Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2005.03.17
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review. iPod
news is covered in The iNews Review.
Mac mini Tool Set Available, Includes DVD
NEWS:
The German firm Pacecar
Technologies has announced a new Toolset for Apple's
Mac mini.
Obviously looking at the Mac mini, it doesn't seem to be easy to
open the housing without damaging the machine. Naturally, you still
want to do this to upgrade your brand new Mac mini with RAM, hard
drive and other components.
This new tool set will help you to easily open the case of your
Mac mini for upgrading components like RAM, hard drive, and optical
drive. It includes a DVD video manual that will enable you to open
the case of your Mac mini within minutes without damaging it.
Mac mini tool set incl. DVD €14,90 (Currently available
only to European buyers, but Pacecar is seeking distributors
outside the EU.)
The Mac mini Colorized
NEWS: 123macmini.com
reports:
"ColorWare
plans on adding the Mac mini to its colorful line of products.
ColorWare is best known for the extraordinary paint jobs they do on
other Apple products such as the iMac, iPod, iBook and PowerBook.
. . . So it was only a matter of time before they added a
little color to the Mac mini. ColorWare sent us some pictures of
the Mac Minis they plan on producing...."
Linux Creator Switches to Macintosh
NEWS: CNET News.com's
Renai LeMay reports:
"Linux creator Linus Torvalds is now running an Apple Macintosh
as his main desktop, largely for work reasons but also because he's
not one to pass up a bargain.
"Torvalds, who initially created Linux for the Intel x86
platform, revealed to the Linux Kernel Mailing List in February
during a discussion on kernel size reduction that his main desktop
machine no longer featured an x86 processor. Hence, Torvalds said,
a patch specific to the x86 platform that he was submitting to the
list for consideration was totally untested.
"ZD Net Australia was intrigued by this remark and sought to
question Torvalds on why the man who helped revolutionize the use
of Unix on the x86 platform would move away from it, and where he
had moved to.
"Torvald's [sic] response came quickly and succinctly. 'My main
machine these days is a dual 2 GHz G5 (a.k.a. PowerPC 970) -
it's physically a regular Apple Mac, although it obviously only
runs Linux, so I don't think you can call it a Mac any more ;)' he
wrote."
Twin Cities-based Doctor Mac Direct
Offers "Mouse Calls"
NEWS: Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus has partnered with Twin
Cities entrepreneur Michael Catain to launch Doctor Mac Direct, a
new service for troubleshooting, technical support and training on
any Macintosh software issue. The company call center is based in
Excelsior, MN, but has experts stationed around the country.
Now for the first time, any
Macintosh user can request a Macintosh expert's help and receive
phone support or use a totally new interactive, web-based control
method that allows the Mac expert to see and work on the problem
remotely. Doctor Mac Direct also offers online interactive
training, assistance with system migration, pre-purchase buying
advice and more. The quick response time and online convenience
make the Doctor Mac Direct "Mouse calls" a great choice for any Mac
user who needs occasional tech help.
"It's a great choice for the average Mac user who needs
first-tier tech support on typical software issues," explains
LeVitus. "Also, businesses are calling in for second-tier support -
they may have their own tech support, but they're calling us for a
quick fix over the phone or online."
The Doctor Mac Direct startup team also included noted
technology writer, MacFixit.com founder and software troubleshooter
Ted Landau.
LeVitus and Landau demonstrated the service for the first time
to select press attending Macworld Conference & Expo in San
Francisco. Michael Catain is the CEO of Doctor Mac Direct as well
as the founder, CEO and driving force behind a hot new record
label, Liquid 8 Records & Entertainment, also based in the Twin
Cities.
"Doctor Mac Direct is exactly the kind of setup I wanted to help
my own father when he was alive," states LeVitus, newspaper
columnist and founder of Doctor Mac Direct. "There were so many
times I wanted to reach through the Internet, see his screen and
move his mouse to fix what he needed quickly. The technology and
bandwidth are finally here! Doctor Mac Direct is starting a
revolution in tech support and training on the Mac using the latest
technology, leading industry experts consulting with us."
