It's a big news week: Apple is making the Mini DisplayPort available
for free, DRM and video issues with the new MacBooks are being
addressed, the Mac netbook discussion continues, and Apple has applied
to patent a liquid cooling system for notebook computers.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple
TV news is covered in The iNews
Review.
News & Opinion: General
News & Opinion: Video Issues
News & Opinion: DisplayPort & DRM
News & Opinion: Netbook
News & Opinion: Liquid Cooling
Reviews
Tech Trends
Products
News & Opinion: General
Apple Offers Free Licensing for Mini DisplayPort
Spec
Ars Technica's
Chris Foresman reports:
"When Apple recently introduced its revamped notebook line, it also
introduced the world to the Mini DisplayPort. It turns out that the
company is offering no-fee licenses to anyone interested in developing
products that use the Mini DisplayPort specification....
"Hopefully, the no-fee license for Mini DisplayPort will encourage
vendors to create Mini DisplayPort-compatible products...."
Link:
Apple Offers Free Licensing for Mini DisplayPort Spec
Get the Most Out of Your Laptop Battery
Mac OS X Tips
says:
"If you know the right tricks, you can maximise the lifespan and
battery life of you MacBook or MacBook Pro. The way you charge the
battery, the conditions is which you use and store your laptop and the
way you have your energy saver preferences set all have an effect on
how long your battery will last and how well if performs.
"Over time, your battery holds less and less charge, meaning your
laptop doesn't last as long between charges. Apple claims that their
batteries are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity after
300 cycles.
"You can check how many cycles your battery has done by looking in
System Profiler. You can find this by clicking on the Apple menu in the
top left and choosing About This Mac. In the window that appears, click
the 'More Info...' button. In the sidebar of System Profiler, click on
Power to bring up all the details about your battery. The interesting
part is the Health Information...."
Link:
Get the Most Out of Your Laptop Battery
Examining the No Battery Performance Drop on
MacBooks and MacBook Pros
The
Apple Blog's Darrell Etherington reports:
"Back in the dark ages, when I used to have a Toshiba laptop, I
would always remove the battery when running off of AC power, out of
what may have been misguided superstition. I was told, and I fervently
believed, that doing so would extend the life of my battery
considerably by reducing the total number of cycles. When I got a
MacBook, I just stopped the curious practice cold turkey. I didn't have
a reason for it at the time, but it looks like I was right to do so, as
users are reporting significant drops in performance on Apple notebooks
with the battery removed....
"Apple's official position, according to the support article, is
that the processor speed is automatically reduced to prevent the
computer from automatically shutting down if it wants more power than
the AC adapter provides on its own...."
Link:
Examining the Battery/AC Performance Gap on MacBooks and MacBook
Pros
The Clamshell iBook: The Mac with the Sexy
Curves
Mactivist says:
"Nothing else looks like the clamshell iBook, the first of the
iBook line. Nothing else in computer form has those thick, sensuous
curves that beg to be touched. Hefty but oh-so-sexy, the clamshell
iBook is a big-boned Venus. The closest machine in curviness is perhaps
the Apple eMate, or a recent knock-off 'concept PC' that had Microsoft
salivating....
"Some loved the big rounded form. Some laughed, calling it a
Barbie-doll computer. An overgrown makeup compact....
"Love it or leave it, like all of Apple's best work, the clamshell
iBook generated tremendous attention and discussion....
Editor's note: Or the $19,800 Bentley Ego PC.
cm
Link: The Clamshell
iBook: The Mac with the Sexy Curves
Is Light MacBook Air Defect Heavy?
eWeek's Joe
Wilcox reports:
"Apple forums are abuzz about display problems affecting MacBook Air.
"I learned of the problem overnight via Twitter. BetaNews founder
Nate Mook tweeted about problems with a new MacBook Air. Nate had
observed subtle, horizontal lines across the display. He returned the
MacBook Air for refund yesterday.
