This Week's MacBook, PowerBook, and iBook News
Bare Feats answers the question: How much speed do you sacrifice
by choosing Seagate's 250 GB 5400 rpm drive over competing 7200 rpm
drives with lower capacity?
On the tech front, Dell and Lenovo are shipping notebooks with
wireless USB, a wireless protocol as fast as wired USB 2.0. With a
wireless USB hub, you can connect to wired USB peripherals.
Promising, and Apple will probably adopt it soon.
Alienware has notebooks with up to 64 GB of solid state memory -
and on the other end of the spectrum there's a $150 Linux
laptop.
On the small side, Logitech's new notebook mouse has a USB
receiver that's not much bigger than the USB connector itself,
making it practical to keep it plugged in at all times.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review.
News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Products and Services
News & Opinion
250 GB 5400 rpm vs. 160 & 200 GB 7200 rpm
Notebook Drives
Bare Feats' rob-ART Morgan reports:
"We finally got our hands on a Western Digital Scorpio
(WD2500BEVS) 250 GB 5400 rpm notebook drive (courtesy of
WiebeTech). Many of you are wondering how it compares to the
Seagate Momentus 7200.2 160 GB 7200 rpm notebook drive optional on
the newest MacBook Pro and the new Hitachi Travelstar 7K200 200 GB
7200 rpm notebook drive. For power users, these are the three
notebook drives of the greatest interest.
"We tested them using the SATA, FireWire 800, and USB 2.0
interfaces. SpeedTools QuickBench 4.01 was used. For 'large
sustained' test, we averaged the results for 5 runs with 60 MB, 70
MB, 8 MB, 90 MB, and 100 MB block sizes (Extended Test). For
the 'small random' test, we averaged the results for 5 runs of 64K,
128K, 256K, 512K, and 1024K block sizes (Standard Test).
"Test 'mule' was the 17' MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz 'Santa Rosa' with
4 GB of RAM."
Link: Shootout:
250 GB 5K Notebook Drive versus the Two Fastest 7K Notebook
Drives
Apple Shrinks MacBook Pro 85W MagSafe
Adapter
Engadget's Ryan Block reports:
"It only took 'em a year and a half to do it, but the ginormous
monstrosity that is Apple MacBook Pro 85W MagSafe power adapters
have finally seem to have been reduced to a more manageable
size...."
Link:
Apple's MacBook Pro 85W MagSafe Adapter Finally Shrunk
How to Paint Your Titanium PowerBook G4
MacMod's Alex reports:
"If you own a Titanium PowerBook,
you've probably experienced the dreaded paint chipping around the
casing edge. Most people leave it alone, or try to touch up the
spots with a product like TiPaint. Serious Mac modders, like
myself, probably aren't satisfied with a little coverup. I got
tired of my PowerBook being all chipped and scrapped up, so I
decided to paint it! Here's a step by step guide to help you
recreate the colorful PowerBook experience! Read on for the guide
and pictures.
"A while back I took a G3 iBook and repainted it and made it
look (in my opinion) awesome. Ever since then, I've been really
bored with my plain ol' TiBook . . . so . . .
here's a new guide."
Tech Trends
Dell and Lenovo Notebooks Sport Wireless
USB
PC World's Yardena Arar reports:
"Dell and Lenovo today announced the first notebooks with
embedded Certified Wireless USB chips, which will enable cable-free
connections to USB peripherals hooked up to Certified Wireless USB
hubs that D-Link and IOGear also announced.
"Additionally, D-Link and IOGear announced Certified Wireless
USB adapters that you can plug into USB ports to add the
functionality to notebooks and PCs that don't have it built
in."
"Eventually, these notebooks and other PCs equipped with
wireless USB chips will be able to connect to a new generation of
peripherals that will also carry embedded wireless USB."
"Wireless USB uses ultra-wideband technology, which enables
short-range connections (15 to 30 feet) at much faster speeds (up
to 480 megabits per second at 10 feet and 110 Mbps at 30 feet) than
Bluetooth while consuming much less power than WiFi."
