Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2003.08.15
Except as noted, prices are in US dollars.
Portables Account for Nearly Half of Apple
System Sales in Q3 2003
The "year of the laptop" indeed.
Apple's 10-Q filing
this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission reveals that
portable computers made up a record 46% of Apple's sales in the
third quarter of 2003.
Total Macintosh unit sales were down 6% during the first nine
months of 2003 compared to the same period in 2002, but PowerBook
unit sales were up 71% and 43% during the first three and nine
months of 2003 year-over-year respectively. iBook unit sales were
up 12% and 3% during the first three and nine months of 2003.
MacNN has posted a good, abbreviated summary.
Methanol Fuel Cell Portable PCs Coming in
2004
Last March, Toshiba Corporation announced the world's first
prototype of a small form factor direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC)
for portable PCs, a clean energy breakthrough with the potential to
end reliance on rechargeable batteries. The new fuel cell provided
average output of 12W and maximum output of 20W. It can achieve
approximately five hours of operation with a single cartridge of
fuel. It provides instant power and achieves significant advances
in operating times with replaceable methanol cartridges.
The hardware capabilities of notebook PCs, cellular phones,
PDAs, and other portable devices continue to make rapid progress.
However, faster CPUs, higher resolution displays, wireless
connectivity, and other advances all increase the demands on power
supply and underline the limitations of current lithium-ion
batteries.
Fuel cells are widely seen as a replacement for lithium-ion
batteries, but companies working on their development have to
overcome the problems of miniaturization and fuel delivery. Toshiba
has achieved this with its DMFC.
Methanol in a fuel cell delivers power most efficiently when it
is mixed with water in a 3-6% methanol concentration - a
concentration requiring a fuel tank that is much too large for use
with portable equipment. Toshiba overcame this by developing a
system that allows a higher concentration of methanol to be diluted
by the water produced as a byproduct of the power generation
process. This technology allows methanol to be stored at a much
higher concentration, and achieves a fuel tank less than 1/10 the
size of that required for storing the same volume of methanol in a
3-6% concentration. The current prototype can operate for
approximately five hours on 50cc of high concentration
methanol.
Alongside this, Toshiba realized essential technologies for
miniaturization of a high performance fuel cell. These include
interface and electric circuits to assure efficient control of
power supply; sensors to monitor methanol concentration and liquid
level; and a remaining quantity sensor to tell users when they need
to change the methanol fuel cartridge. All these components, and
low power liquid and air transmission pumps, are controlled by a
super small DC-DC converter.
For the cell itself, Toshiba developed a new material that
allows smaller cells, allowing for miniaturization of the cell
stacks.
One of Toshiba's main concerns in developing the DFMC was
optimized operating efficiency, to assure that the fuel cell
generates power at the required level with minimal waste of energy.
Towards this, the company investigated such factors as fuel density
and circulation, and air supply levels, all in order to map the
best operating conditions for a miniaturized fuel cell. In
addition, the PC sends information on its operating status to the
fuel cell in order to balance power demand and supply. Any unused
energy is stored in the DMFC and can be drawn on when the PC
requires extra power.
Toshiba has given the DMFC the same electrodes as found in
lithium-ion batteries, allowing it to connect directly to a PC or
other portable device in the same way as an lithium-ion battery. It
can also be used as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The
DMFC removes the need for proximity to a mains power supply to
assure long operating times.
BBC News reports
that NEC has also unveiled a laptop computer that has a built-in
fuel cell, and within two years NEC said running times between fuel
cell refills could be 40 hours or more.
"The small fuel cell is powered by 300 cubic centimeters (half a
pint) of methanol and uses a catalyst to break this down into
oxygen and hydrogen and generates heat and power as
byproducts."
Consumer machines from both firms are expected to be available
available in 2004. By 2006 NEC expects the fuel cell to be much
more efficient and run for almost 40 hours without needing a
top-up.
Ars Technica Newsdesk's Fred "zAmboni" Locklear reports:
"University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have created a new
catalyst which may replace the expensive platinum in hydrogen
generation and with tweaking could be ripe for use in fuel cells.
The Nickel/Tin/Aluminum catalyst was shown to selectively produce
hydrogen and carbon dioxide from biomass materials while avoiding
the production of atmospherically unfriendly methane."
