Better Battery Life, iBook at War, Antennas Boost TiBook
Reception, a USB 2/FireWire PC Card, and More
Charles Moore
- 2003.04.11
Except as noted, prices are in U.S. dollars, bold links are to
outside sites, and regular links lead to 'Book profiles on Low End
Mac.
12 Steps to Better Battery Life
"What
Apple doesn't make clear in the PowerBook manual is that the
battery doesn't charge if it's more than 95 per cent full. Why? To
eliminate very short recharge cycles, which aren't good for the
Li-ion's overall life span. If we'd have known this, we wouldn't
have done the second calibration and might have a higher capacity
battery."
Check out 12 Steps
To Better PowerBook Battery Life for more information.
iBook at War
St. Petersburg Times staff photographer John
Pendygraft is attached to the HMM 365 Marine Helicopter
Squadron from New River, NC, and sends pictures from the Iraqi
desert using an iBook and a NERA World Communicator satellite phone
on the Inmarsat satellite system.
The small, three-paneled satellite dish provides the connection
to the satellite. The phone gives Pendygraft a high-speed
connection to the Internet for sending photos, text, and audio.
Pendygraft faces the challenge of keeping the batteries for the
iBook, satellite phone, and two digital cameras charged while away
from a reliable power source.
Antennas Boost Reception in PowerBook G4s and
PowerBook G3 Pismo models
QuickerTek has
just announced two new antennas that boost wireless connectivity up
to 50% for all PowerBook Titanium G4 users and PowerBook G3 (Pismo)
portables with AirPort cards. These new antennas are shipping now
for a retail price of $79.95 for the Ti Whip and $39.95 for the Ti
Antenna.
Wireless reception for PowerBook Titanium users in particular
has been a sore spot since first implemented. Insufficient range
and inconsistent network connections are
common complaints. These new QuickerTek antennas work with the
AirPort card by extending the antenna outside of the PowerBook
case, boosting range and connection stability.
Both antennas are compatible with Mac OS X and 9.x and
require no drivers or software installation. A CD of relevant
software is included for convenience.
Installation
Users open the PowerBook, exposing the AirPort card, remove the
cable connection to the internal antennas, connect the new antenna
wire, thread this wire through the PC Card slot opening, and then
attach the cable to the external antenna stub of the Ti Antenna,
which resides in the PC Card slot opening, or to the Ti Whip
antenna velcro'd to the top half of the PowerBook case. Use of
either of these antennas prevents the use of the PC Card slot for
other purposes. Removing the AirPort card from its original slot
and placing it in the PC Card slot is not an option due to the
engineering of the AirPort card.
The Ti Antenna is only as wide as the PC Card slot and less than
1/2" thick, extending out from the PowerBook. This antenna is ideal
for those who use their PowerBook as more of a desktop replacement.
The Ti Whip antenna is more convenient and can be oriented so that
reception is optimized for varying environments - ideal for those
who are mobile a majority of the time. A small patch of Velcro®
fixes the taller antenna to the top of the PowerBook. This provides
the flexibility to reposition the antenna for optimum wireless
reception.
These new QuickerTek wireless antennas can be purchased from
TechnoWarehouse at
or QuickerTek.
USB 2/FireWire Combo Upgrades from Dual
Link
The
Dual Link CardBus Card features two USB 2.0 Ports and
one FireWire Port. Now you can have the latest in 
connectivity to your CardBus equipped
PowerBook, easily connecting to the latest in USB 2.0 and FireWire
devices such as: Hard Drives, DVD Burners, DV Camcorders, Video
Capture Devices Etc. The possibilities are endless, you can now
have up to 127 USB 2.0 Devices and up to 63 FireWire Devices.
Features
- Add FireWire & USB 2.0 to your 'Book with one CardBus
card
- Gets the fastest speeds from your USB and FireWire Ports
- Two high speed USB 2.0 ports
- One high speed FireWire port
- Transfer data up to 480 Mbps via USB 2.0; 400 Mbps via
FireWire
- USB 1.1 backwards compatible
- Plug and play compatible
System Requirements
- Available CardBus slot (WallStreet and later)
- Mac requirements: PowerBook G3/G4, Mac OS 9 or above
- PC requirements: IBM-compatible PC with 500 MHz Celeron or
Duron or higher; Windows 98SE, 2000, ME or Windows XP
Really Cheap "Laptop Stands"
Brodart
Library Supplies & Furnishings offers these heavy
vinyl-coated steel stands that fold for easy storage. Packaged 12
per box.
