Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2006.09.01
PowerBook, iBook, MacBook, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products
iPod Accessories
News & Opinion
Logitech's Scrolling Revolution
Macworld's Dan Frakes says:
"...Logitech announced a new line of mice
called, with sufficient bravado, Revolution. Comprising a full-size
home model, the MX, and a smaller (though still sizable) portable
model, the VX, the Revolution line aims to, as the company so
modestly put it, "transform the experience of finding and
manipulating the vast amount of digital content on a person's
computer or on the Web."
"Now, I'm generally not one to get excited about input devices.
Sure, after your CPU and display, they're the parts of your
computer you use the most, and your choice of input devices can
mean the difference between comfortable use and carpal tunnel
syndrome, between productivity and plodding. But to actually be
excited about a mouse? Let's just say it takes more than
cleverly-worded PR-speak to get me raving.
"But after using one of these mice, the VX, for several weeks -
one of the perks of working at Macworld is that we often get review
units before products hit store shelves - I'm nearly
convinced...."
Link:
A Scrolling Revolution?
Mac Pro 'the Ultimate in Desktop
Computing'
MSN Tech and Gadgets Gary Krakow reports:
"The new Mac Pro desktop is a thing of beauty. Inside and out
this box looks like it is the ultimate desktop computer on the
market today.
"With two, 64-bit, dual-core Intel Xeon 'Woodcrest' processors
and it's sleek design, the Mac Pro is the computer equivalent of a
Ferrari, Maserati or Porsche. And like a super sports car, you can
pay a lot for the ultimate level of high-end performance."
Link: Mac Pro: The
Ultimate in Desktop Computing
Apple USB Modem Can Have a Shorter Lifespan
Than AirPort Express
Hardmac's Lionel reports:
"Alain has taking photo of a Apple USB modem plugged into a
MacBook Pro while being connected to the net. During a recall
procedure trial, the modem simply started to melt less than 3
minutes of operation."
Link: Apple USB Modem: It
Can Have a Shorter Lifespan Than an AirPort Express
Parallels Mac Pro Compatibility Coming
A post on parallelsvirtualization.blogspot.com says:
"There have been a number of questions both here and on the
forum about Mac Pro compatibility, so I wanted to be sure to
address all of them ASAP.
"1) Is Parallels
Desktop compatible with the new Mac Pro
tower?
"Not yet. The new Mac Pros have a different CPU model, and work
with a specifically optimized OS X kernel. It is not difficult to
make Parallels compatible with either of these, but it does take a
bit of time. We should have a compatible build very soon.
"2) 'Very soon' sounds like marketing-ese for 'we'll have
something someday.'
"When I say very soon, I mean very soon. Like within the next
few days.
"3) How will we find out when the build is ready?
"If you're signed up to receive Parallels news, you'll get an
email from us with instructions on how and where to get the build.
Not signed up? Just enter your email address on the main Parallels
home page and you'll be good to go...."
Link: Parallels Mac Pro
Compatibility Coming
Products
New Logitech Mice Deliver Revolution in
Computing Navigation
PR: Logitech has announced a revolution in PC navigation
with two advanced mice that transform the experience of finding and
manipulating the vast amount of digital content on a person's
computer or on the Web.
Already an indispensable tool for PC navigation, the computer
mouse can now meet the advanced demands of people who need to move
quickly and intuitively through multiple Web pages, large
spreadsheet files, digital photos, playlists or any of the other
rich, abundant digital content available today. The Logitech MX
Revolution cordless laser mouse and the Logitech VX Revolution
cordless laser mouse for notebooks mark a radical change in
navigating this content - from which few people will turn back once
they have experienced it.
Both mice feature hyper-fast
scrolling with a revolutionary alloy wheel - the MicroGear
Precision Scroll Wheel - that spins freely for up to seven seconds,
spanning hundreds of pages with a single flick of the finger and
setting a new benchmark in scrolling efficiency. Computer
navigation with these mice is also enhanced with an innovative
One-Touch Search feature that allows people to select a word or
phrase on a Web page or in a document and, with a single click,
view Internet search results on that subject. And with their
ergonomic designs, the new mice offer a level of comfort that is
almost forgettable - they become a nearly imperceptible extension
of the hand.
A recent Logitech study revealed that people, on average, have
six applications open on their computer at any one time, and the
active window switches or a new window opens every 50 seconds. To
navigate the vast content at their disposal, people spin their
mouse's scroll wheel approximately 26 feet in an eight-hour
day.
