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Mac News Review
New Mac Pro Benchmarked, OS X Killing Linux?, a Hardened Mac mini, and More
This Week's Apple and Desktop Mac News
Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2008.01.18
PowerBook, iBook, MacBook, and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV news is covered in The iNews Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Reviews
- New Mac Pro: Much Faster Memory Bandwidth
- Mac Pro 3.2 GHz 'Harpertown' vs. 3.0 GHz 'Clovertown'
- Mac Pro Xeon 8-Core Benchmarked
- Is Apple Killing Linux on the Desktop?
- NewerTech Announces New USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter
- VictorSystems Hardens Apple Mac mini
- Mac Pro Developer Note Posted
Desktop Mac Deals
News & Reviews
New Mac Pro: Much Faster Memory Bandwidth
Hard Mac's Lionel
reports:
"The main problem with the previous Mac Pro models and in fact with the first Xeon 5xxx platform was the low performance due to the bottleneck of the memory bandwidth.
"It seems that the new Mac Pro do not suffer from this early adoption defect anymore, as illustrated by a benchmark assay run by Primate Labs to compare a new Mac Pro 8 cores 2.8 GHz with the previous Mac Pro 8 cores 3.0 GHz."
Link: New Mac Pro: Much Faster Memory Bandwidth
Mac Pro 3.2 GHz 'Harpertown' vs. 3.0 GHz 'Clovertown'
Bare Feats' rob-ART
Morgan says:
"We just received our new 8-core Mac Pro 3.2 GHz 'Harpertown' yesterday. In this first article, we compare it to the previous 'best' 8-core Mac Pro 3.0 GHz 'Clovertown.'...
"This initial CPU crunch test pits the 'Apr 2007' 8-core 3 GHz 'Clovertown' Mac Pro against the 'Jan 2008' 8-core 3.2 GHz 'Harpertown' Mac Pro. Though the core frequency gain of the 'Harpertown' is only 6.7%, the speed advantage in the tests ranged from 12% to 24%. That shows what a faster frontside bus and faster memory bus brings to the party."
Link: CPU Crunch: Mac Pro 3.2 GHz 'Harpertown' versus 3.0 GHz 'Clovertown'
Mac Pro Xeon 8-Core Benchmarked
Primate Labs Blog reports:
"Earlier this week Apple released updated Mac Pros that use Intel's new Penryn processors. Also new is the fact that the standard Mac Pro configuration now comes with eight (instead of four) cores.
"Of course, what I've been wondering (as I sit here and think about getting a new Mac Pro) is how does the new standard eight-core Mac Pro perform compare to the old high-end Mac Pro? I've gathered Geekbench 2 results for both Mac Pros to find out."
Link: Mac Pro Xeon 8-Core Performance Benchmarked
Is Apple Killing Linux on the Desktop?
Jeremy's Blog's Jeremy says:
"It looks like some think that OS X may be 'killing' Linux on the desktop. I'm not sure that's the case, but it's an interesting point to explore. It's true that Apple has a much higher percentage of desktop users than Linux does....
"In most cases though, I don't think you can definitively say that if a user didn't go with OS X that they would have gone with Linux. Apple does a lot of things really good. Marketing is certainly one of them, but they do create slick machines that are very appealing. The fact that most traditional UNIX tools work with OS X is huge....
"In the end, however, I'd still contend that more OS X sales are good for Linux . . . not bad. It gets people used to not using Windows. It introduces them to a UNIX-based OS. It opens doors that would be hard for Linux to open. Once the Windows monopoly is broken, it will be easy for all other operating systems to get a fair look. I welcome that day."
Link: Is Apple Killing Linux on the Desktop?
NewerTech Announces New USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter
PR: Newer Technology, Inc. (NewerTech), has announced its new USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter. The NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter now features connection status LEDs for easy confirmation when connecting to a USB 1.1/2.0 equipped computer and an IDE/ATA or SATA drive.
A Macworld Expo 2007 bestseller, the
NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter is a complete solution that
allows any 2.5", 3.5", or 5.25" hard drive or optical drive (standard
IDE/ATA/ATAPI 40 pin or Serial-ATA) to be connected via USB to any
computer for file transfer after the upgrade of an internal hard drive;
for backing-up and storing file archives; and for data access from
stored backup drives with Plug & Play ease.
With digital audio and photo files growing in size and becoming a part of daily life, consumers need larger hard drives to store these files. After they upgrade to a larger drive, the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter enables consumers to transfer data between drives and gives the old drive a second life as an external storage solution.
Truly universal, the USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter has been tested to work with all hard drive brands, including Maxtor, Seagate, IBM, Hitachi, Samsung, Western Digital, and Fujitsu; optical drive brands, including LG, Lite-On, Panasonic, Pioneer, Plextor, Sony, Teac, and Toshiba; and removable media drives, such as Iomega Zip. The adapter provides a USB 2.0 transfer speed of up to 480 Mbps and is also backwards compatible with USB 1.1.
