You can download the issue 195 Disc cover for printing out here.

I've just found a great little tip for getting OS X to display the date in your menu bar next to the time without having to install any extra software. It's possible by using the International settings in System Preferences and only takes a couple of minutes of your time. Read how to do it here.

Of course, Mac Users have been able to do this for ages with 3rd party software like MenuCalendarClock, which is, frankly, a better solution, since it has more options. And of course, you can always have iCal in your Dock, which now displays today's date in its icon by default. However, I like the above solution because it's simple.

WARNING: As Craig has helpfully pointed out - this solution has the potential to alter all your system date and time stamps, so date and time stamps in iPhoto would also be affected. If you think that could cause you problems then avoid it and use a program like MenuCalendarClock instead.

Record you favourite TV shows on a shiny new Mac laptop

This month MacFormat has teamed up with Elgato, makers of the best TV recorders for Macs, to offer one lucky reader a brand spanking new MacBook together with the latest update to the award-winning EyeTV range. The MacBook is a top spec 2.2GHz white model, together with the Elgato EyeTV Diversity stick and the latest EyeTV software.

With a Diversity stick and EyeTV software you can experience the full digital TV revolution from the comfort of your Mac. You can watch, record, fast forward and rewind live TV on your Mac, and browse your way through TV guides. You can even programme the kit to record shows while you are out, and also resize and export content for your iPod, for burning to DVD, or just to pop into playlist on iTunes.

Elgato makes TV on a Mac as easy to handle as music on a Mac, thanks to an award-winning design ethos responsible for a simple interface that does all the thinking for you.

Elgato consistently picks up awards for both its software and hardware ranges.

For more information about the company, testimonials and a responsive user forum visit the company’s website at www.elgato.com. Elgato kit is well presented in Apple showrooms, so head to your nearest Apple Store if you want to take a look at the kit for yourself.

This is a huge year for digital TV in the UK, so don’t hang about. All that stands between you, a minty MacBook and the world’s supply of digital TV is the simple question to the right. Good luck!

To enter this competition please fill in our online competition form by clicking here

In this edition of MacFormat This Week...

Wall Street Journal technology columnist Walt Mossberg joins us for part one of a rare interview. Craig Grannell picks his favourite shareware this month, Christopher Phin reviews Toast 9 Titanium and Time Capsule and Trevor Middleton answers your questions.

Here are your links for this week's show...

You can subscribe to the enhanced edition of MacFormat This Week through iTunes. To do this, click here.

Or you can download the files directly: For the enhanced edition of this show, click here.

For the MP3 edition of this show, click here.

If you'd like your questions answered in a future edition of MacFormat This Week, then please email machelpme-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

We'd love to hear your questions or comments regarding MacFormat This Week. E-mail us at macformatthisweek-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

The avalanche of little hints that June will see an iPhone redesign mean either that the world realises what benefits can be had from faking some details and getting page hits, or that indeed a new iPhone will make its debut at June's WWDC.

The latest hint is this page from O2, saying that it just doesn't have any more iPhones to sell.

Something about this just feels odd to me, though; if indeed there won't be a new model until WWDC, that's a whole month during which O2 won't be able to sell iPhones, and even though we understand that sales have been a little more sluggish than O2 had hoped, that's still a very long time. It also seems a bit weird that a company would shout so loud about being out of stock of a high-profile product. It's almost like the equivalent of the Apple Store being down – when there's no technical reason for it to be – but I can't see what O2 hopes to achieve by pulling the same stunt. Maybe the new iPhone is closer than we thought? If it were to be released next Tuesday – the traditional day of the week on which Apple launches new kit – then perhaps O2 would have drummed up a little swell of publicity in advance of iPhone 2. It's quite possible, however, that this 'no more iPhones' notice will disappear in the next few days when O2 magically receives new stock.

Are you excited about the prospect of a new iPhone? Just bought one and regret it? What would you like to see in the new model? Let us know in the comments!

UPDATE Our colleagues at TechRadar.com have confirmed with O2 that it's just a temporary supply issue; more 16GB iPhones are on their way, though the fate of the 8GB model is less certain.

We've been contacted by the U show, a new satellite broadcast show that allows filmmakers to pay to have their material broadcast on Sky TV. As long as the film complies with broadcast guidelines then it is guaranteed to be shown. If you've been making movies on your Mac with iMovie or Final Cut then this could be the ideal chance to have them shown to the world on TV.

