Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2006.06.02
PC World puts 5 Apple products on their 100 Best Products of the
Year list - more than any other brand - while also putting 5 Apple
innovations on their 25 Worst Tech Products list.
Gene Steinberg shares his thoughts on the Power Mac replacement,
widely anticipated to be called the Mac Pro, and Microsoft has
released its first ever keyboard/mouse combo designed just for the
Mac. It's not white, but it should look good next to a Mac mini or
Power Mac.
On the iPod accessory front, SpeckTone has released a retro-look
speaker system that looks like a radio (think early 1960s). It has
an iPod dock and an auxiliary input. I guess that means you can
hook it up to your modern Mac or 'Book as well as a portable music
player. dk
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review. News about
Apple's transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is
covered in The Macintel Report.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products
News & Opinion
Apple Places 5 in PC World 100 Best Products of
the Year
Notable mentions:
- 1. Intel Core Duo
- 4. Apple iPod nano
- 10. Apple Boot Camp
- 35. Apple Mac mini Value
Desktop Computer
- 36. Apple iPod Digital Audio/Video Player
- 43. Apple iTunes Digital Audio Software
Others of interest
- 11. Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 Image Editor
- 12. Mozilla Firefox 1.5 Web Browser
- 48. Opera 9 (Beta) Browser
I would have reversed the standings of Opera and Firefox....
cm
- Link: The
100 Best Products of the Year
Apple Also Among 25 Worst Tech Products
PC World's Dan Tynan says:
"At PC World, we spend most of our time talking about products
that make your life easier or your work more productive. But it's
the lousy ones that linger in our memory long after their
shrinkwrap has shriveled, and that make tech editors cry out, 'What
have I done to deserve this?'
"Still, even the worst products deserve recognition (or
deprecation). So as we put together our list of World Class winners
for 2006, we decided also to spotlight the 25 worst tech products
that have been released since PC World began publishing nearly a
quarter-century ago.
- 17. Apple Macintosh
Portable (1989)
- 22. Apple Pippin @World (1996)
"(Dis)Honorable Mention
Editor's
note: I'm still a fan of the Mac Portable. It was never meant as a
laptop computer or even a notebook; it was a no compromise, battery
powered, portable version of the Mac with a full sized keyboard, a
large trackball, and a 10-hour battery. (And Tynan is wrong when he
says the Mac Portable only ran from battery power; it shipped with
an AC adapter just like every portable ever made.) dk
- Link: The 25
Worst Tech Products of All Time
Hopes and Dreams for the Mac Pro
Gene Steinberg, the Mac Night Owl, says:
"Let's make it simple: I have already made public predictions on
the subject, here, on my radio show and on Craig Crossman's
syndicated broadcast, Computer America. In each case I said
something that I regard as obvious, that Apple will be announcing a
professional desktop computer, known as the Mac Pro, during the
WWDC in August."
- Link:
The Hopes and Dreams for the Mac Pro
Apple Launches Free Computer Take-Back
Program
CUPERTINO, California - May 31, 2006 - Apple today announced the
launch of its free computer take-back program, offering US
customers environmentally friendly recycling of their old computer
when they buy a new Mac. Beginning today, the Apple Store and Apple
retail stores will give US customers the option of recycling their
unwanted PCs, regardless of the manufacturer.
When a customer chooses to participate in the program, Apple
will send an email with instructions and a label for free shipping
and recycling. Customers simply package their recyclable equipment
and attach the label provided. All equipment received by the
program is recycled domestically and no hazardous material is
shipped overseas.
Apple's recycling programs have processed more than 21 million
pounds of electronics worldwide since 1994. Apple continues to
offer a free iPod recycling program through its US retail stores,
providing environmentally friendly disposal of any unwanted iPod
and a 10 percent discount on the purchase of a new iPod. The
company also operates a free drop-off recycling service at its
headquarters in Cupertino for used computer systems and home
electronics.