How About a Cherry Red WallStreet?
ResExcellence's Michael Coyle has duded up his old WallStreet
PowerBook with a very classy bright red paint job. You can check
out some photos at the link below.
The paint job required him to to totally disassemble the
PowerBook. He has posted a tutorial to guide you through the
process if you would like to spruce up an old 'Book.
You can check it out at <http://www.resexcellence.com/hack_html_03/08-11-03.shtml>.
(Editor's note: We were unable to connect at press time.)
Updated GPerch Aluminum iPod
Stand
MacMice has announced an updated version of the GPerch aluminum iPod stand at
a lower price.
Designed to complement the anodized, perforated aluminum styling
of Apple's Power Mac G5, the GPerch is a
3" x 4" x 3.5" 5052 grade aluminum desk stand built to hold either
an original or new generation iPod. This newest version is reduced
in price from $39.99 to $29.99.
The new GPerch iPod stand is available at the MacMice Workspace
Products Co. website.
MCE Technologies Ships Internal 2x DVD-R/RW +
DVD-RAM Drive for PowerBook G4
MCE Technologies,
LLC has begun shipping the MCE Internal 2x DVD-R/RW +
DVD-RAM Drive upgrade for all PowerBook G4 models several weeks
ahead of their previously announced release date. The MCE drive is
the first upgrade of its kind for the PowerBook G4 to implement
cartridgeless DVD-RAM technology, which stores and accesses data
like a hard drive on removable 4.7 GB or 9.4 GB DVD-RAM media as
the user drags-and-drops files to the DVD-RAM volume. The drive is
compatible with iDVD and other popular DVD authoring applications.
Prices start at $349.
The MCE Internal 2x DVD-R/RW + DVD-RAM drive for the PowerBook
G4 writes to standard 4.7 GB DVD-R media at up to 2x speed, to 4.7
GB single-sided or 9.4 GB double-sided DVD-RAM media at up to 2x
speed, and to 4.7 GB DVD-RW media at 1x speed. In addition, it
writes to standard 650 MB and 700 MB CD-R media at up to up to 16x
speed, writes to standard CD-RW media at up to 8x speed, reads
DVD-ROM discs at up to up to 8x speed, and reads standard CD-ROM
discs at up to 24x speed.
The MCE Internal 2x DVD-R/RW + DVD-RAM drive for PowerBook G4 is
compatible with Apple's iDVD, iTunes, Disc Burner, and DVD Player.
It also includes ImageMixer DVD Authoring software for Mac
OS X and Mac OS 9, as well as Roxio Toast Lite software
to facilitate faster and more efficient data DVD and CD
recording.
The MCE Internal 2x DVD-R/RW + DVD-RAM drive is compatible with
all PowerBook G4 12", 15", and 17" computers. The suggested retail
price is $349 for most PowerBook G4 models, $389 for 400 and 500 MHz PowerBook G4. Because of the
delicate nature of the installation procedure, installation must
take place at MCE Technologies, or at an MCE Authorized Upgrade
Center. A complete list of centers is on the MCE Technologies web
site. Contact MCE for complete details and product
specifications.
GPS Haicom HI-302 CF GPS Solution for Mac
OS 9 and X Reviewed
MacCityNet's Settimio Perlini reports:
"Since October 2000 MacProf has tried to test and experiment GPS
for Mac, and our first success was the pairing of Garmin external
receiver and Route 66 thanks to USB-Serial adapters.
"The solution, has many 'universal' advantages, since you can
also use it on portable Mac that lacks a PCMCIA slot, and if you
have the right serial adapter you can use it also on PDAs. But if
you want to get rid of cables, adapters, and chargers and you have
a PowerBook (14", Titanium, or 17") that can host a PC Card, the
most useful solution could a Compact Flash GPS! With no declared
Mac compatibility, Haicom 302 is sold by many GPS specialists all
over the world as Pocket PC and Windows peripheral....
"Thanks to the Italian reseller Mobit (specialized on GPS
receivers, internal or standalone) we have tested a fully
accessorize version of the product that is distributed with the GPS
receiver on CF, the PCMCIA adapter (it works also on Pocket PC
PDAs), the external "windshield" antenna with a long cable, and the
case where the receiver can be hosted when you put it away from
your PowerBook....
