On October 17th, Applelinks' Charles Moore gave a great review of Bento 2. What I'd like to do here is provide a more detailed exploration of FileMaker and Bento, and explain why both are excellent database programs which serve two completely different customers. The fact is, Bento is an amazingly simple, easy to use database that requires no knowledge on how to create a database. FileMaker is an amazingly powerful database that is very simple (when compared to other databases), but requires creating every field, every relation, and every structure of a database. Admittedly, this is much more complicated and more work than many people need. Thus, there is Bento (and to borrow a phrase from the early days of Apple), a database "for the rest of us."

Cool Mac Gear


iTunes_RGB_9mm
image DriveSlim should prove especially popular with MacBook Air Users and those who go with the 128 GB Solid State Drive option on other model MacBooks
Thursday, April 29, 2004

Charles Moore Reviews The DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 Film Scanner1050

Looks, feels, and works like a fine piece of high-end digital photographic equipment


In Defense of the Desktop (or, Laptops Are for Grandchildren)745

I understand the usefulness and importance of laptops. I'm not questioning that. I just don't get why their increased sales for some reason have to point to the death of the desktop machine. Perhaps Mac users have been on the end of the "your platform is going to die" debate for so long that we just like having another product whose doom we can predict. "Aha, laptops are selling well! I own a laptop! I made the right decision and now every single other computer user agrees with me! I was right! I belong!"


Develop, Deploy, and Manage: Enterprise IT at WWDC252

In-house developers, system administrators, and IT managers won't want to miss WWDC 2004. Apple engineers and industry-leading enterprise solution experts will present detailed technical sessions on developing, deploying, and managing enterprise applications using Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server, Xserve G5 and the Xserve RAID storage system. Learn more about how coming to WWDC 2004 can help you make the most of your company�s investment in Apple technologies.
Harness the potential of Mac OS X Tiger at WWDC 2005


macXware tops NPD Techworld productivity categories218

macXware (a division of Summitsoft Corporation) announced today that it has retained the number one positions in three key Mac categories reported by NPD Techworld: fonts, home photo editing and SOHO (small/home business). The creative tools and productive elements found in the software exemplify macXware's commitment to Mac OS X users.



Mac Basics - Maximizing PowerBook and iBook Battery Storage Life371

Getting the most out of your laptop batteries


OS X Odyssey 551 - MacSword 1.0.1 Bible Research And Study Tool Mini-Review Update392

A freeware & open-source Bible research and study application developed specifically for Macintosh computers running Mac OS X


Are all those iPods empty?, G5 Chip Fab Woes, More RIAA Pigopolist Suits, Legal Downloads For 5¢?,280

• iTunes per iPod - ITMS Has Only Sold 21 Songs Per Machine
• Apple's Chip Pain Will Ease -- Later
• Marketing the Mac: Turning a Profit with Low-end Macs
• Music Industry Sues More Computer Users
• RIAA Tax Could Add Millions To Education Fees
• Russian 'Legal' Music Site Offers Songs For 5¢
• The Mac Market Share Myth
• Mozilla, Gnome Mull United Front Against Longhorn
• Database envy
• Apple's Present To iTunes Users
• Apple Sings a Happy iTune
• Mac Night Owl: The Panther Report: Six Months and Counting
• Why Shrink Wrap Software Won't Die
• World PDA Shipments Plunge
• Gradekeeper Software For Windows or Macintosh
• U.S. Elections Worry Panasonic


Shareware Beat - Thursday, April 29, 2004241

• iPod and iPod mini Update
• Apple iTunes 4.5 MP3 Player, Encoder, Burner, Music Store [OS X 10.1.5 up]
• Graphic Converter 5.1 To View, Edit, Convert Most Graphic File Formats [OS X]
• MimMac 1.1.3 Backup/ Cloning Utility [OS 10.2 up]
• DOT-TUNES 1.0b8 Shares Your iTunes Music Via A Web Browser
• DOT-POD 1.0b8 Shares Your iPod Tracks Via Browser
• MusicPublisher 1.0b6 Shares iPod Music Via iTunes, Rendezvous [OS 10.2 up]
• iPodRip 3.1.5 Imports iPod Music To iTunes [OS 10.2 up]
• Chromatic Tuner 0.2 Chromatic Tuner To Tune Guitar Or Any Musical Instrument [OS 10.2 up]
• HistoryHound 1.0.1 Search Safari And IE History And Bookmark Page Contents [OS X 10.3 up]
• LockPopCM 1.1 Contextual Menu To Quickly Lock/Unlock Files [OS 10.2 up]
• GPSNavX 2.0 Released