"I've known Nate for nearly a decade. He knows his technology and
has long used Mac products. Besides, Nate runs a successful technology
news and enthusiast site. The point: Nate knows his stuff. I
interviewed him over IM late this morning about the MacBook Air defect,
if it can be called one...."
Link:
Is Light MacBook Air Defect Heavy?
Living with Apple's MacBook Air: Sometimes Molasses
Slow
EDN's Brian Dipert reports:
"Now that I've migrated from a first-generation MacBook to a
first-generation MacBook
Air as my primary day-to-day system....
"A weird system glitch that I periodically encounter involves the
Samsung HS081HA 80 GB 1.8" hard drive. It'll randomly emit an odd
noise, which I believe occurs when the platter spins down and the head
parks, and which another MacBook Air owner captured on video (and
audio):
"...One day last week while I was busily cleaning up old emails and
RSS feed posts in Outlook 2000 running under VMware Fusion, my Windows
XP virtual machine abruptly became molasses-slow. At first I thought I
had a Fusion-specific problem, but everything else I had running was
crawling, too . . . I launched Activity Monitor and noticed
that process kernel_task was consuming more than an entire core's worth
of resources (i.e. >100% CPU, since Activity Monitor assumes a
single-core CPU).
"A bit more Googling informed me that I was encountering a
well-documented CPU overheating issue with this system...."
Link: Living with
Apple's MacBook Air: CPU Undervoltages and Fan OverRPMs
Error-Ridden MacBook Gets Replaced After Nice
Letter to Steve Jobs
The
Consumerist's Ben Popken reports:
"After umpteen attempts to have his multiple MacBook Pro problems
fixed, only to be told each time the laptop was working perfectly fine,
Jordan wrote a polite email to Steve Jobs. He affirmed his Apple
loyalty, laid out what happened to him, and asked for help. A couple of
emails later and he was able to walk into an Apple store and swap his
jalopy for one of the brand new MacBook Pros that just came out. You
might analyze how the letter was written for clues to his success but
really what it came down to was that he had gone in for repairs of the
same problem more than three times, qualifying him for a refund or
replacement under what is known as 'lemon law,' and he got his issue
under the nose of the guy at the top. Or at least the assistant who
opens his email. Same difference. Jordan's success story,
inside..."
Link:
Error-Ridden MacBook Gets Free Replacement After Nice Letter to Steve
Jobs
12" PB Replacement Is Here - No, Wait...
PB Central's
Joe Leo says:
"With last month's announcement of new and totally revised MacBooks
and MacBook Pros, the lead-up to it came the hope of two things highly
desired by most die-hard Mac users. One, a true and fitting replacement
to the 12-inch PowerBook G4 - short of
a new netbook style Mac notebook - and two, an entry-level Mac notebook
priced under $1000....
"Of course, none of that happened and Apple aficionados were once
again, disappointed and let down by their favorite Mac maker. Well,
they're the only ones that make Macs, so go figure....
"Never mind the $899 price point that never surfaced. More people
were disappointed over the fact that there still wasn't a real
replacement for the ever popular and smallest-to-date Mac notebook ever
created, the 12-inch PowerBook G4....
"Anyone currently looking for a Mac that's small, 'cheap' (in the
$499 to $699 range), and still does pretty much what you need and has
high-end processing power, need not look anywhere else but
eBay or Craigslist, since
the 12-inch PowerBook G4 is the king of that hill...."
Link:
12" PB Replacement Is Here. No, Wait, There
News & Opinion: Video Issues
MacBook Pro Screens Flicker/Blink
MacFixIt
reports:
"Some owners of unibody (Late 2008)
MacBook Pros have experienced an issue in which the laptop's screen
will suddenly start blinking....
"This problem seems to be relatively random, although, for some
users, it seems to have started after a period of heavy workload. It
may occur only once or twice, but for some users, the blinking happens
rapidly. This is clearly an issue with the MacBook Pro only, and has
something to do with the graphics drivers trying to manage the dual GPU
setup...."
