With the ability to run Windows on Mac, Apple's new line of Intel-based computers may seem to be the perfect choice for schools. Baltimore, on the other hand, think otherwise.

Baltimore city schools are moving away from the Mac platform and is replacing it with Windows-based PCs for their graphic design and multimedia labs, says The Baltimore Sun. Spring Break has already seen the Western School of Technology and Environmental Science saying goodbye to their Macs. Office of Career and Technology Education technical programs supervisor Rhonda Hayman shares that 11 programs at 10 schools will be moving to PCs by fall. The cost of the move will be more than $1M.

The change to PCs is said to be for financial benefits; administration claims that the decision will see a single and standard platform resulting to them saving tech support money in the long run.

A survey of 2,092 people showed that 4.3% of them would switch to Mac even if they can't run Windows applications on it. When asked if they would change their allegiance with the Mac Intel, 8% of them said "yes". But the response of the iPod users in the survey group was described as "stunning."

The survey showed 7.6% iPod users are willing to switch to Mac if it can't run Windows. That figure shoots up to 20% if the choice included Mac-Windows Hybrid. Known as the Halo Effect (where the iPod makes other Apple products look better to consumers) the mega-successful iPod could help fuel Mac sales in 2008.

Many Windows PC users have resisted making the switch to Mac mainly because they won't be able to use many Windows-based  business apps. However, the wall of resistance appears to be showing cracks. Insiders say Apple could make a major dent on the PC market in the next few years with the upcoming Mac Intel in 2007. Boot Camp, the software that lets Mac toggle to Windows, could deliver another blow to the resistance. The software is expected to become a standard feature in Leopard, the next Mac OS X version scheduled to be released early next year. 

When all these elements are put together, Charles Wolf of Needham and Co. says Apple could end up with about 5% share of the global market by 2011 (the 2005 figure is 1.9%). Wolf estimates 17% of the 4.3 million units expected to be sold this year will be Macs. That's about 772,000 Macs to be bought by people moving away from Windows.

Mac users are in for an HDTV treat with Miglia's TVMini HD. The stylish compact device enables users to watch, record and edit HDTV ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) content and unencrypted digital cable TV programs. Simply put, Mac users can watch Grey's Anatomy while out in the woods. Just make sure you're on the side of the woods that's within range of an ATSC broadcast tower.

The package includes a USB tuner, a small TV antenna, a remote, and a CD with Elgato's EyeTV 2.1 television scheduling and editing software. It comes with a carrying pouch to get you organized.

To properly view 1080i high-definition programming, you need to have a Mac powered by Intel Core Duo or dual processor PowerMac G5.

The main purpose of the device is to capture ATSC transmissions, which can be both standard-definition and high-definition. Like traditional analog, it's transmitted over-the-air. The big difference between these is that ATSC never has static. With sufficient signal, you'd always have crystal clear audio and video quality. The thorn in digital TV's side is that if the signal strength drops below 50%, you lose your picture completely.

The latest advice to all you college-bound freshmen: if you have any choice in the matter, go with an Apple.  According to a recent article in BusinessWeek magazine, both laptop and desktop models combine the best features while offering exceptional user-friendliness, all at a reasonable cost. The best reason - Apple constantly works to improve their operating system and bundled software, while the Windows OS seems to be spinning its wheels.

Recently, I became frustrated with the Mac because, as I began doing more work on the Web, I discovered - as many did under OS9 and below - that the Internet was not a particularly Mac-friendly place. Crashes and freezes were all-too-frequent,  whereas the Windows OS could take you almost anywhere online.

Apple's latest operating system, OSX, has addressed many of those issues. At worst, if one application crashes, it no longer brings down the entire machine. Additionally, new Intel-based Apple hardware has allowed it to perform on a par with HP and Dell machines, while the new Boot Camp application allows one to boot up their Mac from Windows.

Now, if budget is a serious consideration, it is true that a high-end Windows system can be purchased for less than the cheapest Apple system - and if you're a hard-core gamer, you'll definitely want to go in that direction. However, if you're looking for a quality, high-end computing system that will handle a wide range of academic and artistic applications  for the length for your college career, give the Mac a serious look.

Sure, the MacBook and MacBook Pro looks professional and almost classic. Yet sometimes, you just want more color in your life and the Apple laptops' white or black just doesn't cut it. The French painter Pierre Bonard once said, "Color does not add a pleasant quality to design - it reinforces it" - so this must mean putting color in an already fashionable laptop won't be such a bad idea, right? If you answered yes, then you might want to take a look at Colorware's offering.

Colorware is offering the MacBook and MacBook Pro, with a deluge of colors to choose from. Offering a range of 24 colors (one less for the Mac Book Pros), Colorware's MacBooks and MacBook Pros are powered by Intel Core Duo Processor and has the iSight camera built-in. Other softwares included in Colorware's offerings are iLife '06, iWork '06, Front Row, Photo Booth, Comic Life, and OmniOutliner.

Of course, all these come with a price - a high price, I have to say. While the white 13" 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo MacBook sells for only $1,099, Colorware's version will make you $1,749 poorer. Colorware's 15" 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo MacBook Pro sells at $2,649 (vs. the white one for $1,999). If you do have the money to burn and would like to own a different-colored Apple laptop, visit the Colorware site to see other offerings and to decide which color strikes your fancy.

Most Mac lovers love iTunes for its provided ease of transferring songs to the iPod. And of course, it also provides them music while working on their Macs. But as I'm sure most of you will relate, no matter how good a player is, there will still be moments when it plays songs you're not just in the mood to listen to; and it's a bummer because then you have to veer away from work and go to iTunes just to forward to a different track. Wincent offers a solution.

