Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2007.03.30
PowerBook, iBook, MacBook, and other portable computing is
covered in The 'Book Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Reviews
Apple Updates
Products
iPod Accessories
News & Opinion
Boot Camp 1.2b Adds Windows Vista Support
PR: Boot Camp 1.2 beta contains several updates and is
intended for all new and previous Boot Camp beta users.
In the next major release of Mac OS X Leopard, Apple will
include a new technology called Boot Camp, that lets you install
and run Windows on your Mac. If you have an Intel-based Mac
computer and would like to try Boot Camp, you can download the
public beta today.
Boot Camp lets you install Windows without moving your Mac data,
though you will need to bring your own copy to the table, as Apple
does not sell or support Microsoft Windows.(1) Boot Camp will burn
a CD with all the required drivers for Windows so you don't have to
scrounge around the Internet looking for them.
Once you've completed Boot Camp, simply hold down the option key
(that's the "alt" key for you longtime Windows users) at startup to
choose between Mac OS X and Windows. After starting up, your
Mac runs Windows natively just like a PC. Simply restart to come
back to Mac.
Changes in Boot Camp 1.2 beta
- Graphics
- Networking
- Audio
- AirPort wireless
- Bluetooth
- The Eject key (on Apple keyboards)
- Brightness control for built-in displays
New in version 1.2:
Boot Camp 1.2 beta contains several updates and is intended for
all new and previous Boot Camp beta users.
Boot Camp 1.2 beta includes:
- Support for Windows Vista (32-bit)
- Updated drivers, including but not limited to trackpad,
AppleTime (sync), audio, graphics, modem, iSight camera
- Support the Apple Remote (works with iTunes and Windows Media
Player)
- A Windows system tray icon for easy access to Boot Camp
information and actions
- Improved keyboard support for Korean, Chinese, Swedish, Danish,
Norwegian, Finnish, Russian, and French Canadian
- Improved Windows driver installation experience
- Updated documentation and Boot Camp on-line help in
Windows
- Apple Software Update (for Windows XP and Vista)
Updating to Boot Camp 1.2 beta
If you previously installed Boot Camp beta, you can easily
update to Boot Camp 1.2 beta. You don't need to partition your hard
drive again (unless you want to change its size) or reinstall your
Macintosh and Windows software or documents, but it's very
important to update the Boot Camp Assistant software, create a new
Mac Drivers CD and install the updated software it contains onto
Windows. Complete instructions are provided in the Installation and
Setup Guide included with the Boot Camp 1.2 beta software.
System requirements:
- Mac OS X Tiger v10.4.6 or later (check Software Update)
- The latest firmware updates (check Support Page)
- 10 GB free hard disk space
- An Intel-based Mac
- A blank recordable CD or DVD
- A printer for the instructions (You'll want to print them
before installing Windows, really.)
- A bona fide full version of Microsoft Windows: XP Home or
Professional with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista Home Basic, Home
Premium, Business, or Ultimate. (No upgrade or multi-disc
versions).
System support: Intel
Free
Link: Boot
Camp
Gaming Showdown: Macs vs. Windows
The Pitt News's Donald Campbell reports:
"The Apple commercials on television strive to tell the viewing
public one thing: Macintosh computers are trendy, hip and cool -
their Windows counterparts are old, stodgy and absent-minded.
"And apparently they're working, as Macintosh's sales have
jumped significantly. In movies portraying young hackers bent on
saving the world, the hero is typing away madly on a Macintosh, or
at least staring at a screen that is distinctly OS X.
Macintosh has become synonymous with simple, elegant computing.
"But Macintosh is hiding a secret from the public. Gamers often
hear that if they want to play the widest range of games available
on the market, they're wise to invest in a new, souped-up Windows
computer (perhaps an Alienware).
"Macintosh tries to compensate by advertising its new Macintosh
Pro desktop machines with the latest and greatest graphics cards. A
rich computer connoisseur could easily spend thousands of dollars
to have multiple top-of-the-line graphics cards installed on his or
her new, Intel-based, Mac Pro desktop (with advanced cinema display
for color quality).
"So if you're considering buying a new gaming PC, should you
really consider Macintosh? True, Macintosh is an excellent, stable
platform. The operating system is beloved by many and renowned for
its ease of use, reliability and attractiveness.