Editor's note: Bluetooth 1.x supports speeds to 721 kbps, 2.x to
3.0 Mbps, and the forthcoming Bluetooth 3.0 protocol will support
the same 480 Mbps speed as wireless USB. Wireless USB has the
advantage of being available now and letting you use a wireless USB
hub to connect to your wired USB peripherals.
Expect Apple to embrace wireless USB in the next generation of
Macs - and quite possibly iPods, iPhones, and Apple TV as well.
dk
Link: Laptops
That Don't Need USB Cables
Alienware Notebooks Offer 32 GB & 64 GB
Solid State Drives
PR: Alienware is ensuring mobile customers enjoy faster
performance and enhanced reliability by now offering solid state
drives (SSD) that utilize flash memory on their popular Area-51
m9750, Aurora m9700 and Area-51 m5550 notebooks. In addition to
single drive configurations, the Area-51 m9750 and Aurora m9700 are
first to market with a 64 GB RAID 0 dual SSD configuration, while
also offering dual drive options that combine a 32 GB SSD and a 200
GB 7,200 RPM storage drive.
"Alienware's new flash-based solid state drive solutions
dramatically accelerate performance for mobile storage
applications," said Bryan de Zayas, Associate Director of Product
Marketing at Alienware. "From blazing load times to rock-solid
durability, all the essential features that customers look for in a
notebook are maximized in Alienware mobile systems loaded with
solid state drives."
By not utilizing any moving parts and not needing to spin up to
search for data, solid state drives run quieter, consume less power
and find data more quickly than traditional spinning hard drives,
making them perfect for the on-the-go lifestyle of Alienware
notebook users.
Link: Alienware
$150 Linux Laptop
ZD Net's Larry Dignan reports:
"Would you try a $150 laptop powered by Fedora [Linux]? Sure you
would. And apparently so are a lot of other folks.
"Swedish company called Medison has
unveiled a laptop called the Celebrity. Medison's laptop is the
latest in a race to the bottom of the pricing barrel. Nicholas
Negroponte OLPC is one effort and others are also getting into the
act.
"There's only one problem with Medison's laptop - it's a slog to
get through to its reseller's site to buy one. The laptop is
available through a reseller 2Checkout.com....
"The computer is shipped completely set up and ready-to-use with
Linux pre-installed - no complicated installations or adjustments
are needed - within 4-6 weeks....
"...I only cared it was $150."
Link: Come and Get
It: Fedora Laptop for $150
How Low Can PC Prices Go?
InformationWeek's W. David Gardner reports:
"In an intersection of PC pricing, the cost to make laptops and
desktop models has gotten so low that the retail price of each are
hovering very close together.
"Take for example the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation.
The group headed by Nicholas Negroponte is considering selling a
version of its hand-crank laptop for $350. Conversely, PC-maker
Everex is currently offering its full-featured PC in
Walmart
stores for $298.
"While OLPC, which recently said it costs $175 to make its XO
laptop, has watched the price of its laptop gradually escalate,
Everex and other PC manufacturers have been driving down the prices
of their PCs....
"Everex isn't the only PC firm beating down retail prices of
PCs. Acer this week is offering a full-featured Acer PC for $399.
PC prices have been in a relentless drop in the last few years,
dropping from $700 to $400 for low-priced models."
Link:
How Low Can PC Prices Go?
Products and Services
Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse Has
Smallest USB Receiver
PR: The next big thing in notebook mice is really
small. Logitech has introduced the Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser
Mouse for Notebooks. The mouse's plug-and-forget nano-receiver
provides highly mobile notebook PC and MacBook users with a mouse
that simplifies life on the road. Because the USB receiver is so
small and is nearly flush with the notebook, people no longer need
to constantly plug and unplug it when moving from place to
place.
