Highest Capacity TiBook Battery, Digital TV Comes to PowerBooks, Tri-band PC Card, and More

Charles Moore - 2004.10.08

The week's PowerBook, iBook, and iPod news

• NewerTech and OWC Announce Highest Capacity G4 TiBook Battery
• EasyWatch Brings Mobile Digital TV Reception to PowerBooks
• WebBox S10, Tri-band GPRS/GSM, PC Card
• TrayDock FireWire/USB Enclosure
• iCover2 PowerBook and iBook Covers
• IBM Unveils First Biometric ThinkPad with Security at Your Fingertips
• Bargain 'Books

NewerTech and OWC Announce Highest Capacity G4 TiBook Battery

Newer Technology (NewerTech) and Other World Computing (OWC) have introduced the NuPower Ti 4800 mAH high-capacity replacement battery for all 15" titanium PowerBook G4 models.

The NuPower Ti 4800 mAH Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery is claimed to be the highest capacity battery ever available for the titanium PowerBook G4, with an amazing capacity of 71 watt-hours, giving it up to 42% more capacity than any other Apple Computer or third-party internal battery option available. The NuPower Ti 4800 mAH battery is currently in stock and available online for $149.99.

"With the NuPower Ti 4800 mAH battery, PowerBook G4 Titanium-users can now work for a long, long time without needing to plug in to an outlet to recharge," said Larry O'Connor, president of OWC. "The extra run-time makes for extra freedom and usability on the go. Whether you're on a long flight or taking a creative day away from the office, these batteries let you focus on the work while not worrying about when it's going to be time for another charge."

The NuPower Ti 4800 mAH batteries, like all NewerTech PowerBook batteries, are designed and built in the United States using premium Li-Ion cells manufactured in Japan and/or Canada. Since it uses only the best components, NewerTech is able to ensure that its batteries run longer at full charge and also last longer compared to other batteries built to inferior standards.

"We build NuPower batteries to last longer and work better than any other PowerBook replacement battery," O'Connor said. "We specifically engineer them using only the latest technology and the highest quality cells available, which causes these batteries to last longer with more lifetime charge/discharge cycles and provides the longest runtimes between charges too. An all-around longer-lasting battery is something our customers definitely appreciate, and as an added bonus it's something that has environmental advantages as well."

EasyWatch Brings Mobile Digital TV Reception to PowerBooks

Elgato, a leader in digital video recording for the Macintosh, has teamed with hardware supplier SCM Microsystems and cooperation partner Satelco to launch the new EasyWatch DVB-T PC Card as a cross platform solution for Windows and Mac OS X. The EasyWatch solution uses Elgato's internationally award-winning EyeTV software and DVB-T signals can now be received on Apple PowerBooks using regular PC cards.

"Apple has effectively set the standards for mobile computing. Therefore it is important to us to offer this groundbreaking product for the Macintosh platform," explained Robert Schneider, CEO of SCM Microsystems. "EasyWatch provides an extremely easy-to-use mobile solution for receiving digital terrestrial TV on Apple PowerBooks. We are excited to work with Elgato because of their positive reputation in the Macintosh community and the high quality of their software."

"EasyWatch is the first PCMCIA card solution for digital terrestrial television worldwide and since its introduction for the PC in June it has been a great success in Germany," said Robert Both, CEO of Satelco, "With this cross platform solution we offer an unique product to the Macintosh community. It's a first step into an interesting new field of business for Satelco.

With its EyeTV product series, Elgato is the world-leading supplier of digital video recorders for the Macintosh. For the first time, Elgato's EyeTV software will be distributed with the hardware of its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partner SCM Microsystems. The new cooperation between SCM Microsystems, Elgato and Satelco underscores the significance of Apple PowerBooks in the mobile computing market. The EasyWatch DVB-T card for PC and Mac will be available in Germany as of October 7th for 249 Euros.

"Since the introduction of EyeTV, Elgato has enjoyed tremendous success worldwide. With this partnership we will now enter the market as an OEM software supplier," says Freddie Geier, CEO of Elgato. "It's our strategy to distribute EyeTV software not only with our own TV tuner hardware, but to broaden the Macintosh product range decisively with strong partners. Our cooperation with SCM and Satelco is a model for future projects."

