How to Split Up MP3 Files
There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers. Everybody has questions about them, and we aim to help.
Here are a few questions about computers I've received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about breaking MP3s into separate tracks, wireless mice and transferring emails to Microsoft's Entourage from a PC.
Q: I'm downloading some lectures in MP3 format and then transferring each to an audio CD to listen to while driving. An occasional lecture in the series is too large to transfer to CD. Is there a program that will divide these into two tracks so that they can be written to separate CDs?
A: Yes, there are multiple little utility programs that can split (or join) MP3 files. I haven't tested any of them, so I can't recommend one. But you can find them by going to
www.download.com and typing in "mp3 splitter."
Q: I am in the market for a wireless mouse for my Dell notebook. Do they perform well? Do you recommend a particular one?
A: Cordless mice do perform well, in my experience, and are now quite common. The only downside is that you have to replace their batteries occasionally, or remember to place them in a charger, if they use one. For laptops, especially on the road, Logitech and Microsoft make cordless mice, which are smaller than typical desktop models. But you should go to a store and actually try some out, to see which size and feel you prefer.
Q: How can I transfer my Microsoft Outlook contacts and email from my Dell into Microsoft's Entourage program on my new MacBook Pro? Entourage, which is supposed to be Outlook's equivalent for the Mac, doesn't seem to recognize my Outlook files. Shouldn't a Microsoft email program recognize files from another Microsoft email program?
A: Yes, it absolutely should. It amazes me that Microsoft Office for the Mac includes compatible versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but not Outlook. And it is truly annoying that Microsoft's Outlook substitute for the Mac, Entourage, has no built-in way to recognize or automatically convert Outlook files from Windows.
Luckily, there's a $10 third-party program that can do the conversion. It's called O2M, from a company called Little Machines, and can be found at
www.littlemachines.com. It turns your Outlook data into files that can be imported into Entourage, or into the Mac's built-in email, address book, and calendar programs.
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Because of the volume of email I receive, I can't routinely answer individual questions by email, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.
如何将Outlook数据转入Entourage
在我们大多数人拥有的大件电器中，再没有什么比个人电脑更令人费解、更变幻莫测的了。每个人或许都有些关于电脑的问题，而《莫博士信箱》将为您提供帮助。
本周我将回答读者有关MP3文件分割程序、无线鼠标以及将Outlook数据转入Entourage等的问题。
问：我下载了一些MP3格式的演讲文件，然后想把这些文件转存到CD盘上，这样开车的时候就可以听了。但是其中有一个文件特别大，无法转存到一张CD上。有没有什么程序可以将它分成两部分以便存在两张CD上。
答：有。有不少应用程序可以分割（或合并）MP3文件。我还没有试用过这类程序，因此无法向你推荐。不过，你可以访问
www.download.com，输入“MP3分割”，就能够找到。
问：我准备为我的戴尔(Dell)笔记本电脑买一个无线鼠标。无线鼠标好用吗？你有什么推荐吗？
答：根据我的经验，无线鼠标还不错，而且现在它的使用已经十分普遍了。唯一的缺点是你有时需要更换鼠标电池，或是给它充电。罗技(Logitech)以及微软(Microsoft)都生产笔记本用无线鼠标，而且它们比普通台式机的鼠标要小。但你还是应该到商店试用一下，亲自感受自己喜欢的大小规格和手感。
问：我怎么才能把戴尔电脑中微软Outlook邮件系统中的联系人以及电子邮件转入新买的MacBook Pro电脑的微软Entourage邮件系统中呢？Entourage应该相当于苹果电脑系统的Outlook。可是Entourage似乎无法识别Outlook文件。难道微软的一个电子邮件系统不应该可以识别它的另一个电子邮件系统的文件吗？
答：当然应该可以识别。令我感到奇怪的是，在微软针对苹果电脑系统开发的Office软件中，Word、 Excel以及PowerPoint都与Windows版本兼容，只有Outlook不兼容。更有甚者，Entourage自身无法识别或自动转换来自Windows Outlook的文件。
幸运的是，有一个售价10美元的第三方程序能够进行这种转换。这个名为O2M的程序由Little Machines公司提供，你可以登录
www.littlemachines.com找到它。这个程序可以将Outlook数据转换为可输入Entourage的文件类型，或者转换到苹果系统内置的电子邮件、地址簿以及日历等程序中。
Walter S. Mossberg
（编者按：本文作者Walter S. Mossberg是《华尔街日报》科技栏目Personal Technology，Mossberg's Mailbox等栏目的专栏作家。这些栏目主要介绍一些最新的消费类科技产品和解决方案，并解答读者提出的问题。）
