Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2004.10.08
NewerTech and OWC Announce Highest Capacity G4
TiBook Battery
Newer Technology (NewerTech) and Other World Computing (OWC)
have introduced the NuPower Ti 4800 mAh high-capacity replacement
battery for all 15" titanium PowerBook G4 models.
The NuPower Ti 4800
mAh Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery is claimed to be the highest
capacity battery ever available for the titanium PowerBook G4, with
an amazing capacity of 71 watt-hours, giving it up to 42% more
capacity than any other Apple Computer or third-party internal
battery option available. The NuPower Ti 4800 mAh battery is
currently in stock and available online for $149.99.
"With the NuPower Ti 4800 mAh battery, PowerBook G4
Titanium-users can now work for a long, long time without needing
to plug in to an outlet to recharge," said Larry O'Connor,
president of OWC. "The extra run-time makes for extra freedom and
usability on the go. Whether you're on a long flight or taking a
creative day away from the office, these batteries let you focus on
the work while not worrying about when it's going to be time for
another charge."
The NuPower Ti 4800 mAh batteries, like all NewerTech PowerBook
batteries, are designed and built in the United States using
premium Li-Ion cells manufactured in Japan and/or Canada. Since it
uses only the best components, NewerTech is able to ensure that its
batteries run longer at full charge and also last longer compared
to other batteries built to inferior standards.
"We build NuPower batteries to last longer and work better than
any other PowerBook replacement battery," O'Connor said. "We
specifically engineer them using only the latest technology and the
highest quality cells available, which causes these batteries to
last longer with more lifetime charge/discharge cycles and provides
the longest runtimes between charges too. An all-around
longer-lasting battery is something our customers definitely
appreciate, and as an added bonus it's something that has
environmental advantages as well."
EasyWatch Brings Mobile Digital TV Reception to
PowerBooks
Elgato, a leader in digital
video recording for the Macintosh, has teamed with hardware
supplier SCM Microsystems
and cooperation partner Satelco to launch the new EasyWatch DVB-T
PC Card as a cross platform solution for Windows and Mac
OS X. The EasyWatch solution uses Elgato's internationally
award-winning EyeTV software and DVB-T signals can now be received
on Apple PowerBooks using regular PC cards.
"Apple has effectively set the
standards for mobile computing. Therefore it is important to us to
offer this groundbreaking product for the Macintosh platform,"
explained Robert Schneider, CEO of SCM Microsystems. "EasyWatch
provides an extremely easy-to-use mobile solution for receiving
digital terrestrial TV on Apple PowerBooks. We are excited to work
with Elgato because of their positive reputation in the Macintosh
community and the high quality of their software."
"EasyWatch is the first PCMCIA card solution for digital
terrestrial television worldwide and since its introduction for the
PC in June it has been a great success in Germany," said Robert
Both, CEO of Satelco, "With this cross platform solution we offer
an unique product to the Macintosh community. It's a first step
into an interesting new field of business for Satelco.
With its EyeTV product series, Elgato is the world-leading
supplier of digital video recorders for the Macintosh. For the
first time, Elgato's EyeTV software will be distributed with the
hardware of its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partner SCM
Microsystems. The new cooperation between SCM Microsystems, Elgato
and Satelco underscores the significance of Apple PowerBooks in the
mobile computing market. The EasyWatch DVB-T card for PC and Mac
will be available in Germany as of October 7th for 249 Euros.
"Since the introduction of EyeTV, Elgato has enjoyed tremendous
success worldwide. With this partnership we will now enter the
market as an OEM software supplier," says Freddie Geier, CEO of
Elgato. "It's our strategy to distribute EyeTV software not only
with our own TV tuner hardware, but to broaden the Macintosh
product range decisively with strong partners. Our cooperation with
SCM and Satelco is a model for future projects."
