Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2003.04.25
Except as noted, prices are in US dollars.
FireDino post-Spring Break sale
FireDino's have returned from what they described as an
absolutely wonderful Spring Break (they insisted that we let them
out of the office for a couple of weeks), but they are now back in
their boxes and ready to get back to the business of routing your
FireWire devices here and there and generally cleaning up the
clutter of cables and drives on your desktop.
Don't worry - a week 
or two in the
sun and surf hasn't knocked the edge off of their fiery
personalities. These FireDino's are still the fiercest 4-port
FireWire breathing hubs on the planet and what Spring Break taught
them is that they love to travel! That said, they have given us
permission to lower their price $5 for the next couple of weeks in
order to allow them to see more of the country and eventually find
homes throughout the world.
Charismac's
FireDino's will be available for $69.95 through May 9th or
until they are sold out once again.
Sale Price on WiebeTech 40 GB Pocket
Drive
WiebeTech
announces a sale price on the popular high performance MicroGB+40EX
pocket drive, which features dual FireWire interfaces.
From now until May 10, the highest performance 40 GB
configuration of MicroGB+ has been reduced by $80, from $319.95 to
$239.95. This configuration features a 40 GB 5400 RPM drive along
with a 16 MB cache, the highest amount available in a notebook
drive.
"We think users will appreciate the performance and value of
MicroGB+ in this configuration," said James Wiebe, CEO of
WiebeTech. "This is a special value which will continue only
through May 10."
The MicroGB+40EX is bundled with MacDrive 5™ software, a
$59.95 value, at no additional charge and also comes with an
attractive carrying case.
In the U.S. and Canada, dealers may purchase any configuration
of MicroGB+ from WiebeTech's distributor, Dr. Bott LLC or from dealers.
All configurations are in stock and available directly from
WiebeTech. Canadian
resellers may purchase products from EMJ.
Desk Space Anyplace Mobile Office Desks and
Accessories
Desk Space
Anyplace quickly converts your rolling luggage, rolling
computer case, or luggage cart into
off&endash;your&endash;lap work space you can use to
"office" anyplace.
This unique laptop desk adds convenient portable laptop desk
space to your rolling luggage 
anyplace - and works on wheeled
computer cases and luggage carts as well. It folds up to pack, and
travels easily inside your rolling luggage, case, or cart. Or carry
it securely outside, hanging within its own optional carrying
bag.
It's also ergonomically adjustable to your personal seated
height. Six inches of vertical height adjustment ensure that this
desk will accommodate virtually everyone. Or use it standing up, in
those long airport security check-in lines, while waiting at your
gate, when using the public phones, or if seating is scarce.
Its nonskid top is extra wide for those big laptop computers and
messy on-the-road paperwork tasks. In your own crowded office - use
it next to your desk and enjoy the extra work space.
Additional recommended accessories include a pair of highly
adjustable document display arms, and a pair of attachable zippered
pouches - extra "onboard" storage for your mobile office work
tools, project files, cables, and plugs.
Desk works with most "carryon" sizes of rolling luggage, cases
and carts
Specifications:
- Ergonomic adjustment range: Vertical: 6" when used with most
carryon size rolling luggage
- Size (open): 15" wide x 15"
- Size (closed): 8" wide x 15"
- Weight: 36 oz. (2.25 lbs).
- Durable non-glossy black plastic with silver-colored metal
hardware.
Made in the USA.
Regular price: $127
A carrying bag accessory for your mobile office desk keeps you
organized, productive and looking good as you "office" on trips and
in your daily work team meetings.
Two generous handles are easy to grasp and comfortable to carry.
Or transport your mobile gear hanging outside your rolling luggage,
rolling computer case or luggage cart.
It's also slim enough to pack and travel inside your luggage -
where it protects your personal items as well as your desk and
accessories. Wash it after every trip if you wish - to keep it germ
and dirt free. It's already resistant to moisture and mildew.
- Size: 18 inches x 8.5 inches x 3.5 inches.
- Weight: 7 oz.
- Black 600 denier polyester, PVC backing
Regular price: $19
The Document Display Accessory is a pair of highly positionable
document displays, adjust easily to your best viewing distance and
angle - sitting or standing.
When not used or traveling, they fold down under the desktop,
completely out of your way. Each display arm contains two locations
where single sheets of paper or as many as 30+ sheets may be held
for reading. All sizes fit; receipts and phone messages, reports
and printout, journals, brochures, even sections of newspaper.
Careful document positioning can also help you to keep your
confidential papers and onscreen data visually private - especially
in public spaces. Also, use this feature so that your documents
face the best available lighting - and to control glare from
excessive window or ceiling sources of illumination.
This pair of document displays are a recommended accessory and
come preinstalled when purchased with a desk.
