What Can That New iPod Do?
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 the iPod nano's new software features, Windows XP Professional, and ways to stop spam.
If you have a question, send it to me at
mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg's Mailbox.
Q: In your review of the new iPod nano, you didn't say if it has any new software features, or if it works with all the iPod accessories already out there. Can you elaborate?
A: Sure. I just ran out of room and couldn't cover everything in my review. The nano actually does have several new software features unseen on previous iPods, even costlier ones. There's a stopwatch and lap timer; a world clock module that can display multiple time zones; and a software lock, which looks like a combination lock on the screen, and is meant to keep your iPod private. Perhaps my favorite new software function is a lyrics screen, which works in conjunction with a new version of Apple's free iTunes software, issued at the same time the nano was introduced. The iTunes 5.0 software now allows users to embed lyrics into a song file. When the nano plays any song that has these embedded lyrics, it can display them on a lyrics screen you call up by pushing the player's center button a few times. The iTunes 5.0 software has some other new features that don't require a nano player. It can automatically synchronize contacts and calendar items from Microsoft Outlook on Windows PCs. It has parental controls, an improved search function, and a new option that allows users to decide just how randomly its "shuffle" feature works, so you can avoid hearing multiple songs by the same artist in a row. Apple also now claims that its iTunes Music Store has a catalog of two million songs, about twice as many as its competitors offer. On the accessories question: The new nano has the same proprietary iPod connector port that its larger siblings use, so it should be compatible with most accessories that use that port. I tested it on a Logitech speaker system and on the flexDock mini car adapter made by TEN Technology. It worked perfectly on both, even though both were designed with no knowledge of the nano. However, there are add-ons that won't work with the nano. Any accessory that relies on a headphone jack being on top of an iPod won't work, because the nano's jack is on the bottom. Any gadget that relies on a separate remote-control jack won't work, because the nano lacks this. The nano also doesn't support voice-recorder accessories, or cables that allow some older iPods to display photos on a TV screen.
Q: I am buying a new PC for my home and am wondering if it's worth it to spend an extra $100 to get Windows XP Professional instead of Windows XP Home.
A: The only home users who need XP Pro are those who connect remotely to their companies' networks, and whose network administrators have told them that the Pro version is needed to do so. Otherwise, you can save the $100. The Home version of XP can connect remotely to some company networks just fine, but others use a specific configuration that is only supported by Microsoft in XP Pro. The Pro version has a few other features that the Home version lacks, but they aren't relevant to most home users. By the way, when Microsoft issues its new Vista version of Windows in the fall of 2006, the confusion over different editions of Windows is likely to get much worse. The company is planning to offer many more editions of Windows then, aimed at narrower market segments, and only an expensive, "ultimate" version will have all the features in one package.
Q: Recently, I have started to receive spam advertising pornography. My computer is a new Dell, with Windows XP and all the usual antispyware and antivirus protections. Is there anything I can do to stop receiving these emails?
A: Antispyware and antivirus software will do nothing to stop these noxious emails. What you need is an antispam program or service. You didn't say what email program you use, but you should immediately turn on whatever antispam features it contains. Or, if you are using Web-based email, turn on all the antispam options available. If you aren't using Web-based email, but use a program like Outlook or Outlook Express, you can also buy add-on antispam programs that are built to block pornographic ads and other forms of spam. The best of these is MailFrontier, in my opinion (
www.mailfrontier.com). However, spammers are persistent and clever, and no software or service is guaranteed to stop all the offensive mail they spew out.
iPod nano有何新功能？
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iPod nano的新功能、Windows XP专业版和反垃圾邮件程序等问题。
问：你在对新推出的iPod nano的测评中，并没有说明它是否具备任何新的软件功能，或者它是否与所有已经推出的iPod配件相容。你能不能详细说明一下？
答：当然可以。我没法在测评中谈到所有的问题。nano实际上确实具备几个旧款iPod、甚至是价格更贵的型号所没有的软件功能。里面有一个秒表和计时器；一个世界时钟，可以显示多个时区时间；还有一个软件锁，看起来像是屏幕上的号码锁，旨在使你的iPod专供个人使用。我最喜欢的一个新软件功能是歌词屏幕，它需要和苹果在推出nano的同时发布的免费新版iTunes软件结合起来使用。iTunes 5.0软件现在允许用户将歌词嵌入歌曲文件。当nano播放任何具有这些内含歌词的歌曲时，你只要按几下播放器的中心按钮先把歌词屏幕调出来，上面就会显示歌词。iTunes 5.0软件还具备一些其他的新功能，无需nano播放器也可以使用。它可以同步更新Windows个人电脑上Microsoft Outlook下的通讯录和日历栏目。它设有父母控制键、改进的搜索功能以及允许用户控制其“shuffle”随机播放顺序的新选项，以免你连续听到几首来自同个歌手的歌曲。苹果现在还声称，其iTunes Music Store拥有两百万首歌曲，大约是其竞争对手提供的两倍。
关于配件的问题，新推出的nano拥有与大型号iPod相同的由苹果自主开发的连接器接口。我在Logitech的扬声器系统和TEN Technology制造的微型车适配器上对它进行了测试。它在两个系统上运行得都非常好，即便这两个系统的设计根本没有考虑到nano。不过，也有一些外设无法与nano相容。任何依赖于iPod顶部耳机插孔的配件都无法在nano上使用，因为nano的耳机插孔在底部。那些依赖于单独遥控插孔的配件也无法运行，因为nano根本就没有这个插孔。nano也不支持录音配件，或是允许一些旧款iPod在电视屏幕上显示照片的有线装置。
问：我正想为家里购置一台新的个人电脑，我想多花上100美元安装Windows XP专业版而不是家庭版，不知道这样做是不是值得？
答：唯一需要XP专业版的家庭用户是那些希望远程接入公司网络、并且公司网络管理员也告诉他们必须安装专业版的人。不然的话，你完全可以省下100美元。XP家庭版也可以远程接入部分公司网络，但其他公司网络使用一种只有微软XP专业版才支持的特别配置。专业版还具备几个家庭版没有的其他功能，但他们对大多数家庭用户没什么用处。顺便说一下，当微软在2006年秋季发布其Windows新的Vista版本的时候，Windows不同版本引起的混乱有可能愈演愈烈。届时，微软将推出更多的Windows版本，瞄准更加细分的市场，而只有一种昂贵的“终极”版本才会涵盖所有的功能。
问：最近，我开始收到色情垃圾广告，我的电脑是一台新的戴尔(Dell)，操作系统是Windows XP，配有常用的反间谍软件和反病毒软件。我该怎么做才能不再接收到这些电子邮件呢？
答：反间谍软件和反病毒软件对消除这些黄色电子邮件毫无帮助。你需要的是一个反垃圾邮件程序或者服务。你没有说明你使用的是什么样的电子邮件程序，但你应当立即开启它所包含的任何反垃圾邮件功能。或者，如果你正在使用基于网络的电子邮件，那就打开所有可用的反垃圾邮件选项。如果你使用的不是基于网络的电子邮件，而是像Outlook或Outlook Express这样的程序，你也可以购买额外的反垃圾邮件程序，阻止色情广告和其他形式的垃圾邮件的侵入。在我看来，最好的反垃圾邮件程序是MailFrontier(
www.mailfrontier.com)。不过，垃圾邮件的发送者很执著、也很聪明，因此没有哪种软件或服务能保证可以阻止所有的垃圾电子邮件。