Tall display easel features a higher wire back to hold larger or
taller items. 9" H x 3-1/4" W, $19.
Clear Acrylic Base Easel: Sturdy clear acrylic base is machine
riveted to a vinyl coated steel wire back. 4-3/4"H x 3-7/8"W x
5-1/4"D, $17.95.
Display easel: An adjustable easel, great for displaying small
or medium sized items. 4-1/2" H x 3-1/2" W.
Oyster Laptop Dock
Oyster
introduces a new approach to portable computing by redefining the
docking process. With its unique styling, 
ergonomic design, and intuitive cable-management system,
Oyster offers a simple, easy-to-use, coherent approach to docking a
laptop computer.
Open your laptop, slide it into the Oyster, and connect your
power and USB cables. Your screen will now be at a more usable
height. You can use a full size keyboard and mouse comfortably, and
the built in USB hub mean your cable management is integrated. All
this and no compromise on appearance.
With Oyster, the laptop user can enjoy the benefit of
portability coupled with the comfort and functionality of desktop
computing.
Taking up only a 9" by 13" space, it's a natural fit for the
home and office, as well as public settings such as schools,
libraries, dormitories, and hotels. An integrated USB hub provides
four ports in the rear storage area.
Oyster is available in three color schemes, giving you the
opportunity to select a product that best suits your workspace or
homespace. Whether you choose the clean subtlety of shell white,
the cool precision of oyster gray or the sleek confidence of shark
black, you can be sure you are purchasing not only an impressive
integrated technical solution but also a classic piece of
industrial design.
Oyster is extremely versatile and was built to accommodate most
laptop designs, both PC and Apple. There are very few laptops which
won't work with Oyster, but to be sure we recommend you ask the
following questions:
1. Does your laptop screen open to a full, open-face position?
It is necessary for the display to open approximately 170° to
work most effectively with Oyster. (Note: among computers which do
not meet this specification are the white Apple iBooks and the 17"
PowerBook G4. The 15" PowerBook G4 and G3 series are
compatible.)
2. The slot into which you slide your laptop is slightly larger
than 1-1/2". It is necessary, therefore, that your computer body
from base to top measures less than 1-1/2"
- Ports: 4 Port USB 2.0 hub
- Height: 9-1/2 inches
- Width: 13-3/4 inches
- Depth: 9-1/2 inches
- Opening: 1-1/2 inches
- Weight: 5-3/4 pounds
Works with nearly all laptops (PC or Mac); to confirm that your
computer is compatible with Oyster go to www.oysterdock.com/compatibility.
Keyboard and mouse not included.s
Oyster dock: $179-199; available from Amazon.com.
Other World Computing Launches Its First 80
GB Mercury On-the-Go Portable Storage Solutions
Other World Computing (OWC), a leading provider of products and
services for the Macintosh marketplace, today introduced two 80
gigabyte (GB)
Mercury On-the-Go portable storage solutions priced at
$399.97 and $419.99, respectively.
The 80 GB Mercury On-the-Go portable storage solutions from OWC
feature 8 MB of cache and are available with either a FireWire
only interface or with both FireWire and Universal Serial Bus (USB)
interfaces. The IEEE 1394/iLink-compliant FireWire interface on the
80 GB On-the-Go solutions supports both a powered (6-pin) and an
unpowered (4-pin) port. Conversely, the USB interface on the
combination FireWire/USB 80 GB On-the-Go external hard drive
supports both USB 2.0 and 1.1.
Weighing 11 ounces and measuring only 3.5" x 5.5" x 1.0", the
new Mercury On-the-Go drives provide convenient and portable
solutions for transferring files from one computer to another or
transporting large files in secure hard drives for quick access
wherever one travels.