Range of positioning:
- Horizontal rotation: 180 degrees.
- Vertical angle: 0-180 degrees.
- Distance adjustment: 12 inches.
- Weight: 4 oz (pair).
Black, non-glossy, durable plastic with silver-colored metal
hardware.
Made in the USA.
Regular price: $24 (Pair)
Storage Pouch Accessory (pair)
This pair of zippered storage pouches attach under both sides of
your mobile office desk. They provide extra "onboard" room to carry
your mobile tools and project files. Pouches attach inside the
desk's frame, so they don't take up additional space.
When you set your desk up for use, both pouches drop down to
hang vertically on each side. This gives you easy visual and
physical access when you need it. When you fold the desk up to
travel, desk and pouches "nest" to become a single unit that's easy
to pack and transport.
Interior elastic loops are handy for holding individual tools,
cables and other items. A separate interior sleeve holds your files
and other papers. Pouches are moisture resistant and detachable for
washing. Keep them germ and dirt free after every trip.
This pair of zippered storage pouches are a recommended
accessory and come preinstalled when purchased with a desk.
- Closure: Zipper on three sides.
- Size (open): 12 inches wide x 13 inches.
- Size (closed): 6 inches wide x 13 inches.
- Weight: 12 oz. (pair).
Black, 600 denier polyester, PVC backing.
Made in the USA.
Price: Regular price: $42 (Pair)
Spire releases case for 17" PowerBook
Spire has
announced Flux, a new slim case designed for Apple's 17" PowerBook.
The 
company has also released new sizes of Boot,
its vertical sleeve for laptops, for the 12" and 17" PowerBooks.
"When you want to travel fast and light, it can be used on its own.
Or, use it with one of our packs for maximum versatility and
protection. Now includes a large rear pocket and removable shoulder
strap." The Flux case (US$65) and Boot ($31-$34) are shipping now.
12 and 15-inch versions of Flux will be available in a few weeks,
according to Spire. Additionally, you can get 15% off your order by
purchasing through
Designed specifically for the 17" Apple PowerBook, the Flux is a
sleek and sophisticated laptop case. With rigid, protective sides
and 2" of bottom padding, it's the perfect case for your big
PB.
The case is sleek and sophisticated. With rigid, protective
sides and 2" of bottom padding, it's the perfect compliment to your
big PowerBook. When you want to travel fast and light, it can be
used on its own. Or, use it with one of our packs for maximum
versatility and protection. Now includes a large rear pocket and
removable shoulder strap.
12" and 15" versions of Flux are coming
Flux case: $65
Boot: $31-34
iKlear Apple Polish Wet Dry Singles
Most "wet/dry", pouch-type screen cleaners contain 20-40%
alcohol. Alcohol can permanently damage a your laptop's LCD
screen.
iKlear Screen Singles award winning formula is antistatic,
nontoxic, environmentally safe and is the most recommended wet/dry
pouch cleaner you can buy.
iKlear Screen Singles are perfect for cleaning all laptop,
pen-based, handheld, LCD desktop, panel & projection displays,
desktop, touch screen and High Resolution Graphics Displays, CDs,
CD-ROMS, laser discs, precision & multicoated optics.
Singles are significantly more economical than "ordinary"
wet/dry pouch-type cleaners. Each iKlear Screen "Single" can clean
5 to 10 desktop monitors or 25 laptop screens, CD's or DVDs.
Singles are available from
Other World Computing for $7.50 per pack.
TiArmor for PowerBook and iBook
TiArmor is available
for the front edge, wrist-rest area, and the top cover of your
PowerBook. TiArmor for the PowerBook is specifically designed to
protect the high-use areas of your PowerBook against scratches,
oils, and dust. In addition to protecting the surface of your
PowerBook, TiArmor provides enhanced comfort in a soft, yet rugged
space-age material.
Covers the entire top of the PowerBook (when closed), and the
front edge where the original paint seems to flake off and most
damage occurs.
TiArmor for the iBook is specifically designed to protect the
high-use areas in front of the keyboard and to either side of the
trackpad. In addition to protecting the surface of your PowerBook,
TiArmor provides enhanced comfort in a soft, yet rugged space-age
material.
Covers the areas to each side of the trackpad, providing comfort
and protection.
Prices from US$19.95 and $29.95.
Griffin Debuts iFM, First Radio for the
iPod
Griffin Technology
Inc., innovator of exciting hardware and software products
for the Mac and PC market, 
unveiled iFM
this week, the world's first FM radio for the iPod. The Griffin iFM
adds an FM radio to the iPod in one integrated sharp package that
utilizes the iPod's own remote for its controls. Settings include
room for six preset stations, station scan up or down, volume
control and muting as well as manual tuning. Whether traveling or
jogging around the block, the iFM gives iPod users the ability to
check the news, weather or listen to their favorite radio programs
- in addition to their collection of music in their iPod. The iFM
works with all iPods and requires the iPod wired remote control
that's included with all currently shipping 10 and 20 GB iPods.