Link: MacBook
Pro Screens Flicker/Blink
Apple Investigating Graphics Issues on New MacBook
Lines
AppleInsider's
Sam Oliver reports:
"Apple is investigating two separate graphics issues with its new
line of MacBook and MacBook Pros, and is reported to be preparing a
software update to remedy at least one of them.
"The first issue, which some are calling 'the black screen of
death,' manifests itself on unibody MacBook Pros during game play.
Users report that their screens go black after just a few minutes of
gaming, while the system locks up and the audio enters into an infinite
loop....
"Separately, owners of both the new unibody MacBooks and MacBook
Pros are reporting wave-like video distortions while scrolling in web
browsers of viewing HD content. They say the problem is common on most
systems on display at Apple retail stores, but note the distortions do
not appear while running Windows, which may suggest a Mac-specific
Nvidia driver issue...."
Link:
Apple Investigating Graphics Issues on New MacBook Lines
Apple Acknowledges Video Problems in New
MacBooks
Gizmodo's
Jesus Diaz reports:
"See, this is what I mean with product beta culture: Apple has
acknowledged two video problems in both the new MacBook and MacBook
Pros, following past video problems with other MacBook lines. One of
them seems pretty obvious. Called 'the black screen of death', it
happens when the graphic card goes into overload playing games, turning
off video and locking up the system while the audio enters into a loop.
Apparently it's a thermal issue, but Apple doesn't know if this is a
hardware or software problem yet, according to an Apple Support forums
member....
"The catch here is that it may be hardware-based and not software,
because the problem happens under both Windows and Mac OS X...."
Link:
Apple Acknowledges Video Problems in New MacBooks
News & Opinion: DisplayPort & DRM
QuickTime Update Allows New MacBooks to Play Some
Videos on External Displays
InformationWeek's Mitch Wagner reports:
"Apple released a QuickTime update that allows standard-definition
iTunes movies to play over new MacBooks' DisplayPort to older displays,
according to reports on Apple blogs. However, high-def movies are still
blocked, which is unfair to owners of MacBooks and other systems by
other vendors that use the same technology.
"The update is available on Software Update for unibody MacBook and
MacBook Pros as well as the second-generation MacBook Air...."
Link:
Apple Allows Some MacBook Videos to Play on External Displays
Apple Issues QuickTime Update for New
MacBooks
Cnet's Tom
Krazit reports:
"Apple rolled out a QuickTime update Tuesday night that should
alleviate some of the concern over the addition of some copy-protection
technology to the new MacBooks....
"The QuickTime update should allow standard-definition movies
obtained from Apple to play on those older projectors, but HD movies
will still need an HDCP-compliant projector to be shown anywhere but
the laptop screen...."
Link: Apple Issues
QuickTime Update for New MacBooks
Apple's DisplayPort Update
eWeek's Joe
Wilcox reports:
"Apple apparently responded to widespread criticism about the
notebooks' new DisplayPort, which had only supported output to displays
supporting High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). The
rights-protection mechanism supposedly prevents copying high-definition
content. The update allows standard video output over non-HDCP
monitors, but rights restrictions remain for HD content. Apple's update
is to QuickTime, not to device firmware, bringing it to version to
7.57.
"Apple stepped into a pile of poop, and I was surprised. Microsoft
had been there before with Windows Vista, starting in late 2005, or
more than a year before the software's release....
"Steve Jobs and Co. should have learned something from Microsoft's
HDCP fiasco, and it's not over. Most monitors in use today and few new
ones support HDCP. So most buyers of newer MacBook models are sure to
splat against the HDCP brick wall...."
Link:
Fail: Apple's DisplayPort Update
News & Opinion: Netbook
Can Apple Save the Netbook?
PC World's
Neil McAllister says:
"I'm a big fan of netbooks - the compact, lightweight, inexpensive
laptops pioneered by Asus with its Eee PC line. Small, rugged, and yet
full-featured enough for Web browsing and other light computing tasks,
my Eee PC 901 has become a treasured companion for business travel. But
the cost of newer netbook models has crept up, and many vendors are now
offering standard-sized notebooks at rock-bottom prices, making the
value of netbooks less clear.
