MacDirectory Magazine

Spring-Summer 2008 (#37)

MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.

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28 MacDirectory DEPARTMENT Q > I need to turn a disk image (.dmg) file into a CD. Do I need a special application like Toast? Jim Fayette, Ohio A > Actually, all you need is Disk Utility (located in the Utilities folder within your Applications folder). Launch Disk Utility, click on the Burn icon at the top of the window and use the resulting navigation window to select the .dmg that you want to convert. Insert a CD at the prompt and off you go. In case you are interested, you can also do the reverse. Just pop in a CD, launch Disk Utility, click on the New Image icon, specify the desired size, and hit the okay button. After the image file (the white CD drive icon) appears on the desktop, drag the contents of the CD onto the image file. After the copying is complete, eject the image file and save, copy, attach, or do whatever you like with the .dmg. Q > I plan on tossing my ancient G4 iBook in favor of a MacBook but I am not sure whether I should buy a consumer laptop or a MacBook Pro. B. Hilt, California A > An old-timer, huh? Unless you have the cash for a top of the line 17" MacBook Pro, there is obviously no one-size-fits-all solution. If you are into sleek, moderately powered and somewhat expensive, check out the standard model of the MacBook Air, but you might want to buy an external SuperDrive with it. The standard MacBook line is actually quite nice. The video out now supports an expanded desktop as well as mirroring and the performance is sufficient for most tasks short of high-end video rendering. The 2.4 GHz white version costs $200 more than the 2.1 GHz / 1 GB model, is 14% faster, has a double-layer SuperDrive, twice the RAM, and an additional 40 GB of hard drive space. The black version gives you 250 GB of drive space for an additional $200. If you are a power user who needs lots of RAM, serious video processing power, a larger screen and an assortment of bells and whistles, there are three MacBook Pro versions from which to choose. With a range of internal options running from $1,099 up to $4,049, the question is not one of which is best, but which is best for you. One more thing: as you know, the Intel Macs do not support classic mode, so be sure to leave room in your bank account for the cost of upgrading any old PowerPC software you may still have. Q > What is your advice on external storage? R. Wills, Utah A > It really depends on your needs. Some folks prefer a USB or FireWire solution. Others prefer a standalone network drive. Others take an older machine, beef up its storage and turn it into a drive sharing server. There are many competing external drives out there, most of which weigh in at about 50 cents a Gig. Just make sure that you are comfortable with the warranty, that the enclosure features the type of connectors you need and that the mechanism stays cool enough to ensure some semblance of longevity. If you are looking for a wireless solution, consider Apple's Time Capsule. It comes in 500 GB and 1 TB sizes ($299 and $499), features a 802.11n wireless hub that is compatible with AppleTV, iPhone, iPod Touch and other devices, has a port for broadband Internet, and it has three Gigabit Ethernet ports. Q > I need access to stock photography that is of good quality and inexpensive. Do you any ideas where I can find some? Bob Easley, Nebraska A > Unlike in years past, there are now many sources for inexpensive royalty-free stock images. These include budget- minded clip art /photo CD sets and a variety of online sources where you can download photos for as little as $1 a pop. Not to play favorites by any means, but the first examples of both that come to mind are the Art Explosion CD/DVD series from Nova Development and the online source Big Stock at . Be aware that there are a certain number of mutts in every kennel, but chances are that you will find something that strikes your fancy. Q > I have created a presentation in Keynote with lots of motion, a video clip, and a great soundtrack, but when I try to output it as a QuickTime movie, the operation fails. Why? Sarah O. Farmer, Knoxville, TN A > Unfortunately, you cannot export a project with a linked QT video into a QT movie. There is an easy workaround, though. Use a video capture app such as Snaps Pro X to grab the offending footage (complete with digital audio). Set your presentation and the capture to full-screen, and set the desired capture frame rate. Start the capture and launch the presentation. After you're done, import the result into QuickTime Pro or iMovie and delete the head and tail of the captured footage. If the result is a bit jerky, adjust the frame rate and repeat the capture. BEEBE > MACDIRECTORY'S TECH GODDESS

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