With Synergy, a Coca application for Mac OS X 10.2 (and later), you can have three iTunes control buttons - previous track, next track, and play/pause - right in your menubar. Synergy also provides a visual feedback about the track that's currently playing. You can also set this application so it automatically downloads and displays the cover of the album currently playing.

Now on a Universal Binary with v2.9, Synergy is capable of running on both PowerPC and Intel processors. V2.9 includes the following changes:

• "Transfer cover to iTunes" - a new item in the Global Menu that embeds album art in track file.
• String-handling code has been optimized.
• Included "Get artwork from Synergy" script by John Burgess.

You can download the Synergy installer below. For more info on Synergy v2.9, just check out the 'Read' link below.

Download: [Synergy v2.9]

If you've already got a nifty new Intel-powered Macintosh computer (or if you're like me and day dreaming about the day you'll finally have one all for yourself) chances are that you've heard about the ability to run Windows.  There are plenty of decent reasons to run Windows on your Mac, so let's not start with the "why would you do that to your Mac?" lines.  (I hate using Windows, but my job requires it, simple as that.)

Right now the two best options available to you are to use Apple's Beta software, Boot Camp, or a virtualization app called Parallels.  Both have their strengths and weaknesses, so you may be confused as to which is right for you, based on your Windows needs.  Well the good folks at NoteBookReview put together a lengthy article about what both apps do, how to install them, results of using each, and pros & cons of both options.  It's very well thought-out and written so anyone should be able to understand.

If you've already begun running one or both of these solutions on your MacBook/Pro, Mac Mini, or iMac, let us know your thoughts.  I'm especially interested as I hope to be mauling my very own MacBook soon...

While I was reading about Covenant Eyes, I can't help but feel like I'm browsing an ad for The 700 Club. But I figured some people might actually have some use for it, so here it is: Adopting Job 31:1 - "I have made a covenant with my eyes" - Covenant Eyes ensures that internet is limited to responsible use.

Franklin P. Jones once said, "What makes resisting temptation difficult for many people is they don't want to discourage it completely." Therefore, Covenant Eyes put the responsibility of taking partners and children away from temptation into an "Accountability Partner". See, the program works by monitoring websites visited, then scores it (pornographic sites are ranked high) and results are sent to your accountability partner. Covenant Eyes is not a filter and will still give you the freedom to browse whatever site you like, the thing is your partner or parents will know which sites you've been frequenting.

Ideal for preventing husbands, wives, and children from the "temptations we face on the Internet...pornography, gambling, too much time on line that you are detracted from family life, and personal 'surfing' on company time", Covenant Eyes is available for a reasonable price of $6.99 (for single member).

Windows users have been 'making a covenant with their eyes' for the past months now. Now Mac users can do the same. Since the company wanted to make an application that is "virtually impossible to circumvent the accountability", it took them a while to release a Mac version.

Covenant Eyes for Mac includes the following features:

• Supports MAC OS X Tiger(10.4)
• Fast user switching supported
• Checks for upgrades automatically
• Supports Intel Macs
• Same reports as the PC version.
• Same sign-up as the PC version.
• Same low cost as the PC version.
• Adding extra computers is free of charge. You can mix PC & MAC for no extra charge.
• Your accountability partners do not need to be MAC users.

Although Covenant Eyes is too honest for my own good (^^), this will surely be a good application for all parents who want to monitor their children's internet use. Or partners who want to maintain an honest relationship. Or whoever wants to have "freedom from compulsive internet use" (what the-?). If you think you need Covenant Eyes, feel free to sign-up on their website.

If there was ever an Extreme Makeover or The Swan for Macs, this application would be the plastic surgeon. Fruit Menu gives you the ability to customize the Apple Menu and contextual menus using a visual editor. Add a little bit here, take a little bit there as you edit the contents of the menus to suit your liking.

The update is free for all registered users; if you are unregistered and interested in trying it out though, expect to pay $10 before you can have it. Being a Universal haxie, this one will work on both PowerPC and Intel based Macs. Other features in this one include an automatic version checker, redesigned interface of the preference pane, bug fixes, Application Enhancer 2.0, and Smart Crash Reports 1.2.

The Swiss knife is one of the most innovative creations of all time, letting us do a lot of useful things with the aid of one small tool. This may be the reason why Tenon Intersystems has chosen a Swiss knife-esque logo to represent its commercial Web-based GUI for configuration and management of Apache. With iTools, users are able to automate hosting tasks and delegate administration.

Just today, Tenon has unleashed its iTools 8.2.2 with the latest Apache 2.2.2 as a Universal Binary for both Intel and PowerPC-based Macs. Considered as the Apache gold standard, Apache 2.2.2 is a maintenance update to the 2.2 Apache fork. Its new architectural features include an improved memory/disk utilization where files greater than 2GB are supported, a new database API, and new database modules enabling database applications to work more efficiently.

iTools 8.2.2, also a maintenance update, includes updated packages like phpMyAdmin 2.8.1 and MySQL 5.0.18. To enable both legacy Macintosh applications and other Web  tools to run with the latest iTools, new Apache modules were also included. Supported in v8.2.2 are Maxum's NetCloak, SmithMicro's WebDNA, OmniPilot's Lasso, and Macromedia's ColdFusion packages.

You can avail of the Universal Binary version of iTools for $350; while an iTools bundled that includes Post. Office and WEBMail with one year support is priced at $1,000. Available through Tenon.