More information on Apple's recycling programs and
industry-leading environmental policies is available online at
apple.com/environment.
Apple's free computer take-back program is offered to customers
in the 48 contiguous United States.
Mac or Windows PC? Apple Gives You Both
Knight Ridder Newspapers' Julio Ojeda-Zapata says:
"Until recently, you faced a stark choice when picking a home
computer - you bought either a Windows PC or a Macintosh.
"The popular PCs guarantee you will have access to a vast
software library, but the computers' antiquated Windows XP
operating system is infamous for its security failings.
"Apple Computer's Macs, by comparison, are attractive machines.
But Apple's meager market share has meant slim software pickings
elsewhere.
"Now, you no longer have to choose. Just buy a Macintosh."
- Link: It's a PC!
It's a Mac! It's...
Some UK iPod Owners Unhappy with One Year
Warranty
The Guardian's Phillip Inman says:
"Apple iPod owners love their sleek machines. That's when they
work. When they don't, they enter a twilight world where they
discover their prized music player is considered by its
manufacturer as nothing more than a throwaway item.
"It doesn't matter that iPod lovers can spend up to £300
on their gizmo. Apple operates on the basis that the iPod life
expectancy is a year, and that's it.
"Complain that your £200 or £300 could have bought a
fridge or TV that would be expected to last five years or more, and
a customer services assistant will explain that a one-year warranty
is just that, and no more."
Editor's note: Yes, people get upset when items break just
outside of warranty, but the whole point of a one year warranty is
12 months of coverage - not 14 or 15. For those who don't think a
one year warranty is sufficient, AppleCare for the iPod is
available for US$59/C$69/£39/€59 and provides three
full years of coverage. dk
- Link: Is
Your iPod One of the Bad Apples?
Products
First Microsoft Wireless Keyboard and Laser
Mouse Just for Mac
PR: Microsoft Corp. has announced the availability of the
Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac, its first Mac-specific desktop
complete with a stylish wireless Comfort Curve Keyboard and a
wireless High Definition laser mouse. With this new desktop set,
the Microsoft Hardware division combines comfortable design with
High Definition technology to deliver the ultimate in cutting-edge
performance, luxury and style to any Mac user. The futuristic
silver finish complements the Mac design to make a mark on any
desktop while providing the freedom of wireless control.
The Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac
features Microsoft's first keyboard designed specifically for the
Mac. The key layout is consistent with Mac-only keyboards. To truly
meet Mac users' needs, this is Microsoft's only keyboard without
the Windows Start button. The Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac is
compatible with the new Intel-based Mac machines as well as PowerPC
models, and will have Hot Keys that map to Mac programs such as
iTunes and iPhoto.
"We are excited to see our colleagues on the Microsoft Hardware
team provide this Mac-only keyboard and mouse to strengthen
Microsoft's lineup of products for Mac users, which includes our
productivity suite, Office 2004 for Mac," said Scott Erickson,
director of product management and marketing for the Macintosh
Business Unit at Microsoft. "This launch further demonstrates
Microsoft's commitment to enhancing the computing experience for
Mac users. We were able to preview the product at Macworld this
January and saw firsthand the very favorable response from Mac
customers."
Classy Comfort
For greater comfort at work or in the home, the Wireless Laser
Desktop for Mac's Comfort Curve Keyboard encourages natural hand
and wrist positioning in an easy-to-use layout for enhanced comfort
and productivity. The Comfort Curve design is preferred by a ratio
of 3-to-1 over flat, straight keyboards, and includes a cushioned
palm rest for supreme comfort.1
Designed and tested by Microsoft's in-house ergonomists and
usability experts, the Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac is the
ultimate in comfort and performance for Mac users and includes the
following key features:
- Mac Modifier Keys. Control, Option and Command buttons are
right where users need them.
- Zoom Slider. Consumers can zoom in for a closer look at digital
pictures, maps and more.
- My Favorites Keys. These five keys can be customized to
instantly bring up favorite photos, folders, files and Web
pages.
