Low End Mac Editorial Archive
January 2007
- Wireless Networking 101: Speed and security, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.31. The old 802.11b is fine for sharing Internet access, but you'll want faster and more secure options if you're sharing files over your network.
- Dreaming up a Mac more expandable than the Mac mini, more affordable than the Mac Pro, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.31. Apple has a gaping hole in its product line between unexpandable entry-level models and the expensive Mac Pro that offers far more expansion than most will ever need.
- Just how good is a $300 Mac?, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 01.30. Used Macs can every bit as good a value as cheap new Windows PCs.
- How to infect a Mac with a virus or other malware, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 01.30. Mac malware exists, but you have to jump through some hoops to get it to infect your Mac.
- Why is Low End Mac advocating cheap Windows PCs?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.30. We're not Windows fans, but we have to admit that cheap Windows PCs fill a niche Apple refuses to address.
- Just how bad is a $300 Windows PC?, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.29. Mac users tend to laugh off sub-$300 Windows PCs, but for most users most of the time, they're all they need.
- IBM Model M and Apple Extended II among best computer keyboards ever, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.29. Interview with Brandon of clickykeyboards.com, who discusses keyboard design and why two (IBM Model M, Apple Extended II) stand apart from the crowd.
- Lineform: A familiar, friendly, affordable illustration program for OS X, Cortland, 01.29. This $80 illustration program could be all a lot of Mac users need.
- OS X 10.3 or 10.4 on a G4/533?, Lombard to Pismo hard drive swap, 'Book repair, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.29. The best OS for a G4/533, migrating by swapping hard drives, WallStreet and iBook repair and replacement options, and upgrading RAM in Lombard.
- Preparing images for better reproduction on laser printers and photocopiers, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 01.26. Simply printing or photocopying a color image can lead to a contrasty image with a lot of lost detail. Here's how to prepare images for better output.
- DST change next Y2K?, Blu-ray for Macs, USB turntable, digital TV receiver, and more, Mac News Review, 01.26. Also PhonoPreAmp iVinyl converts LPs and tapes to digital, Gibson intros computer peripherals, Quicky USB gains LEDs, and iStat pro system monitoring widget.
- Apple's $2 802.11n enabler, two new battery technologies, digital TV tuner for MacBook Pro, and more, The 'Book Review, 01.26. Also LED backlighting may be too costly for 2007 MacBooks, black MacBook not a great value, 17" MacBook Pro lightest and thinnest in class, bargain 'Books from $209 to $2,299, and more.
- Going Windows because no Mac meets my needs?, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 01.25. The MacBook screen is too small, the MacBook Pro isn't rugged enough, the Mac mini and iMac aren't expandable enough, and the Mac Pro costs too much.
- Choosing the right computer for home, office, and field use, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.25. Picking a good computer for the technophobe, office worker, student, and shared use at home.
- Could the iPhone's touchscreen point the way to Apple's legendary Knowledge Navigator?, Trevor Wale, One More Thing, 01.24. Touchscreen and user interface developments mean Apple's Knowledge Navigator concept is closer to reality than ever.
- Microsoft's sturdy, low-cost wireless keyboard ideal for typing, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.23. If you're looking for a good keyboard for typing on, the $50 Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop 1000 keyboard and mouse are probably the best you'll find for the money.
- A tale of two betas: VMware Fusion vs. Parallels Desktop, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 01.23. Parallels Desktop has displaced Boot Camp as the choice of savvy Macintel users. Can VMware compete with the entrenched upstart?
- Working with Macs, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 01.22. The author shares two work experiences with Macintosh computers.
- What's the minimum Mac or 'Book for Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger'?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.22. Today's Intel-based Macs are great with Tiger, but how old a Mac can you use and still find satisfactory performance?
- The Macintosh is dead, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.19. Many of the things that made the Mac what it was are gone. Shouldn't Apple come up with a new name to reflect that?
- Is the iPhone too limited to launch a smartphone revolution?, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 01.19. As revolutionary as the iPhone is, it lags behind the smartphone competition in several important areas.
- Macs still Apple's core, tiny 12 GB Store 'n' Go drive, NeoOffice to support OpenXML docs, and more, Mac News Review, 01.19. Also putting a Mac mini in a mini ATX case, ScreenRecyclers repurposes computers as addiitonal monitors, Airlook monitors AirPort Base Station, Parallels updated, and more.
- Modbook 'Best of Show', MacBook a winner, world's fastest notebook drive, and more, The 'Book Review, 01.19. Also Modbook compared to iTablet, firmware updates for Intel Macs, Dell's rugged notebook, SnapPower AC on the go, bargain 'Books from $209 to $1,999, and more.
- iPhone and Apple TV just miss the mark, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.18. Apple TV and the iPhone are impressive, but they have a few shortcomings that will hurt them in the market.
- Setting up a NetBoot server for your Macs, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 01.18. If you have an ethernet network and several NewWorld Macs, NetBoot will let you run several Macs with the same disk image and setup.
- Apple as the next consumer electronic giant, Cortland, 01.17. Apple now has a presence in the personal computer, MP3 player, home entertainment, and cell phone markets.
- Simple ergonomics for the road warrior, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 01.16. The benefits of external keyboards and mice, laptop stands, typing gloves, and anti-RSI software for notebook users.
- iPhone and Apple TV make Macworld Expo crowd go wild, Cortland, 01.16. "The major highlight of the show was Apple CEO Steve Jobs' keynote presentation, where he announced that history was going to be made. Jobs performance was flawless."
- Cingular and the iPhone: Apple's 30% solution, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.16. As nice as the iPhone is, Apple is telling 70% of wireless users that they can't have one unless they switch to AT&T as their carrier.
