Educate and Advocate
Here’s a pair of programs, a handy gadget, and some online resources to make you the envy of all well-rounded Mac users.
The Final Frontier
T-shirt, $20; baseball cap, $20; pocket-sized Bill of Rights, $10;
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Want to support a worthwhile cause and establish your digerati bona fides? Then buy a tchotchke from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the ACLU of the Net. From censorship to online surveillance, CALEA to WIPO, it’s at the forefront in pretty much every battle of Netizen versus The Man. Of course, all that do-gooding doesn’t pay the rent—so you should hit the EFF store and buy one of their T-shirts, baseball caps, or (our favorite) a pocket-sized copy of the Bill of Rights. EFF says 90 percent of every dollar you donate goes directly to fighting the good fight.—
Dan Miller
Big Blue Marble
$40;
Software MacKiev
Yes, there’s weather.com, the newspaper, Glucose’s WeatherPop, and so on. But nowhere is there a cooler way to look at the planet than with Software MacKiev’s amazing software, 3D Weather Globe & Atlas. Spin the world this way and that. Animate the clouds, the sun, and the moon. Zoom way in. Zoom way out. If you want a great way to spend a lot of time, look no further.—
Tom Penberthy
Longing for Logos
The Missing Bite;
RedLightRunner;
Apple
Got a hankering to wear your favorite computer maker’s logos on your body? Then head to the online stores The Missing Bite and RedLightRunner. Just be prepared to pay, as they collect their logo gear individually—no volume discounts from Apple. But if you’re in Cupertino, California, you’re in luck. Visit the Apple Company Store at 1 Infinite Loop to buy Apple-logo shirts, watches, caps, and more.—
Rob Griffiths
Culture Vulture
free;
The Museum of Online Museums
Forget the noisy groups of bored schoolchildren you endure in most museums. Instead, click your way through the Museum of Online Museums, a large online compendium of links to brick-and-mortar institutions. Exhibits range from the silly (the Gallery of Expo 58 Beer Mats) to the sublime (the Musée d’Orsay).—
Terri Stone
Hobo Knows
$206;
Onset
Would your basement make a decent wine cellar? What part of the yard gets the most sunlight? Where do your heating dollars go? If you’re curious about your household climate conditions, the Hobo U12 Temp/RH/ Light/External Data Logger with Mac software and sensor can oblige. This gadget measures and records temperature, humidity, and light over time. Plug it into your Mac, and presto! Questions answered.—
Scholle Sawyer McFarland
