Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited
by Dan Knight
- 2006.03.03
This Week's MacBook, PowerBook, and iBook News
The big
buzz might be the new Intel-based Mac
mini and iPod Hi-Fi this week, but on the 'Book front there's a
lot of hands-on coverage of the MacBook Pro - and one writer
explaining why he's sticking with his 15"
PowerBook for now, thank you very much.
NewerTech, our favorite 'Book battery company, has new, higher
capacity batteries for Lombard, Pismo, and the 12" PowerBook G4.
With two batteries, Pismo and Lombard could already reach 10 hours
with a new, fully charged battery - now make that 15 hours!
One other highlight this week is the OrangeWare wireless driver
that supports non-Apple WiFi cards with higher speeds and greater
range than Apple's AirPort Extreme. If you've been tempted by
claims of 108 Mbps bandwidth, you can now try them with a Mac.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod news is covered
in The iNews Review. News about
Apple's transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is
covered in The Macintel Report.
Looking at the MacBook Pro
Products and Services
Software
Tech Trends
Looking at the MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro an 'iMac on Wheels'
Time magazine's Wilson Rothman reports:
"When I wrote about Apple's Intel-based iMac a few weeks ago, I said
that the upcoming MacBook Pro was
an 'iMac on wheels.' One reader wrote to say this was an unfair
description, because the iMac was for consumers and the MacBook Pro
was, well, for professionals. As true as that may be, the MacBook
Pro is definitively a mobile version of the same basic system.
![15" MacBook Pro]()
"Both the iMac and the MacBook Pro come in 1.83
and 2 GHz dual-core processor configurations. Both have built-in
iSight cameras. And both have remotes for Front Row, so that you
can manage music, videos and photos from a distance. Certainly, the
MacBook does have a few elements that the iMac doesn't share: The
illuminated keyboard works with a twilight sensor, adjusting the
backlighting so you can always see the keys; the screen is much
brighter than previous models - fully viewable, even when you use
it while sitting in a bay window on a sunny day; and the MagSafe
magnetic breakaway power cord works as billed, so kids and cats can
tug without risk to body or machine. Leave it to AppleDesigners to
take a cue from the makers of deep fryers and fondue pots....
"My only concern about the transition to Intel-based systems -
the iMac, the MacBook Pro and the newly announced Core Duo Mac Mini
- has to do with hard disks. If you boot up using an external
drive, as many Mac users often do, you have to reformat that
external drive to have something called a 'GUID partition,'
otherwise the computer will simply not recognize it as a boot disk.
[Editor's note: See Booting an Intel
iMac from an External Drive and Intel-based
Mac Boot Incompatibility for more on this subject.] The other
disk issue I have had in the last few weeks regards DiskWarrior.
The hallowed saviour of Mac-formatted disks since time immemorial
doesn't run on the new systems...."
Other MacBook Pro Reviews
stuffmagazine.co.uk says:
"Yesterday I received one of the first 15.4in MacBook Pros to be given to any
journalist. I've been buzzing ever since....
"The MacBook Pro does nothing to damage Apple's appeal as a
status symbol. But nor does it mark a great leap forward for the
brand - the design is the familiar, as are the functions. Battery
life is acceptable. Performance is roaring with Universal
applications, but less so with unoptimised software."
- Link: Apple
MacBook Pro
Macworld's Jason Snell says:
"It's got a new name on the outside and a new processor on the
inside, but the MacBook Pro (Best Current Price: $2499.00) is in
many ways indistinguishable from its predecessor, the 15-inch
PowerBook G4. Yes, this first MacBook Pro model is a huge step
forward in many different ways, but it also provides reassuring
continuity for longtime PowerBook users."
- Link: MacBook
Pro/2.0 GHz
Macworld's Jason Snell says:
"...if you want reassurance that this isn't some strange
pod-PowerBook inhabited by the soul of an alien, you've got it.
It's a Mac, through and through. Even though there's Intel
inside."
- Link:
MacBook Pro Reviewer's Notebook
MacBook Pro Heat Generation
PowerPage's Jason O'Grady says:
"With the disclaimer that this isn't at all scientific, I wanted
to comment on the heat generated by the MacBook Pro, a frequent question. I
tested the PowerBook G4 (1.5 GHz, 2 GB, 120 GB) and a MacBook
Pro (2.0 GHz, 2 GB, 120 GB) running all night while sitting on
a Podium CoolPad from RoadTools...."
