Low End Mac Archive for September 16

September 16 in Apple and Low End Mac History

Still useful after all these years: The Mac Plus, Dan Knight. With 4 MB RAM and a modern 40 MB (or larger) hard drive, the Plus is still very useful.

Macintosh vs. Windows 95, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. I ran across a four-year-old memo on my computer at work. It compares the Mac and Win95. Some things never change.

Solving startup problems on your Mac, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel. "My Mac has a flashing question mark on start up. What do I do?"
I want to switch but...., Dan Knight, 10 Forward. "Apple needs to help Mac users - especially those millions who never visit a Mac website - understand why OS X is for them.
Apple's changing colors, Max Morgenthaler, My Turn. The company that ignited the "colorful technology" trend has gone to white.
The 'Dueling Civilizations' letters, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Reader feedback and further reflections on the inherent incompatibility of traditional Islam and Western freedoms.

12" PowerBook G4/1.0 GHz replaces 867 MHz model.
15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz replaces titanium PowerBook G4.
17" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz replaces 1 GHz model.
10 things I'd like to see fixed in OS X, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side. "New features are nice, but what about those little annoyances that just really get on our nerves?"

Wireless with Windows XP still in the dark ages, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive. Mac users, you don't know how spoiled you are until you try to use WiFi on a Windows computer.
Mac mini incomplete, iMac G5 too hot, Mac reliability, G4 upgrade price drop, Maxelerate mini companion drive, and more, Mac News Review. Also the inevitable demise of tower Macs, Apple as a media company, OS X vs. Linux, Plextor's new 16x DVD burner, and more.
'Book reliability, buying before Intel, WiFi, 1.2 GHz TiBook upgrade, red hot Ferrari laptop, and more, The 'Book Review. Also fixing the power port on Kanga, maximum wireless signal for 'Book users, Adobe Messenger bag, bargain 'Books from $200 to $1,799, and more.

Apple isn't an 'evil empire' like Microsoft, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz. The issue isn't whether you dominate a market, but whether you abuse that position to unfairly stifle competition.
Can smart phones replace laptops?, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum. Smart phones and mini notebooks are all the rage, but can even the iPhone replace your notebook computer?
Pure genius: Hands on with iTunes 8's Genius playlist, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync. "...the Genius playlist it created listed many other songs that I would have also enjoyed, including many I hadn't heard before."
Connect any drive to USB with the $25 XLR8 AnyDrive USB 2.0 drive adapter, Charles Moore, 'Book Value6. This handy device lets you connect a 2.5" or 3.5" IDE or SATA drive to any Mac with USB support. Windows drivers are also included.

Creative's Vado pocket camcorders now work with Macs, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac. Until now, Creative's Vado camcorders didn't play nice with Macs. With the release of Vado Central for Mac, that has finally changed.
Yes, iTunes 9 will (mostly) run on G3 Macs, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing. Apple says iTunes 9 requires a 1 GHz G4 for standard video, but many iTunes features work just fine on a 500 MHz G3 Mac.
Multiple input bug in OS X 10.5.8, where to buy a cheap USB 2 CardBus card, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Also input bug exists in 10.6, WallStreet has white and multicolor Apple logos, and printing from an old PowerBook.

I've got the PowerPC blues, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing. With new software dropping G3 support or designed only for Intel CPUs, the handwriting is on the wall: PowerPC fans will be left behind.
Pismos on the cheap, Firefox 4 Beta 3 for PowerPC, no companion drives for new Mac mini, and more, Charles Moore, Charles Moore's Mailbag. Also Pismo power manager problems, Firefox 4 Beta 5 sort of works with PowerPC, Mailsmith falls short, and more.

MacBook Pro refresh this month?, EFI Update for Mid 2011 MacBook Air, and more, The 'Book Review. Also reviewer calls MacBook Air 'dead-sexy', mDock combines hard drive and docking station for MacBook Pro, and more.
No more security updates for OS X 10.4, 10.5, PowerPC Macs; 2011 Mac mini runs Snow Leopard; and more, Mac News Review. Also seven useful OS X features missing from Lion, Logitech Wireless Touchpad with 4-month battery life, 8 TB G-RAID Thunderbolt drive, and more.