MacResQ PowerBook Repair Service, 7-port USB Hub, Noise Cancelling PlainTalk Mic, and More

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - February 1, 2002

Except as noted, prices are in US dollars.

• MacResQ Offers New PowerBook Repair Service
• T7Hub Silver USB Hub for Power Users from Dr. Bott
• MCE Battery Charger for iBook Coming This Month
• Dr. Bott iPod Connection Kit II with Tape Adapter
• BIAS PowerBook Bundles
• iParrot Noise Canceling PlainTalk Microphone Headset for $9.95
• Bargain 'Books

MacResQ Offers New PowerBook Repair Service

MacResQ has announced the launch of a unique new repair service for Macintosh PowerBook computers. The service, known as PowerBookResQ, will provide PowerBook users throughout the United States with a new source for service parts and labor. MacResQ has repaired and refurbished over 10,000 PowerBooks for resale and for their customers over the years.

PowerBookResQ addresses the difficulty that most users face when they encounter a technical problem with their PowerBook. Users of older PowerBooks face a tough challenge trying to find a local source for older parts and service. If a local repair center is available, costs are usually high and turnaround time is unacceptable for users who rely on their PowerBooks on a daily basis. Users of newer, but out-of-warranty, PowerBooks often have no choice but to send their systems back to the manufacturer for an expensive repair due to parts limitations and service policies.

"PowerBookResQ is the only service of its kind for out-of-warranty PowerBooks," said Shannon Jean, President of MacResQ. "From the minute the customer visits our web site or calls 866-Mac-Repair, our team of technicians and logistics personnel are focused on getting the repaired PowerBook back to the end user."

The PowerBookResQ program solves these problems by offering fast, safe, and reasonably priced repairs for PowerBook owners. Customers start by visiting PowerBookResQ.com or calling the toll-free number, 1-866-Mac-Repair. After just a few questions, MacResQ dispatches a custom-designed "PowerBox", built to insure safe transit for all PowerBooks, via overnight courier to the customer. Upon receipt of the empty PowerBox, the customer simply slides their PowerBook into the container and attaches a preprinted shipping label. A quick, toll-free phone call brings a courier to the customer's location for overnight shipping back to MacResQ. A MacResQ technician conducts a thorough diagnosis and contacts the customer with a detailed repair estimate. The repair is usually completed within one business day and the PowerBook is returned to its owner via overnight service.

The cost of the PowerBookResQ program is just $99.00. This includes the 3-way overnight shipping, the initial diagnostic service, and the PowerBox, which the customer may keep for future use.

"We designed the PowerBookResQ program based on feedback from our customers," said Jean. "Our Technicians have repaired and refurbished more than 10,000 PowerBooks in the past decade and we are very excited about bringing this service to customers throughout the country."

For computer resellers and repair centers, PowerBookResQ offers discounted rates on products and services. Computer dealers can send overflow service work or seamlessly outsource their entire PowerBook repair operation.

T7Hub Silver USB Hub for Power Users from Dr. Bott

Dr. Bott's new T7Hub Silver will typically be used when the built-in USB ports are hopelessly outnumbered by the many USB peripherals you own. If you routinely use four or more USB devices, T7Hub will undoubtedly be at the epicenter of your USB activities.

T7Hub extends a native USB port to accommodate up to 7 USB devices or further USB hubs. The necessary USB A-B cable for creating the uplink is included in the package.

Anybody with a number of power-hungry USB devices will appreciate the T7Hub's ability to drive 7 such devices (with 0.5 A each, the maximum current permitted for an individual USB device). This is because T7Hub, unlike other products on the market, comes with a 3.5 A power supply. Aside offering enough power for the most demanding applications it is also one of the smallest power supplies in its category.

Power users will also appreciate the reliability T7Hub offers. T7Hub transforms fickle performance from a bus-powered port on a keyboard into reliable duty cycles that last as long as your work requires.

