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
Tech Trends
Products
News & Opinion
Make a Slick Mac NetBook for $550
CultofMac's
Leander Kahney reports:
"Writer Scott Gilbertson has a very cool Mac netbook that cost him
only $550.
"It's got a slick black case, weighs nothing, gets hours of battery
life and runs Leopard, the latest version of Mac OS X. It's not a
MacBook Air.
"It's a hacked EeePC - a tiny liliputer , as they're now called,
fresh from Asus, a Tawainese manufacturer best known for PC
motherboards.
"Gilbertson's netbook is the device Mac fans have wanted for years:
A low-cost cousin to the beautiful but pricey MacBook Air.
"It runs like a champ but has a couple of quirks (one big one) and
may not be strictly legal, though Apple's never going to prosecute
unless these machines are sold commercially...."
Link:
Get a Slick Mac NetBook for Less than $600 (Not Strictly Legal, of
Course)
MacBook Overhaul Rumored for Mid-October
AppleInsider
reports:
"Apple may be planning to hold its final media gathering of the year
a little over a month from now to usher in much anticipated overhauls
to its MacBook line of notebook computers, according to a new
report.
"In his write-up of Apple's music announcements this week, Daring
Fireball's John Gruber said sources 'familiar with Apple's hardware
plans' have informed him that the company's new line of Mac notebooks
will arrive on Tuesday, October 14th."
Link:
Apple Notebook Overhaul Rumored for Mid-October
MacBook Air Owners Find Latest Apple Update
Produces Mixed Results
Appleinsider's
Aidan Malley reports:
"Users of Apple's ultraportable Mac are increasingly reporting that
a firmware update might be taming processor usage, but is still leaving
many of their systems too hot to use and prone to software freezes.
"While a number of owners at Apple's discussion forums say the
hardware patch solved a problem that would force a core to shut down
entirely and ramp up the internal temperature, others still note the
slim system continues to overheat and in some cases will bog down as
the MacBook Air is unable to cope with a given application's demand,
particularly an OS component known as kernel_task...."
Link:
MacBook Air Owners Find Latest Apple Fix Producing Mixed
Results
Notebook Battery Famine to Continue
The Register's
Kelly Fiveash
"The world's largest laptop battery manufacturer has warned that a
global shortage of power cells will last three months longer than
expected.
"Simplo Technology Co said makers are failing to increase output
fast enough to meet demand.
"The Taiwan-based firm's chief financial wonk, Jackie Ding, told
Bloomberg yesterday that laptop battery supply may hit its targets in
the second quarter of 2009. Simplo had previously expected the shortage
to end by the first quarter of next year."
Link:
Notebook Battery Famine Set to Continue
Tech Trends
Intel Introduces Solid-State Drives for Notebook
and Desktop Computers
PR: Intel Corporation
has announced it has begun shipping Intel X18-M and X25-M Mainstream
SATA Solid-State Drives (SSDs) based on multi-level cell (MLC) NAND
flash technology for laptop and desktop computers. The new
high-performing data storage devices give computer buyers a new level
of system responsiveness in a lightweight, rugged, low-power package
that can replace traditional hard disk drives.
Validated for Intel-based computers, the X18-M is a 1.8-inch drive
and the X25-M a 2.5-inch drive, offering several advantages over hard
drives including faster overall system response, boot and resume times.
With no moving parts, SSDs run cooler and quieter and are a more
reliable option than hard drives. In addition, SSDs remove input/output
(I/O) performance bottlenecks associated with hard disk drives that
help maximize the efficiency of Intel processors, such as the company's
Core family of products. For example, lab tests show that the Intel
X18-M and X25M increase storage system performance nine times over
traditional hard disk drive performance.
"Validated by our rigorous testing and OEM customer feedback, we
believe that we have developed an SSD that delivers on the promises of
SSD computing," said Randy Wilhelm, Intel vice president and general
manager of the NAND Products Group. "By combining our experience in
flash memory design with our processor and computing expertise, we have
added advances such as our parallel 10-channel architecture,
proprietary controller, firmware and memory management algorithms that
address write amplification and wear leveling issues to redefine SSD
performance and reliability for computing platforms."
The Intel X18-M and X25-M Mainstream SATA SSDs are available in 80
gigabyte (GB) capacities, with 160GB versions sampling in the fourth
quarter of this year. The 80GB drive achieves up to 250MB per second
read speeds, up to 70MB per second write speeds and 85-microsecond read
latency for fast performance. The 80GB version is priced at $595 for
quantities up to 1,000. These SSDs are available now and end-customer
products containing the Intel High-Performance SATA SSDs are expected
to begin shipping in the next few weeks.
The company is also expected to introduce a line of single-level
cell (SLC) SSDs for the server, storage and enterprise environments
within the next 90 days. Called the Intel X25-E Extreme SATA
Solid-State Drive, these products are designed to maximize the
Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS), which equates to higher
performance and lower enterprise costs. Since SSDs lower energy
consumption, maintenance, cooling and space costs, an SSD-based data
center will reduce overall infrastructure costs while increasing
performance-per-square-foot by as much as 50x.
