Some practical advice for the Mac curious

Back from a short but cold business trip to Wisconsin. It may not have been that frigid to the locals, but to a Florida native highs in the 20′s with constant snow is one of the undiscussed circles of Dante’s hell. A couple of quick observations while spending time in airport terminals waiting on connecting flights:

Half of all the laptops I saw in use were Macbooks. A bit surprising, considering that the majority of users were business travelers.

I saw as many iPad Minis as regular iPads. Not that surprising given the news of the Mini’s popularity, even without a retina display. Pundits that like to echo the mantra that Apple can’t be successful without Steve Jobs should stop and consider that he was firmly opposed to the iPad Mini.

I saw a few of the latest Samsung ‘phablets’ (the Galaxy Note). Good god are they huge; forget about carrying it anywhere but a purse or backpack. If you own one and enjoy it, rock that party my friend; I can’t imagine any informed consumer picking up something so ungainly.

Something awaiting me when I landed home and was able to take my iPhone off Airplane Mode was another request for help from a coworker looking to switch to a Mac instead of buying into the bag of hurt that is Windows 8. While my knee jerk answer would be to just head over to your local Apple Store and talk to one of the associates, not everyone has this option.

So for the Mac curious lacking any informal help on choosing the right model, let me humbly offer the advice I gave to my coworker. As with just about any major purchase, the right choice depends on your needs. While I’ve been using an iPad with a keyboard (currently a Brydge) for all my mobile purposes, it’s not idea for everyone. There are some tasks that call for a full fledged laptop, and many that are possible on an iPad but require a change in your workflow that not everyone will find acceptable.

For general computing use, your best choice is the workhorse model of Macbook Pro, the 13 inch base model. The most recent model offers a powerful Intel i5 processor, adequate memory and hard drive space, and very good battery life (up to seven hours) coupled with the lowest price of the Pro lineup. As with all of Apple’s laptop line it sports a unibody aluminum case, making it very durable. The large trackpad (considerably bigger than most competitors) is perfect for OSX’s multitouch controls. Should you need more memory it’s easily upgraded; I’d recommend for all but the technophobic to do so themselves rather than ordering extra memory from Apple as they tend to charge considerably more to preinstall it.

If you need more horsepower or screen space then move up to the 15″ Pro. The entry model sports a quad core processor instead of the 13′s dual core (four ‘brains’ on the chip rather than two, providing more stability and multitasking prowess). The larger laptop also comes with a discreet graphics card making it a much better choice for the amateur photo or video editor, or those that want to explore the Mac’s growing gaming options.

If you plan on using your laptop on the go and/or don’t need an optical drive (Apple’s Superdrive, the DVD and CD slot on the Pro model) I’d recommend the Macbook Air. The 11 inch model is small enough to fit in a large purse but still sports a full sized keyboard and trackpad. Both the 11 and 13 inch models are ridiculously thin and light, but still offer a considerable amount of power for just about any everyday task. Other than screen space the primary difference between the two is battery life; the 11 advertises five hours, the 13 matches the 7 hour life of it’s Pro sibling. While they lack in internal DVD drive, if you truly need one but covet the Air’s portability you can always pick up an external drive like Apple’s own USB Superdrive (matching the aesthetic and slimness of the Air). The biggest caveat of the Air (other than lack of optical drive) is that they aren’t user-customizable; you are stuck with what you purchase. All the components are permanently affixed to the motherboard, and none but a professional should attempt to access the Air’s internal workings. That being said, even the first generation Macbook Air that I’ve owned was capable of just about any task that I had without a complaint.

I wouldn’t advise opting for any of the new retina display models of Macbook Pro unless you truly need the higher resolution or have some extra cash you don’t mind parting with. Much like the iPad Mini beside a full iPad, you only notice the difference in resolution when you place a non retina screen beside a retina one. While the visual clarity of the retina Macbook Pros is stunning, it’s an expensive upgrade unless you truly will exploit it. Bear in mind, all of the retina display Pros lack optical drives like the Airs.