"That's why I was excited to hear the rumors that Apple may be
readying a low-cost netbook of its own, to debut in 2009. While other
vendors scramble to keep up with the Joneses, Apple is well-known for
creating innovative products that shake up staid categories. The
prospect of an inexpensive mobile computer that melds the netbook form
factor with technologies and concepts from the iPhone is intriguing.
Could it really happen?"
Link:
Can Apple Save the Netbook?
3 Reasons Netbooks Just Aren't Good Enough
TechCrunch's
Michael Arrington says:
"The debate about Netbooks, which are very small and very cheap
laptop devices, is beginning to heat up. The category is only about a
year old but sales are expected to top 5 million this year.
"Lots of people think Netbooks are the next big volume market
because they allow people who previously couldn't afford computers to
own one. People got so bullish on the devices that sales projections
reached 50 million units by 2012.
"I've had a chance to test many of the units, though, and I can say
that the promise is much bigger than the payoff. Perhaps that's why
Intel is rethinking whether the devices are as great as everyone's
expectations...."
Link:
Three Reasons Why Netbooks Just Aren't Good Enough
Hey Apple, the Netbook Train Is Leaving the
Station
The Digital
Lifestyle's ryanrit says:
"On a trip to the local Costco earlier today, I saw quite a clamor.
No, it wasn't just the checkout lines stretching back half the store
(didn't anyone get the recession memo?) It was people of all ages
checking out the HP 1000 Netbook. After waiting a bit to play with it,
I've got to say, it's a solid computer - for what it is. I think 75% of
the people playing with it may have thought they were using a
full-blown laptop miniaturized, and for many of them, it may have been
just that. If you intend to simply surf the Internet, check email, and
write some word documents, (which is still all many people need to do)
then you may never notice the underpowered Atom processor....
"Are you listening, Apple? This is a product, actually a whole
category of products, that are starting to gain mainstream traction,
and there isn't an Apple-branded option to be found....
"The days of selling an $1100 laptop as an entry level computer are
over. Having 80% of the functionality in something at 40% of the cost,
and 50% of the weight will appeal to many."
Link:
Hey Apple, the Netbook Train Is Leaving the Station
Apple Could Unveil Netbook in 2009
Cult of Mac's
Ed Sutherland reports:
"Apple could release an $800 netbook in 2009, Piper Jaffray's Gene
Munster told investors Tuesday. Munster is just the latest advising the
Cupertino, Calif. computer maker to offer an inexpensive laptop.
"Although CEO Steve Jobs has poo-poohed talk of a netbook,
dismissing the growing trend as just a "nascent market," Munster
believes Apple has the perfect platform: the MacBook Air.
"In a note to clients, the Apple watcher said Apple could release an
11-inch version of its MacBook Air notebook and sell the unit for
between $800 to $1,000."
Link: Analyst:
Apple Could Unveil Netbook in 2009
No Netbook for You, Apple
Motley
Fool's Tim Beyers says:
"Analysts just won't leave Apple alone. One of them, Ezra Gottheil
of Technology Business Research, this week insisted that the iEmpire
would have a netbook sometime in 2009.
"'Apple is facing the possibility that as the economic news gets
worse . . . they're increasingly pricing themselves out of an
important market,' Gottheil wrote in a research report. 'Economic
conditions are accelerating this.'
"True. Apple is facing an economic crisis, as is every other PC and
device maker. But that doesn't mean the iEmpire needs netbooks to
thrive.
"Why Steve should say 'nyet' to netbooks....
"I'm not arguing that Apple should forever forsake the netbook.
Rather, I'm saying that Jobs should forgo launching a low-cost product
until the design is such that it will seriously disrupt the market,
create a competitive sales advantage, and confer above-average
margins....
"You have time, Steve. Build a better netbook - one that blows apart
the idea of what a netbook is - and the customers will come. They
always do."
Link:
No Netbook for You, Apple
News & Opinion: Liquid Cooling
Future MacBooks May Have Liquid Cooling
The Register's
Rik Myslewski reports:
"The latest Apple patent to surface points out that the upcoming
mobile round of Intel's Nehalem chips may require more cooling mojo
than the current Penryn line.
