Mac mini
The first Mac minis , released back in 2005 , were several things at once : credible low - toll computers , supercompact , and an obvious endeavour to lure Windows user over to the Mac side . Many of us became instant fans . But then Apple seemed to give up on the mini . The company released a few updates over the following two years , but the Mac mini line essentially laze . That led many admirers to wonder whether Apple ’s smallest electronic computer was head up for the dust bin , a cute but failed experimentation .
Mac miniThen in March 2009 , a full 19 month since Apple had offered an update to the mini assembly line , the society introduce its biggest Mac mini update ever ( ) ( Best Current Price ): fast CPUs , more read/write memory , a Modern graphics cow dung , dual video production ( including support for Apple ’s 30 - in Cinema Display ) , prominent hard drives , FireWire 800 , more USB interface , 802.11n wireless , Bluetooth 2.1 , and an 8X SuperDrive . In other intelligence , about every feature film of the mini was upgraded significantly , while the prices of the two model were unchanged .
And just seven month later , Apple update the mini again ( ) ( Best Current Price ) , increasing central processor upper , add still more RAM and ( on the low - end example ) exchange to a larger hard drive . The miniskirt is the forgotten Mac no more : You wo n’t find another name - brand data processor with these specs in this small a software package at these prices .
Mac mini
Apple did n’t just bring the Mac mini line up to speed . In October , the companionship also released a completely new configuration , the $ 999 Mac miniskirt with Snow Leopard Server ( ) ( Best Current Price ) . It ’s essentially the $ 799 mini with a second 500 GB knockout driving force ( it has no optical drive ) and preloaded with Mac OS X Server ( ) ; that software normally costs $ 499 all by itself . It is a full - featured , unlimited - user waiter in a diminutive , energy - sipping package that is ideal for modest clientele , some homes , and the breeding mart .
The preceding year proves that Apple does indeed care about the Mac mini and , in fact , is using it to push the compact - computer gasbag . The mini is n’t for everyone ; it ’s the least - powerful Mac — laptop or screen background — that Apple offers . But it ’s an extremely telling machine for the sizing , and it ’s a good fit for both switcher and people on a budget . It also makes a great 2d Mac , and it ’s an appealing option for a Mac - based media organisation . This class , we were glad to see that the Mac mini is still very much alive.—Dan Frakes$599 to $ 999;Apple
iPhone 3GS
We ’ll admit it : Even in the Macworld offices , the name of Apple ’s later smartphone was cause for eye - wheeling . But once we ’d used the iPhone 3GS ( ) , we had to hold : The ‘S ’ does indeed stand for speed . There ’s no interrogation the 3GS is significantly snappy than its harbinger .
iPhone 3GSAfter speed , the iPhone 3GS ’s other big improvement is its television camera . While the cameras on the first two iPhones were good enough for straightaway snapshots , the 3GS upgraded its hardware to a tidy 3 megapixels , and total autofocusing and the ability to rivet on a particular spot by tapping on the screen . A macro mood that lets you take close - up word picture is also a welcome enhancement , both for taking pic and accessory uses such as scanning bar codification .
The iPhone 3GS ’s tv camera also finally brought video recording to the iPhone . While it may not give you the high - definition timber you may get from some of today ’s pouch camcorders and digital cameras , the 3GS gave Modern life to the honest-to-goodness proverb , “ the best photographic camera is the one you have with you . ” With an iPhone 3GS in your hand , pocket , or berm purse , you’re able to bourgeon a TV clip of your small fry and upload it to YouTube faster than you’re able to say “ iPod nano . ” Other pinch we liked : A long - await and amazingly good vox - command feature , a much - necessitate oleophobic screen , and a reach that we suppose somebody must have want .
iPhone 3GS
The iPhone 3GS still is n’t utter , of course . Sure , it bear the quicker 7.2 - Mbps HSDPA 3 gravitational constant banner . But throw the glacial pace with which AT&T rolled out sustenance for MMS and the fact that tethering is still missing , we ’ll in all probability see an iPhone 4 G from Verizon before most of us here in the United States can take vantage of the 3GS ’s full potential on AT&T. Still , there ’s no interrogation that , for the third class race , Apple ’s upped its game and once again produced the respectable iPhone yet.—Dan Moren$199 ( with a two - twelvemonth contract);Apple
iPod Touch
iPod TouchThis twelvemonth ’s iPod touch ( ) ( Best Current Price ) is n’t singular for its improved speed or slew of new feature film . Rather , the iPod touch earns an Eddy this year simply for its outstandingrightness .
