ComputorEdge Wally Wang's Apple Farm Column List

For most Mac users, the built-in ZIP compression/uncompression feature will be more than adequate, but StuffIt Expander deals with more file formats. Also, the iPad keeps developing new uses; GearZap's Bluetooth keyboard adds to the iPad's appeal; will Microsoft's Windows Phone marketing blitz pan out?; complacency abounds in the Windows world; and a tip on using Pages to export to ePub files.

Given the similarities between the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad, which one is best for you? Also, Flash woes and insights; will Intel's $7.68 billion McAfee investment pay off in the long run?; and a tip on changing your system update settings.

Apple TV can be handy for watching videos on a big-screen TV, but when you want to move around the house, you might prefer the iPad. Also, more on Flash, or Frash, on your iPhone; Apple tackles the college market again; Microsoft's latest arguments against choosing a Macintosh; anyone with a dream can create their own cartoon series; and a tip on customizing the way your files appear in the Finder.

As color laser printers continue dropping in price, they'll start displacing inkjet printers as quickly as inkjet printers pushed aside dot-matrix and daisy-wheel printers. Also, more Apple rumors; Apple continues making inroads into the college market; the Tactile Pro keyboard offers tactile feedback for touch typists; Microsoft Office 2011 for the Mac is coming; and a tip on a faster way to jump from one tab to another.

Before dismissing Apple's new touch-gesture Magic Trackpad, mouse users should try one for themselves. Also, a pro-Microsoft blogger loves her iPad; Android's lack of a vetting process may lead to Trojan horse apps; streaming video is the future of content delivery; Microsoft is late to the tablet PC party; and Safari now offers extensions for customizing your browser.

With programs like iWeb, you won't have to spend a lot of time wrestling with the details of creating and managing your own Web site. Also, the iPhone 4 Case Program app lets you pick a free bumper case; new product announcements from Apple; free educational materials are available on the Web; and a tip on right-clicking on the title bar of a window to display the hierarchy of folders.

The Macintosh's market share will likely continue rising at the expense of market share for Windows. Also, the problem with the iPhone 4's antenna; the MicroCell may be the answer to better indoor iPhone reception; some Apple critics are simply in denial; an iPad app lets priests celebrate Mass; and a tip on pressing Command Tab to display a list of open program icons in the middle of the screen.

Simple precautions help you safely navigate the Internet without losing money to criminals. Also, people criticize Apple without first investigating the facts; InDesign now offers collaborative features; Bento is a deceptively simple yet flexible database program; and a tip on double-clicking on the title bar of a window you want to temporarily hide.

In the Macintosh world, popular Web page-designing programs offer a built-in FTP program, and third-party options exist, as well. Also, tech firms offer lessons about reacting and adapting to change; Photoshop helps you combine digital photography with artistry; Brushes lets you turn your iPad into a painting canvas; and a tip on using the Installed Software tab for a list of all the updates you've installed on your Macintosh.

Breathe new life into an aging PC by adopting Linux, or switch to the Mac and try Linux as a virtual machine. Also, why you shouldn't just rely on dry technical specifications when choosing a product; with Dragon Dictation and an Internet connection, you can dictate to your iPad; why depending too much on another company is rarely a reliable business strategy; and a tip on using the Target disk Mode button, which lets you treat a Macintosh as an external hard disk.

The Apple TV device lets you buy or rent TV shows or movies through iTunes and watch them on your big-screen TV. Also, the Mac mini is a bargain in the low-cost computer category; download and synchronize TV shows or movies with your iPad; more mythical Flash sightings on a mobile device; the iPad helps kids; Xcode 4 is dramatically different from Xcode 3; and a tip on quickly closing programs in Safari.

If you want to switch to the Macintosh but still feel tied to Windows for running certain programs, a virtualization program lets you have the best of both worlds. Also, DriveGenius can help ensure that your hard disk remains in optimum condition; turn your iPad into a second monitor with Air Display; Illustrator's Bristle Brush feature helps you create more realistic images; and a tip on using Safari 5's Reader mode to make it easier to read a Web page.