"With the new graphics cards Macintosh is putting in its
top-of-the-line laptops (the MacBook Pro) and desktops (the Mac
Pro), a good amount of money will get you a machine capable of
keeping up with the most demanding modern games....
"But would you really get your money's worth out of a
Macintosh?"
Link:
Computer Gaming Showdown: Mac vs. Windows
Apple's Share of $1,000+ Computer Market
Macsimum News' Dennis Sellers reports:
"In a recent Roughly Drafted
column, Daniel Eran questioned the somewhat skewed idea of
computer market share. For example, he says that Dell and HP 'dump
out massive numbers of PCs and have an average selling price of
around $740.' This got Macsimum News wondering just what
percentage of market share Apple has for personal computers costing
US$1,000 or more?
"According to IDC's 'Worldwide PC Tracker,' Apple captured 5.8
percent of the total worldwide market for personal computers
costing more than $1000 in 2006, Mike Shirer of the IDC research
group told us. Apple's share of the worldwide computer market in
2006 (regardless of price) was 2.5 percent....
"If you remove the Mac mini (Apple's only sub-$1,000 Mac aside
from the almost-$1,000 17-inch iMac) from the equation, the Mac's
worldwide market share for computers costing over $1,000
(obviously, Apple's main target audience) is 5.8 percent compared
to 2.3/2.5 percent of the overall market."
Link:
A Look at Apple's Market Share of Computers Costing $1,000 or
More
How to Upgrade RAM in a PowerBook G4
A new macInstruct tutorial says:
"Installing RAM into your PowerBook G4 is the easiest way to
breathe new life into your aging portable. This inexpensive upgrade
can be performed by anyone in a matter of minutes, and after you're
finished, your Mac will run like new!"
Link: How to
Install RAM into a PowerBook G4
Bluetooth Suit Expanded to Include Apple, Dell,
and Sony
Bloomberg News reports:
"Apple Inc., Dell Inc., Sony Corp. and five other technology
companies were added to a lawsuit over patents covering Bluetooth,
threatening their use of a wireless-communication standard that's
in millions of devices.
"The non-profit Washington Research Foundation sued Matsushita
Electric Industrial Co., Samsung Electronics Co. and Nokia Oyj over
Bluetooth in Seattle federal court in December. Apple, Dell and
Sony were added as defendants March 15, along with Logitech
International SA, Motorola Inc., Sony Ericsson Mobile
Communications AB, Toshiba Corp. and Plantronics Inc., court papers
show.
"The suit threatens the ability of the computer and device
makers to deliver wireless capabilities to customers.
"The companies are accused of infringing four patents covering
technology that lets users exchange data among mobile phones,
personal computers and other devices without using cables."
"The foundation's suit is aimed at products with chips made by
CSR Plc., which the group says is using its Bluetooth technology
without permission. The foundation licensed its technology to
another chip maker, Broadcom Corp., and it isn't suing for
infringement over products that use those wireless-communications
chips."
Link:
Apple, Dell, Sony Now Part of Bluetooth Suit
Upcoming Core 2 and Xeon CPUs to Clock Above 3
GHz
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Intel will use its move to a 45nm chip production process
primarily to increase performance rather than boost battery life or
reduce energy consumption, the company admitted today.
"Upcoming Core 2 and Xeon processors based on Intel's 45nm
'Penryn' architecture are due to go into production later this
year. The chip maker confirmed what we'd gleaned from leaked
roadmaps, that the 45nm chips will contain more L2 cache than their
65nm predecessors."
Link:
Intel 45nm CPUs to Clock Above 3 GHz
Intel Details Upcoming New Processor
Generations
PR: Marking the next step in Intel's "tick-tock" product
strategy and cadence to deliver a new process technology with an
enhanced microarchitecture or entirely new microarchitecture every
year, Intel Corporation will begin producing its next-generation
Penryn family of processors in the second half of this year. These
new processors benefit from enhancements to the Intel Core™
microarchitecture and also Intel's industry-leading 45nm Hi-k
process technology with its hafnium-based high-K + metal gate
transistor design, which results in higher performance and more
energy-efficient processors.
