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The Purple Bear

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A Children's Boutique

lassies & Up to the Minute Trendy!

We do small things BIG!!

244 E. Maple Rd • Birmingham

248.645.0400

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Mini Mac

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Wise Buy

Log on. Look good.

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SHOP BIRMINGHA

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'NG Pre';

265 S. Old Woodward • Birmingham

248-642-2555

Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30-6:00

VILLA SWEET VILLA.

THE ITALIAN DISH

Fine ceramics, art and gifts.

Downtown Birmingham
288 E Maple 248.593.8299

And while this annual ritual, for them
anyway, is one of life's necessary evils,
their attitude will brighten with the
great gadgets and accessories crowding
the stores and online.

of Two Cities.
You see, just as families settle into a
POWERING UP
groove during yet another summer vaca-
File
this under "Why didn't they think
tion, the thought of back-to-school
of
this
sooner?"
looms large. Indeed, and depending on
From
Apple (wwwapple.com , 800-
whom you ask, it is the best of times –
MY-APPLE,
or the Apple stores at
and the worst of times.
Twelve
Oaks
in Novi and Somerset
Of course, parents won't admit it out-
Collection
North) in Troy, the
right, but the frenetic schedule
"most
affordable
Mac ever" is
inherent during the weeks after
($499), an
the
new
Mac
Mini
that final school bell in June can
external
hard
drive
measuring
a
beat down even the most even-
mere
6.5
by
2
inches
that
works
keeled among them. So it's no
with both Mac and PC-compati-
surprise that in the coming days,
ble peripherals. Best of all, it
they may walk a little more
makes for an easy upgrade
sprightly and hide a satisfied
ED NA KFOOR
from older Mac or PC sys-
grin as they covertly check
COLU MNIST
tems and comes with
off the days until life returns
Apple's newest operating system, MAC
to its school year normalcy, if such a
OS X v10.4 Tiger, as well as iLife '05
thing ever existed.
featuring the latest versions of iTunes,
As for their charges, they'll most like-
iPhoto, Movie, iDVD and GarageBand.
ly be in denial, certain there's been
Another affordable — and space sav-
some grievous time-keeping mistake.
ing — Apple desktop is eMac, from
They'll look sullen during that first trip
$799, also featuring the current MAC
in search of back-to-school supplies.
OS X and iLife programs.
Laptops rate high in my book for
form and function. Long gone are the
bulky contraptions of years ago. Today's
computer-on-the-go is feather light,
without being a featherweight when it
comes to power. Apple's iBook G4 starts
at $999 and the more powerful
PowerBooks at $1,499.
Remember to inquire about Apple's
payment plan and college student dis-
count.
Apples to oranges comparisons aside,
PC fans are just as voracious as Mac loy-

Sony VAIO 540

Continued on page 30

JNPLATINUM • AUGUST 2005 •

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