For those of you that are shopping for both a desktop and a laptop, allow me to make one last suggestion. Your new Macbook (regardless of model) sports an important and versatile technology- the Thunderbolt port. Via this port you could easily connect to one of Apple’s beautiful (but pricey) Thunderbolt displays, instantly transforming your laptop into a desktop (along with your choice of bluetooth keyboard and mouse/trackpad). For those of you wanting a less expensive method of docking, there are multiple options. You could simply connect directly to a third party monitor via a Thunderbolt to HDMI or mini DVI adaptor and control your laptop via USB or Bluetooth inputs. If you’d like something a bit more elegant there is Belkin’s new Thunderbolt Express Dock. One cable to your Macbook connects it to a wide range of ports and inputs: Gigiabit ethernet, USB, audio/mic, and two serial Thunderbolt connectors.

While you can’t go wrong with an iMac or Mac Mini, unless your budget isn’t constrained you would be well served by a Macbook running in clamshell mode if you really need the desktop experience at home as well as a full laptop on the go. There are many accessories to optimize your experience as well, like 12South’s BookArc, Raindesign’s mTower, or Just Mobile’s clever AluRack (hiding your laptop behind your desktop monitor!).

I’ve owned and built a lot of Windows computers, but there’s nothing to rival Apple’s Mac lineup. When I considered the quality of construction, power and ease of use of OSX, and Apple’s top notch customer service there’s no other computer I’d recommend. While they do cost more than your run of the mill $500 Dell, you get what you pay for. For long time Windows users looking to purchase a new system I urge you to give Macs a look; Windows 8 will require you to relearn how to interact with your computer and may have a steeper learning curve than a better constructed, more stable and more secure Mac would.

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Saying goodbye to an old friend

And we’re back! The good folks at the Apple store have returned my iMac to me in the same pristine condition I dropped it off, potentially faulty hard drive swapped out. It’s a happy day; I love my iPad but there’s too much computerwise I want to do to confine myself to just iOS devices.

Now that the latest round of Apple device refreshes are out and the dust is beginning to settle; some quick observations: am I alone in feeling the creeping notion of update fatigue? It seems that almost every other month now we’ve had a new product launch from Apple, not to mention all of their competitors. I am almost afraid to covet the new razor-thin iMacs; if the current pattern holds up in a year they may release some new device that blows it out of the water. Take the iPad, for instance: the third generation slate (dubbed simply the New iPad) has already been upgraded with a more powerful processor and a swap out of the old 30 pin connector for a Lightning input. Some resale outlets are allowing customers that purchased their iPad within the last 30 days to swap it out for the newer, slightly more powerful model (I’m opting not to upgrade due to the breadth of accessories I have that would no longer work sans adaptor). While new products are always fun, Apple is firing them out at an almost dizzying pace.

As for the marginally updated NEW new iPad, it marks another quickly approaching point in Apple’s lineup- the absolute retirement of the original data cable. The only device in Apple’s lineup that still uses it is the venerable iPod Classic (not counting the pre-refresh third generation iPads and iPad 2 models still being sold). It is amazing to realize that Apple is the only company I can think of that innovates, then works tirelessly to make that innovation obsolete. The only new Mac that offers Firewire (once a mainstay of Macs) is the new Mac Mini (not counting the not-so-new Mac Pro). The click wheel, once another hallmark of Apple innovation, has also been quietly escorted out of the limelight thanks to touchscreen controls (although the current iPod Shuffle does pay homage to the once cutting edge input with the layout of it’s button controls). Even the mouse is a bit of an afterthought in Apple’s Mac lineup; the multitouch controls are more widespread and far easier to implement via Magic Touchpad.

So here’s to innovation, and to the devastating impact it has on both my checking account and innovation past.

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Life with Mountain Lion (so far)

I tend to be one of those brave souls that are labeled ‘early adopters’- if there’s something new and shiny out there I gravitate towards it. Couple that with the aforementioned shiny thing being extremely affordable (such as OSX Mountain Lion‘s $19.99 price tag) and I’ll be one of the first in the queue.

