OS X Netbook Not from Apple, One-Third of Notebook Buyers Leaning to Apple, Spaces Made for 'Books, and More

Yes, some people are so enamored of netbooks and Mac OS X, that they'll go to great lengths to get Leopard up and running on a third-party netbook and then mod the hardware to make it look like a real Mac.

We also have additional confirmation and benchmarks for 6 GB MacBook configurations - and two vendors are new selling 6 GB upgrade kits.

All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV news is covered in The iNews Review.

News & Opinion

• Unofficial 'MacBook Nano' Shows Possibilities
• It's a Mac Netbook, but Not from Apple
• Shopping at Apple's Special Deals Site
• 33% of US Notebook Buyers Likely to Choose a Mac
• Sayonara to a Faithful TiBook
• Late-2008 MacBooks Freezing When Waking from Sleep
• Using a 30" Display with a New MacBook Pro: $99
• New MacBook Pro Gets Bent
• New MacBook: Tempted, but Not Buying
• Spaces: Made for MacBook
• Apple May Turn to Carbon Fiber for Lighter MacBook Air
• Apple Reduces Notebook Outsourcing by 20-30%
• MacBook Pro Running Very, Very Hot

Reviews

• First Impressions of the Unibody MacBook Pro (Somebody Get My Gun!)
• 6GB in Unibody MacBook Pro: No Problems, Insignificant Speed Penalty
• 1.86GHz MacBook Air with SSD Blows Past Original MBA
• 3D Game Shootout: 3 'Late 2008' Apple Laptops
• 2.8GHz BTO MacBook Pro with 7200 rpm Hard Drive 'One Lively Laptop'
• 15" MacBook Pro 'One Potent Portable'

Products

• Up 10 Hours of Additional Battery Life for MacBook Pro
• Hitachi's New 500 GB Mobile Hard Drive Takes Data Security, Green Features to the Next Level
• OWC 6GB Memory Upgrades for Santa Rosa and Later MacBooks, MacBook Pros
• Ramjet 6GB Memory Upgrades for All 2008 MacBook, MacBook Pro Models
• nova media Reduces Prices for Wireless Modems and ExpressCards

Bargain 'Books

News & Opinion

Unofficial 'MacBook Nano' Shows Possibilities

MacRumors' Arnold Kim says:

"Despite Apple's reluctance to enter the netbook market, at least one person has taken it upon himself to fashion a 'MacBook Nano' based on the MSI U100 netbook. This Flickr photo set made the rounds on Monday as an interesting example of what could be if Apple decided to pursue this market."

Link: Unofficial 'MacBook Nano' Shows Possibilities

It's a Mac Netbook, but Not from Apple

eWeek's Joe Wilcox says:

"Some people so want an Apple-branded netbook, they're willing to make their own.

"That's sure to send Apple lawyers into a tizzy. The question: When is an enthusiast just that, or instead an intellectual property pirate? Whether or not the imitation product is sold or personally used should be the answer. But it probably won't be.

"Macrumors has a post about an apparently home-built 'unofficial' MacBook nano with a link to Flickr gallery. It's hard to believe that this isn't a real Apple-branded netbook, because the workmanship is so good. A second gallery shows the transformation: From MSI netbook to MacBook nano. In fact, even as I'm writing this post, more pics are appearing on the Flickr user's page."

Link: It's a Mac Netbook, but Not from Apple

Shopping at Apple's Special Deals Site

Macworld's Rob Griffiths reports:

"When lamenting the passing of matte screened MacBook Pros last month, I noted that I was planning on using my two-year-old 15-inch 2.33GHz MacBook Pro until that matte screen model no longer functioned. At that point, I figured I'd probably head to eBay and look for a 2.6GHz matte screen version, the apparent end-of-the-line machine for the matte-screened MacBook Pros.