The show is transmitted on Sky Digital channel 168, Information TV, and aims to give broadcast exposure to talented filmmakers and unsigned bands (U show bands).

Here's the good bit: The first 10 videos (Max 6 minutes) sent in by MacFormat readers will be aired free of charge on the pilot show, so make sure you specify that you are a MacFormat reader. Please send videos on miniDV or disc to:

The U show
PO Box 1052
CHELTENHAM
GL50 9JP

Include a note with your contact details, the fact you are a MacFormat reader and any caption you would like with the video.

Following the pilot show MacFormat readers will receive a 50% discount on booked airtime. The U Show are charging at £0.60 per second broadcast plus a £7.50 production fee. Therefore, with the discount applied, a 5 minute film will cost £93.75 to place in the show. All you have to do is write SHOOTR in the promotional code box when ordering your airtime. Your film will also be repeated on a separate date.

The first pilots are to be aired from June 3rd, so get sending your material in.

Go to The U Show website for full details, or email info-AT-theushow.tv

OS X secrets revealed

Better ways to do everything on your Mac

Macs are easy to use, but there are still great workarounds and timesavers that can make them even better. This issue’s main feature includes essential tips and tricks to get more from Tiger and Leopard, from sharing data and synchronising settings to working smarter and faster with keyboard shortcuts.

We also investigate the new Apple TV 2 update and try out the movie rental service, and we talk to the development community about the future of the iPhone.

Also this issue

Tutorials
Get to grips with Aperture 2
Customise Leopard’s Finder
Work faster with Flickr
Get .Mac for less
Cut out images in Photoshop
And more…

Reviews
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch 2.5GHz
Apple MacBook 2.4GHz
Apple AirPort Express
Apple Time Capsule
Roxio Toast 9 Titanium
Softpress Freeway Pro 5
Six security programs rounded up
And more…

Mac questions answered
Unbootable iPod after jailbreaking; cursor problems on my MacBook; printing through a firewall; IP conflict for no apparent reason and more…

On the DVD
Three full programs: MacJournal 3.3, NetFinder 2.3.3 and RAGE WebDesign 2.9.6, plus Chinese lessons, Photoshop training videos, hot demos and more…

It’s all in MacFormat issue 195, on sale now!

Visit the MacFormat forum by clicking here
Subscribe to MacFormat and never miss an issue again!

In this edition of MacFormat This Week...

Is the long wait for the 64-bit version of Photoshop worth it? Adobe's Photoshop manager, John Nack, joins us to discuss. Also: are discounted shareware bundles a good investment for developers and consumers? And Trevor Middleton answers your questions.

Here are your links for this week's show...

You can subscribe to the enhanced edition of MacFormat This Week through iTunes. To do this, click here.

Or you can download the files directly: For the enhanced edition of this show, click here.

For the MP3 edition of this show, click here.

If you'd like your questions answered in a future edition of MacFormat This Week, then please email machelpme-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

We'd love to hear your questions or comments regarding MacFormat This Week. E-mail us at macformatthisweek-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

These formidable Mac and iPod accessories are not to be missed

This month, MacFormat has teamed up with Altec Lansing, which has consistently impressed us over the last few years with well-built and superb-sounding speakers for Macs and iPods alike.

Altec Lansing manufactures so many different variants of speaker that it makes your head spin, but we have yet to see a poorly built model carrying this brand. The prizes on offer in this competition are two models from the new range. Up for grabs are one of three first-prize T612-powered audio systems with their own iPod-docking bays and remotes, or one of ten Orbit-MP3 portable speakers for slipping into your backpack and taking on the road.

The T612 is a flagship release from Altec Lansing. It’s a thoroughly well-built desktop speaker for iPods or iPhones, and comes with a nifty little remote to boot. Audio inputs will even support a signal from your Mac, and whatever the source, expect buckets of undistorted sound at any volume. Everything about it oozes engineering prowess, and it has every feature we could ask for without getting bogged down in showy gadgetry. It’s a superb desktop system that will amplify your iPod, iPhone or Mac.

Enter this competition and you also get the chance to win one of ten excellent runner-up prizes: Orbit-MP3 speakers. These are about the best portable speakers for an iPod we’ve seen. They take a 3.5mm jack and sound brilliant in small areas.

