All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple
TV news is covered in The iNews
Review.
News & Opinion
Reviews
Apple Updates
Tech Trends
Products
Software
News & Opinion
MacBook Air 'Not Selling All That Well'
WebProNews'
Doug Caverly reports:
"Only Apple knows exactly how many MacBook Airs it expected to sell,
and thus, only Apple knows whether current figures are disappointing.
Still, new findings suggest that people are doing more looking than
buying, and that by year's end, transactions involving the Air will
account for only 16 percent of Mac sales.
"So place your bets, people - will Apple and its investors find this
acceptable? The 16 percent stat comes from Piper Jaffray's Gene
Munster, so although he talked to just 20 resellers, it'll be somewhat
hard to refute. Also, Munster added that about 60 percent of those
resellers are seeing less initial demand for the Air than they did for
the 13-inch MacBooks two years ago."
Editor's note: Only 16%? Apple's product line includes the
Mac mini, MacBook, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 20" iMac, 24"
iMac, Mac Pro, and MacBook Air. 16% sounds good to us! dk
Link:
MacBook Air Not Selling All That Well
Comprehensive List of Mac Performance Benchmarks
Using Leopard
Primate Labs Blog has posted a fascinating list of Mac performance
benchmarks spanning back from the latest quad-core Mac Pros to 400 MHz
PowerBook G4s.
Results were collected from the Geekbench Result Browser for Macs
with standard processors (i.e., no processor upgrades, overclocked
processors, or Hackintoshes) with at least 512 MB of RAM running
Leopard.
Keep in mind that Geekbench 2 only measures processor and memory
performance which is why, for example, MacBook and MacBook Pro scores
are so similar, despite both having radically different graphics
adapters.
You can check it out at:
Link:
Mac Performance (February 2008)
Hitachi Travelstar 7K200 a Great Replacement Laptop
Hard Drive
Macsimum News'
Rod Harlan reports:
"Is your laptop sluggish when opening folders with lots of documents
inside? Do video clips stutter when you play them? Are you constantly
looking for items you can delete or burn to DVD because you're always
running out of space? Then it sounds like you need a new laptop hard
drive!
"The Hitachi Travelstar 7K200 (approximately US$210) is a 200-GB,
7200-rpm spindle drive with a 16-MB buffer running on the Serial ATA
platform. Originally sold at the Enterprise level to go in large server
banks, this 2.5-inch drive has developed a strong following among
mobile content creators (video editors, animators, DVD authors, etc.)
who demand the best performance possible in the smallest size that fits
their laptops."
Link:
Review: Hitachi Travelstar 7K200 a Great Replacement Laptop Hard
Drive
Using the MacBook Air's USB Ethernet Adapter on
Another Mac
Hardmac's
Lionel reports:
"Like the SuperDrive, MacBook Air's USB-Ethernet adapter was
announced as being compatible only with this machine. Simply, if it is
connected to another Mac, it will be seen, but not work.
"Christophe, however, has found a way to make it work in an optimal
way on any machine that runs OS X 10.5.2...."
Link: Using
the MacBook Air's USB Ethernet Adapter on Another Mac
Keyboard Update Brings Back the First Key
Press
Ars Technica's
Justin Berka reports:
"Although they often haven't been highly-publicized issues, MacBooks
and MacBook Pros have been plagued with a number of keyboard bugs for
some time now. In December, Apple issued a software update to deal with
frozen keyboard problems, but some users reported that the update
hadn't squashed the bugs they were experiencing. Luckily, Apple is
taking another crack at keyboard issues, and has released Keyboard
Firmware Upgrade 1.0 for MacBooks and MacBook Pros."
Link:
Apple's Keyboard Update Brings Back the First Key Press
MacBook Pro Penryn Update Imminent?
The Apple Core's Jason D.
O'Grady says:
"In reading the Apple teas [sic] leaves it appears that a MacBook
Pro update is imminent. A source tells me that it's
within-the-next-30-days imminent.
"Let's look at a few of the other hints....
