Except as noted, prices are in US dollars, bold links are to
outside sites, and regular links lead to 'Book profiles on Low End
Mac.
IBM Unveils High-Capacity Portable Hard Drives
IBM has unveiled two high-capacity hard drive products with enhanced
capabilities and industry-best features for the mobile and new blade
server segments.
The Travelstar 60GH and 40GN family includes the Travelstar 60H, at
60 GB and 5400 RPM the industry's highest-capacity, highest-performing
2.5" notebook drive. The 40GN offers 40, 30, 20 and 10 GB capacities
spinning at 4200 RPM. As a family, IBM says the Travelstar enables the
longest battery life among leading notebook drives and maintains its
"quietest" drive title with IBM's Drive Noise Suppression System
continued across the new product line.
Finally, IBM introduces new 2.5" Travelstar models, offering
enhanced availability for nontraditional applications. These
industry-first models increase available hard drive "power-on
hours."
The new Travelstar drives also have low power features and have
implemented IBM's antiferromagnetically-coupled (AFC) media, also
called "pixie-dust," across the product lines. The magnetic properties
of AFC media enable higher data stability, and thus, higher areal
density - potentially tripling the industry's current areal density
limits.
At a top capacity of 60 GB, the 60GH represents a 25% capacity
increase over the previous generation of Travelstar drives, but without
additional power consumption. IBM enables low power consumption on the
new line of Travelstar with its enhanced Adaptive Battery Life Extender
(ABLE) technology, offering notebook customers the longest battery life
of leading notebook hard drive on the market.
These new developments, combined with advanced areal density, noise
suppression, and operational shock protection technologies, give
customers the highest value when compared to other notebook drives. In
addition, the Travelstar 60GH and 40GN are able to provide
industry-leading technology at a value price by the efficient use of
components - heads and disks - to accommodate desired capacity
points.
With a top capacity of 60 GB, the new Travelstar drive can store up
to 60,000 high resolution photos, 92 music CDs, 60,000 paperback
novels, or 15 DVD movies. The 60GH and 40GN are currently shipping.
Margi Display-to-Go 4MB PC Card Supports Cinema
Display on TiBook
Margi has
announced that their new driver will allow you to connect the Cinema
Display to the TiBook under Mac OS 9.2.1 using their Margi
Display-to-Go 4 MB card.
Display-to-Go 4MB is a Type II CardBus PC Card with adapter cables
for use with DVI, DFP or VGA displays. These displays can be a CRT,
digital or analog LCD display, projector, plasma display or head
wearable display. Stated simply, it's a PCMCIA graphics adapter card
for laptops.
Display-to-Go 4MB supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1200, at several
refresh rates up to 85 Hz. Resolutions up to and including 1280 x 1024
can operate in 24-bit color (millions of colors), and higher
resolutions support 16-bit color (thousands of colors). Display-to-Go
4MB gives every mobile presenter the ability to drive most any computer
display from his laptop computer.
The card comes with onscreen setup adjustments and can operate on
any CardBus enabled laptop running Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows
2000, or Mac OS 9.0. Because Display-to-Go has its own graphics chip,
the user can independently set the resolution of the attached display.
This may not be true if the user connects to the VGA port on the back
of the laptop.
Mac OS 9.x supports multiple display mode. When additional displays
are attached, as with the Display-to-Go 4 MB card, the desktop
workspace is increased. Windows can be maximized to completely fill
each display and can be dragged between the two displays as if they
were one
Included with the Display-to-Go 4MB card is either a VGA, DFP
(a.k.a. MD-20 or VESA), or DVI cable. All Display-to-Go 4MB models come
with drivers for Mac OS 9.0, Windows 98, and Windows 2000.
4 MB of graphics RAM lets you work at a resolution up to 1600 x
1200 and 16-bit color. In addition to providing a larger working area,
the Display-to-Go 4MB card also keeps your presentations
jitter-free.
The same Display-to-Go 4MB card can be used with the VGA, DFP, and
DVI adapter cables to plug into analog or digital displays including
Apple Cinema displays. New Cinema displays featuring the ADC connector
can be connected using Gefen Inc.'s DVI to ADC Conversion Box . [Note:
Margi Systems has not tested the DVI to ADC Conversion Box. As such use
of the product is at your own risk, and no support is available.]
iBook Tote and Tilt Handle for 500 and 600 MHz
iBook
Features
- Tote your iBook by a handle
- Tilt to allow air circulation under your iBook
- Installs in less than five minutes
- Does not void warranty
- 100% made in the USA
- Color matches iBook
iBook Tote and Tilt sells for $39.95
For more information, visit <http://www.cyber3.com>.
nCalc 1.2.2 Calculator Designed for PowerBooks and
iBooks
A calculator intended for PowerBook and iBook users, nCalc works
only with the embedded numeric keypad on your keyboard regardless of
whether NumLock is On or Off. This is extremely convenient for notebook
users, but not much use on desktop computers.
