Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2002.04.05
Except as noted, prices are in US dollars.
FireWire Direct Spark EP: Industry First
Lithium-Ion Battery Operated FireWire Portable Hard Drive
FirewireDirect.com Inc. has announced a new FireWire portable
hard drive small enough to fit in an open hand or pocket.
FireWire Direct
Spark EmPowered (EP) features a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
rechargeable battery making it suitable for self powering on iLink
and laptops and other where power cords just aren't practical.
The is the most truly mobile full featured FireWire Storage
Solution available anywhere, with a Lithium-Ion rechargeable
battery that allows this tiny hard drive to operate self power with
laptops, iLink (4-pin non-powering) computers, and digital video
devices supporting FireWire storage.
The Spark EP is unique and a first of its kind in its use of a
rechargeable Li-Ion battery that will enable the drive to power
itself, making this FireWire storage solution truly plug and play
for iLink (4-pin) computers and laptops that would normally require
power supplied by AC. Digital video users will find this drive
ideal for working with cameras that support FireWire storage. It
can be moved on battery power without powering up or down, making
it ideal for interoffice file exchanges and the battery will
recharge itself automatically when plugged back into a powered
FireWire port or when connected to the AC adapter so it's always
ready to go.
FireWire Direct continues to employ the industry's thinnest hard
drive mechanisms - 9.5 mm drives - so the new Spark EP measures
barely 3/4" in height and is among the tiniest designs ever seen in
a full featured FireWire storage solution. It is supported on any
computer running Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Silicon Graphics ,
Novell, Sun Microsystems Solaris, Red Hat Linux or other systems
with FireWire support.
- Two FireWire ports (highest speed Oxford 911 ATA-100)
- Easy access on/off power for easy operation and conservation of
battery
- Piercing blue power indicator light, red drive activity
indicator light, brushed aluminum
- Ideal for presentations, interoffice file sharing, students,
video in the field
- Rechargeable battery powers drive on both 6-pin and 4-pin
desktops, laptops and digital video devices
Prices
- Spark III EP 40 GB drive, $389
- Spark III EP 30 GB drive, $349
- Spark III EP 20 GB drive, $219
- Spark III EP 10 GB drive, $199
- Spark III EP enclosure kit, $149
PowerBook ResQ Repair Service
MacResQ's
PowerBook ResQ program covers all PowerBook models, from
the PowerBook 100 to the latest
G4 Titanium - and also includes
all iBook models.
The $99 fee covers the cost of shipping the PowerBox (which you
get to keep for future use), three-way overnight shipping in each
direction, and the time for a MacResQ Technician to perform an
expedited detailed diagnosis of your PowerBook or iBook. Your
repair is then completed within 24 hours in most cases.
The PowerBox was specifically designed to provide a safe and
secure home for your PowerBook (or iBook) during transport. Your
PowerBook is held securely with strength-tested foam padding that
will prevent any mechanical or cosmetic damage.
If you decide not to have your PowerBook repaired, it will be
shipped back to you in the PowerBox. There will be no charges other
than the initial $99.
The standard warranty for items repaired on your PowerBook is 90
days. Extended warranties are available.
Over the past 9 years, MacResQ has repaired more than 10,000
PowerBooks.
For more information, visit <http://www.powerbookresq.com/>
or call 1-866-Mac-Repair.
SportFolio for Titanium G4 PowerBooks and
iBooks
The
SportFolio laptop case offers rugged, high-tech neoprene
construction with a built-in plastic shell for impact protection.
The exterior features an easily accessible front pocket, a back
zippered pocket, and a vulcanized rubber bottom and sides for a
secure grip. The case zips closed to hold its contents securely.
The all-black interior features a soft, plush fabric, and a large
pocket. A removable black shock-absorbing shoulder strap is
included. All in all a great combination of features that make this
case stand out from the crowd.
Case features:
- Easily accessible exterior front pocket
- Roomy, zippered back pocket
- Large, secure interior pocket
- Dual zippers for easy opening
- Rugged 3 mm neoprene construction
- Plastic inner shell for impact protection
- Plush-lined interior with document pocket
- Easy-grip bottom for carrying as a folio
- Padded for all-around protection
Shoulder strap features:
- Easy-grip, shock-absorbing design
- Swivel clips prevent twisting
- Adjustable length for maximum comfort
- Easily removable
TiBook inside case dimensions: 13.75" x 10.5" x 2" or 35 cm x
26.7 cm x 5.1 cm
iBook inside case dimensions: 11.25" x 9.75" x 2" or 28.6 cm x
24.8 cm x 5.1 cm
Colors: Black, blue, graphite
Price: $39.95
MCE Lucid-16 Portable CD Burner
The Lucid-16 16x10x24 Portable FireWire CD-RW drive's industrial
design handsomely complements all of Apple's current systems,
particularly the PowerBook G4
Titanium. The Lucid-16 CD-RW is the slimmest and lightest CD-RW
drive on the market today. Just plug it into your computer's
bus-powered FireWire port, and the Lucid-16 drive is ready to write
data to standard recordable (CD-R) and rewritable (CD-R/W) CD discs
- no power cord needed. Weighing in at under a pound and measuring
less than an inch in height, the Lucid-16 CD-RW drive is clearly
light enough to take anywhere.
Built-in Burn-Proof technology is designed to prevent writing
errors caused by buffer underrun, freeing you from the worries of
ruining your CD-R or CD-RW discs.
The high-speed FireWire interface allows for simple
plug-and-play use with a variety of today's Macs running Mac OS 8.6
through Mac OS X (10.1.x or later), as well as PCs running
Windows 98SE or later for those operating in crossplatform
environments.
