Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2005.10.21
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
News & Opinion
Apple Once Again Among Top 5 US PC Makers
Macworld UK's Nancy Weil reports:
"Apple has become one of the top five US computer makers by
market share, outperforming industry growth by a factor of
four.
"New independently-researched figures by both IDC and Gartner
confirm Apple's market gains in the third quarter, 2005....
"It appears Apple is running up the inside lane. IDC reports
it's the fifth place PC player in the US, with 737,000 units
shipped. Apple's market share there climbed from 3.3 per cent to
4.3 per cent for an astonishing 44.6 per cent year-on-year
growth.
"Gartner is even more optimistic, reporting that Apple is now
the fourth place PC maker with 744,000 units shipped for 4.2 per
cent of the market."
Apple Introduces Power Mac G5 Quad &
Dual
PR: Apple has unveiled its new Power Mac G5 desktop line
featuring the Power Mac G5 Quad, providing quad-core processing
with two 2.5 GHz dual-core PowerPC G5 processors. All Power Mac G5
models now feature dual-core processors, a new PCI Express
architecture and higher performance graphics options including
Nvidia's Quadro FX 4500, bringing the industry standard for
workstation graphics to the Mac.
"The Power Mac G5 Quad delivers the workstation performance our
creative and scientific customers demand," said Philip Schiller,
Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With
quad-core processing, a new PCI Express architecture, and the
fastest workstation card from Nvidia, the new Power Mac G5 Quad is
the most powerful system we've ever made."
With two 2.5 GHz dual-core processors, each with 1 MB of L2
cache, the Power Mac G5 Quad delivers breakthrough performance on
applications used extensively by creative professionals and
scientists. For example:
- Final Cut Pro 5 encodes SD video content up to 60% faster on
the new Power Mac G5 Quad when compared with the Dual Processor 2.7
GHz Power Mac G5;
- Adobe Photoshop runs a series of 45 commonly used filters and
actions 43% faster on the new Power Mac G5 Quad when compared with
the Dual Processor 2.7 GHz Power Mac G5;
- Adobe After Effects renders video effects up to 69% faster on
the new Power Mac G5 Quad when compared with the Dual Processor 2.7
GHz Power Mac G5;
- LightWave 3D renders animation up to 59% faster on the Power
Mac G5 Quad when compared with the Dual Processor 2.7 GHz Power Mac
G5; and
- The scientific benchmark Bioinformatics Benchmark System (BBS
version 3) completes a comparison of genomic sequences up to 39%
faster on the Power Mac G5 Quad when compared with the Dual
Processor 2.7 GHz Power Mac G5.
The Power Mac G5 line offers leading-edge expansion with
industry standard PCI Express architecture, providing four
expansion slots to support high-performance video and audio devices
and multiple standard graphics cards to drive an array of up to
eight displays. The Power Mac G5 delivers up to 16 GB of 533 MHz
DDR2 SDRAM and now features two Gigabit Ethernet ports - ideal for
customers working in an Xsan® environment. Providing
industry-leading connectivity and high-performance I/O, every Power
Mac G5 also includes one FireWire 800 port, two FireWire 400 ports,
four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 1.1 ports, optical and digital audio
input and output, and built-in support for AirPort Extreme and
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. The new Power Mac G5 line also includes Apple's
next generation mouse, Mighty Mouse, featuring up to four
programmable buttons and an ingenious Scroll Ball that lets users
scroll in any direction - vertically, horizontally and even
diagonally.
The new Power Mac G5 comes standard with either the Nvidia
GeForce 6600 LE with 128 MB of video memory or the Nvidia GeForce
6660 with 256 MB of video memory, both provide support for
dual-displays and Apple's breakthrough 30" Cinema HD Display, now
priced at $2,499. The Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT with 256 MB of video
memory and the Nvidia Quadro FX 4500 with 512 MB of video memory
are both available as build-to-order options. The Quadro FX 4500 is
ideal for demanding animation, special effects and scientific
visualization applications such as Alias' Maya and DeLano
Research's PyMol. The Quadro FX 4500 can drive up to two 30" Apple
Cinema HD Displays and includes a stereo 3D port to connect goggles
for stereo-in-a-window applications.
Pricing & Availability
The 2.0 GHz and 2.3 GHz Power Mac G5 Dual are available now and
the 2.5 GHz Power Mac G5 Quad will be available in early November
through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized
Resellers.