"More and more laptop users are abandoning the touch pad in
favor of a cordless notebook mouse," said Rory Dooley, Logitech
senior vice president and general manager of the Control Devices
business unit. "However, with most notebook mice, the size of the
receiver forces people to plug and unplug the receiver each time
they use the laptop. Because we were able to make the nano-receiver
so small, it can remain plugged into the laptop at all times so
on-the-go notebook users save valuable time and never have to worry
about where the receiver is."
Plug-and-Forget Nano-Receiver
The VX Nano mouse's plug-and-forget nano-receiver is the world's
smallest USB receiver for mice (when compared with other 27 MHz USB
receivers for notebook mice commercially available as of March 1,
2007). When plugged into a laptop, the nano-receiver is nearly
flush against the notebook - protruding just 8 mm from the edge of
the computer. As a result, notebook users no longer have to worry
about the receiver getting lost or snagged. Instead, people can
plug in the nano-receiver once and then forget about it - the VX
Nano mouse is always ready for use.
Advanced Scrolling and Performance
To maximize productivity, the VX Nano mouse features the
MicroGear™ Precision Scroll Wheel, which Logitech introduced
last fall in the Logitech MX™ Revolution cordless laser mouse
and VX Revolution™ cordless laser mouse for notebooks. When
the wheel is in hyperfast scrolling mode, people can fly through
long documents with the flick of a finger. To shift to the precise,
click-to-click scrolling mode, people need only press and click the
scroll wheel. The mouse's Forward and Back buttons enable
effortless navigation of Web pages and documents, while a
One-Touch™ search button allows people to instantly display
results from a favorite search engine. A laser engine ensures
smooth cursor control and precision tracking on virtually any
surface, and Logitech's 2.4 GHz digital cordless technology
provides a robust wireless connection.
Low Profile, Ultra-Portable Design
A premium mouse for the on-the-go road warrior, the VX Nano
mouse's low-profile, ultra-portable design ensures that it slips
easily into a notebook bag, pocket or purse, while the contoured
shape and soft rubber grip provide exceptional comfort. The base of
the VX Nano mouse has a trap door that, when opened, reveals two
AAA batteries and a storage compartment for the nano-receiver.
Convenience
- Plug-and-forget Nano-receiver: Plug this tiny, unobtrusive
receiver into your notebook's USB port just once and forget about
it. The Nano-receiver makes your mouse always ready for use.
- Cordless freedom: Expect a robust wireless connection with
advanced 2.4 GHz cordless technology.
- Protective pouch: Use the stylish pouch to protect your mouse
when it's not in use.
- Longer battery life: Get up to 6 months of use (or longer with
the convenient on/off switch).**
Ultra-Portability and Style
- Ultra-portable design: Slips easily into your notebook
bag.
- Attractive style: Complements your active lifestyle with an
ultra-slim, sleek design.
Control
- Hyperfast scrolling: Fly through long documents at hyperspeed
with the nearly frictionless scroll wheel, or shift instantly to
precise scrolling.
- Forward/backward buttons: Effortlessly navigate the Internet
with forward and backward buttons.
- Five programmable buttons: Customize the mouse controls to fit
your needs with included SetPoint™ software (or, for Mac
users, with downloadable Logitech Control Center software).
Precision
- Laser precision: Experience smoother cursor control on
virtually any surface.*** The VX Nano outperforms ordinary optical
mice.
- Click-to-click scrolling: Increase productivity with
click-to-click navigation of lists, slides, and image
collections.
System Requirements
- PC
- Windows XP, Windows Vista
- USB port
- CD-ROM drive
- Mac
- Mac OS X (10.2.8 or later)
- USB port
- Internet connection (required for download of Logitech Control
Center software)
Package Contents
- Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks
- 2.4 GHz Nano-receiver
- 2 AAA batteries
- Logitech SetPoint™ Software CD
- Protective pouch
- User guide
- 3-year limited warranty
The Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks is
expected to be available in the US and Europe in late August for a
suggested retail price of $69.99.