"However, something strange happened on the way to the future. Someone pointed me in the direction of the Apple Special Deals web site. I had heard of the Special Deals site before, but hadn't ever spent much time there. The Special Deals site is where Apple clears out two specific classes of products: unsold versions of previous-generation products and refurbished products (which can be either current or previous generation models). These special deals are available for both iPods (and Apple TV) and Macs, and as I discovered, there are occasional bargains to be had, especially in the refurbished portion of the store."

Link: Shopping at Apple's Special Deals Site

33% of US Notebook Buyers Likely to Choose a Mac

Electronista reports:

"Apple's recent MacBook lineup and the iPhone may make it one of the better-positioned companies to survive a likely steep drop in spending during the holidays, according to new data from ChangeWave. The analyst firm says that a full third of all studied US notebook buyers, or 33 percent, plan to buy some form of Apple notebook during the season or within the next 90 days from the start of November. The number represents a slight boost from 29 percent in September and puts Apple's demand on par with Dell; HP continues to significantly trail behind at just 22 percent."

Link: Study: New MacBooks Likely 33% of US Sales (Warning: Page crashes Camino 1.6.4, okay in Firefox 3.0.4 and Safari 3.1.2.)

Sayonara to a Faithful TiBook

The Mac Observer's John Martellaro says:

"For the last, gasp, 90 months, my trusty PowerBook G4 Titanium has served me well. And it it's not done yet. In it's new life, it'll be used by my church for presentations. That so-called 'TiBook' has been an amazing computer.

"What was once a state of the art Apple Titanium notebook computer has survived from day one with only a battery replacement. Coconut Battery told me in 2007 that the original battery was on its last gasps. Other than that, the magnificent little computer has worked perfectly from day one....

"I've never gotten so much use out of a Macintosh, and 90 months is probably 5-sigma for flawless operation since the day it came out of the box.

"At $23 per month, it was one of the best investments I've ever made. Thanks Apple."

Editor's note: Low End Mac picked up the same model (ours was the less expensive 400 MHz version) as soon as they arrived at the end of January 2001. We used it for 5-1/2 years until it was dropped and broken beyond repair - and then we salvaged what we could and sold some parts. Factoring what we recouped from the dead PowerBook, our cost came to about $33 per month. dk

Link: Sayonara to a Faithful TiBook (90 Months!)

Late-2008 MacBooks Freezing When Waking from Sleep

MacFixIt reports:

"Several users are reporting an issue in which Late-2008 MacBooks freeze when waking from sleep, sometimes with the screen turned on but the cursor frozen and other times with the screen completely blank....

"This problem has occurred with previous Apple portable models but, based on user reports, appears to occur much more frequently with the new models."

Link: Late-2008 MacBooks Freezing When Waking from Sleep

Using a 30" Display with a New MacBook Pro: $99

The Apple Blog's Brian Warren says:

"When Apple announced their fall lineup of laptops, one thing really caught my eye. The new MacBooks can now drive a 30" display. I don't know how they did it, but that new integrated graphics chip can now really push out the pixels like no other MacBook has.

"I had my 30" display plugged into my Mac Pro, but I knew when Apple's new laptops came out, I was going to make the switch back to a MacBook Pro. Knowing that I could even choose a MacBook just made the options more exciting.

"That is until I noticed one little wrinkle...."

Link: Have a 30" Display? Want a New MacBook Pro? Get Comfortable

New MacBook Pro Gets Bent

ITWire's Stephen Withers reports:

"Much has been made of the stiffness of the 'unibody' MacBook and MacBook Pro cases, but one owner has reported that picking up a MacBook Pro one-handed resulted in a slightly bent chassis.

"The MacBook and MacBook Pro models introduced last month feature an enclosure manufactured from a single block of aluminium. The result was said by senior vice president of industrial design Jonathan Ive to be 'fundamentally thinner, stronger and more robust'.

"But in a post to Apple's discussion forums, 'greene-r74' wrote 'I picked it [a MacBook Pro] up on the left side with my thumb over the ethernet port and bent the chassis slightly. You can't see it but you can sure feel it, I also have a few little depressions in the left speaker grill from my fingers.'"

