Flip out
If you’re like me, installing Microsoft software on your Mac is, well, disenchanting. Granted I have Office/X but it’s just a fall-back position when Pages doesn’t read a horribly complicated Microsoft document correctly (I’m hoping that problem disappears with the new iWork).
But anyhow, the point — Microsoft has started giving away a free download of Flip4Mac’s Windows Media Component for Quicktime. This is wonderful. It allows you to play Windows Media files directly with Quicktime player as well as in Safari using a plugin.
Another new toy is Google Earth for the Mac. What it does is fabulous — enter any destination world-wide and watch as you zoom in from space to street level using incredible satellite imaging. My kids love it — instant geography lessons… It’s a shame the interface is so hideous though — cluttered controls and a busy interface that reminds me of Unix-based engineering applications.
For those of us un-wiring our houses with AirTunes, you’ll want Airfoil 2 from Rogue Amoeba. It’s a companion product for the Airport Express that allows you to synchronously stream audio to multiple AirTunes receivers (not to mention USB devices like RadioShark and others). Now you can broadcast your favorite tunes to all your home stereo systems at once.
