This Week's Apple and Desktop Mac News
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review.
Windows Watch
This week's 'Book Review: 'Books
tops in reliability, support; replace or repair; PowerBook G5 still
a ways off; and more. Also hopes for a lighter PowerBook,
stainless steel replacement hinges for TiBook, bargain 'Books from
$280 to $1,739, and more.
40% of PC Enthusiasts Would Consider Mac as
Second Computer
NEWS: X-bit's
Anton Shilov reports:
"A significant part of PC users would consider buying an Apple
computer as their second computer provided that it is stylish and
affordable, says a recent poll by X-bit labs website oriented
towards PC enthusiasts. The results outline growing popularity of
products by Apple Computer.
"Recently released results of an X-bit poll demonstrate about
40% of surveyed feeling positive about considering to buy an
affordable and stylish Apple Mac computer in order to learn how to
use Mac OS X and use it in addition to PC, however, another
60% still felt like they would rather own another PC than a Mac.
While the majority is still looking into the PC universe, 40% of PC
users is a significant market to address by Apple Computer, who
commands only about 1% of global market of computers....
"X-bit labs readers are well-educated and typically make
balanced purchase decisions based on in-depth investigations and
observations. The X-bit labs poll surveyed over 1.5 thousand of
respondents among technology enthusiasts in mid-January, 2005."
Mac mini: Half the Server at a Quarter of the
Price
NEWS: Load test are performed by Tenon and Macminicolo.net on a
low-end Mac mini to validate their
claim that the Mac mini is a suitable Web server platform
for 80% of the websites on the market.
The tests measured the performance of a 1.25 GHz Mac mini
compared to a 1.8 GHz dual G5. Both servers were running Mac
OS X 10.3.7 and the Apache 2.0.50 web server under iTools. The
Mac mini had been outfitted with an extra 256 MB of memory;
otherwise the system was a stock release from Apple. The dual G5
also had 512 MB of memory and a 140 GB disk - also a readily
available stock Apple configuration for about $2,145.
The Mac mini topped out at 1,239 hits per second, yielding 2,502
Kbytes/sec of data served, while the dual G5 held up 2,174 hits per
second, yielding 4,387 Kbytes/sec. It is probable that other
testers will be able to produce improved hits per second from both
machines, however most day-to-day installations will orbit around
these performance levels.
While these figures aren't at the top end of the generally
available ISP-class web server performance curve by any means, the
economics of the Mac mini are such that for the first time ever
there is a competitive Macintosh server able to handle more than
1,000 hits per second yielding 20 Mbits of data at a price that
meets or beats much of the industry - and it all comes in an Apple
package with their traditional emphasis on quality, style and Mac
OS X's UI. A great little server for the rest of us!
mini Options
NEWS: Computerworld's Frank Hayes
says:
"Will the Mac mini have an
impact on us? Probably. And it'll likely almost all be good news.
For corporate IT, there's no downside to the mini. And any upside
will take a year or so to hit us.
"Will it matter? Will the world really change now
that Apple is rolling out a sub-US$500 Mac named after a cute
little car? Will the Mac mini have any impact on corporate IT at
all? The answers are pretty clear: Yes, no and sure, but not the
way Mac lovers might expect.
"Let's get the obvious analysis out of the way upfront: A $500
price tag won't make corporate IT shops crave Macs. Heck, if Apple
gave them away with a $500 bill taped to each machine, we still
wouldn't use them. The transition costs would be too high.
"But will the Mac mini have an impact on us? Probably. And it'll
likely almost all be good news.
"We're used to writing off Apple as irrelevant because Macs
don't run Windows software. (Strictly speaking, they can, but it's
usually not worth the trouble to make that happen.)....They're not
for us. That's corporate IT gospel.
"But notice: Even at just 3 percent, there are still only seven
companies in the world that sell more computers than Apple does.
And most of those seven companies are sweating, because there's not
much they can do to innovate or differentiate in the lock-step,
beige-box game.
"Meanwhile, irrelevant Apple gets to do pretty much whatever it
wants. Because corporate IT shuns Macs, Apple doesn't sell to us.
. . . So if Apple wants to abandon floppy disks or sell
computers in funny colors or shapes, it can. In contrast, PC makers
have been trying since 1999 to get away from the beige tower and
legacy features. So far, they haven't even managed to get rid of
parallel printer ports."
Controlling Your Mac mini with Your
Newton
NEWS: Engadget's Peter Rojas
says:
"When we joked a few weeks ago in the part about VNC in our
tutorial on turning your Mac mini into a media center that we'd
give '300 bonus points to anybody who sends us a shot of their
Newton controlling their Mac mini,' we never thought we'd actually
have to pay up. Alright, Kyle Fiducia, will you take a third-party
bad check?"