Hand-selected industry veterans comprise the staff of Doctor Mac
Direct experts who use jargon-free language to help users track
down and resolve problems, conduct personal training or offer
advice. Doctor Mac Direct services are available for any issue
related to Mac OS X or Classic Mac system software, Apple software
or third-party software. Doctor Mac Direct experts will also help
Mac users migrate systems or transition to Mac OS X.
Doctor Mac Direct's experts use an incident-appropriate
combination of telephone, email and a unique Web-enabled control
software system to communicate with Macintosh users based on their
needs and connectivity situation. Macintosh users with a broadband
connection can choose to install a plug-in for Safari that allows
Doctor Mac Direct experts to see the customer's screen and move
their mouse for quicker problem solving, migration help or
training.
Macintosh users can call, toll-free 1-877-DrMac4U
(1-877-376-2248) or visit http://www.doctormacdirect.com to request
a Doctor Mac Direct expert's help, training and advice. Requests
will be answered with an estimated time, cost, matched expert and
proposed appointment. Problem resolution prices start at $30 for a
quarter-hour resolution. Doctor Mac Direct guarantees resolution in
the time estimated or will continue working toward resolution at no
additional cost.
"Mac users win big with high-quality help and a resolution
guarantee that we'll fix what's wrong within our estimate or keep
working on it at no additional cost until we do," LeVitus
continued.
Doctor Mac Direct, LLC is the world's first independent online
remote troubleshooting, technical support and training service for
the Macintosh. Focused on high-quality Macintosh consulting, the
service is staffed by hand-selected industry veteran experts who
use a combination of technology including phone, email and
web-enabled, remote control software to fix any Macintosh or
third-party software problem. Headquartered in Excelsior,
Minnesota, Doctor Mac Direct is a privately held Corporation.
For additional information, contact Doctor Mac Direct, LLC at
877-DrMac4U (877-376-2248) or visit the website.
Mac Memory: In Search of Affordable
Upgrades
NEWS: AnandTech's Anand Lal
Shimpi reports:
"Apple upgrades always tend to be more expensive than their PC
counterparts. It used to be that Macs used fairly different
components from what PCs used, but these days, the parts inside a
Power Mac are pretty much identical to what you'd find in a desktop
PC. The video cards are slightly different because of connector
differences as well as requiring a different video BIOS, but things
like disk drives and memory are virtually identical. Despite the
similarity in components, prices are almost always higher than
their PC counterparts, even when there's no good reason for it.
"Given that we've been strong advocates of a minimum of 512 MB
under OS X, we figured that it was time to put together a quick
guide on the Apple memory upgrades available in the market from
vendors other than Apple."
Bowie State University Builds $1 Million
Supercomputer Based on Xserve G5
NEWS: Bowie State
University has built a $1 million supercomputer in
cooperation with Apple Computer, Inc. XSEED is a 224-node cluster
based on Apple's Xserve
G5. Running Apple's Mac OS X Server operating system, each
Xserve is equipped with dual 2 GHz 64-bit G5 processors and is
interconnected with a Myrinet 4 Gbit/sec switch.
The combination of this cutting-edge technology places XSEED
among the world's top 100 most powerful supercomputers on the Top
500 list which serves as a benchmark for ranking high-performance
computing systems. The supercomputing cluster will enable high-end
graphics, animation, and complex computational problems among other
capabilities.
The initiative is expected to increase grant opportunities and
attract business partnerships. In the near future, Bowie State will
generate revenue by selling and negotiating cycle time. President
Dr. Calvin Lowe said, "Bowie State University is a place that has
outstanding resources and the desire is to give our faculty the
resources they need which will allow them to be in the
forefront."
XSEED is an extraordinary resource that will provide a computing
environment to enhance teaching, learning, and research at the
University. "This is such an exciting opportunity," says Dr. Diane
Krichmar, special assistant to the president and administrative
lead for the project. "What's really amazing is that a school our
size would engage in something like this in order to create this
sense of excitement."
