When speaking about a pen based digital tablet, do the terms: beauty, symmetry, precision, and functionality seem out of place? When one considers the vast majority of tablets on the market, these terms are indeed out of place. If fact, most of the tablets on the market are the antithesis of the afore mentioned terms. What about the Wacom Intuos4? Is it possible that this descendant from a long and storied line of pen tablets could epitomize these lofty terms? Read on and discover the answer to this “dodging and burning” question.
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Photoshop Lightroom 3
Company: Adobe
Price: $299.00 
Product Page
Have you ever had one of those, “game changer moments” when you sat in front of something and just said out loud or to yourself, “Oh My God”? The first time I sat down in front of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 (LR3), was one of those moments for me. There are many ways in which LR3 changes the content management game for photographers of all kinds and skill levels. Read on and discover if the improvements to this third generation of Lightroom are all that, or not.
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Professional UDMA CF Card & UDMA Card Reader
Company: Lexar
Price: $169.99, $42.99
UDMA CF Card Product Page
UDMA Card Reader Product Page
Unlike man, not all CF (Compact Flash) cards and card readers are created equal. Indeed, this is a big deal if you make your living peering through a viewfinder. Lexar prides itself in manufacturing professional level memory products. Read on and discover if the products live up to the hype.
DESIGN
UDMA: The Ultra Direct Memory Access (UMDA) protocol allows compliant devices to capture images faster and more efficiently manage that content later in the digital imaging workflow. If time is money, then improving one’s overall workflow efficiency is like money in the bank.
As a longtime iPhone and Apple customer, I have been a fan of the design choices Apple has made to bring me a mobile phone that intelligently balances hardware, software, and industrial design. I was blown away by the revolution that was the original iPhone. After spending some quality time with the new iPhone 4, I feel like it is, The Second Coming of iPhone.
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Switch Satchel iPad/Netbook Messenger Bag
Company: Brenthaven
Price: $39.95
http://www.brenthaven.com
So you have your shinny new iPad all dressed up with its new sleeve etc., and all you can do is drop it into the cavernous, compared to the iPad, generic backpack or messenger bag you had forgotten around. Brenthaven is here to help. See if the Switch Satchel will scratch your itch.
DESIGN
Not unlike its larger sibling, the original Switch, the Switch Satchel is very well made. It features a reversible flap system, a couple of organizer compartments for a few accessories, a backslip pocket for files or a newspaper, and a key lock. For more on the specs of the Switch Satchel, jump to the product page .
Skinny Sleeve & Slick Case – iPad
Company: Acme Made
Price: $29.99, $39.99
Product Page
Acme Made is a relative newcomer to the crowed case market. It is easy to understand why they would want to jump on the iPad bandwagon. Read on and discover if their products are for you.
DESIGN
The Skinny Sleeve and the Slick Case are well made and are of a quality commensurate with their price point.
InDesign CS5
Company: Adobe
Price: $699.00
http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/
Following in the large and hard to fill footsteps of its predecessors, Adobe InDesign CS5 has a lot to live up to and surpass if it is going to capture the hearts and, more importantly, cash of the designers and publishers throughout the world. The constantly-evolving, web-centric publishing industry is changing exponentially every year. Their tools must change with them or be left behind in the name of production and workflow efficiency. Has Adobe gone far enough? Have they pushed the technological bar high enough? Read on and discover whether the latest incarnation of this venerable tool is a worthy successor.
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PAGES AND THE IPAD
How excited I was to dream of Pages living in the Apple-lined cloud where I could create and edit my documents from anywhere at anytime with those files being served from one location with an ingenious silky-smooth Apple syncing system keeping all of my devices current and up to date. Let’s call it, MobileMe 2.0.
Fast forward to reality setting in. As I started out on my enthusiastic journey toward the promise-land of Pages on the iPad and cloud ubiquity, I was rudely awakened from my euphoric haze by the sad realities that are the limitations of Pages on the iPad. Don’t get me wrong, as a document creation and edit App, Pages is beautiful, full featured, and a testament to the unequalled ability of Apple to create software unlike any other in the industry.
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Pro Runner x450 AW
Company: Lowepro
Price: $379.99
lowepro.com
DESIGN
Having had the opportunity to use a number of Lowepro products, I can tell you that the Pro Runner is made very well. The materials (600d Polyester Square Rip-stop Polyester) and build quality are second to none. There are a number of features that help to set this roller bag apart. From its fully padded interior to its patented, built-in All Weather (AW) Cover, the Pro Runner x450 AW guards your expensive gear and instills that peace of mind we all long after when going on the road.
Some of the features include: a spring-loaded trolley handle; premium wheels; checkpoint-friendly laptop sleeve; see-through luggage/business card pocket; side compression straps with quick-release buckles; a Hideaway Tripod Mount system; rain-flap lids; SlipLock attachment loops; mesh side pockets; discreet front pocket accommodates a light jacket, cell phone or MP3 player; memory card pockets on the inside lid; padded mesh back-pad; thickly padded shoulder straps with 5 adjustment points; padded waist-belt; durable rubber grab handles; and zippered document pocket. For more information on the specs and features, jump to the product page.
