Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited
by Dan Knight
- 2006.06.09
This Week's MacBook, PowerBook, and iBook News
We posted a MacBook Special Report
yesterday. In today's 'Book Review we look at MacBook Pro heat, the
longevity of the G3 iBook, glossy vs. matte displays, the solid
PowerBook 1400, and an iBook that somehow started a fire.
On the news front, Toshiba has announced a 200 GB notebook hard
drive. Two. Hundred. Gigabytes. If only it spun faster than 4,200
rpm.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review. News about Apple's
transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is covered in
The Macintel Report.
News & Opinion
Tech Tips and Info
Reviews
Products and Services
Software
Tech Trends
News & Opinion
MacBook Pro 'One Hot Machine'
thewavemag.com reports:
"At Apple's annual shareholder meeting in April, Steve Jobs
waxed lyrical about the MacBook Pro, a laptop powered by an Intel
Core Duo chip. 'Everyone wants a MacBook Pro because they are so
bitchin',' he said. There is certainly no doubt the laptop is one
smokin' hot machine. Literally.
"Since early March, shortly after MacBook Pro's debut, users
started posting heat-related complaints to Apple-related Internet
forums, claiming the machine was too hot to handle at times....
"Apple also came under fire for not acknowledging the
heat-related problem promptly and publicly, along with other
complaints that the notebook also makes an irritating whining
sound. When a user took his machine apart, and posted an
explanation and a link to the MacBook Pro service manual on the
Something Awful forums (forums.somethingawful.com) in an effort to
help others fix their heat issues, Apple served the webmaster of
Something Awful with a cease and desist order, demanding that the
link to the service manual be removed on grounds of copyright
infringement. 'Apple reserves its right to contact your [Something
Awful] Internet Service Provider in the event you do not comply
with these demands,' said the letter, which the webmaster has
posted on the site."
- Link:
Apple's MacBook Pro Is One Hot Machine
Living with the iBook Long Term
MyMac's Roger Born says:
"This is a Motor Trend-type long term review of my iBook, now
four years old and still chugging along well. Cars should have this
kind of endurance.
"Four years and counting.
"Well, you know me. I have always wanted the perfect writer's
computer. One with a minimal keyboard with 55 full sized keys on a
nine inch base, with a comparable wide screen above it, and little
else, including any drives. And two pounds, maximum.
"But, there still isn't any such device, and it looks like Apple
is not going to make one any time in the foreseeable future.
"Instead, I have lived with a 12 inch iBook on my lap for the past
few years. It is nice, sitting in my recliner, in front of the big
TV and Stereo in our den, listening, watching, thinking - and
writing with such a sweet computer on my lap....
"Originally, this iBook was my wife's, gotten so she could
complete her degree. I inherited it after we bought her a new iMac
desktop model a year and a half ago. So you can see it had already
taken quite a pounding once I got it....
"I said it is a sweet computer, and it is. Easy to hold on your
lap, not too hot underneath, with a large enough screen and a great
keyboard....
"What is wrong with this iBook?
"Very little."
Editor's note: I agree with Roger. The G3 iBook is a wonderful
computer. Goodness still exudes from my well-used 700 MHz G3 iBook, now well into its
4th year of near-flawless service, notwithstanding that this model
is statistically the least reliable Mac laptop of the G-series PPC
era. cm
- Link: Living
with the iBook Long Term
Which Screen to Choose: Glossy or Matte?
The Unofficial Apple Weblog's C.K. Sample, III says:
"Long time TUAW commenter Arkowi, tracked down my personal blog,
shot me an email and said: 'I see you are picking up a MacBook for your wife. I am ordering
a 15" MBP either today or
tomorrow. Still not sure about which way to lean on the glossy
screen. At first it seemed like a no brainer . . . but
some of these reviews seem pretty high on the gloss. . . . It seems
the glossy screen might give more a TV appearance which I find
appealing (I will be using my MBP as a portable HDTV). However, I
will be primarily using it for design work (mostly web based, a few
print situations). Just wondered what your take on the gloss was??
Feel free to answer on TUAW if you so desire.'
"Well, Arkowi (and all the others amongst you wrestling with
this decision), having both a matte-finish MacBook Pro and a
glossy-screened MacBook in the house, I can sum up my observations
of the glossy screen in one short sentence: It ain't too
shabby."
- Link:
Which Screen to Choose: Glossy or Matte?