Included with the Lucid-16 CD-RW drive is the popular Toast
CD-recording software which allows you to create audio CDs,
bootable Mac OS CDs, and general backup CDs in a host of CD file
formats. The Lucid drive is also compatible with Apple's iTunes and
Disc Burner applications.
Specifications
- Maximum speed: 16x (record to CD-R disc), 10x (rewrite to CD-RW
disc), 24x (read)
- Maximum data transfer rate: Write 2400 KB/sec., rewrite 1500
KB/sec., read 3600 KB/sec.
- Access time: 110 ms
- Buffer size: 2 MB
- Device supported formats: CD-DA, CD-ROM Mode 1, CD-ROM XA Mode
2 (Form 1, Form 2), Multisession Photo CD, CD-I, Video CD, CD
Plus
- Supported writing methods: Disc at once, Track at once, Session
at once, Packet write
- Supported Recording Media: 74 Min/650 MB; 80 Min/700 MB; 63
Min/553 MB CD-R and CD-RW Discs
- Supported media sizes: 12 cm and 8 cm Discs
- Power consumption (write mode, max): 7W
- Weight: 15.3 oz (434 g)
- Dimensions: 5.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 in (140 x 165 x 22 mm)
- Activity LED
- Warranty: 1 year
- System requirements: FireWire-equipped Mac running Mac OS 8.6
or later, including Mac OS X (10.1.x or later);
FireWire-equipped PC running Windows 98SE or later
The Lucid-16. is available now for$349 from MCE
Technologies.
WiebeTech Reduces Prices on FireWire Hard
Drives
WiebeTech has
reduced prices on certain configurations of its MicroGB line of
portable FireWire/USB1/USB2 hard drives:
- 20 GB MGB-20, $259.95 (was $279)
- 30 GB MGB-30, $339.95 (was $349)
- 40 GB MGB-40, $399.95 (was $449)
- 48 GB MGB-48, $599.95 (was $699)
Poma Wearable Computer, er, Personal
Multimedia Appliance
Xybernaut has entered the consumer market with Poma,
a personal multimedia appliance. Poma is a featherweight CPU with
an advanced head mount display that delivers instant access to
email, Internet, music, games, and more.
Poma is comprised of three discrete components: the CPU, the VGA
(SVGA display mode optional under 
certain conditions) Liquid Crystal Head Mount
Display, and the Optical Pointing Device. Xybernaut has put
together a number of items that augment the functionality of Poma
and make it easier to fit into the ever-expanding lifestyles of its
users. There are now more ways to transport and wear Poma with the
newly designed pouch, shoulder strap and metal carrying case. There
are also more ways to utilize Poma with 802.11b CompactFlash cards
and 1 GB external microdrives.
Poma supports standard Manufacturer CompactFlash memory cards.
Poma is only certified for use with Socket Communications
CompactFlash 802.11b wireless LAN, Bluetooth, digital phone cards,
56K modem, serial and ethernet cards.
Units will only be shipped to addresses in the US and
Canada.
The Poma wearable Internet device sells for $1,499.
Good Deal on Refurb Fuji FinePix Digital
Camera
Not a portable computer, but
overstock.com has a friendly price on refurbished
Fuji FinePix 1400 Zoom 
Digital 1.3
MP Cameras which sold new for $479. The refurb units are $164.80,
complete with a six month warranty.
This camera features a 1.31 megapixel (1280 x 960 pixels) CCD,
3x optical zoom, 10-second self-timer, and a USB interface.
Other features include:
- Optical viewfinder
- 1.6" LCD
- 4 MB SmartMedia card
- 2x digital zoom
- Date/time function
- Systems supported: Windows 98/2000, Mac OS 8.5.1/9.0
Requires four AA batteries (not included).
Online FinePix 1400 reviews:
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 G4/667, 512/30
GB/DVD-ROM/AirPort, refurbished, $2,499
- iBook G3/500, 128/10 GB/CD-RW,
refurbished, $1,079
- iBook G3/500, 128/10 GB/DVD,
refurbished, $1,049
- iBook G3/500, 128/10 GB/Combo,
refurbished, $1,179
- iBook G3/500, 128/15 GB/CD-ROM,
refurbished, $1,089
- iBook G3/500, 128 MB/10 GB/CD-RW
12.1", refurbished, $1,099.99
- iBook G3/600, 128 MB/15 GB/DVD
12.1", refurbished, $1,179.99
- iBook G3/600, 128 MB/15 GB/DVD
12.1", refurbished, free 128 MB, $1,199.99
And (mainly) for Canadian readers - in Canadian zlotys (er,
dollars) - although I'm sure these resellers wouldn't turn away
Yankee dollars. (The Canadian dollar is worth 62.8¢ US as we
post this.)
- PowerBook G3/333 Lombard,
128/4 GB/CD/14", $1,699
- PowerBook G3/292 WallStreet,
128/8 GB/CD/56k 14", $1,499
- PowerBook G3/266 WallStreet,
64/4 GB/CD/56k/14", $1,299
- PowerBook G3 250 WallStreet,
64/4 GB/CD/56k/13", $1,249
- PowerBook G3/233 WallStreet, 96/2 GB/CD/13", $1,199
- PowerBook G3/250 Kanga, 96/3
GB/CD/floppy/12", $1,099
- PowerBook G3/300, 64/8
GB/CD/14.1", used, 30 day warranty, $1,299.99
- iBook/300, 96/3 GB/CD/56k, used,
30 day warranty, $1,099.99
- PowerBook G3/266, 128/4
GB/CD/14.1", used, 30 day warranty, $1,199.99