Now that the not-so-long wait for the latest version of Apple’s operating system is out, what are the early verdicts? Yahoo News references several pundits in it’s review, and the buzz so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Many reference the iOS influences and iCloud integration as primary factors making OSX 10.8 a must-have for Mac users. The negative comments have been limited to halfhearted praise, with a smattering of complaints that 10.8 is merely an evolutionary step or a refinement of the prior version of OSX where Microsoft is introducing a radically different interface on Windows 8 in a bolder attempt to unify mobile and PC experiences.

I for one think Apple has a better strategy. As I’ve argued before, the user experience on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones is markedly different from laptops or desktops. While even Apple is moving to integrate the platforms and offer a smoother user experience, they still recognize that there are enough differences to warrant separate operating systems (for now, at least). Touch interface isn’t optimal for upright screens on laptops and desktops, and tablets lose their value if tethered to both a keyboard and mousepad (as Microsoft’s Surface tablet keyboards have sported)- you may as well have a full laptop. True hybrids like Asus’ Transformer models might show the future of mobile computing, but to date they haven’t caught on in any meaningful way.

So how has life been in the few days I’ve used it? Overall it’s been a very welcome update, offering a more noticeable improvement than my transition from Snow Leopard to Lion (I bought my first Mac just after the release of Snow Leopard and was given a free upgrade, so never used Leopard). New features aside, the biggest changes I’ve noticed have been speed and clarity.

I don’t have any empirical data to prove it, but Mountain Lion is noticeably snappier than it’s predecessor. I had already done what I could to optimize my iMac with extra RAM and was more than happy with it’s performance, but 10.8 feels quicker. Safari rivals Chrome at it’s best now, and other non-Apple apps like Steam boot much quicker.

The second impression has been the clarity of the screen. Nothing changed with my iMac hardware-wise, but icons look sharper, colors are brighter, and the new look Dock is visually pleasing. One admission- I did tweak the color settings from the default iMac settings, so your mileage may vary. The color change was a subtle one, but the screen does seem more vivid.

Sadly, not all of 10.8′s functionality is with us yet. I love the new Sharing icon in Safari (I had been using plug ins in both Safari and Firefox for sharing websites or images via social networks or email), but the advertised Facebook integration isn’t active yet- only email, Twitter, and Messages. iCloud sync allowing Safari to show all open browser tabs on your mobile device at your Mac hasn’t worked for me yet either; I’m assuming the upcoming iOS 6 release will be required.

A majority of the new features have gone unnoticed or unused. I haven’t needed to use iCloud documents yet, but I am thankful to have it. Notes and Reminders have been ported from iOS, but again in the past couple of days I’ve had 10.8 I haven’t had an instance to use them.

iChat‘s replacement Messages is another matter. I had installed the beta of Messages shortly after it was offered by Apple and had really enjoyed the extra flexibility it afforded. I use Google Talk extensively, and being able to send iMessage texts to iOS devices was very handy. The final version in Mountain Lion is more polished but essentially the same.

Migrating all updates to the App Store was a common-sense move. While you can still manually check for updates via clicking the Apple icon in the upper right corner of your screen and selecting ‘Software Updates’, instead of launching an independent update routine it launches the App Store. I still plan on perusing non-Apple sources for software, but I do appreciate the additional security and stability that the App Store’s gatekeepers afford. For those that aren’t so adventurous or demanding the App Store will likely have just about any software you would need for daily computing.

The ultimate question is should you upgrade? The easy answer- provided your Mac is Mountain Lion compatible- is absolutely. This is the least expensive upgrade to OSX Apple has provided to date, and the additional features and performance improvement makes upgrading a no-brainer. Even my 2009-era Mac Mini runs 10.8 like a champ. The only negative I have noticed in daily operation has been my iMac being very slow to wake from sleep. Once running it tears through anything I ask of it, but I’d love to see an early bug fix for this minor issue.