- Link:
MacBook Pro Heat Generation
MacBook Migration Strategies
In his latest ZD Net blog, Jason D. O'Grady says:
"It's no secret the I took delivery of my new MacBook Pro notebook this week, and like
many of you upgrading to a new Mac I was faced with a tough
decision: how to migrate my data to the new iron.
"One tip: I highly recommend that you name the target hard drive
the same name as the source as this saved me tons of problems with
file paths on the new Mac. Once you've used it for about a week,
you can change the target HDD name to whatever you wish....
"Some people recommend copying your source User folder to a
FireWire drive then simply copying it over to the target. While
this can be done, I don't recommend it. There's a much better
solution that's now included with all new Macs (since OS 10.3.4)
called the Apple Migration Assistant."
Great tips!
MacBook Pro's Bright Keyboard LEDs
The ZD Net's Jason D. O'Grady says:
When I turned out the lights to go to bed recently I discovered
something new about the MacBook Pro that was quite surprising.
Apple has cranked up the keyboard backlight on the new notebook to
several times the brightness of the backlight on my PowerBook G4
(1.5 GHz) . . . I'm hesitant to say that the MBP keyboard
is ten times brighter, but it's darned close. It almost burned a
hole in my retinas!....
- Link: MacBook
Pro's Crazy New LEDs
More Thoughts on the MacBook Pro
O'ReillyNet's Tom Bridge says:
"Just a few more thoughts this morning about the new MacBook
Pro:
"The first major gaping hole in my day to day workflow was
exposed when it was revealed that Apple Remote Desktop Admin
doesn't work on the new MacBook Pro. The app launches, then fails.
Supposedly a 2.2.1 is coming that will be Intel compatible, but
until it does, I'm short a serious part of my server admin
workflow. If ARD is a requirement for your computing life (and
there are a few of you out there, many of you early adopters),
please consider waiting until detailed plans are announced...."
- Link:
MacBook Pro: More Thoughts
Troubleshooting a MacBook Pro That Won't Turn
On
A new Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"There are some simple troubleshooting steps you should try if
your MacBook Pro won't turn on. Use these steps if:
"Your MacBook Pro's display has no picture after you turn it
on.
"You don't hear any fan or hard disk activity sounds after you
turn the computer on, and the sleep light doesn't turn on.
"The computer doesn't seem to have any power when you try to
turn it on."
- Link: Troubleshooting
a MacBook Pro That Won't Turn On
A Guide to Making the Best of Your
PowerBook
AppleXNet's Trent says:
"Why I am choosing to keep my PowerBook for a while and what I
am doing to make it not matter that much.
"So, are you like me? You love seeing the new stuff, software
and hardware, which Apple keeps cranking out. And, often you cannot
wait to get your hands on it. Yup, sounds about right. But, not so
much with the new MacBook Pro. Something is too different,
unsettling, and you just cannot bring yourself to consider it
seriously right now. What are these nagging voices saying and what
can you do about it? Well, I will hit on some of the points that
are bothering me, and tell you what I am doing to make them not
matter that much....
"...What are we really losing by switching from a PowerBook to a
MacBook Pro? Quite a bit if you ask me. Let's start with the ports.
My PowerBook has 13 wonderful and well-used ports. So, what is
different? First, get rid of three ports all together; The Modem,
FireWire 800, and S-video are all gone. For me, the modem is
actually the least of my worries but it is nice to know it is there
in a pinch. Now your only choice is to purchase the modem
separately if you want one with the MacBook Pro, but it will set
you back an extra $49. The biggest deal to me is the loss of
S-video . . . but again, if you want to shell out an
additional $19 you can purchase the Video Adapter separately for
the MacBook Pro.
"The new MagSafe power port is also a concern . . .
when your computer is rendered useless because you forgot your
power cord. The saving grace here is that I can, and have often
relied on my girlfriend's iBook power cord in these
instances....
"Final complaints: The MacBook Pro screen is smaller, due to the
thicker bezel needed to accommodate the built in iSight. That new
slot (ExpressCard), although it may be the future of computing, is
pretty useless right now . . . Yea, I know it is supposed
to be 2 - 4x faster, but unfortunately you can only get those type
of results from benchmarks and not really from the programs that we
all use the most . . . there is still a bulk of
applications that are not Universal Binaries that will either run
slower under Rosetta or won't run at all.
"Enough Complaining, What Can I do About It?"
- Link:
MacBook Pro? Maybe Later: A Guide to Making the Best of Your
PowerBook
Products and Services
56% Higher Capacity Battery for PowerBook Pismo
and Lombard
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) and Newer Technology,
Inc. (NewerTech) have introduced the newest addition to the
award-winning NewerTech NuPower extreme high-capacity battery
family with the immediate availability of a new 81 Watt-Hour
replacement battery for Pismo G3 and
Lombard G3 PowerBook models.