"On November 27, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
published patent application number 20080291629, originally filed by
Apple on May 22 of last year and entitled "Liquid-cooled portable
computer."
"The application's abstract describes a 'computer system' that
'includes a power source that is coupled to a heat pipe, where the
power source includes an integrated circuit' and in which a 'pump
. . . coupled to the heat pipe is configured to circulate the
liquid coolant through the heat pipe.'"
Link: Appletops
May Get Juice Pump
Apple Looking into Liquid-Cooled MacBooks
AppleInsider's
Slash Lane reports:
"Apple is looking into the use of liquid coolants to transport heat
in its notebook computer designs, a controversial technique it employed
briefly on its line of dual
processor Power Mac G5s several years ago.
"In a 12-page patent request originally filed in May of last year
and published for the first time last week, the Mac maker notes that
significant increases in the computational performance of electronic
devices over the past few years has made it harder to maintain
acceptable internal and external operational temperatures in those
devices.
"A move towards liquid cooling on its notebook lines wouldn't be
Apple's first foray into the liquid cooling Mac business. In the spring
of 2004, the company introduced the liquid-cooled dual 2.5 GHz PowerMac
G5 . . . they resembled miniature automobile radiators and
included a pump, radiator, grills, and a power cable....
"Use of the liquid cooling systems were short lived, however, as
they were prone to leaks...."
Link:
Apple Looking into Liquid-Cooled MacBooks
Apple Moves to Patent Liquid-Cooled Notebooks
Cult of Mac's
Ed Sutherland reports:
"Apple has filed two patents bringing liquid-cooling to increasingly
powerful (and hot) laptop computers. Once the domain of massive
number-crunchers, liquid-cooled notebooks foresee a day when quad-core
processors and better video overwhelms current fan-driven
cooling....
"The active liquid-cooling process involves bathing circuits, the
heat relieved via fins. A more inexpensive passive liquid-cooling
procedure would include a heat sink located behind the laptop's
display. Moving the heat away from the computer's body could solve the
dilemma of an overheated lap....
"In 2007, HP unveiled a line of
Voodoo laptops which used water instead of fans to cool the gaming
machines."
Link:
Apple Moves to Patent Liquid-Cooled Notebooks
Reviews
17" MacBook Pro 'Still a Very Good Performer'
Macworld's
James Galbraith reports:
"Following the top-to-bottom refresh of Apple's laptop line
announced in October, people paid plenty of attention to the new
unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro models. Little to no attention was
given to either the top or the bottom of the line.
"Now that we've reviewed the new MacBook and MacBook Pro models, we
can turn our attention to those two extremes. We rated the low-end of
Apple's laptop offerings - the 2.1 GHz MacBook in the white
plastic enclosure - when that system first debuted in March. As for the
top of the line, we've now gotten our hands on Apple's 17-inch MacBook
Pro - the largest laptop in the company's product line....
"Macworld Lab's tests indicate that despite the lack of any great
leap forward in the 17-inch model's under-the-hood specs, this laptop
is still a very good performer."
"Unlike most of the systems we test which are standard
configurations, the 17-inch MacBook Pro we got our hands on is a loaner
from Apple that came equipped with an optional 7,200-rpm hard
drive."
Link:
17-inch MacBook Pro Benchmarks
MacBook Air, Now with Extra SSD Goodness
Computerworld's Ken Mingis reports:
"I really like Apple Inc.'s newly revamped MacBook Air, which got
extensive under-the-hood updates last month. And I really, really like
the apparent speed boost offered by the larger solid-state drive (SSD)
in the Air I've been testing for the past week.
"I'll have more to say about that SSD in a bit, but suffice it to
say that the drive makes a noticeable difference in how fast the Air
boots up, how fast programs launch and how fast this slimmest of Apple
laptops feels - especially in comparison to the stock 4,200-rpm hard
drive included in my first-generation Air.
