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Monthly Archives: September 2014
I have an 8 GB iPhone 4S, and the only way I was able to install iOS 8 without using iTunes was by wiping it back to its original state. No matter how many apps and files I removed, I could not create enough free space for the iOS 8 installer otherwise. Apple brags about […]
Apple dropped and buried the iPhone 5 in 2013, keeping the iPhone 4s as their budget model. What does the future hold for the iPhone 5?
One of the new additions in iOS 8 is the ability to turn the screen colours off and make the iDevice run in monochrome. I check it out.
iOS 8 has one steep requirement for those who want to upgrade to it directly on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You need 5.6 GB of free space to load and run the installer – even though the core iOS 8 installation is under 1 GB. That can be a real problem with 8 GB iDevices.
I purchased a badly abused 17” Aluminum PowerBook G4 in the summer of 2012. It had a badly smashed lower case assembly, missing Enter key, a nonfunctional LCD, a bum battery, and not very many screws holding her together. I’ve always liked the design of the 17” PowerBook and felt the Aluminum PowerBooks have the best […]
I just vacationed in Myrtle Beach, SC with the wife and kids, and like many other tech savvy media fanatics with children who visit hotels and resorts, I was well aware that you just don’t know for sure what kind of WiFi, data connectivity, or display/HDTV you are going to have at your disposal to […]
Low-end Mac and iOS users have a love-hate relationship with Apple. We love new hardware and new operating systems and new features. We hate old hardware and operating systems being left behind.
I test iOS 8 on my iPhone 4s out in the wild, my first day with the new OS. How does it go?
iOS 8 has just been released, and I take a quick initial look at it on my iPhone 4s.
I love the original iPhone, but it’s lack of 3G mobile speed can be a big problem when out and about. There is a workaround.
Motorola StarMax computers were only on the market for a few years, and their five-year warrantees have long since expired. Motorola no longer offers any support for this hardware.
It’s been a perennial topic of discussion on our StarMax email list: Which optical drives are bootable in the Motorola StarMax computer and which ones are not. This is important, since Motorola used CD-ROM drives of different makes in StarMax computers – and many users are interested in faster drives or CD-RW capability.
Skype used to work on just about any system, but recent changes has seen system requirements increased and lots of devices cut.
Some of the first generation Power Macs can be significantly boosted by overclocking their CPUs.
The DayStar PowerPro and Sonnet PrestoPPC upgrades made it possible to run a 68040-based Mac with a PowerPC 601 CPU, taking it to the next generation of CPU technology. The 80 MHz version can be overclocked to further improve performance, and it may be possible with the 100 MHz card as well.
Apple’s PowerBook Duo notebooks were very lightweight and very portable, but they are very limited in connectivity unless you can acquire a Duo Dock. The Duo 201, 230, and 280c can all be overclocked. If other Duos can be overclocked, we have not found reports.
The Sonnet QuadDoubler replaces the CPU in a Centris or Quadra Mac with one that runs twice as fast as the original ‘040 processor, and by overclocking the logic board, you may be able to achieve even better performance.
The Centris series of Macs only included three models: the 20 MHz Centris 610, the 25 MHz Centris 650, and the Centris 660av, which is identical to the Quadra 660av. The 660av is covered on Overclocking the Quadra AV Models.
Every Mac Quadra can be overclocked, although the method varies among models. The Centris/Quadra 660av and Quadra 840av are covered on a separate page.
The AV Quadras stand apart from the rest of the Quadra line with their AT&T Hobbit coprocessors and GeoPort serial ports. both the 660av and 840av can be overclocked.
Only two Mac LC models can be overclocked to improve performance. The LC II and LC III can be chipped; the original LC and LC III+ cannot be overclocked. You can also upgrade LC models using third-party accelerators the plug into the LC processor direct slot (PDS), which will bring more performance at a higher […]
Some of the old 68030 and 68040 PowerBooks can be overclocked to achieve improved performance. This page has information on the PowerBook 140, 145, 150, 160, 170, 180, and 520 and 520c.
Not all Macs can be over clocked, but three models in the Mac II lines can – the IIsi, Iivx, and “wicked fast” IIfx. These pages provide information on the maximum reliable speed, which may vary from one machine to the next.
Many Mac models can be “chipped” to run at a higher speed, but none of the compact Macs can. That said, some can be upgraded with third-party accelerators, so you’re not necessarily stuck with the original CPU speed – although finding those upgrades nowadays may be difficult.
Where were you on 9/9/1999?
Do you have more than one iDevice with different versions of iOS? Syncing them on the same Mac can be difficult, but here is a simple trick.
As widely rumored in recent months, Apple unveiled the iPhone 6 this week – and in the two sizes expected. The smaller model, with a 4.7″ display, is called the iPhone 6. The larger one, with a phablet-sized 5.5″ screen is the iPhone 6 Plus.
My attempts to revive an old iPhone have finally come to an end. I say good-bye to this beat up beast, but it’s not all bad news.
After months of rumors, Apple finally announced the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Is it what we expected?