Link: New MacBook Pro Gets Bent

Spaces: Made for MacBook

Sparkplug 9's John Koetsier says:

"I've used virtual Windows before . . . it must have been 7-8 years ago when I was deep into web application development, and desktop real estate was still expensive ...

"But I haven't enabled Spaces yet ... mostly because I had Leopard on our home iMac, with a 20" screen. The screen was big enough for most work, and I didn't actually do much work on it in any case.

"But I just picked up a MacBook for my new job ...

"Surprisingly (to myself) I haven't actually missed the desktop real estate that much. That's what the fairly hi-res 1280 x 800 and high-quality screen will do for you. But there are occasions when I like to only see the windows associated with the application I'm currently using - and that's where Spaces shines."

Link: Spaces: Made for MacBook

New MacBook: Tempted, but Not Buying

MacUser UK's Nik Rawlinson says:

"The new MacBooks look great and perform admirably, but I won't be replacing my ageing white MacBook just yet, it still works perfectly well.

"Suddenly my MacBook looks old. Just like my iPhone did the day the 3G edition appeared. It's white, it's grubby, it's plastic and it looks like the interim stopgap it clearly always was.

"But you know what? I don't care....

"Macs, as we've often said, have remarkable staying power, and the fact that you're using old, technologically outdated kit is testament to Apple's brilliance. While every 'improvement' to Windows seems to require that you upgrade or replace your existing machine, Apple has always striven to maintain backwards compatibility for machines five or more years old."

Link: New MacBook: Tempted, Yes. Buying One, No

Apple May Turn to Carbon Fiber for Lighter MacBook Air

Appleinsider's Kasper Jade reports:

"Apple enthusiastically claimed ownership to the world's thinnest notebook earlier this year with the introduction of the MacBook Air, but is rumored to be unsatisfied with the system's weight, which it now hopes to drop below 3 pounds.

"As such, people who've proven familiar with the company's portable plans say the Mac maker has been looking into substituting carbon fiber parts for certain structural components currently cast from heavier aircraft-grade aluminum.

"Carbon fiber is an extremely lightweight material comprised of very thin fibers about 0.005 - 0.010 millimeters in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms..."

Link: Apple May Turn to Carbon Fiber for Lighter MacBook Air

Apple Reduces Notebook Outsourcing by 20-30%

DIGITIMES' Joseph Tsai, reports:

"Apple and Asustek Computer recently reduced their notebook outsourcing for the fourth quarter this year by 20-30% impacting the two vendors' main OEM partners Quanta Computer and Pegatron Technology, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.

"Asustek has estimated notebook shipments in the fourth quarter this year will only reach 1.7 million units making it unlikely the company will be able to reach its annual shipments goal of six million units, noted the paper."

Link: Apple and Asustek Reduce Notebook Outsourcing by 20-30% in 4Q08 (requires paid subscription)

MacBook Pro Running Very, Very Hot

On-Screen Scientist says:

"As I slowly crawl my way out of a case of 'walking pneumonia' that has lasted for over five weeks now, and while I'm still not up to anything that requires much energy, mental or physical, let me report on the health of my MacBook Pro system, which has been occasionally running a fever far, far higher than the low grade ones I've been experiencing from time to time. Beyond entertaining the (probably few) who enjoy accounts of unsolved computer problems, I'm hoping that, in case others have encountered similar unexplained behavior, this report might provide data to help someone figure out what the likely cause of the problem is.

"Back in March in a post called Vista on My MacBook Pro is Hot - Boiling Hot!, I reported on the high temperatures (up to 100° C or 212° F, the boiling point of water) I'd observed while running graphics-intensive software under Windows Vista installed on a Boot Camp partition on my first generation MacBook Pro. Since not a day goes by without a few visitors arriving at this blog due to Google searches on terms such as 'macbook pro runs hot in vista,' I've concluded that the high temperature under Vista must be something that has caused concern to a lot of people. I have no way of knowing if this is mainly Apple's, Intel's, or Microsoft's fault, though I suspect it is Apple's, since Vista's operating temperature would naturally have a much lower priority for Apple.