InDesign CS5 First Look
Company: Adobe
Price: $699.00
http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/
TRACK TEXT CHANGES
In this modern era of publishing, the arduous task of sending manuscript revisions via e-mail, or worse, USPS, has brought, in many cases, the whole publishing process to a crawl. The development of many different editorial collaboration solutions has helped to improve the overall process. However, the holy grail of editorial collaboration has been the need to have real time collaboration within the actual page layout program. With the advent of Track Text Changes within Adobe InDesign CS5, (cue the angelic sounding choir in the background) that holy grail has become a reality.
LogMeIn Ignition for iPhone/iPad
Company: LogMeIn
Price: $29.99
logmein.com
IT’S SO BIG!
Does size matter? Well, in the world of computing, power and screen real estate are key factors when one is speaking about productivity. When the discussion turns to the difference between LogMeIn on the iPhone and iPad, a picture is worth a thousand words (or 1024 by 768 pixels to be specific). Indeed, in a pinch (no pun intended), LogMeIn on the iPhone is great! Admittedly, it is cramped and cumbersome to navigate and work on a remote desktop once one has experienced the wide open plains of LogMeIn on the iPad. However, If I had never purchased the iPad, I would still use this product on the iPhone. Imagine the possibilities of taking the full functionality of your home computer with you on the road. LogMeIn is, in a word, Freedom!
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Abas Leather Cases
Company: Abas Leather Accessories
Price: $30.00 – $160.00
http://www.abasaccessories.com
DESIGN
When the evaluation units arrived, my first reaction, as I pulled out the packaging holding the iPad cases, was, “if they took this much care with the packaging, the actual products must be very special.”
CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
The pressure was unyielding and, at times, overwhelming. So many times my finger felted the firm resistance of the hard plastic button pushed up against it like a gateway drug beckoning to click and feel the rush and euphoria of an Apple purchase. The years, months, weeks, days, and hours leading up to the January 2010 reveal (well, Apple calls them Special Events), where the iPad would be ceremoniously unveiled to a clamoring throng of mostly Apple branded lemmings, were intense. I felt sure that I would order at least one of whatever Steve unapologetically offered that day as the next piece of deified fruit from upon high.
The day had finally arrived. The world was, “all a twitter” (excuse the obvious heteronym) over the promised revelation from Steve and his merry men. It seemed as though every news outlet, blogger, podcaster, and social mediadite had a take regarding the new product from Apple. To be fair, the iPhone had taken the world by storm and no one wanted to be left off the media coverage train for this new device. It promised to be a seminal moment in Apple history and we were all ready for the new Johnny (Ive) Apple Seed.
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ColcaSac MacBook and iPhone Sleeves
Company: ColcaSac
Price: $34.95
http://www.colcasac.com
DESIGN
The ColcaSac is definitely different from most if not all of the sleeves on the market. It is very simple in design. Utilizing 18.5 oz basketweave hemp canvas and 100% polyester sherpa fleece, The ColocaSac follows the same design ethos as the other products within the ColcaSac product line, simplicity and style.
Pro Runner 200 AW
Company: Lowepro
Price: $89.99
lowepro.com
ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTION
With the cost of photographic equipment and accessories rising to the beat of Moore’s Law, the average photog must protect his/her investment from the elements and the various travel hazards that abound. With this thought in mind, Lowepro has been making protection and travel solutions for the conscientiousness photographer for many years.
My first experience with Lowepro was with their Fastpack 250 backpack. I was very impressed with the quality and practicality of this backpack. The Fastpack was not designed to be an all weather backpack. Therefore, it was somewhat limited to certain situations and weather conditions. On January 4, 2010, Lowepro introduced the Pro Runner All Weather line of backpacks and roller/backpack products. I was very excited to get my hands on this product and give it a try. I travel a great deal with my photography gear and occasionally face inclement weather. How would this new product line hold up in non-ideal conditions?
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Kensington Expert Mouse
Company: Kensington
Price: $99.99
kensington.com
TO BALL OR NOT TO BALL
While Apple was not the first to develop and implement pointing devices within the personal computing environment, they were certainly the company that brought the technology to its fruition. First introducing the mouse pointing device within the Lisa platform, Apple would refine the devices themselves and the graphical user interface which supported the mouse, within the Macintosh platform circa 1984.
Over time, it became clear that the over usage of a mouse could contribute to a Repetitive Strain Injury. Many companies developed different solutions to combat this problem. As a graphic designer in the late 80’s, I was forced to look for an alternative to the standard mouse. Enter the Kensington Turbo Mouse.
Shure Digital Recording Equipment
Company: Shure
Price: PG27 $178.00, PG42USB $298.00, X2u $154.00
Shure.com
THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF PERSONAL MEDIA
In recent years, there has been a shift from the old media paradigm of broadcast television, radio and their huge studios and budgets towards citizen or personal media production. More and more individuals with something to say are wading into the ever more crowded waters of podcasting, video-casting, or a combination of these two forms of new media.