Intel X-25M SSD Reviewed: Fast and Costly
Register Hardware's
Leo Waldock reports:
"After leaks galore about Intel's foray into solid-state drives,
we've finally got our hands on an 80GB X25-M - dial 'M' for
'mainstream'.
"The X25 and X18 family of SSDs will both be initially available in
80GB versions. There's a 160GB X25 due in Q4. The X25 and X18 differ in
terms of their form-factor. As the model codes suggests, the X25 has a
laptop-friendly 2.5in form factor while the X18 is a dinky 1.8
incher....
"The test results for the X25-M are staggeringly fast and blow the
other drives out of the water....
"Performance in PCMark05 was absolutely mind-blowing....
"The X25-M uses a trivial 0.15W when it's working and remains cold
to the touch. It is silent in operation. The 80GB capacity is something
of an issue but that should be resolved when the 160GB version goes on
sale. It's small but you could live with the capacity, especially if
you RAID a few drives together.
"The only problem with that plan is that you would end up
bankrupt...."
Link: Intel
X-25M Laptop, Desktop SSD Reviewed
Toronto Company Pioneers Backup Laptop Service
The Canadian
Press reports:
"The shattering jar of a laptop hitting pavement, a cup of coffee
elbowed onto a keyboard or the forgotten computer bag driving away in
the back seat of a taxi - all are disasters that usually add up to lost
or compromised data and heart palpitations for business managers great
and small.
"These situations might be catastrophes to some, but to No Panic
Computing they're bread and butter.
"The Toronto-based company offers what some believe is a novel and
trend-setting service: secure, fully backed-up laptops that can be
replaced complete with the data that was on them before they
accidentally met with a bad end....
"No Panic offers 24/7 support, backup, security, encryption and
accidental damage protection for about $130 a month per laptop over a
three-year lease . . . notebooks are configured for each user
and No Panic's backup 'keeps nine copies deep of every file and the
current file you are working on is forever.'"
Editor's note: Unfortunately No Panic used HP Compaq notebooks
exclusively, so no Mac support. dk
Link:
Toronto Company Pioneers Back-up Laptop Service
HP EliteBook Breaks 24-hour Laptop Battery Life
Barrier
PR: HP has announced an
unprecedented milestone in mobile computing: up to 24 hours of
continuous notebook operation on a single battery charge.
As measured by an industry-standard benchmark, the new HP EliteBook
6930p configured with an optional ultra-capacity battery delivered up
to 24 hours of battery runtime.1
"All-day computing has been the holy grail of notebook computing,"
said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook
Global Business Unit, HP. "With the HP EliteBook 6930p, customers no
longer have to worry about their notebook battery running out before
their work day is over."
Designed and tested to last, HP batteries benefit from a combination
of HP engineering and energy-efficient notebook components such as
Intel solid-state hard drives (SSD) and mercury-free LED displays. For
example, the highly efficient HP Illumi-Lite LED display boosts battery
run time by up to 4 hours compared to traditional LCD displays, while
the Intel SSD provides up to a 7 percent increase in battery life
compared to traditional hard drives.
With up to 24 hours of battery life, business travelers can
easily:
- Use an HP EliteBook 6930p continuously on the world's longest
scheduled commercial airline flight linking Newark Liberty
International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport approximately 18
hours, 40 minutes.
- Take more than 10 trips on the EuroStar train between London and
Paris approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes each direction before
recharging the battery.
- Travel as a passenger by car from Maine to Florida using a notebook
during the entire journey.
Solid state for mobile professionals
Inspired by aircraft construction and designed for style-conscious
mobile professionals, HP EliteBook notebooks feature the latest mobile
technologies.
In October, customers will be able to purchase an HP EliteBook with
the new Intel high-performance SSDs HP is a launch customer for new
Intel X25-M and X18-M Mainstream SATA SSDs.
In addition to helping achieve outstanding battery life, these new
Intel SSDs provide greater durability and reliability as well as faster
system responsiveness. Internal HP benchmarks show overall performanceboosts of up to 57 percent on industry benchmarks, and data transfer
rates almost six times faster than traditional hard disks.
"Intel architected its new line of high-performance solid-state
drives specifically to bring a new level of performance and reliability
to the computing platform and make significant impact to the way people
use their PCs," said Randy Wilhelm, vice president and general manager,
NAND Products Group, Intel. "The HP milestone is an example of the
impact of this new level of performance that specifically delivers on
lower power consumption for longer battery life."
EliteBook 6930 for mobile professionals
The initial Energy Star-qualified HP EliteBook 6930p configuration
starts at only 4.7 pounds (2.1 kilograms). It features a 14.1-inch
diagonal widescreen display and is available with an optional,
mercury-free Illumi-Lite LED display.
The HP EliteBook 6930p is built for the corporate road warrior as it
features a shock-resistant hard drive, enhanced display panel and
spill-resistant keyboard to help defend data against bumps, drops and
spills. It was designed to meet the tough MIL-STD 810F
military-standard tests2 that measure
levels of environmental reliability and operation at extreme
temperatures, while withstanding vibration and high humidity.