"Intel chief executive Paul Otellini says that 45nm Penryn is up to
a 20 percent performance increase over 65nm chips, more energy
efficient, and uses halogen-free packaging which is better for the
environment...."
Link: MacBook Pro
Penryn Update Imminent?
To Deploy MacBooks in Schools or Not?
ZD Net's Christopher Dawson
says:
"Most of you know that I just got a new MacBook and really love it.
On a personal level, it's darned close to perfect for what I do.
Writing; systems administration; creating movies, presentations, and
websites; and otherwise getting my jobs done come very naturally (and
come in a lightweight package that easily slips into my messenger bag).
Everything really does just work. The ads, to this point, seem quite
accurate.
"However, what works really well for me may not make sense for a
large-scale deployment in a public school...."
"Does the Mac add enough value in OS X and it's bundled applications
to justify its cost (I know comparably-configured Windows machines
don't have much a price differential - I'm talking about low-powered
cheap machines for my low-powered users)?"
Link: MacBooks - To
Deploy or Not to Deploy
Reviews
MacBook Air: 'True Engineering Genius'
T3.com reports:
"At the start of the year, the T3 gossip machine leapt into
pre-Macworld overdrive, forecasting a 12.1-inch lappy or iTablet. What
we actually got was the world's slimmest notebook. Not too far off,
then...."
"Considering this notebook measures just 40mm at its thinnest point
and weighs under 1.5kg, it's a miracle this thing actually made it off
the design table.
"But Apple has left a few blueprints behind, for the Air lacks
FireWire, Ethernet, an optical drive and no more USB ports. A USB to
Ethernet adapter costs an extra £19 and the deficiency of
FireWire will madden those with compatible digital camcorders or
peripherals . . . the Air is strictly for high-flyers. It's a
show-off's dream and the shape of things to come in the lap-sector but
don't expect it to replace your family 'pooter."
Link:
Apple MacBook Air
'Life with the Air Just Got Better and Better'
The BBC's Rory
Cellan-Jones reports:
"It started so badly. My first few hours with the MacBook Air were
full of frustration as I struggled - and failed - to import data and
settings from my old computer. To make this ultra-slim laptop fit into
its aluminium casing Apple has had to chuck a lot overboard - including
a FireWire port - so that means you are completely dependent on
wireless technology to import your data or install new software. And
for me - and plenty of others as far as I can see from online
discussions - Apple's new migration assistant did not work.
"But from then on life with the Air just got better and better. I
took the laptop with me to Barcelona and used it as my prime tool for
all my reporting from Mobile World Congress. Its sheer portability was
a joy - when you're racing around a crowded congress site, a 1.4 kg
load feels an awful lot better on your back than the 2.4 kg machine I
normally carry."
Link:
MacBook Air - Light and Heavy
MacBook Air Makes a Perfect Satellite
The Detroit
Free Press's Mike Wendland reports:
"The MacBook Air comes with a 1.6 GHz Intel Duo Core processor. That
is certainly not the most robust available in portable computers today.
However, I really have not noticed any speed issues. Maybe that's
because Apple includes 2 GB of RAM as standard. But really, how much
speed do we need? For most of us, the MBA is the perfect second
machine....
"Now that I've had one for a week or so, I can tell you that while
the MacBook Air may not be for everyone, it is very much for me."
Link: MacBook Air Makes a
Perfect Satellite
Unexpected MacBook Air Benefit - Reduced
Carpal Tunnel Pain
Product
Review's Dave Rosenberg reports:
"For those of you who are MacBook Pro users, you too may have felt
the pain from the somewhat oddly placed keyboard....
"A week into the MB Air and I can honestly say that I have almost no
pain or fatigue in my wrists when I use the machine standalone...."
Link:
Unexpected MacBook Air Benefit - Reduced Carpal Tunnel Pain
Is MacBook Air Good Enough To Be Your Only
Computer?
GigaOM's Om
Malik says:
"Being less of a web-app zealot as others, I am still on the fence
on this one, and even after using the MacBook Air for close to two
weeks, I still can't make up my mind - whether to keep using it as my
only machine or pair it with the MacBook...."
