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January 2006 Archives

Tuesday, January 31st 2006

Computerworld First Look at MacBook Pro

Computerworld has a very interesting hands-on look at the MacBook Pro. The good news is that the performance is very good, the LCD is as bright as the Cinema Displays, the wireless reception is improved, and the bonus features like the MagSafe and internal camera work well, according to the article. The only missing information is battery life, which this preview unfortunately does not cover.

New iBooks on the Way

MacNN is reporting on word from a USB analyst that new iBooks (or whatever the consumer laptop line is called) could be out as soon as April. AppleInsider is also reporting on new iBooks, predicting a spring release with two configurations. Of special interest here is a rumor about a possible black iBook enclosure, something that would certainly please a lot of people looking to coordinate with their black iPod nano, or simply nostalgic about their old black PowerBooks.

Think You Know Steve Jobs?

A friend of the PBZone crew sent word that he's launched Random Steve Jobs Facts, a play on the Vin Diesel and Chuck Norris Fact Generators. If you want to learn some facts about Steve Jobs that you haven't heard before, take a look.

Friday, January 27th 2006

Audio Defect in Recent PowerBooks?

We were perusing the Mac forums today and came across some threads about an issue some PowerBook owners seem to be having with their audio. According to powerbookdefect.info, all of the last-revision PowerBooks (those with higher resolution LCDs), as well as the 12-inch model, are affected, and possibly other models.

The issue itself is that a sound repeats itself for 4-5 seconds, growing in volume, according to the website. It's unclear at this point whether the issue is a hardware or software problem, but it apparently can happen under a variety of circumstances.

Apple has, to some degree, acknowledged the problem. According to the support article, which was created over a month ago, only 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks are affected, and even then only when running multiple audio applications. The article includes a promise of more information when it's available, but after this much time, it seems odd that no further developments have surfaced.

Thursday, January 26th 2006

Pacific Design Releases Rolling Laptop Bag

For those of you trying to protect back injuries, or if you want to prevent a future injury, Pacific Design has a new rolling laptop bag, the Rolling Lite. Large enough to hold a 15-inch laptop, the nylon bag is padded to keep your laptop safe and includes many organizational features. A shoulder strap also comes with the bag, providing easy hoisting for when you hit the cobblestones.

Mailbag: Sleep Issues

We received this email from a reader experiencing an odd problem with his PowerBook:

I have a Powerbook G4 15 inch...and lately the machine has been putting itself to sleep right in the middle of me typing or surfing the net or doing other various activities. Then, to make things even more annoying, it is often VERY difficult to wake back up. Maybe I'm not doing a good job of searching, but I haven't uncovered anything quite like it out there...any chance you know of similar issues and/or fixes?

Tuesday, January 24th 2006

A Word of Warning

Here at the PowerBook Zone we are now down one PowerBook (blame yesterday's lack of update on the need to oversee the draining of the 'Book) after a close encounter of the Dr. Pepper kind. As a memorial to this fallen friend, we thought we'd recommend a couple products to keep your laptop safe (and dry).

First we have the ProTouch PB, a keyboard cover made of a flexible silicone so that you can type and protect your computer at the same time. Keeping the number of routes to the innards of your laptop minimized is a good way to keep out unwanted liquids.

Next we have the Gerber SippySnacker. The SippySnacker is a miracle of convergence, providing a safe and effective means to drink and eat snacks by your computer without risk of spillage. The fact that it comes in a variety of colors is only icing on the cake.

Apple Extends Memory Slot Repair Program

Apple is offering an extended repair program for 15-inch G4 PowerBooks suffering from memory slot problems. Affected computers were manufactured between January 2005 and April 2005, and are in the serial number range W8503xxxxxx through W8518xxxxxx. If your PowerBook is among these and has had problems related to its memory slots, you can call Apple, go to an Apple store, or your local Apple Authorized Service Provider for a resolution to the problem.

The program is available to PowerBook owners for two years form the date of purchase, and will be extended as needed.

Friday, January 19th 2006

Sonnet Releases Titanium PowerBook Upgrades

For those of you holding out a little longer before transitioning to Intel, Sonnet Technologies is offering a 1.2 GHz G4 upgrade for 550 and 667 MHz G4 Titanium PowerBooks. For $500 Sonnet will take your PowerBook and install the upgrade for you before shipping it back.