"But the most interesting test was done with Route 2002
application: GPS is not only useful for boaters or topographics but
also for people traveling in foreign countries and unknown
roads....
" With the first versions of Mac OS X, there was no way to make
Route 66 recognize the CF GPS adapter, and we lost our hope of
traveling around with our PowerBook booted from X and the device.
But many recent updates of the OS have added PCMCIA cards
compatibilities, and we wanted to try if it was the case also with
Haico.
"Booting from Mac OS X 10.2.6 with the card inserted we received
a good surprise: the CF GPS receiver is seen as PC CARD Serial IO
and interacts perfectly with the Mac OS X version of Route 66
showing our 2D and 3D coordinates and our direction.
"A good tool for frequent and occasional travelers, owners of
Route 66 and a PowerBook and trekker with a PocketPC with CF
slot.
"Check the Route 66 website for the latest Maps for US and
Europe."
You can read the full
review online.
MacResQ Announces PowerBook G4 Self-Service
"SuperDrive" Upgrades
MacResQ
has announced a new "self-serve" user-installable PowerBook G4
"SuperDrive" upgrade. The new drive offers PowerBook G4 owners an
affordable way to upgrade their G4 PowerBook with a DVD-R/CD-RW
burner that is natively compatible with the Mac OS and requires no
third party drives or patches to operate.
"The response to our full-service PowerBook G4 'SuperDrive'
upgrade has been fantastic," said Mr. Shannon Jean, President of
MacResQ. "Many of our technically savvy customers have inquired
about being able to purchase the 'SuperDrive' outright to install
themselves, and we're pleased to now offer this service."
Owners of the PowerBook G4/400-1 GHz can now easily replace
their built-in CD-RW or DVD-only drive with a drive that can burn
CD-RWs and DVD-Rs that can be played in most consumer CD/DVD
players. The slot-loading "SuperDrive" DVD-R/CD-RW is bootable and
compatible with Apple's Mac OS X, OS 9, iDVD, iTunes,
Disc Burner, Finder Burning, and Apple DVD Player, as well as other
third-party applications.
"The compatibility issue is paramount to our customers," said
Mr. Jean. "The 'SuperDrive' used in our upgrade does not require
any unstable patches or drivers to operate seamlessly with the Mac
OS and the iApps. The drive is completely plug and play."
The price for this self-service "SuperDrive" upgrade is only
$299 and includes comprehensive installation instructions and a
prepaid return shipping label for the customer to return their old
optical drive to MacResQ. PowerBook owners who would rather not
install the drive themselves can still take advantage of MacResQ's
exclusive nationwide, 24-hour turnaround installation for just
$399. This full-service upgrade includes pickup at the customer's
location, overnight delivery to the PowerBookResQ service center,
expert installation within 24 hours, and return overnight shipping
to the customer.
PowerBookResQ and PowerMacResQ also offer fast, convenient, and
affordable Mac repairs for just $99, which includes 3-way overnight
shipping, the initial diagnostic service, and the unique PowerBox,
which the customer may keep for future use. For even faster
service, same-day pickup is available in most areas of the
country.
For computer resellers and repair centers, PowerBookResQ and
PowerMacResQ offer discounted rates on products and services.
Computer dealers can send overflow service work or seamlessly
outsource their entire Mac repair operation. Volume discounts are
available for schools, corporations and government agencies.
Seagate Looking for 10 Percent of Laptop Hard
Drive Market
Reuters
reports that Seagate Technology, the largest U.S. maker
of computer hard disk drives, is aiming to have 10 percent of the
global laptop disk drive market by June next year. "Seagate said in
June that it was entering the laptop-computer market, giving it a
presence in all four disk drive segments."
M-Audio Transit Hi-Resolution Mobile Audio
Upgrade
Small enough to fit in your pocket, Transit
brings hi-resolution 24-bit/96 KHz recording and playback to any
USB-compatible computer. 