Features

• 7-Port USB-Hub
• Silver, matches G4, Cube, and TiBook
• Compact external power supply
• Serves up to 7 USB devices with high power requirements (7 x 0,5 A)
• Indicates bus and self-powered modes (use with/without power supply)
• Automatic shutdown when overloaded
• Works equally well for Macs and PCs
• T7Hub can be installed without turning your computer off.
• T7Hub is compatible with all USB devices.
• T7Hub is platform-independent, Mac OS (both 9 and X flavors), Win98/ME, Win2k/XP and Linux are all supported.
• T7Hub's built-in overcurrent protection will power down individual ports with defective devices drawing too much current, leaving other ports fully operational.
• T7Hub is a piece of art: it fits the G4 Quicksilver, PowerBook G4 Titanium and G4 Cube very nicely and also looks good beside most other computers, too!

Technical Features:

• Compatible with USB 1.1 specs
• Plug-and-Play compatible
• Bus error recognition and correction
• 12 and 1.5 Mbps transfer rate available on all 3 connectors.
• Operation is possible with and without power supply. LEDs signal bus-powered or self-powered modes.
• Deactivation of individual ports
  • Overcurrent protection with limits between 500 mA (min.) / 750 mA (typ.) / 1250 mA (max.), overcurrent shutdown is indicated by LEDs
  • Automatic shutdown in case of overload or overheating.
  • "Soft Start" - slow activation to circumvent too high currents when activating capacitive loads.
• 7 USB Type A Ports for USB-devices, active devices indicated via LED.

T7Hub Silver sells for $59.

MCE Battery Charger for iBook Coming This Month

The MCE Battery Charger for the 12" dual-USB iBook provides a convenient means to simultaneously charge two Apple iBook Li-Ion batteries quickly and easily. Two and a half hours is all it takes to have two fully charged batteries ready for use at any time.

Helpful indicators provide instant user feedback on the completion of the charge process as well as on the detection of a battery error. Built-in smart circuitry ensures that each battery is completely and safely recharged every time, providing users with the maximum usage time between recharging and also establishing reliable long-term battery life.

Since the MCE Battery Charger for the dual-USB iBook has a lightweight and compact design, it's easy to take along in a carrying case to provide quick battery charging wherever you go.

The sleek design of the MCE Battery Charger superbly matches the attractive styling of the dual-USB iBook, making it a perfect companion for the computer you've come to value immensely.

Available mid-February 2002.

Dr. Bott iPod Connection Kit II with Tape Adapter

Dr. Bott's iPod Connection Kit II with Cassette Adapter includes everything you might need to bring your music anywhere you might want it. iPod Connection Kit provides most every option for connecting to iPod's 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack to automobile stereo systems, home stereo systems, mic input of computers and other devices, boom boxes, and tape players.

Dr. Bott's iPod Connection Kit II includes:

• Auto Charger for iPod
• Cassette Tape Adapter
• Mini Stereo Extension Cable (male/female)
• Mini Stereo to RCA Cable
• Mini Stereo Connection Cable (male/male)
• iPod Carry Pouch

Dr. Bott's iPod Connection Kit II w/ Tape Adapter sells for $47.95

BIAS PowerBook Bundles

BIAS delivers bundles for your PowerBook with the Digigram VX Pocket PCMCIA card. Put studio power together with laptop flexibility for field and live performance recordings.

The VX Pocket PCMCIA card gives you two 24-bit analog converters, S/PDIF stereo in/out SMPTE in, and supports sample rates from 8 to 48 kHz.

With these software bundles, you'll have a completely mobile audio workstation!

BIAS offers a full spectrum of PowerBook solutions, listed below:

• Peak LE PowerBook Edition: Includes Digigram VXpocket, Peak LE, and Roxio Toast Lite
• Deck LE PowerBook Edition: Includes Digigram VXpocket, and Deck LE
• Peak VST PowerBook Edition: Includes Digigram VXpocket, Peak VST , and Roxio Toast Lite
• Deck PowerBook Edition: Includes Digigram VXpocket, Peak LE, Deck, and Roxio Toast Lite
• BIAS Studio LE PowerBook Edition: Includes Digigram VXpocket, Peak LE, Deck LE, and Roxio Toast Lite
• BIAS Studio PowerBook Edition: Includes Digigram VXpocket, Peak VST, Deck, and Roxio Toast Lite

BIAS PowerBook Bundle Features

• The VXpocket is full duplex, offering simultaneous and independent record and playback capabilities.
• Sampling rates supported are 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, and 48 KHz.
• PCM encoding/decoding rates are 8, 16, or 24 bits.
• The VXpocket can run applications that comply with Microsoft's WAVE protocol.
• Digigram's Sound Manager driver for Mac OS makes the flexibility and features of these cards available to Apple Macintosh PowerBook users. An ASIO driver is also available.