The Wheel, Reinvented
The MicroGear Precision Scroll Wheel helps ease this
navigational challenge in two different ways. Its breakthrough
free-spin mode takes people through long documents as quickly as
they want. A single flick of the finger yields as many as 10,000
lines of a Microsoft Excel document in seven seconds - with a
traditional scroll wheel, it would take 500 spins and seven minutes
to cover the same territory. The new wheel also offers an improved
click-to-click scrolling option that results in familiar tactile
feedback for each small unit of distance scrolled, allowing people
to precisely navigate lists, slides and individual images.
"By giving people the option of using a free-spinning scroll
wheel, Logitech has addressed a source of pain for computer users,
who previously had to continuously move their index finger to
scroll through long documents," said Ashish Arora, Logitech's vice
president of product marketing for retail pointing devices. "Every
application lends itself to different kinds of navigation - and
with its sophisticated technology, the wheel can elegantly switch
between the free-spin and click-to-click scrolling modes. People
who try the new wheel say that they can't go back."
One-Touch Search
Marking another breakthrough in navigation, the One-Touch Search
feature can be married to a user's search application, such as
Yahoo! or Google. When a word or phrase is highlighted in a
document or on a Web page, a click of the One-Touch Search button,
located just beneath the scroll wheel, automatically begins a
search of the Web or computer system.
Designed for Comfort
Ergonomics has become increasingly important as people continue
to spend more time immersed in their digital content. Sculpted
contours on Logitech's new mice create natural resting points for
fingers, and rubber thumb grips make it easy to grab and move the
mice without squeezing too hard. Both mice feature low-resistance
polytetrafluoroethylene feet, enabling them to glide smoothly
across a surface with minimal exertion on the part of the user. And
the MicroGear wheel includes an inset rubber belt that makes it
easier for the index finger to grab and flick the finely tuned
wheel.
The Logitech MX Revolution Mouse
The world's most advanced mouse,
the Logitech MX Revolution mouse includes an intelligent twist to
the MicroGear Precision Scroll Wheel: The motorized wheel
automatically switches between free-spin mode and click-to-click
mode, with Logitech's SmartShift technology, based on the best
setting for the application being used. In some applications, such
as Microsoft Excel, Logitech's technology also senses the speed at
which people spin the wheel - if spun rapidly, the wheel goes into
free-spin mode; if spun slowly, the wheel shifts into
click-to-click mode. People can also toggle manually between modes
- by pushing down and clicking the wheel. And settings for the
wheel and for all of the mouse's seven buttons can be customized
for individual preferences within the included Logitech SetPoint
software or with Logitech Control Center software for Mac,
available via download.
The MX Revolution also features a second wheel near the thumb
that can either be used to zoom in and out of photos and documents,
or to quickly switch between applications, furthering people's
navigational efficiency.
The Logitech MX Revolution mouse has a suggested retail price of
$99.99. It is now available in the U.S. and in Europe.
The Logitech VX Revolution Mouse
Designed for notebook PC users
who want the very best in a mouse, the Logitech VX Revolution mouse
balances portability and comfort. It's smaller in size than the MX
Revolution mouse and includes a slot to store the 2.4 GHz
micro-receiver, making it more portable. And its ergonomic design,
rubber-lined thumb grip and slightly concave key plates make it
highly comfortable to use.
The base of the mouse features a switch that can shift the
MicroGear Precision Scroll Wheel from free-spin mode to
click-to-click mode. The mouse also includes a zoom slider that
makes it easy to zoom in and out of open documents and photos. The
Logitech VX Revolution mouse has a suggested retail price of
$79.99. It is now available in the U.S. and in Europe.
Link: Logitech
VX Revolution
MAXPower G4 Processor Upgrades Hit 2.0 GHz
PR: Take your PowerMac up to 2.0 GHz.
Achieve furious Mac acceleration in 20 minutes or less with easy
to install MAXPower Processor Upgrades from Newer Technology
Inc.!
Engineered for high speed with Plug and Play technology, it is
possible to effectively double or even triple the speed of an older
Power Macintosh by adding a MAXPower G4 Upgrade from NewerTech.
NewerTech MAXPower G4 upgrades dramatically improve Mac
performance and restore the value of your investment.
MAXPower Upgrades utilize higher speed Motorola/Freescale
PowerPC G4 processors that are coupled with exclusive technology
advancements and added cache capacity over standard original
CPU.
Advanced features are designed to make the NewerTech MAXPower G4
Upgrade the most stable and highest performing processor upgrade
available on the market.
