XPostFacto Adds PB 2400, 3400, Kanga Support; Sony Vaio Laptop Sports 16" Screen; and More

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - April 12, 2002

Except as noted, prices are in US dollars.

• XPostFacto 2.2b1 Now Supports OS X Installs on Legacy PowerBooks
• Moo X 1.0b Optimizes Older and New Machines to Take Advantage of Their Hardware
• Century iAdaptor2 Power Adapter for PowerBook G4/Dual USB iBooks
• iBook iXtravaganza at PowerMax
• Apple Australia Supplies TiBooks for Round the World Yacht Cruise
• Other World Computing Introduces 160 GB External FireWire Drive
• Sony Releases Vaio Laptop with 16.1" Screen
• Bargain 'Books

XPostFacto 2.2b1 Now Supports OS X Installs on Legacy PowerBooks

Ryan Rempel's XPostFacto (formerly Unsupported UtilityX) helps to install Mac OS X, Darwin, and Mac OS X Server on some unsupported systems, now including beta-level support for the original PowerBook G3 (Kanga/3500), the 3400, and possibly the PowerBook 2400. Version 2.2b1 also fixes the "kernel panic if nothing connected to onboard video" problem, as well as a few other problems.

Macs Only! reports that Jake Luck has been successful in getting OS X running on his PowerBook 2400c using XPostFacto v2.2b1. Jake's 2400c has an Interware 400 MHz G3 upgrade and an Adtec 96 MB RAM chip for a total of 112 MB of RAM.

While Apple has limited its support for Mac OS X to those machines that originally came with a G3 or G4 processor, it is possible to install Mac OS X on several earlier machines. The unsupported machines that work now are the 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 8600, 9500, and 9600, as well the clones that were based on one of these systems (the Umax S900 and J700, and the Power Computing PowerWave and Power Tower Pro). The original processors in these machines will work (with the exception of the 7500, which requires a processor upgrade). G3 or G4 upgrade cards work as well. Other models that use the PCI architecture may be made to work in time.

New in this version:

• Beta-level support for the original PowerBook G3, the 3400, and (possibly) the 2400.
• Fixes for the "kernel panic if nothing connected to onboard video" problem. (The ATI driver update will still be needed for some ATI cards, however).
• Will permit installation onto drives connected to the UltraTek IDE card (with the OWC/FirmTek upgrade applied).
• Fixes a problem installing Darwin 1.4.1.
• Fixes a problem with Mac OS 9.2.x.

System requirements:

• Power Macintosh 7300 to 9600 or equivalent clone
• Original PowerBook G3 or 3400 (possibly 2400)
• Mac OS 9 or higher

XPostFacto is freeware.

Moo X 1.0b Optimizes Older and New Machines to Take Advantage of Their Hardware

Moo X stands for Mac OS Optimizer for X. It's main purpose is to make the most of your system by freeing up and fully utilizing your RAM, giving your system better performance. This application is useful for older machines that want that speed boost, but it also is a great tool for anyone that wants use more or less of their memory. By optimizing your system for more memory, applications can load and install faster while using less memory gives more value multitasking.

Developer's comments: "After cataloging through various optimizer programs, I discovered that many had great abilities, but none really combined all the features. This meant to fully optimize your system with 3 different settings set you would have to have 3 different applications. I thought this was ludicrous. After talking to the authors and understanding their approach I wrote Moo X."

This application is in beta release, and it's free.

System requirements: Mac OS X 10.1 or higher

Century iAdaptor2 Power Adapter for PowerBook G4/Dual USB iBooks

Century's iAdaptor2 is an ultra compact adapter compatible with Apple's PowerBook G4 and Dual USB (all-white) iBooks. It incorporates the plug into its body, much like the newest Apple adapter.

You can check it out at the PowerBook Zone Store.

iBook iXtravaganza at PowerMax

PowerMax has made some big iBook purchases at great prices and are passing along the savings to their customers. They have hundreds of these in stock.

• iBook 500, 64/10 GB/CD, $939
• iBook 500, 128/15 GB/CD, $999
• iBook 500, 128/10 GB/DVD, $1,099
• iBook 600, 128/15 GB/DVD, $1,169
• iBook 600, 128/20 GB/Combo, $1,349

Plus get a free Apple carry bag with every configuration- while supplies last.

All above are factory refurbished by Apple.

Apple Australia Supplies TiBooks for Round the World Yacht Cruise

David Frith of Australia's The Barrow reports that Apple Computer Australia is sponsoring a group of young people embarking on a cruise around the world for two years on a luxury 54' yacht.

Apple Australia is supplying Titanium PowerBooks and Final Cut Pro video-editing software for The Voyage of Kijana, a venture proposed by 20-year-old Jesse Martin of Melbourne, who has already sailed alone round the world at age 18.

Kijana is a ten-year-old 54' two-masted cutter built in Brisbane, which left Sydney Harbour last week. The crew will post one-to-three-minute QuickTime movie clips on the Kijana website and answer emails from schoolchildren following their progress round the globe.

Digital footage will be downloaded from Sony Cameras into the PowerBooks, edited on Final Cut Pro, and beamed back to Australia via Telstra-supplied satellite phones.