Sure , you might take the nano or shuffle to the gym , and the iPod classic hold more media . But I ’d bet that even if you were lucky enough to own every iPod simulation on the food market , the touch is the one you ’d use the most . It ’s the iPod you ’d wrench to when you want it all — medicine , moving-picture show , TV show , podcasts , audiobooks , e - chain armour , Web browsing , stocks , conditions , maps , contacts , calendar , and , most significantly , apps , apps , and more apps .
While the repose of the reality was squelch full - sizing computer apps into pint - size netbooks or bolting information processing system - ish characteristic onto medium players , Apple create a brawny pocket electronic computer that also happened to be a hell of a media player and portable gambling twist . In other parole , Apple got it right.—Christopher Breen$199 to $ 399;Apple
iPod Touch
MiFi 2200
At this detail , Wi - Fi seems to be everywhere — in airport , cafes , hotel , and other public places where figurer user gather . But there are still plenty of places where there ’s nary a hot spot to be find . A few years ago , we started run into a solution for such coldspots : 3 G modem and routers , which let you get online from almost anywhere you could get a cell earpiece signal . That engineering has been evolving ; this year we saw one of the nicest development yet : the MiFi 2200 ( ) .
MiFi 2200Developed by Novatel Wireless and sell by several wireless carriers , the MiFi 2200 set out popping up all over the place this yr . One reason it seemed to overtake on was its size : at 3.5 by 2.3 by .4 column inch , it ’s about as diminutive as a bite - size coffee bar , small enough to stash in your air hole .
The MiFi 2200 is also about as easy to use as a technical school Cartesian product can be : Press the power button on the top and it connects to your letter carrier ’s cellular electronic web . The SSID and password are on the bottom . you could apportion its admission with up to five exploiter at a time . Despite its size , the MiFi 2200 is a in full configurable Wi - Fi Qaeda station . Using its Web user interface , you could give it a novel SSID and watchword , limit access code , adapt TCP / IP preferences , and check on sign strength and battery lifetime .
MiFi 2200
By make utilitarian technology ultraportable , the MiFi 2200 became one of our favorite products of the year.—Dan Miller$80;Verizon Wireless
Canon Powershot SD780 IS
In the crowded breaker point - and - shoot market , it ’s hard to find a camera that ’s very near at everything . But the PowerShot SD780 IS ( ) ( Best Current Price ) is .
Canon Powershot SD780 ISThe 12 - megapixel SD780 IS received some of the highest Simon Marks for image tone of any dot - and - blast that we reviewed in the preceding twelvemonth . Its vividness truth and sharpness are both splendid , and it keeps the noise down in lowly - visible radiation and high - ISO shots . It also captures TV at 720p HD resolution . At the same prison term , the SD780 is admirably comfortable to use , with intuitive , easy - to - navigate menus , and a nice 2.5 - column inch LCD . The photographic camera ’s optical view finder — a oddment in pointedness - and - shoot cameras these days — makes it easier to frame in shots in undimmed sunshine . And the camera is still little enough to contain with you everywhere .
Combine those feature and that easiness of use , and you ’ve got our favorite point - and - shoot of the year.—Roman Loyola$250;Canon USA
Canon Powershot SD780 IS
Panasonic Lumix GF1
If you require the power and flexibleness of an SLR without the size and weight of one , then Panasonic ’s Lumix GF1 ( ) ( Best Current Price ) can tender you an alluring compromise . It also materialize to be a great camera .
The body of the 12 - megapixel GF1 is roughly the size of it of a item - and - shoot . But unlike those compact camera , the GF1 let you use similar Lens and includes an SLR - size of it image sensor — result in top - notch photos , even in comparatively low light . The GF1 also immortalise 720p high - definition TV , shoot in Raw mode , and offers a full set of manual ascendance .
Panasonic Lumix GF1Like other cameras in this social class , the GF1 achieves its small size by leave off a mirror loge . That intend it also lacks an optical finder . Instead , you ’ll have to rely on the 3 - inch LCD on the back ( or shell out extra cash for an impart - on accessory ) . That might turn off some buyers , but some people upgrading from a dot - and - shoot might not even notice : Many compact cameras already leave off the view finder .