XSEED was built by Bowie State computer technology and computer
science students under the direction of professor Mark Matties and
Apple Computer engineers. "We not only conceived of it, but did
it," says professor Matties who serves as the technical lead for
the supercomputing cluster. "The Model Institutions for Excellence
(MIE) program was very instrumental. This was a very labor
intensive project, and there was no way we could have done it
without our students."
The supercomputing cluster is housed in the Center for Learning
and Technology. For more information on the supercomputing cluster,
contact professor Mark Matties at (301) 860-3974.
OnyX 1.5.0 System Optimization and Maintenance
Tool
PR: OnyX is a
utility for maintenance, optimization, and personalization of Mac
OS X. It also makes it possible to configure certain hidden
parameters of the Finder, Dock, and Safari; to remove a certain
number of files and folders that become cumbersome; preview
different logs and CrashReporter; and more...
System requirements:
- OnyX 1.5.0 works with all Macintosh computers running Mac
OS X version 10.3.x (with BSD subsystem).
- OnyX 1.3.1 works with all Macintosh computers running Mac
OS X version 10.2.x (with BSD subsystem).
OnyX is freeware.
Cirque Easy Cat USB Touchpad for Mac &
PC
PR: The first USB
touchpad available for both Macintosh and PC computers, the Cirque
Easy Cat touchpad finally opens the door to comfort, durability,
and ease-of-use for USB users. Simply glide your finger lightly
over the touchpad surface to move the cursor onscreen, and tap the
surface or click the buttons to perform basic mouse functions. Very
little wrist motion and no touch pressure is required, making Easy
Cat USB one the most comfortable new input devices on the
market.
Convenient New Features
- Wheel-mouse scroll - Activate vertical scrolling by simply
gliding a finger along the right touchpad edge. No more pausing to
click-click-click the scroll bars.
- Right tap zone - Secondary mouse clicks provide quick access to
submenus.
- Left tap zone - Primary mouse clicks can be activated by
tapping anywhere outside the right tap zone on the touchpad
surface.
- Drag, draw, highlight - Just double-tap and glide your finger
on the pad, or hold the left "click" button as your finger
moves.
- GlideExtend - Hold your place onscreen when your finger senses
a change of texture on the touchpad's surface-- no more running off
the mousepad!
Physical Specifications
- 2.7" long x 3.4" wide x .05" deep.
- 6' USB cable.
- Two mechanical buttons.
- No contact pressure required.
System Requirements
- PC's with Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT 4.0, or XP and an available
USB port.
- Macs with native USB.
- Older Macs with a USB Adapter Card (PCI or CardBus slots)
require smi MacBinary software. Specifically, for Mac's with:
- OS 8.6 or later: Download Version 1.4.1
- OS 8.5.1: Download Version 1.2
- Mac OS X supports advanced features.
- Mac OS 8.5 - 9.x requires a special driver to support advanced
features.
Easy Cat for Mac sells for $54.95.
G-Play Personal USB Media Player
PR: G-Play
from G-Tech enables you to enjoy your favorite movies, personal
videos, music and digital photos wherever you go. Simply copy
content from your computer to G-Play via the built-in USB interface
and instantly play it on any TV! With G-Play you can create your
own virtual DVD, music and photo libraries*. G-Play is also ideal
for sales presentations and trade shows.
G-Play plays video formats including MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4
(DivX, DivX VOD, etc.). G-Play also plays your personal DVD movies
(ISO format) as if they were playing from the original DVD at full
quality and with full DVD functionality (with menus, fast forward,
pause, etc.).
