Scott Sheppard takes a lighthearted look at what's new and exciting in the world of the Macintosh computer in this one-hour weekly radio show. From the digital hub to the den of the Panther operating system, Scott is always on top of what is happening in the world of Macintosh and has his finger on the pulse of the industry. With a tasty serving of news, reviews, information, and interviews, Inside Mac is all Mac, all the time, and one of the unique tech shows on radio today.

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Inside Mac - January 24th 2004

Listen / Download the January 24th, 2004 Show

Larry O'Connor - CEO - Other World Computing

Larry O'Connor, 29, is the founder, president and chief executive officer of Illinois-based, Other World Computing (OWC). The company is a leading provider of quality computer upgrade products and services for Macintosh users around the world - primarily through www.macsales.com, one of the most popular Macintosh e-commerce sites on the Web.

O'Connor's entrepreneurial interests were kindled at an early age through various direct selling endeavors and his efforts to reprogram an accounting application for his father's company at the age of eight.

At age 14, O'Connor began re-inking computer ribbons in the garage of his family's home in Woodstock, Ill. He offered the service through word-of-mouth advertising and small self-promotional activities to local businesses as a cost-saving alternative to buying new printer ribbons. This was the beginning of what would become OWC, a multi-million dollar business.

The following year, O'Connor had an opportunity to resell computer memory. To capitalize on this opportunity, O'Connor turned to the Internet.

As a result, his company became one of the first to use AOL's Mall Classifieds, as well as online chat rooms, to promote itself and its products. Using a phone, a computer, and a UPS shipping account, O'Connor quickly grew his printer-ribbon refurbishing and memory-resale venture into a thriving computer products and services business, and in 1994, OWC reached $1 million in annual sales.

Since its inception, OWC has evaluated and added thousands of consumer electronics and computer hardware products to its inventory, all of which are warehoused in and shipped from a 10,000-square-foot facility in Woodstock.

OWC offers its own line of Macintosh upgrade products, which was launched in the mid-1990s. Sold under the brand name OWC Mercury', the product line includes accelerators, FireWire storage solutions, and external enclosure kits for FireWire components, among other hardware products.

In 2001, O'Connor introduced a line of leather carrying cases and accessories for portable electronics, including Apple's iPod MP3 player and notebook computers. OWC also introduced the Laptop Screen Protector, which protects laptop monitors from damage and marks while laptops are closed.

In addition to his thriving retail business, O'Connor launched OWC.net in 1997. OWC.net is an independent Internet service provider (ISP) offering traditional dial-up and DSL broadband Internet access, as well as satellite connectivity, hosting, Web site and graphic design services. In Spring 2002, OWC.net became the only ISP in the greater Chicago area to offer the latest V.92 dial-up technology. And in early 2003, OWC launched FasterMac.net, a national Internet Service Provider designed specifically for Macintosh users.

During the past 15 years, O'Connor has seen OWC grow into a profitable company with more than 50 employees, industry-recognized hardware and software products, and annual sales of more than $22 million in 2003.

O'Connor is also co-founder of Price.com, which has provided consumers with online comparative pricing information for computer and electronic products since 1998.

Other World Computing has remained loyal to its roots in Woodstock since its early days in O'Connor's home up to its present location, where the company handles warehousing and order processing for several thousand unique products. Those products include OWC's own line of hardware products sold under the MercuryTM and Neptune' brands. The company currently employs more than 50 full-time people, and to this day, O'Connor remains the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer.

OWC currently operates a popular online e-commerce store specializing in Macintosh upgrade and expansion products, provides nationwide dial-up and DSL Internet services and has also developed a complete line of Macintosh hardware products.

