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Friday, April 5th 2002 12:38 PST
PowerLogix Files Bankruptcy?
We were tipped off by a reader that Macintosh processor upgrade manufacturer PowerLogix may have filed for bankruptcy in Austin, Texas last week. Since the company is privately owned, there is no notice on their website and no other Macintosh media has mentioned a peep of the bankruptcy if it's true.
Do any readers in Austin have any knowledge of this? Since the company makes several processor upgrades for PowerBook users, we'd like to get to the bottom of whether the company will be around or not in the future.
Thursday, April 4th 2002 00:01 PST
PowerBook Users Weigh In on Top Features Requested for New PowerBook
When we asked for commentary following yesterday's look at the future of the PowerBook line, the readers at large were not shy in the least. The following are the most-often requested additions to the PowerBook line we received via email and our own commentary on the chances for inclusion:
The users have spoken. Will Apple deliver?
MacResQ Improves PowerBook Mail-In Repair Service with Same-Day Pickup
MacResQ has added a same-day pickup option to its PowerBook/iBook repair service, PowerBookResQ. Beginning in a few weeks, PBRQ will have a "PowerBox" in every Airborne Express vehicle nationwide. When you need service for your iBook or PowerBook, you can have your machine in PBRQ's hands the next day, and back to you withing about 48 hours. If you decide your PowerBook needs service and call Airborne to send it on Tuesday, they receive, repair, and return it Wednesday, and you get your machine back Thursday. Though the program doesn't start for at least two weeks, maybe three, Shannon Jean, President of MacResQ, sent us some comments on the program:
So, I thought "How can we make this process even
faster?" After a lot of research and negotiations, I'm pleased to tell you
that we've come up with a way to whack another 24 hours off of the
turnaround time! We've partnered with Airborne Logistical Services to offer
you Same Day Pickup service for your PowerBook! Within the next couple of
weeks, every Airborne truck in the country will have an empty PowerBox
inside of it, waiting for your PowerBook. You'll be able to call us up to 4
PM in most areas of the country and we'll have an Airborne driver at your
door that same day who will wait for you to put your PowerBook into the
PowerBox and seal it safely inside. Airborne will then have your PowerBook
to us the next morning. In most cases, we'll repair the PowerBook the same
day we receive it and then have it back in your hands the following morning.
I'm ecstatic that we can offer you this new service! Like I said, we're a
couple of weeks away from officially launching the same day pickup service,
but I just couldn't keep it inside any longer. There will be an extra fee
for the same day service, we're still grinding this down for you but I'll
let you know by the time we roll it out. The choice is yours: Repair locally
and wait, wait, wait or join the throng of happy PowerBook (and iBook) users
who are using PowerBookResQ. L'Espion Camera Software Updates
It seems there is viable software for OS X for the L'Espion $60 Digital Camera that we reviewed yesterday. Reader MIchael tipped us off:
After downloading the latest OS 9 drivers for the L'espion at
digitaldreamco.com I found out that the supplier of the camera internals
is Microtek Intl.
The latest software for the L'espion is called MN100 Digital Camera
V0.99F -
http://www.digitaldreamco.com/support/downloads/cameras/index.html
iOXperts has a listing of compatible cameras -
http://www.ioxperts.com/devices_usbstillcams.html and the Microtek
MN100 is listed!
Install it, open iPhoto, connect camera, import and edit! It works
without a hitch! Hope this info helps the OS X users out there. Wednesday, April 3rd 2002 00:01 PST
L'Espion Review: Can the $60 Digital Camera Measure Up?
PBZone.com Reviews Editor Paul Cesarini, with the help of guest reviews assistant Kaye Puthoff, has submitted his latest review. The L'Espion is a $60 digital camera that's beginning to be available in the US. To find out if its picture quality matches the low price, read the review.
Apple Contractually Obligated to Use ATI Processors Until Summer: Will New Models Feature n'Vidia Video Chips at MWNY?
