Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2005.09.02
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review. News about Apple's
transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is covered in
The Macintel Report. iPod news is
covered in The iNews Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products and Services
News & Opinion
Apple Launches, then Cancels Mac mini Test
Drive
PR: A new Apple promotion allows prospective Mac mini buyers to purchase the machine
on a 30-day "test-drive" condition. If you make your purchase
between August 30, 2005, and October 31, 2005, Apple will allow you
to evaluate any combination of a Mac mini, a keyboard and a mouse
under its "Test Drive" program, subject to Apple's standard Sales
and Refunds Policy and the Return & Refund Policy posted on
Apple's Website, which says:
"We're so confident
you'll love your new Mac mini, we'll let you test drive it for 30
days with no risk. If you decide you don't want it, we'll take it
back. Here's how the test drive works:
- Purchase a new Mac mini from the Apple Store online. You can
also get an Apple keyboard and mouse, such as our new Mighty
Mouse.
- Set it up and start enjoying it.
- If you don't love it, call us within 30 days of your order and
we'll arrange for you to return your system - including the Apple
keyboard and mouse - for a full refund.
If you have any more questions, call our Mac specialists at
1-800-MY-APPLE."
Choose from three Mac mini models starting at just $499 and an
optional Apple keyboard and mouse.
This test drive offer ends on October 31, 2005.
Editor's note: This program was canceled the day after it was
launched.
Is the iMac G5 Running Hot?
Popular Mechanics' John R. Quain says:
"When the Apple iMac G5 was
introduced in late August 2004, it was hailed as a triumph of
compact design. The entire computer, including the screen, drives
and power supply, is contained within a sleek chassis with a 2-in.
profile. Knowing that its powerful G5 processors ran hot, Apple
integrated three fans.
"Within a few months, we began to suspect a problem as, one by
one, Popular Mechanics's new iMac G5s started to overheat and then
die. Eventually, 40 percent of them had to be sent back to Apple
for repair or replacement. When we looked into the problem, we
found a number of complaints about overheating power supplies and
'bloated,' apparently heat-damaged, capacitors on the midplane
circuit board. These were posted on Apple's own online user forum
as well as user groups such as MacOSG, TidBITS and MacInTouch."
The Mac Is a Viable Platform
Deep Thought says:
"Between my job at a computer store and dealings with normal
computer users on a daily or near-daily basis, I like to think
that, despite being a power user, I have a pretty firm grasp on the
pulse of the average computer user. The average computer user is a
completely different person from the average computer geek (that
goes without saying). As such, the two groups have completely
different needs. These differences are most evident in the realm of
computer purchase priorities.
"I can tell you that the majority of things that geeks I've
debated with online (especially on the PC side - sorry guys)
consider to be of great importance to a computer are either greatly
less of a concern or complete non-issue to most consumers. In my
experience, the availability of software's bearing on a computer
purchasing decision is greatly overstated. The bearing of processor
speed is overstated. The bearing of kick-ass graphics systems with
256 MB of VRAM is overstated. I can only think of a couple
instances where graphics capabilities were a major concern to
people I've conversed with. To most, it seems to be a non-issue. I
can only think of a handful instances where raw processing speed
has been a big concern; most people are only looking for "fast
enough." Games availability is also a very minor issue. Hardware
configurability/tweakability hasn't come up much either. 7.1
surround sound? Generally not an issue.
"From my work experience and from other experience with
non-geek-types, I can tell you that consumers want something that
lets them get online. Consumers want something fairly easy and
straightforward. Consumers want something where they don't need to
worry as much about malware. Consumers want to listen to their
music. Consumers want to retouch their photos. Consumers want to be
able to write from time-to-time. Consumers generally are not
interested in building their own machines....
"Translation: there's little reason for most consumers to not
give the Mac a chance."
