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February 2005 Archives

Monday, February 28th 2005

PowerBooks: Processors of Today and Tomorrow

We received a letter from a reader on the stories we ran about the processors in the current PowerBooks. Since, as we've said, we're far from processor experts, we put him in touch with a friend of the site who is much more knowledgeable. Here is the initial letter:

Thanks for the breakdown on upcoming G4 processors in today's PowerBook Zone. The question that is most interesting to me is the power consumption of these machines. I seem to have heard that the current 7447A/B chips run about 20 Watts, while the 7448's will run at 10 W, and the best G5's are currently at about 40 Watts? Is that accurate?

What do these numbers mean in terms of real-world battery performance? What percentage of total power consumption is taken by the processor, and how many Watts do the display and drives typically consume? Back in the hey day of Mac laptop efficiency, batteries would really last 6 hours, the unit would stay cool, and you could "watch Austin Powers twice" on one battery. How many Watts did those processors consume?

Putting the question another way, if power efficiency was my top concern, are the current PowerBooks a good option? My other alternatives would be to wait for the 7448 machines, buy an older Mac laptop, or get an iBook.

A fellow PBZone reader, and friend of the site, wrote in with his assessment of the processor and battery prospects for the PowerBooks:

At 1.42 GHz the 7447A uses 19 watts (1.3 volts).

At 1.4 GHz the 7448 uses less then 10 watts. Beyond that, Freescale doesn't say.

The e600 starts at 15 watts. Now Freescale doesn't say what speed this is at, but 1.5 GHz is mentioned as the minimum clock speed so that is probably where they get the 15 watts from. They also mention the typical use is 15-25 watts.

Oh right, the single core e600 uses no more then 10-15 watts, but naturally has around half the performance overall.

For reference with older chips:
The 1.9 volt G3's:
366 MHz used 3.4 to 5 watts.
300 MHz used no more then 3.4 watts.

The 2.6 volt 300 MHz G3 did go as high as 7 watts though.

A laptops power efficiency is a very difficult question. You would have to measure the real world performance of all of Apple's laptops versus their total power consumption. I suspect that only Apple knows this information in detail.

For sheer battery life though, the 12" iBook will last the longest.

A Powerbook with a 7448 would likely use the power/heat savings to scale higher and add improve other aspects - a better GPU for example. Overall battery life would not improve much if at all, but efficiency would rise. More power per watt as it were. An dual core e600 would offer better then twice the per watt performance of the 7448, but overall power use would probably stay the same or rise.

Batteries are at a dead end I'm afraid to say. So if you're holding out for better batteries, it will be a while: http://www.popsci.com/popsci/generaltech/article/0,20967,702771,00.html

Although you can buy moderately superior batteries [then Apple's] for a few laptop models. I believe OWC offers them.
Other components:
The display's backlight is a hugely power hungry as can be seen in the substantial extending of battery life at the lowest setting versus the highest setting. This power consumption will not be improved a great deal until the use of OLEDs which do not require a backlight. Currently OLEDs are used in a few South Korean/Japanese cellphone models. There are several problems relating to lifespan and size to be solved before they can be used on laptops.

Adding RAM provides a slight benefit to battery life. Less hard drive access.

Since Powerbooks have just been updated it will be between 6 and 9 months until we see an update. iBooks were updated in October and should be updated again in the next 2-4 months.

If you can wait the next revision of the 12" iBook will probably have similar battery life to todays models but for both a lower price and better performance.

Powerbooks are much further off, but the same benefits would probably apply.

Older Mac laptops may offer superior battery life (if you can find new batteries for them) but performance will take a big hit.

Technical stuff that doesn't really answer your question, but is interesting. The e600 core has 3 power saving modes; nap, sleep, and deep sleep. When functional units are idle power management automatically enters them into a low power mode without affecting performance in other units or the whole, because they will then be reawakened on the fly.

Dynamic frequency switching (DFS) conserves power by lowering operating frequency, divide by two and divide by four are included. 1.6 GHz would scale down to 800 or 400 MHz. Also included are voltage and frequency scaling. The chip can be operated at a lower core voltage (and lower core frequency) to reduce power consumption. For example the 7448 scales down to 0.9 volts for better power use. These features were introduced with the 7447A.

Freescale says DFS allows software on the fly adjustments of clock frequency, however they say that only divide by two and divide by four are included. Since it is software it seems possible that a greater range of options could be coded.

In addition the e600 core offers an instruction caching throttling mechanism whereby reducing execution rate of instructions it offers more power saving features (By doing less work, it heats up less).

Really technical benefits of the 90nm process the 7448 and e600 use are:
Low-K dielectric for high performance with reduced power and noise, and Multi-Vt and Triple Gate Oxide integrated transistors for low standby power.

12" PowerBook Screens Inferior Quality?

We saw this piece on UberGizmo, and were curious if any readers had heard or thought something similar. If you have anything to add, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com

Friday, February 24th 2005

Wireless Mouse with New PowerBooks, Readers Respond

We received one report from a reader that his Logitech USB wireless mouse was not performing well with his new PowerBook, though it had worked well with his previous PowerBook. Thinking that this was perhaps a bug in the backwards compatibility of USB2, we asked him about his last PowerBook, and received this response:

The old powerbook does not have USB 2.0. In apple system profiler on the new notebook USB 2.0 appears as a seperate "USB High-Speed Bus". I plugged in the mouse into both notebooks and it seems to be working now, but that doesn't really mean much. The mouse has given me problems with the dongle directly connected to the powerbook, and chained off a apple keyboard chained off a new-style apple display. The reliability comes and goes, but is annoying enough to really drive me nuts when it flakes on me. When I drag emails to a destination folder I drop it, but the app registers a drop then a click right after so I end up visiting that folder, which is not what I want.

Regarding, the Logitech Cordless Optical Mouse (for Notebooks), I use this and used it for several months with my previous PBook, a G4 667(DVI). The mouse, buttons, and scroll wheel worked flawlessly for as long as I recall using it.

For a brief period yesterday, I noticed a slightly sluggish scroll wheel as I was navigating the web. I switched applications at this point but the problem persisted. I brought the mouse closer to the wireless transmitter, and the problem was solved. I assume it is darn near time to change the batteries on this thing.

To elaborate, I have an apple pro keyboard plugged into a USB hub into the right(hand) side USB port, and the wireless transmitter is plugged into the left USB hub of my keyboard. My mouse is generally on my right hand side, approximately 30-40" away from the Logitech transmitter. This never created a problem in the past, but I imagined if things kept getting sticky with the mouse, I would try it again with the transmitter plugged directly into one of the USB ports, bypassing my hub.

It's only got a dozen or so hours of use on it, but the mouse seems to be behaving OK with this new 17", besides that one, likely user-induced error.

This brings up something that is becoming increasingly clear in a world pushing for fewer wires: batteries make all the difference. For peripherals that are running on battery power, lack of juice can make them behave in ways that will often lead you to think that there is something more serious going on. Even when using wireless video game controllers, we've had a few occaasions where it has, of course, been the fault of the controller and its power source that leads to the failure of the player.

MacWorld, The Register Review the new PowerBooks

After a few weeks with the new models out, both news sources reach similar conclusions. The Register is quite complimentary towards the new PowerBooks, but concludes that while they still perform well, the improvement over the last models is underwhelming. Similarly, Macworld echoes what many people have said for a while now: unless you need the bigger displays, just get an iBook. For most users, we can't disagree, though the graphics card advantage of even the 12" PowerBook over the iBook should not be discounted.

12" PowerBook for Sale

We've mentioned it before in passing, but we've received our replacement PowerBook from Apple, and now have one extra 12" model that we'd like to sell. It's brand new, hasn't been opened or removed from the box, and is the combo drive model. If interested, we can ship it for a bit under MSRP, and can get it out the door within a day of receiving payment. If interested, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com, and save us the wrath of ebay.

Thursday, February 24th 2005

Apple Updates iPod Line

By now, you've probably all heard that the iPod line received a significant update today. For those who missed it, though, here's a look at what changed.

Contrary to expectations, the iPod mini did not receive a color screen today, and the 4GB model will still be produced. The 4GB model will now retail for $200, while the newly-introduced 6GB model will take over the $250 slot. One small surprise here is that the gold iPod mini has been discontinued. More exciting, the battery life is now given as 18 hours, due to improvements in lithium ion battery technology.

As for the full-size iPods, the only monochrome screen will now be found on the $300 20GB model. The 40GB iPod photo has been discontinued, with the new models being 30GB and 60GB, coming in at $350 and $450.

Of interest to many people will be that the iPods appear to all be moving over to using USB 2.0, and not FireWire. According to the Apple Store, only the 20GB model will now come with a FireWire cable standard. Only the 20GB, 30GB, and 60GB models will come with AC adapters now, too, making that an accessory that will have to be purchased for iPod mini users who wish to charge them without a computer.