A 13-part documentary TV series will be translated into 17 languages and has already been presold to more than 100 countries.

The crew have been given three Titanium PowerBook G4s, Apple's Cut Pro 3 professional video editing software, and an iPod. The crew of five - Jesse and Beau Martin, Josh Schmidt, Mika Tran and Nicolette Fendon - have all undergone a two-day training course in Final Cut Pro.

Other World Computing Introduces 160 GB External FireWire Drive

Other World Computing has introduced a new 160 GB OWC Mercury external FireWire drive that spins at 5400 RPM and uses an Oxford 911 chipset.

The company also announced that it has lowered its prices on all OWC Mercury-brand external FireWire storage drives. Pricing for OWC Mercury drives ranges from $149.95 for a 20 GB 5400 RPM drive to $519.97 for a Mercury On-The-Go 2.5" portable drive, with the new 160 GB FireWire drive priced at $379.95.

OWC Mercury storage devices provide a fast and convenient way to add significant plug-and-play storage to personal computers and notebooks. OWC's FireWire drives feature transfer rates as high as 400 Mbps and weigh as little as 11 ounces. The drives are compatible with Macintosh and Windows systems, and they feature the fastest Oxford 911 bridgeboard technology available.

OWC Mercury FireWire drives are alternatives to upgrading internal hard drives, and allow for easy computer-to-computer transfer of data. OWC's Mercury On-The-Go drives offer a portable solution that measure as little as 3.0" wide by 5.5" deep and 1.0" high. OWC's Elite Pro models measure 9.0" deep by 1.5" wide by 5.5" high and can be conveniently stacked out of the way to conserve desktop space. OWC Mercury Elite Pro models also do not require a fan because the power supply, which generates the majority of the heat, is actually a separate, compact external power supply brick, providing a much quieter working environment.

The drives can quickly be connected to any computer with a FireWire port. For computers without FireWire ports, OWC also offers a variety of PCI cards for desktops and CardBus cards for notebook computers.

Below is the current price list for OWC's external storage solutions:

Mercury Elite Oxford 911 7200 RPM External Solutions

• 20 GB $159.99
• 40 GB $179.99
• 60 GB $199.99
• 80 GB $239.99
• 100 GB $295.99
• 120 GB $309.99

Mercury Oxford 911 5400 RPM External Solutions

• 20 GB $149.95
• 40 GB $169.95
• 60 GB $189.95
• 80 GB $215.95
• 120 GB $295.95
• 160 GB (New for April 2002) $379.95

Mercury On-The-Go 2.5" Portable Oxford 911 External Solutions

• 20 GB $189.97
• 30 GB $215.97
• 40 GB $279.97
• 48 GB $395.97
• 60 GB $519.97

Sony Releases Vaio Laptop With 16.1" Screen

The new Sony Vaio GRX Series notebooks now offer the largest LCD screen available in a laptop computer. (iCab warns that this page contains an endless loop, although IE 5.1 has no trouble with the page.)

Specs

• Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor: up to 1.70 GHz, supports enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology for optimized performance on the road
• LCD screens up to an amazing 16.1" 1600x1200 with dual display support. The 16.1" screen option offers the same viewing area as most 17" CRT monitors.
• AGP-enabled ATI Mobility™ Radeon 7500 graphics with 32 MB SDRAM and 3D acceleration support
• Integrated 10Base-T/100Base-T ethernet and V.90 modem
• Hot swappable multi-bay design allow internal removable CD-RW/DVD combo drive or optional second onboard battery for extended mobile power on the road
• Center Jog Dial control with back button for fast navigation, plus MagicGate Memory Stick media slot for fast, easy transfer of digital images and other important data
• Choice of 256 MB or 512 MB SDRAM
• Choice of 20, 30, or 40 GB hard drive
• Choice of CD-RW/DVD combination or DVD-ROM drive
• Choice of Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, XP Professional, or 2000 Professional
• Choice of Microsoft Word 2002, Office XP Small Business, or Office XP Professional
• Choice of 1 or 3-year Limited Warranty

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.

MacResQ

• PowerBook G3/333 Lombard, 64/4 GB/20x/56k/14.1", refurbished, $899.99

PowerMax

• PowerBook G3/333 Lombard, 64/4 GB/CD/56k/14.1", $869
• PowerBook G3/333 Lombard, 128/4 GB/CD/56k/14.1", $899
• PowerBook G3/333 Lombard, 192/4 GB/CD/56k/14.1", $929

ExperCom

• iBook 500, 128/10G/CD-RW/12.1", factory refurbished, 1,099.99
• PowerBook G4/400, 128/10G/DVD/15.2", factory refurbished, 1,499.99

Small Dog Electronics

• PowerBook G4/550, 256/20 GB/DVD, new, $1799
• PowerBook G4/550, 512/20 GB/CD-RW, new, $1949
• iBook 500, 64/10/CD-ROM, refurbished, $999
• iBook 500, 128/10/DVD, refurbished, $1,049
• iBook 500, 128/10 GB/Combo, refurbished, $1,179
• iBook 500, 128/15 GB/CD-ROM, refurbished, $1,089

L.A. Computer

• PowerBook G4/667, 256/30 GB/DVD/ethernet/15.2"/56K/OS X, new, $2,449