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- Quicken Essentials Updated, Price Lowered
Reader response to the introduction of Quicken Essentials for Mac here on TheAppleBlog ranged from resigned acceptance of the reduction in features to outright anger and dismay at the new version that dropped so many of the capabilities of Quicken 2007 for Mac. In response to these criticisms, Intuit has publicly announced plans to enhance Quicken Essentials for Mac during the course of the year and has also lowered the price, offering a rebate to existing customers."Quicken Essentials is our first Mac-native Quicken product, and demonstrates our new commitment to the Mac platform," said Aaron Patzer, vice president and general manager of Intuit's Personal Finance Group. "We're glad customers took it seriously when we asked for their feedback. These are the first in a series of changes we're planning to ensure Quicken Essentials users have the tools they need to manage their money easily and affordably."
New Features
The first set of enhancements to Quicken Essentials for Mac will be available by the end of the month and will let customers:
- Protect files with passwords.
- Export transaction data to spreadsheets for further analysis.
- Additional enhancements are expected throughout the year, enabling customers to:
- Obtain a complete picture of current net worth by entering investment holdings from brokerages that do not download to Quicken.
- Compare spending between time periods to better understand expenses.
- Export tax-deductible expenses to tax filing programs, such as TurboTax.
- Track budgets across several months
Existing Quicken Essentials for Mac users will get these updates automatically as they become available.
Lower Price: Customer Refund Available
In addition, Quicken lowered the retail price for Essentials from $69.99 to $49.99. Customers who purchased the product before April 19, 2010 can obtain a $20 refund. The offer is good through May 31, and further details are available at www.quicken.com/macrefund.
Intuit Should Have Done More From the Beginning
These measures will be welcome news to many users. The features slated for free updates are a good start, although some will be upset that their favorite feature is still missing (check printing, investment analysis, etc.). I think it is a good move for Intuit to go public with its plan to release these new features as free updates this year. It is tough for software publishers to pre-announce new features, but Intuit is in a bind here and needs to communicate to users that they will not be stuck with an inferior product.
The rebate is also a good idea, but perhaps too little too late. In my original review, one of my first reactions was that the price was too high to begin with for such an anemic first release. Quicken Essentials should have launched at $29. Then the v2 release could be $49 with a $20 upgrade for v1.0 customers.
What Do You Think?
Is this enough to assuage your anger or lessen your disappointment in buying Quicken Essentials for Mac? Will the lower price and promised features convince you to go out and get it now if you haven’t already?
Переслать - No, Google's Free Turn-by-Turn Navigation Is Not Coming to the iPhone
Despite numerous reports earlier this week claiming that Google was planning to bring its free turn-by-turn navigation to the iPhone, it turns out that the search giant currently does not have any such plans.Word regarding the alleged move first broke when a Mac User report claimed that a UK-based Google executive had revealed details about introducing the navigation tool to the iPhone, in addition to other mobile devices. The comments were apparently uttered during a London press conference in which Google launched its popular Maps Navigation tool for UK Android devices.
However, in order to kill the rumor before it became any more widespread, Google has now confirmed to PCWorld that this is not the case. PCWorld’s report includes comments from a Google spokesperson who said the following:
“We did not say we would bring it to iPhone, we said to date we’ve had it on Android and that in the future it may come to other platforms but did not confirm this will be coming to iPhone at all.”
For those that don’t know, Google’s Maps Navigation is a free GPS 3-D mapping service which offers turn-by-turn navigation, automatic rerouting and voice guidance for Android users. Sadly, no doubt at the joy of GPS makers such as Tom Tom and Garmin, Google’s service will not be on the iPhone anytime soon.
Переслать - Apple Hardware Longevity
Today, my daughter put my old iPod Mini into the iHome clock radio in her room and was surprised to see it spring to life. Surprised, but not nearly as surprised as I was. Astonished is probably a more accurate word for my reaction. Not only had that iPod lasted me for years in my car, at the gym, at work, and at home, I had used it until the battery no longer held a charge. The Mini came with me on trips around the country, driving and flying, my constant companion. At one point I loaded Linux on it, just because I could, became tired of it and set it back to factory defaults.After the battery gave up the ghost, the Mini continued to work great, as long as it was plugged in, for a couple more years. After the Mini refused to power on when plugged in, (or so I thought) I put it up, and generally forgot about it until my two year old son somehow found it and decided that he needed it. Since it was busted anyway, I let him have it, and that’s when the real abuse began.
My son dropped it on the concrete, used it as a hammer, and may have even taken a dive in the tub with it once or twice. I don’t think I’ve ever had a device as throughly beaten as this old Mini. For months, what was my companion became my son’s, inside and out. So, imagine my surprise when, after months of neglect and mistreatment, the Mini powered on and filled my daughter’s room with music once more. My old iPod is not without its scars, the click wheel doesn’t work, and the black and white display is a little patchy, but it still accepts the buttons on the iHome.
Have you had a similar, jaw dropping, “it still works” moment with your Apple gear? I’d love to hear about it, sound off in the comments!
Image courtesy of Flickr user mfajardo
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