- Eject key. This key lets users easily eject CDs and DVDs.
- Hot Keys. These buttons offer one-touch, immediate access to
programs consumers use the most, including those for e-mail, chat,
music, photos and the Web.
High Definition for the Mac
The Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac features a sleek silver
wireless High Definition laser mouse. Microsoft's cutting-edge High
Definition technology is two generations ahead of standard optical
mouse products and gives the mouse ultimate precision and
responsiveness.2 In addition, the
mouse utilizes Microsoft's Intelligent Tracking System for smoother
tracking without interruptions or skipping, even over unique
surfaces. For enhanced performance this mouse also features a Tilt
Wheel for navigating and viewing documents and spreadsheets with
ease. One-click access to Microsoft's Magnifier tool makes the Mac
magnifier feature more discoverable for real-time document
enlargement.
"The Hardware team has been creating Mac-compatible peripherals
for many years," said Rusty Jeffress, general manager of the
Microsoft Hardware team at Microsoft. "We always value the feedback
of our customers; for this product we went back to the drawing
board with the specific requests of our Mac users, and are excited
to deliver our first Mac-specific keyboard and mouse that provide
the tools and features Mac users need to be productive."
The Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac will be available
this summer for an estimated retail price of $99.95.3
- Based on Microsoft internal research, P. Johnson, Ph.D.,
University of Washington, "ErgoMax ergonomic study," 2004
- Standard optical technology = mouse products with 0.35 microns
or older CMOS technology.
- Actual retail price may vary.
- Link:
Wireless Laser Desktop for Mac
SpeckTone Retro iPod Speaker System
PR: With 28 watts output, the SpeckTone Retro has lots of
power and volume so you can rock, jive, or groove like a maniac to
your favorite tunes
The SpeckTone Retro has two 3" drivers under the front grille,
and a 4" subwoofer on the bottom. Woof Woof!
You can plug in an iPod shuffle, CD player, cassette player,
MP3, or other device with an 1/8" mini-plug output (headphone
jack)
Features
- Sleek & Stylish Retro design
- Analog Circuitry for rich, deep tone
- High-gloss lacquered wood cabinet
- Includes 2 free iPod skins (video & nano)
- 4" subwoofer and loud 28 watt output
- 1/8" mini plus AUX input
- Backlit 'green glow' volume knob
- Wood construction
Speck's SkinTight cases (included - for nano & 5th gen video
iPods) allow you to use the SpeckTone Retro without removing the
case. For 5th gen iPods- flip back the bottom flap and dock your
iPod. For iPod nano- just plug the nano with case into the dock
connector. Other Speck cases such as the ToughSkin or SeeThru must
be removed to fit in the dock connector. SkinTight cases with
docking flaps for 4th gen iPods are available.
Depending on if you use a SkinTight case on your iPod- you may
need to choose a thinner black foam pad to support the back of your
iPod. The extra thickness of the case may require a thinner foam
pad to be used.
What's in the box:
- SpeckTone Retro Speaker
- Wall Power Adapter
- 2 Free Matching Skins (video & nano)
- Warranty Card & Users Guide
The SpeckTone Retro is available black-on-black, green/brown,
and white and silver for $149 and comes with two free iPod skins
for the video and nano.
- Link: SpeckTone Retro
iPod Speaker System
WD Passport USB Drives Now in Sync with
Macs
PR: Western Digital Corp. has announced that its WD
Passport Portable and WD Passport Pocket USB Drives are now
shipping with software that simplifies the synchronization of
essential personal files and Microsoft Outlook data on a Macintosh
computer or PC with the portable storage devices. The new WD Sync
software enables users to securely access, edit and share Microsoft
Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, MP3 files, e-mails,
attachments and more from anywhere - in a cybercafé, on a friend's
laptop or in a colleague's office.