"A Can't Live Without Accessory"
Called "the Swiss army knife of disk connectivity," the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter has been praised as "A can't live without accessory" by Mobile Technology News, and "An ultimate technology key" by Creative Mac News. The Chicago Sun-Times calls the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter "Simple to use . . . Drag and drop files at will."
Priced at $29.95, the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter comes with everything needed for immediate operation: USB 2.0 to IDE adapter cable, 2.5Ëÿ to 3.5Ëÿ adapter, power adapter, LED connection indicators, USB 1.1 backward compatibility, and a full one year NewerTech warranty. It is compatible with Mac OS 9.2 or higher including Mac OS X, Linux 2.4.X, and Microsoft Windows 2000/XP (no driver required).
Link: NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter
VictorSystems Hardens Apple Mac mini
PR:
VictorSystems hardens Apple Mac mini computer system to withstand
harshest environments and use.
VictorSystems, has released its second system based upon the Apple Mac mini Computer. The company is focusing on providing ruggedized commercial and industrial products for demanding Mil/Aero applications.
This system further refines the ruggedized Mac mini developed in the companies' first system. It is available for viewing at Macworld 2008, in kiosk W-4454.
VictorSystems provides manufacturing and engineering services for the Mil/Aero industry, with emphasis upon ruggedizing commercial and industrial electronic systems.
Link: VictorSystems
Mac Pro Developer Note Posted
Apple has posted the developer note for the new eight-core Xeon Mac Pro desktops.
This Developer Note describes the Mac Pro computer introduced in January 2008. It includes information about distinguishing features of the computer, including components on the main logic board: the microprocessors, the North Bridge memory controller, the South Bridge I/O controller, and the buses that connect them to each other and to the I/O interfaces.
The computer comes with Mac OS X version 10.5.1 or later installed.
The quad-core Mac Pro consists of one Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Harpertown" 5400 Series processor. The 8-core Mac Pro consists of two Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Harpertown" 5400 Series processors.
The value of the computer model machine identifier string is MacPro3,1.
Link: Mac Pro Developer Note
Desktop Mac Deals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers every two weeks:
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers every three weeks:
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Low End Mac updates the following price trackers every month:
For more deals on current and discontinued notebook models, see our
best MacBook deals,
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PowerBook G4 deals, iBook G4 deals, PowerBook G3 deals, and
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Recent Mac News Reviews
- BYO $240 Hackintosh, HyperCard Resurrection, USB 3.0 10x as Fast, SlimBlade Trackball, and More, 01.09. Also the brilliance of the Macworld keynote, businesses embracing Macs, Picasa for Mac available, Toast Titanium 10 ships, and more.
- 9.6% Mac Market Share, Quanta to Supply New iMac, New Mac mini a Go, Macintosh at 25, and More, 01.05. Also what's missing from Apple's product line?, unattended online backup with MyOtherDrive, first USB 3.0 storage solutions, Find Any File, and more.
- Evidence of Next iMac and Mac mini with nVidia Graphics, Consumer Macs Ready for Business, and More, 12.24. Also the beginning of the end for the iMac?, OS X 10.5.6 speeds up graphic performance, the Ultimate Guide to Mac OS X, and more.
- Macs #1 in Reliability and Support, Why Apple Can't Stop the Clones, Apple Mudflaps, and More, 12.19. Also new Mac mini expected at Macworld Expo, 10 ways Windows is better, cleaning the Mighty Mouse trackball, ecofont saves ink, and more.
- More in the Mac News Review index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: 15" 'TiBook' PowerBook G4, Jan. 2001 - A new 1" thin PowerBook design with a titanium case, 15" widescreen display.
- Group of the Day: ModBook List covers the Axiotronic ModBook tablet Mac.
- January 9 in LEM history: 01: Macworld keynote - 02: The new iMac - Redefining Apple's market - 03: Safari shows off the Apple difference - Impressions of Safari beta - 04: The colored iPod mini - 06: Installing 'Tiger' on unsupported Macs - Time to replace 5-year-old PowerBook - 07: iPhone and Apple TV - Axiotron Modbook - Mac vs. PC price comparisons are never fair - Backup to the rescue - 08: 2008 Mac Pro value equation
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- MacBook Keyboard Among Best Ever, Glass Trackpad Less than Intuitive, TiBook Desktop Mod, and More, The 'Book Review, 01.09. Also $179 to change battery in 17" MacBook Pro, argument for an Apple netbook, MacBook Air SuperDrive hacked for any Mac, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
- iPhone Reaches Vermont, 15 iPhone Tips, Apple's iGlove, First Editable Office App for iPhone, and More, iNews Review, 01.09. Also WebEx collaboration on the iPhone 3G, hands-free visor kit from Kensington, portable iPod and iPhone power, new cases from Speck, and more.
- Hooked on Classic Macs, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.09. Tommy Thomas is back with a renewed focus on Macs that can run the 'classic' Mac OS.
- Software Should Come with a Fresh Date, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.09. Sooner or later, some hardware or OS update will probably break a program you own. Software vendors should be up front about how long they'll support it.
