Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2004.08.20
This week's PowerBook, iBook, and iPod news
Euro Filing Reveals Apple Handheld Computer
The Register's Tony
Smith reports:
"Apple has filed for a European design trademark which may provide a
tantalising glimpse of the company's long-awaited tablet computer.
"The filing, made in May this year but only published this week,
covers a "handheld computer" and contains sketches of what look like an
iBook screen minus the body of the computer....
"Hints that Apple might be working on such a product emerged in 2003
when a source close to Taiwanese contract manufacturer Quanta claimed
that the company had been hired by Apple to build what was dubbed a
'wireless display'...."
Freescale to Detail Dual-Core PowerPC G4
The Register's Tony
Smith reports:
"Freescale - Motorola's soon-to-be-spun-off chip division - and AMD
are set to detail their respective dual-core processor designs this
autumn....
"Like AMD64 CPUs, Freescale's dual-core PowerPC is expected to sport
an on-board memory controller, this one capable of supporting DDR 2
SDRAM, along with a Gigabit Ethernet controller. It is also expected to
use the Rapid IO bus, according to past Motorola pronouncements, though
MPX bus support is also anticipated to maintain backward
compatibility.
"The dual-core PowerPC may also mark the next major leap in Mac
notebook G4 processors before Apple gets G5 chips from IBM that are
capable of integration into a top-spec portable computer....
"Freescale also has a faster successor to its top-end G4, the MPC
7447A - used in Apple's PowerBook G4 notebooks - in the works."
Soyo Adds Tiny Hard Drive to Portfolio
ExtremeTech's
Mark Hachman reports:
"The Soyo Group has entered the magnetic storage market with the
Cigar HD20, the company's first mobile hard drive.
"Soyo doesn't actually manufacture the drive; the 1.8-inch drive
inside Soyo's specialized magnesium casing is actually produced by
Japanese hard-drive maker Toshiba Ltd. Soyo plans to expand its Cigar
HD line as Toshiba expands its product portfolio, said Jim Chan,
director of sales and marketing at Soyo, based in Ontario, Calif. The
initial Cigar HD20 drive, which sports a USB 2.0 interface, will cost
an estimated $199, the company said."
iLap Laptop Stand for Lap Work or Desk Work
iLap is a
unique stand that keeps your laptop cool, and at the same time, lets
you work comfortably on your lap as well as your desk. Designed to
match Apple's PowerBooks, the iLap laptop stand is made of aluminum
with a sandblasted and silver anodized finish. iLap is also suitable
for other laptops. iLap comes in five sizes: 12", 14", 15", 15"
widescreen, and 17" widescreen.
- iLap keeps your laptop cool by using light weight aluminum as cool
sink.
- Allows your laptop to run more efficiently and last longer.
- iLap raises your laptop to keep your lap cool.
- Padded with cushions for extra comfort.
- iLap is ergonomically designed to suit both lap and desk works, so
you stay cool even on prolonged use.
- Raises your laptop screen higher to reduce strain on your neck and
shoulders.
The iLap aluminum plate notebook stand lets you stay cool and
comfortable whether you're working on your lap or on a desk.
From $49.90
Capslock to Control 1.8 Converts Caps Lock/Enter
Key on G4 PowerBook
Modified keyboard driver for the G4 PowerBooks (it may well work on
other ADB keyboard machines). This driver will map the Caps Lock and
Enter keys to Control.
Read the messages in the installer before hitting the install
button.
New in this version:
Updated for 10.3.4. This version will also work with 10.3.5. Apple
made no changes to the ADB keyboard driver in this release.
System requirements: ADB keyboard on G4 PowerBooks. It may work with
older systems with ADB keyboards.
Capslock to
Control is freeware.
Griffin Debuts RoadTrip 3-in-1 Transmitter,
Charger, and Cradle for All iPods
Griffin Technology
Inc., innovator of exciting accessories for the Apple iPod, has
announced the Griffin RoadTrip, an all in one iPod charger, FM
transmitter, and cradle in one compact unit. The Griffin RoadTrip
allows you to play your iPod or iPod mini's music through your car's FM
stereo, while simultaneously charging and positioning the unit for easy
access. The RoadTrip also features a detachable Transmitter Module and
cable that can broadcast users' Mac or PC music to any FM stereo. The
new Griffin RoadTrip retails for $79.99 and will begin shipping
September 1. Customers can preorder a RoadTrip online through Griffin
now and soon at the Apple Store.
