Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited
by Dan Knight
- 2007.03.30
This Week's MacBook, PowerBook, and iBook News
A small number of MacBook owners have experienced case cracking
and posted photos of their problems so others can see the extent of
the problem. Each of these users reports the cracking occurred
under normal use, so we hope Apple will do something to strengthen
the MacBook's case.
It does provide one more good reason for choosing an
aluminum-clad MacBook Pro.
Heat problems continue to effect MacBooks, their batteries, and
now even the MagSafe power adapter. Apple's quality control seems
to be slipping; perhaps they rely too much on outside vendors to
provide the quality Apple and its customers expect.
On the rugged and miniature notebook front, Samsung has shown a
crucial component - the first 64 GB flash drive small enough to fit
inside an iPod. The new drive is silent, doesn't get hot, reduced
battery consumption, and is actually faster than a conventional
hard drive. Price may be a sticking point at first, but this is
going to make inroads.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review.
MacBook Cracks
News & Opinion
Apple Updates
Tech Trends
Products and Services
Software
MacBook Cracks
Some MacBooks Developing Cracks
A Flikr site has been set up for MacBook users with cracked
cases to post pictures and comment. At this time, seven separate
MacBook owners have posted photos of their cracked MacBooks.
Link: My MacBook Was
Cracked by Itself
Hairline MacBook Cracks Appearing
The Apple Core's Jason D. O'Grady reports:
"MacBook cracks - I received [a] photo from a reader
concerned about the appearance of hairline cracks around the edge
of the case near the hinge.
"How many of us honestly look at the back of our
laptops? Well I did tonight and what do I see- stress cracks around
the hinges, around the vents, and all along the back edge! Just
look at the pictures! I'm never rough with my MacBook. It lives
inside a messenger bag with a suede interior, and if it's not
there, it's on my desk."
Link: Hairline MacBook Cracks
Appearing
Is Your MacBook on Crack?
Ars Technica's Erik Kennedy reports:
"For those of you like myself who are already burned out on
Apple TV news, here's a story that's more of a blast from the past:
cracks in a plastic Apple case!...
"Us old-timey Mac users can easily conjure up memories of a
similar issue for the company from about seven years ago,
concerning a cute little 8" x 8" x 10" box-shaped computer with a
clear acrylic shell that suffered from its own brush with crackdom
. . . If it's eventually going to happen to all of them,
well, maybe the MacBook Pro is the better value after all...."
Link:
Is Your MacBook on Crack?
News & Opinion
8 Laptop Coolers Rated and Reviewed
Crave.net's Dan Ackerman reports:
"Technology can be a hazardous to your health, and
gadget-related dangers come in all shapes and sizes, from
Blackberry thumb to mouse elbow. One of the most common complaints
we hear is from laptop users literally burned by overheated
systems. While desktop PC hot-rodders have all kinds of elaborate
water-cooling contraptions at their disposal, laptop owners are
stuck with decidedly more low-tech solutions.
"Many users would never dream of resting a laptop directly on
their legs without a pillow, magazine, or some other improvised
shield in place. After all, with faster processors, smaller cases,
and increased workloads, the modern laptop burns the candle at both
ends, so to speak. Even moving the laptop from your lap to a desk
won't cure heat-related problems, especially if you're working in a
cramped environment with lots of clutter to block fans and air
vents.
"Naturally, for any problem, there's always someone willing to
sell you a solution, and there are literally dozens of laptop
cooling devices available. Some are simple, passive, plastic trays
designed to keep the laptop from touching your legs, at best
providing some additional air channels. Others are complex, powered
devices with one or more built-in fans, running off power provided
by a laptop's USB port. The right solution for you depends on
whether you primarily use your laptop on a desk or on your lap,
whether you want a powered or passive device, and how much extra
space can be spared in your laptop bag.
"We looked at a total of eight cooling options, rating each for
its design, utility, and capability to keep laptop temperatures
down....
- LapWorks Laptop Desk 2.0
- LapWorks Laptop Desk UltraLite
- BlueLounge Cool Feet
- Antec NoteBook Cooler S
- LapWorks Ergo Fan Riser
- Belkin Laptop Cooling Stand
- Antec NoteBook Cooler
- Xpad Laptop Desk"
Link: Cool Hand Laptop:
Eight Laptop Coolers Tested, Rated, and Reviewed
One Last Upgrade for a 12" PowerBook
MacUser's Derik DeLong reports:
"The 12" PowerBook still has a
strong following, even among those that have since abandoned the
beloved form factor (traitors). The MacBook is nice in all its 13.3" glory,
but it just doesn't have that tiny feel of a 12". Once you find a
former owner, you're likely to get a ten minute tirade about how
Apple ditched what was perhaps the perfect laptop for those with
two machines.