Some people will find Google Wave invaluable, but will the real-time collaboration tool fill a useful niche or become something more indispensable to a broader audience? Also, odd uses for the iPad; the real reason the Macintosh is safe from hackers; a unique Photoshop feature called Puppet Warp; Apple's Developer's Conference announcements; and a tip on using the Activity window to see what your browser is downloading.

Although the threat of spyware infecting a Macintosh is low, those still worried about Macintosh spyware should consider MacScan. Also, the rise of electronic self-publishing; what will Apple reveal at its annual developers conference?; the iPhone/iPad market seems to be exploding for developers; the multiple technical limitations of Flash; and a tip on switching to Internet radio stations for your listening pleasure.

To run Windows programs on a Macintosh, you have two free choices and two choices that will cost you money. Also, the continuing success of the iPad; Photoshop CS5's latest features are irresistible; and a tip on using the Paste and Match Style command.

The ClickToFlash plug-in lets you block Flash from appearing on Web pages. Also, with too many IT departments stuck in a 'No' cycle, maybe companies should just start saying No to traditional IT departments; get a free education courtesy of iTunes U; the "Things" task-management program lets you create a list of tasks to do; and Apple provides a variety of tutorials to teach you how to use a Macintosh.

A Mac or iPhone makes uploading videos to YouTube even easier. Also, the Guardian Eyewitness turns your iPad into a daily photography course; if you're having trouble learning iPhone/iPad programming, read "Beginning Mac Programming"; iDraw condenses the features of high-priced drawing programs into a tiny app; is Flash a luxury or a necessity?; and a tip on preventing Safari from automatically opening certain downloaded files.

MobileMe makes it easy to synchronize your appointments and contact information between multiple devices such as an iMac, MacBook Pro laptop, iPhone and iPad. Also, the "iPad killers" are all quickly dying; novices create new ways to compute with the iPad; and a tip on filtering out junk mail by customizing the Mail program.

Unlike computer viruses that can be stopped and removed automatically by software, Internet scams can only be stopped through knowledge. Also, Microsoft keeps copying instead of innovating; Stellar Phoenix makes it easy for you to find and recover deleted files; a look at how statistics in marketing can lie to you; and a tip on viewing Office documents on the go with your iPad.

People traumatized by their previous computer inaccurately assume that the faults of their current computer must also apply to any product offered by Apple. Also, a tip on removing Safari plug-ins that may be slowing you down.

Create a simple home network via Preferences, where you can designate exactly what files to share. For another way to share files, try an online service such as MobileMe. Also, typing on the flat, glass surface of the iPad is surprisingly easy and comfortable; the iPad offers a new app paradigm; and a tip on easily renaming a file on a Mac.

Once you can master time management, the rest of your life will just naturally seem to fall into place. Also, the iPad makes a first impression; exploitive sales tactics—whether for cars or computers—will cause company losses in the long run; and a tip on how to peek at all the data downloaded from a Web page.

With the imminent arrival of Apple's iPad on April 3, expect Apple to continue making a profit while its competitors struggle to keep up. Also, programming the iPad; if you're in the market for a Macintosh laptop, wait; advice on buying Apple stock; and a tip on moving the cursor by holding down the Command key and pressing one of the arrow keys.

Ambrosia Software's Snapz Pro lets you choose the file format and folder to store a captured image. Also, resources for iPhone programming; the sorry saga of Palm; and a tip on making it easy to find downloaded files.

Where cell phones are the latest lucrative honeypot for phone companies, VoIP calls represent an entirely new communication model. Also, a look at The Wisdom of 33 Voices; The iPad represents change, and how you handle this change can foreshadow what might happen to you in the future; and a tip on hiding the clutter on your screen.

Find those misplaced files on your Mac with the handy Finder, Spotlight tool, or nifty organizational features like color-coding. Also, Microsoft has chosen to promote two mobile phone systems that aren't compatible with each other; building an iPhone app quickly and easily with Runtime Revolution's revMobile; a Penguin Books' demonstration shows the interactive power of the iPad; the future is coming for Microsoft—in 2003; and a tip on clicking and Option-clicking on the volume-control icon on the menu bar to switch between headphones and speakers on your Mac.