Link:
Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks
LaCie Enhances Capacity of Porsche-Designed
Mobile Hard Drive
PR: LaCie has
announced increased capacity for its Mobile Hard Drives Design by
F.A. Porsche to 250 gigabytes*. Ideal for data backup, these new
drives include either USB 2.0 or USB 2.0 & FireWire 400
interfaces for easy data transfers between computers. This boost in
capacity nearly doubles the previously offered capacity for this
model.
Simply plug these drives in to your laptop or desktop computer's
USB or FireWire port to add massive storage for office data or
digital files, without the need for a cumbersome AC adaptor**.
Mobile Hard Drives Design by F.A. Porsche now have the largest
capacities available in a portable drive, at a low price per
gigabyte.
Housed in a small, sleek case and weighing less than a deck
of cards, these mobile hard drives are created exclusively for
LaCie by renowned agency Porsche Design GmbH. Exhibiting
world-class style and elite performance, Hard Drives Design by F.A.
Porsche can be slipped into a shirt pocket for effortless
transport. Gain peace of mind by coupling these drives with LaCie's
backup software for effortless data protection.
Drives are durable and lightweight for transporting from one
machine to another, and multiple drives can be stacked thanks to
secure rubber feet underneath.
Features:
- Spacious storage of up to 250 GB
- Lightweight, sleek design by F.A. Porsche
- Plug & play and USB Bus-powered**
- LaCie backup software for PC/Mac
- USB or USB & FireWire interface
Availability: Mid-July 2007
- LaCie Hard Drive Design by F.A. Porsche USB 80 GB $85 (USB
& FireWire is $105)
- LaCie Hard Drive Design by F.A. Porsche USB 120 GB $95 (USB
& FireWire is $140)
- LaCie Hard Drive Design by F.A. Porsche USB 160 GB $120 (USB
& FireWire is $160)
- LaCie Hard Drive Design by F.A. Porsche USB 250 GB $240 (USB
& FireWire is $270)
About Porsche Design GmbH
The agency is known for creating striking designs for objects as
various as motorcycles, cameras, lamps, sunglasses, furniture,
street lighting and tramways. Porsche Design evokes a style based
on purity, simplicity and elegance, the subtle balance of function
and form.
**Calculations are based on 900 MB per MPEG-4 (DivX) movie,
1 MB per JPEG photo file, and 3 MB per MP3 song. These
values often vary.
Link: LaCie
Pro-TiPaint Touchup Kit for All G4 Titanium
PowerBooks
PR: You
may soon need TiPaint if you own a PowerBook G4 "Titanium".
Your TiBook has a paint issue which causes the paint to chip and
scratch very easily.
If you've owned your TiBook for more than a few months, you have
probably already noticed this problem, even if you have handled
your TiBook very carefully.
We have developed a solution for this problem that will help
restore the appearance of your laptop and hide those ugly chips and
scratches. We call this solution the TiPaint touchup kit.
TiPaint is a high-durability enamel paint that has been custom
color-matched in a paint lab to cover up your PowerBook's
blemishes.
When you buy TiPaint we provide you with an applicator that
makes it easy to get the right amount of paint on the problem area.
We also provide you simple, detailed instructions to help you get
the best results.
This is the Professional touchup kit, it includes both
colors needed to touch up your G4. Also included are two types of
paint applicators, and detailed application instructions. (2
bottles include "Light Silver" for the outer bezel, and "Titanium"
for the case itself.)
TiPaint matches all Titanium PowerBook G4 models.
Features
- Manufacturer Application tips: TiPaint is a paint scratch
cover-up formulated to match the anodized aluminum finish used by
Apple on the PowerBook G4 and PowerMac G5.
- Because of the reflective properties of anodized aluminum, the
color match will vary slightly with changes in lighting. This fact
makes it important to use as little TiPaint as possible when
covering a scratch on your PowerBook.