• MacSales.com: MacSales.com is OWC's flagship Web site and one of the leading Macintosh e-tailers on the Web, featuring thousands of computer upgrade and expansion products for the Macintosh user. OWC also owns and operates MemoryHQ.com and FasterMacs.com, which are stores within MacSales.com specializing in the sale of memory for all makes and models of computers, as well as acceleration products, respectively. MacSales.com also features an online tech center, where users can find online documentation and support for a variety of Apple and OEM products.
• Mercury Brand: In addition to selling and supporting products from various hardware manufacturers, OWC assembles and sells its own line of hardware products under the Mercury brand. The products include accelerators, hard drives, CD/CD-R/CD-RW and DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RW drives, memory, FireWire accessories, storage device enclosures and leather accessories, among others. Other World Computing is an Apple Certified Developer and was recently added to Apple's Hot Deals program.
• Neptune Brand: Under its Neptune brand, OWC offers FireWire storage solutions featuring top-quality components and performance at "value done right." The current line consists of drives available in 60- to 250GB capacities.
• XPostFacto: In partnership with Ryan Rempel, OWC released XPostFacto, a free application designed to allow pre-G3 Macintosh computers the ability to install and boot Macintosh's latest operating system, Mac OS X, a capability not available from Apple Computer. The company provides complete details and support information for the XPostFacto at its OS X Center on MacSales.com.
• OWC.Net: OWC has offered dialup Internet services since 1997. OWC.Net, a division of OWC, offers a complete line of Internet services, including unlimited local v.92 dial-up Internet access, DSL services, e-commerce solutions, Web site design and hosting, and graphic design.
• FasterMac.Net: Debuted in March 2003, FasterMac.Net was created as a Macintosh-only Internet service that provides nationwide 56K dialup access. Noted for its easy setup and reliable service in addition to extremely affordable prices, FasterMac.Net makes it simple for Macintosh owners to finally get the tailored service and support they need.

With its focus on Macintosh products and services, the company supports loyal brand users and receives purchase requests and support queries from across various industries and from around the world. Following is a breakdown of OWC's target markets:

• 40% government and education,
• 30% Macintosh consultants,
• 20% end users, and
• 10% resellers

Matt Engstrom - Shure

E3 Earphones Offer Sleek Design, High Quality Audio for Onstage and Off

Shure Incorporated has added a new look and feel to its popular line of E Series in ear earphones with the launch of the E3. The E3 sound isolating earphones combine the same unparalleled studio-quality listening experience common to the line, with a new level of comfort and design that make it the perfect accessory for personal monitor systems and portable listening devices.

The smallest and most compact design of any earphone in the Shure line, the E3s utilize low mass, high energy micro-speakers to deliver incredibly precise sound. In addition, the E3s block external noise with comfortable sound-isolating sleeves that contour to the inside of the ears.

With the Shure E3, users will enjoy:

Studio-Quality Sound: Sound isolation prevents outside noise from interfering with the music, and creates a quiet space for exceptional audio clarity. The studio grade, low mass, high energy micro-speakers employ balanced armature technology for more efficient output and extended high frequencies.

Longer Wearing Comfort: Instead of bulky headphones, E3 wearers get form-fitting earpieces that stay securely inside the ear without uncomfortable headbands. And with Shure's most compact design, the E3 is Shure's smallest earphone model. Every E3 comes with its own complete Fit Kit to match a wide variety of ear sizes and fit preferences, including expanding foam sleeves, three sizes of flex sleeves, and three sizes ultra-soft flex sleeves.

A Stylish New Design: The Shure E3 sports a new design to match portable devices, while still looking discrete onstage. A carrying case rounds out the convenient package.

The Shure E3 is compatible with all 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) audio outputs. Home and office users who crave audiophile sound can plug the earphones into their DVD entertainment systems and computers. Road warriors with portable MP3, CD, and MiniDisc players, as well as Palm and Pocket PC handhelds, will appreciate the sound isolation from travel noise. Gamers will love the fully immersive experience the E3c adds to systems such as the Xbox, Playstation, and GameCube

John Christopher - DriveSavers

John Christopher is a data recovery engineer at DriveSavers in Novato, CA. For the past nine years he has retrieved data from drives and other storage devices that have crashed and burned (sometimes literally).