We hear lots of rumors at The PowerBook Zone. Last week, for example, we posted a completely unfounded rumor about clear iBooks to be sold directly by Apple, capitalizing on a particularly attractive user aftermarket modification. While we posted that rumor for fun and placed its veracity in the range of 10-15%, there is one rumor we've continued to hear and are now able to confirm: Apple signed a contract with ATI at least two years ago to continue to use ATI video processors in its portable computers until this Summer.
Currently, the best portable graphics processors come from ATI and n'Vidia and are approximately equal in performance. However, about a year ago, there was a time that n'Vidia's GeForce2Go was available and ATI did not have a chip on par with the GF2G's performance, but Apple chose to go with the ATI Rage 128 in the PowerBook G4 regardless. While the only information that we do have is that this agreement exists, not on the mechanics or specifics of the agreement itself, we do not know if the agreement had anything to do with this choice.
After all, there are lots of reasons for Apple to buy chips from ATI. Despite the company's early announcement of the Radeon video card at Macworld New York 2000 which reportedly infuriated Steve Jobs by stealing his thunder, it is sometimes beneficial to source your components equally from two separate firms. Currently, Apple uses mainly n'Vidia chips in its desktop iMac and PowerMacs (though there's an option for ATI cards in the PowerMacs) and ATI chips exclusively in the portable iBooks and PowerBooks.
Apple last updated its PowerBook line in an unprecedented month-before-Macworld-SF "feature bump" that added combo drive units to the 550 and 667 MHz G4 units that were first introduced a scant two months earlier in October. Upcoming are two major opportunities for Apple to introduce a new lineup of PowerBooks: WWDC in a month and MWNY in more than three months from now. Given that Apple's traditional product cycles last about nine months, we think it's more likely that new PowerBooks will come at or around Macworld New York in July than the Worldwide Developer's Conference in May. While we do not know whether Apple will switch to n'Vidia chips on its PowerBooks, these two events are the first time in at least two years that it is able to make that choice.
Speaking of new PowerBooks, the big question no longer is features. In our opinion, we've actually reached the end of the road for groundbreaking inclusion of new features on portable computers. Think about it: short of including a SuperDrive in a portable enclosure, there's nothing Apple can add to its portables. We're not saying there's no technology to add, but we're saying the age of great innovation in portables has ended. This is not to say that Apple couldn't include a small video camera like some of Sony's VAIO's or a new connectivity technology like the much-rumored GigaWire, but Apple's hasn't added a new technology to portables since the pioneering addition of AirPort to the iBook in the middle of 1999. Since then, the expensive, professional PowerBook has really only gained a Combo drive as a new capability. Sure, the size and weight of PowerBooks have been halved while speed, memory and storage have been doubled in that time--and this, along with the killer design has fueled continued strong PowerBook sales for Apple--but the question now is: where do we go from here?
Before the end of 2002, Apple will issue a new lineup of PowerBooks. Considering that Apple used the same basic formfactor for the Wallstreet, Lombard, and Pismo PowerBooks, which reigned from mid-1998 to January of 2001, roughly two and one half years, it's not a stretch to imagine that the PowerBook G4's critically-acclaimed sleek looks--only 14 months old--will be around for at least one more ride around the block. Considering that component prices such as RAM and especially LCD displays have increased dramatically, Apple may not be able to significantly upgrade its PowerBook G4 without charging exorbitant prices. The screen is already as large and bright as is practically possible. Processor speed will be bumped a hundred megahertz or two, 512 MB of RAM will be standard on the low end, and 30 to 60 GB storage devices will be the norm. Other than that, there are only two new technologies we see Apple adding to the PowerBook in the next year: first is BlueTooth, a convenient technology to be sure, but not the groundbreaking change in computer networking that AirPort heralded. Second is the addition of the Apple Display Connector to the portable unit. It wouldn't be able to be used on battery, but we hope Apple engineers a way around the current limitation that you cannot attach an Apple-made display to a PowerBook for free (there are adapters from Gefen) These features, coupled with the usual speed/memory/storage upgrades, would produce a new PowerBook that would impress any Apple fan. However, while we always hope for Apple to pull a rabbit out of its hat, we don't forsee any momentous advances in new PowerBook technology anytime soon.