PowerPC Assembly Programming on the Mac
mini
Linux Gazette's Pramode C.E. says:
"The Mac mini is a very compact desktop computer designed by
Apple. Based on the PowerPC (PPC) G4 CPU, the machine is ideal for
those who wish to experiment with GNU/Linux on a non-Intel
platform. In this article, we will examine how to get Ubuntu Linux
up and running on the Mac mini. Assembly language skills on a RISC
CPU like the PowerPC are very much in demand in the
embedded-systems industry - and we shall use the PPC Linux system
to do a bit of assembly language hacking!...
"There is a 40 GB IDE hard disk, two USB ports, one FireWire
port, built-in sound and a "slot-loading" CD/DVD drive. The power
supply, rated at 85W, is provided as an external 'brick'. The unit
does not come with a monitor or keyboard - you have to provide them
yourself. Both the keyboard and the mouse are USB-based. I had no
difficulty getting my Microsoft USB mouse detected, but I had to
try a few different brands before I got my USB keyboard
working.
"There are some minor hardware peculiarities - one is the
absence of an 'eject' button for the CD drive. If you are running
Linux or MacOS, software eject will work; otherwise, holding the
mouse button down during the boot process will do the trick.
Another idea is to get into 'OpenFirmware' (similar to the CMOS
setup on the PC) during the boot process by holding down the
Alt-Windows-O-F keys and then executing the 'eject cd' command.
Booting from the CD requires holding down the 'c' key during
powerup."
Products and Services
Westinghouse Digital's Mac-Friendly 17"
Widescreen Monitor
PR: Westinghouse Digital Electronics, a leading North
American LCD TV and monitor provider, recommends its new HD-Grade
17" widescreen LCD monitor as an essential back-to-school product
for students of all ages.
Featuring a clean white chassis with
silver trim, Westinghouse Digital's 17" HD-Grade LCD widescreen
monitor delivers the color, clarity, resolution and response time
that enable students to watch DVD movies or TV, play video games or
surf the Internet, as well as work on school papers, projects and
spreadsheets.
"With the Westinghouse Digital 17" widescreen monitor, students
can simultaneously view multiple school documents or keep a term
paper open while maintaining their Internet experience via IMing
(Instant Messaging)," said John Araki, director of product
management for Westinghouse Digital. "Many video games are being
produced in widescreen format, and this monitor is excellent for
maximizing the gaming experience. Customers will find that this
monitor is compact and lightweight for convenient travel, and
leaves a small footprint on the desktop."
Offering one DVI input, 1280 x 768 WXGA resolution, 15:9 aspect
ratio, 400-cd/m2 maximum brightness, 600:1 contrast ratio, response
time of 15 milliseconds and a 170-degree viewing angle, the monitor
is currently available for an estimated $229.
Editor's note: Almost every 15", 17", and 19" flat panel monitor
has a 1024 x 768 or 1280 x 1024 resolution, which seems to make the
1280 x 768 resolution of this monitor unique - and the price is
very attractive as well. This could be a great complement to the
Mac mini.
Worlds Largest Selection of Genuine Apple Parts
Goes Online
PR: The Mac Support Store, a Business Outsourcing
Provider and online Reseller of Apple products, has added more than
5,000 Genuine Apple parts into its online store. Customers can
order any part Apple manufactured between 1991 and 2005.
This is another important milestone in our online strategy to
become the single online source for Apple goods and services, said
Jeff Graber, CEO of The Mac Support Store. Apple has been selling
packaged certification and customer installable parts for years but
the choices for buying parts online haven't been reliable. Our
parts come direct from Apple, so we're able to keep the costs low
and the quality high.
The Mac Support Store is an Apple Authorized Help Desk
Specialist, Reseller, and Service provider in New York City. Since
1996, they have supported over 17,000 computers with their custom
Mac-only service called PRO Support.
PowerLogix 1.4 GHz Upgrade Brings Power Mac G4
up to Speed Economically
PR: You can give your computer a new lease on life for
only $279 with the PowerLogix PowerForce 55 processor upgrade for
Power Mac G4 AGP Graphics/Sawtooth or Gigabit Ethernet systems.