Upgrades for PowerMac G4 AGP Graphics (Sawtooth), Gigabit
Ethernet, Digital Audio, and Quicksilver models.
Features:
- Easy to Install - High Speed Plug and Play
- Freescale PowerPC G4/7447A
- 64-bit bus Interface
- Bus Ratio of up to 20:1
- 3 year warranty
System Requirements:
- Hardware: Compatible PowerMac AGP-based System PowerMac G4 AGP
Graphics (Sawtooth), Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio, and
Quicksilver models
- System Software: Mac OS 9.2.2 or Mac OS X 10.3.5 and later,
including all versions of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger; Mac OS X 10.5
"Leopard" upon it's release.
MAXPower Processor G4 7447A Upgrades for Macintosh G4 AGP-based
PowerMacs.
- MAXPower G4/7447A 2.0 GHz $399
- MAXPower G4/7447A Dual 1.6 GHz $449
- MAXPower G4/7447A Dual 1.7 GHz $529
- MAXPower G4/7447A Dual 1.8 GHz $599
Link: Newer
Technology MAXPower G4 Processor Upgrades
DDR2 667 MHz ECC Fully Buffered Mac Pro Memory
from Trans International
PR: Trans International has specially
engineered the heat spreader (heat sink) for the fully - buffered
DIMMs installed in the Mac Pro
Quad Xeon which exceed JADEC standards and conform to Apple's
stringent thermal, mechanical and electrical design specifications
and guidelines. More cooling surface on these heat spreaders allow
better heat dissipation, providing efficient cooling for the
components. Cooler operation enhances memory performance.
Mac Pro Memory Upgrade kits from 2 GB to 16 GB will be shipping
from Monday, August 28th. 2 GB Kit (2 x 1 GB) is
currently offered at $499.
Link: Mac Pro
Memory
iPod Accessories
iTube-201 FM Transmitter, Auto Charger, and
Flexible Dock
PR: The new
Digiana iTube-201 combines a powerful FM Transmitter, Auto Charger,
and Flexible Dock all into one device. Created specifically for the
iPod (Video, 60 GB and 30 GB) and iPod nano, the iTube-201 lets you
take your iPod on the road in style... its brilliant design, with a
blue backlit display and blue LED pulsing light strip, integrates
handsomely with your car's interior all the while streaming your
iPod's music to your car's stereo speakers. The iTube-201's
powerful FM transmitter delivers superb sound quality while its
flexible iPod dock positions your iPod for safe and optimal access
to its controls and display. Finally, an iPod accessory that's as
cool as your iPod. Get yours today for just $74.99.
Radio Catcher!
The AudiaX iTube-201 is the most functional and elegant FM
Transmitter, Auto Charger, and Flexible Dock ever created for the
iPod nano and iPod 5G (Video). Plugged firmly into your car's
cigarette lighter socket (with the help of specially designed
rubber gaskets built into the iTube-201's cigarette lighter
adapter) and holding your iPod within easy reach atop its flexible
neck dock, the iTube-201 transmits a clear, strong signal to your
car's stereo system along any FM frequency between 88.1 MHz and
107.9 MHz that you choose... all the while powering and charging
your iPod! Even metropolitan areas are no match for the iTube-201's
strong, "radio-catching", signal.
Form Follows Function
The iTube-201's elegant and functional design incorporates a
flexible steel neck which allows your iPod to be positioned in your
car at the most convenient and optimal location so you can safely
reach your iPod's controls and see your iPod's display while behind
the wheel. No more fumbling around for an iPod that has slipped
down in between seats or that's been flying all over your car
because there's no secure place to put it. Your iPod is safe,
protected, and secure in the iTube-201's flexible neck dock.
Portable Entertainment iPod
And because it sits atop a flexible neck, your iPod can also be
positioned so that your PASSENGERS can watch videos (on the iPod
5G, Video) comfortably without having to hold the iPod in their
hands... thereby becoming a portable entertainment system. Plugged
into a rear seat cigarette lighter adapter means rear passengers
can get it on the fun as well! And plugging headphones into the
iPod's own headphone jack while it is connected to the iTube-201
will allow a car's passengers to listen to music or watch videos
privately as the driver listens to his own music through the car
stereo. All the while the iTube-201 is powering and charging the
iPod meaning that the tunes and videos will never run out while
you're on the road... and once you reach your final destination
your iPod will be fully charged and ready to go!