The newest addition to the NewerTech NuPower Lithium-Ion battery
family provides up to 56% more run time capacity than Apple
factory-shipped batteries. The unmatched capacity is achieved using
revolutionary cells only just released on the market and available
exclusively through NewerTech in units of this capacity and
quality.
"Pismo and Lombard PowerBooks are extremely well designed and
have very loyal users. Now with up to 56% more power-life from
NewerTech NuPower batteries these G3 workhorses can run better than
ever," said Larry O'Connor, President of NewerTech. "The longer
life span of the new NewerTech NuPower PowerBook batteries
translate into both long term economical and environmental savings.
It's a guaranteed win-win."
All NuPower batteries are designed, engineered, and manufactured
in the United States of America using only the world's top quality
Lithium-Ion cells from Japan and Canada to ensure both longer
runtime and life span.
NewerTech offers extreme power, high capacity battery upgrades
for every PowerBook and iBook model produced from 1998 to 2006. A
custom line of Intelligent Charger/Conditioners also is available
from NewerTech, allowing PowerBook and iBook users to get the most
out of any battery. Exclusively from NewerTech, the Intelligent
Charger/Conditioners work to enhance the life span of any Apple,
NuPower, or third party battery.
The new extreme high capacity 81 Watt-Hour Pismo/Lombard
PowerBook batteries retail for only $169.95 and come with a
one-year NewerTech warranty. A 78 Watt-Hour model is available for
$159.95.
NewerTech's full line of NuPower high capacity battery
replacements for Apple PowerBook G3 & G4, iBook G3 & G4,
and iPod models can be purchased through OWC and other fine
retailers.
17% Higher Capacity Battery for 12" PowerBook
G4
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) and Newer Technology,
Inc. (NewerTech) have introduced the newest addition to the
award-winning NewerTech NuPower high capacity battery family with
the immediate availability of a new 55 Watt Hour rated replacement
battery for the 12" PowerBook G4.
The newest addition to the NewerTech NuPower Lithium-Ion battery
family provides up to 17% more run time capacity than Apple
factory-shipped batteries. The extreme high capacity is achieved
using revolutionary cells only just released on the market and not
available through any other manufacturer in units of comparable
capacity and quality.
"PowerBook owners want the highest capacity run times imaginable
that they can only get from NewerTech NuPower batteries," said
Larry O'Connor, President of NewerTech. "The longer life span of
the new NewerTech NuPower G4 12" Aluminum PowerBook batteries
translate into both long term economical and environmental savings.
It's a guaranteed win-win."
All NuPower batteries are designed, engineered, and manufactured
in the United States of America using only the world's top quality
Lithium-Ion cells from Japan and Canada to ensure both longer
runtime and life span.
NewerTech offers extreme power, high capacity battery upgrades
for every PowerBook and iBook model produced from 1998 to 2006. A
custom line of Intelligent Charger/Conditioners also is available
from NewerTech, allowing PowerBook and iBook users to get the most
out of any battery. Exclusive from NewerTech, the Intelligent
Charger/Conditioners work to enhance the life span of any Apple,
NuPower, or third party battery.
The new 55 Watt Hour PowerBook G4 Aluminum 12-inch batteries
retail for only $149.99 and come with a one-year NewerTech
warranty. A 53.3 Watt Hour model is available for $139.99.
NewerTech's full line of NuPower high capacity battery
replacements for Apple PowerBook G3 & G4, iBook G3 & G4,
and iPod models can be purchased through OWC and other fine
retailers.
Macally 4 in 1 Multimedia PC Card
Adapter
PR: Super simple solutions for
downloading/uploading files onto media. PCMCIA to SmartMedia card,
Memory Stick, Secure Digital card and MultiMedia card adapter
allows users on the go the comfort of using a their PCMCIA slot as
a media reader.
Features and Advantages:
- Supports SmartMedia card, Memory Stick, Secure Digital card and
MultiMedia card
- low power consumption
- No external power required
- Compact and light weight design
- Plug and play, hot swappable
- No driver required
System Requirements:
- Mac OS 8.6, 9.x, and OS X 10.1 or above
- Available PCMCIA or CardBus slot
- Windows 98SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Me
Specifications:
- Interface: PCMCIA or CardBus
- Dimensions : Width 2.1" x Height 0.07c" x Depth 4.3"
MSRP: $39.99
- Link: Macally
4 in 1 Multimedia PC Card Adapter
Software
Wireless Driver Adds Speed, Triples
Range for Mac Users
PR: OrangeWare has announced a major technology advance
for Macintosh users with the latest upgrade, Version 3.2 of its
802.11a/b/g "Wireless Driver for Mac." This new driver supports the
newer Atheros AR5005 Chipset that is a quantum leap forward in
range capability for Mac users. For example, this new chipset is
used in the Netgear RangeMax Wireless PC Card/Router products and,
when coupled with OrangeWare's Wireless Driver for Mac, they
deliver up to 500,000 square feet of coverage. That's 10 times* the
coverage of standard 802.11g, which is what Mac users are used to
today.
