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TECH SUPPORT iMAC: A COMPUTER TO LOVE A t the risk of annoying IT managers at large and medium-size firms — almost all of which have long since standardized on Windows PCs — may we introduce the splendid new iMac, Apple's all-in-one desktop computer. No, it's not a PC, but it can run PC software. And the new iMac is truly a thing of beauty. Apple somehow manages to pack all of this computer's brains and guts into the chassis of a 20-inch (or 24-inch) widescreen LCD. The screen is then mounted on an el- egantly curved anodized steel neck. The iMac belongs in a design museum. Yet this is a powerful machine that out- performs similarly equipped PCs. I tested a $1,600 model with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of memory, and a 320GB hard drive.One of the great things about a Mac is the very cool pre-loaded applications that come with every unit. They include the Safari web browser and iWork 2008, with its functional word processor, presentation designer, and spreadsheet. Better still is iLife, with its very slick photo, video, music, and web creation tools. Microsoft Offi ce is available for the Mac, but not all popular programs are — the eternal rub against the Mac. However, with Parallels Desktop, an add-on program that costs about Legal Newswire Canadian A weekly electronic bulletin of Canadian legal news from the publishers of & $80, you can run Windows applications from inside the Mac operating system. This is a key point to remember when iMac envy takes hold and you go to make your case to the fi rm's computer guy. Another is that Macs are almost immune to viruses and worms. Downsides? The elegant looks unfortunately extend to the mouse, with its cute little scroll ball, and the sleek keyboard with its chiclet keys. They're neither as functional nor as ergonomic as good PC mice and keyboards. The iMac also costs a few hundred more than the lowest-priced PC with similar specs. But who cares? This is a computer you can love — and that's got to be worth something. backup server sits on your premises, Teneros manages and maintains it remotely over the web. It also guarantees it will not replicate corrupted data. Installing Teneros at your main site protects against Ex- change outages, but not building-wide or offi ce-wide disas- ters. For that you need to install the box off site at a branch offi ce or co-location site, such as a secure data centre that rents space, and connect to your main site via a high-speed dedicated line. Teneros president and CEO Steve Lewis claims his solu- Sign up now at www.canadianlawyermag.com 28 JANU AR Y 2008 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com tion has advantages over EMS. It takes over automatically and almost instantly in an outage. It doesn't require users to switch to an unfamiliar webmail application. It provides continuity for all Exchange-based applications, not just e- mail — including IP voicemail, BlackBerry, and shared fold- ers. "What we provide is application continuity," Lewis says. It's also cheaper, he insists, if you amortize the upfront costs — $15,000 to $20,000 for a unit that supports 500 users — over three years and add on the $5,000 annual maintenance charges. Or at least it's cheaper for fi rms of a certain size. For the very smallest, EMS would be cheaper — though not as effective, Lewis argues. Searching for a cheaper, easier way to attract candidates? SUBSCRIBE NOW Gadget Watch