PowerBook 1400: The Volvo of Laptops?
The munchkin wrangler says:
"I tend to use laptops for my writing work, because they allow
me a certain freedom of movement. Since I am a big fan of both
Apple PowerBooks and vintage computing technology in general, I
usually have a few old Macintosh machines around the house.
"A few months ago, I purchased a PowerBook 1400 off eBay for a very
reasonable $60. The little 1400 has somewhat of a cult status among
PowerBook lovers, being one of the most solid and reliable machines
ever to come out of Cupertino. They also have one of the best
keyboards ever put on a portable computer . . . not quite
up to the standard of the IBM Model M desktop keyboard, but far
better than anything put on any laptop made after 1998 or so. When
you type a lot, your choice of keyboard becomes a deciding factor
when it comes to hardware decisions, so it's no surprise to me that
the PB 1400 is a sought-after machine among writers."
- Link:
The Volvo of Laptops?
iBook Starts Fire
TUAW's David Chartier reports:
"We hear about the occasional
battery recall, and there are always the complaints that computers
are getting too hot, but things went to a whole new level for a
family in Minnesota. As WCCO in the Twin Cities reports, an 11
year-old boy set a running iBook down on the carpet and left the
room. His mother states that they heard a popping noise, saw that
the iBook had started melting the carpet and the room was filling
with smoke. They quickly carried the iBook outside and remembered
to bring their camera along for the show as the iBook, you can see,
literally caught fire (WCCO has a video and more images)."
- Link: iBook
Battery Catches Fire
Sticky Space Bar on MacBook Pro
The Apple Core's Jason D. O'Grady says:
"As you can probably guess I use my MacBook Pro all the time. It's my
primary machine and blogging for ZD Net, editing the PowerPage,
email and IM keep me pretty busy. A couple of weeks back my MBP
keyboard started acting a little wonky.
"I use the MacBook Pro's built-in keyboard about 75 percent of
the time (the other 25 percent of the time I use an Apple Bluetooth
keyboard) and about three weeks ago the space bar started sticking.
It wouldn't stick entirely, but instead would come up very slowly
after being pressed. While not a problem initially, it started
coming up slower and slower and often wouldn't return to the
'unpressed' position by the time I needed to use it again resulting
in a lot of sentences withoutspacesinthem."
- Link: MacBook Pro
Sticky Space Bar
Toshiba Extends 2.5" Hard Drive to 200 GB
Capacity
PR: Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD), the industry
pioneer in small form factor hard disk drives (HDDs), has
introduced a 200 GB 2.5" HDD based on advanced Perpendicular
Magnetic Recording (PMR) technology. Toshiba's second-generation
PMR offering features the world's highest areal density at 178.8
gigabits per square inch and the highest capacity in the standard
9.5mm mobile PC format.
The 200 GB dual-platter MK2035GSS is Toshiba's first PMR drive
to incorporate tunnel magnetoresistive recording (TMR) head
technology. Toshiba's new 2.5" HDD is light weight at 98 grams and
incorporates the Serial ATA (SATA) II interface with native command
queuing, enabling faster data transfer rates and improved technical
performance.
"As a leading partner for mobile PC manufacturers, we've
listened to our customers' needs for high-capacity storage in a
small form factor to enable the advanced multimedia applications
and enriched usage experience that consumers are demanding today,"
said Scott Maccabe, vice president and general manager, Toshiba
SDD. "Our technology innovation in PMR has laid the foundation for
delivering the industry's highest capacity and areal density in the
standard mobile drive form factor. It's a win-win combination for
mobile PC manufacturers who want to differentiate their offerings
with features that attract high-end consumers."
Using Toshiba's 200 GB 2.5" HDD, mobile PC manufacturers can
create value with end consumers by providing enough capacity for
gaming, video, music and other multimedia applications, positioning
these mobile PCs as viable desktop replacement options.
Toshiba is the industry leader in mobile HDD shipments (2.5 inch
or smaller form factors) with a 29 percent market share, according
to research firm IDC. The company has held that position since Q3
of 2005.
Toshiba will start mass production for the 2.5" 200 GB MK2035GSS
HDD in August 2006. The company will showcase the new HDD at
Computex in Taipei, Taiwan, June 6-10, 2006, in booth #B624.
