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 - March 20th 2004

Listen / Download the March 20th, 2004 Show

Chuck Rogers - Mac Speech

Chuck Rogers is Chief Evangelist of MacSpeech, Inc. Formerly the Senior Small Business Evangelist at Apple Computer, Chuck has been a Mac user since 1985 and began offering consulting services in 1989. He is also a frequent contributor to MacHome magazine. At MacSpeech his responsibilities include marketing and developer relations. Chuck lives in New Orleans with his wife, Janis.

iListen 1.6

Dictation, Transcription, Editing, Formatting and Speech Navigation within any application. iListen frees you from the keyboard and mouse. You are able to dictate text, edit and format it with just the power of your voice.

iListen provides you with the simplest and easiest way to get text into the applications that you use - simply dictate anywhere you would type. Our exclusive TalkAnywhere technology allow to dictate and correct directly into almost ANY application on Mac OS 9.2.2 or Mac OS X.

iListen also provides Speech Navigation. You can press buttons, control the mouse, navigate the Finder and File Dialogs, open and close files, print, etc... all by voice.

Transcription will generate text from your WAV and AIFF audio files. Now for the first time on the Mac you can be productive with your Digital Voice Recorder, record now, transcribe later.

Hands Free Correction makes it easy to correct, update and teach iListen new words and phrases.

iListen's new Dock Menu provides you with one click access to iListen's most used funtions.

Package includes iListen 1.6 for Mac OS X

Feature Summary

• Easy to install, train and use
• Continuous Speech Recognition -- Dictation in normal tone of voice and at a normal pace using the Philips FreeSpeech 2000 speech engine
• Direct Dictation -- Dictate, edit and format text directly in any Application
• Correction -- Correct and Update your Voice Model in almost any Application.
• Hands Free Correction -- Correct using your voice, no need to use the keyboard or mouse!, (Mac OS X only)
• Correction Playback -- Hear what you said - in your own Voice!
• Adapts to your Speech -- iListen adapts to your pronunciation of words faster and more accurately!
• Transcription -- Use a Digital Voice Recorder such as the Olympus DS-2000 with your Mac. Let iListen read and transcribe your AIFF or WAV audio files into text. See the iListen Transcription Solution special offer.
• Huge Vocabulary -- Vocabulary of more than 330,000 words developed in cooperation with Oxford University
• Command and Control -- Speech control of the computer through built-in normal language and individually created commands
• Constant Feedback -- The iListen Floating Palette provides you with constant feedback.
• Dock Menu -- You can even use the Dock to access iListen functions on Mac OS X.
• Multiple Profiles -- Everyone in your home can create their own voice profile, now everyone can use it!
• Text Macro Capabilities -- Insert (up to 32,000 character) standardized or predetermined phrases and text - with a single spoken phrase
• Speech Navigation -- Open, close and control applications and navigate the desktop by speech
• AppleScript Compatible -- Ability to take advantage of Apple's built-in scripting language
• Internet Ready -- Surf the web with your voice
• Mac OS 9.2.2, Mac OS 10.1.5, Mac OS 10.2.x or greater
• Requires a PowerMacintosh G3 or PowerMacintosh G4 computer with at least 192MB of RAM, 256MB RAM with Mac OS X.
• Suggested Retail Price $99 without headset, $149.00 with headset/microphone.

Owen Linzmayer - Apple Confidential

Owen Linzmayer is a San Francisco-based user-interface designer and freelance writer who has covered Apple Computer for over two decades. He is the author of four Macintosh-related books and has contributed to every major Apple and Macintosh publication.

http://www.owenink.com/

With iTunes, iPods, and designer iMacs, Apple Computer is once again revolutionizing the way we live with technology. To bring us all up to date with what's new with Apple, No Starch Press is releasing the second edition of journalist Owen W. Linzmayer's best-selling "Apple Confidential".

"Apple Confidential 2.0" (January 2004, $19.95 US) covers everything of note in Apple's fascinating history, from its legendary founding in a garage to today's groundbreaking innovations. With over 60 pages of new material, including several completely new or greatly revised chapters, and hundreds of new photos, illustrations, quotes, and timelines, "Apple Confidential 2.0" is required reading for Macintosh fanatics and anyone interested in the business of Apple.

