Low End Mac Archive for February 4

February 4 in Apple and Low End Mac History

Apple's good moves, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Outsourcing iMac production and making OS 7.5.3 a free download are good moves on Apple's part.

Thinking different about USB ports, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Apple has a new way of counting the number of USB ports on the LCD iMac and 2002 Power Macs.
Reviving the lost art of archiving, Manuel Mejia, Mac Daniel. If you're not backing up, you risk losing everything to a hard drive failure.
Alan's favourite things, Alan Zisman, X-Wares. Five very useful freeware and shareware utilities to spruce up Mac OS X.
ramBunctious, Dan Knight, Mac Wares. The best RAM disk software for the classic Mac OS.
Computer humor year in review, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side. Nothing topped a pie in Bill Gates' face, but there was a lot to laugh about (and at) in 2001.

17" iMac G4/1 GHz. New models has faster CPU, faster bus, faster hard drive, faster DVD burner, more video memory, and supports AirPort Extreme.
15" iMac G4/800. Apple simplifies 15" iMac by eliminating 700 MHz versions and SuperDrive, concentrating on a single configuration.
The value of a low-end Mac, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac. With a few hundred dollars worth of upgrades, an eight year old Mac remains a very useful computer - unlike a Windows PC.
Slow printing, Safari, Mail, and faster classic mode launches, Dan Knight, 10 Forward. Speeding up printing, small glitches in Safari, thoughts on Mail, and how to get up and running in classic mode quickly.
Guide to overused and abused Apple metaphors, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side. Byte of the Apple, bobbing for Apple, Applesauce, and other metaphors you've probably heard too many times already.

Panther improves Classic, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report. Mac OS 9 isn't dead. Under Panther the classic envirionment is better than it's ever been under Mac OS X.
Pepsi's free iTunes, digital rights management, and the Super Bowl ad, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope. How the iTunes Music Store has helped change the face of the music industry.

Napster and the $10,000 iPod, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Napster is going on the offensive to position their music rental service against Apple's iTunes Music Store - and they're not being realistic in their comparison.
How to make it harder for someone to steal and sell your PowerBook, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive. Laptops computers are popular with thieves. Some tips for making your iBook or PowerBook harder for a thief to sell.
Laptop security, PowerBook G5 delayed, SoundBite portable USB speakers, iPresent It, and more, The 'Book Review. Also the Mac/ThinkPad shuffle, 8x dual layer PowerBook G4 SuperDrive, Negroponte's $100 laptop, bargain 'Books from $319 to $1,739, and more.
Apple's mini support page, emperor's new mini, DoubleCommand for PC keyboards, mini overclocking, and more, Mac News Review. Also Plasticsmith mini accessories, IOGear mini connection products, SoundBite very portable speakers, and Drive Genius software.

Acquiring Yahoo: Microsoft is playing the same old game, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Microsoft has a long history of copying others, leveraging its dominance, and acquiring other companies when it can't take over a market on its own.
MacBook Air upgradable enough?, Lombard cache problem, and more on the liberal-conservative debate, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Another go around on whether Mac users are liberal or conservative. Also looking for an OS X driver for the Netgear WG511T.

Piracy is the problem, but DRM is not the solution, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync. DRM restricts the rights of honest users, and pirates will always find a way to circumvent it, so not stop using it?
Netbook or smartphone: What's your best bet?, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz. To choose what's best for you, you need to understand the market each type of device was designed for.
Used 'Book value, overheating 12" PowerBook, Target Disk Mode weirdness, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Also Leopard breaks wireless printing for some printers supported by Tiger, and Unibody MacBook the right choice over polycarbonate MacBook.

Sandy Bridge flaw to delay new 'Books, mini notebooks cutting into netbook market, and more, The 'Book Review. Also Sandy Bridge Mobile platform reviewed, Intel 310 Series SSD reviewed, BookArc stand for 2010 MacBook Air, and more.
Macs provide quality and value, Apple leads in customer satisfaction, 15 free Mac apps, and more, Mac News Review. Also Intel finds and addresses flaw in Sandy Bridge chipset, Chrome browser hits 10% mark, 3 TB iMac and Mac Pro drive upgrades, and more.