"I've recently observed temperatures under Mac OS 10.5.5 that make the Vista temperatures seem mild in comparison, however...."

Link: Boiling Temperature - Not Just for Vista Anymore

Reviews

First Impressions of the Unibody MacBook Pro (Somebody Get My Gun!)

The inimmitable Scott Kelby has this to say about his new MacBook Pro:

"There are things I absolutely love about my new 15" Apple MacBook Pro, but at least 40 to 50 times a day, I want to have a friend fling it high into the air so I can use it for skeet shooting practice.

"Now, before I dig into this review too far, part of the problem seems to be an Apple thing, but part of the problem may be something Adobe can fix in Photoshop CS4, because it's there where the problem is most prevalent, and it's there where I find myself stringing together somewhat colorful phrases I would not normally assemble."

Link: Review: Apple's New MacBook Pro (Somebody Get My Gun!)

6GB in Unibody MacBook Pro: No Problems, Insignificant Speed Penalty

BareFeats' rob-ART morgan says:

"The 'late 2008' MacBook Pro officially 'supports up to 4GB' of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM. However, that never stopped us from trying to stuff more in. We were able to expand our MacBook Pro 2.8 to 6GB by replacing one of the 2GB SO-DIMMs with a 4GB module (courtesy of Trans International).

"We ran memory 'hungry' apps like Adobe After Effects CS3 (multiprocessor mode) and Adobe Photoshop CS4 beyond the 4GB barrier with no ill effects. Activity Monitor shows all 6GB available and reports correctly how much is in use.

"The only downside is that, with non-matching memory modules, you don't get interleaving. Potentially, there is a performance hit. But is the hit significant, negligible, or non-existent?"

Link: 6GB of RAM in the 'Late 2008' MacBook Pro - Any Problems? Speed Penalty?

1.86GHz MacBook Air with SSD Blows Past Original MBA

Macworld's James Galbraith reports:

"At a media event on October 14, Apple announced a top-to-bottom refresh of its portable Macs. Along with new unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros, the company also unveiled an updated MacBook Air that featured faster graphics and more storage.

"The new $2,499 top-of-the-line MacBook Air has arrived in the Macworld Lab, and our test results show that while the many under-the-hood improvements have helped to make Apple's ultraportable more competitive in terms of performance, it's still a product that you buy for its small size and light weight, not its speed."

Link: Macworld Tests New MacBook Air 1.86GHz

3D Game Shootout: 3 'Late 2008' Apple Laptops

BareFeats' rob-ART morgan reports:

"We now have 3D Game test results for three models of the 'late 2008' Apple laptops: 13" MacBook 2.4GHz, 15" MacBook Pro 2.53GHz, and 15" MacBook Pro 2.8GHz.

"Since the MacBook's 13" screen maxes out at 1280x800, we are making that our 'common denominator.' (If you want to see 1440x900 results, we have a special page for that.) We included results for the fastest iMac, fastest Mac Pro, and fastest 'early 2008' MacBook Pro."

Link: 3D Game Shootout: Three 'Late 2008' Apple Laptops

2.8GHz BTO MacBook Pro with 7200 rpm Hard Drive 'One Lively Laptop'

Macworld's James Galbraith reports:

"It's standard practice for Apple to offer customers to chance to upgrade processors, hard drives, and other components of its hardware line. These configure-to-order (CTO) systems are not generally found on the shelves of your local Apple Store; instead, you customize your order directly from Apple's online store. The new MacBook Pro models released by Apple last month continue this CTO tradition, giving customers the choice of ordering a souped-up laptop.

"We ordered a specially-configured MacBook Pro of our own. And while we only mouse-rate standard configurations of Macs, we still like to run CTO systems through our standard suite of tests. We believe this approach gives you a better idea of the type of performance bang you can get for spending the optional bucks."