For more info about Altec Lansing speakers, visit www.alteclansing.com. Meanwhile, click here to enter our competition now! Competition closes on 30 April 2008. click here

In this edition of MacFormat This Week...

This issue we've got some essential health check advice for your Mac with MacFormat editor Graham Barlow, a closer look at our Aperture 2 review with Mark Sparrow, our May shareware picks with Craig Grannell and Trevor Middleton answers your questions in our regular Q&A slot.

Here are your links for this week's show...

You can subscribe to the enhanced edition of MacFormat This Week through iTunes. To do this, click here.

Or you can download the files directly: For the enhanced edition of this show, click here.

For the MP3 edition of this show, click here.

If you'd like your questions answered in a future edition of MacFormat This Week, then please email machelpme-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

We'd love to hear your questions or comments regarding MacFormat This Week. E-mail us at macformatthisweek-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

A couple of days ago, I was in a conference call with Adobe. John Nack, the product manager for Photoshop, wanted to tell us about what 64-bit computers mean for Photoshop. The bottom line is that while the Windows version of Photoshop will be 64-bit, the Mac version will remain 32-bit. Here's the important bits:

This is not because Adobe hates the Mac as a platform; it's to do with changes Apple made to the tools companies use to develop applications.

Most people shouldn't care – you only see the advantage of 64-bit apps if you need to access huge – more than 4GB – amounts of RAM; in the case of Photoshop, this means working on massive images. The huge majority of folks are likely to see only very minor speed increases.

Nack's post on the subject is a great primer if you want to know more about the switch from Carbon to Cocoa, and the ever-excellent John Gruber has his own post-match analysis here.

And yes, the Mac will get a 64-bit version of Photoshop; if all goes to plan, it should be included as part of CS5.

Essential Mac health check

Keep your Mac in tip-top condition

If your Mac has been flagging of late, it’s about time you gave it a thorough health check. It could just need some more RAM to give it a boost, or it could benefit from a full system check. Whatever it needs, our feature will guide you on the way.

Also this issue, MacFormat Editor, Graham Barlow, spent a month with the super-slim MacBook Air – read what he thinks now he’s used it for a while instead of his trusty MacBook. Christopher Phin goes wireless with his music and investigates the crackly world of Bluetooth audio.

Also this issue

Tutorials
Correct camera distortion
Deign pages in Word 2008
Network Macs and PCs
Master Leopard 10.5.2
Back up and restore your Mac
And more…

Reviews
Apple Aperture 2
Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac
Creative Zen Stone Plus & speaker
Griffin Evolve
Group Test of six 32-inch LCD TVs
And more…

Mac questions answered
Desktop publishing on a MacBook Pro; resetting keychains for Safari; stop word files from inflating; Intel MacBook battery problems fixed; speeding up Aperture and more…

On the DVD
Three full programs: Captain FTP 5.2, KavaTunes 1.9 and WebCopier 2.0 plus Portuguese lessons, scrapbooking software, hot demos and more…

It’s all in MacFormat issue 194, on sale now!

Visit the MacFormat forum by clicking here
Subscribe to MacFormat and never miss an issue again!

Our DVD in issue 194 is mounted in a clear plastic wallet. If you'd like a cover to print out then here's the PDF of issue 194's MacFormat DVD cover for you to download. Just click on the image or here for the PDF.

I've just upgraded my Mac mini's RAM – the tutorial will appear in MacFormat soon – and have a couple of 256MB PC5300 chips lying here on my desk. If you want them, drop me an email and I'll mail them out to you in proper antistatic packets.

In this edition of MacFormat This Week...

We talk to Polar Bear Farm about what the iPhone means as a platform to developers, Craig Grannell tells us all about using the easy, cheap shareware tool SuperDuper to keep all your documents and photos safe from a hard disk crash, and Trevor Middleton answers your questions in our regular Q&A slot.

Here are your links for this week's show...

You can subscribe to the enhanced edition of MacFormat This Week through iTunes. To do this, click here.

Or you can download the files directly: For the enhanced edition of this show, click here.

For the MP3 edition of this show, click here.

If you'd like your questions answered in a future edition of MacFormat This Week, then please email machelpme-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.

We'd love to hear your questions or comments regarding MacFormat This Week. E-mail us at macformatthisweek-AT-futurenet.co-DOT-uk.