Digital I/O lets
you transfer pristine audio between your computer and other devices
such as MiniDisc and DAT. The digital output can deliver AC3 and
DTS from your computer to an external decoder such as a surround
receiver. And the bus-powered design allows you play and record
virtually anywhere your laptop can go. Transit is your ticket to
ride.
- mobile 24-bit/96 KHz USB audio upgrade
- 1/8" stereo analog/optical digital input
- 1/8" stereo line/headphone output
- TOSlink optical digital output allows AC3 and DTS
pass-through
- line/optical input accommodates self-powered stereo
microphones
- includes 3.5 mm (male) to TOSlink (female) adapter
Minimum System Requirements for the Mac:
- OS 9.1 (9.2 recommended)
- OS 10.1 or higher
- 96 kHz Operation: G3 or G4 w/ native USB, 128 MB RAM 48 kHz
Operation: G3 or G4 w/ native USB, 64 MB RAM
Physical Specs:
- Dimensions: 2.2" x 3.6" x 0.9"
- Weight: 1.6 ounces
The M-Audio Transit sells for $99.95
WiebeTech Ships Micro GB800 FireWire 800
Pocket Drive
WiebeTech is now shipping its FireWire
800 version of the popular Micro GB+ pocket drives. The new version
is named Micro GB800. All configurations are in stock.
"We are delighted to see WiebeTech ship the first readily
available pocket drive using an Oxford OXUF922 FireWire bridge,"
said James Lewis, President of Oxford Semiconductor. "Users will
get to experience transfers from a pocket drive that are faster
than any desktop or portable FireWire 400 drive that has ever
shipped."
Users will be able to transfer data at a rate of greater than
2.1 GB per minute when ordered with a 60 GB/7200 rpm drive.
WiebeTech's internal testing shows peak transfer rates that are
close to 50 MB/sec, and sustained transfer rates are approximately
38 MB/sec when using the 7200 rpm drive. All of this is achieved in
an enclosure with dimensions less than 5 inches x 3 inches x .65
inches.
The product features dual FireWire 800 ports and a single mini
USB2 port. An AC adapter is included (although the product is bus
powered in FireWire mode and with certain USB hosts). An attractive
carrying case is also included.
Prices
- Basic product, no drive, $159.95
- 20 GB, 5400 rpm, $259.95
- 40 GB, 5400 rpm, $329.95
- 60 GB, 5400 rpm, $459.95
- 60 GB, 7200 rpm, $529.95
- 80 GB, 4200 rpm, $489.95
Dealers may purchase Micro GB800 from WiebeTech's distributor,
Dr Bott, or from
dealers. All configurations are in stock and available directly
from WiebeTech. Canadian resellers may purchase products from
EMJ.
FireWire Direct Offers "Welcome To FireWire
800" Packages with Half Price FireWire 800/1394b PCI Cards
FireWireDirect.com, Inc., wants to
welcome users to the increased performance possibilities
of FireWire 800/1394b with a special new package that includes a
3-port FireWire 800 PCI Host Adapter for only $39.95.
The special price is on a high performance, 3-port FireWire 800
PCI card, when purchased along with one of FireWireDirect's Ultra
III 800 (FireWire 800/1394b) hard drives or enclosures. FireWire
800 offers immediate leaps in performance and speed over legacy
FireWire, and requires 1394b compliant FireWire 800 ports on your
personal computer. For users eager to make the leap to FireWire 800
storage but still requiring the upgrade to the faster standard,
FireWire Direct is pleased to provide this combo with its low
priced upgrade card to introduce the new technology.
Performance benefits from FireWire 800 are immediate and
obvious. FireWire 800 hard drives from FireWire Direct, connected
by FireWire Direct PCI FireWire 800 cards, are seeing sustained
speeds of over 50 MB/s on modern Windows computers and Macintosh
(OS X) machines that support the new standard.
FireWire Direct was the first company to ship a FireWire 800
card to consumers and now offers a pair of hard drive lines and a
compliment of other products all compliant with the new standard.
Interest in higher speed FireWire has been strong and
FireWireDirect's web site contains a wealth of information about
the new standard.
"Digital video and audio producers, and anyone who uses external
storage, has an immediate interest in doubling their speed," says
Jeff Questad, FireWireDirect's Marketing Director. "The FireWire
800 buzz was substantial, and now that it's real, shipping, and the
performance enhancements are seen to be concrete, users are rushing
to us looking for information and new products."