Mac mini RAM Upgrade Tutorial
NEWS: macsimumnews.com's
Jeff Graber says:
"As an Apple Service Provider even I was surprised to hear Apple
insist users take their Mac minis to a shop for memory upgrades.
For years, users have been doing their own memory upgrades, and
Apple has been promoting 'self-service' actively for the past few
years. So what gives?
"Then it occurred to me: either Apple doesn't trust the skills
of an average user with a 'modified' putty knife, or Apple is
pushing for its own RAM upgrades on this low margin Mac through the
build-to-order process. If you know it already, Apple's RAM is
priced beyond reason.
"If you have a putty knife with a 1.5-inch flexible blade, just
sand down with 150 grit paper on one side for about two minutes
until the edge is slightly beveled. Then with your 'modified' putty
knife in hand...."
Mac mini Service Manual Source
NEWS: Hardmac's Lionel
reports:
"Apple publishes complete documentations showing how to
disassemble each machine to authorized maintenance centers. It's
impossible to tweak your machine with a certain success without
these docs. The website http://www.smashsworld.com which
had already published a video of the disassembly, now has a
bitTorrent link to download this pdf. They've probably chosen this
solution knowing that Apple hates to see its pdfs on the web."
Evoluent VerticalMouse 2
PR: The Evoluent VerticalMouse
2 has a patented new shape that supports your hand in a
relaxed handshake position and eliminates arm twisting.
Right and left hand models available.
Eliminates Arm Twisting
The patented shape supports your hand in a relaxed
handshake position that eliminates forearm twisting. You will
quickly become accustomed to the improved comfort.
An ordinary horizontal mouse requires your forearm to twist away
from its natural position.
The grip is the same as an ordinary mouse, just turned sideways,
and the buttons are operated by the same fingers. There is
virtually no retraining necessary.
The button force is light for easy clicking, but still firm
enough to avoid accidental actuation. The mouse does not move
sideways when clicking with normal force. Pointer control is as
accurate as any other good mouse.
1200 dpi true optical resolution sensor reduces hand movements.
Great for games. (Other mice have 800 dpi)
Five programmable buttons with 59 selectable functions
each, plus special features such as:
- Vertical scroll - press a button and drag the mouse to scroll
with greater precision and control than the scroll wheel.
- Auto click - automatically perform a double click by pausing
the pointer.
- Click lock - press and hold a button momentarily to simulate
continued pressing without holding down the button.
Compatibility
Mac:
- 1 button in OS 9, 2 buttons and scroller without additional
driver in OS 10 or higher.
- Third party driver available for extra cost at http://www.usboverdrive.com
enables all buttons.
- USB port.
Unix
- 3 buttons without additional driver.
- USB port.
Linux
- 5 buttons in XFree 4.0.1 or higher without additional
driver.
- USB port.
Windows PC
- 5 programmable buttons enabled by included driver.
- Windows XP, 2000, NT, ME, 98SE.
- USB, PS/2.
Specifications
- Resolution: 1200 dpi true optical resolution
- Length: 4.6"/11.7 cm
- Width: 3"/7.6 cm
- Height: 3"/7.6 cm
- Cable: 2 m
The C-Station Relaxation Station
PR: Bluebroc's C-Station is a
"relaxation station" designed to combine home computing and mobile
working with extreme comfort. The launch of the chair has sparked a
demand from all over the world with one of its first UK customers
being celebrity Jonathan Ross.
The idea was conceived by Managing Director and designer Paul
Tasker after spending five uncomfortable months riding his
motorbike from London to Sydney, Australia. "Necessity is the
mother of invention," he said. "Sitting on the bike, I dreamt of
comfort. By the time I crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the
concept for the 'C-Station' was formed."
The concept is simple - whether surfing the Web, working, or
watching a DVD, the C-Station is designed for comfort and
relaxation. The C-shaped workspace wrapped around the ergonomically
designed chair provides space for a remote control, mobile phone,book and drink. In addition, a Mac or PC can be installed with
adjustable flat screen monitor, wireless keyboard, and mouse for
the ultimate work or relaxation space.
More and more people are choosing to
work from home, and in general we are spending increasing amounts
of time surfing the Web. The C-Station is the perfect addition to a
studio, office, or home and is available in a variety of colours
and fabrics.
The C-Station can be seen online at or at the Bluebroc showroom
at the Business Design Centre, Islington, UK.
The idea is simple - to chill out. Designed so that all you want
is close to hand - the remote control, telephone, book, and drink -
everything you need. By adding a flat screen monitor on an
adjustable arm, a cordless keyboard, and a mouse, C-Station brings
together style, comfort, elegance, and technology, perfect for home
cinema, gaming, listening to music, or just chilling.
C-Station is a relaxation-station - not a workstation.
Colours: leather chamois black, light grey, cream, white,
sapphire, pillar box [red]
Kanguru Solutions Releases Newly Redesigned
Kanguru Quicksilver
PR: Kanguru Solutions announces the release of the newly
redesigned Kanguru
Quicksilver external hard drive.