The inner magnesium shell of the notebook's HP DuraCase is equipped
with a honeycomb pattern that is thermally bonded to anodized aluminum
for a solid construction.
All HP notebooks are designed with the environment in mind, with
energy-efficient features and select materials for easier recycling.
For example, HP has set a goal to remove all mercury a material
commonly found in notebook screens from its entire notebook line by the
end of 2010.
Products
Docking Station Connects Laptop to USB Devices,
Ethernet, and Monitor Using One USB Port
PR: StarTech.com, a manufacturer of hard-to-find connectivity
and technology parts, has announced the availability of the USB to VGA
4-in-1 Docking Station, designed to provide access to multiple commonly
used ports via a single USB 2.0 connection.
Now available for purchase, the
Docking Station houses a DB15 High Density (female) VGA port, as well
as four USB A (female) ports, one USB Mini B (female) port, one RJ45
(Female) 10/100Mbps network port, and two 3.5mm audio (mic, line out)
ports that can be accessed using a single USB connection from the host
computer.
"The 4-in-1 Docking Station allows mobile and desktop users to add
several of the most commonly used connections to their computer, using
only one USB connection," says John Mardinly, Product Manager for
StarTech.com. "Now, you only need to connect your notebook to one
device to easily access everything you need, including an additional
display."
Features and benefits of the
Docking Station include:
- Display resolutions of up to 1680 x 1050 (widescreen), 1600 x 1200
(standard displays)
- Three distinct video operating modes, including desktop extension
from primary display to secondary display
- Small form factor design saves desktop space, stores easily in
notebook carrying case
The MSRP for the Docking Station is $129.99.
This product will be available through leading technology resellers
including CDW, PC Connection, Insight, Amazon.com. The products will
also be distributed by Ingram Micro, Tech Data, D&H, and
SYNNEX.
Editor's note: I haven't been able to determine conclusively whether
this product supports the Mac, but since it's a USB device, I'm
cautiously optimistic. The company website only
mentions compatibility with Windows 2000, XP, and Vista.
cm
Link:
USB to VGA 4-in-1 Docking Station
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.
Changes from last week are that the $1,899 17" MacBook Pro and the
lowest priced MacBook are sold out. Each model comes with an Apple
one-year warranty, and ground shipping is free.
- refurb 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,499
- refurb 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/64 SSD, $2,099
- refurb 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/64 SSD, $2,299
- refurb 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, white, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,099
- refurb 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, black, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,299
- refurb 15" 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,699
- refurb 15" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,999
- refurb 15" 2.6 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $2,299
- refurb 17" 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,899
- refurb 17" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $2,299
- refurb 17" 2.5 GHz hi-res Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD,
$2,499
- refurb 17" hi-res 2.6 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD,
$2,499
- refurb 17" 2.6 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $2,649
- refurb 17" 2.6 GHz hi-res Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD,
$2,699
- 15" 2.2GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, glossy, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,599.99 less
$200 mail-in rebate = $1,399.99
- 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,499.99
- 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty,
$699.99
- 1.83 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 512/80/SD, 60 day warranty,
$759.99
- 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty,
$729.99
- 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, black, 512/80/SD, 60 day warranty,
$779.99
- 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/SD, 60 day warranty,
$799.99
- 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/120/SD, 60 day warranty,
$829.99
- 12" PowerBook G4/867 MHz, 256/40/Combo, $699.95
- 12" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/60/DVD, $849.95
- 12" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 256 RAM, 60/Combo,- $849.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.2 GHz, 512/60/DVD, $949.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.3 GHz, 512/60/DVD, $999.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/DVD-R Drive - $929.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/DVD, $1,199.95
- 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/60/SD, $1,109.95
- 12" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 256/40/Combo, $699.95
- 15.2" PowerBook 1.5 GHz, 512/80/Combo, 1 year warranty,
$894.95
- 17" PowerBook 1.67 GHz, 512/120/Combo, 1 year warranty,
$1,089.95
-
Lombard PowerBook G3/400, 128/6/DVD, $150
- 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, 1 GB/60/Combo, $699
- 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, 1 GB/80/Combo, $799
- 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, 1 GB/80/SD, $825
- 2.16 GHz Core Duo 15" MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, $1,099
- 2.16 GHz Core Duo 17" MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, $1,199
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, APX, $719
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, APX, $785
- 15" 2.1 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD, APX, $1,129
- open box 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,699
- open box 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,249
- open box 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,899
- open box 15" 2.6 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,649
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/30/Combo, $499.95
- 12" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 768/40/Combo, AP, AppleCare, $599.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/667 MHz DVI, 256/30/Combo, $499.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, APX, $999.95
- 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, APX, $1,599.95
- 12" iBook G3/600 MHz, 128/20/CD, OS X 10.2, $279.99
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/30/CD, APX, OS X 10.4, $449.99
For more deals on current or discontinued models, see our MacBook deals, MacBook Air deals, 15" MacBook Pro deals,
17" MacBook Pro
deals, 12"
PowerBook G4 deals, 15" PowerBook G4 deals,
17" PowerBook G4
deals, titanium
PowerBook G4 deals, iBook G4 deals, PowerBook G3 deals, and
iBook G3 deals.
