2006 – January 16th marks the 20th anniversary of the Mac Plus, the first Mac with a SCSI port, LocalTalk networking, and several other things. It’s hard to believe this machine is 20 years old – the one I use still works fine, and at times I almost find myself using it more than my newer […]
The Mac mini group is for anyone using a Mac mini, whether the G4 or an Intel-based model. Group begun 2006.01.11.
The Macintel group is for those using Intel-based Macs. The group was begun on 2006.01.11.
The first Intel-based iMac changes the value equation for the entire realm of desktop Macs.
Like many Mac users, part of the reason I started using a Mac was the graphical interface and not having to use a command line. It was a big selling point for Apple in the early days of the Mac, with their literature often belittling Unix and DOS/Windows systems for their reliance on “obscure commands”.
Apple refers to these as iMac (Early 2006), but we also call them iMac Core Duo, the first iMacs based on Intel’s Core Duo processor.
To the pleasant surprise of the Mac community, Apple began shipping the MacBook Pro (MBP) the week of 2006.02.14 – and with faster CPUs than originally announced. The US$1,999 MBP ships with a 1.83 GHz CPU instead of 1.67 GHz, and the US$2,499 MBP has a 2.0 GHz CPU instead of 1.83 GHz. For those […]
A few weeks ago, a kind reader asked if I’d be interested in his old PowerBook 1400, a 1997 laptop that he didn’t use any longer. As the publisher of Low End Mac and someone who remembers the 1400 fondly, I couldn’t resist.
January 2006 – I’m going to tell you some things that you should already know. You might already know these things somewhere in the back of your mind.
January 2006 – Welcome to the inaugural issue of Low End Living and my inaugural column. While the primary focus here is living smart, be it in terms of money, health, or relationships, all three of those things can be improved by taking other stress out of your life.
We all know that Mac OS X is a good citizen in mixed networks. Connecting to Windows shares, Linux NFS mounts, and FTP/SFTP servers is a snap. And the Sharing system preference panel makes it even easier for these other operating systems to connect to your Mac.
If you were around when the Macintosh was released, you were probably intrigued by it – and maybe even a little skeptical. I mean, computers were machines that you lay flat on a desk, take up a lot of space, and cost a lot of money. How in the world could a computer fit into a […]
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered in The ‘Book Review. General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review. News about Apple’s transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is covered in The Macintel Report.
Last week in Getting Ubuntu Linux Up and Running on a PowerPC Mac, I looked at what I considered to be the best current Linux distribution for PowerPC (PPC) hardware, Ubuntu Linux. At just over a year old, Ubuntu’s relatively easy installation, use, and maintenance have made it a top pick not only for PPC, […]
2005 – In my previous article, we looked at 68k Mac browser and email options. Now we’ll look at options for PowerPC (PPC) Macs running the classic Mac OS.
Can you really get a Mac mini for free? The short answer is: Of course not! Here’s the long answer.
In last week’s column, I outlined the requirements for setting up a useful and fast PowerPC (PPC) Linux desktop, and I’m going to start with what I consider the best of the bunch. Ubuntu Linux has done some of the best work in the open source community at making Linux palatable for the average end […]
2005 – If you still like using vintage Macs and want to get decent performance out of them, you either have to use older software that demands less of your computer or upgrade your hardware.
The Macintosh was released to the public in 1984 and changed the way we interact with our computers. The Macintosh operating system gave the Mac a competitive edge in the computer market.
2005 – Much has been made in recent weeks about the dearth of acceptable Web solutions for legacy Macs. To some extent, I agree with the position taken suggesting older Macs are in fact limited by their software in an increasingly connected, global community.
Got an elderly Power Mac that’s feeling a little suffocated by the ever-increasing demands of Mac OS X? The beautiful Aqua interface, with its rolling sheets and minimizing and zooming effects has always taxed lower-end G3s and G4s. Provided your needs include no Mac-specific apps, Linux can provide a snappy user experience, along with modern stability, […]
One of the most widely used and well known Macintosh upgrades of the 680×0 era is the venerable DayStar Digital Turbo 040. Later versions of this card have 128 KB onboard cache memory, while older ones have a socket to accept a cache upgrade. 25, 33, and 40 MHz versions were created, and the slower […]
Apple offers Mac OS X Server in both a $499 10-client edition and a $999 unlimited client version. While the unlimited version offers one of the best values in enterprise server software, it’s cheaper sibling is mighty expensive for an organization that only needs to serve ten users.
2005 – One thing that’s hard to find these days is a good Web browser for old Macs, whether it’s for 68k or PowerPC ones.
I specialize in the lowest of the low-end spectrum, and I’ll be covering Apple’s older Macintosh operating systems starting from 1.0 and working up to 6.0.8 – and the Macs that run them.
2005 – Hello everyone. My name is Thomas Ahart, and I one of Low End Mac’s new writers.
Thomas Ahart has lived in Kansas City all his life and has been using Macs since about 1996. He owned a Gateway PC before he got his first Mac, and it was so troublesome that he was fed up and wanted to try a new platform. He tried a Mac and loved it instantly.
Frank Petrie is a reviewer and web designer with Multiple Sclerosis. He starts his welcome page at handiapped.com by saying, “This site is for those of us who have, or will have, bits dropping off.” One assumes that this is meant to be taken figuratively as well as literally.
In 1995, Microsoft was busy promoting the latest release of Windows, Windows 95. Apple was confident that users would still be attracted to the Mac because of its interface – but also worried that Windows’ multitasking environment would put Mac OS 7.5 to shame.
After nine months at 1.5 GHz, the 17″ PowerBook G4 received an 11% performance boost to 1.67 GHz and gained an 8x DVR±RW SuperDrive. The standard hard drive now spins at 5400 rpm. ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics are included, along with 128 MB of video memory and support for Dual-Link DVI. Also new on […]
Can I put a 160 GB or larger IDE hard drive in my iMac, eMac, Power Mac, iBook, or PowerBook? The short answer: Yes, you can. The long answer: Yes, you can, but you may not be able to use more than 128 GB without some third-party assistance.
Apple will begin migrating to Intel CPUs next summer, but the PowerPC isn’t dead yet. Nowhere is this more evident than with the new Power Mac G5 models, all of which use IBM’s new dual-core CPUs.
Already this month Apple updated the iMac and introduced the video iPod. And yesterday they introduced the first Macs ever with dual-core CPUs and improved PowerBooks. We’ll look at the new PowerBooks today and save the Power Macs for tomorrow.
Sometimes a computer with a lower GHz rating can outperform one with a higher speed rating, and that’s especially true for the 2.5 GHz Power Mac G5 Quad. One of the first Macs to use IBM’s new dual-core G5 CPUs, the Quad uses a pair of them, which means Power Mac owners now have access […]
The first Macs to use IBM’s new dual-core G5 CPUs, the Late 2005 Power Mac G5 Duals and Quad (covered on its own page) provide the processing power of two G5 CPUs on a single chip. Each core has 1 MB of level 2 cache, twice as much as earlier G5s, which further boosts computing power. […]
