Macintosh Tipz » Products

The first thing that you are going to notice about the new iMac is the screen, and it is a beauty. I cannot compare it to the previous generation iMac’s screen, but from what I have read, the new iMac’s screen is similar to the Apple Cinema Display. So far the computer has been performing great. The 3.06 GHz processer is a welcomed improvement over my 2.4 GHz MacBook Pro. I did not order the Quad Core version because I was planning on getting the 2.8 GHz iMac before Apple announced their new product line, so this was a nice upgrade to my original choice. I just do not need the power that the Quad Core iMac provides, so after talking with an Apple associate, I decided the 3.06 GHz was just fine for my youtube editing needs.

I’m sure many of you have heard about the flash problems in the new iMac’s. The first day I received my iMac, I did not experience any lag with flash. The next day, however, was a different story. I woke up my iMac from sleep, went to play a youtube video, and the video was stuttering as well as the sound. I went to Apple’s support forums and found a possible fix. I uninstalled the flash player plug-in, and then downloaded and re-installed the plug-in. I am happy to report that I have not had the problem since, but I might be jinxing myself right now, as I have only had the iMac for a week. Unfortunately, this fix does not seem to work for everybody. Members of the forums are still reporting flash lag, after re-installing the plug-in. Hopefully Apple will address this issue soon.

The new iMac’s come standard with a wireless keyboard, and the new magic mouse. The wireless keyboard has been around for some time, but this was my first experience with it. The battery seems to last a long time, one week and two days later, I still have 89% battery left. The only thing I do not like about the wireless keyboard is the missing USB ports, which the wired keyboard provides. I will most likely be ordering a wired keyboard, because it can sometimes be difficult getting to the back of my iMac to plug in USB devices.

The magic mouse definitely takes some getting use to. At first I did not like the mouse. It felt uncomfortable in my hand and the speed of the mouse seemed a little sluggish. After a week of use, I do not even notice any of these problems. The touch sensitive part of the mouse works great, but do not expect it to feel like a MacBook track pad. The surfaces feel different; the magic mouse is a little more “sticky” than the smooth track pad on the MacBooks. I hope apple adds more functionality to the touch sensors on the mouse, I would love to activate expose using the mouse. Apple claims that the magic mouse gets four months of battery life. I am skeptical, as of this review I have 77% battery left. It is only natural for the mouse battery to drain quickly, because it is used all the time. The mouse does have a switch to turn it off, but it takes 35 seconds to be discovered by the iMac once it is turned back on. You can imagine how frustrating that can be, when you just want to get on and use your computer quickly.

The new iMac’s are great. The only problem I ran into was the flash lag, but thankfully it was easily fixed (knock on wood). I will have another update on the iMac in about a month. If you want to see my unboxing, you can check that out at the end of this post. I am also looking forward to reading some Quad Core iMac reviews, hopefully they will ship soon. Anyone order a quad core? Or planning on picking one up? Thanks for reading guys.

-Bill Savage

Unboxing:

Ram Mounts Review

Eli — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:07:21 +0000

Ram-Mounts.com is a great website to find any mounts for your “‘mounting” needs. They offer a vast variety of mounts ranging from marine boat to iphone and printer mounts. All are made of very sturdy high composite plastic and metal which provides a sturdy, well made product. All ram mounts are produced and manufactured in the USA. Ram-Mount also provide a large range of “housing units” for many devices, whether it be a laptop or just a simple ipod, they’ve got you covered. For this review blog, I am specifically reviewing the suction cup mount, and the cup holder mount, both compatible with the iPhone.

Suction Cup Mount:

This specific mount is made up of 3 levels of sturdy, high composite, plastic. Click here to view this product. These 3 levels consist of the durable suction cup, the adjustable swivel arm, and the housing for your device. The suction cup level, of this particular mount, is very durable and provides a nice sturdy suction connection to any glass or smooth surface. The top part of the suction cup implements a “ball/joint” connection with the arm of the mount, with silicone coating, which allows a sturdy position at different angles. The arm and housing of this mount will also provide a sleek look when posted on a windshield for use of GPS or iTunes music. Ram-Mount offers a large variety of “housings” for most devices that you might have. If you want to lear more about this product you can visit Ram-Mount.com

Cup Holder Mount:

The cup holder mount from ram-mounts can be vary useful for anyone who is “on the go”. This mount is a bit more simpler compared to what you get with the suction cut mount, above. This mount consist of the base, arm, and device interface, or so called “housing” for our devices. The base is surprisingly heavy and I can tell that it will make this mount sturdy when using it in a cup holder. There are 6 rubber flaps located around the base which is for more added protection and a more solid fit to the cup holder. The second part, being the arm, is very flexible but, at the same time, extremely sturdy when in position. The arm is a solid metal rod which allows consumers to “flex” it in different angles/positions for your desired location. The top part of this mount is the housing interface for any of your devices that you need to be used with this mount. The housing interfaces are interchangeable with 2 pieces of hardware, and takes seconds to change out. To check out this particular mount, click here.

