Archive for the ‘Product Reviews’ Category

Brent Petersen, Kachemacs

Product Title: The Digital Photography Companion

Author: Derrick Story

Price: $24.99 retail (remember our group discount!)

Publisher: O’Reilly Media, Inc

Publisher Phone #: (800) 998-9938

Website: www.oreilly.com

Summer is approaching and its time to get out your digital camera for some great shots. If you are a beginner or need to refresh your skills, or just an average user check out The Digital Photography Companion, by Derrick Story. This book covers the the basics from exposure control to printing. Bear in mind though this book like the title is just a photography companion not the bible and does not go into great depth but gives you the basics very quickly so it is great for a quick reference for the average digital photographer. It is a quick and simple read and has lots of pictures as examples. So if your needs are much more information and knowledge one must choose another book. But if you just need a quick reference and are just learning then this book is for you.

Have fun and enjoy the great digital photography world.

PROS: A great read for new or average digital photography user with little or no knowledge. This book will start you out in the right direction.

CONS: If you’re an experienced user then you will find that the book digital photography companion is just a shallow companion for the digital world of photography. But please refer your less informed digital friends to this reference as a starter guide.

RATING: Overall, I would rate this a “5,” but only from a beginners’ standpoint. Anyone more advanced is not going to get much benefit.

Just in, we have some great titles from O’Reilly. Now available for review:

Switching to the Mac, Leopard Edition
Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac
Office 2008 for Macintosh

Thanks, O’Reilly! I need help from the Kachemacs finding homes for these handy references.

Cheryl Riley, Kachemacs

Product Title: Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Tiger Edition

Author: David Pogue

Price: $29.95 retail (remember our group discount!)

Publisher: O’Reilly Media, Inc

Publisher Phone #: (800) 998-9938

Website: www.oreilly.com

As a new Mac computer user I found this book to be very helpful. I enjoyed the introduction as it helped me understand what’s old and what’s new, how the Tiger Edition evolved and what to look for in the future.

At first glance the book appears a little scary to the beginner but once I started reading and got the feel for how it is structured it became much easier to follow along.

I read the miniature sidebar articles called “Up to Speed” first. I would read about the subject and then go to the tips and diagrams which were especially helpful.

This book covers a lot of information and much of it is too advanced for me right now, but by referring to the table of contents or index to look up a particular topic I want to learn I can easily flip to that section and go one step at a time. As I learn more, the book becomes easier to follow. A beginner can definitely find their way around in the manual.

Having a clearly written users manual for whatever version you have is a must with Mac in my opinion.

PROS: A touch of humor by the author makes this manual fun.
It is easy to read and well organized.
This manual helped me to learn simple key strokes for different commands and shortcuts.

CONS: There is never enough diagrams to help the beginner.
Repetition is helpful to the beginner.
Can’t really think of any other cons I just need to keep using it.

RATING: I would rate the manual a “5″. As I continue to use my computer and refer to this manual and will be able to use the more advanced sections once I have got the basics.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this manual and will continue to use it as I extend my knowledge base in the Mac world.

I have been approached by a marketer from Eltima Software concerning their new version of SyncMate for Mac.  This is syncing software for Mobile devices.  If anyone uses a handheld or a smartphone on their list and wants a review copy, let me know and I’ll get you one.

I have some more items for review.  They are $5 each and you get to keep the software when you do the review within 30 days.

Mac OS 10.5 Leopard

Bento from FileMaker (database program).

These are courtesy of Apple’s User Group program.  Please send me a message if you are interested in either of these programs.  I have purchased both of them for myself in the past and have found them to be worthwhile, although I could use a bit more experience with Bento.

Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Product Title: Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor
Price: $25.95 by download, $34.95 for delivered hard copy
Distributor: Runtime Revolution Ltd
Distributor Phone #: 011 44 (0)870 747 1165 (UK)
Website: http://www.tenthumbstypingtutor.com/

“The keyboard we use today, developed by Christopher Lantham Sholes in 1867 was initially made with keys in alphabetical order. It was modified as needed to prevent jamming of keys by making it slower to type on.”