WD Sync synchronization and encryption software secures owners'
data with 128-bit encryption plus password protection ensuring that
personal files and Outlook data remain on the WD Passport Portable
Drive or WD Passport Pocket Drive and are not copied to any
computers that owners use other than their primary ones. Owners of
WD Passport Portable and WD Passport Pocket models sold previously
without the WD Sync software now can download the software for free
from WD's Web site:
http://www.wdc.com/passportsoftware
WD Passport Portable and WD Passport Pocket USB Drives are
powered by the USB bus with no need for a separate power supply
(for most systems). Combined with the easy-to-set-up, customizable
WD Sync software, the two devices are easy to use anywhere - simply
plug in and store.
WD Passport Portable USB Drives feature sleek rounded corners
and a black textured, non-slip rugged protective case. The drives
are outfitted with high-performance, low power-consuming, cool and
quiet-running WD Scorpio(TM) 2.5" EIDE hard drives, as well as Data
Lifeguard(TM) protection, to provide maximum safeguard from data
loss. Safety tests make WD Passport Portable USB Drives one of the
few external drives certified to meet all applicable safety
requirements.
WD Passport Portable USB Drives are offered in capacities of 60,
80 and 120 GB. Also available is an optional WD Passport carrying
case for conveniently and stylishly transporting the portable hard
drives. A product specification sheet and photos of WD Passport
Portable USB Drives are available on the company's website.
The USB 2.0 WD Passport Pocket Drives, about the size of a
matchbox, conveniently store 6 GB of digital content and can fit
into the smallest of pockets and purses. Measuring 0.37 x 2.41 x
1.80 inches and housing a one-inch WD hard drive, the ultra-thin WD
Passport Pocket Drives feature a unique flip-out, rotating USB 2.0
connector that allows use in tight spaces and is thin enough that
two drives can be used at the same time in the tightly spaced USB
ports found on notebook computers. A product specification sheet
and photos of WD Passport Pocket Drives are available on the
company's website.
"The addition of sync and encryption software to WD Passport
Portable and WD Passport Pocket USB drives further secures and
protects users' data," said Jim Welsh, vice president and general
manager of WD's branded products group. "WD designs simplified
external storage that implements the latest technological
advancements providing users convenience and confidence in safe-
keeping and sharing their digital content, giving them complete
control of their data."
WD Passport Portable USB Drives, WD Passport carrying cases and
WD Passport Pocket Drives are available at retail stores, online
retailers and also may be purchased via the company's online store.
Estimated pricing is $199 for the WD Passport Portable USB Drive
120 GB capacity with WD Sync; $24.99 for the WD Passport carrying
case; and $99 for the WD Passport Pocket Drive.
WD was founded in 1970. The company's storage products are
marketed to leading systems manufacturers and selected resellers
under the Western Digital and WD brand names. Visit the Investor
section of the company's website to access a variety of financial
and investor information.
ToughTech FW/USB, eSATA Enclosure Has
Anti-Shock Protection
PR: ToughTech is a premium quality drive enclosure meant
to make sure your data is safe without sacrificing portability or
your wallet, all while ensuring that you'll have all the free disk
space you need. ToughTech's all aluminum and fanless design make it
quiet and beautiful. In other words, ToughTech looks great on your
desk, performs like a champ, and it won't eat your lunch.
Which
ToughTech is right for you?
ToughTech comes in three flavors with FireWire and USB or eSATA
connections. Choose the ToughTech that's right for you: ToughTech
400, ToughTech 800 or ToughTech eSATA.
Anyone can use a ToughTech
ToughTech is used by anyone who needs more storage space for
backups, music, games, Internet downloads, photography, audio/video
editing or server storage; and they use it everywhere from homes to
government laboratories.
Shock absorbers for your hard drive
Your car has shock absorbers - so why not your hard drive?
ToughTech introduces FlexMount Anti-Shock Protection. FlexMount is
a shock absorber that mounts between the drive and the enclosure
protecting your data against bumps and vibrations.