Product Specifications - Model no. MK2035GSS
- Capacity (Formatted): 200 GB
- No. of platters: 2
- No. of heads: 4
- Areal Density: 277.1 Mbit/mm2 (178.8 Gbit/in2)
- Average seek time: 12 msec
- Data transfer rate: Serial ATA II 1.2/150 MB/s
- Rotational speed: 4,200 rpm
- Buffer memory: 8 MB
- Interface: ATA-7
- External dimensions: (WxDxH; mm) 69.85 x 100.0 x 9.5
- Weight: 98g
- Energy consumption efficiency: 0.00335 W/GB
- Shock resistance:
- Operating 3,185 m/s2 (325G, 2 msec)
- Nonoperating 8,330 m/s2 (850G, 1 msec)
- Link: Toshiba
Tech Tips and Info
Calibrating Your 'Books Battery for Best
Performance
An updated Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"You can calibrate your iBook, PowerBook, MacBook or MacBook Pro
computer's lithium ion battery for best performance.
"The battery has an internal microprocessor that provides an
estimate of the amount of energy in the battery as it charges and
discharges. The battery needs to be recalibrated from time to time
to keep the onscreen battery time and percent display accurate.
With all iBooks and PowerBook G4 computers except the aluminum
PowerBook G4 (15-inch Double-Layer SD), you should perform this
procedure when you first use your computer and then every few
months thereafter."
The procedure for Intel-based 'Books is somewhat different from
PPCs.
- Link: Calibrating
Your Computer's Battery for Best Performance
Reviews
17" MacBook Pro 'Comes Up a Bit Short'
CNET's Michelle Thatcher reports:
"Following on the heels of the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro and replacing
the 17-inch PowerBook G4, the
17-inch MacBook Pro delivers
many of the same beloved features as its little sibling, such as a
scrolling track pad, the Sudden Motion Sensor, and an excellent
software package, and adds a huge, bright 17-inch display that's
great for graphics work. Better yet, our fully loaded test
configuration powered through most of CNET Labs' performance tests,
exhibiting only a few of the growing pains encountered by other
Intel-based Apple laptops and desktops, such as the iMac Core Duo. Of course, such
performance doesn't come cheap: the 17-inch MacBook Pro's default
configuration costs $2,799 (upgrades on our review unit brought the
price up to $3,099). But for graphics professionals and other Mac
users who have money to spare, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is a
dream....
"The 17-inch MacBook Pro offers a decent selection of ports and
connections, though it comes up a bit short of what you'll find on
a similarly sized PC laptop, including the Inspiron E1705....
"CNET Labs compared the 17-inch MacBook Pro against a number of
older Apple laptops running the PowerPC processor as well as other
Core Duo-based Macs. Unsurprisingly, the MacBook Pro trailed behind
a PowerBook G4 when running Sorenson Squeeze, which requires the
Rosetta translation program to run on the new chipset. But its
ample amount of RAM and quick hard drive helped it power through
our Photoshop CS test, in spite of Rosetta."
- Link:
Apple MacBook Pro (17-inch)
17" MacBook Pro the Cadillac Escalade of
Notebook Computing
The Washington Times' Mark Kellner says:
"Apple Computer's 17-inch
MacBook Pro is the 'who's-your-daddy' version of notebook
computing, a digital Cadillac Escalade running the industry's
coolest operating system....
"If you edit videos or photographs on the run, this might be an
ideal machine. If I wanted an ultracool desktop-replacement
notebook that would, 50 weeks of the year, sit on one desk alone,
this would be tempting: the 17-inch screen is really, really
nice.
"Those are exceptional cases, however. Most of us buying Mac
notebooks - or any notebooks, for that matter - are looking for
computers that are relatively easy to take with us on the road,
something we can throw into a bag and run with, if running is
required.
"For those needs, the 13-inch MacBook (no 'Pro'), recently
introduced but not yet reviewed here, might well be an option. For
"professional" users who want more graphics power, the 15-inch MacBook Pro should do
nicely, and will be easier to tote...."
- Link:
Laptop Set for Power Duty
Products and Services
Fabrix Laptop Sleeves
PR: Fabrix cases
add colours to life by harnessing fashionable materials. Each
fabrix case is unique as they are individually handmade and hence
you wouldn't be able to find an exact duplicate anywhere in the
world. Each fabrix case is sewn to precision to fit the specific
dimensions of each intended device, unlike mass-produced cases
which come in generalised sizings, fabrix cases are constructed to
fit specifically for your device, meaning no more of your devices
swimming in excessively large cases. Would you rather own a
"one-of-the-many-made" or a "specially-made-for-you" case ?
