iBook G3/500 Retrospective
PowerBook Central's Joe Kallo has posted a nice retrospective on
the dual USB PowerBook as it enters its fifth year in
production.
"Amazingly close to exactly four years
ago, I wrote a couple of columns here covering the then spankin'
new dual USB iBook. I was so
enamoured with the promise of the machine during the Stevenote,
that I promptly ran out and sold my relatively new Pismo in anticipation of getting my
hands on Apple's new laptop. Four years have past, and in that time
I've gone through three portable Macs, numerous Apple MessagePad,
and a couple of desktop Macs. I've also managed to find a really
great job as a technology coordinator in a higher-education
department which is very Mac-centric. Amazingly, I've actually
managed to keep and often use that iBook through these 4 years for
a whole number of amazing things. This week, I'd like to revisit my
original thoughts recorded a week or so after I brought the iBook
home. My goal? Hopefully something useful can be said here about
the nature of our first impressions and the way in which a
Macintosh can weather a few years in my backpack."
Tips
PowerBook Pismo Processor Card PowerLogix
G3/900 Tutorial
Philippe Helman has posted a thorough, illustrated tutorial on
installing a PowerLogix 900 MHz G3 upgrade card in his PowerBook Pismo 400.
Products and Services
PowerBook Central Launches
PowerBookAuctions.com
PR: Announcing PowerBookAuctions.com, PowerBook Central's
new auction marketplace. Designed to run alongside the site's
popular free classifieds service, PowerBook Auctions gives you the
ability to auction off your PowerBook or iBook in a standard
eBay-like auction setting with all the bells and whistles.
For those who prefer the auction format...
In response to numerous requests, PowerBook Central now offers
an alternate, and more secure, method to sell your laptop or other
Mac. For those who would like to avoid negotiating or like getting
the most value for their sale, PowerBook Auctions provides a real
alternative to ordinary classifieds and the large auctions houses
like
eBay. Many of the 10,000 registered users of our classifieds
use the service to buy and sell PowerBooks and iBooks because they
do not wish to use eBay, and they appreciate the more focused
nature of PowerBook Central's classifieds and its knowledgeable
users. PowerBook Auctions now gives those users the option of using
an auction format to sell their laptop with categories for all
PowerBooks, iBooks, other Macs, iPods, and accessories.
Receive a free $5 account credit when you register and start
your first auction at PowerBook Auctions today (that's enough for
most people to start their first auction). This offer will only be
available for a limited time, so register your username today!
Here are some recent auctions at PowerBook Auctions:
- 1 GHz titanium PowerBook G4; from $1000
- Non-working WallStreet PowerBook G3; from $30
- Original blueberry clamshell iBook (parts); from $50
- Original Duo Dock; from $5
- Microtek ScanMaker scanner + slides; from $30
- Griffin iCurve laptop stand; from $5
- Road Tools CoolPad; from $5
Add your items to the mix today.
iScroll2: Two-Finger Scrolling for pre-2005
'Books
PR: iScroll2 is a modified trackpad driver that adds
two-finger scrolling capabilities to supported pre-2005 PowerBooks
and iBooks on OS X 10.3. Supported models include aluminum
PowerBooks introduced from 2003 to 2004 as well as all G4
iBooks.
Please note that this is not just the driver for the 2005 models
hacked to run older models - the new models use a completely
different trackpad and driver. iScroll2 is based on Apple's
AppleADBMouse-209.0.10 driver for the trackpads found on older
models, which is available as part of the publicly released Darwin
source code (and covered by the APSL). The code added for
supporting two-finger scrolling was written from scratch.
New in this version:
- fixed an early memory release (potential crash) in
iScroll2Daemon
- made iScroll2Daemon handle missing defaults gracefully (instead
of just crashing)
- daemon now tries to load settings on startup if a user is
already logged in
- daemon now synchronizes preferences with the system before
reading them
System requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.3 or later
- Version 0.25 seems to work just fine under 10.4.1
- Link: iScroll2
Cordless Notebook Mouse with One Year Battery
Life
PR: With sales of laptops on the rise, Logitech has
announced that its growing family of notebook computer mice
includes two new mice with battery management features: the
Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse and the Logitech Cordless
Mini Optical Mouse.
Logitech now offers four mice made specifically for notebooks,
all highly compact and portable, but differing in design and
features to meet the varying needs of notebook users.
The Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse combines an unmatched
battery life of up to one year with virtually interference-free 2.4
GHz digital cordless technology - making it ideal for mobile
professionals who need the best wireless technology and don't want
to hassle with changing batteries frequently. Meanwhile, the
affordable Logitech Cordless Mini Optical Mouse is a good fit for
value-conscious notebook PC owners who are frustrated by using a
touchpad and want a reliable cordless mouse to improve their
computing experience.
Both new mice make going cordless easy. Each features a
convenient battery-light indicator that notifies users when the
batteries are running low. Also, both mice are plug-and-play - they
include a miniature USB wireless receiver that is paired
individually with the mouse during manufacturing. When the receiver
is plugged in, the mouse works immediately. When not in use, the
USB receiver conveniently snaps onto the base of the mouse. This
action automatically switches the mouse power off, saving battery
life, while also making the mouse and receiver easy to
transport.