- How much PowerBook or iBook do you need to run Mac OS X?, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 01.15. You don't need the latest and greatest Mac to be productive in OS X. Here are six iBook and PowerBook suggestions built between 2000 and 2003.
- IBM Model M: The best computer keyboard ever, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.15. Most of today's keyboards are cheap, mushy crap that won't hold up over time. Compared to them, the 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard must come from a completely different universe.
- PC Card WiFi for OS X PowerBooks, installing Classic for OS X, Gmail problem with Shiira, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.15. A low-cost WiFi PC Card for PowerBooks running OS X, tips on installing Classic under Tiger, Gmail broken with Shiira 1.2.2 browser, and stimulating a flashd rive on pre-USB PowerBooks.
- Taking the 'Mac' out of the Macworld Expo, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.12. Apple TV, iPhone, the iTunes Store, 802.11n AirPort - but where's the Mac?
- Apple TV aimed at the high end, not the mass market, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.12. For most TV watchers, TiVo or a DVD recorder makes a lot more sense than Apple TV.
- Modbook steals show, 4.5 million MacBooks in 2007, wireless mouse for women, and more, The 'Book Review, 01.12. Also LED backlighting coming to notebooks, SanDisk's 32 GB flash drive, firmware update fixed MacBook shutdown, N1 Wireless from Belkin, bargain 'Books from $209 to $1,999, and more.
- Don't mistreat your Mac, new AirPort Extreme 5x as fast with double range, quad-core Xeons, and more, Mac News Review, 01.12. Also Macs crowding out Linux in the workplace, Mopar expands iPod integration, first terabyte hard drive, Nisus Writer Pro announced, and more.
- Why the iPhone will succeed despite the pundits, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.11. Tech columnists have already labelled the iPhone as overpriced, but it's going to succeed despite them.
- Who needs a home server?, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.11. Simple file sharing can be a lot simpler and more cost effective than setting up a dedicated home server or network-attached storage.
- What's in a name? Apple Corp vs. Apple Computer, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.10. Apple Inc. has dropped "Computer" from its name. Here's a look at its three-round battle with the Beatles' Apple Corps.
- Apple Inc. intros iPhone and Apple TV, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.10. No new Macs at the Expo, but Steve Jobs has demonstrated Apple TV and the much anticipated iPhone.
- Modbook Mac tablet from Axiotron and OWC, new notebook accessories, The 'Book Review, 01.10. The first Mac tablet computer is built around a MacBook. Also, Kensington and Targus highlight new accessories for notebook computers.
- iPhone reflections, EPA contradicts Greenpeace on Apple, new PCI Express cards, and more, Mac News Review, 01.10. Also CrossOver lets Intel Macs run Windows apps without Windows, WMware demos virtualization for Intel Macs, Office 2008 promised, and Missing Sync for BlackBerry.
- Axiotron Modbook, 01.10. The first tablet Mac ever is a customized version of the MacBook.
- Why Mac vs. PC price comparisons are never fair, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.09. It realy is an apples-to-oranges comparison to pit a Mac against a Windows PC based on specifications, software bundles, and ports.
- Backup to the rescue: Recovering from Address Book data loss and a failing hard drive, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.09. If there are any important or irreplaceable files on your hard drive, you need a backup strategy because accidents happen and hard drives fail.
- 4 things we probably won't see from Apple at the Macworld Expo, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 01.08. Don't expect Apple to release a Tablet Mac, improve Mail's junk mail filter, improve Print-to-PDF control, or improve the integration of Mail, iCal, and Address Book.
- One thing Mac OS X should learn from Windows, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 01.08. Apple's failure to merge folders in any version of the Mac OS frustrates switchers and can lose important files.
- Shiira 2.0b2 browser: Neat features, but not ready for prime time, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.08. Shiira is a small, fast, free browser based on Safari WebKit that includes some very useful new features.
- Mac and Windows: Different but equally productive, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.05. Each platform excels in some areas, but in general you can be just as productive on a Windows PC or a Mac.
- 'Poor boy' .mac alternatives, Mac Pro ruled in 2006, Apple closing on HP, and more, Mac News Review, 01.05. Also Mac mini in a Subaru, frugal Mighty Mouse, what to do when your 2006 iMac won't start, compact Pentax scanner, wireless USB extender, new drive enclosures, and more.
- Mac sales up for 2006, ode to 12" PowerBook, MacBook among best gadgets of 2006, and more, The 'Book Review, 01.05. Also Apple working on LED-based notebook, hybrid flash drives coming to MacBook Pro, turn your car into a WiFi hotspot, bargain 'Books from $100 to $2,299, and more.
- The past and possible future of Apple's Intel transition, Larry Stotler, Linux on the Low End, 01.04. Going Intel has been Apple's third successful CPU transition since the Apple II era - and the future is wide open.
- Switching back to Windows after 3 years with Mac OS X, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 01.03. Sometimes the Mac is the best tool for the job, and sometimes it's Windows. But for one task, Windows wins hands down.
- Classic install with Tiger, OS 9 browsers or plugins?, other 'fastest' Macs, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.03. Also a failed Tiger install via FireWire, simulating a flash drive on a 5300, Word 5.1 documents in the modern world, PowerBook power supplies, Xubunto for older Macs, and "Other Red".
- How the Microsoft-Ferrari fiasco plays out in the media, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 01.02. Free Ferrari laptops from Microsoft for select bloggers, their recall, and the way the media deals with the fiasco.
- 15" PowerBook G4 lower memory slot problem revisited, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.02. Another look at the lower memory slot problem and Apple's repair extension program for 1.5 GHz and 1.67 GHz 15" G4 PowerBooks
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