Intel has more than 15 45nm Hi-k product designs in various
stages of development, and will have two 45nm manufacturing fabs in
production by the end of the year, with a total of four in
production by the second half of 2008 that will deliver tens of
millions of these processors. Below are many of the details of the
Penryn processor family and a glimpse into some of the key features
of Intel's future generation of processors, codenamed Nehalem.
Penryn Family Microarchitecture Innovations
A Range of Products - Six Penryn family processors, including
dual and quad-core desktop processors and a dual core mobile
processor are all under the Intel Core processor brand name as well
as new dual and quad-core server processors under the Intel Xeon
processor brand name. A processor for higher-end server
multiprocessing systems is also under development. As previously
noted, Intel already has a total of 15 45nm products scheduled.
Technical Marvel - 45nm next-generation Intel Core™2
quad-core processors will have 820 million transistors. Thanks to
our high-k metal transistor invention, think of 820 million more
power efficient light bulbs going on and off at light-speeds. The
dual-core version has a die size of 107mm2, which is 25 percent
smaller than Intel's current 65nm products - and quarter of the
size of the average US postage stamp - and operate at the same or
lower power than Intel's current dual core processors.
Deep Power Down for Energy Savings, Improved Battery Life - The
mobile Penryn processor has a new advanced power management state
called Deep Power Down Technology that significantly reduces the
power of the processor during idle periods such that internal
transistor power leakage is no longer a factor. This helps extend
battery life in laptops. This is a major advancement over previous
generation industry leading Intel mobile processors.
Intel Dynamic Acceleration Technology Enhanced Performance for
Single Threaded Apps - For the mobile Penryn processor, Intel has
enhanced the Intel Dynamic Acceleration Technology available in
current Intel Core 2 processors. This feature uses the power
headroom freed up when a core is made inactive to boost the
performance of another still active core. Imagine a shower with two
powerful water shower heads, when one shower head is turned off,
the other has increased water pressure (performance).
Speeding Up Video, Photo Imaging, and High Performance Software
- Penryn includes Intel Streaming SIMD Extensions 4 (SSE4)
instructions, the largest unique instruction set addition since the
original SSE Instruction Set Architecture (ISA). This extends the
Intel 64 instruction set architecture to expand the performance and
capabilities of the Intel Architecture.
Other Technical Features to Improve Performance
- Microarchitecture Optimizations - Increases the overall
performance and energy efficiency of the already leading Intel Core
microarchitecture to deliver more instruction executions per clock
cycle, which results in more performance and quicker PC
responsiveness.
- Enhanced Intel Virtualization Technology - Penryn speeds up
virtual machine transition (entry/exit) times by an average of 25
to 75 percent. This is all done through microarchitecture
improvements and requires no virtual machine software changes.
Virtualization partitions or compartmentalizes a single computer so
that it can run separate operating systems and software, which can
better leverage multicore processing power, increase efficiency and
cut costs by letting a single machine act as many virtual "mini"
computers.
- Higher Frequencies - Penryn family of products will deliver
higher overall clock frequencies within existing power and thermal
envelopes to further increase performance. Desktop and server
products will introduce speeds at greater than 3 GHz.
- Fast Division of Numbers - Penryn-based processors provide fast
divider performance, roughly doubling the divider speed over
previous generations for computations used in nearly all
applications through the inclusion of a new, faster divide
technique called Radix 16. The ability to divide instructions and
commands faster increases a computer's performance.
- Larger Caches - Penryn processors include up to a 50 percent
larger L2 cache with a higher degree of associativity to further
improve the hit rate and maximize its utilization. Dual-core Penryn
processors will feature up to a 6 MB L2 cache and quad-core
processors up to a 12 MB L2 cache. Cache is a memory reservoir
where frequently accessed data can be stored for more rapid access.
Larger and faster cache sizes speed a computer's performance and
response time.
- Unique Super Shuffle Engine - By implementing a full-width,
single-pass shuffle unit that is 128-bits wide, Penryn processors
can perform full-width shuffles in a single cycle. This
significantly improves performance for SSE2, SSE3 and SSE4
instructions that have shuffle-like operations such as pack, unpack
and wider packed shifts. This feature will increase performance for
content creation, imaging, video and high-performance
computing.