If you’ve been nervous about adopting a “.0″ version of an operating system, fear not. Mountain Lion may not be a paradigm shift from Lion, but my experience has been very positive to date.

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Incognito Technology

Technology plays a central role in my living room. Since ditching cable and satellite TV service my entertainment center has become home to several devices: cable modem, Time Capsule router, TiVo, Mac Mini and accompanying 2 terabyte external drive. While none of them are what I’d consider eyesores, other than the Mini I wouldn’t consider any of them aesthetically pleasing either.

For those of you that have tech in a conspicuous place but would rather it not be so obvious the good folds at Apartment Therapy have some outstanding ideas for you. 

The  post gives a short tutorial on how to use an old hard cover book to hide a router (or similarly sized device), how to hide a router in decorative boxes, keep your printer out of sight but still functional, hide your ever-present TV cables, and fashion a media console from random things you may already have on hand. The photos perfectly illustrate their clever yet simple ideas. Check them out; even if you’re not the creative type I think it may inspire you- it’s a fantastic blog.

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Google expanding their iOS presence with Chrome

Fans of alternative web browsers rejoice- one of the internet’s most popular browsers has finally made its way to iOS. Google Chrome has made surprising strides in popularity over the past few years, recently surpassing Internet Explorer as the most popular browser worldwide (it had done so briefly once before, only to relinquish its standing shortly thereafter). 

Chrome’s success has several factors; being a Google product means that it meshes perfectly with the rest of Google’s web products like Gmail. The browser eases the process of switching from other browsers through some slick import features, drawing your bookmarks and favorites from any other browser you had been using and using the same keyboard shortcuts of competitors. Chrome even lives up to its short-lived television ads featuring how fast it renders pages; the browser is as snappy and feels faster than just about any that I’ve used. Chrome also has been found to consistently be the most secure of popular browsers due to its sandbox construction (isolating each tab from vital components).

The iOS version has a number of features sported by the full desktop one- tabbed browsing (offering unlimited tabs as opposed to mobile Safari’s limit of nine), syncing of bookmarks and browsing between clients (just as iOS 6 has advertised for Safari) and an easy-to-engage Incognito mode for when you’d rather not have your browsing history saved. Should the mobile version have issues rendering the page you’d like to see you have the option of loading the full desktop version instead, and it offers the ability to search by voice via a microphone tab in the browser.

I’ve used it for a few days now and have been impressed with it so far. I have used Chrome off and on for some time now on both Windows and my iMac and like its construction and performance. I’ve slowly been transitioning from using Google services like Documents to iCloud, so I haven’t used the browser’s full capacity lately, but still feel very comfortable with it. Apparently I’m not the only one that feels this way, as the iOS version of Chrome became iTune’s top app shortly after its release.

All isn’t wine and roses, though. iOS users can’t change their default browser, so clicking a link in another app will still open in the default Safari. While quick, the iOS version of Chrome isn’t as fluid rendering Java, so pages that rely heavily on the programming language will load noticeably slower than in Safari. That being acknowledged, if you use Chrome as your default browser on your laptop or desktop it’s a welcome addition to the iTunes app store. Just like the desktop version, the iOS version of Chrome is absolutely free.

The addition of Chrome to iOS is the latest in a quiet strategy Google has been employing to keep their products in the hands of iOS users. Many of the Google apps built into Android have been slowly added to the iOS app store. The official Google app feels like a little slice of Android, offering Google Places, Plus, Earth, Latitude, Books, Gmail, Sync, Shopper, Blogger, Translate, Maps (now that Apple has announced their own native Maps app), even Google Voice. Just as with their mobile operating system, these products don’t directly earn Google any revenue, they act as a feeder system to Google’s actual business- selling advertising. No other competitor tailors their advertising or displays it as effectively as Google. Your actions, be it on any of the aforementioned apps, in an email via Gmail, or something you’ve searched for via Google Search feeds into Google’s vast data harvesting and processing architecture resulting in personalized advertisements (sometimes more relevant than the results of your search) and a wealth of data mining information. The process is completely impersonal, so intense concerns over personal privacy aren’t warranted.