"For those who may have missed the changes in the Air's specs
unveiled by Apple on Oct. 14, here are the basics. The 3 lb. MacBook
Air still comes in two models, both of which now use stock Intel Core 2
Duo processors instead of the custom jobs that powered the first
generation announced last January.
"The base model has a 1.6-GHz processor, the same speed as before.
The top model, the one Apple sent over for review, has a 1.86-GHz chip
- 60 MHz faster than the 1.8-GHz processor that debuted on the top-end
model at the start of the year. Both processors now feature 6 MB
of Level 2 cache RAM, 50% more than the older models.
"More important, there's increased room for your files. The base
model now comes with a 120 GB hard drive, 50% more than the first
version did; the pricier, 1.86-GHz iteration sports a 128 GB MLC
(multilevel cell) SSD, double the amount of space offered
originally."
Link:
The New MacBook Air, Now with Extra SSD Goodness
Apple 24" LED Cinema Display
T3.com has posted an exclusive
look at the first display screen designed for MacBook:
"We had an exclusive first hands-on with the Apple LED Cinema
Display, which measures up at 24-inches with a screen resolution of
1900 x 1200 pretty pixels.
"Its sleek design mimics the new MacBooks with one piece of glass
reaching to the furthest corners of the screen, and an aluminium
unibody casing for synchronised sex-appeal."
Link:
Video: Apple LED Display for MacBook
Tech Trends
Good OS Announces Cloud - A New Operating System
for 2009
PR: Good OS, most known for its gOS Linux that debuted in
Wal-Mart computers, has announced "Cloud," a new operating system that
boots into a browser with Google, Yahoo! and Live in seconds, and
optionally boots into Windows. Good OS will preview Cloud on a Gigabyte
Touch-Screen Netbook at the Netbook World Summit and online at http://www.thinkgos.com. Gigabyte
Touch-Screen Netbooks will be preloaded with Cloud and Windows XP
together early next year.
"We are excited to preview the
Gigabyte Touch-Screen Netbook with Cloud and Windows together, said a
Good OS spokesperson. "With Cloud, Gigabyte Netbooks will power on to
the Internet in seconds, while still supporting killer applications
together with Windows XP."
Cloud uniquely integrates a web browser with a compressed Linux
operating system kernel for immediate access to Internet, integration
of browser and rich client applications, and full control of the
computer from inside the browser.
Cloud features a beautifully designed browser with an icon dock for
shortcuts to favorite apps, tabs for multitasking between web and rich
client apps, and icons to switch to Windows, power off, and perform
other necessary system functions. Users power on their computers,
quickly boot into Cloud for Internet and basic applications, and then
just power off or boot into Windows for more powerful desktop
applications.
"Cloud is my favorite gOS product yet," said David Liu, Founder and
CEO of Good OS. "Just seconds after I power on, I'm Googling, Yahooing,
and truly Living. I am very excited about the upcoming Gigabyte
Touch-Screen Netbooks with Cloud and Windows. I think the Gigabyte
Touch-Screen Netbook's forward thinking hardware and software will make
it the best Netbook to hit the market!"
Feature List
- Web browser with Icon Dock Inside
- Network Manager
- Power Button
- Boot to Window XP/Vista or Linux OS
- Battery Life Indicator
- Volume Controls
- My Files & Viewers
Specifications & Requirements
- Standard x86 Processor
- 128 MB Ram
- 35 MB Storage (Can be smaller or larger)
- Preloaded in HDD/SSD of PC
- Preloaded in on board flash storage of MB
- Preloaded in CD as Windows Installer
- Cloud does not require additional hardware and is compatible with
any operating system.
More details about Cloud and Gigabyte Touch-Screen Netbooks will be
released on January 8, 2009 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas.
Good OS is an operating system software company based in the Silicon
Valley and Taipei. Since its launch, the company has been recognized in
technology press and industry for strengths in cloud computing
operating systems and interfaces for consumers. gOS debuted on
computers at Wal-Mart Stores last year, and since then have shipped
with PC OEMs on Netbooks, Net-tops, and consumer PCs.