- Store DVDs/personal movies and watch them on any TV
- Store digital photos and view them as a slide show
- Store and play music files
- Operates via infrared remote control and user-friendly GUI
- Doubles as an external hard disk for your data files
- Compact (5.2" x 3.15" x .67") and lightweight aluminum
enclosure
- High-Speed USB 2.0 port
- Mac and Windows compatible
- 1-year warranty
- Available in 80 GB or 100 GB drive capacity
G-Play makes it easy to download content from your computer and
play movies, music, and slide shows on any TV. Attach G-Play to any
Mac or Windows computer via USB and simply drag and drop your media
files to the system.
G-Play hooks up to any TV, monitor, VCR, cable, or satellite box
that supports composite, S-video, SCART RGB, YPbPr, or VGA. G-Play
supports stereo analog, SPDIF digital audio, and compressed Dolby
Digital 5.1 and DTS pass through. Simply hook up G-Play using the
included S-video/composite AV cable and sit back and enjoy the
fun.
G-Play supports popular music formats including WAV and MP3 and
also plays slide shows of JPG digital photos.
G-Play is operated via an infrared remote and a simple graphical
user interface (GUI). It is easy to navigate to and play your
content.
G-Play also doubles as a bus powered external USB 2.0 hard drive
for your data files.
Now accepting preorders. G-Play will ship in mid March.
Photoshop Elements 3 Included with Wacom
Intuos3 Pen Tablet
PR: Wacom Technology
Corporation announced that Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 is
now included with all sizes of its Intuos3 pen tablets. This
software offers photo enthusiasts powerful tools that are designed
to be used with a Wacom pen to quickly and easily edit digital
photos and create original artwork.
With 19 pressure-sensitive tools, Photoshop Elements 3 is
designed to be used with a Wacom pen to deliver dynamic control of
important tool attributes such as size, opacity, and color. When
used with a Wacom pen, the Quick Fix and Spot Healing Brush allow
users to selectively alter images and naturally remove photographic
flaws. Photographers will particularly appreciate the control of
Camera Raw and the efficiency of the new File Browser. Together, a
Wacom pen tablet and Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 make digital
editing easier and more efficient than ever before!
Also included with every Intuos3 pen tablet are Corel Painter
Essentials 2 for creating natural media art and organic effects,
Color Efex Pro 2 IE from nik multimedia for selectively applying
photographic enhancements, and Wacom Brushes 2 for even more brush
choices in Photoshop Elements 3.
The Intuos3 pen tablet is designed to provide the serious
photographer, designer, and artist with the power to quickly and
professionally edit photos and create digital artwork. Intuos3
turns on the full power of Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and over
100 other leading software applications. Intuos3 tablets now put
ExpressKeys and Touch Strips within easy reach for convenient
keyboard shortcuts, scrolling, zooming, controlling brush size and
more.
Using an Intuos3 pen, mouse, and tablet provides more control,
comfort and productivity. Alternating between the comfortable Grip
Pen and the ergonomic five-button Intuos3 mouse reduces repetitive
motion. Using an Intuos3 pen tablet is an easy and natural way for
serious photographers, designers, and artists to work. The Intuos3
comes in three sizes and is priced from $219.
Apple Backs Blu-Ray High Density DVD
Standard
NEWS: ExtremeTech
reports:
"Apple Computer Inc. said Thursday that it has joined the
Blu-Ray Disc Association, throwing its weight behind one of the two
competing next-generation DVD standards.
"Apple will join Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Corp., Royal Philips
Electronics and others on the association's board of directors,
designed to promote the 25-Gbyte single-layer and 50-Gbyte Blu-Ray
discs. Blu-Ray competes with the HD-DVD standard, led by
Toshiba."
Linux-Bootable iPods & FireWire Drives
PR: Finally! A
bootable FireWire drive with Yellow Dog Linux
preinstalled. You no longer need to reformat and repartition your
internal drive. Simply attach the FireWire drive, boot, hold the
Option key, select the FireWire volume using your mouse, and you
are running Yellow Dog Linux. It is truly that simple.
Prefer an iPod? Boot Yellow Dog Linux from your iPod and play
your music, too! Yes, this really works. We have partitioned your
iPod and installed Yellow Dog Linux for you. You need only select
it at boot having held the Option key. Linux + music on a single
box the size of an iPod!