Nehalem Microarchitecture
After Penryn and the 45nm Hi-k silicon technology introduction
comes Intel's next-generation microarchitecture (Nehalem) slated
for initial production in 2008. By continuing to innovate at this
rapid cadence, Intel will deliver enormous performance and energy
efficiency gains in years to come, adding more performance features
and capabilities for new and improved applications. Here are some
new initial disclosures around our Nehalem microarchitecture:
Dynamically scalable for leadership performance on demand with
energy efficiency
- Dynamically managed cores, threads, cache, interfaces and
power
- Leverages leading 4 instruction issue Intel Core
microarchitecture technology
- Simultaneous multithreading (similar to Intel Hyper-threading
technology) returns to enhance performance and energy
efficiency
- Innovative new Intel SSE4 and ATA instruction set architecture
additions
- Superior multilevel shared cache leverages Intel Smart Cache
technology
- Leadership system and memory bandwidth
- Performance enhanced dynamic power management
Design scalable for optimal price/performance/energy efficiency
in each market segment
- New system architecture for next-generation Intel processors
and platforms
- Scalable performance: 1 to 16+ threads, 1 to 8+ cores, scalable
cache sizes
- Scalable and configurable system interconnects and integrated
memory controllers
- High performance integrated graphics engine for client
Reviews
Mac mini Still a Compelling Choice?
"The Apple Mac mini ($874 direct) is still a triumph of compact
design and a cool alternative to the tower PC. Other mini PCs,
however, are encroaching upon what was once the Mac mini's sole
domain and have worn down its edge a bit over the past year."
"I understand that Apple sees itself as a premium brand in the
desktop computer space (and high design does not come cheap). But
for almost $900, I expect a keyboard and mouse to come with my new
computer. The mini includes neither."
Link: Apple Mac
mini (1.83-GHz Core Duo)
Apple Updates
Some Mighty Mouse Features Require Mac OS X
10.4.6 or Later
A new Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"You can use a Mighty Mouse's left and right buttons (both wired
and wireless versions) with Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
"Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later is required to use scroll ball
features, additional side and scroll ball buttons, and (for the
wireless mouse) the System Preferences' battery level indicator. If
you have an earlier version of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger installed,
update to Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later."
Link: Mighty
Mouse: Some Features Require Mac OS X 10.4.6 or Later
How to Replace the Battery in the Apple
Remote
An updated Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"The Apple Remote Control can be used with an iPod Universal
Dock and Apple TV. It also included with MacBook Pro, MacBook, and
newer iMac and Mac mini computers.
"The Apple Remote uses a CR2032 lithium 3.0 V coin battery that
is commonly used in small electronic devices. You'll find these
batteries at most electronics stores, drug stores, and at Radio
Shack.
"When the Apple Remote's battery power is low, you will see an
icon on your iMac display letting you know that you should replace
the battery. When that time comes, here's how to replace the
battery in your remote."
Link: How to
Replace the Apple Remote Battery
How to Connect to the Internet with
Dialup Access
An updated Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"If your Mac has a built-in modem (most do),* you can use it to
get on the Internet using the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), which
is also known as 'dialup' access. Even if your Internet service
provider (ISP) doesn't specifically offer Macintosh support, you
can still use these steps.
"AirPort Tip: If you have an AirPort base station, connect the
phone line to your computer's modem and complete the steps below
first. Then see the AirPort section at the end of this
document."
* Editor's note: When Apple first posted this article in 2002,
most Macs did have built-in modems. However, no Mac
introduced after 2005 has a built-in modem, and some pre-2006
Macs didn't have one either. dk
Link: Mac OS X:
How to Connect to the Internet with PPP (Dialup Access) and a
Modem
Products
MAXPower G4/7448 Upgrades for Power Mac
G4s Reach 2 GHz
PR: Newer Technology, Inc. (NewerTech), developer of PC,
Macintosh, and iPod performance upgrades and accessories, announced
the NewerTech MAXPower G4/7448 Single and Dual Processor Upgrades
starting at $399 for Power Macintosh G4
AGP Graphics/Sawtooth, Gigabit
Ethernet, Digital/Audio, or
Quicksilver model computers.
