The program supports the use of business card stock from several vendors, and allows for the composition of up to ten different cards on a single sheet of paper. Users can maintain user profiles so that cards can be generated at any time after a profile has been saved. The editor supports modifications and adjustments using precision layout and alignment tools. 750 logo elements are provided, and the user can import graphics in almost any format. Business cards can be produced in horizontal, vertical, double-sided, folded, and even in CD business card formats.

The package also includes over 35,000 graphics, composed of royalty-free photographs and clip art. The collection of 500 fonts includes a wide variety of styles. All this for only $29.95.

Among the capabilities that the user will attain are: adding sunshine to an image; removing a color cast; enhancing the blueness of the sky; converting a color image to black and white while maintaining control over tone and shadows; softening and controlling light; and much more. $199.95

New to this version is the amazing ToastAnywhere technology which provides the means for users on a Mac OS network, or the Internet, to share CD and DVD burners. Groups can share burner resources and set up shared burning servers. DV camcorder users will like the Plug & Burnª feature which enables them to plug-in their cameras, click record on the Toast screen, and have their videos transferred and burned to disc automatically.

Also new is the capability to drag and drop iPhoto photos to create full screen slide shows in a variety of disc formats, that can be watched on a DVD player or computer. Motion Pictures software generates the illusion of movement from still images using pan and zoom effects and crossfades.

Users who want to convert analog records and tapes into digital form will be impressed with the improved capabilities of CD Spin Doctor® 2. The program supports the recording of live audio performances, and includes sophisticated computer algorithms that reduce annoying background noise, scratches and pops.

Digital publishers will especially appreciate the integration of the Toast function into the Macintosh OS. Users can directly burn files and folders from the desktop using the Toast Itª pop up contextual menu. Users can also control a scheduler that will execute automatic back-ups, using data compression, 128-bit encryption, and password protection. All in all, Toast is one application that every Macintosh user should have. $99.95

The program is sufficiently intelligent to automatically recognize various areas of a page, such as columns of text, tables, and graphics, or conversely, it can be set to ignore irrelevant information. The user can manually define zones on a page to selectively capture content, or to capture it in an order different from the way that it appears on the source page.

The program's recognition engine supports up to 104 foreign languages. In addition it contains many productivity features, such as automatically rotating and straightening pages to facilitate more accurate scanning; utilizing the user's Photoshop scanner plug-in software or any TWAIN compliant device; and scanning up to 50 pages in succession. $149.99

FileMaker Meetings, which requires the FileMaker Pro 6.0 host application, provides intelligent forms for creating an agenda, recording and distributing meeting minutes, and assigning action items. The application provides the means to focus a meeting on specifc topics; follow-up a completed meeting with e-mail messages containing the meeting minutes, action item assignments, and anticipated next steps; and track overall progress.

The application ships with sample data so that the user can see how the various components interact, and with a 62-page PDF User Guide. To begin, the user enters the contact and group list data as well as the information about the meetings, and the action items that need to be managed. The management of dates is facilitated by the Calendar Widget which provides miniature calendars for any month of any year, and allows for the input of a date by simply clicking on it in the calendar view.

The Home Page view shows a listing of all meetings and action items, and provides access to the Preferences. The Meeting section lists all past and future meetings. A check mark beside a meeting indicates that information (such as the agenda, action items, etc.) has been e-mailed to the meeting members. The meetings are listed by date, with the future-most meetings listed first. Clicking on a meeting will reveal its list of action items.

Communication with meeting members is handled through e-mail. The application provides E-mail Tempates, some of which are provided (and can be edited) and others of which are created by the user. Templates facilitate the process of sending meeting agendas, minutes, etc. automatically to all meeting members. In addition, there is a flexible data export function which enables the user to use data in another application, or simply to back it up.

The process of calling a meeting is conducted from the Meetings page. The top half of the display contains the basic meeting information: date, time, location, objective, and notes, such as what items should be brought to the meeting. The attendees are selected from the pre-defined Contacts and Groups lists. The bottom half of the setup display contains areas for the minutes (which the user can enter during or after the meeting); agenda items, the date they were added, and their status; and action items and the assignees.

Action items are managed using the Action Items page, which provides a detailed view showing the item name, its associated meeting, the assignment date, the date due, a description, the assignee, the e-mail addresses for the assignee and those who have been copied on associated messages, and a check box to indicate if the item has been completed. A history is maintained for each item which includes details related to e-mail messages sent about the item. Notifications can be sent to assignees using predefined templates which can be edited as needed. These notifications are added to the Send History.

The Meetings application not only provides the user with several preference settings for customing its use, but because the application was built using FileMaker, the user can customize it further to suit individual needs. This is an excellent investment for anyone who regularly manages meetings and projects. $49

Among the most significant tools are:

The Edge Ruler: User-definable semi-transparent rulers that appear along the top and left edges of the monitor. The rulers can be hidden with a mouse click, and can show the value of the ruler position. Running the mouse pointer over the apex of the ruler reveals the menu of available options.

The Measure Box: This is a semi-transparent box (of a color selectable by the user) that enables the measurement of rectangular objects to ensure correct sizing.

The Resolution Box: This option presents a viewing window of a specified size. It is useful for Web designers, and others, who need to approximate the resolution in which their pages will appear.

Drag Ruler: The drag ruler can be positioned anywhere on the screen to provide accurate measurements. The horizontal part can be adjusted in length, and an optional vertical ruler can be attached. Buttons are provided to move the rulers in 1 pixel increments in any direction. Precise transparency controls are also positioned on the ruler itself.

Zoom: The Zoom window enables the user to magnify or reduce the size of the area corresponding to the mouse cursor position. The magnification and the size of the window can be adjusted, and the window also displays the color (in RGB and the closest Web Safe color).

All of these features are available for a modest $11.

The program ships with hundreds of site listings, and has the capability to discover a new site's RSS news feed from its home page URL. It is exceptionally intuitive, and provides access to sites as soon as it is launched. News listings are displayed as soon as a source site is chosen, and clicking on a topic takes the user to the source in a browser window.

Major features include a Weblog Editor which enables the user to post entries to Blogger, Movable Type, Radio UserLand, and others. The Notepad can be used to store information gleaned from surfing as well as comments and observations that the user may want to post in the future. The program provides the opportunity to view the Web in an entirely different way, and access targeted information more directly. $39.95

This is the learn by doing solution for developing expertise in the use of Adobe Acrobat 6. In addition to a logically arranged, and graphically clear presentation about Acrobat, the author has included a cross-platform CD containing movies that show how to accomplish several of the more difficult Acrobat procedures, which would be difficult to present in print. The CD also contains files from the exercises.

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