LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.
The 'Book Review returns to Fridays
after a brief experiment with Monday publication. Except as noted,
prices are in U.S. dollars, bold links are to outside sites, and
regular links lead to 'Book profiles on Low End Mac.
Logitech has
announced a new mouse with an ultra-slim profile optimized for
notebook computer users. Tired of struggling with a difficult-to-use integrated
pointing device such as a touchpad or stick? This small optical
mouse has been developed to meet the needs of road warriors.
Logitech's MouseManTraveler is currently available in the U.S. at
retail outlets and online for $49.95.
MouseMan Traveler features a seamless industrial design of
brushed aluminum that gives the appearance of one solid piece of
metal and harmonizes nicely with either the TiBook or iceBook. Its
slim body allows it to easily slip into a notebook case or work on
small airplane serving trays and other cramped work spaces.
In spite of its small size, MouseMan Traveler is equipped with a
new optical sensor that is now in all of Logitech's optical mice,
providing an 800 dots-per-inch (dpi) resolution that yields twice
the accuracy of previous sensors for improved tracking on all
surfaces without the need for a mousepad. The mouse also offers
the convenience of a three-button design with scroll wheel. Each
MouseMan Traveler ships with an attractive black protective
carrying case and includes a three-foot USB extension for desktop
use.
Using Logitech MouseWare drivers, each of the buttons can be
programmed to the user's preference. The iTouch software, included
with all Logitech mice, lets users instantly access the Internet
and favorite web sites by simply depressing the scroll wheel
button. MouseMan Traveler uses either a USB or a PS/2 interface and
is compatible with Macintosh OS 8.6 or later as well as Windows95
or later operating systems. MouseMan Traveler has a five-year
limited warranty.
MouseMan Traveler uses a proprietary optical positioning sensor
developed by Logitech and Agilent Technologies. The sensor tracks
its relative location by "taking a picture'' of the surface on
which the mouse is operating. Each captured image is then
sequentially analyzed by a powerful digital signal processor, which
detects the speed and direction of even the slightest movement and
translates it into smooth cursor movements on the computer screen.
Optical mice offer more precise pointing and movement, and because
they have no ball or cavity, no cleaning is necessary.
Do It Yourself TiBook Hinge Repair
Kjartan Petur Sigurdsson of Iceland has a posted a photo tutorial of
his do-it-yourself Titanium
PowerBook hinge repair. Kjartan decided to engineer and execute
his own fix when Apple quoted him $1,600 to fix his damaged
five-month-old TiBook. The repair he came up with cost 1/160th that
amount.
Sigurdsson's tutorial shows how he fashioned new hinges for the
TiBook from thin aluminum sheet metal and fastened them with epoxy
adhesive.
He also has some suggestions for Apple, which include:
Apple should redesign these very expensive hinges.
Apple should have a closer look at the drop test program for
the Titanium.
Apple should lower their repair prices. It is disconcerting to
pay almost the same amount for one simple repair as you can pay for
a refurbished Titanium 400 MHz with a 1-year warranty
Apple should take better care of their best market in the
world, the Icelandic market with most sold machines per
capita.
Kjartan Petur also says he likes his 1-1/2 year old G3/500 MHz Pismo better than the TiBook
because it does not have scratches all over it that make it look
like it's 3-4 years old.
PowerLogix Fixes Production Flaw in 466 MHz
BlueChip Processor Upgrade Card
The PowerBook Source has posted a letter PowerLogix has sent to
all customers who purchased the 466 MHz BlueChip CPU upgrade card
for their WallStreet PowerBooks over the summer.
Apparently one batch of cards shipped last summer had a timing
flaw.
The failure mode that was evident on these cards prevented them
from booting properly. If you have a 466 Blue Chip that boots in
your PowerBook then your card is not affected and will not need
replacement.
PowerLogix is replacing the defective cards free of charge If
you have any questions regarding this replacement program, email
bluechip@powerlogix.com.
APM Tuner Adjusts APM Value to Quiet Noisy
PowerBook Hard Drives
APM
Tuner allows you to adjust the Advanced Power Management
Value (APM Value) for hard disks in the internal ATA bus and
expansion bays of recent PowerBooks.
Advanced Power Management is a feature found in hard disks for
portable usage aimed at conserving power. However, APM can effect
the user experience, creating a sense of "lag" or clunking sounds
when the head is parked. By increasing the APM Value, the drive
will "park" its heads less often. The result is a more responsive
drive with less "clunking."
I've been using APM Tuner for nearly two years, and it makes my
WallStreet PowerBook much
nicer to live with, both with the original 2 GB IBM hard
drive, and with the 10 GB Toshiba drive I upgraded to a year ago. I
hate computer noise, and the constant hard drive "hunting" noises
even when the drive is not being accessed drive me nuts. APM Tuner
silences them. Happily, now there is an OS X version available
- one less obstacle to upgrading.