Rather not lug your laptop to school, the library, or even a
client site? Just grab your bootable YDL iPod or hard drive, cable,
and - well, that's it! You don't need anything else but a G4 or G5
Mac at your destination, and you are ready to go.
- Apple bootable iPod, 20 GB, YDL installed: $388.95 +
shipping
- Apple bootable iPod photo, 30 GB, YDL installed: $438.95 +
shipping
- Apple bootable iPod photo, 60 GB, YDL installed: $538.95 +
shipping
- LaCie Porsche bootable, pocket 40 GB FireWire drive, YDL
installed: $226.98 + shipping
- LaCie Porsche bootable, 5.25" 260 GB FireWire drive, YDL
installed: $229.98 + shipping
- LaCie Porsche bootable, 5.25" 250 GB FireWire drive, YDL
installed: $278.98 + shipping
iLift Mounting Arm for iMac G5, Cinema
Display
PR: Flexible mounting arm liberates desk space; provides
ergonomic benefits
Innovative Office Products,
Inc., a designer and manufacturer of ergonomic mounting
solutions for LCD monitors and keyboards, will introduce the new
iLift today, providing a flexible mounting solution for the new
iMac G5 and Apple Cinema Display monitors.
The iLift arm suspends the iMac and
Cinema Display above the desk surface and provides users with
greater flexibility and ergonomic benefits. It rotates 360 degrees
at three swivel joints, allowing the user to quickly reposition the
monitor with one hand.
"By allowing the user to adjust the monitor's position and
height at will, the iLift enables users to quickly adapt their work
areas to individual needs, thereby increasing comfort and
productivity," said Bud Oddsen, president of Innovative Office
Products. "These ergonomic benefits are important, since Apple
products are commonly used in creative applications that require
long computing sessions."
The iLift replaces the CinemaLift and StudioLift products,
released in 2003 for the older models of Cinema Display and Studio
Display.
The iLift is designed with a new white finish that complements
the modern Apple style. It also features:
- Integrated cable management that keeps cords out of the
way
- Extension up to 27 inches and fold back to just 3 inches for
workplace flexibility
- 200 degrees of monitor tilt
The iLift can be found at about 130 Apple resellers across the
country. It is compatible with the 20" and 23" Apple Cinema Display
models and 17" and 20" iMac G5. It requires purchase of an Apple
VESA mount adapter kit, available from Apple dealers.
Sonnet Tempo-X eSATA 8: First Serial ATA PCI-X
Host Controller with 8 External Ports for Mac
PR: Sonnet Technologies, the worldwide leader in upgrade
cards for Apple Macintosh computers, announces Tempo-X
eSATA 8, the first Serial ATA (SATA) host controller with
eight external ports for Power Macintosh computers and the latest
addition to the Sonnet Tempo line of products.
This high-performance adapter
utilizes the PCI-X interface to take advantage of the enhanced
performance offered in fast Power Mac G5 computers while retaining
compatibility in standard PCI slots. Each port has its own
controller, and is independently capable of data transfer rates of
up to 150 MB/s, while much higher transfer rates may be achieved
when connected drives are grouped in a RAID array.
With performance equal to Sonnet's acclaimed Tempo-X SATA 4+4,
Tempo-X eSATA 8 is a fantastic choice for users working with High
Definition video editing and authoring applications. While attached
drives can be formatted for individual use, the benefit of using
Mac OS X Disk Utility to group them in RAID 0 (Stripe) arrays is
clear - 8-drive arrays can sustain read/write speeds in excess of
545 MB/s - offering more than enough performance to capture and
process uncompressed 10-bit High Definition video without dropping
a frame.