Google has been wildly popular by being the best in their field. While broad based, all of their ventures feed back to their primary business- getting the most effective ads to potential customers. Apple may be attempting to cut them out of their mobile platform, but Google won’t be disappearing anytime soon; you will just have to choose their services on iOS instead of relying on them as a default.

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One less Media Center PC option

I’ve waxed pseudo-poetically on the joys of having a media center PC, having gone through several configurations before settling on the combination of Mac Mini and Plex Media Center as the best solution for me. Sadly, digital media aficionados like me may soon have one less option when building the living room system of their dreams.

Engadget reported recently that Windows 8 will apparently lack the mostly overlooked Media Center software included in Windows 7. The latest preview release of Win8 lacks some key components of the software, a bad sign for what seemed like the spiritual inspiration for the Metro interface. While losing (at least partially) an option for media center PCs, hardware solutions are growing with the upcoming revision to Google TV, improvements to the Roku lineup, expansions to standalone DVRs like Tivo, and the long-rumored Apple television.

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Is the Apple TV becoming more versatile?

The diminutive and sometimes under appreciated Apple TV may be on the verge of becoming a great deal more interesting. MacRumors reported recently that Apple will be releasing a software development kit (SDK) for third parties to create apps for the TV accessory.

The second and third generation Apple TV run a version of Apple’s mobile operating system iOS; the same that powers the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (the first generation ran a pared-down version of OSX, Apple’s desktop and laptop operating system). Both run on processors shared with other Apple devices; the second gen sporting the A4 chip shared by the iPhone 4 and the third gen the A5 shared by the iPhone 4s and iPad 2. The similarities in operating systems and components would make porting apps over to the Apple TV fairly straightforward; the only question unanswered is what would be used for interaction. The iOS-using Apple TVs only have infrared input, currently only used by Apple’s diminutive remote. While fine for control of the Apple TV’s multimedia playback, the Apple Remote wouldn’t suffice as an input for controlling many apps. One possible solution would be to rely on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch via a wifi connection- both devices can be used as remote controls for the Apple TV via a free app.

The addition of even a portion of the iTunes iOS App Store would make the Apple TV an interesting addition to anyone’s entertainment center. If done well I would strongly consider switching to one when my current Mac Mini media center needs replacing.

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Is the new Windows Metro look really new?

Microsoft has been lauded for being able to do what Google couldn’t with Android- create an interface that is fundamentally different from iOS. While I haven’t had the opportunity to use it, the Metro interface for the soon-to-be-released Windows 8 has been touted as a welcome evolution to the venerable Windows OS and the foundation for the merger of mobile and desktop systems much as Apple has begun to do with iOS and OSX.

One of the main talking points about the Metro interface is its originality, but after seeing some of the initial images and animations, I had the strange feeling I had seen it before. While my memory isn’t always the best, this feeling has been at least partially confirmed with a cursory image search.

Metro does away with the traditional Windows desktop and program shortcuts in favor of brightly colored tiles acting as both widgets and launch icons. The tiles can display some realtime information and a click on the tile launches the full app much like the traditional desktop shortcut icons Windows users have used since the days of Win95:

But this layout has graced Windows before. It wasn’t that long ago that I had been looking for the best option for building a Windows-based media center PC (before deciding the Mac Mini was the best option). My first attempt was to use the built-in Windows Media Center in Windows 7. At first glance the clean, nicely animated app looked like a good option- it did a better job than the updated Windows Media Center at organizing my music collection, had DVR functionality, could play DVDs, and touted access to streaming online video. Ultimately, I abandoned WMC because it didn’t live up to its billing; the streaming options didn’t offer the sources I wanted, the DVR never worked for me, and the process of playing a DVD through WMC was more cumbersome than either playing it in a dedicated DVD player or using VLC/Win DVD/Windows Media Player on the PC.

