Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2002.03.08
Except as noted, prices are in US dollars.
Location X 1.0.2 OS X Location Manager
Location X brings Location Manager functionality from Mac
OS 9 to Mac OS X. Location X allows you to change
network, time zone, email settings, and more all at once with a
single click.
The perfect solution for PowerBook and iBook users.
Macintosh portable users who travel between different locations
often have to reconfigure their Macs for use at home, school, the
office, the hotel, the east coast office, China (you get the
picture). Configuring Location X to do this for you is easy
using its intuitive and elegant Aqua interface. Now using your
laptop in different places is a snap.
Location X was designed to allow third parties to develop
plug-ins that will allow you to change even more settings than
those provided in the Location X package. The developers will
soon be publishing this interface to allow developers to enhance
and extend Location X. In the meantime, you can use Location X's
built in plugins that let you change your network configuration,
Apple Mail settings, time zone, and QuickTime connection speed.
Check back frequently for new plug-ins.
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.1.3
Location X is $10.00 demoware
TiBook Tote & Tilt Handle for TiBook
Tote your PowerBook G4 using the
Tote & Tilt handle. Tilt it to allow for air
circulation under 
your PowerBook, helping to increase battery life and
performance.
Features:
- Easy access to rear data ports
- Installs in five minutes
- Attaches to the TiBook by removing the four screws on the
hinges and replacing them with slightly longer screws (included)
that go through the handle and into the original holes.
- Does not void warranty
- 100% handmade in the USA.
- All aluminum construction for lightness & sturdiness
- Color powder coated to complement the PowerBook
Price: $44.95
iBook 2001 Tote & Tilt
You can also tote your dual USB iBook by a handle. Tilt to allow
air circulation under your iBook. Installs in less than five
minutes. The handle does not void warranty and is made in the USA.
Color matches iBook.
Price: $29.95
WallStreet "Fan on During Sleep" Bug Fix for
Mac OS X
Juan Cabanela
notes that:
"Ever since Mac OS X came out, there has been a very annoying
bug for WallStreet PowerBook users. If you place the WallStreet to
sleep, and then unplug it, the fan in the PowerBook comes on and
will not turn off. This rapidly drains the battery, somewhat
eliminating the benefit of placing the system to sleep.
"Thankfully, it turns out the bug can be traced to code in the
open source part of Mac OS X . . . Darwin. I found a fix
for the WallStreet sleep bug by digging around Apple's Darwin Open
Source website. In a nutshell, the problem lies in the
AppleHeathrow.kext extension in the /System/Library/Extensions
directory. Patching this extension to turn of a particular chip
during sleep seems to fix the problem.
"The bug is documented as CPU/Software bug 2577132 where you
will be happy to learn it is listed as a 'serious bug.' The fix was
actually originally documented as System/Services Bug 2817409 and
basically involves downloading the source for the
AppleHeathrow.kext extension and patching it. The last note (dated
1/31/02) for bug report 2577132 says 'Please verify in future
release6B28 or better,' so I suspect it will be rolled into the OS
shortly enough.
"For those who can't wait . . . I am making the
patched version of the AppleHeathrow.ext extension
available online. It was compiled on my WallStreet
PowerBook under MacOS X 10.1.2 with the Apple Developer Kit from
December 2001. It appears to work fine under MacOS X 10.1.3, since
the AppleHeathrow.ext extension was not on the list of items
changed under 10.1.3)."
XPower Autoplug Provides AC Power on the
Road
Xantrex Technology's new
XPower Autoplug 75 plugs into your car's cigarette lighter
socket and converts it to an AC outlet.
This device is ideal for charging and using cell phones, laptop
computers, portable DVD players, and 
hard
drive MP3 players. Just plug in the desired products AC power cord
into the Autoplug and you're good to go.
"The XPower Autoplug is a compact and economical tool that is
ideal for busy people who have to spend a lot of time in their
cars," said Lawrence Neill, Director of Consumer Markets for
Xantrex. "Since it's compatible with numerous electronic devices,
users don't have to worry about carrying multiple adapters for each
of their mobile appliances.
XPower Autoplug 75 is the smallest power inverter on the market
today. It incorporates high frequency technology to convert power
from the vehicle's battery (12-volt DC) into standard utility power
(110 VAC, 60 Hz). The adapter provides a single, three-prong
connection for running and recharging many electrical devices.
Instead of special DC chargers, users can plug the same AC charger
used at home into the XPower Autoplug. A typical car battery will
power a laptop computer for about ten to twelve hours.
The XPower Autoplug is scheduled to be available this month and
will retail for $30.
TiBook Hinge Failure
PowerPage Associate Editor Peter Kirn would like to know if any
other TiBook users have suffered catastrophic screen hinge failure.
Peter's PowerBook G4/400's hinge broke
last week, severing half his LCD from the machine.
Peter says that the breakage occurred during normal use, and he
first noticed the break upon opening his well-padded case. "Close
inspection suggests that stress over time and poor design
contributed to a fracture in the hinge around the two metal screws
that affix it to the case," he explains. "In 18 years of computers,
I've never had a machine physically break."
IOGear Makes Mini Mouse for Mobile Users
IOGear has
simplified portable computing with the launch of its miniature USB
optical mouse, Mini Mouse.
Designed specifically for the mobile professional, the tiny
peripheral is smaller than a credit card (3.5" x 1.5" x 1.75"),
providing users with an easy-to-use, space-saving solution. It
provides superior optical sensor tracks to enable smooth precision
movements on any surface. Mini Mouse has no moving parts to clean
and requires no mousepad. The PC and Mac compatible mouse is
priced at $29.95 (MSRP) and is available immediately from all major
catalog resellers, online resellers and selected retail
outlets.
"Conducting business while on the move makes it difficult for
mobile workers to use standard, trackball mice that don't operate
on most surfaces," said Miranda Su, director of sales and marketing
at IOGear, Inc. "Designed with optical sensors, Mini Mouse is the
perfect solution to make mobile computing simple and hassle-free.
With no cleaning required and no need for a mousepad, the product
is a great portable tool."
Mini Mouse has an ergonomic design for comfortable use and
optically tracks movement 1500 times per second. It is USB 1.1
compliant, Plug-N-Play and Hot Swappable. The peripheral works Mac
OS X or later, and comes equipped with a leather carrying case and
the company's three-year limited warranty.
Triumph Technology ME-910 FW to IDE
Enclosures
The PowerBook
Zone's Doug Landry says:
"We are pleased to announce stock of the best 2.5" enclosure
we've seen yet, the Triumph Technology ME-910. Compared to others
that we've used, the ME-910 is the most compact and provides the
easiest installation with no screws to attach the outer two halves.
It includes the super-fast Oxford 911 chip, 3' FW cable, padded
carrying case, installation instructions, two color accent panels,
and a no-questions-asked lifetime replacement/refund warranty for
$99."
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.
- PowerBook WallStreet G3/233, 32/2 GB HD/CD/12", $649
- PowerBook Lombard G3/333, 64/4
GB HD/CD/56k/14.1", free Targus Carry Case, $788
- iBook 300, tangerine, 96/3
GB/CD/56k, $799
- PowerBook Titanium G4/667,
512/30 GB/DVD-ROM/56K/AirPort, $2,749. Get a free Lexmark Z23
printer - Power Max will charge $50, offset by a $50 rebate from
Lexmark