The Power Mac G5 Dual, with a suggested retail price of $1,999
(US), includes:
- dual-core 2.0 GHz PowerPC G5 processor;
- 512 MB of 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable up to 16 GB;
- 160 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Nvidia GeForce 6600 LE with 128 MB of GDDR SDRAM
- three open PCI Express expansion slots: two 4-lane slots and
one 8-lane slot;
- dual Gigabit Ethernet ports;
- 16x SuperDrive™ with double-layer support (DVD+R
DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW); and
- ships with Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
The Power Mac G5 Dual, with a suggested retail price of $2,499
(US), includes:
- dual-core 2.3 GHz PowerPC G5 processor;
- 512 MB of 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable up to 16 GB;
- 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Nvidia GeForce 6600 with 256 MB of GDDR SDRAM
- three open PCI Express expansion slots: two 4-lane slots and
one 8-lane slot;
- dual Gigabit Ethernet ports;
- 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R
DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW); and
- ships with Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
The Power Mac G5 Quad, with a suggested retail price of $3,299
(US), includes:
- two dual-core 2.5 GHz PowerPC G5 processors;
- 512 MB of 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable up to 16 GB;
- 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
- Nvidia GeForce 6600 with 256 MB of GDDR SDRAM
- three open PCI Express expansion slots: two 4-lane slots and
one 8-lane slot;
- dual Gigabit Ethernet ports;
- 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R
DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW); and
- ships with Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard.
Build-to-order options include up to 16 GB of NECC or ECC DDR2
SDRAM, up to two 500 GB Serial ATA hard drives running at 7200 rpm,
Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT with 256 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM, Nvidia Quadro FX
4500 graphics card with 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM, AirPort Extreme and
Bluetooth module, Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Wireless Mouse,
Xserve RAID and Apple Fibre Channel PCI Express Card.
No VESA Mount Adapter Kit for New iMac
A new Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"The iMac G5 (iSight) computer, while similar in form to
previous iMac G5 models, is not compatible with the iMac G5 VESA
Mount Adapter Kit (part number M9755G/A).
"Apple will not be offering this kit for installation on the
iMac G5 (iSight) computer."
Products
iMic USB Audio Interface
PR: iMic was the original USB audio adapter that enabled
Mac and PC users to add stereo input and output to their USB
computers that, otherwise, lacked the necessary hardware support.
iMic allows you to connect virtually any microphone or sound input
device to your iBook, PowerBook, PowerMac or other Mac or PC
systems with a USB port. iMic supports both mic and line level
inputs via a selectable switch, as well as a variable level output
for connecting speakers or headphones.
iMic's audio is superior
to most computers' built-in audio because it uses USB for the audio
signal. USB isolates the audio signal from the noisy electronics in
your computer, giving you higher quality sound when you record, and
higher quality sound output for external speakers.
iMic shines as the essential tool for converting your old LPs
and tapes into MP3s and CDs. Griffin's audio recording software
Final Vinyl for Mac OS X (provided for free exclusively to iMic
owners) makes recording old records and tapes super easy, with
several advanced features such as waveform-based cue editing and
built-in 10-band EQ. Final Vinyl can also equalize LPs without
having to connect a turntable to a pre-amp. Just hook the turntable
directly to the iMic, and Final Vinyl will record your LPs
perfectly.
iMic, now updated for modern hardware, provides the perfect
solution for almost any audio need, including:
- Podcasting
- GarageBand
- iMovie
- Final Cut Pro
- Reason
Griffin also produces a wide range of cables and a mic to get
you hooked up.
Price: $39
Link: iMic USB
Audio Interface
Daystar iMac G4 Upgrades Start at $449
PR: Citing new lower shipping and CPU costs Daystar
Technology, an Apple Authorized Reseller and Mac Solutions
Integrator, announced today, that it is cutting the iMac Flat Panel
Upgrade pricing. The upgrades utilize the most powerful G4 CPUs
available today. In additional to nearly double the CPU cycles, the
upgrades also double the high-performance L2 cache size from 256 KB
to 512 KB. The net result... more than 2x real-world performance
for all iMac Flat Panel owners. Better shipping and CPU costs,
become lower user prices.
Daystar has moved it's shipping exclusively to FedEx, which has
generated lower pricing on shipping. New distribution agreements
have also lowered the costs of the "upper-end" Freescale CPUs used
for their iMac upgrades. Daystar is passing the savings onto the
customers. The result being lower prices, all around. "We are
amazed at the number of orders!", said Gary Dailey, president of
Daystar. "The rate of acceptance has allowed us deliver even lower
pricing, and drop below the $500 price barrier." 3-way shipping
options, for maximum flexibility.