The PowerForce 55 utilizes G4 Apollo processors (7455) with 256
KB of 1:1 L2 and an additional 2 MB of high-speed L3 cache.
The card provides solid performance for great value that's also
backed up by a two-year warranty and 30-day 100 percent money back
guarantee.
"Putting this upgrade in your system allows it to run circles
even around the new G4 Macs available today," said Larry O'Connor,
president of Other World Computing, master distributor for
PowerLogix. "You really get a huge return on your investment with a
purchase like this."
The card is compatible with Mac OS 9.2.1, OS 9.2.2 and OS X 10.1
and up (including Tiger).
PowerLogix also offers upgrades for a number of Apple Computer
models including a G4/2.0 GHz card available for $399 and G4 Dual
Processor upgrades up to 1.8 GHz starting from $429.
PowerLogix upgrade products are available immediately through
Other World Computing via its website.
miniMate External Hard Drive and FireWire/USB
2.0 Hub for Mac mini
PR: The miniMate,
MicroNet's new external disk drive and integrated hub, is created
specifically to complement Apple's new Mac mini. With available
storage up to 400 GB, 4 USB 2.0 ports and 3 FireWire ports, the
miniMate extends the capabilities of your new Mac to match the most
capable workstations, all in a stylish aluminum and plastic
enclosure that perfectly complements Apple's Mac mini!
Product Features :
- up to 400 GB additional storage
- 3 FireWire ports
- 4 USB 2.0 ports
- Attach power, USB and FireWire cables, and you're ready to
rock
MicroNet miniMate is only available in the following
configurations: 80 GB, 160 GB, 250 GB, 400 GB.
Cables included are: one 7 inch FireWire Cable and one 9 inch
USB 2.0 Cable
The miniMate offers hub functionality for both USB and FireWire.
As long as a FireWire connection is present, the disk drive will
mount as a FireWire device; otherwise, it will mount as a USB
device.
The miniMate does not require a fan and is self cooling.
The power supply included is a small external "brick" style and
is universal.
The miniMate was designed to be placed under the Mac mini.
iMac G5 8x SuperDrive Upgrade Reduced to
$150
PR: Other World Computing's Mercury iMac G5 SuperDrive is
a user installable solution that gives your iMac G5 new
capabilities and increased DVD and CD read/write performance, and
now for an even better price.
The Mercury iMac G5 SuperDrive is compatible with all Apple iMac
G5 models and includes NTI Dragonburn, EMC/Dantz Retrospect and 10
pieces of 8x DVD-R media. In addition to being compatible with
popular software including Apple's iLife apps and Roxio Toast, the
Mercury is officially supported by Dantz Retrospect with the
EMC/Dantz Retrospect Backup Certification.
OWC's Mercury iMac G5 SuperDrive is immediately available for
$149.95, $30 less than the previous retail price. A rebate of up to
$75 for the old drive the OWC Mercury SuperDrive replaces is also
offered, which further reduces the cost to upgrade.
This solution, as well as a full line of SuperDrives for nearly
every Apple model starting from $45 can be viewed or purchased
online via the OWC website.
Contour RollerMousePro Named a 'Best
Solution'
PR: Contour Design has announced that it has been
selected as one out of twenty private sector firms that, over the
past year, teamed with a public sector organization to fix a major
problem and earn a "Best Solutions Award" for so doing. As such the
solution will be featured at the http://www.govtech.net/gtc Albany,
NY Conference scheduled for 19 - 22 Sep. 05.
The organizers of the GTC events - usually three events per year
- scheduled throughout the United States invite participants to
describe solutions they have provided through cooperative efforts
between private and public sector organizations. In the summary
Contour provided to GTC, we illustrated how we had worked with two
NY State agencies to build a solution to a problem that had been
reported by that State's Environmental Protection Agency police
force.