TechRestore Provides Overnight 160GB Upgrade Service

We know a lot of you are interested in upgrading to the new 160GB portable hard drives, but aren't comfortable opening up your PowerBook or iBook, so we thought this news would be of interest:

Concord, CA - January, 19 2005 - TechRestore, Inc. announced today that they have begun offering a 160 Gigabyte upgrade as part of their overnight hard drive upgrade service for PowerBooks, iBooks and PC Laptops. The new upgrade features the first 160 Gigabyte drive upgrade available for laptop users.

The service includes overnight pickup of the customers laptop from any location in the continental United States, installation of the new drive with data transfer within 24-hours and return overnight shipping back to the customers location. In addition, the customers old hard drive is returned so that they will have a backup of their data. The customer can choose to have their old hard drive installed in a portable case for only $19.99.

The 160 Gigabyte overnight upgrade is $489 including the drive, all shipping costs and installation. The upgrade includes a 1-year warranty from TechRestore and a 5-year warranty on the hard drive from the manufacturer. The service is available immediately.

Thursday, January 19th 2006

Apple Announces Record Revenues

Apple announced earnings today, reporting revenue of $5.75 billion for the quarter, with an income of $565 million. Sales of 14 million iPods and 1.25 million Macs fueled the record numbers. According to Apple executives, the MacBook Pro has been well received, though the late shipping date means it won't have much influence on the next quarter's numbers.

WaterField Offers MacBook Pro Sleeve

WaterField has released a new sleeve for laptops. The Sleevecase comes in sizes for all of the PowerBooks and iBooks of the last several years, but more exciting is a size for the MacBook Pro. The neoprene case costs $38-42, with a strap, flap, and add-on pocket available optionally.

Wednesday, January 18th 2006

MCE Ships 160GB Portable Hard Drive

Hot on the heels of yesterday's story about Seagate's new 160GB 2.5-inch drive for portables, MCE Technologies is shipping their own 160GB drive. For $400, $50 more than the 100GB drive, PowerBook and iBook users can have a 160GB, 5400 RPM drive with a five-year warranty. MCE certifies the drive for PowerBook G4s, Pismo G3 PowerBooks, the Lombard G3 PowerBooks, dual USB iBooks and G4 iBooks.

18004Memory.com Offers MacBook Pro RAM

In case you were concerned about being able to find RAM for the MacBook Pros, or you just want to avoid Apple's horrendous RAM-upgrade prices popular RAM seller 18004memory.com has setup a page catering to MacBook Pro owners. A 1GB stick will run you $130, while 2GB (in the form of two 1GB sticks) will cost $250.

Tuesday, January 17th 2006

MacBook Pro: Analysis Beyond the Numbers

With the release last week of Apple's new MacBook Pro, the overwhelming majority of analyses and opinions were centered around the dual-core Intel processor at the heart of the laptop (and the questionable name change). While the case is largely unchanged from the G4 15-inch PowerBooks, Apple has quietly introduced several changes in addition to the new processor. The benchmarks and rants and raves will undoubtedly come as soon as the MacBook Pros actually begin shipping, but for now we thought we'd look at the other changes Apple made to their professional laptops.

Screens: One of the major changes in the MacBook Pro is the LCD employed by Apple. First, the resolution has changed from 1440x960 to 1440x900, sparking some complaints from people wondering where those 86,400 pixels went in the transition. Some have speculated the decreased vertical resolution is the result of the built-in iSight above the LCD, but it's probably not a coincidence that the 17-inch iMac features the same 1440x900 resolution. 1440x900 is also a true 16:10 ratio.

Besides the resolution, the new display is said to be as bright as the desktop Cinema Displays, hopefully catching Apple's portable LCDs up with the PC industry. This advance is something many people have been clamoring for and should be appreciated once people actually sit down with the MacBook Pro.

FireWire: Inexplicably, FireWire 800 has been omitted from the MacBook Pro. What Apple foresees for FireWire, a connection standard it helped pioneer, is unclear after its replacement by USB on the iPod. While the majority of users don't use FireWire 800, for some professionals this could be an expensive absence.

S-Video, DVI, VGA, etc.: For those of you needing to use a projector or external display, the MacBook Pro only comes with DVI out. The good news is that a DVI to VGA adapter is included in the box, but if you need S-Video or another connector, you'll need to buy an adapter. Adapters aren't particularly expensive, but it is inconvenient, particularly after spending $2000 or more already.

Modem: Another feature removed that went under the radar for many is the plain ol' dialup modem. Some road warriors will surely complain about the lack of standard modem, but between improving cell phone technology and increasingly-pervasive wifi, Apple is likely just leading the charge in phasing-out modems. For those who really need one, you can BTO a modem for $50.

iSight: Apple clearly believes that webcams are important, as evidenced by iChat AV and the original iSight. With the rise in instant messaging services and voice-over-IP services and technology, the iSight is a nice way of adding value and functionality in an unobtrusive way.