Well, that's a lot of changes, both big and small. Despite the expectations that the iPod line would be simplified and streamlined today, there are still quite a few options available. The improved battery life, move to USB 2.0, and cheaper iPod photo continue Apple's trend of bringing iPods within reach of more people.

The most important announcement regarding the iPod today, though, is likely Apple's Camera Connector. This device, expected in March at $30, allows you to connect your digital camera right to the iPod photo for file transfers. The photos can then, of course, be viewed on the iPod. With the Belkin unit that does something similar costing $100, and performing inconsistently, Apple could have a huge hit on its hands here.

Speaking of iPods, Apple released a software update for iPods. This update squashes some bugs, as well as adding support for a battery add-on pack for the iPod shuffle and syncing and charging with USB 2.0.

Keyspan Expands Retractable Cable Lineup

We received this press release from Keyspan:

The USB 2.0 retractable cables connect a computer to USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 devices. The cable is just four inches long when retracted, yet it extends to four feet. It supports data transfer rates of 480 Mbps. The USB 2.0 retractable cables are available in three versions for use with devices that have USB "B" connectors, mini USB 4-pin connectors, or mini USB 5-pin connectors.

The new Cat5E Ethernet retractable cable connects your computer to a 10/100 Ethernet network and extends to five feet. The cable features Evernew flat Cat5E cabling with twisted pair construction.

These cables will retail for $15, and we'll be getting some to review in the near future, so stay tuned for that.

News and Notes

First, rumors are swirling that Apple will be making a run at buying TiVo. With the battle for the living room heating up, this is a purchase that many people think makes sense.

We also saw these aluminum PowerBook handles made by QuickerTek. They aren't cheap, but these look pretty slick. If anyone has gotten one themselves, we'd be interested to hear what you think, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com.

Lastly, we spoke with an Apple Executive Relations employee today, and had a nice conversation. We were told that Apple had handled our replacement with great alacrity and confidence, and that little more could be expected. We tried to speak out for all the people who have emailed us, though, by making clear that we are assisting Apple by sending in our PowerBooks. All we want is to be able to receive the replacement machine before we send ours off, so that we always have a machine that is at least partially functional. We were told this would have been the case, if not for a supply problem, but that is not what we've been told by multiple other Apple employees. The tech support emplyees we've spoken with informally, by the way, agreed with our sentiment, and wished they could do a cross shipment on all such cases where the afflicted machines are being sent in for Apple to study. At least we had our voice heard (and got an iPod shuffle out of it). Good luck to everyone else going through this.

Wednesday, February 23rd 2005

Defective PowerBooks: Answering Frequently Asked Questions

Note: the following is from our new FAQ regarding defective trackpads in the new PowerBooks. We've posted it here for quick reference, but future updates will likely take place on the FAQ page.

We've received an overwhelming amount of email from readers discussing defective trackpads found with their new PowerBooks. To help those looking to diagnose and troubleshoot their problems, we've decided to create a list of frequently asked questions that should help to this end. If there are questions or answers that you'd like to contribute, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com.

What exactly is the problem?

This has become the sort of topic for many of us, we assume that everyone knows what we're talking about when we say the trackpad problem. In short, the problem is that at certain points and intervals, the trackpad either becomes almost completely unresponsive, or moves so erratically, it is completely unusable. This can last for between a few seconds to even a few minutes, based on reader accounts and our own experience. Aside from all this, the trackpads found in these new models, some of the first to be designed by Apple themselves, and not by Synaptics, are often generally sluggish compared to earlier models.

What is the source of the problems with the trackpads?

While we can't say with absolute certainty that we know the answer to this question, we can say that some informal testing has turned up at least one culprit: static electricity. If your PowerBook is afflicted with this problem, you can generally rub your feet on the carpet (it helps to have cosk on), then touch your trackpad before touching anything else. In some cases, a noticeable shock will take place, but generally a defective trackpad will just begin to act as we described above, either completely unresponsive, or with wild movements. This takes place whether on battery power, two prong plug, or the grounded plug. We're not sure what exactly is causing this extreme sensitivity to static electrcitiy, only that it is somehow connected.

What PowerBooks are affected?

This is a very difficult question to answer without information from Apple on serial number ranges, if it is a range of units that are most likely to have problems. What we do know is that this problem began with the release of new PowerBook models on January 31, 2005. The 12", 15", and 17" PowerBooks have all been known to have the trackpad problems. Beyond that, we can't trace it back to a particular production range or location. Retailers and consumers from all over the country have reported problems, and while the problem is perhaps not an epidemic, it has been seen in a very wide distribution.

What is Apple doing about this problem?

In the vast majority of cases we've heard about, it appears that Apple is simply replacing these machines. Whether this will continue to be the case is unclear, as once Apple figures out what the problem is, it might simply be more economical to replace the offending part(s).

What can I do about my defective PowerBook?

If you are within two weeks of the purchase date, you should simply be able to return the PowerBook as DOA, and receive a new computer for no charge. If you are outside of this period, the best thing to do is simply call Apple. They'll likely have you try and reset the power manager and PRAM, and also run the extended hardware test. You can go through these before you call Apple, if you'd like to try and save some time. If you describe the symptoms, though, you'll likely be escalated to a second tier of support, where they'll offer to replace or repair the machine. They will send you shipping tags for FedEx, DHL, etc., and after receiving your old PowerBook via overnight shipping, a new PowerBook will be sent to you. Keep in mind, though, that this is the situation as it stands today, Apple could very well begin to simply repair the units, in which case it could take a day or two fewer or more before you receive your PowerBook back.

What should I do if I want to buy a PowerBook now?

This is one of the most frequently-received questions by us, and we want to make sure and give the advice with the least potential to hurt our readers. The short of it is, if you can wait, give it a few more weeks. It appears that the latest machines from the factory are less likely to have the defective trackpad, and allowing the retailers to clear out current stock gives you a better chance of getting a functional PowerBook.

If you cannot wait, we recommend going to a local retailer, particularly an Apple-operated store. Doing this will make any potential returns or repairs as easy as possible. If they'll allow it, open up the box at the store and test the PowerBook by doing the previously-mentioned sock test. If after a few trials of scuffing around in your socks and touching the trackpad produces no odd behavior, it should be fine.

Call for Reader Feedback

We have received a couple emails on two subjects and are hoping we can hear the consensus from readers on if they have seen the same thing.

First, if anyone has a Logitech Cordless Optical Mouse for notebooks, we'd like to know if it is working for you with the new PowerBooks, as some readers have had reliability problems crop up since upgrading their 'Books.

Second, one reader received a brand new, maxed-out 17" PowerBook, but according to a hardware reporting problem, the video card is not the 9700 that is advertised, but the 9600. If anyone else has seen this, or knows if it is just an error on the part of the reporting software, we'd love to hear about it.

All emails can be sent to editor (at) pbzone.com.

News and Notes

Well, the general consensus seems to be that new iPods are imminent. In the mean time, though, be sure and download the new Security Update, the cure for what ails you.

For those following along at home, our letter to Steve Jobs received a response. A member of Apple's Corporate Executive Relations left a message on our phone, and sent us an email, hoping to speak with us about our concerns. That will hopefully take place tomorrow, and we will, of course, update everyone on what the content and resolution of that discussion is.

Tuesday, February 22nd 2005

Defective PowerBooks: Is it Safe to Buy Yet?

We received this email from a reader recently:

I am in the market for a Powerbook and waited for the update to come out putting off the purchase for several months to do so. I was curious if you would recommend to go ahead and purchase now or wait to get this resolved. I don't know how widespread the affliction is with the trackpad. Thank you for your time.

This is a question that a lot of people are asking, easily one of the most common topics in emails sent to us, and it's not an easy one to answer. As the email mentions, while we've received a great deal of email echoing the problems reported here, there's no way to know if this is everyone, and if it's just a drop in the bucket. We do have some ideas on how to guide your purchasing decision, though:

If you can afford the possibility of having to send the PowerBook away for a week for repair or replacement, go ahead and make the purchase, because Apple is taking this problem pretty seriously. If the absence of your 'book isn't a serious problem, you can at least rest assured that a replacement will be sent out if there's a trackpad problem.

If you have an Apple Store nearby, which makes it easy to do replacements and repairs, you're also good to go. We've been told that they can do the replacements in the store, and ship out defective machines, making it much more convenient if proplems arise.

If neither of these things are true, ask the retailer how recent their shipment of PowerBooks is, or wait a few more weeks to make sure you're getting the latest items from the factory. In this case, buying from a smaller retailer might be better, as you'll be less likely to get something that's been sitting in a warehouse for a month.