Each fabrix case is individually handcraft to fit the specific
dimensions of each intended device. The interior is lined with
inner paddings to offer optimum protection for your precious
devices, especially against light bumps and knocks.
Different designs might varies slightly in overall level of
protection and thickness, depending on the material used in the
design. Certain materials are slightly tougher by nature and hence
will be able to offer a higher level of protection for your
devices.
Fabrix cases are generally water-resistant but not waterproof.
We have already factored in such considerations prior to our
materials selection process and each material that we use are
fairly water resistant.
Fabrix cases are fully constructed using fabrics, just like the
clothes we wear. Hence, they are washable. However, frequent
washing might cause the fitting and shape of the case to change
overtime. It is recommended that fabrix cases be washed with very
mild soap, using lukewarm water and dried naturally so as to retain
its original form. After washing and drying, place the fabrix case
on a flat surface and put a piece of paper on top of it before
ironing gently. That should get your fabrix case back into
shape.
Features:
- Cushioned with high-grade internal quilted paddings that
provides your laptops the optimum level of protection against
scratches, light bumps and knocks, yet not compromising on the size
and form factor.
- Hand sewn to precise dimensions to fit each laptop perfectly
unlike mass produced laptop cases which comes in generic
sizings.
- Available in Horizontal or Vertical Loading orientations.
- Add-on handles are available as well (Additional charges
apply).
Available in the
following designs:
Models to fit:
- 12" PowerBook G4
- 12" iBook G4
- 13" MacBook
- 15" PowerBook G4
- 15" MacBook Pro
Price range: $32.90 - $35.90
Horizontal & Vertical Orientation
Add-on options at additional charge
- Pocket: $2.00 (small cases), $5.00 (laptop cases)
- Velcro strap: $1.00 (small cases), $3.00 (laptop cases)
- Handles: $6.00 (short handles), $7.00 (long handles)
Shipping charges are priced at $9.00 per case
- Link: Fabrix
Cases
Kensington Introduces 20 New Notebook
Accessories
PR: Kensington has announced the introduction of 20 new
products for the mobile consumer just in time for Dads, Grads and
Back to School consumer buying season. The new products include
four additions to Kensington's market leading MicroSaver line of
notebook locks, the most expansive launch of notebook cases in
Kensington's history, and new mice, presenters and a video capable
universal notebook dock.
Have Notebook, Will Travel
According to analysts, notebook PCs are expected to grow 30% in
2006 with sales reaching 70 million units worldwide. This growth is
an indication that notebook computers have now become for many an
essential productivity tool, whether for work or personal use.
According to a recent survey commissioned by Kensington, nearly 70%
of men and nearly 60% of women surveyed said that they were either
very likely or somewhat likely to take their notebook computer with
them on vacation.
"We're delighted to be announcing a wide range of products that
help our customers better enjoy their mobile lifestyles," said Rob
Humphrey, Director of Marketing, Kensington. "Notebook computers
have become indispensable to our lives, and the new Kensington
products make their notebook experience more enjoyable, productive
and secure."
Kensington accessories have wide appeal for mobile users who
need to have ultimate productivity while on the go. Kensington
answers this need with a variety of products that allow for the
best computing experience:
MicroSaver Notebook Locks
Through recent high profile media reports many consumers have
become increasingly aware of the susceptibility of their notebook
PCs to theft. What many don't know is that every brand name
notebook PC has a built-in Kensington security slot to enable theft
deterrence and prevention. Long the leader in physical notebook
security, Kensington is introducing four new MicroSaver locks with
improved locking mechanisms, stronger steel cables, superior design
and enhanced styling. The new locks resist lock tampering and theft
attempt. The complete line of Kensington notebook locks include
both keyed and combination solutions, and are available now at
suggested retail prices (SRP) of $39.99 to $69.99.
Contour Notebook Carrying Cases
Kensington's consumer survey also showed that Style and Comfort
were the most important criteria for selecting computer carrying
cases. Roughly 40% of men and women viewed Style and Comfort each
as the most important purchasing criteria. Kensington is
introducing nine new Contour cases that are exclusively endorsed by
the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Combining a
proprietary contoured panel and intelligent weight distribution
system, these cases shift their weight to the user's stronger,
load-bearing muscles, effectively lightening the load and reducing
muscle fatigue by up to thirty-five percent (35%).(1) Designed to
accommodate the growing number of notebook users, the cases target
four distinct market segments - the frequent business traveler, the
daily commuter, the urban gadget lover, and the light traveler.