The SCM-based EasyWatch Mobile Set DVB-T PC card for PowerBooks
is launched with EyeTV software for Macintosh users as well as with
compatible software for the PC. Using the feature-rich and robust
EyeTV software for receiving digital TV, PowerBook users can also
record to the hard drive, timeshift (pause and replay live TV),
archive directly to DVD, and schedule recordings over the Internet
using an electronic program guide. EasyWatch is being sold by
Satelco and comes with a functional DVB-T antenna by Kathrein,
which can be clamped to the display of a PowerBook.
Receiving digital terrestrial TV on a notebook or PowerBook with
EasyWatch Mobile Set adds a new dimension to television - full
mobility wherever DVB-T is broadcast. DVB-T is being successfully
introduced across Germany. Starting October 4, the city of
Frankfurt and the Rhine/Main region will be able receive digital
terrestrial television signals. Beginning November 8, digital
television will be available in Hamburg, Lubeck, Kiel, Dusseldorf
and the Ruhrgebiet. To date, DVB-T is operating very successfully
in Berlin, Potsdam, Cologne, Bonn, Hanover, Braunschweig, Bremen
and the lower reaches of the Weser river.
SCM Microsystems is a leading supplier of solutions that open
the Digital World by enabling people to securely access digital
content and services. The company markets and sells its smart card
reader technology for network and physical access and conditional
access modules for secure digital TV decryption to OEM customers in
the government, financial, enterprise and broadcasting markets
worldwide. Global headquarters are in Fremont, California, with
European headquarters in Ismaning, Germany.
Elgato Systems creates award-winning hardware and software
products, combining the benefits of the Macintosh computer with
popular consumer electronics devices such as the TV to create the
ultimate digital home. With their premiere product, EyeTV, Elgato
is a worldwide leader in digital video recording for the Macintosh.
Founded in 1992 by Dr. Markus Fest, the inventor of Toast CD
recording software, and led by CEO Freddie Geier, Elgato is a
privately held company with its headquarters in Munich, Germany and
a US subsidiary in San Francisco, California.
System requirements: The use of the EasyWatch DVB-T PC card
requires a Macintosh G4 15'' or 17'' PowerBook.
WebBox S10, Tri-band GPRS/GSM, PC Card
WebBox S10
offers GPRS tri-band 900/1800/1900 MHz data connectivity, GSM voice
calling, SMS, fax, and contact management in a single PC Card,
ensuring that you can connect quickly and easily to the Internet,
wherever you are in more than 160 countries, on five
continents.
WebBox S10 provides GPRS data communications, giving you the
freedom to send and receive email, SMS, and fax directly from your
computer, where ever you are. S10 is also great for SIM cards
contact management and backup.
WebBox S10's specially designed user-friendly utility helps you
easily manage all functions. With the S10, no matter where you are,
you can stay in touch with all important people in your life, Mac
or PC.
WebBox S10 card is the first Tri-band GPRS connectivity card,
supporting Mac OS X right out of box.
- GPRS Tri-band, Class 10
- SMS, FAX and Phonebook
- GSM Voice calling with included HF
- Single utility for easy management of all functions.
- Mac OS X10.3, Win 2000, and Win XP compatible (Support for GPRS
data connectivity for Mac OS X 10.3 and later. SMS, FAX and
GSM calling available with additional third party software.)
- Plug-and-play operation
- Easy installation
Features:
GPRS Frequency Bands
- EGSM 900 MHz
- DCS 1800 MHz
- PCS 1900 MHz
Additional
- SMS, FAX, GSM Voice supported*
- HF for GSM Voice calling.
System Requirements
- Notebook PC with an available PCMCIA Type II or CardBus
slot
- Operating System Supported: Windows XP/2000 and Mac OS X
10.3*
Software
- Driver and Utility
- PC: Manager with GPRS, SMS, Phonebook and GSM voice, available
in 17 languages.
- Mac: Manager with GPRS connectivity. Additional features
available, with third party software.
Antenna Type: External, removable.
Weight: 38 g
Dimensions: 88 x 54 x 5.0 mm (without antenna)
Price: €260 (Outside EU VAT 0%), €317.20 (In EU
VAT 22%) + €10 for shipping and handling (worldwide
delivery)
TrayDock FireWire/USB Enclosure
Swap SATA or IDE drives easily in a
low-profile desktop FireWire/USB TrayDock
enclosure with removable trays.