Link:
Is MacBook Air Good Enough To Be Your Only Computer?
MacBook Air: Temperature Benchmarks
The Apple Core's Jason D.
O'Grady says:
"A big concern for anyone using a notebook computer for any length
of time is the heat it generates. It actually came to a head a few
years ago when the lawyers at most notebook computer manufacturers
replaced the term 'laptop' with 'notebook' for fear of litigation.
"Apple recommends that their notebook computers only be used on a
flat, stable surface - not on your lap....
"To measure the heat generated by the MacBook Air I created 12
temperature zones on the bottom plate. I flipped over the MBA and
mapped locations in three rows and four columns. Zones 1 to 4 are
across the top from left to right. Zones 5 to 8 are in the middle row
and 9 to 12 are the bottom row.
"I measured the temperatures (in degree Fahrenheit) on the bottom of
an MBA (1.6 GHz HDD) and MBP (2.4 GHz Santa Rosa) after approximately
three and five hours of use using a Mastercool 52224 infrared
thermometer. Both machines were attached to AC power and sitting on a
cloth upholstered automan [sic] ...."
Link: MacBook Air
Diary: Temperature Benchmarks
Apple Updates
Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro Keyboard Firmware
Update 1.0
This MacBook and MacBook Pro
firmware update addresses an issue where the first key press may be
ignored if the computer has been sitting idle. It also addresses some
other issues.
The update package will install an updater application into the
Applications/Utilities folder and will launch it automatically. Please
follow the instructions in the updater application to complete the
update process.
Mac OS X 10.5.2 or later
Link:
Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro Keyboard Firmware 1.0
Tech Trends
ThinkPad with Preinstalled Linux Is Good,
but Not Great
Desktop
Linux' Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols reports:
"I use, on a daily basis, three different Linux distributions: MEPIS
6.5 and 7, OpenSUSE 10.3, and SLED 10 SP1. So, when I saw that Frank
Ohlhorst, my colleague over at The Channel Insider, had gotten his
hands on a ThinkPad T61 with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 Service
Pack 1, I was interested in what he would find.
"I was also interested in how he got a review model to play with and
I didn't, but that's mere envy."
Link:
Preinstalled SUSE Linux ThinkPad Is Good, but Not Great
iSuppli Warns of NAND Flash Slowdown in
2008
iSuppli
reports:
"Amid troubling signs of order reductions and weakness in consumer
spending, iSuppli Corp. is cutting its outlook for global NAND flash
revenue growth in 2008 to the single digit percentage range, down from
our previous outlook of a 27 percent rise. Global NAND flash revenue is
set to rise marginally in 2008, up from $13.9 billion in 2007. NAND
flash is used heavily in consumer-electronics applications - including
flash storage cards, MP3 players and USB flash drives - that are driven
by retail sales to consumers. With consumer confidence taking a dive
due to the US subprime mortgage crisis, the NAND market outlook has
diminished considerably in 2008."
Link: iSuppli Warns of NAND
Flash Slowdown in 2008
Intel Montevina Notebook Platform to Be
Named Centrino 2
DigiTimes'
Monica Chen and Joseph Tsai report:
"Intel is planning to rename its brand name for the upcoming
notebook Montevina platform to Centrino 2 in order to clear up
confusion for consumers, according to sources at notebook makers.
"Intel has used the brand name Centrino for four generations of its
notebook platforms including Carmel, Sonoma, Napa and Santa
Rosa....
"Intel is set to launch the Centrino 2 platform in Computex Taipei
2008 along with six 45nm notebook CPUs, all with a 1066 MHz FSB. Core
speeds will range between 2.26-3.06 GHz....
"Intel will then launch seven 45nm SFF (small form factor) notebook
CPUs, similar to those used in Apple's MacBook Air and soon other
ultra-portable notebooks, in the third quarter of this year...."
