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Time management software has exploded in popularity over the last few years, and some people may argue that it's become too complex for its own good; you end up spending more time managing your tasks than actually completing them. My Checklist is an extremely simple task manager that has only slightly more features than a pen-and-paper to-do list. For some people, that might be a welcome change.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive, with buttons for adding and removing items, checking off items that are complete, reordering items, and printing the list of tasks. That is the … Read more

You don't have to own a Mac to use FileMaker's new Bento for iPad, but if you do, wireless sync adds extra incentive to take your personal databases on the go.

Bento offers iPad users a portable personal database for storing everything from birthdays and home expenses to recipes and an exercise log, with 25 templates to get you started. Integration with the address book, dialer, Safari browser, e-mail inbox, and Google Maps make Bento a useful iPhone app offering that could become a master storehouse for your separate lists; and one that quickly facilitates calls, mapping, and … Read more

HANOI, Vietnam--"Whoa! That just looks so pretty on you!" That's part of a conversation I overheard between two trendy twentysomething women in an air-conditioned cafe on a hot summer day here.

Their chat caught my attention, among other reasons, because the accessory in question wasn't a sparkling engagement ring or the super short shorts they were both wearing but Apple's latest smartphone, the iPhone 4.

I've heard a lot of people in Hanoi, by the way, call the newly released Apple smartphone the "iPhone 4G" (or 4G for short). This misperception about the product's name, however, is much easier to understand than the incredibly high price the phone is selling for here.

Since the first generation of the device, the iPhone has been a much sought-after gadget in Vietnam. In the beginning, the phone wasn't officially available in the country (local providers, including Viettel and VinaPhone, started carrying the iPhone 3GS just about three months ago) and most were smuggled in from the States and had to be unlocked before they could be used, courtesy of Apple's tight controls and exclusive deal with AT&T.

The iPhone used to be not just hard to find but also hard to use in Vietnam, compared with other smartphones. That's because if a user accidentally upgrades the phone's operating system (some people upgrade the phone's firmware without knowing what they are doing), it will be locked again and become useless until a new unlock method is available.

Despite that nuisance, when the iPhone 3G first came out, the locked U.S. version cost about twice its original price in Vietnam. The phone was so popular that unlocking it became a lucrative business in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city.

The iPhone 4, though, will likely be available soon via proper channels, and there are apparently many who are willing to pay up to $2,500 to be the first in the country to have one.

I checked out the iShop in Hanoi, one of a few electronic stores in Vietnam that sell Apple products and have the new iPhone on sale. Here, the 32GB version is currently priced at $1,850, the 16GB is cheaper at $1,600. These phones are international versions smuggled in from France and are "factory unlocked," meaning no unlocking is necessary before they can work with Vietnamese GSM service providers.

There are also locked U.S. versions of the phones--which currently can't be used with Vietnamese carriers until a method to get them unlocked is available--that cost around $1,000. During the 15 minutes I was in the iShop, a few other people came in to check out the phone, marveling at its gorgeous Retina display and then leaving after learning about the outrageous prices. … Read more

One of the most common uses for the Apple menu has been to quickly launch utilities, system settings, and programs. Starting with its early implementations in the classic Mac OS, you used it to access the control panel, the calculator, keycaps, and other accessories. With later versions Apple added the ability to launch recent applications and documents--a feature that has carried over to OS X today.… Read more

One of the built-in services Apple offers application developers in OS X is a method for listing recent documents that have been opened by that particular application. When implemented, you will see an "Open Recent" option in the File menu of the respective program. This feature can be exceptionally useful; however, there are times when the default number of items listed is not enough.… Read more

After installing various applications or services on your system, the computer may start these up at boot or log-in. OS X supports a number of different ways to automatically launch applications and services, some of which are a little more obscure than others and may result in applications launching even though they are not in obvious start-up items locations.… Read more

Apple has a number of ways to run scripts, applications, and open other common items at startup or login. The most common is the "login items" list for each account in the "Accounts" system preferences; however, there are others including the "Startup Items" folder in the global library, which is primarily used by applications that need to start a helper process at startup. A few users who have installed Snow Leopard on their systems have run into a problem where upon logging in the system claims the "Startup Items" folder is insecure and items from this folder will not be used.… Read more

Apple's login items are exceptionally useful for launching programs, running scripts, and opening documents, folders, or other resources that are regularly accessed upon logging in. For instance, a common program to run as a login item is an email client such as Mail. Adding an application to the login items is as easy as right-clicking it in the Dock and choosing "Open at Login" from the contextual menu (in the "Options" submenu in Snow Leopard), but to add other items you must use the Accounts system preferences.… Read more

It is frequently the case that Start menu enhancements turn out not to be enhancements at all, but ugly, clunky, annoying modifications that we can't wait to get rid of. Start Menu Organizer, however, is a thing of beauty. It's incredibly intuitive, does exactly what it says it will without a bunch of useless extra features, and performs a truly valuable service.

Take a look at your Start menu. Is the All Programs tab a clutter of random stuff with no rhyme or reason? Start Menu Organizer can help. The program's interface is simple and clean, requiring … Read more