The SCM-based EasyWatch Mobile Set DVB-T PC card for PowerBooks is launched with EyeTV software for Macintosh users as well as with compatible software for the PC. Using the feature-rich and robust EyeTV software for receiving digital TV, PowerBook users can also record to the hard drive, timeshift (pause and replay live TV), archive directly to DVD, and schedule recordings over the Internet using an electronic program guide. EasyWatch is being sold by Satelco and comes with a functional DVB-T antenna by Kathrein, which can be clamped to the display of a PowerBook.

Receiving digital terrestrial TV on a notebook or PowerBook with EasyWatch Mobile Set adds a new dimension to television - full mobility wherever DVB-T is broadcast. DVB-T is being successfully introduced across Germany. Starting October 4, the city of Frankfurt and the Rhine/Main region will be able receive digital terrestrial television signals. Beginning November 8, digital television will be available in Hamburg, Lubeck, Kiel, Dusseldorf and the Ruhrgebiet. To date, DVB-T is operating very successfully in Berlin, Potsdam, Cologne, Bonn, Hanover, Braunschweig, Bremen and the lower reaches of the Weser river.

SCM Microsystems is a leading supplier of solutions that open the Digital World by enabling people to securely access digital content and services. The company markets and sells its smart card reader technology for network and physical access and conditional access modules for secure digital TV decryption to OEM customers in the government, financial, enterprise and broadcasting markets worldwide. Global headquarters are in Fremont, California, with European headquarters in Ismaning, Germany.

Elgato Systems creates award-winning hardware and software products, combining the benefits of the Macintosh computer with popular consumer electronics devices such as the TV to create the ultimate digital home. With their premiere product, EyeTV, Elgato is a worldwide leader in digital video recording for the Macintosh. Founded in 1992 by Dr. Markus Fest, the inventor of Toast CD recording software, and led by CEO Freddie Geier, Elgato is a privately held company with its headquarters in Munich, Germany and a US subsidiary in San Francisco, California.

System requirements: The use of the EasyWatch DVB-T PC card requires a Macintosh G4 15'' or 17'' PowerBook.

WebBox S10, Tri-band GPRS/GSM, PC Card

WebBox S10 offers GPRS tri-band 900/1800/1900 MHz data connectivity, GSM voice calling, SMS, fax, and contact management in a single PC Card, ensuring that you can connect quickly and easily to the Internet, wherever you are in more than 160 countries, on five continents.

WebBox S10 provides GPRS data communications, giving you the freedom to send and receive email, SMS, and fax directly from your computer, where ever you are. S10 is also great for SIM cards contact management and backup.

WebBox S10's specially designed user-friendly utility helps you easily manage all functions. With the S10, no matter where you are, you can stay in touch with all important people in your life, Mac or PC.

WebBox S10 card is the first Tri-band GPRS connectivity card, supporting Mac OS X right out of box.

• GPRS Tri-band, Class 10
• SMS, FAX and Phonebook
• GSM Voice calling with included HF
• Single utility for easy management of all functions.
• Mac OS X10.3, Win 2000, and Win XP compatible (Support for GPRS data connectivity for Mac OS X 10.3 and later. SMS, FAX and GSM calling available with additional third party software.)
• Plug-and-play operation
• Easy installation

Features:

GPRS Frequency Bands

• EGSM 900 MHz
• DCS 1800 MHz
• PCS 1900 MHz

Additional

• SMS, FAX, GSM Voice supported*
• HF for GSM Voice calling.

System Requirements

• Notebook PC with an available PCMCIA Type II or CardBus slot
• Operating System Supported: Windows XP/2000 and Mac OS X 10.3*

Software

• Driver and Utility
• PC: Manager with GPRS, SMS, Phonebook and GSM voice, available in 17 languages.
• Mac: Manager with GPRS connectivity. Additional features available, with third party software.

Antenna Type: External, removable.

Weight: 38 g

Dimensions: 88 x 54 x 5.0 mm (without antenna)

Price: €260 (Outside EU VAT 0%), €317.20 (In EU VAT 22%) + €10 for shipping and handling (worldwide delivery)

TrayDock FireWire/USB Enclosure

Swap SATA or IDE drives easily in a low-profile desktop FireWire/USB TrayDock enclosure with removable trays.

