features beyond the ones already slated. Still, going on the assumption of "better late than never," I've put together a list of improvements that I would like to see in the updated OS. The concept is similar to what other writers have done over the years, although this is the first time I am giving it a whirl.

To … Read more

Ted Landau May 2006

Repairing Disk Permissions. Not exactly a topic that you would expect to spark much controversy. Yet, surprisingly, it is the focal point of a rather heated debate.

The command itself is innocuous enough. It is included as part of the First Aid component of Disk Utility. Apple's Help for Disk Utility states: "User permissions associated with files, folders, or applications can become damaged and prevent a file or application from opening. Permissions problems can also cause your computer to run slowly. Using Disk Utility, you may be able to fix these permissions problems...Repairing … Read more

Ted Landau April 2006

Wow! The Mac media was rife with speculation as to what Apple might announce to honor its 30th anniversary this month. What they did announce (which admittedly was not formally linked to the anniversary) wasn't on anyone's list?not even way at the bottom: Apple released a preview version of software that runs Windows XP on an Intel Mac! It's called Boot Camp. Buried in the announcement and related documentation were several more surprises. Let's take a look at what's going on:

Q. Why is Apple doing this?

A. The short … Read more