Both of these devices and be found on Ram-Mounts.com and below is my hands on review over both mounts. Hope you enjoy.

Mac mini Review

mattsmacintosh — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:14:17 +0000

The little brother of the iMac, the cousin of the MacBook, the Mac mini is the often overlooked desktop computer of the Apple Macintosh line up. Originally launched in 2005, it was intended to be a less expensive method for first time Mac “switchers”. Priced at $599, to this day it is still the cheapest (legal) method of owning a Mac, yet still had not caught on in the same way the iMac or MacBook has. It just doesn’t have the sex appeal of the iMac with its massive all-in-one display, or the portability of the MacBook, leaving some analyst to predict its demise nearly every product cycle. Yet, somehow, it has managed to survive, but probably not in the way Apple originally intended. Instead of becoming the perfect Mac for first-timers, it has become the preferred choice for user of OS X looking for a compact second machine, such as the so called “Kitchen Computer” or Home Theater PC. In fact, that is the reason I picked up one myself last week after Tuesday’s refresh . However, in the interest of offering an in-depth review, I have used my shinny new Mac mini as my main computer since then, running it through its paces on everything from basic browsing to large file video editing.

Let’s start with what $599 will buy you. In the box you’ll get the machine itself, power supply, standard software disk, and a MiniDVI to DVI cable… and that’s it (you can see my unboxing here if you are interested). No keyboard, monitor, or mouse. It really is meant as a “replace your Windows PC but keep your other stuff” machine. The first thing that you really notice is that it truly is miniature, measuring 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) squared and 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall while weighing only 2.9 pounds (1.31 kg). It of course maintains the form factor that Apple is known for, using its design to transition effortlessly from computer to conversation piece. In fact, when I first showed it to my girlfriend, she assumed it was a Time Capsule and was amazed that an entire computer could fit into such a small box.

So what has Apple managed to cram into this tiny space? Well, with the new upgrades from last week, I think the mini can now be considered a real contender as a primary desktop computer for the average user. The base line model comes equipped with a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM, and a 160GB hardrive. Admittedly, these specs don’t blow your mind as they are on par with mid-range laptops, but for the vast majority of people this is really all the power they would need. Even for the “prosumers” out there, I had no problems handling large image files in Photoshop CS4 and editing video clips with iMovie. Of course, it’s not as fast as my iMac (that has nearly double the power), but it got the job done without any crashes or unreasonable processing times. Speaking of video, the graphics are supplied by an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M that is capable of pushing to dual screens through the Mini-DVI and Mini-DisplayPort outputs on the back of the box. The graphics card was able to handle Call Of Duty 4 and HD movies on my 103” screen without any issues. If I have one complaint about the baseline specs, however, it’s going to have to be storage. With only 160GB of space, you can easily start to run out of room in the age of iTunes Movies and 10 Megapixal digital cameras. You can upgrade to 320GB or 500GB for $100 and $200 respectively or even save yourself a few bucks and buy a SATA hard drive to do it yourself, but it would have been great for at least the 320GB to be standard.

Ultimately, if you are looking at breaking into the world of Mac without breaking your budget I would really take a hard look at the mini if I were you. You are getting all the benefits of OS X and the included iLife program suite at half the price you would pay for an iMac and can even keep using your favorite monitor (or save up for that Cinema Display down the road). For those who already use and love a Mac, well the mini is a great way to spread that love around the house (okay, that sounds a little dirty, but you know what I mean), with a design that is small enough for the kitchen or bedroom while being stylish enough for your home theater.

Magic Mouse Review!

mjohnson — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:29:30 +0000

On October 20th, 2009, Apple Inc. released some super awesome new products. Replacing the “Mighty Mouse” is the “Magic Mouse,” which is what I’ll be doing a review on today. Other products released were a 27 inch iMac and a smaller 21.5 inches, a new white unibody MacBook, and a new Mac Mini.

THE MAGIC MOUSE – INTRO

Apple has officially released the world’s first multi-touch mouse. Yes, multi-touch, just like you’re used to on the MacBook Pro and also the iPhone/iPod Touch.
Simply using one or two fingers, you can zoom in and out, scroll up and down, side-to-side, 360˚ scrolling, and of course, clicking.