We welcome comments on this article. Send them to info@pbzone.com. Selected comments will be published tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 2nd 2002 10:49 PST
Site Notes
We hope that everyone enjoyed the 'ProPod' April Fool's Day joke yesterday. 1999's joke can be found here, 2000's can be found here and 2001's can be found here.
QPS Rebates. Wow.
If we were to say "email us if you use an Apple PowerBook!," we would not get as many responses as we did for the QPS rebate scam issue we asked you about on Friday. We received 29 seperate emails over the last three days, which is amazing response on any issue. As you can see below, the company is pretty remiss in a lot of different areas:
My experience with experience with QPS is based on a problem with their 20
GB Que! FireWire drive. The drive itself is fine: small, lightweight, etc.
When I received it in March of 2001 it came with its own drivers, actually
the drivers were from CharisMac. When trying to use the drive with multiple
Macs (both with and without built-in FW) the drive would freeze in mid-data
transfer, didnıt matter if it was 20 Mb or 10 GB. Quite a problem when the
drive is supposed to be your backup device.
I emailed QPSı customer support at least 4 times (never any response) and
called tech support to receive a recording.
On a hunch I looked at the version of the CharisMac drivers. Based on the
version of the drivers (version 3.12b6f12, or something like that), my guess
they were pre-release, development, something. On a hunch I tried out
CharisMacıs newest FW drivers (Anubis v3.5) - problem solved. No freezes
ever since.
So is it QPSı fault that the drivers werenıt adequate for the FW drive? I
think so. It didnıt take any great amount of effort to diagnose the problem,
but that was only after being forced into it since QPS doesnıt seem to
support their products once theyıve been purchased. It also irritated me
that the price to make THEIR product work for ME was $90 on top of the
drive.
They wonıt be getting my money anytime soon.
One of the reasons I purchased this Firewire CD-R drive was because
of this $50 rebate.
On a side note, after paying $30 (which includes insurance so that
QPS couldn't say they never received it) to ship the drive to QPS for
a firmware update it took **30**!!! days for the drive to be returned
to me.
Needless to say neither I nor anyone I know will be purchasing
another QPS product.
Certified Return Receipt costs about $2-$3, but it's definitely worth it.
I haven't had time to pursue this with the company. I did try using
the services of www.planetfeedback.com to send a letter to QPS, and I
filed a complaint with the California Attorney General office.
I don't think this is an isolated incident. See
<http://www.nls.net/mp/pffdvsg/qpsrebate.html> for another example.
Also, there were 2-3 other rebate issues posted at
www.planetfeedback.com besides mine.
In the meantime, the recent Apple/Microsoft Suite Deal rebate took
about a week for the check to arrive (and they even sent me more than
I qualified for--$75 rather than $50).
TiPaint.com
The guys at TiPaint, who surprisingly sell paint for the Titanium PowerBook to touch up scratches, emailed to let us know of their existence. Since their ad budget falls into the category of $0, they asked for a mention. If you need touch up paint for your PowerBook, they've cornered the market.
Monday, April 1st 2002 00:01 PST
Breaking News: Apple Releases "ProPod"
Following up on last week's announcement of a beefed-up 10 gigabyte iPod, Apple has released a 15 GB iPod-like portable named "ProPod." The unit has all the MP3 and contact managing features of the iPod and adds all the capabilities of a full-size DJ mixing deck, including 256 different beats, turntable-like scratching controlled by the center jog dial, and a 32 bit equalizer.