"The only thing missing from the near perfect iPod was a radio.
The iFM adds this in a design that's so unique it has to be seen to
be believed." said Paul Griffin, CEO Griffin Technology. "True, I
have all the music I want in my iPod but if want to hear NPR or
need a weather report its great to now have that option with my
iPod and iFM."
The iFM connects directly to the iPod via its headphone jack. It
then incorporates a clever design that actually imbeds the iPod's
remote into the case of the iFM itself. When inserted, the two
separate pieces appear to become one complete unit. Headphones plug
into the remote as usual. The difference is the iPod remote is now
captured within the iFM. The tiny iFM attaches to almost anything
via a belt clip on the back, similar yet more versatile than the
iPod's own remote clip. Powered by the iPod, no batteries are ever
necessary.
Switched on, iFM disables the iPod's music and makes use of the
remote's buttons for its own controls. Users interact with the
radio via audio navigation. They can scan for available radio
stations and save up to six presets that will kept in memory - even
when iFM is disconnected and not in use. When iFM is switched off,
the remote and the iPod return to their normal functions.
The Griffin Technology iFM is priced $35 and will begin shipping
in 8-12 weeks.
WiebeTech Improves UltraGB Transportable
Drive
WiebeTech has
announced major capacity improvements to UltraGB, the highest
capacity transportable bus-powered drive in the industry The
UltraGB is now available in capacities to 250 GB. Formerly, the
capacity limit was 120 GB. Prices are also reduced in 80 GB and 120
GB capacities.
"UltraGB now supports drive capacities to 250 GB in both
FireWire and USB 1.1/2.0 modes," said James Wiebe, CEO of WiebeTech
LLC. "And unlike all other portable FireWire drives, this product
offers sustained transfer rates of greater than 30 MB per second
(in FireWire mode) combined with capacities greater than 80 GB. The
fanless design makes it extraordinarily quiet.
"This capacity increase was made possible through the use of an
improved, ATA-6 compatible USB bridge combined with an ATA-6
compatible OXFW911 FireWire bridge," said Wiebe. "UltraGB is
therefore plug and play under all recent OS releases, including
Windows 98SE, ME, 2K, XP, Mac OS 9.1, 9.2 and OS X. The new
high capacities, combined with the aluminum enclosure and fanless
design of UltraGB, make UltraGB an excellent choice for noise
conscious hard drive users who demand performance, connectivity and
transportability."
A copy of Mac Drive 5™ is included at no additional
charge, representing a $59.95 value.
Pricing
- 0 GB, $199.95
- 80 GB, $319.95
- 120 GB, $349.95
- 180 GB, $479.95
- 250 GB, $699.95
UltraGB includes: Enclosure; vertical stand for desktop use,
FireWire cable, USB cable and AC adapter. All drives are 7200 RPM.
Bus power usage will work with any FireWire equipped desktop
computer. The AC adapter provides compatibility with all other
computers.
In the U.S. and Canada, dealers may purchase any configuration
of MicroGB+ from WiebeTech's distributor, Dr. Bott LLC or from dealers.
All configurations are in stock and available directly from
WiebeTech. Canadian
resellers may purchase products from EMJ.
Bargain 'Books
There are two different versions of WallStreet running at 233
MHz, the cacheless MainStreet
version and the later Series II
with a level 2 cache. It's not always possible to determine from
the vendor's listing which is being offered, so we've included
links within this paragraph to the two models. The same goes for
the PowerBook G4/667 (Gigabit
Ethernet/2001) and G4/667
(DVI).
- PowerBook G4/400, 256/10/DVD,
$1,135
- PowerBook Pismo G3/500, 256/12/DVD, $969
- PowerBook Lombard G3/333, 192/4 /CD-ROM, $559
- 12" iBook 800, 256/30/Combo,
$1,225
Special: Get a Targus laptop bag for a penny; $59 value on a
great bag with a lifetime warranty, only 1¢ with WallStreet
purchase.
Weekly Specials April 23-30, 2003
These special offers are exclusively available to MacResQ
Specials List subscribers (free). Please refer to your weekly
specials email for the Q-Pon codes required to get these discounts
and bonus offers.
With a new or refurbished iBook from Power Max get a free
Carrying Case, plus get the $30 256 MB "No Stinkin' Rebate"
Power Max RAM deal, plus get Microsoft Office for only $199!
ExperCom/FlyMilesMicro
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see
our Best PowerBook G4 Deals
and Best iBook Deals.
