Verizon is spending $20 billion upgrading its network to provide fiber to the home, a new network running fiber optic cable for voice, internet and TV/Entertainment applications. I was one of the first in line to swap out my Comcast services. Why?

Good old-fashioned, raw, American speed, of course. While Comcast Internet provides anywhere from 4-8Mbps downloading and somewhere between 500-768K upload service, performance wavers substantially during typical usage. For the same price, I could get Verizon’s middle tier service, offering 15Mbps downloads and 2Mbps uploading speed. Pricing may vary in some regions, but the basic options are as follows:

5Mbps/2Mbps: $34.95/month
15Mbps/2Mbps: $44.95/month
30Mbps/5Mbps: $179.95/month

All with free installation. And unlike cable, fiber technology promises to be “truer” to its rated speeds. You can run a bandwidth tester such as http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest, and see what you’re getting now with your current provider. So far with FIOS, I’m almost always getting the advertised download speeds, and come very close with the upload speeds as well.
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The Mouse BT II (USD $69.00)
Website: macmice.com

I am forever searching for that ultimate mouse, having tried offerings from Logitech, Microsoft and Apple I am always left with mixed feelings. Apple’s Mighty Mouse in either the corded or Bluetooth version looked promising, but I just did not get on with the whole two button sensor arrangement. I found myself having to lift my left finger slightly to get the right click to work. This was a shame as the shape and feel was spot on. So back I went to my Logitech cordless which is great, just a tad big.

The guys at MacMice just recently released a new offering call ‘The Mouse BT II’ and one just landed on my desk to review. To say I am excited is an understatement because the size and shape is almost identical to the Mighty Mouse but with some awesome differences.
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If you’re a Mac switcher from either Windows or Linux like I was a few years ago, one of the first applications you’ll want to get to know is Address Book. The sooner you import your contacts into Mac OS X’s Address Book, the sooner you’ll appreciate how a little bit of data like your contacts transform and compliment the Mac’s usability in other applications. Let’s take a look…
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I am writing this blog posting from the food court of a local mall between the TCBY and the Cinnibon. No, this mall does not have anything as great as free wi-fi. Instead I am trying out a new service from Verizon using the emerging EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) wireless data standard. EVDO is being offered by a number of cell phone providers using their networks. To use EVDO you need to have special hardware which comes in the form of a PCCard for the PowerBook, or the new express card version for the MacBook Pro. USB versions of the cards will soon become available.

So how well does it work? Pretty well. Having connectivity even more widely available than what is provided by Wi-fi is very addictive. The download speed feels faster than dialup but slower than DSL. The upload speed is much less impressive. Recently it took me 2 hours to upload a 15Mb mp3 file for the latest episode of my podcast. Not impressive speed except that I was driving 65 MPH at the time up highway 101 in California and during that 2 hour period it was connected to my companies VPN server without losing its connection. I also tested it on a commuter train from San Jose to San Francisco and this is the kind of technology that could get me to take the train more often.

I have tried both the Sprint service and the Verizon service and both work well, although the setup with Sprint on a Mac was simpler (you put in the card). Verizon seems to require installing their software. Cost for the service is around $70 a month with flat rate pricing for data.

A Buyer’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Used Macintosh

The used Mac market is at once vibrant, busy- and dangerous. As with any second-hand industry, there are awesome deals that make buying new seem downright crazy, and rip-offs that make you wish you’d paid the extra few hundred to ensure you got what you wanted.

Firstly, how do you discern a good deal from a bad one? Secondly, What are the tell-tale signs of legitimate sellers, and those of scammers? Lastly, what distinguishes a decent used purchase from a killer one?

These questions are important to answer when you set your sights on a used Mac purchase, and you’re in luck if you need help: This article will fine-tooth comb the process of finding, evaluating and buying your brand new (used) Macintosh.
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Listen to today’s show here!
MC20050316.mp3 [17.3mb (37:47) 64kbps]

A podcast about Macs done by a Mac geek for Mac geeks. Show 38. Apple joins Blu-ray Disc Association Board of Directors, Apple may be increasing standard RAM to 512MB, finally a two button Apple Mouse? Apple to introduce updates to AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express, Steve gets his annual $1 salary, the reason for iTunes Mototrola phone delay, new Tiger build sent out, Apple responds to G4 trackpad issues. Visit Freeverse for great games. Listener ask how to schedule email sending in Entourage, more answers to Linksys Router DHCP issue, update on Mac Mini Apple VGA display issues, answer to keeping iTunes Library focus when attaching iPod, listener wants to know how to keep Podcasts organized, issues with bookmarkable AAC files and 4G iPods. Listen in. Shownotes in HTML or OPML

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Featured Music: This I Know, Stone Melodies

Listen to today’s show here!
MC20050314.mp3 [15.7mb (34:21) 64kbps]

A podcast about Macs done by a Mac geek for Mac geeks. Show 37. Apple in Talks with HipSolve Media, DOOM 3 for Mac Ships, iPod Shuffle Rip Off. Apple weighs legal options, Apple Hires former Microsoft Exec. Listener Peter’s song Shows power of GarageBand And Soundtrack, Jeroen recommends iScroll 2 for trackpad scrolling on pre 2005 iBooks and PowerBooks, answers to David’s question on iPod USB charging without syncing, Sebastien and I want to stop iPod/iTunes connect “jump”, answers to Lance’s Linksys router not giving out DHCP address, correction on discontinued MSN service, you need AppleCare. IggSoftware PlayPod Promo. Listen in. Shownotes in HTML or OPML

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Featured Music: Where Would You Go, Winkle

Listen to today’s show here!
MC20050312.mp3 [15.7mb (34:17) 64kbps]

Show 36. Tiger in April? New iMacs and eMacs coming too, Wisconsin wants iPod Tax, Microsoft discontinues MSN for Mac, Everybody Dance Again an Apple Pro article on Scott Weintrob, MacRumors eludes to PowerMac future, Jobs net worth on the rise and Issues with new PowerBook Trackpads. The first ever Mac HitTest. Listeners have issues with Airport and Linksys Router, questions about charging iPod via USB, but not syncing, answers on how to print selected text using OS X Services, question on Mac Secruity and Maintainence. Thought Out offers exclusive iPed Discount for MacCast listeners and new music from Geoff Byrd. Listen in. Shownotes in HTML or OPML

Featured Music: Elusive Butterfly, Geoff Byrd

Here is a picture of another get Mac setup from Randy. Looks like a nice place to work. Randy’s comments are below.

Randy says: Enclosed is a photo of my “playroom” at home. Next to my dual 2.5 G5 is an empty G5 box I bought off of Ebay and filled it with 250 gig drives. So, there are 2 – 250 sata drives in the g5, 6 firewire enclosed 250 gig drives in the empty G5 box and there are also anoth 2 250 gig drives on the top counter (yes, 10 -250 gig drives) All for my HOBBY of Photography!

Listen to today’s show here!
MC20050309.mp3 [14.0mb (30:39) 64kbps]

A podcast about Macs done by a Mac geek for Mac geeks. Show 35. CherryOS G4 emulator for PC launched, Linux creator uses a Mac, but not OS X, Terrasoft offers Yellow Dog on bootable iPod/Firewire drives and Sony takes on the Shuffle. Listeners want to know about iGeeks, how to keep PodcastAlley voting on the up and up, how to burn Mac DVDs on a PC, using bookmarkable AAC files for podcasts, how to print only selected text in OS X, checkout the MacDad Blog and backup options for OS X. Listen in. Shownotes in HTML or OPML

Featured Music: Sunrise, Alex McLeod