This is a sample of the interface that sparked my memory when I first saw Metro:

The album listing was even more similar:

although not as polished as Metro’s album selection:

From the perspective of functionality, Metro bears less in common with Windows 7′s Media Center but the legacy is still apparent. From the layout to the font and animation, the foundation of Metro had been with Microsoft for at least a couple of years before it was given center stage. This isn’t a bad thing; the polished look of the media center in Win7 was its best feature. It does make me wonder if Microsoft had bigger plans for the interface. Easing Windows users into this new interface would have been an easier effort that the more drastic Metro-with-a-hidden-Windows-emulator setup of Win8. Windows Media Center’s layout could have been a sign of an attempt to implement something that would have been more of a factor in touchscreen-based computing but Microsoft either lacked the vision to pursue it or had issues that limited its deployment. Like Google Wave, what seemed like a good idea withered from a lack of use, publicity, and development.

Regardless of its origins, Windows 8 and Metro stand to be the first real challenger to the combined offering of OSX and iOS. I for one think this is a very good thing; competition drives innovation, and even a company that has built it’s fortune through vision and innovation needs a push occasionally.

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Media for the Gigabyte Challenged, Part 2

I discussed in an earlier post some options for those that want access to audio content but don’t have much space left in their iOS device’s memory. To recap, when I purchased my first iPad the 16 gigs of memory seemed cavernous; I didn’t even entertain the idea that I’d be storage challenged as my media and app libraries grew. Now even my 32 gig model can be a bit cramped when I sync with iTunes, and accurately predicting what movie or album I’m going to be in the mood for at a later time can be a bit difficult. So once again, what’s an iOS aficionado to do? Never fear, the cloud comes to our rescue yet again. 

As with audio, video content has numerous streaming services to whet your appetite for movies and television. Even before I cut the cord my household had paid streaming video via Netflix, the reigning king of streaming media. Netflix has become so pervasive that you’d have a hard time finding a device that doesn’t interface with it’s streaming service. In my entertainment center alone the Mac Mini, TiVo, and Nintendo Wii all are capable of Netflix access; many new televisions will do so natively. The Netflix experience on iOS devices is easily as good as any other device; the interface is easy to navigate and responsive.

While Netflix is the first name that comes to mind when thinking of streaming video, they aren’t the only game in town. Hulu provides a great service for subscribers as well, with an equally clean and responsive iOS app. Sadly the free content you can access on your PC or Mac isn’t available on iOS; the app requires a paid Hulu Plus account. Fortunately Hulu Plus is very affordable at a paltry $7.99 per month- easily worth skipping a day’s cheeseburger value meal if your funds are constrained. While they do have some movies, their library is best know for it’s television content- many shows are available in their entirety, from first episode to ending show.

Two titans of online life, Facebook and YouTube, have gotten into the streaming movie business. YouTube hosts both free and paid content via their dedicated movies page. Facebook allows clients to rent movies via Facebook ‘credits’ or cash, and already has deals with some major movie studios to host content via a movie’s Facebook page. I haven’t sampled either provider, so reviews are pending. Upstart Vudu is another budding player in the movie rental game, boasting that they have the most HD content of any online provider (although they don’t currently have a dedicated iOS app; the website instructs renters to create a web app via Safari for content access).

Apple’s answer to media access, the iTunes store, can’t be overlooked either. Just as with the Mac version of iTunes you can rent or purchase from Apple’s vast library. I’ve been buying season passes to some TV shows not available elsewhere, and the combination of convenience and content quality is hard to beat.

If you have an account with select cable TV providers or premium channels like HBO you have additional options. Time Warner has a free iOS app that allows streaming TV access on your device, and the HBO Go app allows subscribers to follow favorites like Game of Thrones as well. The network ABC recently launched the ABC Family app providing free, add supported viewing of many of their shows. Newer models of TiVo allow for streaming content to iOS devices on your home network- not an option if you’re away from home, but having an extra virtual TV can be a boon when you’d like to watch your recordings when someone else has monopolized the TV. Check with your content provider to see what options they provide; there are just too many to cover in a single post.