THE PROS

The Magic Mouse is by far the sexiest looking mouse. Ever.
Apple never seems to disappoint when it comes to looks, but let’s see how it performs.

This mouse connects wirelessly to your Mac using Bluetooth technology, taking up less space than other wireless mice that force you to plug in a receiver.

Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries, lasting up to four months, according to Apple.

It has a nice design. My brother told me, “it looks like a bar of soap,” which it does. On the top is a nice whitish, clear plastic.

On the bottom there is a power switch, battery ports, and a lovely Apple logo.

Tracking on the mouse is very smooth. It has two little black bars on the bottom to make it “Glide” on whatever surface you may be using.

There is no indication of where the buttons are, and, well, that’s because the whole thing is a button. The mouse smart, a little too smart. Tap the left corner, you left click, tap the right, you right, or secondary, click.

Scrolling is super easy as well. Just use your fingers and swipe up, down, and side-to-side.
Flicking your fingers fast scrolls to the top or bottom faster.
Be carefully not to accidentally right or left click while scrolling to fast.

Swiping side-to-side is a bit uncomfortable. You have to the down the mouse with your other fingers, otherwise you just swipe the mouse out of place.

THE CONS

You can’t actually “touch” to click, like most trackpads.

The multi-touch cannot use more than three fingers, which limits what you can actually do with it.

My brother has had the mouse for two days, and it already has a couple scratches.
Clearly not scratch-proof.

CONCLUSION

Overall, I think this is a million times better than the Mighty Mouse, and I highly recommend it. Plus, at only $69, why not get such an amazing multi-touch mouse?

-Mitchell Johnson

Otterbox Commuter Case-iPhone 3g/3GS

Eli — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:28:47 +0000

OtterBox.com was generous enough to send us another great case for the iPhone 3G/3GS. This is the Commuter case by otterbox. Last week we reviewed the Commuter TL case from OtterBox, which is their newest case available out today. If you would like to check out that blog, click here. The commuter case is make up of 3 layers of protection. First being the free screen guard that they throw in with the case. The screen guard is not anti-glare but does include instillation instructions, instillation card, and a small shammy cloth for amy finger prints. The second part of this case is the silicone sleeve that gives this case a nice look and feels great in your hand. The last layer of protection is the is the outer, hard plastic, spine. The outer spine gives this case security and make the case look complete. Not only does this case feel comfortable in your hand, but is well protected and is easy to access from your pocket. The commuter case only come is black, unlike the commuter TL case which come is a variety of 7 different colors.

Comparing to the Commuter TL:

The commuter case offers more protection, the case doesn’t look as impressing. The Commuter TL offers less protection, but does look much better when using the device. Overall, both cases are great for protecting your device. If you are looking for something that has good protection, but looks snazzy, the commuter case is not for you..you would need the commuter TL. If you don’t mind a chunkier case and you want the added protection, then the commuter case will fit your needs perfectly.

Find out more about these to cases at otterbox.com

Thanks for stopping in,

E.B. w/ MacintoshTipz

Premium Leather Sleeve @ Mac-Case.com

Eli — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:33:49 +0000

Some of the nicest made cases can be found at Mac-Case.com. They were kind enough to send MacintoshTipz a few samples of there products, to review, and the Premium Leather MacBook Pro sleeve was one of them. Mac-Case provides top of the line cases for all MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and even the 12′ iBook. Sizes ranging from 12″-17″, these cases are flawless and stand out from the competition.The 15″ MacBook Pro, premium leather, sleeve is the case that I am reviewing in this blog, and in this video below. They offer a wide range of colors, such as, tan, vintage, chocolate, black, and red. This particular sleeve can be found under their premium leather section on their website, along with some other sleek products. The sleeve is light weight and still implements great cushion around all walls, and offers reinforced corners for added protection. This company really put a lot of thought into making this case, as they make sure that everything likes up perfectly and all of the leather, interior cloth, and velcro all are the same color. My first impression of this sleeve was that it looked a bit bulky, but as I slide my MacBook Pro into it, then I realized the added protection that this case offers, which results in a bit of a bulk look.

Camtasia Vs. ScreenFlow

rtaylor — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:39:27 +0000

Do you want to become a Macintosh YouTube Reviewer? If the Answer is ‘Yes’ then one of the main applications you will need is either Camtasia or Screenflow. In this Short Blog, I will give some insight on which Screen Recording Application is better. For More info on the Specific Application, E.B. and I have tutorials on Both.