"In today's mobile environment, OWC's Mercury storage solutions
are perfect for high-speed audio/video and backup needs," said
Larry O'Connor, president of OWC. "Our newest On-the-Go drives come
equipped with an incredible 80 GB reliable, high-performance of
storage capacity, yet are small enough to fit in a shirt pocket.
The ability to include both FireWire and USB support on these
portable drives makes them a great solution for accessing or
transferring data between various machines. And with data transfer
rates of more than 40 Megabytes per second, these drives are also
fast enough for even the most demanding A/V applications."
OWC's Mercury On-the-Go drives are highly reliable,
high-performance data storage solutions designed to fit the needs
of a variety of users, including
- system administrators looking for an easy way to backup,
exchange, or restore data between a variety of different
systems,
- videographers, film makers or photographers needing an easy way
to store and transport digital images when on the road,
- graphic designers and art directors needing portability for
portfolio materials or current projects, or
- "on-the-go" users needing more storage.
The On-the-Go plug-and-play drives are compatible with any
operating system with USB (2.0/1.x) or FireWire support, including
Apple OS 8.6-9.2.2, OS X, and Windows 98SE/2000/XP. The drives
have been built for portability with a shock absorption casing, and
feature a cool blue activity indicator light; near silent drive
operation; a 2 MB, 8 MB, or 16 MB data buffer; two
FireWire ports; one USB port; and can operate without an external
power source. All cables and Macintosh formatting software is also
included.
Pricing for OWC's On-the-Go FireWire/USB combo drives start as
low as $179.99, while prices for the On-the-Go FireWire drives
start as low as $165.97. Complete Mercury On-the-Go pricing and
ordering information can be found online.
Willow iBook Classic Carry Case
The Willow
iBook Classic carry case is a lightweight, economical
solution for safely transporting your clamshell iBook. The simple,
effective design offers excellent protection for your iBook with
room in the outer pocket for a extra battery, power supply &
cord and Ethernet cord.
Fits: iBook classic (clamshell), mouse, power adapter
Price $125 Cdn/$85 US
MacMice Purchases DVForge, Announces New
Products
MacMice.com has
announced the purchase of DVForge, the Mac industry's premier
manufacturer of luxury desk accessories and the maker of the
popular DVBase iPod desk stand.
In a cash transaction, MacMice's owner, Jack Campbell, has
purchased all assets, inventory, and tooling for the DVForge
product line from Sanders Tool & Mould Co., Inc., and has
merged the new brand into the operations of MacMice Workspace
Products Co.
MacMice also announces the move of the company into new, larger
facilities in Hendersonville, TN, and the addition of the iArm VESA
compliant mounting arm for Apple Cinema Displays to its line of
ErgoMac brand ergonomic work space products.
Further details on today's announcements and product additions
are available now on the MacMice.com website.
- For more on Jack Campbell and his business history, see Jack
Campbell at It Again on AppleCrap.com (site no longer exists) and
the MacTable.com
reader report on MacInTouch.
Bargain 'Books
There are two different versions of WallStreet running at 233
MHz, the cacheless MainStreet version and the later
Series II with a level 2
cache. It's not always possible to determine from the vendor's
listing which is being offered, so we've included links within this
paragraph to the two models. The same goes for the PowerBook G4/667 (Gigabit
Ethernet/2001) and G4/667
(DVI).
MegaMacs
- iBook 800, 256/30/Combo,
$1,289.49, free Airborne Express ground shipping
- new PowerBook G4/800,
512/40/Combo, AirPort, $2,229.99
- refurb 15" PowerBook
G4/867, 256/40/Combo, $2,149.49
- refurb 15" PowerBook G4/1
GHz, 512/60/SuperDrive, Griffin iCurve Laptop Stand, Apple Pro
USB Keyboard (white keys), Apple Pro USB Mouse (white color),
$2,639
- new PowerBook G4/667 (DVI),
256/30/Combo, $1,899
- refurb PowerBook G4/667
(DVI), 256/30/Combo, $1,799
- refurb 15" PowerBook
G4/867, 256/40/Combo, $1,999
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see
our Week's Best PowerBook G4
Deals and Week's Best iBook
Deals. 