Otherwise, there is always the PowerBook G5 to look forward to, which should bring with it all the problems of a brand new, revision A, product! Personally, we'd take the corrected PowerBook G4s...

iScroll2 Offers Scrolling TrackPad Functionality for Older PowerBooks, iBooks

We've waited a couple days to see how it turned out, but it appears that it's for real, and that iScroll2 is impressing a lot of people. iScroll2 is a hack that allows owners of recent PowerBooks and iBooks to have the same scrolling trackpad features of the most recent PowerBooks. While there is no clear distinction of which machines support this, the download includes a script that will inform you if the hack will work or not on your computer. While the reports so far have been largely positive, do keep in mind that this is a third-party hack, and there is always the potential for problems to come up down the road.

News and Notes

Well, the FedEx tags came to send our defective PowerBook back to Apple for replacement. To tide us over, we've bought a second PowerBook, a matching 12". We were a little worried we'd be sending it in to Apple, just like its older sibling, but it passed the static sock test (TM) with flying colors. So far, so good. If you've been waiting to replace your PowerBook, thinking that the trackpad isn't that bad, and you can work around the occasional problems, you really should reconsider. This new trackpad is leaps and bounds better than our previous unit, and it's easy to forget how a trackpad is supposed to operate. Oh, and if anyone is interested in buying a replacement PowerBook, unopened and fresh from Apple, drop us a line at editor (at) pbzone.com, we'll give a little PBZ reader discount on it.

For our quick clicks today, we have a nostalgic list of the top 10 Apple failures. It's sure to bring back some memories, both good and bad, and may remind us to appreciate today's Apple.

As for the daily rumor mongering and iPod gossip, Think Secret has a story on Apple possibly incorporating Flash support in the iPod, perhaps with the goal of improving the games available. Meanwhile, AppleInsider has the story on the iPod getting Bluetooth. In more imminent news, Think Secret also has the scoop on iPods being updated on Wednesday. There has been a great deal of talk about color screens and dramatic changes to the iPod line, particularly for the iPod photo, so this should be very interesting.

Monday, February 21st 2005

Static Electricity Possible Cause of New PowerBook Trackpad Failures

Over the weekend we were doing some research on the trackpad problems we've reported on in the new PowerBooks, and came across this report on Accelerate Your Mac. To be honest, it was the first we'd seen of the trackpad issues being attributed to static electricity, but we decided to check it out for ourselves.

As we've opined at length in this space, our own new PowerBook is afflicted with the trackpad problems. For those who have not been following along at home, these tend to be that the PowerBook is unresponsive upon waking the machine from sleep, or when the screen has dimmed or shut off. At other times, though, the trackpad will also be unresponsive, with seemingly no pattern. Additionally, there will be brief periods where it will go into 'scrolling mode,' with the only cure being patience for it to return to normal.

With the knowledge that our own PowerBook was a suitable testing candidate (as it will be on its way to Apple for replacement in the next couple days), we got our socks and carpet ready for some testing. First, we tried with the PowerBook simply plugged in as usual, with just the two prong plug that is used standard with the AC adapter. We rubbed our cotton-covered feet back and forth on the carpet for several seconds, then went straight for the trackpad. No shock was experienced by us, but the trackpad did exhibit the symptoms that many of us have been experiencing. This was with the computer active, screen on, and all systems go.

Next, we thought we would attempt to isolate the problem by not using the two-prong plug. Swapping it out for the grounded plug that comes with all PowerBooks, we plugged it in and rubbed our feet again. Similar results were produced; the trackpad would either be unresponsive, or slip into scrolling mode unbidden.

Finally, we tried this process with the PowerBook running on battery power, removing the AC adapter itself from the equation. Our first trial, we were encouraged to see that the effects did not manifest themselves, but upon repeating the process, it behaved just the same as when plugged in. Even on battery power, the trackpad is subject to performance problems from static.

The ability to isolate the problem without serious technical capabilities is limited, but we feel that we can draw some tentative conclusions from what we've found. First, the problem is almost certainly static related. The fact that this happens largely after the screen has dimmed or the computer has gone to sleep is likely because those are the times we are walking up to the computer, and have thus built up some static. For the other, seemingly random, occurrences of the problem, it could just be from sitting in your socks or other incidental happenings.

The fact that static is the culprit also leads us to believe that this is a hardware problem. Many of the letters we've received have been from people in similar situations to ourselves; they do not want to give up their PowerBooks, and are hopeful a software update can fix the problem. As it stands, we believe that some hardware needs to change to completely repair the situation. That said, we'll never count Apple's software wizardry out, but if you've been holding off sending your PowerBook in, it might be time to give it up.

Finally, some good news. As you can see from the linked report above, this problem doesn't seem to be afflicting every unit, and it appears that the most recently produced PowerBooks are okay. While we know that Apple employees can't very well tell us that they're uncertain if the new units will correct the problem, they do appear confident that this is the case. Of course, if you're buying now, there's no guarantee you'll be receiving one fresh from the factory. In any case, we're hopeful that this problem is being isolated and ironed out by Apple, and that this sensitivity to static is not something we'll all have to live with.

If you have any information pertaining to the new PowerBooks and their trackpads, drop us an email at editor (at) pbzone.com.

News and Notes

Just a couple of links of interest today. First, AppleInsider has the not-terribly-surprising news that there will be a Mac OS X 10.3.9. Among the feature requests, there can be expected to be many dual G5 owners hoping to have their fans quieted down. Is it just us who have found the PowerBook fans to come on less often in the PowerBooks with 10.3.8?

Lastly, our friends at PowerBook Central have a nice review of the iKlear Cleaning Kit. Users of Klear probably already know and love their products, but this is a nice introduction for those new to them. It really is great stuff for cleaning LCDs and cases.

Friday, February 18th 2005

Defective PowerBooks Quickly Replaced by Apple

We've spent a significant amount of time today on the phone with Apple's technical support, going through the motions to show that our new PowerBook is, in fact, among those afflicted with the now-infamous trackpad problems. For most of you out there, this will simply be an hour spent doing the same things you have already tried on your own: zap the PRAM, reset the power manager, check the trackpad preferences, run the Hardware Test software, and still have no resolution. Only after all that will you get to speak with someone who can actually get your 'book replaced. Here is a look at how the process went for us:

1. With the first tier of support, we described our symptoms, and he had us look in the trackpad preferences. We mentioned how many people were echoing our problems, and got no response, but were quickly forwarded to a product specialist.

2. This second tier went a little more technical. We first reset the power manager, then booted from the system software DVD, in order to run the Extended Hardware Test. 15 minutes later, nothing came up. Because our problems couldn't be recreated with the machine only asleep for a couple minutes, it couldn't be found if the PowerBook was now healthy. We were told to call back if the problem recurred.

3. Upon coming back hours later, and waking the display, we saw immediately that the problem remained. We called back, and this time almost immediately got to the second tier support, though it was a different person this time. While telling him what we'd already gone through, we mentioned that the cursor seemed excruciatingly slow, if not altogether unresponsive, when we had booted from the DVD. After emphasizing the regularity of the cursor freezing, he almost immediately offered to replace the PowerBook

This is good news and bad news. For many of you, you know the drill: Apple sends you a box, you ship your machine back to them, when they receive it, they send you a new one. Shipping is, according to the person we spoke with, three business days each way. The best case scenario for most people, then, is a week without your PowerBook. The other option offered was to simply have the PowerBook repaired, which would take 5-7 days, meaning a 50/50 shot at saving a day. Neither option was particularly attractive.

When dealing with technical support employees, and this applies to all companies, not just Apple, there is always a certain conflict. On the one hand, they are not setting the policies, but there is also the chance that a well-timed outburst could garner some better treatment. We attempted to be firm, while maintaining politeness, explaining that any time without this PowerBook would be an incredibly large inconvenience, as we run a PowerBook website. This would be productivity, and thus money, lost. We'd asked some friends who had worked at Apple's tech support facility in Austin if there was any possibility of receiving the new PowerBook before shipping the old one. They said this is sometimes done, with Apple putting a placeholder charge on the credit card until the old unit is received. When I asked this employee, he said that is only done in very special circumstances.

Of course, we weren't out of ideas yet. We asked if there was the possibility of simply returning the PowerBook to the Apple Store Online (from whence it was purchased), and buy another one locally. He told us we were welcome to do that, for the small fee of 15% of the price we paid, an inconsequential $225. Again, we kept in mind that he didn't set the policies, but we asked why we should pay $225 to return a broken product to the company that both made and sold it. Let's repeat that: we would have to pay $225 to return a product that did not function properly from the time we took delivery of it. We asked if there was any possibility of this being waived in this instance, as we've been long-time loyal customers. He assured us that there was absolutely no chance we could get around it, but we were welcome to try. With our spirits low, the support person suggested we try our local library if we needed a computer so badly. The problem, we explained, is that most libraries are not particularly open to random people booting their computers from iPods with Mac OS X installations.

After trying all avenues, we finally relented and said, yes, we will send the PowerBook to Apple for replacement. We know we have been focusing on Apple's problems recently, and that we are far from the first to suffer from being without their beloved Mac. Still, we did not complain when our PowerBook 5300s caught fire, or our PowerBook G3s' screens were scarred from the keys on the keyboard. This time, though, we have received a supposedly-polished product that is costing us productivity and money to have corrected, and the only way to avoid this is by paying $225 to return the defective product. We have never written sjobs@apple.com before, but this time we gave it a shot.