- Hot-swappable removable trays. One tray for 3.5" IDE drives,
another for 3.5" Serial ATA drives.
- Enclosure provides dual FireWire 800 ports (daisy chainable)
and a single USB 2.0 port
- Same enclosure accepts both SATA and IDE trays
- Holds up to 400 GB drives
- Included: 1 SATA or IDE tray, 1 FireWire cable, 1 USB cable, AD
adapter (+12V/+5V), information CD, Limited Warranty statement
- Compatibility: Windows 2K, XP, Macintosh OS 9.1, 9.2, OS X,
Linux
Prices
- TrayDock with empty IDE tray (for user expansion), 169.95
- TrayDock with empty SATA tray (for user expansion), 169.95
- TrayDock and IDE tray with 120 GB IDE drive, 219.95
- TrayDock and IDE tray with 160 GB IDE drive, 229.95
- TrayDock and IDE tray with 200 GB IDE drive, 299.95
- TrayDock and IDE tray with 250 GB IDE drive, 359.95
- TrayDock and IDE tray with 400 GB IDE drive, 649.95
- TrayDock Extra empty SATA tray (user expandable), 49.95
- TrayDock Extra empty IDE tray (user expandable, 49.95
iCover2 PowerBook and iBook Covers
Introducing the new iCover2
with design improvements to improve ease of sliding on and off. One
size fits both the titanium and the 15" aluminum PowerBook
models.
The PowerBook and iBook iCovers are designed
to protect your laptop's display from oil and dirt that is
transferred from the keyboard when the machine is closed.
Additionally, our wrap-around design also provides additional
protection to the outer case.
A special (non-leather) micro suede feels great and is three
times stronger than leather, washable, and water and stain
repellent. Yet it is still thin enough to close the unit without
putting undue pressure on the hinge. The new iCover II also
incorporates mesh side panels that allow the iCover to slide on and
off even easier.
Additionally, the iCover is soft enough to use as a cleaning
cloth on the display as well.
Constructed entirely in the United States. Warranted for 90
days.
Materials: Amaretta Suede - machine or hand wash or dry
clean
IBM Unveils First Biometric ThinkPad with
Security at Your Fingertips
IBM is taking computing security and data protection to the next
level today with the introduction of the first ThinkPad with an
integrated fingerprint reader. ThinkPad, already claimed to be the
industry's most secure notebook PC (1), now features a model that
delivers simplified access to password-protected personal and
financial information, web sites, documents and e-mail while
offering an unmatched level of data protection through its new
biometric capability and embedded security subsystem.
"Today we raised the bar on security for the entire PC
industry," said Fran O'Sullivan, general manager, IBM Personal
Computing Division. "What was once considered science fiction is
now available to all enterprises, large and small, in the notebook
of choice for everyday business. The first biometric ThinkPad
combines a fingerprint reader with an Embedded Security Subsystem,
providing a layer of security that is built in, not bolted on. We
take our customers' security into account in every aspect of our
business solutions, from PCs to servers to middleware to wireless
networks."
The fingerprint reader is built into select models of the
ThinkPad T42. With the new reader, located on the wrist rest below
the arrow keys, users swipe their finger across a small
horizontally oriented sensor to log-on to their systems, software
applications, web sites, or databases. The scanning process takes
only seconds, combining convenience with the strongest notebook
security available as a standard feature. This type of fingerprint
reader captures more data than a traditional "picture" capture
window because it scans more of the fingertip's surface area,
helping to prevent misidentification.
"We place a huge priority on security and deployed IBM ThinkPad
more than a year ago because they were the only notebooks to offer
an integrated hardware and software security solution," said Shawn
Nunley, director of technology development, NetScaler Inc., a
networking systems company headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif.
"IBM's new ThinkPad with integrated fingerprint reader offers yet
another level of security for us that is easy to deploy."
