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Tuesday, August 30th 2005
19" Samsung Laptop Spotted
We saw this over at Laptop Logic, giving some information on a possible 19" laptop from Samsung. The push for bigger LCDs at higher resolutions continues, with this beast sporting a 1680x1050 resolution! The speculation is that Intel and NVIDIA will be handling the processing and graphics, but most interesting is that the LCD is possibly detachable, allowing it to be docked at a desktop, allowing the LCD to do double duty. While most people find even the 17" PowerBook more of a luggable desktop, some people are bound to find a 19" laptop desirable.
iBook, PowerBook AC Adapters for $25
Site-sponsor Tech Restore has a great deal on AC adapters compatible with all G4 PowerBooks, both titanium and aluminum, as well as iBooks. The 65 watt adapter is available for $25 using the coupon code "POWER". The offer expires on September 2 or after 60 uses. That's $15 off, and the always-great DealMac says that there's no better price to be found.
Henrico Learns to Fight Viruses, Worms
While not exactly the most critical story for Apple enthusiasts, we thought everyone would get a laugh from this story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Henrico County's aborted iBook program now transitioning to Dell laptops, they're having to figure out how to prevent the usual problems that befall PCs, such as worms and viruses. As the author of the piece notes, the iBooks never had any problems with viruses or worms, but now the students will not even be using email accounts for security reasons.
Monday, August 29th 2005
Apple, Freescale Ink Deal Through 2008
Showing a surprisingly-long commitment to the G4 processor, Apple has reached an agreement with Freescale to secure a supply of the processors through 2008. Quelling the potential for saucy rumors, the agreement explicitly states that it concerns the supply only of processors being currently produced, makign it clear that this is about providing G4 processors to Apple. For iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 owners this is positive news as it means their should be no problem getting hold of processors for repair and likely also upgrades (though these would be from third parties). AppleInsider has the scoop.
Logitech Announces V20 Laptop Speakers
Peripheral-maker Logitech today announced the V20 laptop speakers to be released in September. The $80 speakers are powered by USB, making no other cables or power sources necessary, with collapsible stand for each speaker and a carrying case adding to the portability. While perhaps not as slick as speakers that can attach to the side of your laptop's display, these look like pretty nice speakers. All the information can be found on Logitech's website.
Friday, August 26th 2005
Intel's Successor to Yonah Nearly Complete?
Laptop Logic has an interesting, if technical, piece on a future processor architecture for mobile applications. Dubbed Merom, the new architecture breaks away from the refinement of existing architectures in new incarnations, instead using a new architecture with familiar features. Two points are of particular interest, the first being that even Intel is now supporting the megahertz myth, reversing their typical designs that feature extremely high clock speeds and instead focusing on offering better performance at lower clock speeds. A 3 GHz limit has already been suggested as a rough ceiling. The other salient point is that Merom will be coming in the first half of 2006, according to Intel, making the positioning of Yonah, another Intel product for mobile use, quite strange and cramped with Merom.
Intel, Matsushita Collaborate on 8-Hour Battery
Information Week has a piece on an interesting collaboration between Intel and Matsushita. Matsushita, an electronics powerhouse in its own right, has released laptops in Japan with 7-12 hours of battery life, while Intel is always looking to offer better battery life to its customers. While it should be at least a year before the see -hour battery is seen, rest assured that Intel and Matsushita are hard at work on allowing you to work the 9-5 without a recharge.
Wednesday, August 24th 2005
Intel Speaks About the Future of Mobile Processing
Intel CEO Paul Otellini gave a speech at the Intel Developer Forum yesterday, giving a great deal of information on the many branches of the Intel roadmap. Much of the speech centered on offering both processors of today's speed which use a tenth of the power, while also offering chips that are ten times as fast as today's, but which use the same amount of energy.
Wrapped up in this vision of offering more energy-efficient processors, Intel discussed how this technology could mark the beginning of a true boom in handtop PCs, as they call them. Using the new processors, Otellini predicted machines weighing in at under a single pound, but offering a powerful link to a full PC. While there is no real information to support this, the fact that the technology to create such devices will be available to Apple is interesting.
SuperDrive Upgrade Price Reduced at OWC
Other World Computing has reduced the prices for their PowerBook SuperDrive upgrades. The MercuryPB SuperDrive drive upgrades offer up to 24x CD-R/RW and 8x DVD+/-R/RW burn speeds for many aluminum and titanium PowerBooks, not to mention supporting dual-layer DVDs. The previous price of $250 is now $230 for the user-installable upgrade, though installation is also available from OWC.