BIAS PowerBook bundles come in a number of configurations. Please consult the system requirements for the particular software package you are interested in.

New Special Pricing On BIAS PowerBook bundles - Save hundreds of dollars on BIAS Software bundled with the Digigram VX Pocket PCMCIA Audio Card - As low as $599.

iParrot Noise Canceling PlainTalk Microphone Headset for $9.95

Macsense has teamed up with voice recognition leader, VXI, to provide a headset at a great price. It's available for $9.95 from Micro Center.

Users can connect the iParrot ST to a home computer to perform various multimedia applications, such as online chatting, Internet gaming, or listening to music CDs. With ViaVoice or iListen dictation software, you can draft email messages or compose large documents without touching the keyboard. This headset also offers stereo sound with speakers covering both ears, and separate volume controls for each ear. This makes the iParrot ST an ideal solution for dealing with noisy environments.

Product Features

• Additional Cable Required: No
• Built-in Volume Control: Yes
• Built-in Mute: Yes

Mic: Apple special 3.5 mm plug which is fully compatible with the PlainTalk audio port used on recent Macintosh models

Speaker: 3.5 mm stereo plug wired with right on ring, left on tip and ground on sleeve

Bargain 'Books

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.

Circuit City

These prices seem too good to be true, and maybe they are. Apparently there's not much stock. Good luck!

• PowerBook Titanium G4/550, 128/20 GB/Combo, $1,699.99
• PowerBook Titanium G4/667, 256/30 GB/Combo, $2,199.99

Micro Center

• iBook 500, free airport Card, $999

Small Dog Electronics

• iBook G3/500, 128/10 GB/DVD+CD-RW Combo Mac, $1,279
• iBook G3/500, 128/10/CD-RW Mac, $1,199

MacResQ

• PowerBook G3/400 Pismo, 128/6 GB/DVD/56K/FireWire/14.1", $1,199.99

ExperCom

• PowerBook G4/400, 128/10 GB/DVD/56k/15.2", new, $1,589
• PowerBook G4/400, 128/10 GB/DVD/56k/15.2", Apple factory refurbished, one year Warranty, $1,499

Mac Outpost

• PowerBook 1400cs/117, 16/750 MB/CD/11.3" passive matrix, Can$399.99

Recent 'Book Reviews

• Mac Netbook Coming?, $179 64 GB SSD, Apple Owns 20% of US Notebook Market, and More, 10.03. Also head of Norton AntiVirus team uses a Mac, Toshiba demos new battery technology, 1 TB notebook drives due in 2010, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• $200 64 GB SSD for Your 'Book, Apple Steering Customers Away from MacBook Pro, and More, 09.26. Also how a $550 Windows notebook can cost over $1,200, netbooks may cut into MacBook sales, widescreens getting wider, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• Mac Notebook Share up 60% in US, Apple Refurbs a Great Deal, RIP PowerBook G4, and More, 09.19. Also speculation on next generation MacBooks, refreshing a WallStreet, running a PowerBook 5300 from flash memory, 3G modem sale booming, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• BYO $550 Mac Netbook, New MacBooks Rumored for October, Notebook Battery Famine, and More, 09.12. Also MacBook Air owners have mixed results with latest update, Intel's fast and costly solid state drives, laptop docking station, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• More in the .

Links for the Day

• Mac of the Day: SuperMac S900, Aug. 1996 - This 6-slot tower supported dual CPUs and still has a following.
• List of the Day: Macintel List for discussion and support of Intel-based Macs.
  