IBM also enhanced its hardware- and software-based Embedded
Security Subsystem by releasing a new level of Client Security
Software, Version 5.4, with a secure Password Manager, simplified
ease-of-use and installation, and available by preload for the
first time. The new version allows fingerprint identification and
complex passphrases to be used interchangeably or in combination.
The new software and the embedded security chip are seamlessly
integrated with the fingerprint reader, protecting vital security
information, such as encryption keys, electronic credentials and
passphrases, and guarding against unauthorized user access.
The Embedded Security Subsystem is a key component of IBM
ThinkVantage Technologies, a suite of tools that make ThinkPad
notebooks and ThinkCentre desktops easier to deploy, connect,
protect and support. The fingerprint reader represents only one
level in a concentric set of IBM security solutions. They include
servers, operating systems, identity management, middleware,
web-based privacy, network access, storage, systems management and
consulting solutions. These protect information in the face of
external hacker threats, costly viruses and worms, e-mail spam, new
wireless technologies, and the demands of government
compliance.
Additionally, IBM and Utimaco Safeware today announced that IBM
is authorized to resell Utimaco software to give users the ability
to fully encrypt their entire hard drive. This protects against
unauthorized access, should a notebook get stolen or lost. Utimaco
Safeguard Easy is the first full drive-encryption product tested
for full compatibility with IBM Rescue and Recovery, a ThinkVantage
Technology that can automatically archive and restore an entire
hard drive to protect against data loss or operating system
failure.
Available in a thin and light platform, the ThinkPad T42 starts
at 1 inch thin and has a travel weight as little as 4.5 pounds. It
also offers IBM's unique battery configuration, capable of
providing all day computing, up to 7.5 hours on select models with
the nine-cell extended battery. Mobile business users who take
their notebooks with them everywhere will benefit from the power of
the Intel Pentium M processor, long battery life and multiple
options for wireless connectivity. It is available with an Intel
745 Pentium M 1.8 GHz processor.
IBM provides flexibility so users of the ThinkPad T42 can take
advantage of wireless technology with a range of 11b, 11 b/g, and
11 a/b/g solutions and available Bluetooth Wireless Technology. In
addition, all T42 models come standard with a modem, Gigabit
Ethernet and Infrared port.
Equipped with IBM's patented hard drive protection technology to
help protect people's data, the ThinkPad T42 is designed for
greater durability among business travelers. The IBM Active
Protection System, similar to the technology used in automobiles to
deploy airbags, uses a microchip on the system board to detect
system acceleration (such as in a fall) and responds by temporarily
parking the drive's read/write head. This rapid response can help
prevent some hard drive crashes that occur in some falls, helping
to prevent total data loss and ultimately reduce downtime and
warranty costs.
The ThinkPad T42 notebook will be available on October 19
through www.ibm.com and select business partners. Prices for
ThinkPad T42 models with a fingerprint reader start at $1,699.
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.
- PowerBook 3400c/200, 32/2, new
battery, 60 day warranty, $149.99
- PowerBook 3400c/200, 32/2/CD-ROM,
new battery, 1 year extended care, $239
- PowerBook 3400c/240, 32/2/CD-ROM,
60 day warranty, $229
- PowerBook 3400c/240, 32/2/CD-ROM,
1 year extended care,$299.99
- used 12" iBook G3/700,
128/20/Combo, $689
- new 15" PowerBook G4/1 GHz,
256/60/Combo Drive, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Macally
BT-MINI Mini Bluetooth USB Mouse and iceStation Laptop tray/stand,
$1,799
Power Max
- refurb 12" PowerBook G4/1.33
GHz, 256/60/SuperDrive, Airport Extreme, $1,649
- refurb 15" PowerBook G4/1.25
GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, $100 rebate on RAM, free ScreensavRz
laptop pad, free USB watch, free printer, $2,049
- refurb 17" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz,
512/80/SuperDrive, Airport Extreme, free USB watch (after rebate),
$2,588
For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see
our Best PowerBook G4 Deals,
Best iBook G4 Deals, and
Best iBook G3 Deals.