System requirements: Mac OS 8.6 or higher and CarbonLib or Mac OS X
10.0 or higher.
nCalc is freeware
Download your copy at <http://slcx.net/>.
Chrome BikeBags 
from
BlakesBags
BlakesBags' website
is long on nice photos and short on words. These bags would be ideal
for toting 'Books around.
The Back Office from Shaun Jackson Design
Shaun Jackson Design,
creators of the Lapdog computer case, have come up with yet another
innovative way to transport your laptop computer.
The Back Office is a cleverly designed, padded backpack for your
notebook computer that unfolds in seconds to create a completely
functional mobile workspace. The Back Office is sized to fit even large
screen laptops and the 6 additional pockets will handle all of your
necessary accessories including power supply, cables, removable drives,
etc., with plenty of room left over for all your other stuff.
The comfortable shoulder harness makes carrying your mobile
technology gear a breeze and tucks neatly away into its own pocket if
you'd prefer to use the pack as a briefcase.
Like SJD's Lapdog, which is now available at the Design Store at New
York's Museum of Modern Art, the Back office works equally well on your
lap or on any desk surface. Constructed of the rugged 1000 denier
ballistics nylon with military grade webbing and zippers.
e-pac G3 Rucksack / Briefcase for PowerBook
98/99/2000
The
e-pac 2010 was designed for both the iBook and PowerBook,
but they are also compatible with any 
notebook on the
market. The cases offer the ultimate in protection. The bag has a soft
outer shell. A unique metal reinforced frame protects the contents of
the case, making it one of the safest products for transporting
portable hardware on the market. Each bag can be carried three ways;
moulded hard-wearing brief case handles, a removable non-slip shoulder
strap and padded concealable rucksack straps. They also come with a
Velcro fastening on the reverse, for trolley attachment at travel
terminals; in fact e-pac products have been approved by all major
airlines as hand-luggage.
The interior has been developed to carry all sundries safely: there
are specific pockets for the power points and leads, all with extra
padding to protect the hardware. The cases have a removable CD storage
wallet, a zip down cushioned work station, pen holders, business card
pockets, lockable metal zips with padlocks as standards.
- Size: 39cm x 35cm x 12cm
- Weight: 5 lbs / 2.2 Kilos
- Price: $99
One Gig RAM Kit for (Most) TiBooks
The PowerBook G4 Titanium has two memory slots and can be upgraded
with RAMJET DIMMs
to a maximum of 1024 MB (1 GB). The original 128 MB or 256 MB that
comes with this PowerBook is installed as a single SO-DIMM in slot
1.
Note to TiBook 667
MHz owners: Due to an unpublished spec. change by Apple, the 667 is
not able to use the RAMJET 512 MB module in its upper slot. This means
that you cannot install the RAMJET 1 Gig kit in your machine. RAMJET is
currently working toward a solution.
PBZone.com Offers FireWire Enclosures
PowerBook Zone has
another batch of FireWire enclosures for 2.5" hard drives. If you've
got a 2.5" drive left over from a hard drive upgrade of your PowerBook
or are taking a look at the great prices for new 2.5" drives, this is a
great way to get a fast, portable hard drive for your PowerBook - all
while saving a bit of money by putting the two pieces together
yourself.
The FW-2500WB enclosures incorporate the ultra-fast Oxford
Semiconductor "911" FireWire bridge chip for the best performance. If
you've been paying attention to the external FireWire device market,
you know this is the fastest chip out there - suitable for video work,
high-end audio work, and anything else you can throw at it.
The enclosure costs $119 and UPS ground is a flat $5.
Bargain 'Books
- PowerBook G4/500,
256/20 GB, factory refurbished, 1 Year Apple Factory Warranty,
$1,999
- PowerBook G4/400,
128/10 GB, $1,699
- iBook Blueberry
G3/300, 32/3 GB/CD/56K, $849
- PowerBook WallStreet
G3/300, 320/8 GB/CD/56K/14.1", $1,099
- PowerBook WallStreet G3/233, 32/2 GB/CD/floppy/14.1", $1,099
- PowerBook WallStreet
G3/300, 64/8 GB/DVD/56K/14.1", $1,199
Those WallStreets do hold their value!
- PowerBook Pismo
G3/400, 128/6 GB/DVD/56K/14.1", 90 Day MacSelect Warranty /Refurb,
$1,149
- PowerBook Wallstreet
G3/300, 128/8 GB/DVD/100 MB Zip/14.1", Refurb., $999
- PowerBook Wallstreet
G3/266, 64/4 GB/20x CD/100 MB Zip/14.1", Refurb., $849
That's a pretty amazing price on that Pismo.
If you take the bag into account, that is pretty much even-Steven
pricing for a Lombard and a WallStreet. Which would you rather
have?
And for you budget PowerBook shoppers:
