What is it?

The Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader that allows its users to download new content without the need of a computer. E-book readers have been around for years, but they never quite took off with consumers. However, what sets the Kindle apart from Sony’s e-book readers is the built in Sprint EVDO.  This allows the device to not only surf the web, but download all kinds of books, newspapers and magazines off of Amazon’s online store.

The Story

Several months back, online retail giant Amazon.com released the Amazon Kindle as their first e-book reader. It sold quickly as people thought it was great to be able to not only store hundreds of books, but also to be able to download those books wirelessly. The Kindle has been on the market since November, and has been in many ways, a huge hit for Amazon.

The Good

To start off, the screen is absolutely amazing. My eyes never strain, and it almost feels as if you are really reading from a paperback book. When you need to purchase a book, you simply enable the EVDO and browse the usual online Amazon store until you find something to your liking. There are thousands upon thousands of books, newspapers and magazines to choose from, and they download directly to the Kindle without the need of your Mac or PC. However, if you are ever outside of the US, you will have to connect the Kindle to your computer.  The reason being that you can’t tap onto any CDMA networks.

The Bad

The design is pathetic. Amazon really needs to rethink where they placed some of the buttons. I constantly find myself pressing the “next page” button on accident, which is rather annoying. Once you do push the next button, it takes just over a second to refresh the screen. However, I do praise Amazon for putting in a home button. The black and white screen is amazing for books, but it looks awful when browsing web pages and reading blogs. The power and the wireless switch are located behind the unit, and are very incontinent to access when the Kindle is in its included case.

The Verdict

What sets the Kindle apart from other e-book readers is the fact that you can download new content on the go; whether you are near a wifi hotspot or not. Its screen is a definite plus when it comes to reading novels on the device, and subscribing to newspapers is just $14 a month. I would love to see the Kindle drop below $250, and I would adore some sort of subscription book service. But if you can afford the hefty price tag, learn the odd UI, and use hundreds of books in your bag, then the Amazon Kindle is just what you ordered.

Back in 2004, Realmac software released the first version of its popular RapidWeaver web development software.  Since its initial release, it has won many awards from Mac publications all around the globe, and still continues onward with that trend.  Just a couple months ago RapidWeaver 4 hit the streets, and is already changing the way consumers create websites.  From its more professional iWeb-like templates to its ease of creating pages, RapidWeaver 4 is sure to be an instant hit for people who want a simple way to create professional looking websites.

Make a Site.

It couldn’t be any easier. You simply click file > new project, and a new project will form. Once you complete that, whenever you want to add another page, you simply click the button in the top left hand corner.  It will ask you what kind of page you want - From Blog and Photo pages, to Blank and Contact pages as well. Simple as that. You can now choose from the abundance of themes that RapidWeaver has to offer, or you can download more themes form the Realmac website. Editing your site is also very easy and straightforward. You simply hit the edit button to edit the photos and text on the current page, and if you want to see a preview of your site, just click preview to see a version of your site as it were already online.

Publish a site.

To publish your website you created with RapidWeaver, you press the publish button.  From there you are presented with two methods of publishing. You can ether publish using your own domain name, or using your MobileMe account (previously dot Mac). You then fill out the form, and click publish.  Within a few minutes you have a professional looking website.

Features.

You can adjust almost anything you want about your website, whether it be the font, or coloring a section of a theme.  It’s all at your fingertips. Navigating through RapidWeaver is a breeze. It’s so simple, straightforward, and professional. The buttons are laid out perfectly, and the menus are super easy to use and customize.

Overall.

I love RapidWeaver 4. It’s so simple to use, and it gives me better results than iWeb ever will. With RapidWeaver 4, you can finally make sites with ease, and have them looking as if they were designed by a professional graphic artist. I would definitely recommend giving RapidWeaver a try, and seeing just how well your website comes out. You can try RapidWeaver for free for up to 30 days. My only gripe is that RapidWeaver 4 can only be used on a Mac running OSX 10.5 Leopard. RapidWeaver 4 retails for $79, but can be found on Realmac’s website for $59 for a limited time.