Panasonic Lumix GF1
Although it ’s not the first Micro Four Thirds camera on the market , the GF1 is the modest one in the category — and the first one that we think really get it right.—Kelly Turner$900;Panasonic
HP Photosmart Premium Web C309
Multifunction printer would seem to be pretty moribund : They print , scan , make copies , and sometimes fax . But with thePhotosmart Premium Web C309 , Hewlett - Packard says that these machines can do more .
At the same time , it is a wholly capable MFP , with a 100 - sheet of paper input tray , an automatic duplexer , a PictBridge porthole , and computer storage identity card slot . It prints plain text at 8 pages per minute and nontextual matter at 3.7 ppm . With the entanglement C309 , HP prove that there is still initiation to be find in the printing machine market.—Roman Loyola$400;Hewlett - Packard
Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive
Iomega Home Media internet Hard DriveMany vendors offer networked home medium servers . But only one of those products earn an Eddy this year : The Iomega Home Media connection Hard Drive ( ) ( Best Current Price ) . It did so by taking the good feature of its contender and packaging them in a undivided , easy - to - use twist ..
Like other media servers , the Iomega Home Media drive stores your medicine , picture , and photos in one place , where they ’re approachable from any Mac or PC on your net . It has its own iTunes server , remote access capabilities , and accompaniment for Time Machine and BitTorrent .
Unlike some of its rival , the Iomega Home Media movement is wanton to set up and make do . It ’s that last bit that makes it one of our favorite products of the year.—Chris Holt$150 to $ 350;Iomega
Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive
Flip MinoHD
Flip MinoHDIn 2009 , it seemed you could n’t turn around without set off over a new HD pocket camcorder . Kodak , Creative , Sanyo , and others all release some of these miniature moviemakers . But Pure Digital ( now a part of Cisco ) really defined the category , repeatedly releasing ever more subject models . Our favourite : the $ 230 Flip MinoHD ( ) ( Best Current Price ) .
While most pocket camcorder are study in via media , the MinoHD offers a dandy portmanteau word of features and performance . It ’s easy to operate and solidly build , includes a bright 2 - inch display , shoots up to two hours of 720p high - definition video , and include an HDMI video port . It shoots well in low illumination and sustain colors and spirit the right way under most shooting conditions . Like the other Flips , the MinoHD let in the FlipShare software program , which lets you jacklight the MinoHD into a powered USB 2.0 port wine , educe television , execute basic edits , and upload the solvent to your favourite television - sharing service .
In a crowded field , the Flip MinoHD distinctly put up out.—Christopher Breen$200 to $ 230;Flip Video
Flip MinoHD
Bamboo Fun
Tablets are n’t for everyone . But whether you ’re a digital artist or just a regular user who ’d like to apply a penitentiary or else of ( or in continuative with ) a black eye , you should take a tone at Wacom ’s Bamboo Fun pad of paper ( ) ( Best Current Price ) .
The Fun can function as a jumbo multitouch touchpad : urge one digit to the tablet to move the pointer ; press two to execute gesture . Its pen is unvanquishable for graphic piece of work . It pop the question 1,024 story of pressure sensitivity — invaluable for creating subtle effects in apps that endorse pressure sensitiveness .
Put simply , the Bamboo Fun is one of the most innovative input signal gadget we ’ve come across in a while ; it may be the nicest graphics tablet we ’ve ever seen.—Jackie Dove$199;Wacom
Bento 3
BusyCal 1.0
While iCal is enough for many Mac users , for many others it really is n’t . But when you outgrow iCal , where do you go ? The resolution for most would - be whipper has been “ nowhere”—until BusyMac released BusyCal 1.0 ( ) .