"Logitech has developed a range of mobile mice to complement the
increasingly diverse notebook PC user base, which includes many
people who are frustrated with built-in pointing devices and
touchpads," said Ashish Arora, Logitech's vice president of product
marketing for retail pointing devices. "Student or mobile
professional, male or female, tech savvy or tech averse - our
extended notebook mouse lineup addresses the unique needs of people
who use notebook PCs and ensures that anyone using a notebook PC
can say good-bye to the touchpad for good."
Research firm IDC estimates that, worldwide, notebooks will
exceed shipments of desktop PCs in 2014. In specific regions, such
as the United States and Western Europe, the crossover will happen
much sooner - by 2008. Meanwhile, sales of notebook mice are
increasing. In the U.S., mice designed for notebooks accounted for
9 percent of total mice sales in 2002 and grew to 25 percent in
2004, according to NPD.
Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse
The Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse can last up to a year
on two AA batteries because it uses 2.4 GHz digital cordless
technology. The 2.4 GHz digital cordless technology also provides a
stronger connection between the mouse and micro-receiver than found
in conventional 27 MHz mice. The 2.4 GHz technology gives users a
range of up to 30 feet, which is great for presentations and is
less prone to interference when there are other wireless signals in
the same area, a common situation in the workplace. The mouse's
powerful optical engine works on a wide range of surfaces, giving
mobile professionals more flexibility when selecting a place to
work. It will work on a chair at the airport or on a coffee shop
table.
The mouse features Logitech's Tilt Wheel Plus Zoom, which allows
people to effortlessly scroll left, right, up and down, and zoom in
and out of images, Web pages and open documents.
Initially available in onyx and silver colors, the Logitech V200
Cordless Notebook Mouse builds upon the design of the best-selling
Logitech Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks. The Logitech V200
Cordless Notebook Mouse will be available at U.S. and European
retailers and online this month. The suggested retail price for the
product is $39.99 in the U.S.
Logitech Cordless Mini Optical Mouse
The Logitech Cordless Mini Optical Mouse is ideal for notebook
PC users who value comfort and simplicity. The mouse is shaped to
fit in the cup of the hand and provides a resting place for the
thumb and pinky on either side. Customers can choose from two color
options - aquamarine or silver, both bordered by a gray grip -
adding some style to their mobile experience.
The Logitech Cordless Mini Optical Mouse also features:
Logitech's Tilt Wheel Plus Zoom scrolling wheel, a wireless range
of six feet, and battery life of up to four months on only one AA
battery.
The Logitech Cordless Mini Optical Mouse will be available at
U.S. and European retailers and online beginning in July. The
suggested retail price for the product is $29.99 in the U.S.
[There is no explicit information on Mac compatibility in this
press release CM]
High-capacity Replacement Batteries for G3
iBooks
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) and Newer Technology,
Inc. (NewerTech) offer NuPower high-capacity replacement batteries
for all 12" iBook G3 500-900 MHz "Dual USB" models and all iBook G3
300-466 MHz "clamshell" models.
The 3600mAh "Dual USB" battery is available for $119.99 and
provides 9% more capacity than the original Apple battery, while
the 4800mAh model for $139.99 provides 45% more capacity. The
"clamshell"-compatible 4400mAh battery is available for $129.99 and
allows for 37.5% more capacity, with the $139.99 4800mAh model
boasting 50% more capacity.
"It is a pleasure to add these outstanding batteries to our
NewerTech NuPower line of replacement batteries," said Larry
O'Connor, president of OWC. "They offer owners of G3 iBooks what
they have been craving - longer runtimes and less dependence on a
connected power source."
As with all NuPower batteries, the G3 iBook-compatible models
are built in the United States using premium Li-Ion cells
manufactured in Japan and/or Canada. By using only the best
components and building them in the U.S., NewerTech is able to
ensure that its batteries run longer at full charge and last longer
compared to other batteries built to lesser standards. The
high-quality cells also allow for more charge cycles than other
batteries, and stringent quality control measures make sure that
the batteries are built to last.
"Considering the low cost and long runtimes of our NuPower
batteries, an upgrade from an aging stock battery makes good
economic sense," O'Connor said. "And since we really do build these
batteries to last, they make good environmental sense as well."
NewerTech's full line of the highest capacity Apple laptop
replacement batteries available can be purchased through OWC and
other fine retailers.
Bargain 'Books
Bargain 'Books are used unless otherwise indicated. New and
refurbished units have a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible
for AppleCare.
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 both models. The same goes for the
PowerBook G4/667 (VGA) and G4/667 (DVI), the titanium vs. aluminum 15" PowerBook G4 at
1 GHz.
- refurb 12" PowerBook G4/1.5
GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, Nvidia GeForce FX Go5200 (64 MB DDR),
AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.0, $1,499
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see
our Best PowerBook G4 Deals,
Best iBook G4 Deals, Best PowerBook G3 Deals, and Best iBook G3 Deals.