The Common Points: Both Apps do the same thing, Record your screen, your iSight camera, records audio and they can even use their wonderful editing tools to help edit other videos. Most of the Controls are the same, and quality once exported is fairly silimar. So what makes one app better than the other?

Effects: Camtasia is the newer of the Application, and it appears as though the Developers have checked out what makes Screenflow one of the best Apps out there and enhanced on that! Camtasia comes loaded with pre-set effects and transitions that can easily be incorporated in your videos. Screenflow can do these same things, but it will take a bit more creativity and ‘elbow grease’ to get this to work.

UI: I personally use ScreenFlow for my Screen Recordings, and making the jump to Camtasia for the tutorials was a tough leap. Screenflow breaks has a clean and organized system of editing in my opinion; unlike Camtasia which seems confusing on how to navigate from effect to effect, and takes some thought when adding Manual Transitions.

They Both have their high points, and we encourage to check out our videos on both Applications (Screenflow/Camtasia) to see first hand how each Application operates. Catch you later Apple Fans, Thank You For Reading, See you next time.

-Scooter

MacintoshTipz

OtterBox Impact Case-iPhone

Eli — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:06:58 +0000

OtterBox.com has sent us the new Impact Case for MacintoshTipz to review. OtterBox has a huge variety of cases for your electronic accessories, which range from cases for your iPod, iPod touch, iPhone, BlackBerry, and much more. Check this case out at OtterBox.com for the OtterBox impact case and for all of your case needs. The impact case is a firm, durable full silicone case, with several features that makes this case stand out from the rest. With its slim-fit design, this case feels great in your hand and is fully functional to all our the access ports on the device.The soft silicone finish allows you easy acces from your pockets and doesn’t attract lint and dust to your device. Let go into some of the great features that you will find with this product.

What do you get in the box? This case is fully loaded with the impact case, a transparent OtterBox screen guard, a small shammy, an instillation card, and instructions. The packaging has some great graphics and shows most of the great features about this case on the back. (For Example): Open access ports located around the phone, soft silicone texture, and the reinforced corners. The impact case is available in black and in white, both with a very soft silicone feel. This case fits its device, iPhone 3G/3GS perfect, gripping every curve, with all of the access ports very exposed. The screen guard that comes with this device is a highly transparent cover which fits the screen very well. It does not cover the chrome bezel around the phone, but it does cover the screen quite well, and looks great with the impact case. The only con that I have found about this case is the side bezel covers seem to clip over when flicking through pages, apps, and webpages, which can get kind of annoying. Besides that, this is a great case for our iPhone. Check out more at OtterBox.com

Below you will find our video covering this great product. Hope you all enjoyed this blog and this product review over the OtterBox Impact case for the iPhone 3G/3GS. Have a Great Day.

E.B. w/ MacintoshTipz

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Agent18 EcoShield Case Review

Eli — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:42:58 +0000

Agent18 has release there new case for the iPhone 3G/3GS called EcoShield and here’s my review over this great product. This case is available in black, blue, and in white, both looking very sleek. The black case is equipped with solid black silicone details, as the white is equipped with a light gray silicone details. The EcoShild is very unique from most cases because of the extra silicone protection that you will find on this case along with with case locking technology.What’s in the box?

Not only do you get the EcoShild 2 part case, but this case also comes with a transparent, Agent18 brand, screen guard, and a small metal table stand for your device. If you didn’t know, Agent18 puts detailed thought in making a great product but also put deep consideration in helping the environment. That’s why this this case was made from post-consumer plastic bottles, which makes them unique and “green”. My first impressions of this case would have to be all about the protection that this case offers your device. The case is equipped with several silicone strips located on the interior of the case, to prevent scratches on your devices, and silicone rails on the external sides of this case to insure good solid grip when holding this case. The screen guard, included with the case, is very clear with easy to install instructions, but not anti-glare. The metal table stand, found in this devices packaging, is very simple but does a great job displaying your iPhone with a great case.

The only con’s that I have about this device are these: Only 3 colors to chose from, and not a good variety. Screen guard is not anti-glare, nor do you have an option to upgrade. The table stand is small, and is not able charge device while on stand. Overall, I am in love with this case, and it offers great protection, looks sleek, feels good in the hand, and is made “green”. For more information on this case and more Agent18 products, check out Agent18.com.

This has been E.B. with MacintoshTipz, hope you enjoyed this review over the Agent18 EcoShield and below is a hands on unboxing/review that im sure you will all enjoy. Have a great day. 