Notable New Product News - Thursday, April 29, 2004181

• Apple QuickTime 6.5.1 Multimedia Player & Authoring System
• New Apple Airport Wireless Antenna And PC Card Bundle
• palmOne Introduces Two Color Zire Handhelds
• Apple iMovie 4.0.1 Digital Video Editing System
• Engineered Audio Introduces RemoteRemote 2 For iPod
• ProBe XP Point Of Sale & Inventory Software
• FrogPad Lefty Now Available For Pre Order; FrogTalk Bluetooth Headset Coming
• Bare Bones Software Releases BBEdit 7.1.4 Update
• Tinderbox 2.2.0 Personal Content Management Assistant


Another Free Song at the iTunes Music Store187

Apple has made Avril Lavigne's "Take Me Away" available as a free download.


Wednesday, April 28, 2004

iTunes Celebrates Its First Anniversary; Over 70 Million Songs Purchased154

Apple Launches Third Generation iTunes Music Store


iMovie updated to 4.0.1153

Lost in the hubub of iTunes 4.5, iMovie gets a bump to improve reliability.



WWDC 2004 Early Registration deadline extended201

The Apple Developer Connection is pleased to extend the WWDC 2004 Early Registration deadline to May 14, 2004. You now have two additional weeks to save $300 on your WWDC 2004 E-ticket or to invite your team and save 20% on a WWDC E-ticket 5-Pack. Plus, there�s still time to get good airfare, book a great hotel room at a great price, and reserve a seat for yourself at one of the free pre-conference workshops.
Harness the potential of Mac OS X Tiger at WWDC 2005


VPN Tracker now compatible with Asanté FriendlyNET VR2004 series150

Mac OS X users now have the opportunity to configure a VPN Tunnel over the Internet to their Asanté gateway from remote locations and safely access, connect and use computer and corporate networks. Using the IPsec protocol transferring data, chatting and any other network traffic will be encrypted and remain inaccessible for any unauthorized users.


Exciting PowerBook and iBook Deals In The Apple Store Hot Deals Program110

Brand new iBooks and PowerBooks at fantastic prices


New Apple Hot Deals Posting130

Software specials from Outpost



Apple Updates iTunes to 4.5161

Major changes include the ability to authorize five computers (up from three) to play music purchased from the iTunes Music Store, and the ability to burn playlists only seven (down from ten) times.


OpenOSX WinTel 1.2.1 OS X Windows Emulator, Packaged Version Of Bochs Released249

Experience full-compatibility with Pentium processors, disk image and CD-ROM support on your Mac


FreeScale/Motorola PPC Roadmap, NZ Apple Store Running on MS Server, Limited Expandability, Gmail Be232

• Freescale Semiconductor (Motorola) Reveals PowerPC Core Roadmap
• Kiwi Apple Store Fails Dog Food Test
• Marketing the Mac: The Limited Upgrade Problem
• Don't Be Tempted by Expensive Top-of-the-Line PCs
• Mac Night Owl: The PC: As Distinctive as a VCR
• Google's Gmail Quirky, But Works
• Silicon Valley - Signs of Things Improving
• Syngress Releases "WarDriving: Drive, Detect, Defend"
• A Bunch More Things Bill Palmer Loves About His New PowerBook
• If You Forget Your Mac OS X Password
• US Music Swappers Changing Their Tune?
• Installing Earlier System Software On Your iBook Causes The Display Image To Shrink
• PowerBook/ iBook Power Manager Reset Guidelines Updated
• You Can't Empty The Trash Or Move A File To The Trash In Mac OS X


Shareware Beat - Wednesday, April 28, 2004164

• ZeboPhoto 1.4.3 (rev3) Image Viewer/Editor, Slideshow, Print Layout... [OS X 10.1 up]
• PhotoExpress 1.1 To Edit, Convert And Share Your Photos [OS 10.2 up]
• Safari Bookmark Scripts
• Snard 2.2 Fast Dock/Menu Based Launcher [OS X 10.2 up]
• iBatt 1.0 PowerBook Battery Monitor[OS 10.2 up]
• Cocktail 3.4.6 System Utility [OS 10.2 up]
• Print It! 1.1 Prints Anything On The Screen With Notes & More
• (ps2pdf)aq 1.0 PostScript to PDF converter. ps2pdf frontend [OS 10.2 up]
• Saft 6.5.6 Safari Plugin For Shortcuts, Full-screen, Kiosk Mode... [OS X 10.3 up]
• Laze E XC 2.0.8 CD-R/W And Disc Image Utility [OS 10.2.3 up]
• InfoManager [OS 7.5.3 up]
• TinyBooks 2.0.1 Accounting for Home and Small Businesses [OS 9 - OS X 10.0 up]