Lastly, for those of you with a large library may want to consider setting up a home theater client like Plex to provide remote streaming access. I’ve mentioned Plex before, and my admiration for the free software has only grown over time. Setting up mobile access was very simple, and both the Mac client and iOS app are free. While Plex isn’t the only option for home theater PCs, it’s the only one I’ve felt confident in endorsing. Setup is very easy,  and I’ve watched numerous titles via my iPad and iPhone while away from home with no complaints.

No matter what you’re in the mood for, there’s a provider that can get you what you want no matter where you may be. iOS devices are titans of media consumption, and every content provider is looking for a way to get the attention of the ever-growing numbers of iOS device owners. Whether you prefer a monthly subscription for an all-you-want buffet of video or paying for only the titles you want when you want them, you’ve got a host of options to choose from. If I’ve overlooked one of your favorites let us know in the comments section!

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From DVD to iOS

While there are a wide range of sources for streaming or downloadable video content for iOS devices, from purchasing movies and TV from the iTunes media store to the vast libraries of Netflix and Hulu. What do you do if you already have a DVD of the movie you want to watch? 

For quite some time the answer was universal: Handbrake. Handbrake has been the Mac’s go-to app for transforming DVD video to MP4 files, whether you want to back up your DVD library or make files playable on both iTunes and your iOS device of choice. The free app isn’t difficult to use, and for those that need help there’s a wealth of instructions and advice out there. I’ve used it for as long as I’ve had a Mac; most of the titles on my Mac Mini‘s external hard drive are there thanks to it’s prowess.

Sadly, Handbrake has been in jeopardy of losing its crown as the go-to DVD ripping app. It doesn’t actually include all of the code necessary to decode the video content of discs; it relies on complementary software provided by VLC - another gem of free software. VLC is know by multimedia enthusiasts of all OS types as the best video client available- VLC can handle just about any type of video (and audio) file out there on the internet. After VLC’s recent upgrade to version 2.0.1 it ceased to play nice with Handbrake, crippling Handbrake’s ability to decode discs. I held off upgrading to the most recent version of VLC (not an easy task for an early adopter to do) but I’m still having issues with Handbrake.

For those times that Handbrake refuses to work I’ve switched to MacX DVD Ripper. The site strongly suggests using the Pro version costing $34.95, but so far I’ve stuck with the Free version and have had no issues with performance. The interface looks dated but the app works well, ripping high-quality MP4 files on my iMac in a relatively short time. The Pro version does offer some useful features the Free version lacks, such as ripping to multiple file types (MP4, H.264, MOV, FLV, MPEG, M4V, AVI, and QT(QuickTime). It also allows you to keep the 5.1 AC3/DTS audio if the disc has it rather than stripping it down to stereo or mono audio. Most importantly the paid version has the ability to bypass region restrictions and encryption like DVD CSS, allowing you to back up any disc you can get your hot little hands on.

Thanks to the Retina displays on both my iPhone and iPad no down conversion has been required for the files to be playable on their smaller screens; once added to iTunes all my rips transfer and play without issue. Those of you with non-Retina devices like the 3GS iPhone or earlier generation iPod Touch may have to do some additional formatting if upgrading your device isn’t an option. Ripping to MP4 files on high quality settings provides a very good video averaging slightly less than a gigabyte per typical length movie. A word of warning- once you start ripping DVDs titles tend to add up quickly; so you might want to invest in an external hard drive. I’ve used a Fantom GreenDrive connected via USB with good results, but currently have an Iomega MiniMax connected via Firewire that offers both a faster connection and higher capacity in an aesthetically pleasing case matching the Mac Mini perfectly.

Whether you’d like to back up your library to digital copies for archival, want to create the ultimate media center PC, or just want to watch your DVDs on the go with your iOS device ripping provides a great way to do so. Stay tuned for more advice on how to expand on your digital multimedia experience!

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