The ultimate storage
solution for saving or backing up data, the Kanguru Quicksilver
external hard drive features a new cutting-edge design. A high
strength exterior alloy casing allows for improved heat dissipation
during prolonged use. It also provides the option for users to lay
the product horizontal or stand vertical to economize precious
storage space.
As an additional feature, a vibrant Kanguru LED glows electric
blue, providing an eye-catching display when the drive is
operating. The sleek and lightweight design of the Kanguru
Quicksilver is also incredibly durable, and it is able to withstand
up to 200 Gs of shock.
Available in USB 2.0 and combination FireWire/USB 2.0 options,
the Kanguru Quicksilver transfers data at lightning speeds and now
offers a high performance 7200 RPM drive and 400 GB storage
capacity.
A plug and play device, it works with most operating systems
including Windows 98/98 SE/ME/2000/XP. The Kanguru Quicksilver also
works with Mac OS 9.1 and above and Linux 2.4.1 and above operating
systems.
Addonics 'Saturn Hard Drive Enclosures Bring
Mobility, Multi-Interface Compatibility to SATA and IDE Hard
Drives
PR: Addonics Technologies has announced the Saturn
Hard Drive Enclosure family of products, the first drive
enclosure kit that enables any SATA hard drive to connect to a
computer via USB, FireWire, CardBus/PCMCIA, SATA or IDE interface.
Saturn is also the first storage solution that allows any 3.5" SATA
hard drive, or 3.5", 2.5", or 1.8" IDE hard drive to be used as
removable drive via the same drive bay in a Mobile Rack
application.
Designed on a modular
concept, the Saturn hard drive enclosure components can be mixed
and matched to meet practically any storage application. Since all
Saturn components are interchangeable, users can mix components for
specialized applications. Saturn Hard Drive kit enables users to
read/write to their hard drive with practically any computing
device, both legacy and new systems as well as provide desktop and
mobile use.
Common configurations in the Saturn Drive Enclosure kits
include:
Saturn ExDrive (SED) - An external hard drive solution using a
SATA or IDE hard drive. The Saturn ExDrive enclosure is designed
with Addonics USIB connector to enable either SATA or IDE hard
drives to connect to various interfaces by attaching different USIB
interface cables. Each ExDrive package comes with one Addonics USIB
interface cable and an 110/220V AC/DC power adapter. The enclosure
can be expanded into a Combo Hard Drive or Drive Cartridge system
with the optional IDE Drive Cradle or USIB Drive Cradle.
Saturn Mobile Rack (SMR) - A removable hard drive storage
solution via an IDE Drive Cradle mounted inside a 5.25" drive bay.
Either SATA or IDE hard drives can be installed or removed from the
same Drive Cradle as a removable hard drive.
Saturn Combo Hard Drive (SCHD) - Combines the features of the
Saturn ExDrive and Mobile Rack. The Drive enclosure, when removed
from the Drive Cradle, can be used as an external hard drive system
using one of the Addonics USIB interface cables and the power
adapter that are included in each package.
Saturn Drive Cartridge System (SDCS) - The Saturn SDCS
configuration adds a hot swappable removable hard drive system
inside a 5.25" drive bay via USB, SATA, or FireWire interface with
the included USIB interface cable in each package. External
installation is supported with the optional power adapter and
optional USIB interface cable. This is the most complete
installation with room to expand as well as the option to change
interfaces as needed.
All Addonics Saturn Hard Drive kits include the necessary
components and hardware for users to install their own choice of
hard drive. An optional kit is available for installing a 2.5" or
1.8" IDE hard drive in the same enclosure. SATA as well as IDE hard
drives can also be interchanged in any system via the same 5.25"
drive bay. The Saturn enclosure and cradle systems are designed
with direct point-to-point connection from the hard drive to the
enclosure and the drive cradles for the most reliable
connection.
Almost any level of user can configure the Saturn Drive
Cartridge system. No switches or jumpers or special format utility
software is required to prepare the hard drive, or for switching
between internal/external use once the drive is installed. Addonics
Saturn Hard Drive kits can be installed in systems with practically
any operating system depending on the type of interface
connection.
List price of the Addonics Saturn Drive Cartridge kit starts
from $74.50 for the Saturn ExDrive (SED) for SATA hard drives with
USB 2.0 interface to $79 for the Saturn Drive Cartridge System
(SDCS) with hot swappable removable IDE hard drive
capabilities.
Addonics products are available through the company online
store, major catalog companies, resellers, VARs, and distributors,
including Newegg.com
, Amazon.com,
PC
Connection, CDW,
Buy.com,
Provantage.com, Insight, and Ingram Micro.