"I'm one of those nuts, except I still own mine. I still use it
daily and will be putting off purchase of a new machine until a
suitable replacement is released by Apple (which won't be too long
if the current rumors hold any water). It's an aging machine and
with the RAM maxed out, I felt there was nothing left to do until I
did some investigation about the hard drive....
"If I was going to be replacing the drive, I might as well go
high end. My choice was a Seagate 7200.1 (100 GB 7200 RPM) hard
drive ($110 at New Egg at the time)."
Link:
Putting the 12" PowerBook Under the Knife
MacBook Sales Down While the Industry Numbers
Are Up
Ars Technica's Jeff Smykil reports:
"There was a time when I believed that Apple made the finest
portable computers in the world. When I think back, it was sometime
around the Pismo edition of the
PowerBook. Two removable hot swappable drive/battery bays, a
PCMCIA slot, 14.1" screen, a sleek-looking black notebook; life was
good. I even felt strong admiration for the first line of the TiBook, despite its
flaws. Nowadays my love for the portable line isn't as great.
Perhaps it was combination of my naiveté at the time and the
fact that I am reminiscing now, but I just don't have the same
feelings anymore, even for those sexy black MacBooks. These days I find Lenovo's
ThinkPad series and some of Fujitsu's Life Series notebooks just as
desirable as Apple's line (if only they ran OS X).
"Perhaps this is why I'm not too surprised that, despite the
sales growth of notebook computers in the industry over the last
year, Apple was one of the odd men out this last quarter. According
to research done by DisplaySearch, Apple's notebook sales were down
in the last segment of 2006 by 2 percent from the previous quarter;
not a giant amount by any stretch but when your market share is
what Apple's is, every percentage point counts."
Link:
Apple's Notebook Sales Down While the Industry's Numbers Are Up:
What Gives?
When MacBooks Attack
MacNewsWorld's Jack M. Germain reports:
"MacBook laptops have developed a reputation for a variety of
maladies ranging from persistent annoying sounds to 'sudden
shutdown syndrome.' Batteries that heat up is another issue, with
MacBook instruction manuals even going so far as to warn users
about computer lap burns. Apple offers fixes but remains careful
about officially acknowledging widespread problems.
"In their search for an alternative to vulnerability-laden
Windows-based laptops, consumers are growing increasingly attracted
to Apple's MacBook. However, they face an ongoing challenge in
attempting to purchase a MacBook that is not a 'hot' item -
literally.
"MacBooks are developing a reputation for having a number of
annoying problems, including but not limited to swelling batteries,
a 'mooing' sound coming from the fan, and extremely high internal
temperatures.
"Add to this list of problems batteries that fail to charge
properly, MacBooks that shut down without warning, indicator lights
that fail to properly reflect the operating status of the notebook
and units that misbehave upon coming out of sleep mode."
Link:
When MacBooks Attack
MagSafe a 'Bad Design, Thoughtless Design'
Technovia's Ian Betteridge says:
"Kim was playing merrily on the MacBook Pro last night when she
noticed that the area of the power cable close to the connector was
hot. Very hot. So hot, in fact, that it was actually
melting. A few minutes later, it wasn't just melting - it was
charred.
"Ouch. And in fact, if you check the Apple Store, you'll find
that there's a lot of very pissed off MacBook owners, who
have had exactly the same problem....
"It's bad design, thoughtless design...."
Link: Oh dear
Apple
Only You Can Prevent Airline Battery Fires
The Register's Austin Modine reports:
"The US Department of Transportation continues its war against
laptop battery terror in the skies, warning passengers to take
precautions while flying with a laptop or cell phone. Any
suspicious lithium-ion battery behavior should be reported.
"A safety advisory released Thursday was prompted by recent
on-board fires ignited by li-ion battery devices.
"The department advises travelers to keep spare batteries in
their original retail packaging or covered with insulating tape to
protect them from contact with metal objects. Each battery should
be sealed in its own protective case and placed in carry-on baggage
rather than checked-in. Batteries can be better monitored and dealt
with by a flight crew in the overhead compartment than the cargo
area the report said."
Link: Only
You Can Prevent Airline Battery Fires
Apple Updates
Troubleshooting Your 'Book's Power
Adapters
An updated Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"Is your portable computer's power adapter not working
correctly? This article will tell you what you can do if you
experience one or more of the following issues:
- Your power adapter won't charge the computer.