With the advent of these new forms of media production, the need for new digital technologies which would allow these would be media moguls to turn their personal computers into recording studios on the cheap, has risen from the unyielding ashes of those old media sources whose lack of vision cost them dearly.
With such products as the PG27, PG42USB, and the X2u, Shure has brought its legendary reputation to this burgeoning market. How will these products perform and what type of value will they provide Joe podcaster who is working on a very limited budget?
Audio Hijack Pro
Company: Rogue Amoeba
Price: $32.00
rogueamoeba.com
AUDIO IS STILL KING Continue reading »
Without question, we have all observed the rapid movement towards video within and without the internet. Sadly, most video content producers are running up against bandwidth limitations which the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) are working feverishly to improve. While bandwidth does present a problem for video content, there exits no such limitation for those who wish to produce and consume audio content. With the advent of the iPod, iTunes, and RSS (Really Simple Syndication), the foundation upon which podcasting was built, the production, distribution, and acquisition of all types of audio content has grown exponentially.
Switch MB
Company: Brenthaven
Price: $144.90
http://www.brenthaven.com/
TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Are you tired of blending into the sea messenger bags and backpacks around you? Do you secretly desire to scream out, "look at me"? Here is your opportunity to show the world your creative side. With the, "Create your flap" custom flap design system <http://www.brenthaven.com/cyc-create-your-flap.html>, Brenthaven allows you to customize your Switch MB and stand out from the crowd.
The system works well and is fairly intuitive. You are presented with options for the front and back sides of the bag’s cover flap. You can select any combination within the offered selections (more on this later). In a few minutes, I had configured my masterpiece consisting of a G.I. Joe (side 1) and an Amsterdam (side 2). I also selected the Additional Shoulder Strap Pad for additional comfort and convenience.
DESIGN
The first thing I noticed about the Switch MB was the quality of materials and craftsmanship.
The heavy canvas material of the G.I. Joe flap is indicative of the quality built into this product. The feeling of the product in my hands was that great sensation you feel when you first pull a new product out of the box and immediately think to yourself, "they got this one right." The Army green of the G.I. Joe flap looks great and feels rugged and durable. In the reversed configuration, the stylish color combination of the Amsterdam flap is modern and very distinctive. I immediately felt a sense of pride over my personal creation.
Reversing the flap to display either of the two design choices was very simple. Simply disconnect the two buckles, separate the velcro, reverse the sides and reconnect everything.
Storage is in abundance on the Switch MB. The G.I. Joe flap has many pockets for all of your smaller items which, in the OCD rich environment of Geekdom, must be separated. Under the flap, the Switch MB did not disappoint. In addition to the standard notebook compartment, there is a large main compartment with numerous options to place all of your bits and bobs. Additional storage is available in front of the main compartment as well. All in all, very well organized in terms of the design and layout.
As if that were not enough to meet your storage requirements, there is additional storage on both sides of the Switch MB.
Rounding out the design in Brenthaven’s legendary top notch fashion, is the back of the Switch MB. It is both fashionable and functional.
Incidentally, there is another pocket on the back if you just need to squeeze every last drop of storage out for that special trip.
FEATURES
Of course the big feature of this messenger bag is its customizeableness (is that a word?). The Switch MB also features Brenthaven’s Zero Impact (on your computer, the environment, and your health) system. As a user of other Brenthaven Zero Impact products, I have found the Zero Impact system to be of great value to my computer, world, and back. For a list of additional features, jump to the product page.
USABILITY
I found the Switch MB to be very comfortable and practical. The Additional Shoulder Strap Pad was a nice addition. The thicker padding managed the weight and stress on my shoulder without a hitch. The overall size and weight of the bag (when packed), was more than manageable. It should be noted that this is not a bag for carrying larger items. As a vertically oriented messenger bag (as opposed to a horizontally oriented design) there is a limit to how wide of an item may be carried. However, for your computer, cables, and some smaller items, the Switch MB will more than adequately "FIT" the bill.
As for the Starbucks quotient, the Switch MB racks up high marks. This beautifully designed, by me of course, bag, really stood out among the crowd of mocha drinking, crowd following lemmings at my local purveyor of all things Starry. For those who like to stand out, the Switch MB is a great choice.
MAKING A GREAT THING EVEN BETTER
The one area which, IMO, could make this great product even better, is the ability to add even more personalized designs to the flap design and creation system. How cool would it be if you could add your company logo or a personal graphic to the flaps? This would make the Switch MB a truly personal messenger bag for the masses.
MyMac.com Rating:
The Switch MB is another fine product from Brenthaven. It is comfortable, secure, practical, and customizable. What more could you want in a messenger bag within this class? Accordingly, I am awarding the Brenthaven Switch MB an outstanding rating of 5 out of 5 in our MyMac.com Rating System
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