Happy Weaving!

Over the past several months, both Canon and Nikon introduced new entry-level Digital SLRs to their lineups. Both brands offer many new features, and better image quality. Boy, these cameras are sweet. Their light, portable, offer stunning image quality, and they are a huge step up from the previous version. It’s a Smackdown!

Round 1: Design

Both the Canon and the Nikon have wonderful design. The XSi features a huge 3 inch screen, while the D60 sports a 2.5 inch display. Being that the Canon uses Live View technology that allows you to see the image on the screen before you press the shutter button, I love the larger screen. Both the XSi, and the D60 feel almost natural to use. The buttons fall right where you would expect them to be, however, being a hardcore EOS 40D user for nearly a year now, I would love to see the addition of a “Quick Control Dial.” The D60 has the shutter button, preset modes, power switch, and command dial all at your index finger, allowing it to be almost identical to its 6.1 megapixel predecessor, the Nikon D40.

Winner: Both camera bring excellent design to the DSLR table. They both have many of the buttons placed on the right side of the unit, allowing your thumb and index fingers to do most of the controlling, without moving your left hand off the lens, making it feel almost natural to use. Canon’s XSi and Nikon’s D60 both get a 9 this round.

Round 2: Features

When comparing both brands to their predecessors, you are blown away with some of the new features. The XSi now features a 12 megapixel sensor, and Live View. The D60 is now equipped with 10.2 megapixels, and Nikon’s “Integrated Dust Reduction System” which presents several ways to rid the dust from the image sensor. Both cameras are a giant step up from their predecessor, however the Canon XSi simply has more features. The screen is absolutely breathtaking, and the shots don’t disappoint. 

Winner: Canon’s XSi has plenty of features that will last you for years to come, and are easy to access and use. Don’t get me wrong- The D60 is an excellent camera, it’s just it doesn’t bring enough punch to compete with the XSi. The D60 gets a 7 this round, and the XSi gets a perfect 10.

The XSi features a 12.2 megapixel sensor, and a DIGIC III image processor allowing for excellent images. The Nikon, on the otherhand, features a 10.2 megapixel sensor. Both cameras offer great image quality, that will last you for years to come. However, the Canon XSi seems to add a bit better color quality, and sharpness to each photo. The Nikon D60 gets a 8, while the XSi gets yet another 10.

Round 3: Performance

Both the Nikon and the Canon start up immediately after you flip the power switch, allowing for you to capture the shot you want, when you want. The autofocus is wonderful on both cameras, as well. The XSi is quick to autofocus on the subject, while on the D60, it seems you wait just a tad more for the camera to focus completely. The Nikon gets a 4, while the Canon gets a 5.

Round 4: Value

Boy - these cameras have value. They are both stuffed to the brim with features, compared to their predecessor, and will have enough power to supply you for years and years to come. The Canon XSi retails for $899 with a 18-55mm lens whereas the Nikon D60 retails $150 cheaper at a mere $750 with a 18-55mm lens. In my eyes, if you have the money, spend the extra money and get the XSi, which features a larger LCD, LiveView, greater megapixel count, and frames per second (FPS), just to name a few.

Winner:

The Canon XSi scored a 34, and the Nikon D60 came in with a 28.

Obviously, the Canon is a better built camera all around, and I’d recommend spending the extra $150 on a camera that packs a bunch more features. Don’t get me wrong- the D60 is an excellent step up from the D40, but it just seems Canon brought more to the table this time. XSi Wins!

The Bose SoundDock Portable is the original Bose SoundDock on steroids. It’s odd because the SoundDock Portable really isn’t portable at all. Its both heavier and taller than its predecessor, and its a pain to tote around. Aside from the grip handle, swiveling dock, and rechargeable battery, it really isn’t portable at all. Don’t get me wrong, It just seems more deserving of the name SoundDock II. But honestly, this is the greatest iPod speaker system I’ve ever owned, and the sound doesn’t disappoint.