PCMCIA: PCMCIA is gone, replaced by an ExpressCard/34 slot. This is still an unknown quantity for Apple fans (and the PC world, too, for that matter). Certainly some people will be upset at having to replace their PCMCIA peripherals, but Apple wouldn't make this switch arbitrarily. Time will tell if this proves to be good foresight on Apple's part.

SuperDrive: While the PPC PowerBooks featured SuperDrives capable of dual-layer DVD burning, the new MacBook Pro can only burn single-layer DVDs. Again, this is something that the vast majority of users will not even notice, but will vex some users just for seeming a random downgrade. Apple is not trying to pull a fast one, though, and only took a step back because the thinness of the MacBook Pro necessitated a lesser SuperDrive.

Infrared: Brought back from the dead, Apple has restored infrared on the professional laptop line, for use by the Apple Remote. For those of you still toting infrared peripherals, this is a nice addition, though Bluetooth is certainly coming into its own.

MagSafe Connector: Again, not an earth-shattering addition, but not one anyone should complain about. 43% of PowerBook accidents are caused by humans and their pets tripping over the power cord* (*not actually true) and pulling the PowerBook to the ground. In places with children, dogs, cats, or middle managers, this is sure to be a nice addition that stops a few meetings between the ground and your laptop.

Looking at this list, then, both the additions and subtractions columns have their fair share of items. Overall, though, it looks like no major functionality has been added or removed. Some niceties are gone from earlier PowerBooks, and some cool features have been added, but for 95% of PowerBook users, migrating to the MacBook Pro should be completely feasible. For that 5%, keep letting Apple know what you need them to do to get your money; the second generation of MacBook Pros should be even better.

What are your thoughts on the feature changes in the MacBook Pro? Write us at editor (at) pbzone.com

Seagate Ships Drives Utilizing Advance in Hard Drive Technology

The Associated Press is reporting on new hard drives being shipped by Seagate, including 2.5-inch drives up to 160 gigabytes. While the top-of-the-line drive costs a premium price, about $325 according to this article, many users will appreciate a little relief from the real estate crunch on their hard drives. Even better news is that all of the hard drive makers are transitioning towards this technology, which uses vertical storage on the hard drives to achieve greater capacity in the same space, so lower prices and larger capacities should be forthcoming.

Monday, January 16th 2006

MacBook Pro Notes

Think Secret has an interesting article with some miscellaneous notes on the new MacBook Pros. Among the details Think Secret has learned:

• Apple and Intel worked together on the MacBook Pro's platform, not utilizing the Centrino Duo platform
• The use of IR in lieu of Bluetooth for remote control functionality was at least partially driven by cost
• The lesser SuperDrives used were necessitated by the thinner case of the MacBook Pros
• Battery life is expected to be similar to the PPC PowerBooks, despite the use of a Lithium Polymer battery

MacBook Pro Notes

For those of you looking for more wireless range, MacWireless has a new line of wireless range extenders designed for Macs and AirPort networks.

Their whip antenna is designed for iBooks and all PowerBooks from the G3 through the Aluminum PowerBooks and costs $50.

Friday, January 13th 2006

New iBooks Around the Corner?

We'll have our own take on what we think Apple's next move is for both the consumer laptop offerings and possible additions to the MacBook Pro line, but in the meantime AppleInsider is at it again, covering rumors on what's coming for Apple's Intel laptop offerings.

First up on Apple's agenda? Consumer laptops, whether under the iBook, MacBook, or another moniker. These laptops will possibly include the long-rumored 13-inch widescreen, a new enclosure, and low-end Yonah processor. AppleInsider thinks a release in the second quarter of the calendar year is likely.

As an additional tidbit, for those of you ordering MacBook Pros, AI is reporting that they are unlikely to ship before February 15, so don't expect your new babies until the end of February at the earliest.

Layers Magazine Offers MacBook Pro Sweepstakes

Just a quick note for those of you looking to score a free MacBook Pro, Layers Magazine is holding a sweepstakes for a MacBook Pro. The magazine, devoted to Adobe applications, will be accepting entries until February 28.