Some of John's celebrated recoveries include writers and producers for "The Simpsons", HBO's "Sex and the City", band members from the group "Nine Inch Nails" and others.

Over the years, John has also managed to find time to write for various publications including Macworld, Tidbits, Mac Home Journal, and is a contributing editor for the soon-to-be published ninth edition of "The Macintosh Bible" from Peachpit Press.

Gateway's DV-S20 Pocket Multi-Cam

Consumers Can Capture Video and Photos on the Go with Low-Cost Multi-Cam That is Smaller Than a Wallet

The Gateway DV-S20 Pocket Multi-Cam combines MPEG4 video and 2-megapixel still photography into one low-cost device at just $199.99 - half the price of competitive cameras and a quarter of the price of a miniDV camcorder using traditional DV tapes.

Measuring only 3.5 x 2.5 x 1.2-inches and weighing only 4.3 ounces, the new Gateway's DV-S20 Pocket Multi-Cam captures memorable moments - moving or still -- in a case small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. With its low price, Gateway's digital multi-cam makes it fun and easy for teens, college students or families to capture life's unexpected moments on the fly.

The Gateway multi-cam's all-digital format means there is no need for tape. Rather, the Gateway DV-S20 Pocket Multi-Cam records on 64MB internal memory that can hold up to 18 minutes of MPEG4 video or a SD card can be added for up to 144 minutes. The memory acts as digital film, letting customers preserve videos and transfer them to a PC or watch them on TV. The camcorder is so versatile that it can also perform as a digital camera storing as many as 730 digital photos with the internal memory.

The multi-cam combines an impressive feature set in a small package. Its 2.5x digital zoom results in close-up shots, while the flip-out-reversible, color LCD screen is ideal for previewing films. Gateway's multi-cam produces movies at 25 frames per second in 320 x 240 resolution and still images in 1600 x 1200 resolution. Users can shoot with one hand and choose from three recording modes - super fine, fine and normal - depending on the video or still image quality desired.

It can be connected to a TV for watching recorded movies and photo slide shows or hooked to a VCR for recording on tape. Maximizing creative options, Gateway's camcorder comes with Pinnacle Studio 8 SE+ and Roxio PhotoSuite 4 software, making it fun and easy to edit videos and photos as well as produce VideoCDs or DVDs.

The ultra-portable multi-cam connects directly to computers via a built-in USB port. Uploading MPEG4 videos and sharing digital photos takes only seconds, while watching videos on a PC or Mac is made possible by Microsoft's Windows Media Player. It uses two readily available AA batteries or optional rechargeable batteries for power.

Gateway's new branded multi-cam is the perfect complement to its complete line of digital video solutions. The company gained attention from video production enthusiasts earlier this year with its Digital Film Maker PCs that were optimized for digital video editing and digital movie production. Gateway already offers PCs, video solution bundles, training and other digital video and digital camcorder accessories to consumers. Plus, knowledgeable Gateway sales professionals at Gateway stores can help customers find digital video products that seamlessly work together.

The Gateway DV-S20 Pocket Multi-Cam will be available in-stock at Gateway stores nationwide on Oct. 2, 2003. Priced at $199.99.

Check out the online $100 rebate as well!

incase's Leather Folio and Maven Leather Sleeve for all 3G iPods

When your work becomes play, life's a great thing. That's when style becomes essential. Introducing the new "maven" Sleeve for the 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40GB iPods. Protective and sophisticated, the sleeve provides complete access to the buttons and a clear view of the screen. Luxurious leather outside, non-scratch suede inside, the sleeve is a tasteful companion for the iPod.

