AAUG Reviews

By Penelope Wells, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

I wanted to try out the ergo designed WaveRest mouse pad by Belkin to see if it helped wrist, neck fatigue after hours at the computer.

The slightly fan-shaped mouse pad with a gel filled cushion to rest your wrist has a satiny finish both in look and feel. It definitely has a smooth tracking surface and a pleasing touch to your wrist.

After gliding your mouse around the pad, your wrist rests naturally on the gel filled pad which cushions well and feels to be a comfortable height. I had to experiment a little to see what level the mouse pad should be in relation to the angle of my arm and my wrist at rest.

I’ve only used the WaveRest mouse pad for a short while and my wrist seems to have benefitted from being able give it intermittent support.

I recommend the WaveRest mouse pad for people who spend a lot (more…)

By Steve Nigl, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

The MicroGlove by ExtremeMac is a form-fitting neoprene case designed for use with the iPod nano. It comes complete with a bottom-mounted carabiner used to hang your nano inverted from your belt loop, a backpack, or whatever. It comes in black with five accent colors (purple, blue, green, orange, and red). I reviewed the orange. Manufacturer’s price: $19.95.

The nano is inserted from a slot in the bottom of the case and is held tight (in theory) by the neoprene. The iPod’s screen is viewed through a clear vinyl window, and the click-wheel through a thin opaque window. Unlike other cases I have tried, these windows are well-placed and you don’t need to constantly jockey the iPod to keep alignment. The touch sensitive click wheel is very responsive through the plastic barrier. This is another area where I have seen problems in iPod cases. The neoprene may also provide some impact protection.

Overall, this is a very good case with good fit and finish. It’s deceptively simple design provides easy access to the nano’s controls and is sure to be a joy to use. As for faults? There is no access to the topside hold switch. I find this surprising since it would only require a well-placed hole in the neoprene. Also, with no strap or buckle over the loading slot, the nano could slip out. But when used with the carabiner, gravity seems to do the job of keeping it in place. One bonus of not (more…)

By Peter Porco, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

“Degunking Your Mac, Tiger Edition” is chicken soup for the soul of the Mac user. It’s a self-help program for computerized clutterers. In clean, readable prose, author Joli Ballew offers her 400-page handbook as a means to achieve hard-drive feng shui – that physical arrangement of things (whether in your home or on your computer) that can bring peace to the spirit and clarity of mind, not to mention ease of use.

This manual is aimed at those of us – probably the great mass – who develop habits of use with our computers that inevitably clog it up and slow it down. We’re too lazy to remove old files, too haphazard in where we store our downloads, too irrationally protective of saved email messages even though some of them may pre-date our current hardware.

Many of us perhaps are also not clever enough to figure out how to take advantage of all that our machines can do. Are you using the Automator function of Mac OS 10.4, the Tiger? Have you customized your Dashboard? Do you save files to “Smart Folders”? I did not. I was probably typical in the way I used my computer (a PowerBook G4) – happy to have all this power and punch, but unwilling to spend much time to figure out how to use it well. After all, it seemed to be doing fine, even though I was plodding along at half its potential efficiency, while my Mac was getting gunked up.

So this guidebook performs a critical function for the average Macintosh user, whether that person is using Tiger or an earlier version of Mac OS X. It helps us navigate the abundant but often overwhelming gifts that come with the Mac OS.

Degunking a computer – trashing the old stuff we no longer use or need, organizing our files to make them easier to use and to remember what’s in them, making those time-saving functions actually go to work for us – is as much a matter of mind as of machine, Ballew says.

“I view degunking as mostly psychology, not just technology,” she writes. “Rather than simply being a process that you follow when your computer slows down, degunking is a disciplined (more…)

By Sean McPhilamy, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

I love my iPod, and what’s more I love iTunes (especially since I have gotten a broadband connection.) One of the things I like doing in my apartment on Saturday mornings is listening to my music, but often, I alternate this with public radio from my iTunes (by way of a streamed URL feed.)

So, when I go out, I wander around town with my iPod, but I chose to get rid of my other portable FM radio a while ago when it broke, and haven’t replaced it since.

Until now. I picked up the iFM by Griffin Technologies to test and review for as part of the local Apple User Group, and I was immediately taken with the device.

This is a great iPod accessory. To use it, you need any iPod with a dock connector (such as the mini, the nano, the video or the older generation iPod with a dock connector.) I use the device with my mini iPod.

The connector snaps into place and a cable connects you from iPod to the iFM remote. Then instead of connecting your earbuds (or other earphones) to the top of your iPod in the usual place, plug into the remotes connector. The audio quality is indistinguishable. And with a flip of a button, you can chose between the iPod’s selection and whatever’s on you local FM radio.

And I found the reception to be (more…)

By Liz Enslow, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

The iClear Nano by Griffin is a good concept, but it needs some improvements. To open the iClear, the back slides off, which if you aren’t careful can scratch your Nano, but it closes fairly tight and I am confident that if dropped it would protect my Nano much better than some of the other products out there, however since my nano is new to me I’m not willing to toss it down on purpose.

The iClear does protect the screen and the body of the Nano, but it leaves the wheel open to the elements and that particular opening leaves the rest of your Nano susceptible to dust and dirt that can scratch, although it isn’t too likely due to the design. I definitely suggest getting the crystal film (more…)

By Chris Tofteberg, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

Belkin has a long history of making excellent products for the Mac. Belkin’s FireWire 6-Port Hub continues that legacy and is an excellent solution for those of us with more FireWire devices than we have ports.

