Voila from Global Delights is a screen capture program with some unique features. Like most screen capture applications, Voila can capture a window, an area, or the entire desktop. It also offers timed captures.

Voila from Global Delights

But unlike most screen capture applications, Voila can also use various shapes, such as rectangles, polygons, circles, and ovals, as well as a freehand outline, to capture any area of the screen. One feature I enjoy is the ability to capture application menus. Usually you have to use a timed screen capture to grab a menu, and then use an image editor to delete everything that isn't the menu. With Voila, you can select an open menu with just the press of a keyboard combo.

Voila also has its own built-in browser for grabbing web shots. Why? Because when you open a URL in the Voila browser, each component of the web page becomes an individual item that you can select and capture independently.

Once you have your screen shots, you can use Voila to organize, edit, and share the images.

If you're looking for a timesaving screen capture application with unusual features, give Voila a try.

Voila is $39.95. A 30-day demo is available.

See other software choices from Tom's Budget Software Picks.

The Magic Mouse comes with AA alkaline batteries pre-installed and ready for use. Some early Magic Mouse users report that battery life is abysmal, though: a mere 30 days or so.

Courtesy of Apple

The batteries, and not the mouse, may be the culprit. In most cases, the Magic Mouse comes with Energizer batteries, which are a well-respected brand, but it's hard to know how long they've been on the shelf before being installed in the Magic Mouse. It's likely that new, fresh batteries will last longer than the 30 days some users are getting out of the initial batch.

Of course, battery life also depends on usage. The Magic Mouse is supposed to go into hibernation when it detects a lack of use, which should help extend battery life. Turning the Magic Mouse off manually when you're done using it, with the switch on the mouse's belly, should help push battery life a little further.

Another option to get the most life out of the Magic Mouse's batteries is to replace them with either Lithium-Ion AA or rechargeable NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries. Both should provide longer life; the NiMH batteries have the added benefit of being rechargeable.

If you decide to go the rechargeable route, look for NiMH AAs with a 2900 Mah (Milla amp hour) rating or better. Many of the bubble-packed, brand name rechargeables you find in the checkout aisle of your local hardware store have a 2300 to 2500 Mah rating. While they will work, they won't have as much staying power, and you'll find yourself recharging them fairly often. The 2900 Mah batteries are sometimes referred to as 'High Capacity' or other marketing babble.

Lithium AAs are also available in various Mah ratings, and once again the 2900 Mah rating is a good value to look for. The advantage to the Lithium batteries is a much longer battery life than standard alkaline AAs. They also last longer than the NiMH batteries do on a single charge, but they're not rechargeable.

Let us know the battery life you're seeing with your Magic Mouse.

A little over a week after Psystar suffered a major setback in court, Apple has decided to move in for the kill. It has filed an injunction to permanently prevent Psystar from infringing Apple's copyrights, and to stop the manufacturing, distribution, preparation, or use of any product that creates or facilitates the reproduction or modification of Mac OS X on non-Apple computers.

The filing goes on to prevent Psystar from continuing its current business practices, essentially shutting the company down. Apple also asks for $2.1 million in damages.

Given the tone of Judge William Alsup's prior ruling on summary judgement, there's a good chance the judge will look favorably on Apple's request.

Apple and Psystar are due back in court on December 14. By the end of the day, Psystar could be history.

It's not unusual for any product to have a few DOA (Dead On Arrival) issues, but when custom configured with the i7 processor option, the new iMac may be an overachiever in the Sincerely Dead department.

Courtesy of Apple

According to posts on Apple's support forum, some people are unable to boot up their 27-inch iMacs, reporting that the display never brightens, although they can hear the drive and other boot-up noises, indicating the iMac is trying to come to life. In some cases, they've received the 27-inch iMac with a damaged display.

The real frustration, though, seems to be not with the dead iMacs but with Apple not sending out replacement iMacs in a timely fashion. Many people are reporting that Apple support leads them to believe that Apple will ship the replacement iMac once FedEx notifies Apple that it has received the DOA iMac from the customer. When it works, this is a nice policy, and eliminates long waits for replacements.

Unfortunately, according to reports in the Apple support forums, Apple is not always shipping out the replacement iMacs when it receives notices from FedEx. My guess is that since all of the iMacs in question are custom configured (the i7 processor option), it's the custom building that's holding things up.

On a positive note, if you're interested in a 27-inch iMac with the i7 processor option, you may want to keep scanning the Refurbished Mac section of the Apple store. There will probably be some great deals on these models in the next week or two.