Windows Watch
Dell Doesn't Understand Home Market
NEWS: BusinessWeek's
Nicholas G. Carr says:
"The tech business has a lot of trash talkers, but Dell CEO
Kevin Rollins isn't one of them. Reserved and circumspect, he
chooses his words carefully.
"So it was quite a surprise to hear him launch a verbal attack
against rival Apple Computer in a recent interview. Rollins
dismissed Apple's mega-selling iPod as a 'fad,' calling it a
'one-product wonder,' and he pooh-poohed the eye-catching Mac mini
as inconsequential.
"Rollins' comments are more than uncharacteristic. They're
troubling - and not just for their snippiness. They raise real
questions about how well Dell understands the home market.
"Up to now, Dell has been able to use pretty much the same
strategy in selling computers to consumers as to business buyers:
Offer functional, standard machines at cutthroat prices. Focus
relentlessly on cutting supply-chain costs. Don't worry about
product design."
Carr goes on to analogize how Henry Ford in the 1920s made the
same blunder, sticking with the austere Model T while General
Motors' President Alfred P. Sloan introduced a string of
attention-grabbing Chevrolet models with smart new features. "By
1927, Chevys were actually outselling Model Ts. The market had
gone, to use Sloan's terms, from 'mass' to 'mass class.'"
The once dominant Ford Motor Company never regained its market
lead over GM.
"Ford's fall stands as a cautionary tale for all companies that
have thrived by riding the commoditization wave of a new consumer
product," Carr concludes.
Computing's Silent Revolution
NEWS: Cnet News.com's
David Becker says:
"PC noise is raising a ruckus as more powerful computers require
stronger and often louder cooling systems and PCs begin to move
from the office into living rooms and bedrooms.
"The quest for quiet computing has inspired a cottage industry
of specialist manufacturers, growing attention from major PC makers
and a small underground of acoustic cultists. Will average
consumers pay more to dim the decibels?
"Once a minor annoyance, noise from PCs has become a growing
concern as ever-more powerful computers require stronger and often
noisier cooling systems - especially with PCs moving out of the
office into living rooms and bedrooms. The quest for quiet
computing has inspired a cottage industry of specialist
manufacturers, growing attention from major PC companies and a
small underground of acoustic cultists who'll go to any extreme to
eliminate another decibel of PC din....
"Most PC noise issues come down to heat. As processors and other
components have become more powerful and electricity-hungry,
they've required bigger and faster fans to keep them from burning
to a crisp."
Matrox Dual Link Parhelia DL256 PCI Graphics
Card Supports 30" Apple Cinema HD Display under Windows
PR: Matrox Graphics Inc. has announced the Parhelia
DL256 PCI, a 256 MB PCI graphics card designed to power
next-generation high-resolution dual link digital flat panels, such
as the 30" Apple Cinema HD Display, with resolutions up to 2560 x
1600. Along with this remarkable technology, the Parhelia DL256 PCI
graphics card enables users to connect a second VGA display or
video monitor for convenient video output and multi-display
flexibility as well as providing unique
What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) video output plug-ins for a
host of popular video editing, compositing and visual effects
applications.
"The Parhelia DL256 PCI graphics card, when used in conjunction
with the new Apple Cinema HD Display, provides creative
professionals with unprecedented desktop space for viewing, editing
and creating detailed graphics and video," says Caroline Injoyan,
product manager, Matrox Graphics. "This solution dramatically
augments workstation productivity through enhanced desktop real
estate and video output support and offers Matrox's renowned
digital and analog image quality for amazing results."
The Matrox Parhelia DL256 PCI is a 64-bit, 66 MHz graphics card
that's slot compatible with all 32-bit and 64-bit PCI and PCI-X
slots. Incorporating dual 400 MHz RAMDACs and dual TMDS
transmitters, the Parhelia DL256 PCI enables dual link DVI support
for resolutions up to 2560 x 1600 as well as support for an analog
VGA display at resolutions up to 2048 x 1536. An included S-video
and composite video output cable combines with Matrox's PureVideo
Preview technology to provide full screen video playback to an NTSC
or PAL video monitor. Bundled software includes the Matrox
PowerDesk-HF utility suite, an intuitive and feature rich interface
for adjusting board-level and multi-display parameters, and WYSIWYG
video output plug-ins for Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects,
Adobe Photoshop, Discreet Combustion 3, Discreet 3ds max, and
NewTek LightWave 3D®. The Parhelia DL256 PCI is OpenGL and
Microsoft DirectX compliant and ships with display drivers for
Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000.
The Matrox Parhelia DL256 PCI graphics card is available at an
ESP of $699 from authorized resellers and directly from Matrox.
Desktop Mac Deals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers every two
weeks:
For deals on laptops, see our Best PowerBook G4 Deals,
Best iBook G4 Deals,
and Best iBook G3
Deals. For deals on iPods, see our Best iPod Deals.