These cases are available June 15 and range in SRP from $29.99 to
$99.99.
Notebook Expansion Dock with Video
Expanding its notebook dock line, Kensington is introducing the
Notebook Expansion Dock with Video, which uses powerful port
replication technology to utilize a single USB port to connect your
notebook to USB peripherals, speakers, keyboards and mice, and even
runs 17" and 19" desktop monitors at native display resolutions
with high-fidelity image quality. A unique wedge design lifts the
notebook and increasing airflow to aid cooling. This product is
available now at $179.99 SRP.
New Mice and Wireless Presenters
Expanding its line of award winning mice, Kensington is
introducing three new mice: Ci60 Wireless Optical Mouse, Ci20
Optical Mouse Pro, and Si300 Laser Mouse.
The Ci60 Wireless Optical Mouse offers wireless convenience
while combining the comfort of soft rubberized grips and innovative
right-handed design with the precision and accuracy of DiamondEye
optical technology. With five programmable buttons that can be
customized to streamline important tasks such as launching
applications or navigating Web sites, these mice are the perfect
combination of comfort, control, and convenience.
The Ci20 Optical Mouse combines the comfort of soft rubberized
grips and innovative right-handed design with the precision and
accuracy of DiamondEye optical technology. With five programmable
buttons that can be customized to streamline important tasks such
as launching applications or navigating Web sites, these mice are
the perfect combination of comfort, control, and convenience.
The Si300 Laser Mouse offers precise laser tracking, 4-way
tilt-scroll wheel, flexible rubber grips for excellent comfort and
control and is designed for both left and right-handed users.
Kensington looks to extend its market leading position in
wireless presenters with the introduction of two new products, the
Wireless Presenter with Laser Pointer and the Wireless Presenter.
These presenters empower users to control their presentation
anywhere in the room - up to 50 feet away. They are conveniently
portable and easy-to-use, with 2.4 GHz wireless technology for
secure and reliable performance along with smart power management.
Additionally, the wireless USB receiver stores inside the
palm-sized controller for carrying convenience and acts as the
on/off switch. The wireless presenters are designed to fit
comfortably in the palm of your hand.
All of these products are available June 15 and range in price
from $24.99 to $59.99 SRP.
New iPod Accessory
Expanding its iPod accessory line, Kensington is introducing the
4-in 1-Car Charger for iPod. Driving and your iPod naturally go
together. Keep the sound moving with the Kensington 4-in-1 Car
Charger for iPod that powers click wheel iPods, including iPod nano
and iPod with video. A pass-through connector keeps FM Transmitters
on, even while charging your iPod or other USB devices.
Kensington products are available at a variety of nationwide
retail and online stores including Circuit City, CompUSA,
OfficeMax, Staples, Apple Stores, Fry's Electronics, Micro Center,
CDW, Dell, Amazon.com,
Buy.com, and Kensington.com.
- Link: Kensington
Software
coconutBattery 2.5b Laptop Battery
Monitor
PR: coconutBattery v2.x is completely rewritten
. . . preferences menu . . . dashboard widget
. . . more languages(coming soon) . . . many
groundbreaking new features are planned for the next versions
. . . and it's still freeware(but donations are more than
welcome)
coconutBattery is a tool that reads out the data of your
notebook-battery (iBook/PowerBook). It gives you live feedback,
what's going on in your battery (not only a snapshot like other
tools).
It shows the current charge of your battery as well as the
current maximum capacity related to its original. If coconutBattery
detects that you have connected the wrong charger (i.e. an iBook
charger plugged in a PowerBook) it will warn you! That's a cool
feature!
Of course you are able to save the current maximum capacity of
your battery - with just one click! coconutBattery uses Apple's new
and really powerful technology named "CoreData" to realize
that.
Finally coconutBattery calculates the age of your Mac exactly!
So you can derive the age of your battery. And last but not least:
coconutBattery is Universal Binary (you can run it on Intel-Macs! -
cool!) and it is complete localizable!
Many localizations are ready to start but still need some
bugfixes.