- If the integrated brush is not precise enough for your
application, we recommend visiting a hobby store to get a brush
with a finer tip. Alternatively, you may use a household item with
a sharp tip, such as a toothpick, to apply the TiPaint.
- With a little extra time and effort spent on application your
results will be vastly improved.
Includes
- Only two bottles of Ti-Paint with instructions included. 1 Top
Case Paint
- 1 Bottom Case Paint
(*)WLM offers application tips for this product, however "We do
not guaranty an exact color match."
(*) The least amount of paint used is preferred)
Pro-TiPaint Touchup Kit for all G4 Titanium PowerBooks -
$19.95
We offer
both colors found on your G4: "Light Silver" for the outer bezel,
and "Titanium" for the case itself.
You can order the colors individually - or get them both by
ordering the professional kit.
For more information, visit:
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.
This Week's 'Book Deals
- refurb 1.83 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, $849
- refurb 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/Combo, $999
- refurb 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,099
- refurb 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,299
- refurb 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,499
- refurb 15" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,899
- refurb 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD,
$1,999
- refurb 17" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,199
TechRestore is offering a $25 discount to 'Book Review readers
off any PowerBook or iBook in stock. Just enter the code CWM during
checkout when ordering online. The coupon code is valid from now
through 2007.12.31.
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/Combo, $469.99 less $25 = $444.99
- 12" iBook G4/1.2 GHz, 256/30/Combo, $549.99 less $25 =
$514.99
- 14" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/40/Combo, APX, $649.99 less $25 =
$624.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/400, 256/20/DVD, $549.99 less $25 =
$524.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 1 GB/60/SD, one RAM slot, $699.99
less $25 = $674.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/60/SD, $819.99 less $25 =
$794.99
- 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/60/SD, $999.99 less $25 =
$974.99
- 17" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/80/SD, $1,099.99 less $25 =
$1,074.99
- 17" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SD, $1,149.99 less $25 =
$1,124.99
- 12" iBook G3/500, 192/10/CD, $199
- 12" iBook G3/600, 256/20/CD, $219
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/Combo, $299
- 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/CD, $289
- 12" iBook G4 1.0 GHz, 512/30/Combo, AirPort, $515
- 12" iBook G4 1.2 GHz, 512/30/Combo, AirPort, $559
- 15" PowerBook G4/867, 512/40/SD, $579
- Add Airport for $70
- 12" iBook G4/800, 256/40/Combo, $499
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 768/30/Combo, $549
- 12" iBook G4/1.2 GHz, 512/30/Combo, AirPort, $599
- 14" iBook G4/1.2 GHz, 768/60/Combo, AirPort, $649
- 14" iBook G4/1.42 GHz, 512/60/SD, AirPort, $749
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/80/SD, APX, BT, $849
- 15" PowerBook G4/1/GHz, 256/60/SD, AirPort, $849
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.33/GHz, 512/60/Combo, $799
- 17" PowerBook G4/1/GHz, 512/60/SD, AirPort, $759
- 12" clamshell iBook G3/300, blueberry, 64/3/CD, $169.95
- 12" clamshell iBook G3/366, Key lime, 128/10/CD, $289.95
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/10/CD, $219.95
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/40/CD-RW, $279.95
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/20/CD, $239.95
- 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/Combo, $379.95
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/30/Combo, AP, $549.95
- 14" Pismo PowerBook G3/400, 256/20/DVD, $349.95
- 14" iBook G4/1 GHz, 512/40/Combo, AP, $629.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/500, 256/20/DVD, $449.99
- 12" iBook G3/500, 192/10/CD, $284.95
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/CD, $379.95
- 12" clamshell iBook G3/300, 64/3/CD, OS 9, $129.99
- 12" clamshell iBook G3/300, 256/3/CD, OS X 10.3, $189.99
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/10/CD, OS X, $209
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/30/CD, OS X, $279
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/30/CD, OS X, $329
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.