This is one of the many gems in the tips and tricks that are presented every time Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor is started up. Let’s face it, the modern QWERTY keyboard layout is not very intuitive and is difficult to master. I could definitely use some help improving my skills.
There is an alternative which is not very mainstream but is much easier to use once learned called the Dvorak layout. All modern Macs have the capability to set the keymap to this alternate layout. Nothing keeps people off your computer like switching the keymaps!
Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor has both keymaps available for training in the program. This makes it very advantageous for adults looking to reduce repetitive stress by learning Dvorak, and also for beginning typists who wish to master the QWERTY setup.
The program is easy to install on a single computer from a downloaded image. There is a network version as well, but this review sticks to the single user license version.
The program had a well thought out although a bit juvenile Viking theme to its animations. Aside from the basic boring typing for the sake of retyping given text in other tutorials, there are some other notable features. It does have a section to teach correct ergonomics, which is important for any frequent typist. There are two starting levels, one that slowly introduces the keys in groups, and one that allows one to practice the whole keyboard. To spice it up a bit and give it appeal to the younger typists, two games are included. Another feature is SongSeeker, the ability to search the internet for song lyrics for the music playing on iTunes and use them for the selected text to copy. Although the features are quite diverse, the interface lacks the Aquaesque elegance that most Mac native applications tend to have.
Statistical analysis is important as a gauge for progress. Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor has a number of analysis methods which measure error rate, speed, time in practice, and assessment of goals.
Touch typing is a skill that fewer young people are developing. I started using Apples when I was very young and learned to type by looking at the keys. I have that habit to this day. If I had had Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor at the age of seven, I would have played the games like crazy and learned to type properly much younger. I do believe that all children should have this program on their first computers so they develop healthy habits from the start. This program seems to be geared to the grade school and junior high age group, but it is not so juvenile to bar adults from using it.

Pros: Easy to set up and use, excellent communication with developers in Britain, entertainment value, multiple keymaps and languages supported, multiplatform.
Cons: Geared toward younger users, not enough lyrics supported in the iTunes SongSeeker feature, text can be hard to read in the game animatons.

Concept: 4
Ease of installation: 5
Delivery: 5
Documentation: 3
Support: 5
Features: 4
Interface: 3

Overall this software scores a solid 4. Although there are many typing tutors out there, many for free, this one at the price of a takeout pizza offers a more well thought out and feature packed application.

We are recognized as a Mac Users Group by TidBITS and Take Control Books.  This means savings on books for members.  Take a look at Take Control Books for a number of Mac related titles.  The primary distribution method for these books is e-book format, which is a PDF file you can read on your computer or print yourself.  Hard copies are available, too.  E-books are free shipping and immediate gratification.  Here is the code for our 10% discount:  CPN31208MUG

We also have generously been given a complimentary copy of titles in their library.  We will be reviewing some of these books, so if you see something you’d like to read and review let me know.

Take advantage of your benefit as a Kachemacs member.  Review a book.  You’ll be reading it anyway if you are interested in the material.  Remember, reviewed material is yours to keep  if you follow the guidelines posted in this blog thread.

I have compiled, with the help of the AAUG (Anchorage Users Group), a document to guide the product reviewers.  Anyone who reviews has 30 days to follow these guidelines and produce a written review to be published on the site.   The product may also be featured in a meeting, where the product and the reviewer would attend and share with the group.  Please read if you are interested.

kachemacs-product-reviewer-guidelines.doc

I have these items currently up for grabs:

Facebook, The Missing Manual (book)

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor (software)

Remember, after your review is finished you may keep the items.

 by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Product: Studio Artist 3.5
Company: Synthetik Software, Inc
Contact: 1-866-511-9971
Website: www.synthetik.com
Price: $379 (free demo for download)

Pros: Fills a niche in graphic design, support and community is
outstanding, use is as easy or complex as the user makes it.

Cons: Dated packaging and interface, some terminology is a bit odd,
no multiple undos.

Studio Artist is touted by Synthetik Software as a “graphics
synthesizer.” This apt term describes an unusual program that
defies categorization. It is not a photo manipulator, a vector
graphics drawing program, graphics animator, or a video editor. It
happens to be, rather, a hybrid of all of the above and more.

Brand spanking new out of the (somewhat dated) packaging and
inserted into your Mac’s optical drive, the program installs
effortlessly. Using Classic? No problem. The support goes back to
System 8.6, however my old G3 Blueberry iMac’s 32MB of RAM (the
minimum requirement) just can’t stand up next to my MacBook Pro’s
efficiency in running this software. Not only does Studio Artist
run on Classic Macs, it also runs well on Leopard and Intel
machines. It has been suggested that there is an issue with
internal MacBook iSight cameras in Leopard but I have tested this
and have had no issues.