Difusi Introduces miniCase for 12" PowerBook
The miniCase, by difusi, is likely the only bag we've seen designed to carry both a PowerBook and Mac mini. Made from leather and nylon, the case aims to provide incredible protection to its contents, whether a Mac mini or PowerBook, as well as offering unique features like interior lighting. Best of all, the new case is available for pre-order online for 40% off the regular price of $130. At the lower price of $80, the miniCase makes a particularly tempting accessory.
Wednesday, August 17th 2005
PowerBook G4 Graphics Update 1.0 Released
Though it's about a week old now, in an effort to get everything caught up, we thought we'd mention Apple's release of the PowerBook G4 Graphics Update 1.0. The 2.1MB update is for 15" and 17" PowerBook G4s running at 1.67 GHz and offers improved graphic stability, according to Apple. For users needing this update, the Software Update mechanism should show its availability.
PowerBook Update Commentary
One of the PBZone's favorite writers, Charles W. Moore, has posted an interesting look at the PowerBook line, with an emphasis on juxtaposing it with the iBook line and the future of the PowerBook. For those who take a particular interest in Apple's portable strategy and find it interesting to watch them balance the consumer and professional lines (as we do), this is a good read.
Tuesday, August 16th 2005
Site News
We apologize for the lack of updates, but there was some geographical relocation going on behind the scenes at the PBZone with an extended delay in procuring internet service. Things shoud move smoothly here on out, with the typical updates for each weekday. Because updates will now be done from the GMT +1 timezone, updates will likely appear around the afternoon for most of our North American readers. Now, to do some catching up on the news!
The PPC PowerBook's Last Stand?
AppleInsider has a great story with the latest dirt on a possible final revision for the PowerBook line before the big switch to Intel processors. There is a great deal of detail here, but it essentially boils down to a fairly minor update as far as performance is concerned. Simply put, there is almost no ceiling left for current PPC processors intended for portable use, meaning any updates now would be squeezing only the tiniest clockspeed improvements out of the G4. Some performance improvement is also anticipated by the move to DDR2 SDRAM, which would make the PowerBook line the first Macs to support the faster memory that also consumes less power. The main attraction for any update would be a final revision to leave the people who will stick with PPC Macs a polished product, likely including the oft-mentioned higher-resolution displays. The tenuous project is rumored to be announced at Apple Expo Paris in the third week of September.
Henrico iBook Sale Causes Disaster
As most could have predicted, the poorly-conceived-and-even-more-poorly-executed sale of iBooks by Henrico County approached catastrophe with 5500 people scrapping for the $50 laptops. Tramplings and heat exhaustion led to multiple hospitalizations, despite the sale being restricted only to Henrico County residents, a change on the original plan to sell to the general public. The first-come-first-serve sale was watched over by only five off-duty police officers, despite the enormous crowd, with all the iBooks gone in four hours. We're simply baffled by the county's decision to sell the iBooks so cheaply when they clearly could have received a significantly larger amount of money, the low prices only compounding the problems with the event itself.
iSoundz Notebook Speakers
We came across a link to these bad boys on MacNN and thought they were interesting. Using USB to power them, these speakers attach to the sides of the displays for 14" and 15" laptops, adding volume and audio quality, according to the product description. Also included in the $60 package is a small subwoofer which is powered by its own AC adapter. For the amateur laptop DJ, these could be a pretty cool addition for smaller settings. More information can be found at Digital Age.
Monday, August 8th 2005
British Band Keane Replaces Member with PowerBook
Apple is currently running a feature on the British group Keane, which uses a PowerBook and the Logic software package to replace a band member that quit. The money quote:
My PowerBook is the best thing I've ever bought," says keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley. "I spend every waking hour playing around, doing demos."You can read the two-page feature here.
New Japanese iTunes Music Store a Hit (Pun Intended)
Of all the nations that were guaranteed to embrace the iTunes Music Store quickly, Japan comes to mind as the most likely. While we're not sure why the iTMS has taken so long to reach the shores of Japan, we do know that it sold 1 million songs in its first four days. Steve gushes:
"iTunes has become Japan's number one online music store in just four days," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iTunes has sold twice as many songs in just four days as all the other online music services in Japan sell in one month."
TechRestore Launches 4G iPod 1000 mAh Overnight Battery Replacement Service
The latest offering in a series of iPod battery enhancements from Tech Restore (a PBZ sponsor) and other companies debuted last week. TR now services all 4th Generation (click wheel) and all color iPods with their overnight battery replacement products. To ship it to them and have them replace your battery with a new 1000 mAh unit, the cost is $69.99 while they'll ship you a "do-it-yourself" kit for $29.99. More details are available at iPodRestore.com.
Reader Questions for Mailbag
Tomorrow we'll be doing a "reader question mailbag" so be sure to send in your queries, comments, clever stories, etc. to editor (at) pbzone (dot) com and we'll get to all of those tomorrow.
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