If you want to help translating coconutBattery to your language,
just write me an email - but you should wait these few days until I
know what localizations needs a update.
By the way: The really really cool and absolutely
coconut-flavoured icon was created by http://www.afterglow.ie -
really good job! Check out the webpage.
New in version 2.5b
- Runs on PPC Macs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros
New in version 2.3:
- Universal binary for MacBook Pro
New in version 2.2:
- widget bugfixes and improvements,
- new localizations (Finnish, Spanish, French, German),
- minor bugfixes
System requirements:
- Mac OS 10.4.3 (Tiger)
- An Apple notebook (PowerBook or iBook)
Free
- Link: coconutBattery
SideTrack Trackpad Driver Provides
Multibutton Control
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.
Extended control over the trackpad button and tap gestures. Use
trackpad taps for left click, drag gestures, or right click.
Complete scroll wheel 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)
- MacOS X 10.2 (Jaguar), MacOS X 10.3 (Panther), or MacOS 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 1.4.1:
- [BUG] Fix wake from sleep USB reset on 2005 iBook G4
models.
New in version 1.4:
- [FEATURE] Support MacBook and MacBook Pro models (Universal
Binary).
- [BUG] Fix USB threading on multiprocessor/multicore
kernel.
- [BUG] Better auto adjust of "keep moving" edge size and corner
size on wide pad models (17" PowerBook, 13" MacBook, 15" MacBook
Pro).
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
System support: PPC
$15 Shareware
- Link: SideTrack
iScroll2 Provides Two-Finger-Scrolling
for pre-2005 AlBooks, G4 iBooks
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 and up.
iScroll2 is a modified trackpad driver that adds two-finger
scrolling capabilities to supported pre-2005 PowerBooks and iBooks
on OS X 10.3 and up.
Supported models include most aluminum PowerBooks introduced
from 2003 to 2004 as well as all G4 iBooks.
Note: Models that have two-finger scrolling already built-in are
not supported! These use a completely different, USB-based
trackpad, the driver or which is not available as open source.
iScroll2 is based on Apple's AppleADBMouse-209.0.10 driver for
the ADB-based 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 version 0.26:
- settings daemon overhaul
- reload settings whenever driver is reloaded
- hopefully, this fixes update the "lost settings after sleep"
issue many users were experiencing previously
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.3 or later
Models that are known not to be supported include all G3 and
Titanium PowerBooks, the very first 12" PowerBook model, all G3
iBooks, and all newer machines that come with two-finger-scrolling
built-in: The trackpads of the older machines simply lack
two-finger detection capabilities completely, whereas the models
that have scrolling built-in use a completely different, USB-based
trackpad, the driver for which is not available as open source.
Version 0.25 seems to work just fine under 10.4.1
System support: PPC
Free
- Link: iScroll2
Tech Trends
Ultraportables Poised to Change Laptop
Landscape
eWeek's Anne Chen says:
"eWeek Labs: A sneak peek suggests ultraportables from HP and
Lenovo may challenge earlier thin notebook offerings."
- Link: New Laptops
Are Poised to Change the Laptop Landscape
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.
TechRestore is offering a $25 discount to The 'Book Review
readers off any PowerBook or iBook in stock. Just enter the code
CWM during checkout when ordering online. The coupon code is valid
from now through 12/31/2007.
- used 12" iBook G3/900, 256/40/Combo, $489.99
- used 14" iBook G3/800, 256/30/Combo, $499.99
- used 12" iBook G4/800, 256/30/Combo, $579.99
- used 12" PowerBook Kanga G3/250, 160/5/CD, floppy, $155
- used 12" iBook G3/500, 256/15/CD, $259
- used 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/CD, $335
- used 15" PowerBook G4/667 VGA, 256/20/Combo, $575
- used 15" titanium PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 256/60/Combo,
$699.99
- Upgrade to a SuperDrive installed - $79.99
- Upgrade to a 8x SuperDrive installed - $139.99
- Upgrade TO 1 GB of RAM - $189.99
- Upgrade TO 512 MB of RAM -$59.50
- Upgrade to 80 GB HDD - $109.50
- Upgrade to 100 GB HDD - $169.50
- Add an Airport Wireless card - $129.99
- PCMCIA 108 Mbps extreme wireless card - $44.99
- refurb 15" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/Combo, APX,
$1,299
- refurb 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, APX,
$1,499
- refurb 17" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, APX,
$1,699
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.