Once installed, you can remove the installation disk and get started
on the 3 CDs worth of tutorials. There are 8 hours of extensive
Quicktime walkthroughs narrated by the creator himself, John
Dalton. Also at your disposal is a 500+ page detailed PDF manual.
So far, these resources have answered my basic questions.

For those who prefer to take leave of the didactic tutorials and
manuals and like to jump right in, Studio Artist right out of the
box and onto your desktop can be worth hours of instant
gratification. The irresistible draw of this software is that an
amateur home user can scratch the surface, using presets and
automatic painting, and create works of art in minutes. A
professional video producer or graphic artist can take the time to
make it over the learning curve and use complex features and modulo
operations to create still and animated masterpieces like no other
software on the market can. All other users can find their places
in between and experiment their way through the software.

Aside from the resources that come in the box, there is a very
active and welcoming community of artists on the Studio Artist User
Forum. John Dalton, who is Synthetik, is an active member of the
online community and is a very prompt responder to e-mail, many
times replying within minutes. I challenge other software vendors
to come close to this level of service. When I inquired about
Studio Artist’s overall obscurity in the Mac community I received
the response from John Dalton, “…We did make a decision several
years ago that the product was better served by keeping the company
boutique size as opposed to grow, grow, grow at any cost and
structured the company accordingly. I’d rather have a high quality
relationship with our customers.” He has indeed achieved that
relationship.

For those wondering what this program actually DOES, I am still
learning its limits. Those limits seem few and far between. The
most glaring of these limits is the restriction to just one undo.
Ouch. Not for the indecisive among us. Use your save hotkey often.

The interface is unlike many of the graphics software packages on
the market. One will notice the absence of multiple palettes, as
commands are selected from a central control panel to the left of
the image. Drop down menus will also provide a path to the same
end. With time, the seasoned graphics artist will adapt to and
appreciate this unique layout.

Studio Artist will take an image of your choice and “synthesize” it
in a number of ways. Using the “Paint Synthesizer” one can apply a
number of painted effects to a photo or drawing to achieve artistic
ends. Transformations can also be used to create interesting warp
effects. Studio Artist also uses Bezier edits, layers, masking, and
alpha channels in keeping with the features of some of the leading
graphics programs on the market.

Studio Artist does not stop at still images. One of its most
versatile features is its “Paint Action Sequence,” which can be used
in creating a timeline animation. One can breathe life into a
single image by using layers and frames to create a movie. Morphing
is also possible using tweening and “Paint Action Sequence.”
Individual frames of a video sequence can also be rendered
identically using a “Paint Action Sequence” to produce remarkable
effects, including auto-rotoscoping.

A noticeable feature of Studio Artist is its hybrid nature. One can
become very comfortable using the “Vectorizer” to convert raster
graphics to vector images. This is the key to Studio Artist’s
ability to dynamically size images. Vectorized images can further
be processed via Bezier editing for remarkable control and
scalability of the image.

The latest release of the software integrates two features, the
“Supersizer” and the standalone “MSG Evolver.” The “Supersizer” is
an alternative interpolator which can take small images and scale
them very large without the artifact normally seen in this type of
operation. The MSG (Modular Synthesized Graphics) Evolver can be
used to create new presets for advanced image processing.

The Studio Artist software also offers Wacom integration of pen tilt
and pressure, and includes presets specific to the Wacom tablet
technology.

Studio Artist will give back to the user what effort the user puts
into its mastery. It is a worthy application to for the iPhoto
enthusiast who wants a unique way to transform home photography. It
is versatile enough for the career artist to computer enhance visual
art. It is also formidable enough for the commercial graphic artist
as an adjunct to other image processing software. The power to
price ratio far exceeds other choices in graphics applications
available for Mac.

In summary:

Concept: 5
Ease of installation: 5
Delivery: 4
Efficiency: 5
Documentation/support: 5 (+)
Stability: 4
Potential: 5

Overall, this is one of the few applications I’ve seen that deserves
a high five (literally). Mac users with an appreciation for visual
artistic interpretation should indulge in this software, and all Mac
users I know understand the sort of eye candy Studio Artist delivers.