MAXPower processor upgrades are the world's only available and
shipping G4 7448 processor upgrades, delivering better performance
than even new Intel-based Macintosh systems as well as up to 40%
faster performance over competing 7447A processor upgrades.
Real-World Test Proven
In both standard benchmark applications, as well as in
real-world application testing, the results show the incredible
performance gains of the MAXPower G4/7448 processor equipped Power
Mac G4s. In a real-world Adobe Creative Suite Photoshop action
test, the MAXPower was actually faster than the latest
2.33 GHz iMac Core 2 Duo system.
When compared to an Intel Core Solo 1.5
GHz equipped Mac mini, MAXPower processor upgrades delivered up
to 4.6 times faster performance during intensive CPU usage.
MAXPower G4/7448 processor upgrades utilize state-of-the-art,
latest generation Freescale 7448 processors and are 100% compatible
with existing hardware, application software, and Mac OS 9.2.2 and
OS X 10.3.5 or later with no operating system
modifications needed. By upgrading an existing Power Mac G4 AGP
Graphics/Sawtooth, Gigabit Ethernet, Digital/Audio, or Quicksilver
model with a MAXPower processor upgrade, users can enjoy faster
performance better than the latest Intel based Macs while
maintaining their original system investment.
Performance increases are achieved with a strategic set of
engineering enhancements, including 1 MB of on-chip L2 cache
fully pipelined for two-cycle throughput, a full implementation of
AltiVec™ technology featuring enhanced support for
out-of-order instruction, and the use of 90 nanometer silicon on
insulator (SOI) CMOS process technology to dramatically increase
clock and bus speeds while reducing power requirements.
Plug-and-Play, Hassle-Free Solution
MAXPower processor upgrades are easily installed in 10 minutes
or less and offer a hassle-free solution to obtaining a huge boost
in G4 performance. Now, instead of buying an expensive new system
plus the additional cost and hassle of installing software and
hardware upgrades to work with the new system, Power Mac G4 owners
can continue to use and enjoy their current system with the highest
performance available.
"Apple built the Power Mac G4 to last and our new MAXPower
G4/7448 Processor Upgrades give these systems an unprecedented
level of processing power," said Larry O'Connor, President of Newer
Technology. "Using less power and running cooler than the
competition, no other G4 processor upgrade even comes close to
MAXPower's capabilities. When you consider the cost of not only a
new computer, but also the cost of software needed to get best use
from it, NewerTech's MAXPower upholds our long standing reputation
of cost-effective solutions which make a NewerTech enhanced system
'Better than New'."
MAXPower G4/7448 Processor Upgrade Highlights
- Up to 12x more processing power
- Up to 40% faster than 7447 processor upgrades
- Runs faster and cooler while using less power than other
processors
- Fast 1 MB L2 1:1 on-chip cache for greater processor
throughput
- Plug and Play - 100% compatible with existing hardware and
software
- Use with Mac OS 9.2.2, OS X 10.3.5 & later
- Easy to install - user installable in 10 minutes or less
- Full 128-bit implementation of AltiVec™ technology
- Expanded DFS power management capability
- 64-bit bus interface
"We are so confident in user satisfaction of these products as
well as product quality, we offer a 30-day 100 percent money back
guarantee in addition to the three-year warranty these products
include when purchased from our distributor, Other World Computing,
or any NewerTech authorized reseller," added O'Connor.
Four Configurations Starting at $399
NewerTech MAXPower G4/7448 Processor Upgrades are available in
four configurations: 1.8 GHz single, 2.0 GHz single, 1.7-1.73 GHz
dual, and 1.8 GHz dual. MSRP pricing starts at $399. NewerTech
MAXPower Processor Upgrades are available immediately from Other
World Computing and other resellers.
Link: MAXPower
G4
QuickerTek Exclusive 802.11n Wireless
Upgrade for Intel Mac mini
PR: QuickerTek brings the high performance wireless
networking of 802.11n wireless to Apple Intel Mac mini owners. Users install antenna
and 802.11n card using the included instructions and tools, for
only $180.
