Joshua Fruhlinger
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What's the Best iMac for Basic Creative Tasks?
Question: I'm finally ready to move to Mac, especially with Apple's latest iMacs. I really like the design and simplicity. But which one should I get? I was thinking I should get the base model for $1199, but the big 27-incher is pretty tempting, too, even though it's another $500. Or should I spend the extra money and get the upgraded versions of the iMac? So confusing -- I thought Apple was easy! I'll be using it for a little bit of everything, but my high-end needs will include a little video editing, music writing, and graphic design with Photoshop.
Answer: Apple certainly likes to tout its simplicity and plug-and-play usability, but try telling that to someone switching to Mac for the first time. On the surface, it looks as though Apple has two new iMacs out: the 21.5-inch and 27-inch. Simple. Done. Right?
Not so much. Let's take a quick trip to Apple shopping land (otherwise known as store.apple.com).
Best Baseball Tech of 2009
1. Automatic Professional Baseball Electronic Scoreboard - $129.95
The Scorecast from Ambient displays scores and standings from all of Major League Baseball. In-progress games are updated almost instantly, and the schedule even includes projected starting pitchers. Ambient promises that its wireless score and standing network is available in all 50 states, and there is no monthly charge for the data. The $129 price tag probably means that this is only for serious fans, but our test unit did all it was supposed to do, getting updated scores within minutes of the first powerup. The Scorecast measures five-by-eight inches, uses four AA batteries, and can be wall mounted or set upright on your desk.
Best Baseball Tech of 2009
Remember boasting about your 65 mile-per-hour fastball in little league, but no one believed you could bring the cheese? The Radar Pitch Baseball could just solve all that, making heroes of some and chumps of others. This authentically sized and weighted $24.95 baseball features a display that promises to tell you just how fast your high heat really is. In our tests, speed measurements were a bit erratic, but that didn't stop us from having a good time trying to get that embarrassingly paltry 50 MPH "fastball" up a bit.
Best Baseball Tech of 2009
Maybe you're a serious pitcher looking for a pro contract and you want some deep pitch analysis. Or, maybe you're a serious baseball nerd with decent disposable income (it'll run you a cool $395). Either way, the RevFire pitching analyzer not only reads speed, but it also calculates spin rate, an important factor in figuring out how much your cutter is cutting and your curve is, er, curving. It measures spin rate from four to 50 revolutions per second, along with speed, and comes with two balls and a device that replaces a standard radar gun.
Best Baseball Tech of 2009
(SCEA $59, PS3, PSP & MLB 2k9 - 2K Sports $59, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii)
Ever since playing Baseball on the Atari 2600, we've been massive fans of baseball video games for those off days. Today, baseball video games are more realistic and complex -- and fun -- than ever. If you're looking for the best of the lot, check out 'MLB 09 The Show' for the PlayStation 3, 2, and PSP. On the Xbox 360 side, 'MLB 2K9' will do you just fine, although it lacks the polish of 'The Show' and its 'Road To The Show' mode, in which you play the part of a scrubby minor leaguer trying to make his way to the Bigs. Prices run from $39 to $59 depending on platform.
Best Baseball Tech of 2009
5. 'MLB At Bat' for iPhone - $10 Major League Baseball's official iPhone application is back, and it's better than ever. The $10 application still includes the live score updates, at-bat pitch locations, and video highlights that made it a great app in 2008, but the addition of live game audiocasts puts this thing in a class of its own. Consider that a subscription to MLB's radio feeds are ...Best Baseball Tech of 2009
6. MLB Network - "Free" Depending on Cable System Baseball couch potatoes are in for a treat this year, as the MLB Network has launched on most major cable providers. The new channel launched on January 1, 2009 and will broadcast 26 live games in high-definition on top of 24/7 news and analysis all year around. On-air talent includes such baseball heavyweights as Matt Vasgersian, Al Leiter, ...Best Baseball Tech of 2009
7. Classic Mattel Baseball - $11.99 This Mattel handheld game is anything but new, but it's a classic and we had to include it. Mattel briefly brought this '80s wonder back to Wal-Mart for just $11.99 a few years back, and you can find it for even less than that on eBay if you look hard enough. Blinking red lights and a simple control scheme make this the portable choice for retro lovers (or ...Best Baseball Tech of 2009
8. Executive Batting Practice - $24.95 Those office putting machines are cool and all, but Executive Batting Practice brings batting practice to the suit set. The $24.95 pitching machine hucks window-friendly balls that the boss man can hit with a little, collapsible bat. Unfortunately, Executive Batting Practice has been discontinued, but keep an eye out for it at layoff stoop sales near ...Best Baseball Tech of 2009
9. Wii Grand Slam Sports Pack - $19.99 'Wii Baseball' provides simple relief from the complexities of the big video games, but swinging that remote around is a bit more satisfying with the Grand Slam Sports Pack. This pack of remote attachments includes a bat that clips onto your Wii controller to enhance the baseball experience. The package is only $19.99 and comes with tennis, golf, ...
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