We'll be back on Monday with more news and happier dispositions. Until then, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com with your trackpad and tech support travails. If you have a Mac OS X-compatible PowerBook or iBook you'd like to FedEx us, we'd like that, too.

Thursday, February 17th 2005

Apple Works to Get Defective PowerBooks Right for Customers

We've been covering quite extensively the range of problems coming up in the new PowerBooks. Between the new models and the 10.3.8 update to Mac OS X, this revision to the PowerBook line has proven to be much more problematic than expected.

An anonymous insider has given us some information on how Apple is responding to all this. Apple has apparently been aware of some issues with the trackpad almost since the release, as the internal support database lists an article on the affliction from February 9th. The PowerBooks of affected owners are apparently being 'captured,' that is, Apple is attempting to get them back for diagnosing and testing, all in an effort to amend the problem. Any trackpad problem is considered a symptom of this issue.

Multiple Apple employees have suggested to us that those users experiencing problems should simply go to an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Store, where they can then have the machines diagnosed and fixed or replaced. For those without a local shop, call Apple to have your machine sent in. Of course, there is the definite likelihood that it will mean going without a PowerBook for at least a day or two, possibly more.

We will be giving Apple a call tomorrow to see what the situation is for our own afflicted unit. While we're at it, we'll see if any additional information can be gathered. Stay tuned, and as always, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com if you've been dealing with Apple over this or have an experience to share.

Panic Releases Transmit 3.0

We don't normally cover much non-Apple software, but we're very big fans of Panic at PBZone. Their very popular FTP Client, Transmit, reaches version 3.0 today. Here is a brief description of the new version:

Take Transmit, our long standing, very Mac-like FTP / SFTP client. Then, add a ton of new features, including column view, tabs, a sidebar, new favorites, search, dock status, spring loaded folders, iDisk and WebDAV support, and much more. The end result? The ultimate Mac FTP client, that makes FTP as simple, easy, and fun as it can possibly be.

Upgrades from version 2.0 are $18, while new users will pay $30. A demo is available at Panic's website

News and Notes

Well-known columnist Charles W. Moore has penned a great piece for today, The Pismo Turns Five. Judging from what we see in the email we receive, and on other websites, the Pismo is still among the most beloved PowerBooks out there. Definitely worth a read.

In the seedy world of Mac rumors, there's an interesting article on AppleInsider about higher density displays for PowerBooks. With people clamoring to sacrifice their eyes for the sake of maximizing screen area, this sounds like a probable move for Apple. Additionally, for those interested in digital video editing, there'e an article at Think Secret on the pending release of Final Cut Pro 5 at the National Association of Broadcasters conference in mid-April.

Wednesday, February 16th 2005

Tracking Trackpad and other Problems in New PowerBooks

We hate to appear as though we're piling it on the new PowerBooks, doing nothing but focusing on the few problems that have been found, but it appears that the more units that come into the channel, the more it becomes clear there are serious concerns, either in design or construction. One reader from Germany sent us this:

I just received a new 17" PB. I thought that by purchasing one near the end of the production run (G5 can't be THAT far away) I would get a unit with all of the manufacturing glitches well-sorted. WRONG:

1. The display hinge tension is far too loose. Orienting the PB at 45 degrees (as when you're working in bed, or even just slouching in your chair) the screen sometimes slams shut! The hinge tension is noticeably weaker than on my 15" PB;
2. The unit has two screen latches (the 15 has just one). The latch release button works very roughly, and usually has to be pressed from both ends (it's a long sucker) to get both latches to release. Pressing directly in the center of the button works IF press with the very tip of my finger because the button travels so deep into the frame;
3. The Trackpad sucks. Sorry to say it so bluntly, but facts are facts. Pointer action is slow, but the most annoying thing is that Trackpad clicking is erratic - sometimes I have to tap VERY hard to get the thing to work. As well, the pointer has a tendency to jump when I tap so that often I get an unintended result - e.g. Tapping in a menu often gives a command one up or one down from the command I wanted.

All-in-all I am very disappointed with this new 17" G4. My year old 15" unit has fewer manufacturing problems and, with Sidetracker, does everything this new unit does. OK, the new keyboard illumination is better.

I could live with the display hinge and release mechanism problems, but the Trackpad is unacceptable. I'll be calling Apple later this morning to ask for a replacement.

While the trackpad problems sound familiar, Fredd is among a group of people who have emailed us in the last couple days complaining about the clicking of the trackpad button being more difficult. We will say, though, that we have no other accounts of problems with screen hinges, though if that's limited to the 17" model, it's possible it simply hasn't been reported yet. We'll be trying to keep everyone apprised of Apple's response to these issues; in the mean time, email us at editor (at) pbzone.com if you've experienced any of these problems, or if you've spoken with Apple about them.

Apple Announces WWDC Details and a Call for Switchers

It appears that Apple will once again be advertising the stories of people making the platform jump from Windows to Mac OS X, as they have posted a webpage asking for stories of switchers. Just fill out that form, and who knows, you could be the next Ellen Feiss.

Apple also released more information on its Worldwide Developers Conference for 2005. Here is an excerpt from the WWDC website:

With its unique integration of breakthrough technologies, open standards, and robust development tools, Mac OS X Tiger is the platform for unparalleled developer innovation. At the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2005, June 6-10 in San Francisco, you'll get the in-depth knowledge, hands-on instruction and one-on-one support you need to deliver products and solutions that transform the way your users work, play, search, and share on a Mac.

Tuesday, February 15th 2005

Continuing Look at Malfunctioning Trackpads

We received some interesting email from readers in response to our piece yesterday on trackpads in the new PowerBooks not working properly. What we're increasingly coming to believe is that this is not at all an isolated problem, but is found in a large percentage of the units that have shipped over the past couple weeks. Here is one email, from reader Bob, that shows a repeated concern:

I am having the same "wake from sleep/dim" problems with the track pad my 12" PowerBook. At first I thought it had to do with the scrolling function and turned that off. But that didn't help, neither did MouseZoom. Still the scrolling function is problematic, not nearly as elegant or easy to use as SideTrack. I hope Alex can come out with a version for the new PowerBooks.

This is a brand new $1,700 computer and the track pad doesn't work correctly.

I miss my Pismo.

I have just received a brand new powerbook 17"

I have to say - the trackpad works wonderfully. I can't say if there are hardware difficulties - but the system preferences need more tweaking than just the Keyboard & Mouse option

I posted on a number of forums - that I think the main reason that people have been experiencing problems is due to is that the Universal Access settings.

> Go to the Universal Access settings
> Choose Mouse
> Alter the initial delay and maximum speed sliders
> have another look at the Keyboard & Mouse settings to make sure you are happy

I have a 20 " Cinema screen attached and have no problem flying across the width of the two screens (which is pretty long way!)

Special Deals from TechRestore

Site sponsor TechRestore sent us some of their latest specials, which we thought we'd share with you if you haven't checked them out in a while. These offers can't be combined with the other coupons available only to PBZone readers, but take even more off the price.

PowerBook 1GHz 512MB Memory, 60GB Hard Drive, CD-RW/DVD-R SuperDrive, Airport Extreme Wireless Card, DVI Video, 17-inch LCD Screen
Normally $1799.99, take $100 off when you use coupon code "SHOVEL" during checkout

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iBook G3/800 128MB Memory, 30GB Drive, CD-RW-DVD Optical Drive, 12-inch LCD Screen
Normally priced at $649.99, take $50 off with coupon code "MUCK" during checkout.

http://www.techrestore.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16155&cat=254&page=2

News and Notes

While it's hard to gauge the impact this early, one of the bigger stories today was the unveiling of Motorola's successor to their RAZR mobile phone. While this itself isn't terrible significant, these new models will be the much-hyped iTunes phone. The reaction so far has been quite underwhelming, with the design of the phone garnering rather tepid reviews. Still, this is just the beginning for Apple's involvement in the mobile phone arena.

Lastly, Wired has a great story about celebrities frequenting Apple's retail stores. Hearing the accounts of celebrities from Robin Williams and Jon Stewart, to members of Outkast and Melanie Griffith, is quite entertaining.

Monday, February 14th 2005

Special Report: Malfunctioning Trackpads in New PowerBooks

We've mentioned and alluded to problems in the past, but increasingly the mail we're receiving from readers has confirmed our suspicion that the refreshed PowerBook line, with trackpads made not by Synaptics, but by Apple, are not performing as they should be.