Portable?

Not really - the Portability aspect of the SoundDock Portable simply doesn’t shine. Sure the handle, swiveling dock, and battery are nice, but it just doesn’t make any sense why it’s taller and heavier than the original SoundDock. I would only bring this product with me for the sound it produces. The sound is by far the absolute best I’ve yet experienced with any set of portable iPod speakers.

Control Me

The remote is of much better quality compared to its predecessor. It’s covered in soft rubber which makes it great to both hold and use. A playlist button has been added so you can skip between them, and change songs within the playlist. As I love playlists, I thoroughly enjoy this feature. There’s also your typical volume up and down keys, along with the skip track buttons and power switch. The remote gets great reception so I’ve never had to hit a button more than once - a lack of frustration is always a good thing.

Sound

This sound system never fails to blow me away every time I turn it on. Providing absolutely stunning sound for a portable player. Compared to the original SoundDock, the sound is much more crisp and clean. The base is much more defined, and there’s no annoying squeal like the older SoundDock.

Odds & Ends

The auxiliary input is key. Being that the older SoundDock didn’t feature an AUX input, I’m stoked to see one on the newer model.

The battery life is exceptional. I get about 3 hours at full volume, but Bose claims you can squeeze “much more” life at a lower volume. This is phenomenal for a product of this class.

As portable as it claims to be, the power supply is obnoxious. It’s about half the size of the Xbox 360 brick and is just about the size of a Cinema Display adapter. However for a portable product there shouldn’t be a power supply to carry around.

The Verdict

I truly love this product. From its design, to its added battery, it all adds up. It makes a great replacement to the original SoundDock, and its sure to last at least a few years. Compared to the iPod Hi-Fi it replaces, it packs the same sound, in a much smaller package. But one thing is for sure: It’s definitely not portable. The SoundDock 2 would be a much more suited label for the system.

It’s something which we’re constantly told to do, but something very few of us ever actually take action on. What are we talking about? Backing up your precious data.

It was made immensely easier when Apple integrated Time Machine into every copy of OSX Leopard, but now there’s a new kid on the wireless block which makes backing up all the Macs in your house a simple un-daunting task.

Not only does the Time Capsule backup wirelessly but it also doubles as a 802.11n router, which allows 5X faster network speeds and twice the range of a traditional .11g router. Not to mention, when you plug in a printer to the USB port on the back of the unit, it also can be used as wireless print server with over 50 Macs or PCs on your network. Now we’re talking.

Design

Time Capsule looks strikingly similar to the Airport Extreme, with its sleek Apple-like design and sheer sexiness. If you were to place both the Airport Extreme and Time Capsule next to one another, you would notice that Time Capsule has a chrome Apple logo and is slightly thicker due to the integrated hard drive and cooling system.

It looks phenomenal on my desk, next to my iMac and my MacBook Pro.

Setup

Setup was extremely easy both on a Mac and a PC. On a Mac, you simply install the Airport Utility which you use to manage all wireless connections around your house. Once you get the utility up and running you answer a few simple questions, follow several steps, and before you know it, your connected.

It’s just as easy using a Windows machine. Setting up Time Machine for wireless backup was also a snap. Simply click on Time Machine, slide the switch to the on position, and then select your Time Capsule to begin your first backup, which depending on how much data you have, can take some time for the initial backup. From there, the incremental backups should be brief and painless for the network.

Life with Time Capsule

I have a 1TB Time Capsule that my MacBook Pro and my iMac share. Over the past several months I have been quite pleased with it, except for when I have occasional printer troubles, which can become very aggravating. The wireless printing feature hasn’t worked in weeks - although this could be a problem with my network settings.

It’s super quiet except for the occasional spin of the hard-drive when it’s backing up. Quite honestly, I would have never backed up if it wasn’t for this product. I recommend it to anyone who has a MacBook Air, or any Mac portable for that matter. After all, who wants to be tied down for hours at a time while your computer backs up, or worse off, lose data from not backing up at all? Errr, not me.