Think Different Store Introduces New Aluminum iPod Cases

The Think Different Store emailed us with some news on their iPod case offerings:

Long Island-based Think Different Store (www.1-800-iPod.com) has added to its Aluminum line of iPod protection with the introduction of its Aluminum Case for 5G iPod. The case is available in two colors: Silver and Black; two sizes: 30Gb and 60Gb; and also comes with an optional Belt Clip. The case which sells for $24.95 is strong, sleek and provides a perfect fit for the iPod video. Cutouts offer access to iPod's dock connector port, clickwheel, earphone jack, and hold switch.

Thursday, January 12th 2006

ETCHamac.com Offers Custom PowerBook Engraving

We came across ETCHamac.com the other day and saw that they'd gone beyond the typical iPod engraving and laser edging to provide custom etching for PowerBooks. From $50 for a 3"x3" etching to $200 for etching the entire top or bottom of your PowerBook, it's quite amazing what sort of designs and images they can put into your PowerBook's case. One example on their website shows an impressive tribal tattoo, only this time you can buy a new laptop when you're tired of it instead of having to wear long sleeve shirts.

TuneBuckle Begins Taking Pre-Orders

In other odd accessorizing, pre-orders are now being taken for the TuneBuckle, a belt that has a space for your iPod nano in the buckle, keeping your iPod conveniently-positioned and secure. Prices aren't yet available, but for those of you looking for a less nerdy way to keep your gadgets attached to your belt, this might be a keeper.

Griffin Announces TuneCenter

Griffin Technology has announced the TuneCenter, a very nice looking third-party iPod dock:

Attach TuneCenter to your television and stereo for viewing photos, watching video, listening to your iPod music library or internet radio. With the included 14 button remote, TuneCenter turns your iPod into a complete Home Media Center. Just dock the iPod into TuneCenter, and let the entertainment begin.

The TuneCenter includes S-video, composite video, and RCA left and right audio ports, as well as ethernet and wireless networking connectivity. One extra cool thing provided by Griffin is a switch to go between PAL and NTSC video, a very nice extra for those iPod owners moving between continents.

Wednesday, January 11th 2006

Apple Stock Reveals Sense of Irony for Intel's Debut

For months now the Mac enthusiast community has hotly debated the pros and cons of Apple's transition to Intel processors. After years of being conditioned to believe that the PowerPC processor architecture was superior to Intel's x86, not to mention the sense of rivalry imbued by Apple and its unofficial evangelists, it hasn't always been easy to accept the days of IBM and Motorola-powered Macs being behind us.

Despite the controversy and history between the PowerPC and x86 camps, the release of Intel Macs got off to an auspicious start today, as Apple's stock closed at $80.86, a monumental number in the numerology of computing.

In 1978 Intel released the 8086 processor, beginning the now-famous line of processors utilizing the x86 architecture. While rivals denigrated the architecture in recent years for being power-hungry, having a high transistor count, and lacking a clear roadmap to continue performance improvements, Intel has shown there is life after Pentium, continuing to succeed in the production of motherboards and processors.

What does this mean for Apple? Just as Intel became one of the leading computing companies of the last 30 years on the strength of the 8086 processor, Apple now stands to continue the next phase of its life, this time as a partner, and not a competitor, of Intel.

Tom Binh Releases MacBook Pro Cases

Tom Binh, producer of PowerBook cases, has already announced updated offerings suitable for the new MacBook Pro:

The Brain Cell (available in eight sizes, including Size 4X) and Monolith (available in five sizes, including Size 4X) laptop cases take laptop protection a step further. Cradled in 8mm thick soft foam padding, the laptop hangs suspended in a 4mm hard corrugated plastic insert that protects from the front, back, and bottom. The sides are protected by dense cross-linked closed-cell polyethylene foam. This offers the toughest protection you can get for your laptop in a case that is still light and minimalist. The Brain Cell will clip securely inside one of our messenger bags or briefcases, be carried on its own, or slip into your current bag. The Monolith is designed to clip inside our backpacks, slip inside your current backpack, or it can also can be carried on its own. The Brain Cell and Monolith are available in five colors: Black, Steel, Deep Blue, Crimson, and Wasabi.

The Size 4X Brain Cell will be shipping on February 15th, but can be ordered now for $50, while the 4X Monolith will ship on the 28th of February and runs $45. For more information or ordering, check out tombihn.com.

Tuesday, January 10th 2006

Keynote Breaking News: Say Hello to MacBook

We're updating on the fly as Steve Jobs delivers his customary 'One more thing...' portion of the keynote speech, and boy is this one more thing a doozy. With the transition to Intel processors and away from PowerPC processors, Apple has decided to do away with the PowerBook name for their professional portable line. The new name? The MacBook.