Some may not pay too much attention to packaging, but I was even impressed with the plastic packaging the hub came in. You know what I’m talking about, those pressed hard plastic packages that require you to take a knife all around the edges to even open the darn thing. Well, this package had a tab with a perforated line so it just zipped open. Thanks guys!

The Belkin 6-Port Hub is very small, about the size of an iPod mini. I was particularly impressed with not only the size but also the number of ports provided in this diminutive device. Desk space is a premium for many of us, and this hub will hardly be noticeable on your desk. In fact, the power brick is larger than the hub!

With something such as a hub, one expects to be able to just plug it in and have it work. The Belkin unit passed that test with flying colors, no software installation required. I have several FireWire devices that I often run simultaneously including two iPods, an external hard drive and a digital video camera. I put the Belkin hub in line directly behind my Mac and ran all of these devices from the hub. The unit worked flawlessly, even while importing digital video, updating an iPod and running an external hard drive all at the same time. (more…)

By Robert King, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

This is both a fun and useful product. It is a USB cable for connecting your USB peripheral device, like a printer, to your computer or USB hub. What’s nifty is that once connected, the plug ends of the cable glow a soft color (blue, green, red, or clear) using super-bright LED technology that draws very little power. Having a lighted cable is great if you are trying to trace which cable is which in a dark area. The cable is advertised to meet the speed requirements of USB 2.0, and also to reduce EMI/RFI interference with braid-and-foil shield construction. Finally, the Belkin Corporation, its manufacturer, offers a lifetime product warranty. That’s a deal!

By Guy Okada, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

Griffin Technology is one cool company. It seems like they’re producing cool iPod gadget almost weekly.

As with other Griffin Technology iPod accessories, AirClick is simple, relatively inexpensive, and easy to use. The instructions are written on the backing that comes in the product’s package. AirClick is so simple to use that I didn’t have to consult the instructions to get started. AirClick comes in different versions that work with different iPod models. I reviewed the model that works with 4th and 5th generation (video) iPods.

There are two parts to AirClick. One is the receiver module that controls the remote function. The receiver module plugs into the dock base of your iPod and that’s it. The remote control has five buttons which allows control of the iPod up to 60 feet away. So when you’re backpacking or on an airplane, your iPod can be tucked safely away and you use the remote to control it. The remote itself is small and it includes a handly clip in the back as well as a holster with a velcro strap to attach it to something else. AirClick works by transmitting its commands via Radio Frequency. Most remotes use infrared (IR) requiring the remote to be in “line of sight”. Since the AIrClick uses RF, much like a cordless telephone, you don’t even have to be in the same room to control an iPod using iClick. (more…)

By Dave Enders, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

SOHO Organizer from Chronos is comprised of four applications at a bundled price for $99.99. The applications are SOHO Notes, SOHO Contacts, SOHO Calendar and SOHO Print Essentials. The bundled apps are available separately from Chronos but buying them separately would cost you $220.00. That being said this bundle has a very attractive price point.

The Organizer applications are tightly integrated to the key OS X applications ; Address Book, iCal and iSync. This allows you to take information with you on your PDA, cellphone or iPod since all these can be added as devices in iSync. Also, laptop users working in a multi-user environment are automatically synced once they reconnect to the database.

Each application comes with a manual that is well written and is concisely illustrated. The only drawback is I had to print and bind each of the manuals. I am not sure if a printed manual comes with the retail package as the copy I am evaluating was via download.

The applications Notes, Contacts and Calendar can be installed for single user or multi-user operation. This is a powerful feature in controlling information in a shared environment. Members of the group can be assigned different levels of access and this is easily defined for each user. Chronos has made licensing a simple feat, you simply purchase the number of licenses you require. There is no need to buy 10 licenses when you require only three. This is something other software manufactures should (more…)

By Krista Galyen, AAUG Member
Reviewed 3/06

FileMaker Pro 8: The Missing Manual is an excellent book for the intermediate FileMaker developer. From providing a review of the very basics, to introducing the new features of FileMaker, to walking the reader through more advanced features, this book satiates the appetite of the developer seeking more knowledge and skills.

Clearly written, Many tips

Written for both Windows and Macintosh users, this manual aims at hitting the general audience. The authors are very straight-forward in their approach, use conversational language, and avoid excess jargon when necessary. Extreme power users may not find this book entirely what they’re looking for, but throughout the book I’m sure there are little tips and tricks they will find useful. However, the average small business user or intermediate developer will find this book a goldmine of easily-accessible information, warnings on glitches, and helpful tips and shortcuts.

They also accompany the book with a CD-ROM, encouraging project-based learning. The authors lead the reader through lessons; however, they don’t scoff at making fun of some of FileMaker’s glitches. It’s not a dry manual; you may even find yourself laughing a few times while learning.

New Features

FileMaker Pro 7 and 8 were a vast redesign of the previous versions. Filemaker 8 also has some obvious new features from FileMaker 7, like tabbed panel control, but many new features are hidden from immediate view. FileMaker 8: The Missing Manual takes the reader into all the new features version 8 has that you otherwise may have to dig to find out, or learn through trial and error. (more…)