Link: Build-To-Order 2.8GHz MacBook Pro Benchmarked

15" MacBook Pro 'One Potent Portable'

Computer Shopper's Les L. Shu reports:

"It has been several years since Apple completely updated the look of the MacBook Pro. When the PowerBook G4 switched from the titanium casing to an aluminum one, Apple retained the exact design it used when it switched over to Intel processors and renamed its performance line the MacBook Pro. With the new MacBook Pro, Apple has not only redesigned the case to make it even sleeker, but updated the specs to make one potent portable."

Link: Apple MacBook Pro (15.4-inch)

Products

Up 10 Hours of Additional Battery Life for MacBook Pro

PR: QuickerTek announces the MacBook External Battery/Charger for the 15" and 17" MacBook Pro laptops. This product charges and/or powers MacBooks with up to 10 additional hours of power. It's available from QuickerTek and dealers for $449.95.

"Our new MacBook battery and charger is perfect for MacBook users who travel on longer trips and must have additional battery life, " Rick Estes, QuickerTek stated. "It's also great for more everyday users who just don't want to be tethered to the wall power outlet. Coffee shops, school, work meetings and a zillion other situations where extra power is required, and QuickerTek offers just that," Estes added.

QuickerTek built MagSafe compatibility into the MacBook External Battery/Charger. Standard MagSafe connectors are supplied with the Battery/Charger, so users don't have to do anything different to gain additional battery power. MacBook users can easily monitor the available battery power using the Apple battery charge indicator - observing thatthe power stays at 100% for hours before it begins to drop.

With 8 to 12 hours of battery power, users can board longer airline flights as well as spend more time outdoors - at home or at school.

While the stock MacBook recharges in five hours using the Apple AC wall adapter, the MacBook External Battery/Charger recharges in only three hours. Styled to blend with your Apple equipment, the MacBook External Battery/Charger is both lightweight and good looking - perfect for traveling.

Specifications

• Physical: 9 x 6 x 1 inches;
• Weight: 5 lbs;
• Battery: Li-ion Polymer;
• 8 to 12 hours of total External battery life; LED charging status indicator

Like most QuickerTek products, the MacBook External Battery Charger is backed with a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

Link: MacBook External Battery/Charger

Hitachi's New 500 GB Mobile Hard Drive Takes Data Security, Green Features to the Next Level

PR: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies yesterday introduced its new Travelstar 5K500.B mobile hard drive, which combines advanced data encryption technology with eco-friendly features, such as halogen-free design and a read/write power specification that is the lowest in the industry. The drive has earned Hitachi's new EcoTrac classification, used to describe products that minimize environmental impact in the areas of product design, manufacturing, operation and disposal.

The Travelstar 5K500.B, Hitachi's second 500GB mobile drive, uses the industry's latest 250GB-per-platter technology to deliver a half terabyte (500GB) of capacity in an industry-standard 9.5mm mobile form factor. Since entering the market in 1991, Hitachi has led innovations in the 2.5 inch segment across every measurable category: areal density, performance, power management, acoustics, shock tolerance, reliability and breadth of product options.

"We continue to see an increased demand for more efficient notebook computers," said Brendan Collins, vice president, Product Marketing, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. "As interest grows, customers are asking us for hard drives that require less power, provide more data security, have great performance and are environmentally friendly. Hitachi Travelstar drives meet all of these customer demands and more, which is precisely why they continue to be the most popular 2.5-inch hard drives on the market today."

Advanced Encryption Features

The Travelstar 5K500.B features optional Bulk Data Encryption (BDE) for hard-drive-level data security. The drive is also expected to be the first in the industry to meet the forthcoming Storage Security specification established by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG), an organization focused on developing open industry standards for security hardware and software. The TCG Storage Security specification, targeting consumer and commercial applications, is intended to discourage HDD/system theft, as well as prevent data access after HDD/system disposal.

BDE encrypts data using a private security key as it is written to the disk and then decrypts it with the key as it is retrieved, giving users the highest level of data protection available. The TCG Storage Security specification implemented in the Travelstar 5K500.B supports pre-boot authentication in hardware, and up to four separate encrypted data ranges with multiple user and administrative authentication credentials. It also speeds and simplifies the drive re-deployment process. By deleting the encryption key, the data is rendered unreadable, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming data-overwrite.