Link: gOS
Products
Sonnet FireWire 400 to FireWire 800 Port
Adapter
PR: Which cable should I get? What length? Why bother? Use
your existing FireWire 400 cables with this FireWire adapter from
Sonnet to connect FireWire 400 devices to a FireWire 800 port, without
going through the trouble of purchasing yet another cable. Just plug it
in between a FireWire 800 port and a standard FireWire 400 cable's
6-pin male connector (the other end of the FW400 cable plugs into your
FireWire device). It can't get any simpler.
Sonnet's FireWire 400-to-800 adapter makes
it easy to connect your existing FireWire 400 peripherals to the latest
computers with only FireWire 800 ports, such as the MacBook Pro (late
2008). The adapter features a 9-pin male connector that plugs into your
FireWire 800 port. The other end of the adapter features a 6-pin female
FireWire connector that any standard 6-pin male FireWire 400 cable can
plug into. Fully IEEE 1394 compliant, Sonnet's 400-to-800 adapter
allows you to avoid the hassles of new cables and computer upgrades
- 9-pin male (FW800) to 6-pin female (FW400) connector adapter
- Works with standard 6-pin male FW400 cables
- Connect legacy FireWire 400 devices to FireWire 800 ports used on
the Allegro FW800, as well as the latest computers that feature
FireWire 800 such as the MacBook Pro (late 2008)
- IEEE 1394 compliant
1-year limited warranty
The adapter sells for about $14.25.
Link: Sonnet FireWire 400
to FireWire 800 Port Adapter
8x Dual-layer SuperDrive Upgrade for Pre-Unibody
MacBook & 15" MacBook Pro
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) announced today two new OWC
"Mercury" SuperDrive Internal Upgrade Kits for MacBook 13" and MacBook
Pro 15" pre-Unibody notebook computers. The new OWC Mercury SuperDrive
Internal Upgrades offer faster read/write for DVD±RW, Dual-Layer
DVD, DVD-RAM, and CD-RW; with burn speeds of up to 8X for DVDs and 24x
for CDs. OWC Mercury SuperDrive Upgrade Kits provide low-cost options
for adding the latest optical drive performance and features to
existing MacBook and MacBook Pro computers.
Available immediately, new OWC Mercury SuperDrive Internal
Upgrade Kits for MacBook and MacBook Pro pre-Unibody computers include
two models:
- OWC
Mercury MacBook 13"/MacBook Pro 15" SuperDrive Dual-Layer Internal
Drive Kit. Features up to 8x DVD-R burn, 2x DVD-DL burn, 3x DVD-RAM,
24x CD burn, and 1 year OWC warranty. Priced at $159.99.
-
OWC Mercury MacBook 13"/MacBook Pro 15" SuperDrive Dual-Layer
Internal Drive Kit (with software and media). Features up to 8X DVD-R
burn, 2x DVD-DL burn, 3x DVD-RAM, 24x CD burn. Includes 10 pieces of 8x
DVD-R media in jewel case, EMC Retrospect backup software, NTI
DragonBurn CD/DVD authoring software, and 1 year OWC warranty. Priced
at $174.99.
"These new drives continue one of our founding missions - to provide
high quality, affordable products that make existing Macs operate like
new," said Larry O'Connor, President, Other World Computing.
"Especially with today's financial concerns, it can be more cost
effective to upgrade your existing Mac with the fastest and latest
read/write technologies available today."
This is the exact same type of SuperDrive that Apple uses. You can
install it into your MacBook/15" MacBook Pro yourself - this drive
includes detailed step by step instructions for you to accomplish the
task without having to pay a dealer to install it.