The unit also features an upgraded color screen that displays iTunes-style visuals. With an optional $49 cord that attaches to the unit's standard FireWire port, the visuals can be output to any projector or monitor with composite video input capability, which fully completes the "party soundsystem in your pocket" package that the ProPod includes. Apple's marketing is already taking this angle: the ProPod page at Apple has the tagline "A Kickass Psychedelic All-Night Rave....To Go." The ProPod's price has been set at $699 and will be available in "two weeks" according to the company's press release.
Beyond all these specific feature requests, there was one theme that prevailed throughout the entire batch of email we received. The users don't want just new features on their high-end PowerBook: they want an ultra high-end subcompact that resembles an iBook on steroids in the PowerBook G4's case. Discounting the consumer-level white iBook, Apple hasn't had a poweful subcompact notebook since the 2400, which was an average selling machine nationwide and has since garnered a religious following in Japan.
One of the keys to the success of our new PowerBookResQ repair service has
been the quick turnaround. We can usually get your PowerBook back out to you
within 24 hours of us receiving it at our location. This means about a 72
hour turnaround time in most cases for the entire process, from the time we
dispatch a PowerBox to you via overnight service to the time we overnight
your repaired PowerBook back to you. I use my PowerBook every day and night.
I could not imagine not having it with me for even the 72 hours that our
exclusive program takes.
Again, the same day service doesn't begin for a few weeks, but details on their "standard" service can be found at http://www.powerbookresq.com/. The base price is $99 and depending on the repairs, escalates from there.
I just wanted to let you know that beta drivers from iOXperts are
available for USB cameras at:
http://www.ioxperts.com/usbstillcamera.html.
The usual caveats about using beta software apply here...
No rebate experience but a hardware one:
As you can see, QPS has problems in all the facets of their operation. They've apparently contracted the rebate fulfillment out to WheresMyRebate.com, which has very little information on its website. Of those that would like to perhaps organize to pursue legal action against QPS, the original guy that sent the story in would like your email address. Since we don't want to release email addresses without permission, if you'd like to take part, send an email to Tassos Mikelis at DJTASSOS@aol.com if you're interested.
I purchased a 24x10x40x QPS internal drive from CompUSA around Labor Day
last September. It came with 2 rebate, one from QPS for $50, and another
from QPS/CompUSA for $30. According to wheresmyrebate.com both checks
should have hit my doorstep around December 1st. Once mid-December came I
started contacting the folks at wheresmyrebate.com to find out what the
hold-up was. I finally heard a human voice in mid January, a young woman
who was very sympathetic to the situation. She was able to authorize the
$30 rebate (which I received a couple of weeks later) but suggested I
contact QPS directly concerning the $50 rebate. I started contacting QPS
directly with no response. I finally sent an e-mail to
customerservice@wheresmyrebate.com outlining the history of my plight.
Apparently it worked, I received my $50 check earlier this month, some 6
months after product purchase.
I bought a CDRW drive in December 2000. As far as I can tell, I never
got the $30 rebate I expected.
Your site reminded me that I had not received my QPS rebate yet.
After checking some paperwork I've come to realize that it's been a
year and a half since mailing in for the $50 rebate.
I had the same problem.
I purchased QPS CDRW drive last August, It took 7 months ( this March )
before I receive my $30.00 rebate.
Also, the QPS I purchased was bad drive, it took 2 months with many emails,
before I had it replaced.
So, I purchased a QPS drive, took 2 months to actually use it faultlessly,
and took 7 months to get my rebate back.
If I knew that ahead of time, I would not buy the drive at all.
I've bought two QPS products - a 12x firewire CD recorder and a 100 gb
Q3 firewire hard drive, Both have worked just fine - the recorder is 18
months old, the hard drive only 3 months. I also received both of my
rebates BUT they took a long time to get here- about 16 weeks for the
$30 rebate on the recorder and 12 weeks for the $50 on the hard drive.