• October 7 in LEM history: 98: Love that PowerBook G3 - 99: Troubleshooting 101 - Love at first sight - 02: Hot rodding a Power Mac for OS X - Beefing up Windows networking - 05: Choose FireWire 800 over USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 - Faster Mac minis shipping - Speedy 100 GB 7200 rpm notebook drives

Recent Content on Low End Mac

• New Apple Notebooks at Zero Minus One Week, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 10.07. It's widely anticipated that Apple will overhaul the MacBook Pro and MacBook lines next Tuesday. What should we expect?
• How to Clone Mac OS X to a New Hard Drive, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 10.07. Whether you want to put a bigger, faster drive in your Mac or clone OS X for use in another Mac, here's the simple process.
• Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.07. Used 867 MHz Combo, no APX, $490; 1.33 GHz, $496; 1.5 GHz SuperDrive, $542.
• Best Mac mini Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.07. Used 1.25 GHz G4 Combo, $399; 1.42 SuperDrive, $559; 1.66 Core Duo, $499; new 1.83 Core 2 Combo, $570 after rebate; 2.0 SD, $770 a/r.
• Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.07. Used beige 300 MHz, $25; 333, $198; blue & white 300, $49; 350, $55; 400, $90; 450, $105; PCI video cards from $15.
• $19,800 Bentley Ego Laptop Remarkably Similar to 1999 Clamshell iBook, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.06. Granted, Apple's iBook didn't have white gold trim, a padded leather exterior, or come in colors to match your Bentley automobile.
• The Cost of Moving to Small Business Server vs. Moving to Leopard Server., Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 10.06. Upgrading the existing SBS 2003 Server would cost less, the the server will run up against hardware limitations long before a Mac Pro does.
• Use Your FileMaker Pro Databases on Your iPhone, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 10.06. Although there's no version of FileMaker Pro for the iPhone, FMTouch will let you use your data and layouts on it.
• Best eMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.06. Used 700 MHz CD, $110; CD-RW, $130; Combo, $170; 800 CD, $170; 1 GHz Combo, $250; SuperDrive, $280; 1.25 Combo, $290; SD, $360; 1.42 Combo, $359.
• Best MacBook Air Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.06. Used 1.6 HD, $1,299; refurb, $1,499; new, $1,669 after rebate; 1.8, $1,919 a/r; 1.6 SSD, $2,294 a/r; used 1.8 SSD, $1,997; refurb, $2,299; new, $2,349 a/r.
• Best iPod shuffle Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.06. Refurb 3G/1 GB, $39; 2 GB, $59; new 1 GB (3G or 4G), $47; 2 GB (3G or 4G), $67. Prices include ground shipping.
• Getting the Most from Your G3 Mac, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 10.03. Most G3 Macs can be upgraded so they can run Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' quite nicely. Here's how.
• Apple Drops iPhone NDA, Defecting to Android, Auto Performance Apps for the iPhone, and More, iNews Review, 10.03. Also more research needed on cellphone cancer link, file sharing app for the iPhone, three new power accessories from Macally, several new iPhone apps, and more.
• Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.03. Used 450 MHz, $75; 500, $99; 733, $150; 800, $199; 1.25 GHz, C$349; 867 MHz dual, $225; 1 GHz, $349; 1.25, $499; 1.42, $600.
• OS X and Safari Shares Grow in September, Toxic Mac Pro?, Green Hard Drives, and More, Mac News Review, 10.03. Also Vista terrible as Mac market grows, CrossOver Mac Pro reviewed, SimpleTech Pro Drives, and a new toolkit for working on computers.
• Best iBook G3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.03. Used 300 MHz clamshell, $150; 366, $199; 500 CD, $149; 800, $190; 600 CD-RW, $240; 800 Combo, $300; 900, $399; 14" 600, $360; 900, $469.
• Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 10.03. Mac OS X 10.0.3, $30; 10.1, $20; 10.2, $60; 10.3 CD, DVD, $100; CD, $119; 10.1 Server, unlimited users, $65; 10.3 Server, unlimited, $150.
• More links in our archive.

Go to the 'Book Review index.