The announced MacBook features a 15.4-inch widescreen that is supposed to be as bright as the Cinema Displays, according to Jobs. Every model features a dual core Intel processor which Apple claims is 4-5 times as fast as the previous PPC PowerBooks. The new case is slightly thinner than the current 17-inch PowerBook model and features infra-red (for those of you who have been missing it), a built-in iSight camera, and a power adapter that is held to the computer magnetically (so that when someone trips over the power cord it simply disconnects without taking the computer with it). The MacBook is a middleweight, coming in at 5.6 pounds and features the same case as the current PowerBooks.

Ready to buy? The models come in the following configurations: $1999 1.67 Core Duo and $2499 1.83GHz. Orders will be taken starting today, but following a hallowed Apple tradition, the MacBooks won't be shipping until February.

Apple Releases Battery Software Update

For those of you using 15-inch aluminum PowerBooks, Apple has released a software update to improve battery life. Apple kept the description of the update pithy:

This update aids the 15-inch Aluminum PowerBook battery in performing at full capacity.

Keynote Coverage

We'll be updating throughout the day today as Steve Jobs gives his keynote speech, hopefully with news of the long-awaited Intel portables. Check this space for news and perspectives on what promises to be an exciting day for Apple fans.

Monday, January 9th 2006

Macworld Rumor Summary

On the eve of the keynote speech for Macworld San Francisco, the rumor sites are working to keep everyone posted on everything Apple is trying to keep quiet. For fans of Apple's laptops, this expo could be huge, with no one quite sure if Intel iBooks, PowerBooks, or both will be announced tomorrow.

Over at AppleInsider is an article about the Intel Apple laptops possibly featuring Robson cache technology. Intel's Robson cache technology was actually only first demonstrated in recent months, making its inclusion this quickly quite impressive. Using NAND memory (essentially a form of flash memory), the hard drive can be bypassed for system startup or applications that are frequently used. Not having to spin the hard drive for these tasks makes for better performance and better battery life.

Think Secret is also on the case with a summary, both of portables and otherwise, of what can be expected tomorrow at the keynote. Think Secret anticipates a 13.3-inch widescreen iBook to replace the existing 14.1-inch model, but contrary to some reports, they believe the 12-inch model will remain. What this means for the 12-inch PowerBook is unclear. As for announcing Intel PowerBooks, Think Secret isn't confident they'll be announced tomorrow, though if not tomorrow, they could still be announced within the next few months, so customers shouldn't have to wait long for new PowerBooks, one way or another.

Targus Releases Ladies Line

Targus has announced a line of notebook bags targeted towards female laptop users, with four bags that can accommodate laptops up to 15 inches in size. The bags range from $40-$70 and Targus believes their more colorful and stylish designs will make them a hit with a segment of the market less pursued than the male laptop owner.

For a look at all of Targus' offerings for women, take a look at that department on their online store.

Wednesday, January 4th 2006

See Modded Macs at MacWorld San Francisco

We got this note from FastMac about their plans for MacWorld San Francisco:

Salinas, CA - January 4, 2006 - FastMac and MacMod.com have teamed up to showcase a variety of custom Mac mods at the upcoming MacWorld Expo in San Francisco, CA. The mods will be available for viewing at the FastMac booth (#827) during the Expo (January 10-13th) and will include the 2005 Great Mod Challenge Mod of the Year, the Real Wood iPod. Other mods on display will include: the iTablet, a FastMac Powered Liquid Cooled Server, Wallstreet Road Warrior, Necronomicon PowerMac, and Evangelion Mac Mini.

If you're going to be at the expo and want to see some modded Macs, including PowerBooks, it sounds like there will be a cool display on show.

Monday, January 2nd 2006

Maine iBook Program to be Renewed?

Maine's iBook program, which began in September 2002, is set to expire after the four-year, $37.2 million dollar contract runs out. The program provided all 15,000 seventh-grade students in the state with an iBook. Now the state's Department of Education is putting out the program to bidding by the various hardware makers again, seeking another four-year contract. Apple can compete for another four-year contract with other vendors, or if no suitable bid is offered to the state, they can choose to simply add another year onto the iBook program at a cost of $8 million dollars.

Maine iBook Program to be Renewed?

EMSNow, a website for the electronic services management industry, is reporting that Apple will maintain its current arrangement for manufacturing the Intel PowerBooks and iBooks. Asian manufacturers Asustek and Quanta will continue to produce the portables, with Asustek making the iBook and Quanta producing the PowerBook.