Smashing Magazine, one of my favorite web sites has a run down on vector based programs. It’s a mix of Windows, Linux and of course Mac programs. Our interest is of course the Mac programs. Illustrator, CorelDraw are still the pinnacle of vector based illustration software but both are also expensive. So for people on a budget, especially in the current financial turmoil we’re facing, cheap alternatives are welcome. Of course cheap should not mean crappy.
The software you should focus on are Inkscape, Ipe, ConceptDraw, Drawit, Jfig, ZeusDraw, Nodebox, Scribus and SK1. All of these offer Mac versions.
Check out …read more

[image courtesy of Apple]
Apple recently began shipping its new 24″ LED display. Macworld reviewed the display and gave it a 4 out of 5 rating.
The new display currently has a limited audience, it being owners of the new aluminum MacBooks and the the new MacBook Pros. Both of which sport the new Mini DisplayPort.
Since the new display is using LED panels, startup or warm-up times are faster, energy consumption less and it should last longer. The glossy screen also should give a more vibrant image although it also comes with glare.
Macworld says its strengths lie in great …read more

If you’re a photographer or doing a lot of Photoshop work, chances are you’ve heard of Scott Kelby. He’s a renowned photographer, author and Photoshop guru. He co-hosts Photoshop User TV with Dave Cross and Matt Kloskowski.
Scott wrote his review on the new MacBook Pro. The jist of his review says that as a whole he loves the MacBook Pro but there are some issues with the trackpad and Photoshop that are preventing him from fully embracing the MacBook Pro.
Having been able to play with a MacBook, I understand the trackpad issues. It’s a great trackpad but there are …read more

Together with the Air Manila sleeve, I was also loaned a Radiator case for the MacBook by a friend of mine who just bought these two. I borrowed both cases from him to do a mini-review. The review of the Air Manila can be found here.
When I found out that I was going to have a chance to look at both products I must admit I was more excited to see the Radiator than the Air Manila. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes and no.
Yes because it looks as nice in person as it is in pictures. …read more

I just got my hands on an Air Manila Sleeve for the MacBook Air. It was loaned to me by a friend who recently bought one. This particular sleeve is manufactured by Civilian Lab. Now, a sleeve for the MacBook Air is a fairly simple product. There’s not much bells and whistles you can put on it. Rightfully so.
What it lacks in features though it makes up for in quality. The premium waterproof leather used for the sleeve gives it a sense of luxury. The padded lining gives it a sense of protection. Although I’m not sure it will completely …read more

MacWorld’s Jackie Dove reviewed the latest MacBook Pros release. In the review it states that this is the fastest Apple portables to date.
The new MacBook Pros feature the new 45mm Penryn processors from Intel. Delivering significant increase in performance, battery life and less heat.
The MacBook Pros still feature the same design and that’s one reason why some perceive it as just a speed bump rather than an upgrade. Granted there’s the new multitouch trackpad and the new keyboard configuration. To the untrained eye it still looks pretty much the same.
In my opinion as long as the case …read more

The MacBook Air is a thing of beauty, a sliver of modern sculpture you could be happy just to look at or to stroke. You may not need it, but you’ll want it; when you see it, you will.
That’s the line in an article written by Prof. Jose Dalisay Jr., Butch as he is known to most, that caught my attention the most.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting Prof. Dalisay through PhilMUG. He is one of the Philippine’s modern literary greats. Prof. Dalisay is a multiple award winning author, esteemed professor and Mac addict.
He recently replaced his aging 12″ Powerbook …read more

Ars Technica has a “no-spin” review of the MacBook Air. Simply put they’ve written about the MacBook Air sans the “reality distortion field”.
They were able to compare the base 1.6 Ghz 80GB version vs. the 1.8 Ghz 64GB SSD variant. The conclusion? The SSD version while fast in some aspects it was also not a big improvement in some. The .2 Ghz speed bump didn’t seem to translate into a substantial speed gain.
While the SSD is indeed faster in boot time and experiences less beach ball moments, the $1,300 price tag doesn’t seem to justify it. The base model is …read more

One of the recent Apple products that I got really excited about was the new Apple Wireless Keyboard. When I first saw it I was stunned. From the pictures that I saw posted on the Apple web site, it looked like it was a thing of beauty. The problem was that when Apple announced it, the keyboard wasn’t ready to be shipped it. It would take weeks before they hit the stores. So people forgot about it. Well, not me. It’s one of the products I’ve been lusting for. Thanks to my friend who recently came from a trip to …read more

Admittedly it was the picture above that got my attention. I love a clean workspace. Well because mine is a bit messy. I want a clean workspace but I can’t seem to keep it that way. Anyway, a clean workspace is even better when it has a 30″ Cinema Display on it and powered by a Mac Pro.
This is exactly what Glenn Wolsey has. Who’s Glenn? Honestly I thought he was some 30 year old computer nut who does programming or a 30 something web/graphic designer. I based this just on the looks of his workspace. I was wrong. He’s …read more