In the interest of making enforcement of environmental law as
"paperless" as possible, NYEPA police personnel were issued
notebook computers for report preparation and submission.
Supervisors are responsible for rolling-up reports and converting,
via extensive cut and paste operations, reports into citations
coupled with environmental statute quotations in the resulting
citations. Because police personnel are typically larger than
average people, extended use of the small notebook computers
resulted in more than one instance of RSI (repetitive strain
injury). In one case the RSI was "rectified" by three expensive
surgeries, with two more scheduled for this one particular
officer.
However a prevention-oriented vocational rehabilitation
professional in NY State conceived the notion that use of a
http://www.contourdesign.com/rollermouseContour RollerMouse and a
larger keyboard could help this particular individual. And it
worked! The two open RSI surgeries were avoided with a net savings
to the taxpayers of that State of over $50,000.
Steve Wang, CEO of Contour says, "We've always taken pride in
being a solutions-oriented company. This Award makes me very proud
of our people and their dedication to solving Customer
problems."
You are cordially invited to attend GTC-East in Albany, NY. In
addition to being featured as a winner in the "Best Solutions
Award" competition, we will be delivering the opening session in
The Learning Center at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, 21 Sep. 05, with
"Balancing Computer Input Productivity and Worker Health &
Safety. Contour will be exhibiting products and solutions in Booth
120.
New Directional Antenna Gives 3-5x
standard Wireless Range
PR: QuickerTek has announced four new directional
wireless networking Corner Antennas for Power Mac G5 and G4 desktop
computers. With 12dbi and 14dbi RF power, users can easily
experience three to five times the wireless range over the stock
Power Mac desktop. These antennas are one of the best values at
only $80 for the 12dbi model and $100 for the 14dbi version.
Users simply plug this new Corner Antenna into the AirPort card
or port and continue to use AirPort networks, just as before. No
software, alterations or other technical changes are necessary to
receive this impressive wireless boost. The "corner" aspect of this
product is the way in which it mounts to the wall - in the corner.
A corner mount directs the wireless signal toward the AirPort Base
Station or access point, providing the flexibility needed in some
network layouts.
Corner Antennas work with Macintosh OS X and Apple AirPort
networks as well as any other 802.11b through 802.11g wireless
network systems. Part Number CA12-G4; 12dbi model for Power Mac G4;
$80 Part Number CA14-G4; 14dbi model for Power Mac G4; $100 Part
Number CA12-G5; 12dbi model for Power Mac G5; $80 Part Number
CA14-G5; 14dbi model for Power Mac G5; $100 All of these Corners
Antennas have a shipping weight of 5 pounds.
"The Corner Antennas are a natural progression of our wireless
Macintosh product line. We have the most flexibility to solve
virtually any wireless networking problem our Mac customers will
run across. These Corner Antennas can also be added to our
high-powered 27dbm Transceivers to blast the range out past a mile.
We have been using these antennas on our in-house systems and for
any office or SOHO use they are great," said Rick Estes, president,
QuickerTek, Inc.
These new Power Mac G5 and G4 Corner Antennas and all other
QuickerTek wireless products can be purchased through Small Dog
Electronics as well as the other fine dealers listed on the
QuickerTek website Where To Buy page. Small Dog Electronics will
receive the first shipment of these new antennas.
QuickerTek is the recognized leading innovator of antennas for
Apple products. Popular products include the Titanium and Aluminum
PowerBook antennas and transceivers as well as AirPort antennas for
Graphite, Snow and Airport Extreme Base Stations and most Power Mac
G5 and G4 models. Longer distance wireless networks might use
QuickerTek's Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint product
line.
Desktop Mac
Deals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers every two
weeks:
For deals on laptops, see our Week's
Best PowerBook G4 Deals, Week's
Best iBook G4 Deals, and Week's
Best iBook G3 Deals. For deals on iPods, see our Best iPod Deals.