The bundle deal including the low priced PCI Adapter is
available only on
a special page in the FireWire Direct site.
FireWire Depot Ships New FireWire 800 1394b
Enclosures.
FireWire Depot has
announced the introduction of the Concord800 dual drive and
TT745-800 single drive FireWire 800 1394b enclosures.
FireWire Depot was the first company to start shipping the new
FireWire 800 1394b enclosures in April 2003 and continues to expand
on their growing line of FireWire 800 enclosures and peripherals
which include the 3.5" IceCube800 (1394b/USB2) enclosure, the 3.5"
MantaRay800 (1394b/USB2), the 3.5" Speedzter3-800 (1394b/USB2), the
PCI-800 host adapter card, 1394b cables,1394b stand-alone
bridgeboards for converting existing SCSI enclosures into FireWire
800 1394b enclosures, and now the new 3.5" Concord800 dual drive
and TT745-800 single drive enclosures.
The Concord800, which will be available for shipping at the end
of August, is an update to our existing Concord dual drive
enclosure. The Concord800 uses the new Oxford 922 chip for FireWire
800 1394b speed. It supports two drives (Master and Slave) in the
smallest dual drive enclosure available.
The TT745-800, $129.99 retail, is available for immediate
shipping. It also uses the new Oxford 922 chip for FireWire 800
1394b speed, and includes a USB2 port for portability and
performance.
The IceCube800, MantaRay800, and Speedzter3-800 enclosures also
use the Oxford 922 chip and offer both FireWire 800 1394b and USB2
connectors.
All Oxford 922 based enclosures will accept any IDE/ATA hard
drive and are compatible with the new ATA-6 large capacity drives
currently ranging in capacity up to 320 GB.
FireWire Direct Unveils Ultra III FireWire
800 Storage System
FireWireDirect.com, Inc
has announced the introduction of the Ultra III 800, the newest in
their long established and popular Ultra Series of FireWire 3.5"
desktop hard drive systems and the first in this line to employ the
new, faster FireWire 800 data interface.
It is the second announcement of an 800 Mbps hard drive product
from FireWire Direct in as many weeks, propelling the company to a
position as the early front runner in the transition to consumer
FireWire "B" products. FireWire Direct was the first FireWire
dedicated company when they debuted over 3 years ago, and with the
release of their FireWire 800 PCI card and a series of cables
became the first company to ship FireWire 800 products to consumers
two months ago.
FireWire 800, or 1394b, is a new, faster FireWire standard
rolling out in highly anticipated new products from FireWire
Direct. The improved standard offers dramatically increased speeds
and enhancements that will be immediately attractive to digital
video and audio producers, multimedia creators and every personal
computer user demanding cost effective and speedy storage for the
digital life style.
FireWire Direct now offers two desktop hard drive systems
capable of the new performance standards.
The new Ultra III 800 employs the Oxford 922 FireWire 800 chip,
and has a dual USB 2.0 and FireWire interface. It boasts a sleek,
Titanium styled chassis, ships with FireWire and USB cables,
installs easily with no special drivers, includes drive formatting
software for both Windows and Mac, and is available and shipping
now in Enclosures and a series of high performance drives up to 320
GB.
The StingRay 800, another 800 Mbps FireWire drive (also with USB
2.0) was announced last week and has already become a popular
seller for FireWireDirect.
Both drives are providing speeds of up to an over 50 MB/s, even
on modest machines, and are visible at the company's website.
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).
- refurb 14 " iBook 900,
256/40/Combo, Small Dog Coffee Mug, Olympus D-560 digital camera,
$1,599
- refurb 12" PowerBook G4/867,
256/40/SuperDrive, Macally Screen Protector, Postworx Speed Ball,
Apple 2x DVD-R 5-pack Media, Imation CD-R Media 100-pack, Imation
Slimline Color empty Jewel Cases 25-pack, $1,740
- refurb 12" PowerBook G4/867,
256/40/SuperDrive, $1,649
- refurb 12" iBook 800,
128/30/Combo, $1,149
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see
our Best PowerBook G4 Deals
and Best iBook Deals.