The complaints being lodged range quite a bit in their severity and nature; we're told by some people that the new trackpads simply feel less responsive or slower, while others are reporting that their cursors are not responding at all. One usch email, from reader Alan, summarizes quite well many of the points we're seeing:

I am the owner of a new 15" Aluminum PowerBook. (1.67Ghz/SuperDrive model) At first I thought it was me, but then I did a little searching on the net and found several other reports that confirmed my suspicions. I've noticed that mine is flaky at times -- Especially when waking from sleep or when the screen has dimmed. The trackpad will be VERY slow in response. I can drag back and forth furiously several times until it finally "wakes up" and starts working again. I also have the tracking speed cranked all the way up and this still has not made a significant difference. However, I must mention to you that I am running Mac OS 10.3.8 -- and I don't know if this has anything to do with it. The machine shipped with 10.3.7, and I don't recall having any such problems like this BEFORE I upgraded, even though 10.3.8 was supposed to fix a certain trackpad issue. I have yet to re-load 10.3.7 and see if that solves my problem.

I will say though that the new trackpad is pretty poky in comparison with the old one. My iBook G4's trackpad was really nice. This new trackpad just feels less precise, and again, very slow. The only quasi-fix I have found is to use a program called "MouseZoom" in which you can overclock your mouse cursor speed. This works OK with the scrolling feature too. It's more disappointing than anything else though, that I have to use third-party software to try and get my trackpad to behave normally. I hope Apple will catch this bug quick and fix it; it is very annoying.

What they give is in one hand they take away with another. The Synaptics units worked so well, why mess with a good thing?

Perhaps more troubling are the reports from users of older aluminum PowerBooks that 10.3.8 introduced problems for them. One friend of PBZ reported that after the update, both his keyboard and trackpad would periodically stop functioning at all

Whether using 10.3.7 or 10.3.8, another persistent problem with the new Scrolling TrackPad is the intermittent sticking of the trackpad in scroll mode. At times, cycling through the programs with command-tab seems to be necessary to return the trackpad to its regular use.

At this point, we would be hesitant to recommend updating to 10.3.8, if you have not yet already done so. We are hopeful, though, that Apple will be able to correct any existing trackpad problems through software fixes, avoiding a hardware recall. Judging by the already-demonstrated variability in performance between 10.3.7 and 10.3.8, it appears that software can significantly alter (both positively and negatively) the trackpad's performance.

While there are clearly not a lot of the new PowerBooks already in the hands of users, we'd like to hear from those out there who have them if they're experiencing the same thing, and if they've found any workarounds. For those who've upated to 10.3.8, we'd also like to hear if you're experiencing any new problems. Email us at editor (at) pbzone.com, and stay tuned for updates on the situation as it develops.

News and Notes: Migration from Windows, Benchmarks

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. A couple interesting developments over the weekend, including bechmarks from MacCentral of the new PowerBooks. The results are, by and large, unsurprising, with the expected slight improvements in the latest updates.

We also received a surprising abundance of mail on our comments regarding migration from Windows to Mac. The general message was that there is already a program which accomplishes this feat, Move2Mac, by Detto. While this program has received much praise, our comments were actually about Apple creating a first-party solution, removing the barrier of needing a $50 program. For those who don't mind, though, it loos like an excellent product.

Friday, February 11th 2005

Q&A on the new PowerBooks: Heat, Scrolling TrackPads, and Switching from Windows

We asked if you had any questions on the new 'books, and quite a few of you did. Since some of these questions looked like they might be relevant for a lot of users, we thought we'd share a few with everyone. To begin with, reader Sridhar asked us about the FireWire system migration feature we raved about:

I'm thinking about switching from my PC to a Mac and am looking into buying a PBook. Do you know if that file transfer utility you talked about with the new PBook g4s with firewire works for transferring with PCs, or is it just for transferring between Macs?

We had to ask to find out about this ourselves, to be honest, as no one here has had to move froma PC in recent memory. The bottom line is that no, the built-in mechanism will not work between a PC and a Mac. The major reason for this is that the mechanism requires FireWire Target Disk Mode just to get the selected files, which makes it a significant obstacle for Apple to enable PCs to use this feature. Without a workaround here, the work on appropriately moving the user's files from the PC can't even begin. With products like the Mac mini that are intended to lure PC users, though, we feel that something at least comparable to what currently exists for Macs will be made by Apple (or at least a third party), for those making the platform switch.

Reader Daniel sent this question, relevant to the new Scrolling TrackPad feature:

I am curious if the new powerbook scrolling trackpad also has the ability to set the button to act as a CTRL+left click? I use sidetrack on my PBti, and would really miss that one feature very much. The scrolling sounds very cool though.

Also, any idea if the scrolling trackpad works inside Filemaker? Filemaker is notorious for not supporting scrolling mice in scrollable windows ( I image this would not change as the pad is acting like a mouse).

We've looked in the System Preferences, and there are some customizations you can apply to the trackpad, but we have yet to find a way to assign it more than a regular click, or click and drag. If this feature is indeed important to many users, perhaps Sidetrack can continue to have something to offer PowerBook users, at least until Apple adds it itself.

We were surprised to hear that FileMaker hasn't supported scrolling mice in the past, so downloaded the demo and tried it ourselves. Sure enough, the new Scrolling TrackPad also doesn't function in its windows. So far, it's the only program we've found that doesn't respond to the scrolling functionality.

We're still happy to answer any questions, or hear any comments, on the new PowerBooks. Email us at editor (at) pbzone.com!

News and Notes

This story hasn't been getting much attention around the web, but Spymac has an interesting story on one of the many websites offering "free" iPods. While the success of the iPod has been staggering, it has, of course, been followed by numerous people trying to take advantage of its popularity in unethical, if not illegal, ways. We post this link as a warning to our readers to be careful; if it looks too good to be true, it probably is, as the old adage says.

Thursday, February 10th 2005

Mac OS X 10.3.8 Released

The big news of the day is that Apple has released the long-expected 10.3.8 update for Mac OS X, possibly the final update to 10.3 before Tiger is released. From the information displayed in Software Update:

Key updates include:

• improved OpenGL technology and updated ATI and NVIDIA graphics drivers
• improved file sharing and directory services for mixed Mac and PC networks
• improved compatibility for third party applications and devices
• previous standalone security updates

For more information on the update, including links to the appropriate updaters for those who wish to avoid Software Update, check out Apple's page on 10.3.8. There haven't been any reports of disastrous results from the update, but we'd like to hear about your experiences after upgrading to 10.3.8. Drop us a line at editor (at) pbzone.com, and we'll see how PowerBook and iBook users fare with the new version.

Introducing Tech Restore

TechRestore is our latest addition to the PBZone family, and one that we're very excited about, for reasons that we'll explain. As you can see from their banners at the top of the page, our site is not just one in a long list, nor are they a faceless sponsor. We're going to work together to give PBZ readers special deals and offers that make this beneficial for everyone. TechRestore has created a special page for PBZ readers, where you can find a list of all th discounts and promotions offered. As you can see, there are some pretty good deals offered there, and we'll try and add to these over time.

If you're not familiar with TechRestore, they do a variety of things. First, they sell Macs, both desktops and portables, that have been restored by them. We've looked through their offerings, and there are some pretty nice deals on used machines that you can have confidence in, and unlike eBay, they have a return policy.

Also of interest to professionals with PowerBooks, they offer incredibly quick repair services that can get your machine back to you in no time. For those who are simply squeamish about opening up their babies, they can also do upgrades on functioning mahines.

To top it all off, TechRestore does work on iPods, including repairs and replacement batteries, and can even replace the hinges on your Titanium PowerBook with a better-than-new version, as we covered in yesterday's update. We're very excited to have TechRestore on board, and we hope that some of you will take advantage of the deals they offer!

News and Notes

We'll be back tomorrow, covering a variety of questions from readers on the new PowerBooks, but we'd like to ask for feedback on something we've been hearing grumblings about. There has been some talk that Apple's new non-Synaptics-made trackpad has been performing "quirkily," such as occasional erratic behavior or scrolling. We're curious if this is very widespread (though it might be hard to tell this early). If you have one of the new 'books in your possession, please email us at editor (at) pbzone.com, and let us know if it's working perfectly, or if there have been any problems.

Wednesday, February 9th 2005

Review: foofbag PowerBook Sleeve

foof is a small, but well-loved, maker of sleeves for iBooks, PowerBooks, and iPods. Making a line of these sleeves in unique, rotating patterns and fabrics, the unique, personal feel of foof's products make them a perfect match for Apple aficionados.

We bought a sleeve for the 12" PowerBook, in the vibrant red corduroy seen in the photo above. For $26, foof herself sews and ships the sleeve to your door. The results are very professional, though, and would never be confused for something by an amateur.

Inside the sleeve is satin polyester, which makes sliding the PowerBook in and out very smooth, and will leave the machine's case scratch-free. The website states that they try and make the sleeves as snug as possible, but we actually found the bag somewhat loose. Perhaps it'd make it overly difficult to put the PowerBook in the sleeve if it was much smaller, but we wouldn't walk around with the open side of the sleeve aimed at the ground.

