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October 21, 2003 |
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Has hell frozen over? According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, yes, it has--now that Apple is catering to Windows users. Is iTunes really "the best Windows application ever written," as Jobs says? We know we certainly love it, and users who have already downloaded 1 million tunes may also. |
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iTunes
"Hell froze over," read the projected words behind Apple CEO Steve Jobs last Thursday as he introduced the world to iTunes for Windows. Looks like Jobs is in on my old joke that the only reason I personally would buy a Mac would be for iPod and iTunes. Now we Windows users have both, and it may be the smartest thing Apple ever did. While the company may not sell Macs because of this venture, it will certainly sell iPods and make a decent chunk from selling music, too. Apple said Monday that it's already sold 1 million downloads just days after its Thursday launch. There's proof of the power of selling to the masses of Windows users--just pure volume. Nothing was taken away between Apple and Windows versions of iTunes: access to paid-for songs from up to three computers, unlimited track burning, and file transfer to as many iPods as you like. But some features have been added. Users can now e-mail each other gift certificates, and the new Allowance feature lets parents give their kids a certain amount of music money to spend each month. Finally, you can check out celebrities' playlists and listen to free 30-second samples of their favorite songs. To Apple fans, hell may truly seem to have frozen over, but look at it this way: we Windows users will be fattening up the Apple coffers for years to come. Ironic, huh? |
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Office 2003
Already, it's October, and Microsoft is just now introducing Office 2003? While there's not much left of 2003, it's still worth noting when a new version of the most popular productivity suite around comes out. And many readers were ready and waiting, looking for our take on the update. Now that we've gotten our hands on the multiple-app package, we're happy to report that we're definitely impressed with the additions and changes Microsoft has made. Outlook 2003 now features spam filters and better e-mail organization, Word 2003 includes side-by-side document viewing, and Microsoft is offering a lower-cost Student and Teacher Edition that can be installed on as many as three PCs. But the real question is: do you need to upgrade? Since the bulk of Office 2003's new features--such as integration of XML, rights-management tools, and tie-ins with the SharePoint Server--are of the greatest benefit to large enterprise users, they're the only ones who would need to step up. Basically, the home user doesn't really need to upgrade. |
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Axim X3
I'm reminded that the holidays are coming up; suddenly all of the big hardware makers are releasing their new handhelds. If you're thinking of picking out a handy PDA for your loved one this year, you'll have plenty of hot new ones to choose from. This week, the hottest release came from Dell, which unveiled the Axim X3 line of handhelds. The new models still come at relatively affordable prices, but all lose the bulk and beef up the battery life over their predecessor, the Axim X5. Dell's flagship model, the Axim X3i, includes a fast 400MHz processor and built-in wireless networking for a reasonable $379. HP was also showing off its new handheld wares last week--two new Wi-Fi iPaqs. Think that's it? Later this week, Toshiba will unleash its newest crop of Pocket PCs, which should give Dell and HP a run for your money. |
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DVD writer
According to the search results we've seen, a lot of you are definitely in the market for DVD burners, and luckily for you, hardware makers are aware of the stiff competition out there. So they're constantly one-upping each other to have the most formats and the fastest speeds. When DVD burners first hit the scene, everyone was rushing to catch up to Sony's early-to-market multiformat drive, the DRU-510A. No more. In August, Plextor put out the remarkable PX-708A, which writes DVD+R at 8X and also writes CD-R and CD-RW at 40X and 24X, respectively. Now Sony is the one playing catch-up, and it's hoping the DRU-530A will do the trick. We're still testing this brand-new drive, but our early impressions are tepid. While it's sure to be lightning-fast, the DVD race is not about just speed anymore. This Sony drive is more expensive than Plextor's drive to boot, and it lacks a headphone jack and volume control, which the Plextor includes. If you trust Sony's track record so far, wait to read our full review of this drive in the coming weeks, but if you're just looking for a cutting-edge DVD burner, the Plextor is a great bet. |
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Virgin
Kids today: they want their very own electronics. Luckily, they have companies like Virgin that are willing to give it to them. This month, Virgin will release a new line of simple and inexpensive gear under the name of Virgin Pulse to be sold online and in Target stores. These sleek, silver products--ranging from MP3 players and clock radios to two-way radios and a portable DVD player--will obviously appeal to youngsters who are easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, but they also look pretty darn nice to older folks like me who just love pretty gear. It's unclear whether any of this gear will be worth even the low price it will sell for.
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