Billing itself as “ iCal Pro , ” BusyCal ’s interface does look an fearsome deal like Apple ’s own software at first glance . But under the Earth’s surface , BusyCal offers features iCal can only dream of . For instance , out of the corner it syncs with Google Calendar , with musical accompaniment for offline editing and synchronise alarms from Google events . If Google Calendar is n’t your cup of afternoon tea , you’re able to also share your calendar between multiple copy of BusyCal on a local internet , via Bonjour . There ’s support for multiperson editing . And because BusyCal utilize Mac OS X ’s Sync Services system , it can also seamlessly transfer your data to MobileMe and the iPhone , lease it in effect luxate in and replace iCal without your missing a beat . There are peck of other prissy touch , admit plentiful - schoolbook support , embeddable sticky notes , location URLs for events , a ready to hand list view , and integrate weather prognosis .
The sum of these improvements is a product that many of us have made our default calendar programme . It did more than revive a dormant product category ; it established itself as the category leader.—Dan Moren$40;BusyMac
Things
Bento 3
Bento 3When FileMaker introduce Bento in 2008 , the personal database software had just about everything a casual drug user could want for organize data , from pre - assembled templates to dynamical access to Address Book , iCal , and Mail data . About the only flaw — and it was a doozy — postulate Bento ’s pricing : exploiter who bought the original Bento 1 had to devote the full $ 49 monetary value tag end to upgrade to Bento 2 . FileMaker took a lot of heat for that decision , but to its credit , the society take heed to the critics . When Bento 3 ( ) debut this past downslope , FileMaker offered a $ 20 rebate to all existing users .
But there ’s more to this late version than a fair upgrade policy . Bento 3 added iPhoto integration and the ability to partake data with others on your local meshwork — both welcome addition . With the addition to 128 - scrap AES encryption to secure that datum , Bento continue to set the standard for personal database programs.—Philip Michaels$49;FileMaker
Dropbox
These days , we all have files all over the place — our computers at work and home , desktops and laptops , Macs and PC , and even iPhones . keep trail of which charge you ’ve put in where and making trusted you have the files you ask when you need them can be a hassle . Dropbox solve this job by giving you access to files no matter where you are or what equipment you ’re using .
Once you add the free Dropbox app on your Macs and PC , you throw the single file you require access to into your Dropbox booklet . They ’re then automatically sync to other automobile on which you ’ve installed the app ; it ’s also lay in on Dropbox ’s remote servers . So even if you ’re on a admirer ’s estimator , you could still access to the Dropbox Website and get your filing cabinet that way . The free Dropbox iPhone app collapse you verbatim access from your earphone .
Dropbox does more than sync files . It also keeps track of changed documents , so if you want an sometime interpretation of a file from the last 30 solar day , you could get to it . Or , if you want to apportion a file cabinet with others , you could drop it in the Public brochure ; Control - click ( or right click ) on the file in the Finder , and you could copy a download universal resource locator for paste in due east - mail , Twitter , or Facebook . Dropbox also supports easy pic gallery : Just drop photos into the Photos folder .
ClickToFlash
In addition to all that , Dropbox is free to taste . The trial account gives you 2 GB of storage . Beyond that , it ’s $ 10 a month for a 50 GB account , $ 20 a calendar month for 100 GB . It ’s one of those services that , once you use it , you inquire how you did without it.—Jason Snellfree to $ 20 per month;Dropbox
Things 1.0.4
Everyone has things they necessitate to get done . So the fact that there are scads of to - do - leaning program for the Mac should come as no surprisal . Some of these programs are wide-eyed but limited ; others are very powerful but require hours of study just to get started . Of all the chore - management programme we ’ve go out , Things 1.0.4 ( ) strikes the best balance between power and usability .
ThingsThings get you define multiple to - do tilt ( which it calls undertaking ) . These lists can contain one - off , reduplicate , and scheduled tasks ; the Projects view graphically display your forward motion on each . There ’s also a universal inbox for uncategorized tasks , along with a unique Today view that include items you ’ve manually stigmatise for completion today , as well as undertaking items that are due today . you’re able to confiscate notes , links , and tag to individual labor , and then search for that information ; you’re able to filter any survey by tag , schedule , or both . The overnice affair is that if you do n’t want to use these feature , you do n’t have to . thing also has an fantabulous iPhone counterpart , the $ 10 Things app , which syncs with the Mac version .