- Thanks for the IBM PC, Dad, L. Victor Marks, My First Mac, 01.09. Dad, thanks for bringing home that first IBM PC way back in 1981.
- What a Legacy: The Origin of the IBM PC, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.09. IBM introduced its PC on August 12, 1981, shaking up the entire personal computer industry. Today even Apple makes its computers IBM compatible.
- Our Debt to the IBM PC, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.09. A Mac user looks at the legacy of the IBM PC.
- Heat Management for 'Books and the Last Mac to Run OS 9.1, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 01.08. Tips on keeping a first-gen MacBook Air from throttling back with CoolBook, using G4FanControl with a G4 PowerBook, and the fastest Mac that can boot Mac OS 9.1.
- Surprise, Average Broadband Throughput Is Lower than Maximum Throughput, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.08. If a service is advertised as 8 Mbps maximum, it shouldn't surprise anyone that the average speed is below that number.
- A History of Apple's Lisa, 1979-1986, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.08. Originally envisioned as a business computer to replace the Apple II, the Lisa brought the mouse and GUI to the computer market - only to be felled by the less costly Macintosh.
- Lisa's DNA Is All Over Modern Computing, Ray Arachelian, Apple Seeds, 01.08. Those who label Apple's Lisa a failure are ignoring the computer's legacy that shows up in every personal computer sold today.
- The Innovative Lisa, Dan Knight, Online Tech Journal, 01.08. Apple's Lisa and how it paved the way for the Macintosh.
- The Lisa Legacy, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.08. We should always remember how Apple's innovation paved the way for all future computers.
- Waterfield First with SleeveCase for New 17" Unibody MacBook Pro, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 01.08. Waterfield has a reputation for top quality bags at appropriate prices, and it's already designed a sleeve for the new 17" Unibody MacBook Pro.
- Blackouts and Web Access, Death of a Kanga, the Future of PowerPC Macs, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.07. Also another email client suggestion and whether a G3 iMac can handle a 7200 rpm hard drive without overheating.
- The 17" Unibody MacBook Pro Value Equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.07. The new model is a bit faster, a bit smaller, a bit lighter, and has an incredible 8-hour battery life.
- How Netbooks Impact Microsoft and Apple, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 01.07. Netbooks are keeping Windows XP alive, which may slow adoption of Windows 7, and perceived value keeps the Mac market share growing at the expense of Windows.
- Apple's Worst Business Decisions: Another Perspective, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.07. Apple's poor business decisions predate the Macintosh. Let's hope they learn from their mistakes.
- The Ill-Fated Apple III, Jason Walsh, Apple Before the Mac, 01.07. "...not only was the Apple III mind crunchingly expensive, it was made with none of the passion of the Apple II or Macintosh."
- 2 Apple Failures: Apple III and Lisa, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.07. Apple's two not-so-great product lines between the Apple II line and the Macintosh.
- Apple III Chaos: Apple's First Failure, Joshua Coventry, Cortland, 01.07. Apple had known nothing but success with its Apple II product line, but when it tried to enter the business world with the Apple III, the learned the cost of failure.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best MacBook Deals, 01.09. Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $650; refurb 2.1 GHz, $849; 2.2, $899; 2.4, $949; new 2.1 SD, $945 after rebate; 2.4, $900 a/r; 2.0 Unibody, $1,199 a/r; more.
- Best G5 iMac Deals, 01.09. Used 17" 1.6 GHz Combo, $400; 1.8 SuperDrive, $450; 1.9 iSight, $575; 20" 1.8 GHz, $500; 2.0, $625; 2.1 iSight, $699.
- Best iPod nano deals, 01.09. New 3G/8 GB, $125 shipped; 4G/8 GB, $134 shipped; 16 GB, $175 shipped (most colors).
- Best Apple TV Deals, 01.08. Refurb 40 GB Apple TV, $199; new, $220; refurb 160 GB, $279; new, $320. Prices include ground shipping.
- Best Mac Pro Deals, 01.08. New 2.8 GHz 4-core, $2,099 after rebate; refurb 8-core, $2,399; new, $2,589 a/r; 3.0 $3,398 a/r; refurb 3.2, $4,099; new, $4,099 a/r.
- Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, 01.08. Used 867 MHz Combo, $490; 1.33 GHz, $548; 1.5 GHz SuperDrive, $595.
- Best 17" MacBook Pro Deals, 01.07. Used 2.16 GHz Core Duo, $1,190; 2.33 Core 2, $1,400; 2.4, $1,799; refurb 2.33, $1,799; 2.5, $1,899; new, $1,900; refurb 2.6, $2,299.
- Best Power Mac G5 Deals, 01.07. Used 1.8 GHz single, $500; dual, $629, 2.0, $700; dual-core, $929; 2.3, $999; 2.5 dual, $900; 2.7, $1,089; 2.5 Quad, $1,399.
- Best iPod shuffle Deals, 01.07. Refurb 1 GB '07, $39 shipped; new, $43; '08, $45; refurb 2 GB '07, $59 shipped; new, $58; '08, $63.
- More deals in our archive.
Go to the Mac News Review index.
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