Apple's iTunes doesn't disappoint
More: www.apple.com/.itunes
Apple Computer has never been a stranger to blending computing power with sound, but for years would-be disc jockeys and music fans have had to look elsewhere for a digital platform.
Not anymore.
The company has finally included rewriteable CD drives as standard equipment on its new line of personal computers, including the ubiquitous iMac.
Bundled with the machines is iTunes, an easy-to-use program that lets MP3 users, compact disc owners and even vinyl LP aficionados manipulate their music on digital media.
Itunes, above, is a small but feature-laden program that organizes MP3 files and lets you rip CDs and burn the music onto CD-ROM or CD-RW discs, and it does it fast.
This mini mouse means business
The Super Mini Optical Mouse by Atek Electronics doesn't simply move you quickly from place to place on your laptop's screen. It does it precisely. The tiny device 1 inch wide and 2 1/2 inches long offers a nice alternative to the eraser-head stick pointer or touch pad that laptop manufacturers incorporate into their computers.
The Super Mini, above, is a standard PC mouse with left and right buttons that function the same as a full-size mouse. The optical eye allows you to roll it on an airplane tray table, car door armrest or even your leg and still track properly.
And because of its size, you don't need much space to use the Super Mini. Scrolling side-to-side no more than 2 inches will get you from one end of the screen to the next.
Thanks to its optical eye, this mouse doesn't require maintenance such as cleaning out the gummy mess that sometimes collects inside the ball housing of a roller mouse.
Available through the Web site atek.safeshopper.com/1/cat1.htm?243, the Super Mini costs $50.
Palm deals a new handheld
Palm recently added the $199 Palm m105 to its line of personal digital assistants. The new unit looks like the m100 handheld but comes with 8 megabytes of memory four times that of the m100.
The m105 also includes a connectivity kit to plug it in to a compatible cell phone for wireless Internet access. But the m105's lack of updatable system memory means it won't be possible to upgrade its operating system, Palm OS 3.5, to the upcoming Palm OS 4.0.
EarthLink raises DSL rates
Internet provider EarthLink Inc. has raised the monthly fee for its digital-subscriber-line access from $39.95 to $49.95. The high-speed service offers downloads of up to 1.5 million bits per second and uploads as fast as 256 kilobits per second. A company representative pointed to rising monthly tariffs and fees from phone companies as the reason for the price hike.
At the same time, however, Earthlink is also getting rid of its $99 DSL setup fee, under the thinking that this charge was a "stumbling block" to adoption of the broadband service.
More turf to surf
About half the households in America are on the Internet, but nearly every home is equipped with a TV.
If you're one of the Internet have-nots and happen to be shopping for a new TV, there's a new Zenith set worth a close look.
The new model will enable you to try the Web with a minimum of fuss and bother. And if you don't like the experience, you still have a nice, new television in your den or bedroom.
The Telecruz D27B48T comes with free Internet access and a built-in modem, so there's no hardware to add if you're looking to get online. The $600 set features a 27-inch screen and a wireless keyboard that works just like a remote control.
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