** "a must read for every Apple fan" (Infoworld) **

"Apple Confidential" is widely recognized as the definitive history of Apple Computer. It's full of photos, surprising quotes, and timelines. Each chapter is a self-contained piece of Apple's history, scrupulously researched, including:

• The trials and tribulations of creating the original Macintosh
• The forgotten founder who walked away from half a billion dollars
• Details of the development of the Apple I, II, and III, Lisa, Mac clones, Mac OS X, Newton, NeXT, and Windows
• Secret product code names and a timeline of every Macintosh model ever released
• The CEOs who oversaw the company's rise, fall, and resurgence
• Jonathan Ive's brilliance as the industrial designer of the revolutionary iMac and iPod

** "a wealth of information." (Apple Insider) **

Author/journalist Owen W. Linzmayer has been covering Apple for over twenty years, and he knows the company inside and out. As Techweek noted, while "Numerous books have been written about Apple, . . . "Apple Confidential" offers the most entertaining and complete picture . . . For Apple fanatics, not reading this book would be like a major music fan not listening to the Beatles. The same is true for anyone else remotely interested in the history of the PC and of Silicon Valley."

APPLE CONFIDENTIAL 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company, by Owen W. Linzmayer ISBN 1593270100, January 2004, US $19.95 ($29.95 Cdn), 344 pp. Available at fine bookstores everywhere To order from the publisher: visit www.nostarch.com, email orders@nostarch.com, or call 800-420-7240

http://www.nostarch.com/

MacMice's The Mouse AL

This is the mouse everyone is talking about. For the money, this is a great deal for a 2-button optical mouse. Additionally, it comes in white too.

The Mouse AL was intended from the start to be a workhorse product for professional Macintosh users. The accuracy, speed, and smooth handling make it a dream for anyone working on large screens and with tight-accuracy projects. Pixel level editing is a snap with The Mouse.

Each front half surface acts as a separate mousing button, giving the solid feel and responsiveness users demand, but with the complete freedom afforded by two separate mousing buttons. Nicely muted semi-clear scrollwheel sits between the two split surface areas and also includes a third button switch underneath.

The 3-Button Scroll Mouse For The Rest Of Us

While some Mac users will always prefer the 1-button mouse, many users enjoy the multi-button mouse. Until now, though, it hasn't b possible to gain the functional advantages of a multi-button mouse without abandoning the clean, pure design theme of Apple's OEM Aluminum-look products. Now, there is such an option.

What About Driver Software?

Free mouse drivers (MouseCommand v10 and MouseCommand v9 USB mouse drivers) are full featured drivers. Assignable scroll button, left-handed operation, adjustable clicking and motion, built-in adjustable cursor acceleration, reversible horizontal scrolling... and with free downloads of future enhancements to MouseCommand, your drivers will never be an impediment to using and enjoying The Mouse. The v9 driver works with Mac OS 8.5.1 through 9.2.2, and the v10 version works with Mac OS 10.1 through the latest version of Panther. MacMice has specifically tweaked MouseCommand to exploit every bit of muscle Panther adds to your Mac.

MSRP: $39.99

Crumpler's Crisp Suite, John Thursday and School Hymn bags

You have to love Crumpler's marketing copy, " Now listen sondaughter, this is ya spikey Mother. You gotta go gitcha self ya first narse Crisp Suit...Then ya can gitchee a narse jarb. Widda narse income...& u can pay to send me to the Narsing Home where I can flirt wid the old hairy men.."

Even Crumpler's product names are a riot, 'McBain's Lovechild, Nad sac, scrote, Lollybag..

These down unda folks deliver unusually stylish bags in far out designs, colors for every person's needs.

I particularly enjoyed the School Hymn that is hard shelled yet still malleable to the touch. School Hymn comes in three sizes to fit specifically the 12, 15 and even 17" PowerBook.

Price: $49.95, $54.95, $59.95

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.