Low End Mac Archive for October 29

October 29 in Low End Mac History

The best browser for older Macs, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel. Choosing the best browser for an older Mac.
The power user minority, Michael Zuhlke, My Turn. Former PC tweaker notes PC "power users" a minority, their hot rod PCs not comparable to Macs.
TypeIt4Me, SpellTools, free POP3 email, refurbished iMacs, and thank yous, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. TypeIt4Me, SpellTools, free email, freeware, shareware, and more.

Low-cost backup solutions, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac. The importance of backup - and how to do it at minimal cost.
Still yet even more rejected switcher ads, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side. More letters to Apple Computer from those who want to be in "Switch" ads.

Proteron: Tilting at windmills, Stephen Van Esch, Mac Scope. "Far from being the 'original application switcher,' there are several examples of application switching on the Mac."

iPod photo and U2 iPod: Is Apple resting on its laurels?, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive. Do the new iPods really offer anything important for the extra price, or is Apple simply assuming anything with the iPod brand will sell well?
Low End Designer survey results and feedback, Jason Walsh, The Low End Designer. Results of the Low End Designer Survey and feedback from our readers.
New G4 CPU PowerBook bound?, $50 'Book repairs, AppleCare musings, Seagate pocket hard drive, and more, The 'Book Review. Also Sky Captain and G5s, burning hot 'Books, SystemLoad freeware, Rollei MiniDigi, Dell 17-inch Inspiron, bargain 'Books from $179 to $2,588, and more.

Free and low cost ways to bring some Leopard features to Macs running Tiger, Brian Richards, Advantage Mac. You can't make Mac OS X 10.4 do everything 10.5 can, but you can get about 80% of the way there with freeware and shareware utilities.
It all started with a Mac Plus in the classroom, Robert Alpizar, My First Mac. "Over time, as I began to see how much simpler the Macs were to use vs. the DOS computers, I began to explore them more."
Leopard faster than Tiger on Intel, slower on PowerPC, and possible below 867 MHz, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Early benchmarks indicate Mac OS X 10.5 is 10-15% slower than 10.4 on PowerPC, while 64-bit Leopard on Intel Core 2 hardware is over 5% faster. Also Sawtooth and Cube success stories.
iBook G3 quality, 802.11g for older PowerBooks, installing Tiger on a CD-ROM eMac, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Also FireWire webcam options for the classic Mac OS and installing Leopard on an upgraded Power Mac G4.
Leopard on a 1999 AGP Power Mac, Leopard upgrade problems, fixes for Menu Bar and Dock, and more, Mac News Review. Also software updates from Apple, tips on using Time Machines and Spaces, a better volume control for OS X 10.5, and more.

One OS to rule them all, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz. With Fusion or Parallels letting you run Windows at full speed, Mac OS X gives you the best of both worlds.
Bring PC oppression to an end, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync. "I was letting my computer use be consumed by trying to make the thing work the way it was supposed to."
Does the Android G1, doomed as an iPhone killer, dream of electric sheep?, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market. "All Google wants is that Android is seen as better than Windows Mobile. Manufacturers and carriers unable to sell the iPhone need an alternative."
No FireWire on MacBook a deal breaker, getting Pismo working with AirPort, and Pismo screen replacement, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. For those with FireWire peripherals, the Unibody MacBook falls short. Also fixing a Pismo that won't recognize AirPort and replacing its display.

Another hard drive disaster ends happily (thanks to Time Machine), Alan Zisman, Zis Mac. This time it was the MacBook's drive that failed. Thanks to automated Time Machine backup, recovery was easy, although far from fast.

Second thoughts on the 2010 MacBook Air, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing. The new MacBook Air is totally lustworthy, but its design pretty much rules out end-user repairs.
Kids want iOS devices for Christmas, white iPhone 4 delayed, iPad now at Verizon Wireless, and more, iNews Review. Also how iPhones and iPads enter the workplace, app turns iPad into second PC monitor, new Yamaha PDX-31 portable dock, new iPhone 4 and 4G iPod touch cases, and more.
Boost speed with a hybrid drive, new MacBook Air benchmarked, first SSD upgrade for new MBA, and more, Mac News Review. Also larger MacBook Pros get 2.8 GHz option, why optical drives are still important, getting Windows 7 on a MacBook Air without an external SuperDrive, and more.
Greenpeace ranks Apple lower, Microsoft is dying, Apple abandons Flash, iPhoto 11 issues, and more, Mac News Review. Also Macs, iPads, and iPhones invading the enterprise, iLife 11 abandons PowerPC, Boonana Trojan targets Macs, and more.

Tremendous Demand for Free iPhone 3GS, Apple Dominates Youth Market, iPad the Tablet to Beat, and More, iNews Review. Also why Apple leads the tablet world, tablet users don't want to pay for news, new apps, and more.
Mixed Results from Graphics Update for 15" 2010 MacBook Pro, 16 GB for i5/i7 MacBook Pros, and More, The 'Book Review. Also Apple developing slimmer SuperDrives, Intel starts Ivy Bridge production, firmware updates for all 2011 MacBook Air and Pro models, and more.
Apple Killing the Desktop PC, iCloud or the Highway, PlayStation Vita to Ignore Flash, and More, Mac News Review. Also EFI firmware updates for 2011 Mac mini and iMac, Steve Jobs biography heavily discounted at Amazon.com, 6 Gbps SSDs from Samsung, and more.