Customer can now choose from a range of shipping options. The
3-way choices (preship box, unit to Daystar, then unit to
customer), allow the customer to tailor the speed and cost of their
upgrade. The Cost of the upgrade is dependent on the speed: 1.35
GHz (7457) for the iMac 700/800 MHz is $449 1.92 GHz (7447A) for
the iMac 1.0/1.25 GHz is $499
Features include: Xbench 1.2 Scores jump from the mid teens to
the high 50's, surpassing the fastest iMac G4, and some iMac G5s.
Double performance for all OS operations and applications. Highest
qualified G4 CPUs available, rated to 105c! Factory installation
via Apple Certified Technicians. Daystar 21 point system test and
diagnostics, with overnight burn-in tests. Effortless shipping with
Daystar's custom box and prepaid shipping options. Compatible with
any Mac OS since 9.2... Including Tiger 10.4.x. Supports dual boot
systems - works with everything you own. Includes XLR8 MAChSpeed
Control for exclusive G4 performance / compatibility. All upgrades
warranted at speed sold, with Daystar's exclusive 90/728 warranty
program. Also include 30 Days of Daystar's New ProTech support.
120 GB to Go in Stainless Steel Enclosure
PR: US Modular introduces the latest Dragon Drive - 120
GB of storage in a ultra-slim, stainless steel package the size of
your back pocket.
US
Modular, a leading designer and manufacturer of personal memory and
storage products, has announced that the company's award-winning
Dragon Drive now comes with more firepower, a huge 120-gigabyte of
storage space. The new 120-gigabyte drive has won the coveted
Editor's Choice award in several magazines and is on the market for
$399.
The BUS-powered portable external storage drive system is
offered in massive sizes of 20 GB to 100 GB and comes in a
stainless steel package. Dragon Drives are some of the tiniest
portable auto-detectable combo (USB 2.0 + FireWire) hard drives
(2.5" form factor) on the market today. Less than an inch high,
these ultra-slim high-performance hard drives are the ideal storage
solution for palmtops, notebooks or desktop PCs - at home, in the
office or anywhere in between. Unique in that they require no messy
AC power cords (they are 100-percent powered through the two
included USB 2.0 cables or FireWire cable), the Dragon Drives
maintain a sleek footprint making them the perfect laptop or
desktop companion. With both Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire
connections, setup is a snap and data transfer is blazing fast.
Dragon Drives are available in size configurations of 20 GB to 120
GB and will be priced at MSRPs of $99 to $399.
Features:
FireWire Features:
- Compatible with 1394-1995 and 1394A Phys
- SBP-2 Target Revision 4 Compliant Interface
- Fully ATA-5 Compliant
- Supports UDMA5 (ATA100)
- Supports ATA PIO Modes 0-4, DMA Modes 0-2 and Ultra DMD Modes
0-5
- ORB Coprocessor to Accelerate Translation of ORBs to ATAPI
Commands
- Supports ORB Chaining for Increased Performance
- Transfer Rate for High-speed IEEE-1394 Interface: up to 400
Mbps
- Driver-less: Easy installation support Windows(R)
98SE/Me/2000/XP, Mac OS(R) 8.6 or later without driver
USB 2.0 Features:
- USB 2.0 Transfer Rates up to 400 Mbps (40 Times Faster Transfer
Rate than that of USB 1.1)
- USB 2.0/IDE Compliant: Integrated USB Transceiver; High Speed
(400 Mbit) and Full Speed (12 Mbit)
- USB Suspend/Resume, Remote Wake Up
- Easy Installation
- Windows 98SE; Windows Me/2000/XP, Linux(R) and Mac OS (without
driver)
- ATA PIO modes 0-4: ATA Interface Operation Mode is
automatically configured through firmware
- UDMA modes 0-4 operation
Power Supply:
- Powerless: Power by FireWire or USB bus power. No external
power is required
Dimensions:
- LxWxH: 133x78x21 mm (cable not included) or 5.2"x3"x0.8"
- Weight: 4.6 ounces
- Cable Length: Approx. 6' (1-FireWire and 2-USB 2.0 cables
included)
Support:
- One Year Warranty with 24/7 tech support
SALES: 120-gigabyte Dragon Drives will begin shipping in October
and will be available nationwide. Vendors interested in carrying US
Modular's award-winning lineup of products may contact US Modular
directly at sales@usmodular.com.