Several leading software providers are designing their enterprise management offerings to be compatible with TCG compliant hard drives, giving IT managers the ability to implement security solutions based on an industry standard.

"SECUDE software complements Hitachi's encrypted hard drives by making them capable of pre-boot authentication, which simplifies key management, remote configuration and other security functions," said Tristan Kromer, vice president, Data Protection Division, SECUDE. "Together with Hitachi, we are simplifying data encryption and delivering a higher level of IT security to consumer and commercial users worldwide."

New EcoTrac Classification

The Travelstar 5K500.B is the latest drive to be distinguished by the new Hitachi "EcoTrac" classification, due to its significantly reduced wattage (which leads to extended battery life), halogen-free design and other "green" characteristics. The drive features a read/write power specification of 1.4W, which is lower than any other 500GB 2.5-inch hard drive on the market today. The drive's low-power profile results in more energy-efficient notebooks that run cooler and have longer battery life.

As one element of Hitachi's overall corporate commitment to minimizing impact on the environment throughout the hard drive product lifecycle, the EcoTrac symbol identifies Hitachi products that deliver on the principles of:

• Lower operating costs through power efficient design
• Smaller carbon footprint by reducing waste during manufacturing
• Safer product disposal through a reduction of toxic materials
• A sustainable environment through conservation of natural resources in packaging and transportation

The Travelstar 5K500.B operates at 5400 RPM and is available in capacities ranging

from 120GB to 500GB. The half-terabyte drive can store up to 125 hours of high-definition video, 500 hours of standard video, 178 movies, 125,000 4-minute MP3s or 250 games.1

Hitachi will also offer an enhanced-availability (EA) version of the drive, called the Travelstar E5K500.B, which is designed for applications requiring 24x7 operation in lower transaction environments, such as blade servers, network routers, point-of-sale terminals and video surveillance systems.

The Travelstar 5K500.B will be shipping worldwide in December. The Travelstar E5K500.B will be available by the end of the first quarter, 2009.

Link: Hitachi Travelstar

1. Actual storage may vary depending on the compression rate applied. Capacities may not be combined.

OWC 6GB Memory Upgrades for Santa Rosa and Later MacBooks, MacBook Pros

PR: Other World Computing (OWC), a leading Mac and PC technology company, announced today new OWC 4GB modules and 6GB Memory Upgrade Sets for MacBook 13", MacBook Pro 15", and MacBook Pro 17" Models, which prior factory and after- market options limited memory to a maximum of 4GB total. The additional memory provides a significant benefit to users of high-memory intensive applications, such as audio/video, photo, 3D modeling, as well as offering overall system performance benefits.

Complete OWC Memory Upgrades Pricing for Late 2008 "Unibody" MacBook 13" and MacBook Pro 15" models:

• 2GB DDR3 Memory Upgrade Module - $65.99
• 4GB DDR3 Upgrade Kit (matched pair of 2GB memory modules) - $129.99
• 4GB DDR3 Memory Upgrade Module - $699.99
• 6GB DDR3 Memory Upgrade Kit - $749.99 (2GB + 4GB modules)

OWC Memory Upgrade Pricing for 2007 "Santa Rosa" model and later (pre-Late 2008 "Unibody") MacBook 13", Macbook Pro 15", and MacBook Pro 17" Models:

• 2GB DDR2 Memory Upgrade Module - $29.99
• 4GB DDR2 Upgrade Kit (matched pair of 2GB memory modules) - $59.00
• 4GB DDR2 Memory Upgrade Module - $449.99
• 6GB DDR2 Memory Upgrade Kit - $479.95 (2GB + 4GB modules)

OWC Memory Upgrades offer MacBook owners two advantages:

1. Bigger memory upgrades (not available from the factory): with the announcement of the new 4GB single module and the 6GB two module kits, OWC offers MacBook and MacBook Pro users who seek the ultimate performance configuration two additional memory upgrades not offered by the factory. The only factory memory upgrade offered for these models is a 4GB kit (2x 2GB) priced at $150.
2. Up to $30 Rebate for 33% lower cost than factory 4GB option: OWC allows MacBook and MacBook Pro owners to trade-in Apple Factory Standard memory modules for up to $15 per Gigabyte rebate. Cash back for original factory modules makes it even more economical and increases the savings of upgrades from OWC.