• Hot-swappable removable trays. One tray for 3.5" IDE drives, another for 3.5" Serial ATA drives.
• Enclosure provides dual FireWire 800 ports (daisy chainable) and a single USB 2.0 port
• Same enclosure accepts both SATA and IDE trays
• Holds up to 400 GB drives
• Included: 1 SATA or IDE tray, 1 FireWire cable, 1 USB cable, AD adapter (+12V/+5V), information CD, Limited Warranty statement
• Compatibility: Windows 2K, XP, Macintosh OS 9.1, 9.2, OS X, Linux

Prices

• TrayDock with empty IDE tray (for user expansion), 169.95
• TrayDock with empty SATA tray (for user expansion), 169.95
• TrayDock and IDE tray with 120 GB IDE drive, 219.95
• TrayDock and IDE tray with 160 GB IDE drive, 229.95
• TrayDock and IDE tray with 200 GB IDE drive, 299.95
• TrayDock and IDE tray with 250 GB IDE drive, 359.95
• TrayDock and IDE tray with 400 GB IDE drive, 649.95
• TrayDock Extra empty SATA tray (user expandable), 49.95
• TrayDock Extra empty IDE tray (user expandable, 49.95

iCover2 PowerBook and iBook Covers

Introducing the new iCover2 with design improvements to improve ease of sliding on and off. One size fits both the titanium and the 15" aluminum PowerBook models.

The PowerBook and iBook iCovers are designed to protect your laptop's display from oil and dirt that is transferred from the keyboard when the machine is closed. Additionally, our wrap-around design also provides additional protection to the outer case.

A special (non-leather) micro suede feels great and is three times stronger than leather, washable, and water and stain repellent. Yet it is still thin enough to close the unit without putting undue pressure on the hinge. The new iCover II also incorporates mesh side panels that allow the iCover to slide on and off even easier.

Additionally, the iCover is soft enough to use as a cleaning cloth on the display as well.

Constructed entirely in the United States. Warranted for 90 days.

Materials: Amaretta Suede - machine or hand wash or dry clean

IBM Unveils First Biometric ThinkPad with Security at Your Fingertips

IBM is taking computing security and data protection to the next level today with the introduction of the first ThinkPad with an integrated fingerprint reader. ThinkPad, already claimed to be the industry's most secure notebook PC (1), now features a model that delivers simplified access to password-protected personal and financial information, web sites, documents and e-mail while offering an unmatched level of data protection through its new biometric capability and embedded security subsystem.

"Today we raised the bar on security for the entire PC industry," said Fran O'Sullivan, general manager, IBM Personal Computing Division. "What was once considered science fiction is now available to all enterprises, large and small, in the notebook of choice for everyday business. The first biometric ThinkPad combines a fingerprint reader with an Embedded Security Subsystem, providing a layer of security that is built in, not bolted on. We take our customers' security into account in every aspect of our business solutions, from PCs to servers to middleware to wireless networks."

The fingerprint reader is built into select models of the ThinkPad T42. With the new reader, located on the wrist rest below the arrow keys, users swipe their finger across a small horizontally oriented sensor to log-on to their systems, software applications, web sites, or databases. The scanning process takes only seconds, combining convenience with the strongest notebook security available as a standard feature. This type of fingerprint reader captures more data than a traditional "picture" capture window because it scans more of the fingertip's surface area, helping to prevent misidentification.

"We place a huge priority on security and deployed IBM ThinkPad more than a year ago because they were the only notebooks to offer an integrated hardware and software security solution," said Shawn Nunley, director of technology development, NetScaler Inc., a networking systems company headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. "IBM's new ThinkPad with integrated fingerprint reader offers yet another level of security for us that is easy to deploy."

IBM also enhanced its hardware- and software-based Embedded Security Subsystem by releasing a new level of Client Security Software, Version 5.4, with a secure Password Manager, simplified ease-of-use and installation, and available by preload for the first time. The new version allows fingerprint identification and complex passphrases to be used interchangeably or in combination. The new software and the embedded security chip are seamlessly integrated with the fingerprint reader, protecting vital security information, such as encryption keys, electronic credentials and passphrases, and guarding against unauthorized user access.