Of course , everyone has specific motivation and preferences that will steer them toward a special to - do - lean program or another . But thing ’ compounding of ease of use , expectant port , and flexibility make it as close to the ideal Mac to - do app as we ’ve seen.—Dan Frakes$50;Cultured Code
RipIt
PDFPen 4.5
When it come to modifying PDFs , SmileOnMyMac ’s PDFPen 4.5 ( ) match neatly between OS X ’s destitute Preview and Adobe ’s $ 449 Acrobat Pro ( ) . At only $ 50 , it goes well beyond Preview ’s PDF processing magnate , yet it offers some of the same feature of speech you ’ll find in the much more costly Acrobat Pro .
PDFPen may not be the most exciting intersection among this year ’s Eddys , but it ’s sure one of the most useful.—Rob Griffiths$50;SmileOnMyMac
ClickToFlash 1.5
ClickToFlashAdobe Flash is the entanglement technology we lie with to hate . It brings browsers to a creep , keep down battery life , attain laptop computer overheat , and is reportedly the figure one cause of app program crash in Mac OS X.
You ca n’t just block Flash instantaneously ; it ’s sometimes utile . That ’s why we love ClickToFlash . Used in Safari , it interchange each bit of Flash content on a World Wide Web page with a sheer - gray loge . To see that Flash content , you tap the box . In other Son , ClickToFlash lets you choose what Flash content you view .
Best of all , ClickToFlash is not a hack ; it ’s an official Internet hoopla - in . For many of us , ClickToFlash add some much - needed sanity back to our vane browsing.—Dan Frakesfree;ClickToFlash Team
Acorn
Braid
Every few years , a game comes along that pushes the Mac play industry in an exciting new counselling . Braid ( ) is that game this yr .
It ’s a complex , musical genre - defying masterpiece , concentrated to label and even hard to dumbfound . The premiss is simple : You guide a character ( Tim ) through obstacles , collect puzzle pieces , and deliver The Princess from a “ giant . ” But the more you play , the more the questions pile up : Did Tim miss his love or did he forsake it ? Does the Princess even exist ? Why can Tim manipulate clock time ? Braid does everything secure entertainment should : it bewitch you , twit you , and keep you total back for more.—Chris Holt$15;Braid
RipIt
By now , you probably have a decent collection of DVDs at home . But those discs have their downside : They ’re comfortable to lose and damage , and they take up pot of shelf space ; take on them on a laptop eat up precious battery spirit ; and ( because of transcript protection ) you ca n’t easily watch them on an iPhone or Apple TV . gratefully , The Little App Factory ’s $ 20 RipIt ( ) addresses all of those problem in one easy - to - use app .
RipItUsing it is as elementary as insert a DVD into your Mac ’s optical parkway , penetrate Rip , and then go for a walkway . When you get back , you ’ll have a spot - for - bit written matter of the DVD — in the conformation of a VIDEO_TS folder — strip of all copy shelter . you may then put that folder on your iMac ’s hard movement for dependable keeping , on your MacBook Pro for on - the - road viewing , or on a DVD as a defence against your kids ’ mess - overcompensate fingers . you’re able to also beam that folder to another lotion that will convert it into something you’re able to watch on your Apple TV , iPhone , iPod , or other equipment .
dead on target , if you just want to convert a DVD for an iPhone or Apple TV , the free HandBrake can commonly manage decryption as well . But , because RipIt ’s update frequently , it works with pic that can trip up HandBrake and MacTheRipper ; it boasts a 99.9999 percent success charge per unit with support for 117,000 different disk . In other words , it just works.—Jonathan Seff$20;The Little App Factory
FontExplorer X Pro 2.0
Logic Express 9
Ask the typical passer - by to couple the word “ lust ” with a profession and , just as typically , “ musician ” will be the response . Which is why we ’d like to honor Apple ’s Logic Express 9 ( ) , a workhorse buy .
What makes it such a deal is n’t so much the price shred as it is the value you get for your money . New in this class ’s edition , and adding to the program ’s already impressive characteristic coiffure is the following : The Amp Designer feature , which allow you conflate and play off 25 speakers and amps ( and “ record ” the results with three different microphones ) ; Flex Time , which allows you to easy shift audio tidbit to alter the rhythmical feel of a phrase ; Pedalboard force that provide players with virtual “ stomp box ” that can be triggered in real time with a MIDI or USB restrainer ; Varispeed recording for slowing down a project so you’re able to more easily play a tricky solo ; and a Drum Replacer feature that allows you to use recorded drum to trigger well - sounding barrel sample distribution .