Engineered to Deliver Reliable High Performance - Exceeds Demanding Standards

In development for nearly two years, the OWC 4GB single DDR2 module upgrades and 6GB DDR2 two module memory upgrades kits are built with premium quality components for cool, reliable operation. The modules exceed Apple/Intel specifications, are RoHS compliant and fully compliant with JEDEC specifications. The new OWC DDR3 4GB modules and 6GB DDR3 two module kits take advantage of this long term experience using the new DDR3 memory technology. In addition, like all OWC Memory, these new upgrades are backed with a Money Back Guarantee and OWC's Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty, plus they are user-installable in 15 minutes with free online installation videos.

"MacBook and MacBook Pro owners running memory intensive audio/video, 3D modeling, and image processing/management applications will find having 6GB really makes a difference in their computer's performance," said Jamie Dresser, Product Manager, OWC. "Not only that, but I used to have to reboot my system every four hours due to surpassing 4GB of active RAM, but now can go several days without rebooting."

Link: MacBook and MacBook Pro Upgrades

Ramjet 6GB Memory Upgrades for All 2008 MacBook, MacBook Pro Models

PR: Ramjet can now supply memory modules to upgrade the older black or white plastic 2008 MacBook and pre-unibody MacBook Pro to 6GB of RAM.

A 4GB SO-DIMM single module sells for$199 and can be installed along with a 2GB module ($75) to take you up to a maximum of 6GB. Compatible models of MacBook have the Model Identifier number of 4,1, and compatible MacBook Pros have a Model Identifier number of 3,1 or 4,1. The Model Identifier status can be determined using

Apple System Profiler.

4Gig SO-DIMM for MacBook - Model 4,1

Specifications: PC2-5300, DDR2-667, 667Mhz, Latency 5-5-5, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, 1.8V, 200pin SO-DIMM

This kit contains one (1) 4Gig module and is specifically designed and SPD configured for the MacBook: Model Identifier 4,1

This module is compatible with the latest Apple Firmware.

SKU: MBIBS4G

Price: $199

4Gig SO-DIMM for MacBook Pro - 3,1 & 4,1

Specifications: PC2-5300, DDR2-667, 667Mhz, Latency 5-5-5, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, 1.8V, 200pin SO-DIMM

This kit contains one (1) 4Gig module and is specifically designed and SPD configured for the mid-2007 and later MacBook Pro (Model Identifier 3,1) running an 800Mhz Bus Speed.

This module is compatible with the latest Apple Firmware.

SKU: MBKS4G

Price: $199

• Link: 4Gig SO-DIMM for MacBook - Model 4,1
• Link: 4Gig SO-DIMM for MacBook Pro - 3,1 & 4,1

nova media Reduces Prices for Wireless Modems and ExpressCards

PR: nova media has dropped prices for its complete range of wireless modems for Mac OS X by an average of 16%. Mobile online access for Macintosh computers gets affordable with a price drop for wireless USB modems, PC-Card modems and ExpressCard modems from nova media. All devices include a full version of launch2net, the internet connect wizard for Mac OS X.

nova media has dropped prices for its complete range of wireless modems for Mac OS X by an average of 16%. Mobile online access for Macintosh computers gets affordable with a price drop for wireless USB modems, PC-Card modems and ExpressCard modems from nova media.

"We offer wireless devices for every Macintosh", states Jan Fuellemann, PR spokesperson at nova media. "PC Datacards for PowerBook, ExpressCards for MacBook Pro and USB modems for every other Mac running Mac OS X 10.4.11 and higher. All devices offer fast download speeds with up to 7.2 Mbit/s and upload speeds with up to 1.4 Mbit/s, depending on the capabilities of the mobile network providers."