FireWire Fast
ToughTech supports FireWire data transfer speeds of up to 800
Mbps (FireWire 800) or 400 Mbps (FireWire 400) and USB data
transfer speed of up to 480 Mbps. For maximum performance, FireWire
800 is recommended. Most computers already have FireWire ports, but
if you don't yet have FireWire ports on your laptop or desktop
computer, check out CDB-8 and FHW-8, two products to upgrade to
FireWire.
ToughTech is cool
ToughTech has an all aluminum design meant to draw heat away
from the hard drive. The entire product acts like a heat
dissipater, helping to keep your drive cool. And because it doesn't
need a fan, ToughTech is quiet.
Plug and Play
ToughTech works right out of the box with no new drivers needed.
It works with any modern operating system including Mac OS X and
Windows 2K, XP, as well as any distribution of Linux that supports
FireWire and USB or SATA. If using FireWire, additional FireWire
devices can be daisy-chained through ToughTech.
- Supports Hi-Speed Data Transfer
- USB speeds of up to 480 Mbps (TT4, TT8), FireWire 400 speeds up
to 400 Mbps (TT4), FireWire 800 speeds up to 800 Mbps (TT8), SATA
speeds up to 3.0 Gbps (TTE).
- FlexMount Anti-shock Protection
- Protects drive from shock and also reduces enclosure
noise.
- Plug and Play
- Under Windows 2K, XP, Mac OS X and Linux distributions that
support FireWire. FireWire (TT4, TT8) or SATA (TTE).
Supports most 3.5" IDE hard drives
- TT4, TT8: ATA6 and ATA7 drives - including drives larger than
137 GB
- TTE: SATA drives.
Daisy-chainable: ToughTech 400 and ToughTech 800 allow
daisy-chaining to attach additional FireWire devices.
Aluminum Construction: Provides excellent thermal
efficiency.
Power Switch: Allows powering enclosure down before removal from
FireWire or USB. Helps prevent port blowouts.
Bridge Chipset
- TT4: Cypress EZ-USBAT2 Initio 1430
- TT8: Oxford Semiconductor OXUF922 with latest firmware
Bus Interface
- TT4: USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a)
- TT8: USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b)
- TTE: Serial ATA (supports SATA 1 and 2)
Transfer Rate
- TT4: USB 2.0 Port: 12/480 Mbps - FireWire 400 port: 100/200/400
Mbps
- TT8: USB 2.0 Port: 12/480 Mbps - FireWire 800 port:
100/200/400/800 Mbps
- TTE: 3.0 Gbps
Connector
- TT4: One USB mini-B receptacle; Two 6-Pin 1394a connectors
- TT8: One USB mini-B receptacle; Two 9-Pin 1394b connectors
- TTE: One eSATA port
Drive Compatibility
- TT4/TT8: ATA6 or ATA7 drives (IDE or EIDE)
- TTE: SATA Drives
Operating Systems
- Windows XP, 2K, Mac OS X, Linux distributions that support
FireWire/SATA
Dimensions
- 9" x 5.25" x 1.5" (229mm x 133mm x 38mm)
ToughTech 400
- 0 GB - Empty (user expandable), TT4-0, $79.95
- 250 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB cache, TT4-250, $212.95
- 400 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB cache, TT4-400, $422.95
- 500 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB cache, TT4-500, $569.95
- 750 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB cache, TT4-750, $744.95
ToughTech 800
- 0 GB - Empty, user expandable, TT8-0, $119.95
- 250 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB cache, TT8-250, $252.95
- 400 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB cache, TT8-400, $462.95
- 500 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB cache, TT8-500, $609.95
- 750 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB cache, TT8-750, $784.95
ToughTech eSATA
- 0 GB - Empty (user expandable), TTE-0, $89.95
- 250 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB cache, TTE-250, $268.95
- 400 GB 7200 RPM 8 MB cache, TTE-400, $467.95
- 500 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB cache, TTE-500, $565.95
- 750 GB 7200 RPM 16 MB cache, TTE-750, $754.95
- Link: ToughTech
Drives
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