receive cake ice though those unexampled feature of speech may be , the software ’s existing features alone make it a worthwhile investment for musicians who ’ve reached GarageBand ’s limit . GarageBand may be extremely capable ( and extremely barren with every unexampled Mac ) , but Logic Express 9 provides professional - quality tools with professional - grade tractability . If you ca n’t express your deepest melodic thoughts with Logic Express , there ’s a honest chance they ’re not deserving hearing.—Christopher Breen$199;Apple
Acorn 2.1
AcornI might not know graphic layers from layer cakes , but I still have to expend some time every twenty-four hour period work with simulacrum . And when I do , I usually sprain to Acorn 2.1 .
This lightweight , cheap image editor has all form of features that you might expect to see from a professional - level product — multilayer editing ( including layer group ) , vector shapes , and a boatload of snazzy filter . Its chic crop tool and Web export feature are both invaluable in my day-by-day employment .
I ’m also a vast fan of the bed - base screenshot capability introduce in Acorn 2.0 ; [ it snaps a picture of your screen and give each software its own level , making it well-off to isolate just the component you want .
supply to the most late versions is muscular scripting ( via JSTalk and AppleScript ) and plug - in support . Acorn is no slouch in the performance section , either , with full 64 - bit supporting and the power to offload intensive labor to your Mac ’s graphic processor . ( Those features mean the program work only with the latest version of Mac OS X , Snow Leopard . )
Acorn is notable for what it leaves out , too : a elegant UI makes the program favorable and easy to use , so you do n’t have to go hunting for a picky feature . It may not have everything that Photoshop does , but for many of us , it has everything we need.—Dan Moren$50;Flying nub
Picasa 3.5
At first glance , Picasa 3.5 ( ) looks like an impersonation of iPhoto . But what sets Picasa apart is the ingenious way it helps you coordinate your photos and how nicely it works with other political platform .
For one thing , Picasa loose you from the motive to maintain an iPhoto - like fused library file . Instead , it scans your organisation and finds image files wherever they ’re saved , leaving them in their original localisation . Picasa also lay down it easy to upload , e - mail , and blog about your photo . Integration with the free Picasa Web Albums is unbelievably convenient — you create an album , append icon and subtitle , and upload . If you set an album to sync , all changes you make in the desktop app will be reflected online .
in the end , Picasa is about giving you king over your digital photos ; it helps you manage your pic while letting you work with any other exposure app you want . That sluttish - handed approaching makes it a refreshing alternative to iPhoto , and a born Eddy winner.—Heather Kellyfree;Picasa
Painter 11
Corel ’s panther is designed to be the ulti - mate digital artistic creation studio . Felis concolor 11 ( ) offers more speed than past editions , but also a spate of new brushes , resizable palettes , PNG support , and more . It ’s an Eddy - desirable upgrade .
Painter 11 significantly expands the RealBristle Painting System present in version 10 , with 40 new Natural - Media brushing . When used with a graphics tablet , it recognizes brush angle and focal ratio . There are other welcome improvements : Corel has revamped Painter ’s extract and transform instrument , a young color - management system work more expeditiously , and Painter ’s workspace is more intuitive .
The result is a fine improvement on an already okay product . panther 11 is indeed the classic picture broadcast for the Mac.—Jackie Dove$249;Corel
FontExplorer X Pro 2.0
If you ’re a designer or pre - press professional , or if you just have more than a daily interest in oversee your typeface , you need something better than OS X ’s Font Book . For our money , that something should be FontExplorer X Pro 2.0 ( ) , an advanced font - direction tool that ’s surprisingly easy to habituate .
FontExplorer X Pro 2.0If you ’re conversant with iTunes , you ’ll immediately understand FontExplorer X. Font lot are on the left , a font list is on the right hand , type sample baby-sit at the bottom , and details about your selected fount are in the low left corner . It ’s superfast in import and displaying typeface in WYSIWYG mood . It surpasses other font managers in the floor of detail it exhibit , the level of control it let , and the simpleness with which it shares and export font constellation . And almost every feature — from the details displayed in the window to the mode it conduct when you add , remove , activate , or deactivate font — is customizable .
In other dustup , it ’s that rare of products : Powerful enough for pro , but simple enough for everyone else.—Jackie Dove$79;Linotype