No need to waste money on impotent range extenders, repeaters,
and external antennas. The RangeMax products are optimized when
used together, and they automatically adjust to the interference
and physical barriers in your home. It is an advanced MIMO
(Multi-In, Multi-Out) technology that uses 7 internal antennas in
the Router that is constantly readjusting the signal to compensate
for performance barriers. This range-based optimization ensures
that all Mac and PC users will enjoy the highest speed connections
available everywhere in your home - no dead spots or dropouts.
And it is completely compatible with all 802.11b/g products - no
problem connecting your Macintosh to other home or work wireless
routers, or public hotspots. Note however, to receive the range
benefit, you must use both a PC Card or PCI card in combination
with an Atheros based XR eXtended Range router which have the new
range capability.
Other Mac User Benefits
Whereas Apple's AirPort Extreme 802.11g product offers a 54 Mb/s
data rate, OrangeWare's 802.11a/b/g Wireless Driver runs at up to
108 Mb/s and supports over 20 different wireless cards. OrangeWare
offers the Wireless Driver for Mac to end users for $15. When it is
combined with a host of non-Apple wireless cards, it can run at
double the 802.11g speed which are the newest performance modes
called "Super G" or "Turbo Super G". Note however, to receive the
performance benefit, you must use both an Atheros based PC Card or
PCI card in combination with an Atheros based router that supports
Super G.
These capabilities are offered only on wireless cards using the
Atheros wireless chipset, many of which are listed at the end of
this document.
Available immediately in a free trial version, the Wireless
Driver for Mac v3.2 along with an 802.11g wireless card not only
dramatically outruns Apple's AirPort Extreme, but costs the
consumer half as much.
Another unique feature of the OrangeWare driver is its
compatibility with 802.11a networks. Not only is this the only
802.11a product available for Macintosh, but version 3.2 allows
"Turbo A" mode.
Future Releases
OrangeWare's wireless driver currently supports the WEP (Wired
Equivalent Privacy), and they are working on a future release that
will feature the new WPA-PSK (WiFi Protected Access-pre-Shared Key)
security so your network will have powerful safeguards against
unauthorized access.
- * Editor's note: This is a press release. Wireless range is
usually measured in distance from the base station, not square
feet. 10x the square foot coverage equates to roughly 3x the
distance - hence our title for this press release. dk
Link: OrangeWare
Wireless Driver for Mac
SideTrack PowerBook and iBook Trackpad
Driver
PR: SideTrack is a replacement driver for Apple PowerBook
and iBook trackpads. With SideTrack installed your standard
trackpad becomes a powerful multibutton scrolling mouse.
Leave your external mouse at home and take full control over
your trackpad:
- Vertical scrolling at left or right edge of pad.
- Horizontal scrolling at top or bottom edge of pad.
- Map hardware button to left or right click.
- Map trackpad taps to no action, left click, left click drag
(with or without drag lock), or right click.
- Map trackpad corner taps to mouse buttons 1-6 or simulated
keystrokes.
- Extensive control over accidental input filtering.
SideTrack is multiuser aware and fully compatible with MacOS X
fast user switching (FUS). Every user on your laptop can have
different settings depending on their needs.
SideTrack supports most G3 and all G4 model PowerBooks and
iBooks. SideTrack 1.3.1 does not yet support the MacBook Pro
introduced in February 2006. A MacBook compatible update is planned
and will be released as soon as possible.
Extended control over the trackpad button and tap gestures. Use
trackpad taps for left click, drag gestures, or right click.
Complete scrollwheel mouse emulation with customizable scrolling
speed. Place your scroll zones on either side of the pad, or both
sides simultaneously.
Turn the corners of your trackpad into independent tap actions.
Use the corner zones to emulate up to a 6 button mouse or generate
custom keystrokes. Customize SideTrack's sensitivity and accuracy.
Calibrate to your own trackpad style and adjust filtering to reduce
accidental taps while typing. Choose from several mouse
acceleration options.