As for the amount of protection offered by the sleeve, foofbags are not trying to compete with the sleeves that can stop bullets and go base jumping with you, but we would feel pretty confident that a PowerBook or iBook in a foofbag would survive the fall from hand-level to even a concrete floor, which is the worst that's likely to happen for most users.

All in all, there are cheaper sleeves out there, and more rugged sleeves, but for solid utility and great style, foofbags are very compelling. Machines as attractive as iPods, iBooks, and PowerBooks are complemented terrifically with the rainbow of options made by foof. We think they'll be a big hit among students, at least.

If you'd like to see all the offerings from foof, check out their website.

TechRestore, Inc. Announces Stainless Steel Hinge Repair Program for PowerBook G4 Titanium

We know there are still a lot of Titanium users out there, and this looks like it might be useful to help keep people using them a while longer:

Concord, CA - February 8, 2005 - TechRestore, Inc announced today that they have begun offering a worldwide PowerBook G4 LCD hinge replacement service using stainless steel hardware. The replacement stainless steel hinge assembly is over 50% stronger than the standard hinge and offers the ultimate in protection against future failures. "The TechRestore team has performed thousands of G4 Titanium hinge repairs since the systems introduction in 2001," said Shannon Jean, Founder and President of TechRestore. "With our new Stainless Steel hardware, we've increased the strength of the hinge area dramatically."

The TechRestore hinge replacement service is a complete, door-to-door overnight service for customers in the continental U.S. Customers outside the U.S. use our Self-Restore program to send in their PowerBooks for the hinge service. Once a repair is scheduled, a RestoreBox is sent via overnight courier to the customers home, office or school where their system is picked up and brought back overnight to TechRestore. Within 48-hours of receipt, the hinge replacement is completed and the system is sent back to the customer's location via overnight courier.

The Stainless Steel Hinge Repair Program is just $349 which includes all overnight shipping charges, repair parts and installation. The standard hinge replacement service is available for just $299. The hinge repairs are performed in an anti-static and dust-free environment by a TechRestore Certified Technician.

"We're thrilled to have our new Stainless Steel hinges to offer our customers," said Jean. "They offer a new level of protection for G4 Titanium owners and eliminate the worry over hinge problems."

You can find out more on this service at TechRestore.com.

Apple Tops Consumer Reports Customer Surveys

For 2004, Apple topped all four computer-related surveys in Consumer Reports: desktop and laptop repairs, and desktop and laptop technical support. Apple received 76 out of 100 for desktop support, while Dell came in second with a disappointing 57. In the laptops category, Apple again dominated the field with a score of 84, besting IBM's second-place score of 69.

Re-Introducing Waterfield Designs

Continuing with our trend of re-acquainting ourselves with old friends of PBZone, today we'd like to welcome Waterfield Designs back into the fold. Waterfield makes a wide variety of sleeves and full bags, including for iPods, and offers great discounts on package purchases. These are not your consumer bags from your local discount store. For the professional Apple user, or for those who are just as demanding, we definitely recommend Waterfield's products.

Tuesday, February 8th 2005

My First Day with the New PowerBook

Never in my life has it been so difficult to get one of Apple's new machines. When Apple announced updated PowerBooks on Monday of last week, I immediately purchased one of the 12" models, coughing up the extra $15 for expedited shipping. Well, two day shipping turned into three, and three into four, and eventually seven days. If only the PowerBook's frequent flyer miles could be redeemed by me.

When the UPS truck pulled up at 4 PM this afternoon, though, the excitement had built to a fevered pitch. I hurriedly signed the tablet and took the surprisingly-small box under my arm.

Opening up the outer box, a sleek black box was uncovered. I don't remember these boxes being so small, I thought to myself. Opening up this box, I gazed upon the svelte aluminum machine, icy to the touch. I sat it down next to my current portable, a 14" iBook, and got to see them juxtaposed for the first time. If the new PowerBook can be half as reliable as the iBook, it'll be a solid machine, but I have to admit, the PowerBook is sexier.

With the AC adapter plugged in, I booted up the new machine, and the familiar Apple music and introduction animations began. One thing new to me is Apple's mechanism to transfer files to a new machine. All I needed was a FireWire cable, choose what things I want brought over to the new machine, and I was good to go. I transferred almost 13 gigabytes of files in around 25 minutes, which is not too shabby.

After completing the registration, I logged into Mac OS X and was amazed to see that it copied exactly the settings from the iBook, down to the mess of files positioned on the desktop. I opened Stickies. Yep, all those mission-critical notes were where they should be.

Looking at the software, I saw it was Mac OS X 10.3.7 listed as the operating system installed. Some reports have had a version of 10.3.8 being installed, but at least in this instance that was not the case. There were many updates listed in Software Update, though, including the iMovie and iPhoto updates for iLife '05. As an aside, the iLife '05 suite is pre-installed on these machines. The included DVDs include only Mac OS 9 for Classic, Mac OS X, iLife and a handful of other applications or demos. iWork is, sadly, not to be found.

Going through my regular routine, the PowerBook proved to be quite a bit snappier than the iBook. One thing I noticed is that the standard speakers sound much better on the PowerBook, even listening to streaming news radio in iTunes.

Now, I wasn't willing to test the Sudden Motion Sensor technology; I'll leave that to the inadvertent testers. One feature that is sure to be a hit with Mac users, though, is the new Scrolling TrackPad. Simply by having two fingers touch the trackpad, you can easily scroll within the window being focused upon. It'll take a few days to habituate using it, but will eventually be ingrained for most users.

Without any Bluetooth devices here, I haven't been able to test the Bluetooth functionality yet, so I'll have to refrain from commenting. The PowerBook has also been spared from any real heavy lifting so far, but even in iPhoto I can see that the performance is quite good, considering this is the slowest model with stock RAM (512 MB). Despite the trial of actually getting the computer in my hands, it was well worth the wait, and appears to be a worthy upgrade to the PowerBook line.

Tomorrow we'll have a view of an interesting sleeve for the PowerBook, which can also be bought in different sizes for every current model of PowerBook and iBook, as well as for iPods. Have questions or comments on the new PowerBook? Email us at editor (at) pbzone.com, we'll be happy to answer them!

Introducing Booq

One thing that we like at the PowerBook Zone is how often we hear from readers that they found a product from one of our advertisers that they really like. We try very hard to only have companies that make or sell good stuff, stuff that we ourselves would buy and use, and it's nice to hear that sentiment enchoed. In the case of Booq, we've received even more email than usual complimenting their stuff.

Booq has extended its offer of 10% off purchases that use the promotional code "pbzone05," so if you've been waiting to buy, we encourage you to go peruse their offerings. We know a lot of you have already bought one of their backpacks or sleeves, and swear by them.

Also, if you aren't sure yet, we'll be reviewing the Vyper PowerBook case in the not-too-distant future, so keep on the lookout for that!

News and Notes

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an interesting story about one school district in Georgia looking to purchase 63,000 Macs, for a price of around $70 million. School districts elsewhere have had programs to equip students and teachers with laptops, including iBooks, with varying results. One thing is for certain, though, it can't be bad for Apple to sell that many Macs to future computer buyers.

Also, AppleInsider has an interesting story on, among other things, Apple's new trackpads. It seems that the latest PowerBooks, with the new scroll features, are being designed in-house, and no longer by the past designer Synaptics. It's unclear what this means for Apple, but possibly they are ready to try and become more innovative with future trackpads, and thought Synaptics was overly-complacent?

If you have comments, opinions, or stories of interest, drop us a line at editor (at) pbzone.com.

Monday, February 7th 2005

The Beginners Guide to: Apple's Current and Upcoming processors (Freescale edition)

Keller, the writer of one of the letter's from last Friday, sent us this piece over the weekend, which seemed like a logical followup to better understanding the players and factors at work in determining how fast the processors are in Apple's computers:

Freescale was Motorola's chip division, and is now an independent company. They have a very good track record on designing really nice chips, and a very bad track record at producing and scaling them. To some extent, this is because Motorola's fabs (where chips are made) were pretty bad; dirty and old. This has been solved with a move to the ultramodern Crolles fab in association with several other companies. Their design team, on the other hand, was always considered one of the best, a major reason the G4 was able to best Intel's chip offerings, despite slower clock speeds and a weaker bus.

IBM's chip division has been around for a very long time. Currently they use the modern fab at Fishkill to produce chips.

Both companies have presumably had problems with the transition to 90nm from 130nm, which allows chips to be faster, use less power, and be produced in larger numbers in the same size area. In theory. IBM's (and Intel's) problems have been fairly widely publicized. Freescale hasn't said anything, but their roadmap seems conservative, unless they have had problems. However, Motorola had an ongoing problem meeting their roadmap targets, so any roadmap published by Freescale should be taken with a grain of salt.

They are Apple's two suppliers for processors. IBM will not be covered, because, frankly, I don't know enough about their chips.

