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The Sorry State of Macs in New Zealand Low End Mac Reader Specials Memory To Go Special: New 2008 iMac 2GB $42 / iMac Intel Core2 DUO & MacBook Pro 2GB $36 - 1GB $20. MacPro 8 Core Memory 8GB kit $286 / 4GB kit $143 / 2GB kit $93 -- Free shipping available. LIfetime warranty. Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here. OWC: Mercury Elite FW800/FW400/USB2/eSATA up to 2.0TB TOP-RATED Solutions offer High Performance, Reliable storage for all your data storage needs. 500GB $159.99, 750GB $199.99, 1.0TB from $299.99 Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac. Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs. Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you. Dirk Pilat 2002.04.18

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Yes, your Mac UK column is now coming from a little town on the South Island, and I can tell you, if a country ever needed some Mac evangelism, it is definitely NZ. I will not venture forward into my favourite subject of Apple retail again, as there's no hope left here. If you think that getting Apple related goods was hard in the UK, just don't come down here. That's all I will say. Full-stop. Nothing more. Nada.

Anyway, since being down here I have so far seen one Apple computer, and that was an old LC II standing around forlornly (but very appropriately) in a retirement home. It was still being used to print out staff notices.

The only Mac that is regular in view of the public is Lex Luthor's TiBook in that amazingly bland rip-off of the Superman books, Smallville, and the odd iMac appearing in imported UK sitcoms. But apart from that, no sightings whatsoeve - not even in commercials. Apple probably has given up on New Zealand as a market, as too many farmers are probably still hacking away at their 386 PCs and don't plan to exchange them in the next 30 years.

Oh well, enough moaning.

As you were all able to see from the interview with Ian Betteridge, people working in the industry are more hopeful than ever about Apple's prospects, and the good old Stevester certainly looks like he has another couple of years in front of him as our demi-god at the top of Apple, which is (I guess) a good thing.

OS X certainly seems to come along nicely (apart from its appalling lack of speed on G3 machines) as the number of nifty little applications is growing. Adobe and the Microsoft Macintosh Business Unit, as the dinosaurs of application design, have given us their firm commitment to the good cause, so nobody has to fear that the will be left with a six year old copy of Photoshop like me (just can't afford a regular update).

Which leaves us just with the question of what to call this column now. Mac UK is as geographically incorrect as you can get, so I ask you kindly to come up with a suggestion. The winner will be named in this very column, and I'll be damned if I won't throw a Low End Mac T-shirt in as well.

Have a great spring.

Recent Content on Low End Mac

• TruePower Battery Can Run WallStreet PowerBook Past the 5 Hour Mark, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 10.10. If you have a rugged old PowerBook but its battery is losing capacity, TruePower can give you plenty of time in the field.
• nVidia Inside Next MacBook?, Time for a Mac Netbook, Asus Launched MacBook Air Killer, and More, The 'Book Review, 10.10. Also photo reveals more about MacBook Pro, comparing 16:9 and 16:10 displays, Apple settles suit over faulty iBook and PowerBook adapters, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• 30% of iPhone 3G Buyers Switched Carriers, EU Battery Rule May Force iPhone Redesign, and More, iNews Review, 10.10. Also iPhone 3G greatest consumer electronics device ever, track presidential polls on your iPhone, Talking English Dictionary, waterproof armbands, several new iPhone apps, and more.
• Economic Crunch May Slow Mac Sales, a Recycled Cube, ToCA Race Driver 3 for Mac, and More, Mac News Review, 10.10. Also don't buy RAM from Apple, customize your Mac's appearance, MacTribe expanding into print, My Apple Space social networking, and more.
• Modding Your Old Mac to Make It More Useful, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 10.09. If your old Mac is too slow, too noisy, too plain looking, or has too little room for expansion, you might want to mod it.
• What Would an $800 MacBook Mean for the Mac mini?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.09. If Apple does release an $800 entry-level MacBook next week, the $600 Mac mini is going to look very overpriced.

Latest Deals on Low End Mac

• Best Mac Pro Deals, 10.10. Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,799; new, $1,949 after rebate; 2.8 4-core, $2,099 shipped; 8-core, $2,599 shipped; 3.0 $3,399 shipped; 3.2, $4,099 shipped.
• Best PowerBook G3 Deals, 10.10. Used 14" WallStreet G3/266 MHz, $90; Lombard G3/400 MHz, $150; Pismo G3/400 MHz, $300; 500 MHz, $350.
• Best Time Capsule and AirPort Deals, 10.10. Refurb 500 GB Time Capsule, $249; new, $294; refurb 1 TB, $419; new, $462; AirPort Extreme Card, $39; Base Station, $159; Express, $60.
• Best iMac G4 Deals, 10.09. Used 15" 700 MHz CD-RW, $269; 800 Combo, $300; 1 GHz, $390; 17" 1.25 GHz SuperDrive, $400; 20", $529.
• Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 10.09. Used 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $995; 2.16, $1,125; new, 2.2, $1,400 after rebate; refurb 2.4, $1,699; 2.5, $1,999; 2.6, $2,299; rebates on new.
• Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' Deals, 10.09. DVD upgrade from 10.3, $75; upgrade bundle with 10.3, $118; full version, $129; family pack, $200; 10-user Server, $350; unlimited, $400.
• More links in our archive.

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