I've had no contact with their service department.\
I too purchased a QPS CD RW from compusa in September of last year. I just
received the rebate the first week of March. There were actually two
rebates ($50 and $20). The post-mark indicated it was mailed only 3 or 4
days prior to the day I received it. It seems as though if this is a wide
spread problem QPS may have a legal issue on their hands.
I have been waiting on a rebate for a QPS LS240 Superdisk drive for months.
According to the rebate company the rebate was supposed to be mailed
12/25/01. The rebate company has also claimed to have had numerous
"technical problems"--now they say that QPS is starting to make money
available for rebates!?
I have a general bit of rebate advice. I recently went through a similar
struggle with Epson--14 weeks and they claimed they never received my
rebate materials for a printer. What saved me was the fact that I had
sent the materials certified-return receipt at the post office. I was
able to tell the telephone rep, "I'm sitting here holding the return
receipt. It has a signature on it, and this is the 16-digit Certified
Mail code." Suitably intimidated, the rep then asked me for the relevant
info (UPC code number, which I had written down and saved, my address,
etc.), entered it on her computer, and created a file for me. The next
day I got an automated email confirming they'd "received" my materials
"in the mail." Got my rebate check about three weeks later.
I too buy products often that have rebates. I found a site Rebates HQ at
http://www.rebateshq.com . They find rebates for you and also track
rebates. I found several rebates that I had received, listed there. I
even found a rebate that I didn't receive from Maxtor for an ATA 100
card I had bought. The notes on the page said that I had failed to
include all of the upc codes from the box. They had sent me a card
stating the very same thing. The thing the card DIDN'T state but the web
site did, was that I could fax in a copy of the missing UPC and get my
rebate. How convenient. I wish I had know that when I got the card in
the mail. But since that was last year the box is long since gone. So
Maxtor gets to keep the $50. Remember that rebates are an odds game for
the sellers. They try to make it just difficult enough to keep as many
people as possible from actually getting their rebate. Now I usually
look for products that have instant savings at the register rather than
rebates, but it a rebate is really good I will still go for it.
I bought a FireWire CD-RW last October and sent in my rebate.
According to www.wheresmyrebate.com, my rebate was approved and was
supposed to be mailed about January 25, 2002. But I've yet to
receive it.
I purchased a QPS CD-Writer in August 2001 and am still waiting for the
rebate. What's more, it failed after the first 5 disks. Despite a number
of calls to QPS and several emails I have had NIL response from QPS. I am
therefore the proud owner of a CD-Writer that doesn't work and no rebate.
My 5 disk burns were very costly.
I have received mine after waiting for what seemed like forever. In
fact, it took so long to get it that when it showed up I had to read it
very closely just to understand why I had just received $30. Looks like
he is a bit impatient maybe?
I bought a QPS 24x10x40 CDRW from CompUSA in September of last year from
CompUSA. There was a total of $70 in rebates on the drive at the time (a
$50 CompUSA rebate and a $20 QPS rebate). It took until the middle of March
for my rebate checks to arrive. So it looks like both CompUSA and QPS both
exist in a parallel universe where 6-8 weeks for them equates to 6 months
for the rest of us.
I have been waiting months for my rebate check as well. I purchased a
firewire hard drive that periodically doesn't work. I guess you get what you
pay for ...
I bought a 12X10X32X CDRW in June 2001 and sent in the rebate coupon but I
have not yet received my check.
My Brother and I each bought a 10 GB QPS hard drive at the end of December
and we both send our rebate info the day after we got the drive, and still
nothing in the mail...Each a $30 rebate. I haven't tried contacting the
company, but I am happy with the drive performance anyway, but if it were a
lousy drive, believe me they would have gotten an ear full.
Same story here. Bought a Que FireWire drive in late October and
sent in $30 rebate form shortly thereafter. After the first of the
year, I checked the web site of the company that is allegedly
handling the rebate checks--www.wheresmyrebate.com--which indicates
that my rebate was approved and that the check would be mailed out in
January. I sent a follow-up letter a couple weeks ago and never
received a response--or a check.
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