Optical Drive Upgrades for Almost Every Mac Introduced Over the Last
Decade - Priced Starting at $29.99
OWC has internal and external SuperDrive upgrades for nearly every
desktop/tower and notebook Mac computer introduced over the last
decade, including Mac Pro, PowerMac G3/G4/G5, G4 Cube, iMac G4/G5, Mac
mini, eMac, PowerBook G4 Titanium 15", PowerBook G4 12/15/17" Aluminum,
and iBook G4. If you'd like to upgrade from a factory-installed DVD
read-only drive; replace a slower or inoperative SuperDrive; or expand
drive capabilities, OWC has the best solutions, with prices starting at
$29.99 for Internal SuperDrives and from $71.99 for External
FireWire+USB 2.0 SuperDrives. OWC SuperDrive upgrades feature faster
read/write DVD, Dual-Layer DVD, and CD burn speeds up to 20X for DVDs
and 48X for CDs. In addition to standard support for DVD±RW,
CD-RW, DVD-DL formats, OWC SuperDrives are also available with
features, including Blu-ray, LightScribe laser labeling, and DVD-RAM
support.
The new OWC Mercury SuperDrive Dual-Layer Internal Drive Kits have
been fully tested for compatibility with Apple and Windows built-in and
third party DVD/CD tools and players, including Apple iTunes, Apple
Disc Burner, Apple iDVD, Apple DVD Studio Pro, EMC Retrospect Express,
NTI DragonBurn, Roxio Toast, Roxio Easy Media Creator, and Nero
Burning. Printed instructions and online installation videos show how
easy it is to install and use these internal optical drives.
Rebates up to $25 for Old Optical Drives
OWC offers rebates of up to $25 to users who send in any older
working optical drive to upgrade to a new, faster SuperDrive purchased
from OWC.
Complete rebate details are available here.
Link: Mercury
Internal SuperDrives for Pre-Unibody MacBook & 15" MacBook
Pro
Bargain 'Books
Bargain 'Books are used unless otherwise indicated. New and
refurbished units have a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible for
AppleCare.
PowerBook, iBook, and MacBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.
- refurb 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,199
- refurb 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,399
- refurb 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/64 SSD, $1,699
- refurb 2.1 GHz Penryn MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/Combo, $849
- refurb 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook, black, 2 GB/160/SD, $949
- refurb 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, black, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,049
- refurb 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,349
- refurb 15" 2.6 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,499
- refurb 15" 2.6 GHz MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,799
- refurb 17" 2.5 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,799
- refurb 17" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $2,099
- refurb 17" 2.5 GHz hi-res Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD,
$2,199
- refurb 17" 2.6 GHz hi-res Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD,
$2,299
Previous Generation - New
- new 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, white, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,149
- new 15" 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,599
- new 15" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,799
- 2 GHz Core Duo MacBook, black, 2 GB/500/SD, $999
- 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty,
$594.99
- 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty,
$659.99
- 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, black, 512/80/SD, 60 day warranty,
$719.99
- 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/SD, 60 day warranty,
$769.99
- 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/120/SD, 60 day warranty,
$799.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 256/60/Combo, $599.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/Combo, $639.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, $679.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, $729.99
- 15" hi-res PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/80/SD $799.99
- 15" 1.83 GHz MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD, 90 day warranty, $899.99
- 15" 2.0 GHz MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD 90 day warranty, $979.99
- 15" 2.0 GHz MacBook Pro, 512/100/SD 90 day warranty, $1099.99
- 15" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, 90 day warranty,
$1179.99
- 2.0 GHz Unibody MacBook, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,229.99
- 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,299.99
- 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,443.99
- 15" 2.4 GHz Unibody MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,798.97
- 15'' 2.5 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 4 GB/250/SD, $1,598.99
- 15" 2.53 GHz Unibody MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $2,287.97
- 2 GHz Unibody MacBook, 2 GB/160//SD, $1,149 after mail-in
rebate
- 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1.749.00 after
mail-in rebate
- 17" 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, matte, $1,849.95
less $150 mail-in rebate = $1,699.95
- 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,299.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, $640
- 15" hi-res PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, $715
- 15" hi-res PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1.5 GB/100/SD, $805
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/30/Combo, $499.95
- 12" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 768/40/Combo, AP, AppleCare, $549.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, APX, $799.95
- 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, APX, $1,499.95
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.
