I can't say I've ever been a fan of putting stickers or other 'skins' on my computer or phone. I see it quite often out in the wild, but it's really never appealed to me. So when the folks from Gelaskins offered up a few to try, I was a little less than enthusiastic. READ MORE »

I got to try out the Skooba Satchel bag for a couple of weeks, bringing it back and forth to work with me and the one word I have to describe it is: Quality. From its attention to detail to its quality parts, this satchel is worth the price if you're looking for an alternative to that business briefcase or the juvenile-looking backpack.

The built-in laptop sleeve will fit a 15" MacBook Pro with plenty of room to spare and it provides a good amount of support with its gel filled bubbles on the front, back, sides and bottom of the laptop sleeve. Accessories for the notebook can go in the main compartment in three mesh pockets to easily identify where you put that DVI to VGA converter. READ MORE »

Update April 13, 2008: I finally managed to get this review back up on the web after thinkmac.net's sudden crash. The original date of publication was October 19, 2007.

Sure, people think the Mac is better than Windows. Are they right? Are they wrong? I don't know. But what I do know is this: Adobe has Mac users under their grasp. Adobe Systems, developer of the popular Photoshop image editing program, has Mac users under their control. Why, and how? I mean, really, don't you think US$999 for the standard version of Photoshop is expensive? The problem is, there aren't too many image editors for Mac OS X out there, meaning you're stuck with Photoshop, right?

Wrong.

Two companies recently released two separate image editors. Pixelmator, made by the founders of Jumsoft and is priced at US$59, is more of a Photoshop clone with a nicer interface attached. The latter, Acorn, by Flying Meat Software, the maker of VoodooPad, is more of a casual user's image editor: only the features necessary for a good image editor, and costs only US$39. READ MORE »

New Year's Resolutions

I'm back! And I'm here on a mission: I'm going to review 12 freeware and possibly open-source software products for Mac OS X to replace that overly expensive set of tools you got last year. Isn't that your resolution this year — to actually save money this time?

Every month, I'll have a new product reviewed. There will be a download link, screenshots, and an in-depth look at the features. As for February, I'll have a free product on the 29th. I was busy getting some stuff ready for this review last month that I ran out of time for January. So this is for January, not February. Understand? Good. Then let's go. READ MORE »

O'Reilly has released their latest Mac OS X Leopard Pocket Guide. I love to keep one of these pocket guides inside of my notebook bag for those times when I am trying to execute a non-diurnal task. The latest edition is up to date for Apple's new cat, Leopard. A quick and easy read, packed with enough details to get you through most Mac tasks that a consumer would need. READ MORE »

Last year, there were a few new electronics, which I think of as bonus items, that I thought about buying. ‘Bonus electronics’ are the fun things, that you don’t need to live or work, they don’t count as a tax deduction later. I briefly considered an AppleTV, but, just couldn’t see, for me that I get much out of it. I thought I’d rather wait for a more robust product. What I did get was the Nintendo Wii. I’ve had a lot of fun with it, and it has been well worth the hassle it took to track one down READ MORE »

In the world of blogging on the Mac there are only a few choices for a desktop client that interfaces with your CMS. Probably the most acclaimed is Mars Edit 2 by Daniel Jalkut at Red Sweater Software. While not the original author of Mars Edit, he has brought it to it's best version ever, offering several enhancements over the previous version. READ MORE »

The bag I’m reviewing is the Spire Endo Courier bag for medium sized laptops. I got my first laptop, a G4 iBook, 14", a couple of years ago. When I ordered it, I also ordered a padded laptop sleeve, to use with my back pack. It has been useful, it’s even saved my laptop on a short drop at airport security. Still, it’s far from perfect for my needs and apart from a few quick trials with other bags, I haven’t found something to replace what I have now. READ MORE »

I've been beta testing the new HULU video service out for the last week or so. In case you aren't familiar with it, it's been put together by some of the major networks (NBC, FOX, Universal, and more). It offers a YouTube like experience... but with originally aired network content & movies. Not only does hulu offer older catalog shows (A-Team, Alfred Hitchcock Presents) come to mind. They are also offering brand new currently airing content, such as Heroes, 30 Rock, Chuck, Family Guy, The Simpsons, etc. READ MORE »

Content

The iPhone comes inside of a 3x6 box and ships only with a small folding flyer that outlines the highlights of the phone. While the iPhone is exceptionally easy and intuitive to learn, I felt like I wanted more details about the inner workings of this incredible device.

Enter iPhone: The Missing Manual, by all-star writer David Pogue. Pogue made record timing writing this little masterpiece, since he didn't have an iPhone until a couple of weeks before the launch date of the iPhone on June 29th. Coming in at just under 300 pages, it covers everything you could possibly want to know about activating and using your brand new device of envy. READ MORE »