All devices include a full version of launch2net, the internet connect wizard for Mac OS X. launch2net features a one-click connection to the Internet without the need to enter cryptic configuration details. The software already includes connection settings for most mobile network providers worldwide.

Price information:

• GlobeTrotter MAX HSUPA for PowerBook: Euro 178
• GlobeTrotter Express HSUPA for MacBook Pro: Euro 188
• ICON 401 USB Modem for MacBook and other Macs: Euro 168

All prices plus VAT if applicable and shipping costs.

Link: nova media Wireless Solutions

Bargain 'Books

Bargain 'Books are used unless otherwise indicated. New and refurbished units have a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible for AppleCare.

PowerBook, iBook, and MacBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.

Apple has reorganized the Apple Certified Refurbished site, arranged hierarchically by price rather than separated into categories. I don't necessarily agree that this is an improvement, and we'll continue our policy of sorting by screen size, then CPU speed, then price. Another change is that refurbished and new "previous generation" models are listed separately.

• refurb 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,349
• refurb 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,499
• refurb 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/64 SSD, $1,799
• refurb 2.1 GHz Penryn MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/SD, $849
• refurb 2.2 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook, white, 1 GB/160/SD, $999
• refurb 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, black, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,099
• refurb 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,349
• refurb 15" 2.6 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,499
• refurb 15" 2.6 GHz MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,799
• refurb 17" 2.5 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,799
• refurb 17" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $2,099
• refurb 17" 2.6 GHz hi-res Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $2,399

Previous Generation - New

• new 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,599
• new 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, white, 2 GB/160/SD, $1,249
• new 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook, black, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,299
• new 15" 2.4 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,599
• new 15" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,799
• new 15" 2.6 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $2,099
• new 17" 2.5 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $2,499
• new 17" 2.6 GHz Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $2,499
• new 17" 2.6 GHz hi-res Penryn MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200 @ 7200 rpm/SD, $2,899

MicroCenter

• 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,399.99

• 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 4 GB/200/SD, AppleCare, $1,789

- 12" PowerBook - 15" Aluminum PowerBook - MacBook

• 12" PowerBook G4/867 MHz, 256/40/Combo, $489.99
• 12" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SD, $659.99
• 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty, $594.99
• 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty, $659.99
• 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, black, 512/80/SD, 60 day warranty, $719.99
• 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/SD, 60 day warranty, $769.99
• 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/120/SD, 60 day warranty, $799.99
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 256/60/Combo, $599.99
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 256/60/Combo, $639.99
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, $679.99
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, $729.99
• 15" hi-res PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/80/SD $799.99

• 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,299.99
• 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $1,349.99
• 15'' 2.5 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 4 GB/250/SD, $1,549.99

• 17" 2.4 GHz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, matte, $1,849.95 less $150 mail-in rebate = $1,699.95

• 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80, $1,299.99

• 12" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 256/40/Combo, $699.95
• 12" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/60/DVD, $849.95
• 12" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 256 RAM, 60/Combo, $849.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/60/SD, $949.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/60/SD, $999.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/Combo, 1 year warranty, $894.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/SD, $929.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, $1,199.95
• 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/60/SD, $1,109.95
• 17" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 512/120/Combo, 1 year warranty, $1,089.95

• 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, $645
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, $719
• 15" hi-res PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, $749
• 15" hi-res PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1.5 GB/100/SD, $805
• 15" 2.1 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD, $1,109

• 12" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 768/40/Combo, AP, AppleCare, $549.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/667 MHz DVI, 256/30/Combo, $479.95
• 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/Combo, APX, $849.95
• 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, APX, $1,499.95

For more deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our MacBook, MacBook Air , 15" MacBook Pro , 17" MacBook Pro , 12" PowerBook G4 , 15" PowerBook G4 , 17" PowerBook G4 , titanium PowerBook G4 , iBook G4 , PowerBook G3 , and iBook G3 deals.

We also track iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.