Apple's newest wireless networking left Mac mini users in the
dust. Without this high speed wireless, Mac mini users feel left
behind, even though their computer is not that old. QuickerTek's
802.11n upgrade is a complete solution that not only provides an
'n' card, but also provides a second antenna - required to get all
of the speed that 802.11n wireless can offer.
The wireless networking card is made to the same specifications
as the Apple factory 'n' card and installs into the AirPort card
slot - replacing the stock AirPort card. The 'n' wireless upgrade
works with all 802.11/b/g/n WiFi equipment including Apple AirPort,
AirPort Extreme and the latest 802.11n version of AirPort Extreme -
seen for the first time at the January Macworld Expo.
The user-installed Mac mini wireless upgrade includes the
802.11n wireless card, tools and illustrated installation manual -
everything users need to complete the upgrade on their own. An
Apple-compatible driver installer is also provided.
Like most QuickerTek products, the 802.11n wireless upgrade is
backed with a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
Link: 802.11n Upgrade
for Mac mini's with Intel
Reduced Pricing on Mercury Elite-AL Pro
FW800/400+USB2 RAID
PR: Leading technology solutions provider Other World
Computing (OWC) today announced lowered pricing on its OWC Mercury
Elite-AL Pro FireWire 800/400+USB2 RAID line of external storage
solutions. These Mercury Elite-AL Pro solutions, starting as low as
$249.99, are available in capacities up to 1.5 TB.
Featuring a sleek and compact Aluminum design of only 9.0"
long x 2.8" wide x 5.8" high, these Elites are fully A/V Certified
for all Audio/Video, Backup, Graphics, Music, General Data needs
and more. With 2 FireWire 800 ports, 1 FireWire 400 Port, and 1 USB
2.0/1.1 port, the units are fully bootable and provide excellent
access flexibility to stored data bases via a wide variety of
interface choices.
OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro RAID FireWire 800/400+USB2 storage
solutions utilize the latest Oxford 924 chipset and the best SATA
II Hard Drive mechanisms to provide superior reliability and
performance.
Current OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro FW800/400+USB2 RAID
Prices
- 320 GB with 16 MB buffer, $249.99
- 500 GB with 32 MB buffer, $269.99
- 640 GB with 32 MB buffer, now $334.99
- 800 GB with 32 MB buffer, now $349.99
- 1.0 TB with 32 MB buffer, now $429.99
- 1.5 TB with 32 MB buffer, now $729.99
All OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro RAID FireWire 800/400+USB2
solutions are backed by an industry-leading 2-Year OWC solution
warranty, plus an additional 3-year- manufacturer's warranty on the
mechanism inside, for 5 years total coverage.
Solutions all include EMC Retrospect Backup and are EMC Backup
Certified. Also included are Intech HD SpeedTools Utility Suite,
FireWire 800 connecting cable, FireWire 400 connecting cable, and
USB connecting cable.
Ground delivery within the 48 Continental states is $2.95, and
2nd Day Air delivery anywhere within the USA offered for $7.95
less.
Also Available is a Build Your Own Enclosure Kit for the
Elite-Pro RAID Oxford 924 800/400+USB2 RAID, priced at just
$119.99. The kit includes FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB2
connecting cables, and 1-Year OWC Warranty. (User configurable for
different RAID and non-RAID modes.)
Link:
Mercury Elite-AL Pro FW800/400+USB2 Performance 7200 RPM
RAID
iPod Accessories
pdasmart.com Offers 100 GB iPod
Upgrades
PR: iPod Video 100 GB Hard Drive Upgrade (60 GB/80
GB). This is not a misprint - a replacement 100 gigabyte drive for
your iPod Video.
You can store 25,000 songs or 125 hours of video on this monster
and be the envy of your friends and neighbors. This hard drive
upgrade will not increase the size of your iPod at all - the new
Toshiba MK1011GAH is tucked away safely in the same real estate
used by your existing hard drive.
This new hard drive comes with a 1 year warranty from the
manufacturer and a 90 day warranty from PDASmart.com.
- Part Price: $275 drive for 60/80 GB 5G iPod only
- Repair Center Price (includes parts and labor): $285 for 60/80
GB 5G iPod, $299 for 30 GB 5G iPod
Repair center is staffed by some of the most qualified
technicians in the world! Send that iPod in and we will let you
know when it arrives and turn it back to you as quickly as possible
(usually within just a few business days).