This card's eight external ports make it easier than ever for
users to add storage capacity simply by plugging in cables between
their computer and SATA drive enclosures. "Many customers requested
an all-external-port version of our Tempo-X SATA 4+4 card,"
declares Robert Farnsworth, Sonnet President and CEO. "It was a
challenge to deliver 8 ports through one PCI slot, but Sonnet
engineers rose to that challenge and delivered another industry
first." Tempo-X eSATA 8 uses eSATA (external Serial ATA) connectors
that are designed to withstand heavy-duty use, and provide enhanced
EMI (electromagnetic interference) protection.
eSATA is the emerging standard from the Serial ATA International
Organization (SATA-IO) for the external deployment of Serial ATA
storage solutions. "eSATA cables offer better shielding for reduced
EMI, use connectors with better retention than the internal SATA I
version, and are rated at 5,000 insertion cycles," states Steve
Garceau, Sonnet Product Manager.
Tempo-X eSATA 8 Key Features
- 8 external eSATA ports to support up to 4+TB of storage o
64-bit, 133 MHz PCI-X Serial ATA host controller o Works in any
PCI-X or PCI slot in the listed compatible computers o 48-bit LBA
support for drives with a capacity larger than 137 GB
- No drivers to install; plug and play installation o Supports
Mac OS X's built-in RAID 0 (striping) and RAID 1 (mirroring)
functions
- Upgradable firmware to enable future enhancements
Compatibility
- Compatible with Mac OS X Version 10.2 and higher
- Macintosh models: Power Macintosh G3 Blue & White, Power
Mac G4 (all models except Cube), Power Mac G5
Pricing and Availability: Tempo-X eSATA 8 is available
immediately with a retail price of US$299.95.
Sonnet Tempo eSATA Data Cables
PR: Sonnet Tempo
eSATA Data Cables: Your Connection to the Outside
- TCB-TSATA-2/1 connects Tempo-X eSATA 8 to an external drive
enclosure with SATA I connectors.
- TCB-TSATA-2/2 connects Tempo-X eSATA 8 to an external drive
enclosure with eSATA connectors.
All Tempo eSATA data cables will also be available immediately
and are sold individually with a retail price of USD $24.95, or in
4-packs with a retail price of USD $79.95.
QuickerTek Announces Compatibility &
Availability of Plug and Play 27dBm Transceiver
PR: QuickerTek has announced
today that the 27dBm Plug and Play Transceiver is now available is
compatible with the complete range of Apple Airport Base Stations
including the Graphite, AirPort Extreme with antenna port and
Airport Base Station Extreme with the antenna port. This product
maximizes the wireless power available to Apple Airport users under
Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X.
The 27dBm Plug and Play Transceiver does not require disassembly
of the Apple Airport Base Station and resolves the range problem
often experienced when using Airport Base Stations. This
Transceiver adds 500Mw of power to the Airport Base Station. This
new model is the second 27dBm transceiver introduced by
QuickerTek.
Unlike the previous model, this new 27dbm transceiver operates
on all 2.4 GHz, WiFi systems. The transceiver supports both 802.11g
and 802.11b wireless networks and works with both OS 9.x and
OS X 10.x systems. This product is designed especially for
Apple's Airport Extreme wireless systems and allows the maximum
power output allowed. Apple wireless products have RF output of
only 30mW, while this new transceiver outputs a whopping 500mW.
"Again, our customers have told us that this is the product they
wanted and we went for it. We designed it to meet the feedback we
received from our wireless Mac customers," said Rick Estes,
president, QuickerTek. "If you need maximum Airport performance,
this is the product that delivers. This new transceiver pumps out
500 milliwatts of wireless RF power - that's the redline according
to the FCC."
The kit comes with mounting brackets, adapter cable, wall
mounted power supply and utility software CD. The Transceiver does
not require any installation software. See
http://www.quickertek.com/27dbtrans.html for more specific product
information.
The 27dBm Plug and Play Transceivers are available from stock
$180. Jack Putnam of TechnoWarehouse said, "We've got these
transceivers in stock and we're ready to ship. We don't expect to
have much inventory left by the end of the week. Our customers have
hounded us for higher output Airport performance and this new
transceiver is all that and more."
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.