If you set the APM Value larger than the factory default (I keep
it at the max of 254), power consumption will increase. It is
recommended to set a higher APM Value only when the PowerBook is in
a stationary condition with the AC Adapter plugged in (this is
where the separate settings for AC and battery power is
useful).
System requirements:
Mac OS X 10.1 or higher
Mac OS 8.5 or later
The disk must support Advanced Power Management (APM is a
feature of ATA/ATAPI-4, so only recent, larger disks support this
and will benefit).
Here is a partial list of hard disks and PowerBooks that work
with APM Tuner. Many reports were gathered at the PBG3 BBS (in
Japanese) and also via e-mail. Please contact me with new
information and corrections.
Hard disks where APM Tuner worked
IBM
DARA-206000 6 GB (233, 2400c/180, iBook SE, FW400)
APM Tuner is provided as freeware to the PowerBook
community.
Willow Design NL-11 Titanium G4 PowerBook Carry
Case
The Willow
Titanium G4 Case has been specifically designed to maximize the
protection of your G4 and to compactly carry the accessories that are a part of your working
system. Everything is protected by sturdy outer foam walls
reinforced with corrugated plastic and a hardboard bottom. There
are many dividers to separate the Titanium, adapter, accessories
and paperwork. The case also features a convenient support panel
which can be pulled out to use as a more stable base for laptop
computing.
Willow Titanium Case Features
excellent protection for your Titanium G4 afforded by 1.2 cm
(0.5") foam reinforced by corrugated plastic on the upper display
side, high density polyethylene reinforcement on the handle side
and 4 mm (1/8") hardboard on the bottom.
clean, lightweight and flexible design with a multiple
compartments to carry all your accessories.
superb comfort insured by a thick, reinforced padded handle and
wide contoured shoulder strap.
double thickness high density briefcase handle polyethylene
reinforcement with quadruple rivet reinforcing through wrap handle
to insure the safety of your laptop.
convenient DVD, CD-ROM & cable pockets located in the
laptop section for easy access plus extra room for manuals or other
letter sized paperwork on lower accessory level.
simple outer front organizer panel with pockets business cards,
pens, pencils, etc.
outside flat, outer pocket for airline tickets, thin paperwork,
etc.
flat external rear pocket especially handy for maps, magazines
or newspapers.
easily removable horizontal divider for the Titanium G4 which
doubles as a comfortable and convenient laptop work surface with
special foam spacer to maximize airflow cooling.
extra protection for the display screen afforded by corrugated
plastic layer and extra 0.5 cm (1/4") protective space between
Titanium and laptop lid level.
three separate Velcroed elastic straps to lock down Titanium
G4, adapter and accessories and extra items.
handy mesh pocket in the lid for safe and convenient storage of
cables or other thin items.
luggage feet riveted through the hardboard bottom of the case
which actually keep it up and off the ground when you want to set
the case down whilst entering and leaving your vehicle.
lifetime guarantee against defects in materials or
craftsmanship.
Available Colors: Black Charcoal Navy Teal Purple
Price: $123.00 U.S.; $185.00 Cdn
PowerBook Zone Launches PowerBook Desktop Image
Contest
The PowerBook Zone is
looking for the best/most interesting/most attractive desktop image
you can possibly create, preferably with a PowerBook theme. The
only catch is that it must include "The PowerBook Zone" and the
site's URL somewhere in the image.
Prizes include
Shrinkwrapped "MacAdvocate" CD from 1997. This is a full CD of
propaganda, including all the Apple commercials made up until that
point, among other neat stuff. You could order as many as you
wanted back in the day, and Apple would send them to you, free of
charge.
A 8" FireWire cable.
1 Dr. Bott T3Hub
The contest closes October 21st at noon.
Dr. Bott TiCase G4 PowerBook Case
With style, elegance, performance, and protection, Dr. Bott's TiCase is ideal for
the sophisticated road warrior. These
cases may look sleek and satin-smooth, but they're also tough and
durable, with brushed aluminum shell, combination lock, and an
interior which combines elegance with ease.
TiCase sports a skin of brushed Aluminum - size, shape, and
color perfectly complimenting the TiBook. TiCase includes 2 inches
of closed cell Styrofoam provide the necessary protection.
Matching cutouts cover the power supply, power cable and
accessories to protect the TiBook from accidental scratches. The
total combined weight of TiCase, Titanium PowerBook, power supply,
and power cable is less than 11.5 lbs.
Lift off the lid, press gently on the rear corners of the TiBook
and your favorite laptop lifts into working position.
The "LiftoMatic" telescopic feet raise the rear of the TiBook so
that the natural decline of your knees is properly balanced and the
TiBook comes to a level rest in desk height.
As a side effect LiftoMatic makes room for ample air circulation
under the TiBook.