The new Griffin RoadTrip makes enjoying an iPod or iPod mini in the
car convenient and easy. The RoadTrip plugs into any auto power outlet
or lighter adapter and provides an adjustable cradle to charge and hold
any docking iPod, including the new 4G iPods and the iPod mini. The
RoadTrip transmitter can then be set to broadcast iPod's music to any
FM frequency from 88.1 to 107.9. Its backlit screen shows which
frequency RoadTrip is currently broadcasting. This frequency can easily
be changed via buttons located directly on the front of the unit. The
iPod's audio is transmitted through the connected dock on the bottom of
the units. Not only is this a superior signal transmission but it also
leaves the top of the iPod exposed for use with other iPod accessories
like the Griffin iTalk.
The RoadTrip is a great all-in-one connection for the iPod in the
car, but what makes RoadTrip truly unique is its removable Transmitter
Module that can also broadcast music from a Mac or PC. The package
includes a combination USB power and audio connector cable that
attaches any USB equipped computer to the module. Users can then play
their iTunes music, movie audio or presentation sound to any FM stereo
close by. The module's broadcast frequency can still be adjusted to
play to 88.1 through 107.9 just as it can in the car.
"The car is where we find most people use their iPod. We already
have the best 'transmitter only' device to use in the car, the iTrip.
We also wanted to add the best full-featured cradle based device to our
family of iPod accessories for the car, so we developed the RoadTrip. I
think many people will enjoy the bonus of being able to play their
laptop's music on their home stereo," said Alan Thompson, VP of
Production at Griffin Technology, Inc.
The Griffin RoadTrip retails for $79.99 and is available for
preorder. The RoadTrip will also be available at the Apple Store soon.
The Griffin RoadTrip will begin shipping worldwide September 1,
2004.
Ferrari Laptop (Not a Mac, Alas)
The latest Acer Ferrari 3200 laptop sports a
the low-power 64-bit, 1.8 GHz mobile AMD Athlon 64 processor 2800+ (AMD
is another Ferrari sponsor), 512 MB of DDR 333 SDRAM, and 80 GB hard
drive, a SuperDrive, an ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 video card with 128 MB
video memory and support for AGP8x, Four USB 2.0 ports plus FireWire,
Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, and 802.11g Wireless. It would make a
great Linux portable.
Acer introduced its first Ferrari notebook in 2003 when it became an
official supplier to the legendary Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team,
which Acer supplies with with notebooks, PCs, servers and monitors.
Acer's Ferrari 3200 laptop pays tribute to the F1 machines Michael
Schumacher drives, with its high-gloss, scratch-resistant scarlet
finish derived from an advanced ten-step production process, a textured
carbon fiber strip across the keyboard that strengthens the chassis
while amplifying the race car motif, and of course the coveted prancing
horse emblem.
You can read a review
of the Ferrari 3200 in The Register.:
AMD Ships Athlon 64 3700+ for Notebooks
Extreme Tech's Mark Hachman
reports:
"Advanced Micro Devices said it had begun shipping a 3700+ mobile
Athlon 64 processor on Tuesday. AMD also confirmed it had begun
shipping processors on its 90-nm manufacturing process for revenue.
"Desktop-replacement notebooks containing AMD's mobile Athlon 64
processor 3700+ will be included in the HP Pavilion zv5000z and Compaq
Presario R3000Z notebooks, as well as VoodooPC's line of ENVY
notebooks. The chip, priced at an even $500, is immediately available,
AMD said."
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) and the titanium
vs. aluminum 15" PowerBook G4 at 1 GHz.
- new 12" iBook G3/800,
128/30/CD-ROM, Sonnet Piccolo 256 MB USB Flash Drive, $838
- 12" PowerBook G4/867 256/40/SuperDrive, $1,199
- new 12" PowerBook G4/1 GHz,
768/40/SuperDrive, MacCase Messenger Bag w/12" Sleeve, $1,545
- 15" titanium PowerBook G4/1
GHz, 512/60/SuperDrive, AirPort, $1,549
- PowerBook 3400/200, 32/2/CD-ROM,
new battery, 60 day warranty, $149.99
- PowerBook 3400/200, 32/2/CD-ROM,
new battery, 1yr extended care, $239
- PowerBook 3400/240, 32/2/CD-ROM,
60 day warranty, $229
- PowerBook 3400/240, 32/2/CD-ROM,
1 year extended care,$299.99
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see our
Best PowerBook G4 Deals, Best iBook G4 Deals, and Best iBook G3 Deals.
