Macworld Expo: Walking the floor: Day 4: Data Rescue; ABS; iPod Organizer; Macworld Best of Show

Our final report from the Expo (see previous coverage), based on what we saw on the last day (Friday):

Data Rescue Great news from Prosoft Engineering: Data Rescue X is due out soon. It is an OS X update (runs in OS 9 as well) to this excellent data recovery utility that won a MacFixIt Toolbox Award in 1998. It has a completely redesigned interface and includes an ability to recover deleted files, even from a recently re-initialized drive. It can also recover data from a volume that will not mount.

Prosoft Novell Client for OS X While we were at the Prosoft booth, we asked them about the status of their Novell Client for OS X. They said it would be ready to go by the end of March. However, it will likely require OS X 10.2, so it may be delayed until that OS X update is released.

ABS CMS was showing its new ABS (Automatic Backup Solution). It is a combination of a compact FireWire hard drive together with backup software. Just plug-in the drive and the software automatically makes an incremental backup to the drive. Could not be simpler. Currently, the maximum drive size is 40GB with a 60GB version due out soon. A limitation for OS X use: it cannot restore a bootable version of the OS.

iPod Organizer We saw a demo of Panorama iPod Organizer. It did indeed work as advertised. It provides a contact database accessible via the jog-wheel controls on the iPod. Unlike a Palm, there is obviously no editing the file on the iPod itself. But if that is not critical, it can save you the need to get a Palm for just database use.

AXELedge We did not get time to see this, but it sounded worth noting: "Using new AXELedge 1.5 importer, LightWave 3D users on Mac and PC can create and publish interactive content directly to the Web, without programming."

Macworld Best of Show Macworld announced its Best of Show awards for the Expo. Winners included the iMac, iPhoto, LiveMotion, ABS, Toast with Jam, and Six Degrees.

Note: Today's main home page contains a link to Ted Landau's Expo presentation slides.