Resources for Apple User Group Presentations and Newsletters

New Features of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for the Mac

This new version continues to refine the great user interface and feature set of versions 6 and 7. Mac users will be happy to see this new version on the Mac (skipping version 7). While there is a lot to like in this consumer photo editing app, here are a few of my favorites:

• Mac users get the full Bridge CS4 app included with all the benefits of Adobe Camera RAW plus the ability to create panos and access to the new Photomerge Scene Cleaner and Photomerge Exposure
• On the Windows side instead of Bridge CS4 there is a new Organizer that works with both Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements.
• Photomerge Exposure is amazing!

But don’t just read about it, Terry White from Adobe recorded this video of some of the new features.

macProVideo.com: Effective Software Training

Trying to learn a new program, but tired of reading books? Want to see details in action, but training at your own pace, in your own time? Want quality at an economical price?

I recommend macProVideo.com with the excellent NonLinear Educating (N.E.D.) interface to participate in training videos. You can watch tutorials online through Safari (or FireFox or whatever), download high definition training videos to your Mac, and watch even watch tutorials on your iPhone or iPod touch . . . tremendous versatility with excellent instructors.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.

CopyPaste Pro: Time Machine for the Clipboard

Isn’t the Mac’s Clipboard great, and very useful? . . . but, only one thing at a time! Remember the ScrapBook from OS9 where you used to keep lots of text, photos, and sounds at your fingertips? Now we have all of this and more in one excellent program.

From Script Software we have a very useful utility called CopyPastePro. I’ve been using iClip for several years, but believe I’ve found a very capable challenger. Compatible with Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6, CopyPaste was the original multiple clipboard utility for the Mac.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.

MacScan: Security at Your Fingertips

"The iBotnet, a ‘Trojan horse’ program, has appeared in pirated copies of Apple's productivity suite iWork '09 that circulate on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks,” the New York-based Post Chronicle reported. Since only a few thousand Macs were infected with iBotnet, we probably have little to worry about now, but this could be a sign of many more to come since hackers are testing Apple’s security parameters more and more. How do we defend ourselves against such impending attacks, or even current “Spyware”?

I’ve started using a new program from SecureMac called “MacScan”, and am very pleased with the results. My program runs automatically everyday at noon (you set the schedule), and immediately let’s me know what it finds that might be troublesome.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.

macProVideo: Video-Assisted Software Learning

Get really interested in a new program, but don’t want to read a book, or Help menu in order to learn how to use it. Video instruction can be an excellent answer for many of us.

I am particularly impressed by Nonlinear Educating Inc., and its Founder and Publisher, Martin Sitter. Several years ago I ran a vendor discount offer about their macProVideo line of products, and had an opportunity to use several of the videos first-hand. This month I even did an interview with Martin for the Apple User Group Market Podcast (available at http://web.mac.com/ugab/). They used to provide these tutorials on DVDs, but discontinued this on Earth Day 2009, and are doing their part to protect the environment by providing only download services.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group

Software Review: Stellar Phoenix Macintosh

It is said that there are two types of hard drives: those that have failed and those that are going to fail. It is simple math: your hard drive will fail, it’s just a matter of time. Obviously good backups are your first line of defense. Your second line of defense is a data recovery program like Stellar Phoenix. I reviewed their 1.0 product a few years back and the program was extremely rough around the edges and not ready for the general public. The 3.0 version of the software is a welcome revision, but the program still isn’t a truly “Mac friendly” product, often using unix-style prompts rather then standard Mac dialog boxes. The program retails for $129 and has a 30 day money back guarantee.

Read the review from the Lawrence Apple Users Group.

Software Review: Executive Sync

At one point in history, the word “executive” tended to stand for some type of higher-end product, or a product with special features that separated it from the merely ordinary. Unfortunately, today, when we hear “executive” we think of corruption, bribes, and incompetence. Executive Sync tends to use the newer, less appealing meaning of the word. However at $29.99, it won’t wipe out your 401(k) unlike those other “Executives.”

Executive Sync promises to sync files “to servers running Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and more” as well as “keep your work or personal files up-to-date between home, office, and on the road.” It does…but not really.

Read the review from the Lawrence Apple Users Group.

MacSpeech Dictate: Seeing What You’re Saying

When the original Mac 128KB was released in 1984, you heard this new computer speak to us. Haven’t you since wanted to be able control the Mac by voice, and have it transcribe what you are saying? I have a great voice recognition program now; but first, a brief history of such software for the Mac.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.

CHEMBIO Office Ultra 11.00

ChemBio Office Ultra 11 is a highly professional chemistry and biology application for chemists and biologists. The application provides an efficient means of correlating biological and chemical information. The ULTRA version of the application requires Windows 2000, XP or Vista. This review was assessed using Parallels for Mac running OSX 10.5.x, with XP. A separate version, ChemBio DRAW Ultra 11, is available for the Mac.

Read the review from the Apple Macintosh Users Group Sydney, Australia.

Secret of the Lost Cavern: A Great Adventure

“Au Coeur de Lascaux” . . . that's the title on the box, and all the text on the box is French. The disk inside is titled "Secret of the Lost Cavern".

After installing, entering the serial number and starting it, the game runs in English.

This is a variation of the “collect items, solve puzzles and move to the next level” games set in the old stone age where the main character struggles to survive in Southern France and become a cave painter in the Lascaux cave. As you progress through the game, and the story evolves, there are additional characters.

Read the review from the appleJAC Macintosh Users Group.