Easy to Reach, Easy to Read
Controlling the iTube-201 couldn't be easier with its
easy-to-read blue-backlit display showing what frequency it is
currently set to. There is a "Frequency up" button and "Frequency
down" button to change the frequency in 0.1 increments and a memory
button in front for instantly tuning to one of the iTube-201's four
programmable station presets. The iTube-201 will even turn off
automatically and switch to "Charging-Only" mode after 60 seconds
if the music from the iPod has paused or stopped. If you hit play
on your iPod the iTube-201 will sense the audio signal and turn
itself back on automatically as well! There is a blue light strip
on the iTube-201 that pulses to the beat of your favorite music
(which you can turn off if you prefer) and glows steadily when in
"Charging-Only" mode.
Features
- AudiaX iTube-201 compatible with iPod 5G (video) and iPod nano.
(Also compatible with iPod mini).
- Full FM Frequency Range: 88.1 MHz to 107.9 MHz in 0.1
Increments.
- Powers and Charges iPod.
- Conveniently Positions iPod within Easy Reach for Access and
Viewing.
- Four Programmable Memory Presets.
- Elegant, stylish, and ergonomic design.
- Blue Backlit LCD, Charging Indicator, Strobe Light Bar.
- Auto On/Off
Specifications
- Frequency Range: 88.1 MHz to 107.9 MHz
- Input Voltage 12V DC
- Memory Locations 4 Memory Presets for storing frequencies
- Power Supply Vehicle Cigarette Lighter / Vehicle Accessory
Power Outlet
- Size 12.5" x 1.5" x 2"
- Weight 68g
Warranty 1 Year
System Requirements: iPod 5G (Video; 30 GB, 60 GB), iPod nano
(also compatible with iPod mini)
Looks Beautiful, Works Beautifully
...words that have been used by customers to describe the
iTube-201. The amazing part is that aside from its bold looks, its
performance is even better. The power and quality of the FM
transmitter circuitry provokes everyone who hears it to tell us it
is the strongest and clearest sounding FM transmitter they've ever
laid ears on.
No Batteries Required
The iTube-201 includes an integrated cigarette lighter adapter
that powers the iTube-201's FM transmitter, charges your iPod and
keeps it powered indefinitely.
"Made for iPod"
The Apple "Made for iPod" logo on the iTube-201 is your
assurance that this product meets specific requirements and
guidelines established by Apple for the proper manufacture of
products for the iPod.
$74.99
Link: Digiana
iTube-201 FM Transmitter, Auto Charger, and Flexible Dock
Solio Solar Charger for iPods, Cell Phones,
More
PR: Better Energy Systems, a leading manufacturer of
eco-mobility products, including the award-winning Solio, is set to
charge the US having recently moved its headquarters to California.
The decision to move is largely due to overwhelming demand for
Solio and the huge potential for Better Energy Systems' upcoming
range of innovative and environmentally aware products in the US
market.
Better Energy Systems' CEO, Chris
Hornor, comments: "We are thrilled to be finally relocating our
headquarters to the sunshine state of California. It is definitely
the perfect time for us to reach the US public with our products.
California is leading the charge in the take-up of environmental
responsibility and we aim to meet the demand for cool and practical
eco-mobility products."
Better Energy Systems is a leading producer of products that
seek to balance the environmental ideals and design aesthetics
sought after by the modern consumer. Solio which won the
prestigious 'Best of Show' Award at its launch in the 2005 Macworld
Expo, has been a resounding success around the world and has
enabled Better Energy to demonstrate that efficient, well-designed
and environmentally aware products can be a commercial success.
The innovative Solio can be used for all your on-the-go charging
needs, whether that be your cell phone, iPod, PDA, camera or other
handheld device thanks to an intelligent interchangeable tip
system. This universal hybrid solar charger generates energy from
sunlight then stores it within its integrated Lithium Ion battery
up to a year!
A one of a kind pioneering
concept in eco-mobility, the hybrid nature of Solio comes from
being able to plug it into the wall for charging at night or on
cloudy days. It fits comfortably into a pocket, making it a perfect
power solution whether for your daily commute or adventure into the
wild. Not only practical but also a high fashion item, Solio is
designed to do its job wherever you are, whenever you need it and
what's more, it looks great!
Available in four colors, the Solio Universal Hybrid Charger
retails at $99.95, including six tips and cables for a variety of
cellphones, iPods/MP3 players, PDAs, game players, cameras and many
more devices and a global travel adapter.
Link: Solio Solar
Charger
Desktop Mac
Deals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers monthly:
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.