Link: Intel Montevina
Notebook Platform to Be Named Centrino 2 (subscription
required)
Intel's Fifth-gen Centrino to Launch as
Centrino 2
Register Hardware's
Tony Smith reports:
"Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome Centrino
. . . 2. Yes, despite numerous annual updates since the
launch of Intel's laptop platform, the next version, codenamed
'Montevina', will apparently be released as its second
generation....
"Hopefully, it'll also mean an end to the use of Intel Centrino
codenames - 'Carmel', 'Sonoma', 'Napa' and 'Santa Rosa' - as
differentiators, an unofficial naming scheme even more confusing for
consumers."
Link: Intel's
Fifth-gen Centrino to Launch as Centrino 2
Products
NiteCruzer Laptop Computer Overnight Carryon
Case
PR: CaseCruzer's new Pelican laptop case turns business air
travel warriors into easy riders. The first class Pelican Cases provide
protective laptop cases for the MacBook Pro with lots of room for all
the essentials of business and pleasure. The new NiteCruzer 1510 by
CaseCruzer is the toughest airline-legal carry on solution available
for consumers
The NiteCruzer 1510 laptop
case introduces the latest addition to a comprehensive line of carryon
luggage by Pelican Cases. Business nomads with an eye for trailblazing
amenities are chucking dual shoulder bags in favor of the new suave and
sleek NiteCruzer - the toughest airline-legal carryon baggage available
today. This innovative spin on air travel marks the end of those days
when technology and personal belongings required separate but equal
spaces.
The mobile NiteCruzer 1510 is yet another progressive CaseCruzer
design. This cutting edge laptop case with its spacious interior gives
globetrotters ample storage for personal belongings. Yet it also
pampers laptops with a protective lid compartment that is ideal for the
Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-, 15-inch or the new MacBook Air.
Arrivals and departures are always smooth with NiteCruzer's deluxe
17-inch retractable extension handle, which allows world-class voyagers
to roll in and out of any hemisphere with ease. And since the new
NiteCruzer1510 is equipped with side and front handles, assistance
won't be necessary when hoisting it into an overhead bin.
Fortune-hunters who travel
with laptop cases - and who doesn't? - can easily survive the onslaught
of tiresome travel conditions because NiteCruzer is a veritable
fortress on wheels. The metal reinforced padlock protectors add
strength and extra security against cutting, theft and air turbulence.
And if travel plans demand that you tolerate stormy weather or seasonal
downpours, the waterproof NiteCruzer by Pelican Cases with buoyancy up
to 64.2 lbs is capable of rising to nearly any occasion.
Road warriors Bruce Johnson and Christine Toy Johnson of ReImagined
World Entertainment have spent a lot of time on aircraft this past
year. "The laptop is always critical, especially now. When we're on the
road, we have to take two. One for writing, and one for design and
editing needs," said Bruce Johnson. "I'll often have two different
carryons. But I tend to try to find an all-in-one bag that will carry
both my laptop and other things."
The Johnsons have encountered the full menu of travel headaches. But
the most feared is when they fly into a major airport and transfer to a
"puddle-jumper" aircraft to travel to remote locations. Often no bags
may be carried onto these small planes. "They take your bag. And you
just pray at that point," Johnson said.
No prayers needed when rolling with NiteCruzer laptop cases.
Although the peerless carrying NiteCruzer by Pelican Cases weighs only
15 lbs when empty, it comes with standard features, such as water and
dustproof neoprene O-ring seal, automatic purge valve with
Gore-Tex® membrane, and easy to open double-throw latches. And, as
always, all Pelican Cases come with a lifetime guarantee.
However, the NiteCruzer 1510 is designed to provide moderate
protection as a carryon. It is not intended to be used as a shipping
container or check-in luggage. CaseCruzer has developed other products
for heavy duty protection.
Nevertheless, when making cross-country or transcontinental trips
and going the extra mile to achieve your business dreams, everyone
deserves to upgrade to a dependable overnight travel laptop case so
that they can finally experience peace - on Earth and in the air. Think
the new NiteCruzer is special? That's right. But when you hear the name
CaseCruzer, think Pelican Plus.