Freescale supplies the 7447 and 7447A for use the eMac, the Mac Mini, iBooks, and Powerbooks (The new Rev C (15")/D(12"/17") PB's are probably using the 7447B).

The 7447, 7447A, and 7447B are all similar chips. They have a 512 kb L2 cache with no L3 cache. Their max bus speed is 167 MHz. The 7447 has a top clock speed of 1.33 GHz, the A model can hit 1.5 GHz, and the B model can reach 1.67 GHz.

Although they use DDR memory, the slow bus speed prevents utilizing the full speed of the fast DDR memory.

The 745x series has a L3 cache, but does not scale as well as the 744x series. The 745x is used by a number of upgrade manufactures, such as Powerlogix and Sonnet.

Upcoming is the 7448, with a top clock speed of 1.8-2.0 GHz and a bus speed of 200 MHz, along with a larger 1 MB L2 cache.

The 7448 is currently being sampled, with production sometime in the next 6 months. Could be less, could be more.

After the 7448 (which is basically a final upgrade to the 744x that is years late in some respects) comes the advanced e600 series.

The e600 has a large number of very nice features and comes in single and dual core versions that are pin compatible with each other.

It comes with 1 or 2 PCI Express I/O interfaces.
It has a 1 MB L2 cache per core.
4 10/100/1000 Ethernet controllers (needed for embedded hardware use)
A memory controller for each core, allowing full speed use of DDR2 memory.
A 667 MHz integrated MPX bus. Far faster then external buses.
It has 4 integer, a floating point, and 4 Altivec units per core.
Rapid I/O interface.

This chip is sampling in the second half of this year, with production sometime in the first half of 2006.

After that comes the e700 core, 32/64 bit with clock speeds beyond 3 GHz. It is unknown when this chip will be sampled or produced.

We'd like to thank Keller for giving us this Freescale and G4 101. If you have any questions or comments, on the G4, PowerBooks, or otherwise, drop us a line at editor (at) pbzone.com!

Introducing PowerBook Medic

As you may have noticed, PowerBook Medic is again helping to sponsor PBZone. They've done this in the past, and are very happy to have them back. PBM has repair manuals, the parts you need to do those repairs, and a repair service where they can fix your PowerBook after you screw up doing it yourself. Not that that would ever happen around here.

We encourage you to check them out, and if you do end up using them, let them know we sent you, and use coupon code "PBZONE" to get $5 off your order.

Site Notes

The arrival of the new PowerBook has again been delayed, so we can't yet write on how great it is. The anticipation is killing us, as the arrival date has been rescheduled four times by UPS, but we're confident it will finally make it here tomorrow! Assuming it does, we should have a good report on our first impressions with tomorrow's news.

Already received your new PowerBook? Email us at editor (at) pbzone.com with your thoughts!

Friday, February 4th 2005

A Closer Look: Clearing Up G4 Confusion in the New PowerBooks

Yesterday's article on the G4s found in the new PowerBooks received a tremendous amount of interest, judging from the logs, which is why it's disappointing to have to say that we apparently posted some incorrect information. As we warned last time, this area is not exactly our forte, and lining up the various model or version numbers used by Apple versus the designations given by the actual designers and manufacturers of the processors is not always as simple as it should be. We received two emails that will hopefully set everyone (ourselves included) straight on the situation with the G4s in the new PowerBooks. The first letter is from Mark, who was very polite and diplomatic in his correspondence:

I want to clear up some confusion about the information you posted today regarding the processors used in PowerBooks. While it is true that the MPC7447A replaced the MPC7447 processor used in a previous generation, that change took place with the last speed-bump in April 2004 (1.33/1.5GHz). The benefits that you list for the 7447A were actually realized last year. The 7447 was first used in the range introduced in September 2003 (1/1.25/1.33GHz).

Looking through Freescale documentation (http://www.freescale.com/files/32bit/doc/rel_qual_info/MC7447ARQI.pdf), it appears that they produced 7447Bs for use in the just-replaced 1.33/1.5GHz PowerBook line. Whether or not Apple actually switched to these units is unclear, as are the differences between the 7447A and 7447B. It seems to me that the 7447B is just a further revision of the 7447A, given a new product number instead of a bumped hardware revision number. It's entirely possible that Freescale will never actually bill these processors as 7447Bs, relying instead on the 7447A name.

The processors in the current group of PowerBooks (1.5/1.67GHz) are 7447Bs. This is confirmed by references in the Freescale document to "Commercial Laptop" manufacturer products Q54B, Q16B, and Q41B. These are the Apple engineering codes for the current 12", 15", and 17" PowerBooks, respectively. You'll also notice 7447Bs in the document to the Q72B and Q73B, corresponding to the 12" and 14" iBooks. Q86 refers to the eMac and Q88 to the Mini - note the existence of a 1.42GHz eMac at least in engineering, although this does not indicate that it will ever become a shipping product.

As we can see from this, then, what is clear is that the current PowerBooks do use the 7447B, and are possibly the first to use it. There is also the possibility that the previous revision of PowerBooks used them, but this isn't certain, apparently.

Now, just for fun, we received an interesting email from reader Keller, with some speculation on what the future holds for processor selections and speeds:

2nd Half 2005
Powerbook - 7448 @ 1.8-2.0 GHz
Mac Mini/iBook - 7447B @ 1.5-1.73 GHz

Early 2006
Powerbook - e600 single core @ 2 GHz
Mac Mini/iBook - 7448 @ 1.8-2.0 GHz

2nd Half 2006
Powerbook - e600 dual core @ 2+ GHz
Mac Mini/iBook - e600 single core @ 2 GHz

Early 2007
Powerbook - e700 dual core @ 2+ GHz
Mac Mini/iBook - e700 single core @ 2+ GHz

Presumably Freescale could do a better job on clock speeds if the Mac Mini sells tons and Apple can put more pressure on them. Conversely if IBM has a laptop specific chip under development and Apple would be willing to back them by buying a large amount; again assuming the Mac Mini takes off, Apple could go with G5 derivative chips.

Or Apple might build their own Laptop chip design group. IBM is dedicated to building server chips for a long time, and those can be fit in Towers and iMacs so Apple is fine there. IBM could care less about a laptop chip unless Apple can put pressure on them. It might be easier for Apple to contract IBM/Freescale for their own specific laptop chip, or build their own design group and buy space at Fishkill or Crolles to fab it.

Or heck, Cell chips could take over everything. You never know.

Now, this roadmap is just an estimation by one reader, but it doesn't look like a pipe dream at all. These look to be generally attainable goals for Apple, and give some hint of what the future might hold.

As always, we love to hear questions and comments, so drop us a line at editor (at) pbzone.com.

News and Notes

It's been a relatively quiet day for the Mac web, but there have been some interesting developments. First, for those of you not desperate to live on the bleeding edge, Apple has updated its Special Deals page to include brand new PowerBooks from the previous revision. These will be listed as long as supplies last, but with prices as low we $1300, that shouldn't be long.

Second, one of our favorite companies, Panic, is selling nine tshirts that you can actually be seen in without embarrassment. Well, except maybt he 'I make Macintosh software' shirt. Take a look.

That does it for this week on PBZ. A new PowerBook was supposed to arrive at the ol' office today, but is apparently enjoying the sights and sounds of the UPS facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Next week we'll have at least one bag review, more information on the new PowerBooks, and all the news that matters!

Thursday, February 3rd 2005

A Closer Look: New G4s for New PowerBooks

Continuing our series of answering reader questions on the new PowerBooks, today we're looking at the heart of any computer: the processor.

I'm very interested in whether the G4 in the updated powerbook lines is different that the old ones.... any changes in cache, bus speed, or heat/power consumption?

The G4 found in the new PowerBooks actually is an updated version of the processor found in previous incarnations. While not radically different, the 7447A (versus the 7447 processor that was used before) sports some interesting enhancements. We must caution that we are not exactly electrical engineers here, though, and those looking for gorier details should take a look at Freescale's (the maker of the G4) webpages on the 7447 and the 7447A

Comparing the specs between the 7447 and 7447A, they look identical in most areas, such as cache and bus speed, but there is one important difference: power dissipation. While this may seem like a minor improvement, this is of particular importance for laptop users. Not only does it mean potentially better battery life at the same clock speeds, it means that processor speeds can be increased while still remaining under whatever limit Apple sets for power usage. In the case of the new PowerBooks, we are potentially seeing the fruits of the 7447A in the increased clockspeeds of the new models, while battery life and heat should be no worse, if not better.

Have your own questions you'd like answered on the new PowerBooks? Comments? Email us at editor (at) pbzone.com.

Unsung Features of the new PowerBooks

We've received a lot of email from readers on the new PowerBooks; questions, comments, and plenty of opinions have come our way. These two letters seemed especially worthy of note:

The 17" Powerbook comes with two features standard which none of the others do:

Digital Audio In and Out, meaning Digital Theatre Surround Sound finally possible on a Powerbook, and 30" Apple LCD compatibility.