And if you now look at the back of the TiBook you will be
pleased to discover that you can easily flip down the lid covering
the ports. Whether you fancy a mini-mouse or you require a
projector to amplify your ideas - all ports are directly
accessible.
Now shipping in limited quantities.
TiCase price: $399.
Bargain 'Books
This Week's Best PowerBook Deals
Since we are moving back to Fridays from Mondays, this is a
short week for the 'Book Review, so I wasn't able to find a whole
lot of PowerBook and iBook deals that weren't covered in Monday's
edition. However, I did spot a super deal on the QPS Que! M2
FireWire Hard Drive. Read on.
I have one of these units, and I love it. The M2 hard drive
makes an excellent companion for a PowerBook or FireWire iBook, and it mounts nicely on my WallStreet
through the Macally FireWire PC Card adapter.
Specs:
Data Transfer Rate: 16.6 MBps
Average Seek Time: 13 ms
Spindle Speed: 4200 rpm
1 year warranty
QPS claims that The Que! M2 QuadSlim is the industry's first and
only externally shock protected storage device in the world. With
the included suction cup and belt-clip accessories you can attach
the M2 to any smooth surface, or clip it to your belt.
QPS also gives you hot-docking/stacking connectability. Connect
up to five drives by stacking and interlocking the QPS built-in
vertical FireWire IEEE-1394 connectors located on the top and
bottom of each drive, or up to ten M2's with the optional 2U-10-bay
rack mount accessory kit. Simply run a single cable to your
computer to power up and connect all stacked drives for up to 100
GB of RAID ready storage.
Mac of the Day: 17" iMac G4/800 MHz, July 2002 - The iMac 'grows up' with a 17" 1440 x 900 display.
Group of the Day: MichiMac is our list for Mac users in Michigan.
December 3 in LEM history: 01: The future of low-end Macs - Internet charges and Low End Mac - 02: A smooth switch with Move2Mac - 04: Upgrading from Mac OS 9 to 10.3 - PC malware: The best reasons to use a Mac - No sympathy for bashing Macs in schools - 'Book fragility - 07: Switching to Mac tripled my productivity - Leopard on a G3 iMac (with a G4 upgrade)
Recent Content on Low End Mac
OS X More Efficient than Linux, Snow Leopard and PowerPC Macs, and Eudora Woes, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 12.03.
A user reports both Panther and Leopard run more smoothly and use memory more efficiently than Linux. Also thoughts on PowerPC abandonment in Snow Leopard and replacing Eudora in Leopard.
The Leopard Experience at 867 MHz, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 12.02.
Mac OS X 10.5 requires an 867 MHz G4 with 512 MB of memory, but is performance really acceptable on a minimum spec system?
A Used 17" PowerBook as a Budget Notebook Alternative, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 12.02.
Sure, you can buy a refurbished 13.3" MacBook for under $900, but you could also have an expansive, feature laden 17" PowerBook in the same price range.
The Very Best Macs: Sometimes Apple Just Nails It, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 12.01.
Apple has produced lots of good Macs, a few dogs, and some 'best of breed' models that stand apart from the pack.
Apple Could Buy Dell, and Linux Is No Threat to Mac OS X, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 12.01.
Apple has the cash to buy Dell outright, and the idea has some merit. Also, why Linux still isn't ready to displace the Mac OS.
Best Intel iMac Deals, 12.03.
Used 17" 1.83 GHz, $550; 20" 2.0, $650; refurb 20" 2.4, $999; 2.66, $1,299; 24" 2.8, $1,549; 3.06, $1,899; rebates and free shipping on new.
Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' Deals, 12.02.
DVD upgrade from 10.3, $75; full version, $129; family pack, $200; 10-user Server, $350; unlimited users, $400.
Best Mac Pro Deals, 12.01.
Used 3.0 GHz 4-core, $2,102; new 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,949 after rebate; 2.8 4-core, $2,099 a/r; 8-core, $2,515 a/r; 3.0 $3,320 a/r; 3.2, $4,099 a/r.
LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.
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Tired of struggling with a difficult-to-use integrated
pointing device such as a touchpad or stick? This small optical
mouse has been developed to meet the needs of road warriors.
Logitech's MouseManTraveler is currently available in the U.S. at
retail outlets and online for $49.95.
carry the accessories that are a part of your working
system. Everything is protected by sturdy outer foam walls
reinforced with corrugated plastic and a hardboard bottom. There
are many dividers to separate the Titanium, adapter, accessories
and paperwork. The case also features a convenient support panel
which can be pulled out to use as a more stable base for laptop
computing.
These
cases may look sleek and satin-smooth, but they're also tough and
durable, with brushed aluminum shell, combination lock, and an
interior which combines elegance with ease.
or FireWire iBook, and it mounts nicely on my WallStreet
through the Macally FireWire PC Card adapter.