Easy, User-Configurable RAID for Storage and
Backup
PR: Maxtor OneTouch III's Innovative Design and
Additional New Features Improve Durability and Data Protection for
Creative Professionals and Small-Business Users
Based on customer feedback and innovative new technologies,
Maxtor Corporation today announced its new Maxtor OneTouch III,
Turbo Edition external storage solution that takes the complexities
out of RAID and delivers a simple-to-use, easy-to-understand
solution for the consumer mass market. With capacities up to one
terabyte (1 TB or 1,000 GB), the new Maxtor OneTouch III,
Turbo Edition integrates Maxtor's award-winning automated backup
and restore capabilities for Mac and PC users, allows users to
easily configure the solution for either RAID 0 or RAID 1 and
includes new software tools to synchronize data between two or more
computers and to help repair PC systems after a damaging spyware or
virus attack.
Building on Maxtor's years of success as a leader in external
storage, the Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition also sports a
completely new customer experience, including a cool new industrial
design, an improved software user interface and redesigned retail
package from award-winning consulting firm frog design inc. The
solution's new industrial design provides added reliability and
robustness, while being soft to the touch and easily stackable. The
improved user-friendly interface creates a level of consistency and
ease of use, and the redesigned retail packaging system protects
the product during transit. Built to last, the new high-capacity,
dual-drive Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition solution is
aesthetically appealing for either a home or office setting. It
features improved acoustics, a self-adjusting cooling system and an
inner disk drive casing and shock mounts for additional drive
protection, underscoring Maxtor's commitment to providing durable
and innovative storage solutions.
"As a leader in consumer storage and backup solutions, our job
is to help protect our customers' digital lives. We're thinking
about the difficult things so our consumers don't have to. We want
data backup and protection to be virtually effortless," said Stacey
Lund, vice president of marketing, Maxtor Branded Products Group.
"We've designed our new Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition to be
the easiest, most trustworthy way to reap the benefits of RAID, and
to back up and store photos, videos, games, music, business data
and personal information in the most demanding environments.
Whether you're a consumer, creative professional, mobile warrior or
small business owner, you can use our trusted, intuitive storage
solutions in safeguarding your digital life or life's work."
The new Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition is ideal for more
advanced users and creative professionals, such as videographers,
photographers, and graphic artists who need high performance and
high capacity. It's the industry's first two-drive solution that is
user configurable as either RAID 0 or RAID 1.
Until very recently, a redundant array of independent disks
(RAID) - which can increase data safety, performance or both - was
only found on very expensive servers. But now even mainstream
computer users can easily take advantage of these benefits by using
the new Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition in a RAID 0 or RAID 1
configuration. RAID 0 divides a data stream and writes pieces of it
to both drives at once, a process called striping. This process
enables significantly faster write and read times for speed-hungry
applications like video editing and game loading. RAID 1, also
called mirroring, simply takes everything that gets written to the
primary hard drive and creates a copy of it on the second drive.
That way, if calamity hits the first drive, the second one swings
into action so the user does not experience data loss or
downtime.
Maxtor has also added Sync - a feature with the ability to
automatically synchronize files between two or more systems on the
same operating platform - to its newest external storage solution.
Increasingly, customers want to share data easily and automatically
between home and office, syncing files and folders in both
computers. Also, to combat spyware, adware and viruses that can
slow a system to a crawl or even a screeching halt, the new Maxtor
OneTouch III, Turbo Edition includes a System Rollback feature that
reverts a PC system to a healthier point in time while preserving
current data. All of these features are easily accessed through
Maxtor's completely redesigned graphical user interface.
All Maxtor OneTouch external storage and backup solutions come
with a data security feature called Maxtor DriveLock, providing a
password protection option to safeguard contents if the drive is
ever lost or stolen. If the Maxtor OneTouch solution falls into the
wrong hands, special firmware embedded on the hard drive restricts
data access. Even if the internal hard drive is removed from the
casing and attached to another computer, access will be denied
without the correct password.
The Maxtor OneTouch III, Turbo Edition comes in a 600 GB or
1 TB capacity and features a triple USB 2.0/FireWire
400/FireWire 800 interface for easy connection to a Mac or PC.
Availability begins in December at major U.S. retailers,
distributors and online stores, as well as from Maxtor. The
manufacturer's suggested retail price for the 600 GB is $549.95 and
$899.95 for the 1 TB. Worldwide availability varies by
region.
Desktop Mac
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