The Embedded Security Subsystem is a key component of IBM ThinkVantage Technologies, a suite of tools that make ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktops easier to deploy, connect, protect and support. The fingerprint reader represents only one level in a concentric set of IBM security solutions. They include servers, operating systems, identity management, middleware, web-based privacy, network access, storage, systems management and consulting solutions. These protect information in the face of external hacker threats, costly viruses and worms, e-mail spam, new wireless technologies, and the demands of government compliance.

Additionally, IBM and Utimaco Safeware today announced that IBM is authorized to resell Utimaco software to give users the ability to fully encrypt their entire hard drive. This protects against unauthorized access, should a notebook get stolen or lost. Utimaco Safeguard Easy is the first full drive-encryption product tested for full compatibility with IBM Rescue and Recovery, a ThinkVantage Technology that can automatically archive and restore an entire hard drive to protect against data loss or operating system failure.

Available in a thin and light platform, the ThinkPad T42 starts at 1 inch thin and has a travel weight as little as 4.5 pounds. It also offers IBM's unique battery configuration, capable of providing all day computing, up to 7.5 hours on select models with the nine-cell extended battery. Mobile business users who take their notebooks with them everywhere will benefit from the power of the Intel Pentium M processor, long battery life and multiple options for wireless connectivity. It is available with an Intel 745 Pentium M 1.8 GHz processor.

IBM provides flexibility so users of the ThinkPad T42 can take advantage of wireless technology with a range of 11b, 11 b/g, and 11 a/b/g solutions and available Bluetooth Wireless Technology. In addition, all T42 models come standard with a modem, Gigabit Ethernet and Infrared port.

Equipped with IBM's patented hard drive protection technology to help protect people's data, the ThinkPad T42 is designed for greater durability among business travelers. The IBM Active Protection System, similar to the technology used in automobiles to deploy airbags, uses a microchip on the system board to detect system acceleration (such as in a fall) and responds by temporarily parking the drive's read/write head. This rapid response can help prevent some hard drive crashes that occur in some falls, helping to prevent total data loss and ultimately reduce downtime and warranty costs.

The ThinkPad T42 notebook will be available on October 19 through www.ibm.com and select business partners. Prices for ThinkPad T42 models with a fingerprint reader start at $1,699.

Bargain 'Books

There are two different versions of WallStreet running at 233 MHz, the cacheless MainStreet version and the later Series II with a level 2 cache. It's not always possible to determine from the vendor's listing which is being offered, so we've included links within this paragraph to the two models. The same goes for the PowerBook G4/667 (Gigabit Ethernet/2001) and G4/667 (DVI) and the titanium vs. aluminum 15" PowerBook G4 at 1 GHz.

• 12" iBook G3/700, 128/20/Combo, $599.99
• 12" PowerBook G4/867, 256/40/Combo, $1,029.99

• PowerBook Pismo G3/400, 192/6/DVD, $488
• PowerBook Pismo G3/400, 320/6/DVD, $535
• PowerBook Pismo G3/500, 320/10/DVD, $589
• PowerBook Pismo G3/500, 320/20/DVD, $609

Wegener Media

• PowerBook 3400c/200, 32/2, new battery, 60 day warranty, $149.99
• PowerBook 3400c/200, 32/2/CD-ROM, new battery, 1 year extended care, $239
• PowerBook 3400c/240, 32/2/CD-ROM, 60 day warranty, $229
• PowerBook 3400c/240, 32/2/CD-ROM, 1 year extended care,$299.99

• used 12" iBook G3/700, 128/20/Combo, $689
• new 15" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 256/60/Combo Drive, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Macally BT-MINI Mini Bluetooth USB Mouse and iceStation Laptop tray/stand, $1,799

• refurb 12" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/SuperDrive, Airport Extreme, $1,649
• refurb 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, $100 rebate on RAM, free ScreensavRz laptop pad, free USB watch, free printer, $2,049
• refurb 17" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SuperDrive, Airport Extreme, free USB watch (after rebate), $2,588

For more deals on current or recently discontinued models, see our Week's Best PowerBook G4 Deals, Week's Best iBook G4 Deals, and Week's Best iBook G3 Deals.