- The LEDs in the adapter don't light when the adapter is
connected.
- The adapter only charges the computer intermittently.
"Follow these steps to identify what is causing the issue and
what solutions are available to you."
Link: Portable
Computers: Troubleshooting Power Adapters
Tech Trends
Samsung's 64 GB Solid-state Drive
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Samsung has upped the capacity of its Flash-based SSD line to
64 GB, offering the unit in the media player- and notebook-friendly
1.8in form factor.
"The 64 GB drive is faster than its predecessor too, with
maximum read and write speeds of 64 MBps and 45 MBps,
respectively...."
Editor's note: Although small enough to fit inside an iPod,
these drives have enough storage space to replace the hard drive on
a notebook computer. Not only that, but this flash drive is faster
than a spinning hard drive. dk
Link:
Samsung Doubles Solid-state Drive Capacity
Products and Services
Multipurpose Soft Seating Arm Chair with
Laptop Surface
PR: Bretford Manufacturing, Inc., the leading supplier of
high quality technology and media furniture that improves how
people work and learn, today unveiled the new Plus Tablet Arm
Chair. Featuring a laptop surface, coffee cup holder and supportive
seat design, the new chair offers the ideal combination of
productivity and comfort for higher education and office
environments. The Plus Tablet Arm Chair is available exclusively
through the North American dealerships of Herman Miller, Inc.,
global provider of office furniture and services. It will be shown
for the first time in the Bretford (#233) booth at the National
Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) show, March 25-28 in
San Jose, CA.
The new chair is designed for use in lounges,
libraries, coffee shops and other public areas within colleges or
universities where students go to study or share information. In
office environments, the new chair is perfect in lobbies or
training rooms for guests to use as "touch-down" spots for checking
email in-between meetings or training sessions. It can even be used
in hospitality or retail environments, including hotel lobbies,bookstores or malls.
"Laptop computers have become a necessity in schools and
offices. Students and professionals spend an enormous amount of
time every day hunched over their laptops checking email and doing
work or classroom assignments," said Karen Knight, product manager
of contract furniture for Bretford Manufacturing, Inc. "The Plus
Tablet Arm Chair gives laptop users the ability to stay productive
while sitting on a piece of furniture made of premium foam and
tailored upholstery for complete comfort and support. The 30.5"
wide chair also has a coffee cup holder, making even more inviting
to today's student or business professional."
The new chair is part of Bretford's Plus Series of furniture,
which includes arm and armless chairs, sofas and benches, all of
which can be integrated to fit the style and décor of
virtually any public setting. The entire Plus Series of furniture
is available exclusively through Herman Miller's North American
dealerships. "Herman Miller is a well-known global brand with an
impeccable reputation for delivering high quality, highly effective
furniture and services," continued Knight. "Bretford's marketing
alliance with Herman Miller's North American dealerships gives
schools and businesses easy access to complementary product lines
from both companies through Herman Miller's broad sales and
distribution network."
Flexible, Durable and Environmentally Friendly
The Plus Tablet Arm Chair is available with or without arms and
with a left-handed or right-handed laptop surface to accommodate a
wide range of people. The chair's sturdy tablet arm surface was
created to hold a laptop computer, but it can also be used for
writing, typing and various other tasks, which add to its
flexibility. It has a lightweight frame, handle on the back and
cast aluminum legs for easy movement and reconfiguration. The Plus
Tablet Arm Chair is available in a wide variety of fabrics that are
durable and easy to clean, further extending the life of the chair.
And because Bretford is dedicated to environmental safety and
conservation, the new chair is made with combustion-modified foam
cushioning and manufactured without the use of chloroflurocarbons
(CFCs).
Availability and Warranty
The new Plus Tablet Arm Chair is currently available for order
through Herman Miller's North American dealerships and will begin
shipping on April 1, 2007. It comes standard with a 12-year
standard parts and labor warranty (chair fabric is warranted for
one year) to ensure quality and longevity. For more information
about technology and media furniture solutions from Bretford,
please call 1-800-521-9614 or go online.
Link: Bretford
RAMJET Releases 2 GB Module for MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo
PR: Specifications: PC2-5300, DDR2-667, 667 MHz, Latency
5-5-5, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, 1.8V, 200-pin SO-DIMM
This kit contains one (1) 2 Gig module and is specifically
designed and SPD configured for the MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2
GHz+.
This module is compatible with the latest Apple Firmware.