System Requirements
- Apple PowerBook or iBook (for specific supported PowerBook
models see the FAQ)
- Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar), Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther), or Mac
OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Leave your external mouse at home and take full control over
your trackpad:
- Vertical scrolling at left or right edge of pad.
- Horizontal scrolling at top or bottom edge of pad.
- Map hardware button to left or right click.
- Map trackpad taps to no action, left click, left click drag
(with or without drag lock), or right click.
- Map trackpad corner taps to mouse buttons 1-6 or simulated
keystrokes.
- Extensive control over accidental input filtering.
New in version 1.3.1:
- [BUG] Fix keyboard activity filter on October 2005
PowerBooks.
- [BUG] Improve tap motion damping on all models for better tap
recognition.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
System support: PPC
$15 shareware
- Link: SideTrack
Tech Trends
Toshiba Tops 25 Million Shipped
Milestone for 1.8" Hard Drives
PR: Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD) today announced
that Toshiba has surpassed worldwide cumulative production of 25
million 1.8" hard disk drives (HDDs), demonstrating the success of
this small form factor, high-capacity storage solution as the
driving force behind many of today's most popular consumer
electronics (CE) devices.
Toshiba continues to strengthen its 1.8" HDD offering to provide
CE manufacturers with a solid offering for high-capacity mobile
devices. In January 2006, the company shipped its second 1.8" HDD
based on perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology,
delivering 80 GB of capacity for digital music, notebook storage,
GPS content and more.
Toshiba's 1.8" HDDs provide storage for a variety of CE products
including mobile entertainment devices, handheld computers,
ultra-portable notebooks, portable GPS navigation systems, MP3
players, and other specialized digital products since their launch
in 2000.
"The 1.8" HDD is well positioned to meet the burgeoning demand
for smaller form factor, significant capacity drives," said Scott
Maccabe, vice president and general manager, Toshiba SDD. "Since
its introduction, Toshiba has more than doubled the capacity of the
1.8" platform, and PMR technology gives us an open roadmap to
continue increasing capacity to meet the needs of the market. The
1.8" HDD will continue to be a key player in consumer electronics
and an increasingly valuable component in mobile PCs."
Toshiba's 40 GB 1.8" HDD based on PMR was recently honored with
the Grand Award from Popular Science as part of its annual "Best of
What's New" issue in 2005. Toshiba currently offers a full line of
1.8" HDDs in 20 GB, 30 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, and 80 GB capacities. The
drives are available to OEMs and through distribution for systems
builders and value-added resellers.
For design engineers interested in integrating Toshiba's 1.8"
HDDs into consumer or computing applications, visit the SDD Web
site at www.developer.toshiba.com
to request a developers' kit, complete with detailed product
specifications, mounting recommendations and photos.
Toshiba SDD, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems
Inc., leads the market in the development, design and manufacturing
of small form factor 0.85", 1.8" and 2.5" hard disk drives. Toshiba
SDD markets high-quality peripherals to original equipment
manufacturers, value-added resellers, value-added dealers, systems
integrators and distributors in the United States. Inherent in the
Toshiba storage family are the high-quality engineering and
manufacturing capabilities that have established Toshiba products
as worldwide leaders.
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 the two models. The same goes for
the PowerBook G4/667 (VGA) and
G4/667 (DVI), the titanium vs.
aluminum 15" PowerBook G4 at 1 GHz, and 1.25 GHz to 1.5 GHz 15"
PowerBooks.
PowerBook and iBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.
- used 12" iBook G3/600, 256/20/CD, $390
- used 15" PowerBook G4/667, 256/20/Combo, $625
- extra 512 MB, add $89
- used 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/Combo, $499.95
- refurb 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 256/30/Combo, $699
- refurb 14" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/SuperDrive, APX, $999
- refurb 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, APX, BT
2.0, $1,549
- refurb 17" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/100/SuperDrive, APX, BT
2.0, $1,849
- refurb 12" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/SuperDrive, APX, BT,
TFT Display, $1,229
- refurb 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, APX, BT,
$1449
- Lombard PowerBook G3/333, 128/4/CD, $319.99
- Lombard PowerBook G3/400, 128/4/CD, $369.99
- G4 processor upgrade (valid only with machine purchase),
$179.99 installed
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see
our best 15" MacBook Pro deals,
our best 17" MacBook Pro deals,
12" PowerBook G4 deals, 15" aluminum PowerBook G4 deals, 17" PowerBook G4 deals, titanium PowerBook G4 deals, iBook G4 deals, PowerBook G3 deals, and iBook G3 deals.