I don't believe either was mentioned on your website. But these are significant improvements which shouldn't be overlooked.

One quibble: we did mention the support of larger LCDs in certain PowerBook models, but the audio features are certainly useful. Apple has made numerous steps into the music arena, between Garage Band, Logic, Soundtrack (now dead), and that's not even mentioning the iPod, iTunes, and iTunes Music Store. Providing one more premium feature that allows the PowerBook to replace many desktops shouldn't be ignored.

Reader Randy B. sent in this additional information on the Sudden Motion Sensor technology:

From what I have read, it appears Apple's patent for its drop-detection is motherboard-based, not drive-based as is IBM's implementation. This could mean further uses beyond the drive mechanism, such as the DVD drive, FWIW.

We're not sure if Appe has plans to extend the functionality of the Sudden Motion Sensor technology to other components, but we think Randy is right, and this could be a trend for Apple. There are only so many components and ways to lock down a portable for greater durability, but the potential for added protection of, for instance, optical drives, seems quite significant.

iPhoto 5 Updated

The second application in the iLife 2005 suite to be updated, iPhoto 5.0.1 fixes a number of niggling issues, and also makes updating from iPhoto 4 easier. As of now, there is no separate updater for 5.0.1 that can be downloaded from the web, but it's available via the built-in Software Update in Mac OS X.

Wednesday, February 2nd 2005

Reader Mail: Bluetooth 2.0 in the new PowerBooks

Reader mail is streaming in on the new PowerBooks, and we thought we'd begin with a question on the Bluetooth update in the new models from reader Tom Edmon:

What are the practical advantages of Bluetooth 2.0? (what can it do that 1.1 can't?)

This is a good question, as Bluetooth is a term that gets thrown around a lot among the computer and cell phone crowds, but few people probably know how it works, let alone the variation from version to version.

The major improvement in Bluetooth 2.0 is simply increased speed. Bluetooth 2.0 allows transfer rates of 2.1 Mb/sec, which is around 270K/sec. Compare this to the previous version of Bluetooth, which was limited to around 91K/sec. Now, 2.0 also has increased power consumption, but in practice it should use less power, because transfers will be completed more quickly.

One other feature that could be significant is that Bluetooth 2.0 allows for multicasting, meaning that Bluetooth devices that are being used by lots of client phones or computers will be able to advertise their availability to a high volume of devices at once.

Other questions or comments on the new PowerBooks? Let us know at editor (at) pbzone.com!

Hard Drive Upgrades: FireWire Target Disk Mode Disabled?

In our continuing look at upgrading the hard drive of your PowerBook, we received this interesting email from Derek Warren:

About a month ago, I threw a 40GB Seagate Momentus (ST94811A; 5400RPM; 8MB cache) into my PowerBook G4/867. The boost in performance was fantastic, especially when dealing with lots of little files--the bane of the my stock Toshiba 4200RPM drive. Boot time was cut in half, and everything was fine and dandy.

However, I just noticed that my machine can no longer boot into FireWire disk mode, presumably because the hard disk doesn't have Apple ROMs or something to that effect. When I hold down the 'T' key, the machine pauses for a bit as if it's about to go into FireWire disk mode, then it shuts down.

That's not so bad, as I don't use FireWire disk mode much. What's more annoying is that I don't have much control over when the Momentus goes into idle mode, meaning that iTunes 'hiccups' a bit more frequently than it used to.

Also, the Momentus also goes into a quiet flurry of activity when things are idle for one minute or so, and then every couple of minutes after that. Seagate boasts that their drives sport Continuous Background Defect Scanning (CBDS) and I presume that's what this is, although there's no documentation from Seagate that confirms this.

One last annoying thing about the Momentus I have is that it now takes exactly thirty seconds for my PowerBook to recover from sleep. When I open the lid of my PowerBook, I can see everything that should be on the screen, but the clock is frozen at the time the PowerBook went to sleep, and I can't do a thing until I've waited thirty seconds. Good thing I almost never put my PowerBook to sleep. ;)

I'm waiting to borrow a 2.5"->3.5" ATA cable to see if there are any low-level disk parameters I can play with to get rid of these problems through NetBSD, Seagate's own disk utillitiy (SeaTools), etc., etc...

Thought someone else out there might like to know!

We're curious if anyone else has experienced either the delayed wake from sleep or FireWire Target Disk Mode, or if there are any solutions to this problem out there. If you have any information or advice, drop us an email at editor (at) pbzone.com.

News and Notes

There were a couple interesting stories around the web today for PowerBook and iBook users. The first article is from the unlikely source of Boing Boing.. The article details one PowerBook user's frustrating experience with DVD regions and mixed collections of DVDs. We are a little suspicious of the number of screen replacements he claims to have had, though.

More positively, AppleInsider has a story on the incredible demand for the Mac mini and iPod shuffle. According to the analyst the reference, there is a waiting list of 18 Mac minis per Apple Store, and an incredible 120 iPod shuffles wait-listed per store. It looks like Apple just might have a success on its hands...

Tuesday, February 1st 2005

New PowerBooks: a Closer Look

By now you've all read the basic details of what has changed in the new PowerBooks: faster hard drives, faster processors, faster Bluetooth, more memory, and more features. What are we seeing in the big picture, though?

Two things that have been heavily publicized in the new PowerBooks are the Sudden Motion Sensor technology and the Scrolling TrackPad. While these are both features that no one is turning down, it's significant that these are arising as some of the most prominent parts of the update. Clearly, Apple is trying to deflect some attention away from the low ceiling they had for upgrading the performance parts of the PowerBook hardware. In lieu of significantly faster processors, Apple is doing its best to increase value in other areas, and these early results are at least attractive additions.

The increasing of value is really the major theme of the PowerBook line's revision. Apple has essentially reached the maximum in specifications that it can with the current form factor and processors available. RAM, hard drives, graphics cards, and the processor have nearly no wiggle room while still maintaining a clear hierarchy. By pushing every area of the PowerBook's performance even a moderate amount, though, while simultaneously lowering the price on most models, Apple has done nearly everything possible to appease impatient customers. We'd also like to add that the 512 MB of RAM in every model is a tremendous step forward, and something we hope to see in at least the PowerMacs, if not other lines.

Looking more closely at some of the smaller improvements to the PowerBooks, we found the Sudden Motion Sensor particularly interesting. Apple says that this technology is patent-pending, curiously, though, IBM appears to utilize a similar technology in its ThinkPad line. Both companies use accelerometers to detect motion that is a potential risk to the hard drive, according to product websites. While there is a fair amount of information on IBM's implementation of this technology, Apple is more tight lipped at this point. Now that the technology is in released machines, though, perhaps there will be more information on it shortly.

Scrolling TrackPad is also interesting, as when juxtaposed with the frequent complaints by PC users of the single-button mouse, we see a possible concession on Apple's part. With virtually every third-party mouse coming with a scroll wheel now, this could be a sign that Apple wishes to at least accomodate its professional users with similar functionality. Also worth noting is that this is not simply replicating the third party software that allows scrolling with the trackpad. Scrolling TrackPad makes possible scrolling in applications whenever two fingers are both in contact with the trackpad, regardless of whether it's on the side of the trackpad or not.

As a last look at some of the smaller details, it's telling that dual-link DVI is now available in the 17" model and the 15" model with SuperDrive. Apple's displays have been getting larger every year, and this shows a commitment on Apple's part to make sure those displays can be fully taken advantage of by PowerBooks. As far as software, we are pleased to see iLife 2005 included, and understand Apple generally only offers limited software with its pro machines, but including iWork with the PowerBooks would be a nice gesture towards this effort of adding value.

Taken as a whole, this looks like an incredibly well-rounded update, even if unspectacular when taken in its parts. While it is perhaps just buying time for Apple, it provides a nice incentive to upgrade in the mean time.

We'd love to hear what everyone else thinks, though. All questions and comments on the new 'books can be sent to editor (at) pbzone.com, and we'll be covering the new models in-depth in the coming days and weeks. With any luck, a new 12" will be here in a few days, ready for putting through its paces!

MCE Releases Portable FireWire SuperDrive

Here's the good word, straight from MCE Technologies:

IRVINE, CA, January 31, 2005 MCE Technologies, LLC (MCE) today announced the Lucid M8X Portable FireWire DVD+/-R/RW + Double-Layer Drive. The Lucid M8X is a compact, slotloading, bus-powered FireWire drive capable of writing to seven different types of recordable media, including DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R, CD-RW, and Double-Layer DVD+R discs. DVD+R Double Layer technology allows up to 8.5GB of data to be written to a single side of a DVD+R Double Layer disc. The MCE Lucid M8X Portable FireWire DVD+/-R/RW + Double-Layer Drive is expected to ship February 1, 2005 with a suggested retail price of $279.

Some other niceties with this drive: it works with Mac OS X's Finder burning, iTunes, and iPhoto, and the drive can also be booted from if it has a disc with the Mac OS on it.