Price: $299
Link: 2 Gig
Single Module for MacBook Pro Core 2
Software
ThermographX Now Universal Binary
PR: ThermographX monitors the various temperature sensors
inside your modern Macintosh.
- Records maximum and minimum temperatures.
- Shows temperature records over time, using a zoomable display
so you can analyze short-term or long-term.
- Shows individual sensor temperatures on models that have
them.
- Graphs customer-submitted temperature results for comparison
with your own system.
ThermographX is compatible with many recent Macintosh models. It
is known to provide accurate sensor readings on these models:
- 12" & 17" PowerBook G4.
- "Aluminum" 15" PowerBook G4.
- "Mirror Door" G4 (see note #2 below).
- Power Macintosh G5.
- iBook G4.
- G4 Cube (see note #2 below).
- iMac G4 & G5.
- Mac Pro
- Mac mini
- MacBook & MacBook Pro
Note #1 : Motorola's MPC7450CE/D Rev 5 errata indicates "The
thermal assist unit (TAU) is no longer supported on the MPC7450,
MPC7451, or MPC7441.". Because of this, you will not be able to
measure the junction temperature on any system with these
processors. At current, this includes the "Gigabit" PowerBook G4
and the "2001 Quicksilver" G4's.
Note #2 : Mac OS X 10.3.5 eliminates compatibility with some
older Mac's, like the G4 Cube.
Note #3: Some of the most recent PowerBook G4 models don't have
updating temperature sensors, and thus their readings may not vary
in realtime. This includes some of the 1.5 GHz and 1.67 GHz
models.
New in version 1.4:
- Updated to Universal Binary for Intel-based Macs.
- Added sensor support for Intel-based Macs.
- Updated user measurements for all other models.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.
System support: PPC/Intel
$7 Shareware
Link: ThermographX
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, iBook, and MacBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.
- refurb 12" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SD, $1,199
- refurb 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/SD, $1,099
- refurb 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,299
- refurb 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,599
- refurb 15" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,999
- refurb 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD,
$1,999
- refurb 17" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,299
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/CD, AirPort, $349
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 256/30/Combo, no AirPort, $449
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 256/30/Combo, AirPort, $519
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 256/30/SD, AirPort, scratches, $599
- 12" PowerBook G4/867, 384/40/Combo, Scratch & Dent,
$479
- 12" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 256/40/Combo, BT, $649
- 15" PowerBook G4/867, 25/40/Combo, $599
- 15" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/80/SD, APX, $849
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 256/60/SD, BT, Scratch & Dent,
$799
- 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/80/SD, APX, BT, $999
- 17" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/80/SD, APX, BT, $1,099
- Apple refurbished 17" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/80/SD, APX,
BT, $1,099
- Apple refurbished 17" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SD, APX, BT,
$1,249
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/Combo, APX, $999
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/Combo, APX, $1,049
- 17" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/120/SD, APX, BT, $1,288
- 12" iBook G3/500, 192/10/CD, $284.95
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/CD, $379.95
- 12" PowerBook G4/867, 256/40/Combo, $899.95
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/Combo, $295
- 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/CD, $329
- 14" iBook G3/900, 256/40/Combo, $409
- Add AirPort for $75
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SD, $1,199
- Add AirPort Extreme for $65
TechRestore is offering a $25 discount to '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 2007.12.31.
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/80/SD, BT, $899.99 less $25 =
$874.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/Combo, BT, $1,199.99 less $25
= $1,174.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/80/SD, BT, $1,219.99 less $25 =
$1,194.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/80/SD, BT, StrongArm aluminum
carrying case, $1,289.99 less $25 = $1,264.99
- 12" clamshell iBook G3/300, blueberry, 64/3/CD, $179.95
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/10/CD, $199.95
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/CD, $279.95
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/30/Combo, APX, $529.95
- 12" iBook G4/1.2 GHz, 512/30/Combo, APX, Minor Case Defect,
$559.95
- 12" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/40/Combo, APX, BT, $629.95
- 14" PowerBook Pismo G3/400, 256/20/DVD, $379.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/400, 256/20/DVD, $429.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/667, 256/20/DVD, $529.95
- 12" PowerBook G4/867, 256/40/Combo, $599.99
- Apple Emate 300 PDA, Touch Screen in great working shape,
$69.99
- 12" iBook G3/300, 128/3/CD, OS X 10.2 installed, tested battery
and power cord, $259.99
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/20/CD, OS X 10.2, working battery and
power cord, $299.99
Computer Geeks
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/30/CD, APX, $449
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/10/CD, OS X, $209
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/30/CD, OS X, $279
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/30/CD, OS X, $329
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