Link: pdasmart.com 5G
iPod Hard Drive Upgrades
podBible
PR:
podBible brings the text of the Bible to your iPod in an easy to
use format. Now you can convert your heathen iPod to Christianity.
Deepen your faith! Proselytize your neighbors! Irritate atheists!
Start your own televangelism show! With podBible, you can do it all
. . . and so much more.
In terms of space, the text of the Bible would only take up as
much space as a few songs. But because of how the iPod's firmware
works, only a limited amount of text files are allowed, meaning
that for now you're limited to only putting parts of the Bible on.
Future iPods may allow more files, so keep your fingers
crossed.
podBible uses the English Standard
Version. This is for two main reasons:
- It's free. From the start, podBible's creator wanted it to be
freely available to anyone who wanted to download it.
Unfortunately, most translations of the Bible aren't free. Most
versions are copyrighted by a publishing company, who need to
charge for the use of their Bible to cover things like translation
costs, printing fees, and so on. The ESV is one of the few
completely free versions available, thanks to the generosity of its
copyright holder, Good News Publishers.
- It's easy to read. Out of the few free Bible translations, the
ESV is one of the easiest versions to read. While older
translations like the KJV have both academic and spiritual value,
they use outdated English that can be difficult to understand. The
ESV helps put God's word into the words and grammar which we use
today - expressing timeless truths in modern language.
New in version 1.1:
- Now includes entire New Testament, all 27 books.
New in version 1.0:
- First public release.
- First four books of the New Testament (ESV), optimized for view
on the 2nd generation Nano but will work on other iPods as
well.
System requirements: Any iPod capable of hosting text files
through the Notes folder - So far podBible has only been tested on
a second gen iPod nano and and a fifth gen iPod video, and it works
on both. podBible is only formatted for the second gen Nano. While
it will still work on some other models, it may look a little
strange. Updates for other models will eventually be released, but
for now, you're gonna have to live with it. Sorry.
System support: PPC/Intel
Free
Editor's note: podBible is temporarily unavailable while a new
license agreement for the ESV is being hammered out. dk
Link: podBible
New Proporta Wireless FM Stereo
Transmitter for iPod
PR: The
introduction of the portable MP3 player has taken the world by
storm over recent years. As the must-have mobile device accessory,
it is more common than not, to see people wandering the streets
'plugged' into their devices. The major advantage the MP3 player
has over older portable music devices is that many models allow you
to listen to your personal choice of music sorted by favourites,
genre, artists or even podcasts.
Problem...
If only this portable privilege could be mirrored by your car
stereo or CD at home without having to pay a fortune for upgraded
technology or spend hours creating yourself mix CDs...
Solution...
Proporta has the answer for you. A Wireless FM Transmitter from
Proporta allows you to listen to your music directly from your MP3
player through your car stereo or any source with a radio
frequency.
How...?
Just replace your headphones by plugging in the Proporta
Wireless FM Transmitter. It then transmits your music from your
personal MP3 player to your stereo clearly and powerfully, using a
selected stereo frequency that is clearly labeled on the front.
Plug in, tune
in and go
The Wireless FM Transmitter is a small, portable device which
plugs into any standard 3.5 mm (1/4 inch) stereo output (like the
one on an iPod) and transmits to a selected stereo frequency. Now
you can listen to your PDA, iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD
player or any other source in clear, powerful, high quality stereo
using a normal FM radio in your home or your car.
The Proporta Wireless FM Transmitter can transmit on a number of
preselected frequencies - clearly labelled by a number of LEDs
displayed on the front of the Transmitter. The Wireless FM
Transmitter can also be powered by either an internal battery (2 x
AAA) for use in your home or office, or a handy n-car power supply
to save your batteries on long car journeys.
Features
- Suitable for use with iPod/digital music device, PDA, CD player
and other stereo devices
- Power from internal battery or car power supply
- Simple to use - plug in, tune in and go
The Proporta Wireless FM Transmitter is READY TO ORDER now, and
is expected to arrive on the 4th April
$23.95
Link:
Proporta Wireless FM Stereo Transmitter
Desktop Mac
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