Available at Apple.com, Apple Retail Stores, DataVision, CompUSA

IndexCOR's iChatFinder

Cool Meeting Site with over 10,000 members for Macintosh iChat AV Users

iChatfinder.com was developed to encourage Macintosh users to experiment with their new audio and video conferencing capabilities. Designed as a "General Interest iChat Meeting Place" to expand and improve upon the more limited iChat personal ads sites, iChatFinder lists nearly 800 conversation ice-breaking topics that range from just trying out iSight to Astrophysics and exotic cars. As well as restricting membership to ages 18 and older, the site also shuns chat rooms and adult content in favor of a pleasant, safe, community environment for Mac iChatAV and PC AOL Instant Messaging (AIM) enthusiasts from 103 countries. Registered members use a simple interface to search for other users by combinations of interests, age, location and gender, among many other options.

Members contact each other directly using their IM software. There are two levels of membership: a free basic membership and an Elite Services option that adds several valuable features such as iChatRSVP for arranging iChat schedules with offline members.

Site offers Online/Offline status indication, Privacy Settings to limit the accessibility of a member's screen name, onsite personal mailboxes, messaging with offline members, online accessible contact lists, detailed summaries of visitors to each member's profile, free photo editing, and a host of other iChat support features.

iChatFinder's Macintosh orientation has attracted a large proportion of members engaged in graphic arts, web publications, and other creative digital media pursuits, resulting in a growing network of professionals that foster business and employment opportunities in these fields. Member ages average 34 years, ranging from 18 to 82 and nearly 50% post photographs alongside their profiles and interest lists.

PC AOL instant messaging users are welcome on iChatFinder, but current technology limitations dictate that Mac iChat AV users are only able to engage in text chats with PC users. To enable PC users to enjoy similar services to those enjoyed by iChatFinder members, IndexCOR launched VideoChatFinder.com earlier this month, following the release of AOL's new AIM 5.5.3501 Beta for Windows video conferencing software.

Scott Sheppard - Executive Producer / Host

Scott Sheppard is the founder and editor of the popular Macintosh Web Site, http://www.OSXFAQ.com He is also a monthly Contributing Editor to Macworld UK magazine and produces a daily audio broadcast of Mac news and information Inside Mac Radio.

Scott Sheppard previously hosted the Inside Mac Show broadcast by CNET Radio - KNEW 910 AM San Francisco.

Scott has been using Apple computers for more than 25 years, as well as spending many years as a Wintel user, giving him the unique perspective of having spent a lot of time on both sides of the computer fence.

Sam Levin - Co Host & Senior Mac Technologist

Sam Co-Founded the Stanford Mac Users' Group in 1985, and has worked with leading Macintosh developers on business development, licensing, and strategic market development. Sam Directed licensing initiatives for leading entertainment companies such as Virgin Interactive, Broderbund, and Mattel.

Sam has worked with numerous Mac companies such as: Aladdin, Apple, Broderbund, Connectix, IBM Multimedia, IXLA, Jiiva, Keyspan, Microsoft, MYOB, Meilenstein, Fathom Pictures, LandWare, Mattel, Nova Development, Totally Hip Software, Y-E Data and more.

Greg Douglas - Director of Network Operations

Gregory Douglas has fifteen years of experience in the radio, television and computer- related areas. He was the Director of Network Operations for Personal Achievement Radio, which included responsibilities for the production, operation and distribution of the "PAR" format. As the primary individual in charge of the on-air sound for "PAR", Mr. Douglas interacted with the motivational authors, Nightingale-Conant, ABC Radio Networks, PAR O & O's and affiliates and the broadcast talent. He pioneered the transition to digital for the flagship PAR studios. In addition, Mr. Douglas was M.I.S. Manager for Douglas Broadcasting Inc. where he was responsible for the traffic and business computer functions as well as the computer networking of DBI/PAR radio outlets.

Previously, he was the General Manager of DBI's Seattle operation and Station Manager at WBPS-AM in Boston. Also, Mr. Douglas has been involved in almost all areas of broadcasting, including traffic, business, engineering, production and sales.