NiteCruzer 1510 sells for $195.00
- Outside Dimensions: - 22"L x 13.81"W x 9"H
- Weight: 15 lbs
To order your NiteCruzer case call: 1-800-882-4730
Pelican Cases can also be reached by calling 800-440-9925 in the US
or 909-613-1547 internationally; faxing 909-613-1979; or writing to
CaseCruzer at 4665 State Street, Montclair, CA 91763.
Link: Pelican
NiteCruzer
Software
KeyRemap4MacBook
PR: KeyRemap4MacBook is a keyboard remapper for Mac OS X.
Not to mention the change of simple key remap, it has the special
remapping like Emacs-mode, SandS-mode (Space and Shift).
ex.
- enter - > command
- swap escape & tilde.
- control+M - > return (Emacs)
- space - > shift (SandS)
- drop shift+F1 .. shift+F12 (prevent to slow down expose)
Very small & concise source code written with C++.
Use it as codebase of your original keyremapper.
New in version 3.1.0 (2008-02-18)
- Correct the key repeat behavior.
- Fixed a minor PreferencePane bug.
- Added new remappings.
- commandL2shiftL
- commandR2controlL
- commandR2optionL
- commandR2shiftL
- enter2commandLcontrolL
- enter2commandLshiftL
- pclikehomeend
- keypadnumlock
- pc_application2f11
- emacsmode_controlAE
- jis_commandR2eisuu
- jis_commandR2kana
- jis_optionR2eisuu
- jis_optionR2kana
- jis_unify_kana_eisuu_to_optionR
System requirements: Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5. (Leopard-ready
System support: PPC/Intel
Free
Link: KeyRemap4MacBook
Bargain 'Books
Bargain 'Books are used unless otherwise indicated. New and
refurbished units have a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible for
AppleCare.
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 (VGA) and
G4/667 (DVI), the
titanium vs. aluminum 15" PowerBook G4 at 1 GHz, and 1.25 GHz to 1.5
GHz 15" PowerBooks.
PowerBook, iBook, and MacBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.
Refurb 2.2 GHz Santa Rosa 15" MacBook Pros are available again late
in the week, in my estimation a better value than the older 2.16 GHz
models for $200 less and 2.33 MHz Core 2 Duo models that are offered
for $200 more. The higher-spec. 15-incher has never seemed to me to be
much of a deal. cm
- refurb 2.0 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/Combo, $949
- refurb 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/SD, $1,049
- refurb 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,249
- refurb 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,099
- refurb 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,299
- refurb 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,699
- refurb 15" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,899
- refurb 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,099
- refurb 17" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,299
- refurb 17" 2.6 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,499
- 12" iBook G3/600, 256/20/Combo, $349.99
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/Combo, $379.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/667 (DVI), 256/30/Combo, $629.99
- 15" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, $1,399.99
- 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/60/SD, $999.99
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/10/128/CD, $169.99
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/15/128/CD, $249.99
- 12" iBook G3/700, 128/20/128RAM/Combo, $329.99
- 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/256mb RAM/Combo, $399.99
- 15" 1.83 GHz MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD, $1,179.99
- 15" 2 GHz MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD, $1,239.99
- 15" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, $1,399.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,499.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,529.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 1 GB/200/SD, $1,619.99
- 12" iBook G4/800, 640/30/Combo, $399
- 12" iBook G4/800, 640/30/Combo, APX, $439
- 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/Combo, $879
- 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 G/160/SD, $1,251
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/SD, warranty
started $1,199
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,229
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, warranty
started, $1,299
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,388
- MacBook 2.16 GHz Core 2, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,449
- open box 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,899
- open box 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,439
- open box 17" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,599
- open box 17" hi-res 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD,
$2,849
- clamshell iBook G3/366, Key Lime, 192/10/CD, $259.95
- 12" iBook G3/500, 256/10/Combo, $299.95
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/20/CD, $179.95
- 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/CD, $249.95
- 12" iBook G4/800, 640/40/Combo, $479.95
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 768/40/Combo, $529.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/400, 256/20/DVD, $449.95
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
