No New PowerBooks Yet

NOTE: This Miscellaneous Ramblings column originally appeared on MacOpinion on April 2, 1999. It is republished here by permission of the author and MacOpinion.

No New PowerBooks Yet

The latest scuttlebutt is that now that Mac OS 8.6 is almost ready for consumer release, we can look for the new professional PowerBook G3 to debut around the end of April or early May (i.e.: at Apple's WorldWide Developer's Conference (WWDC). That is the timing I predicted last January, which will give the G3 Series I and Series II the one year production life typical of Apple portable models.

We will probably have to wait a bit longer (O'Grady's PowerPage is now saying July 21-23 at Macworld Expo New York) for the new consumer PowerBook, which I am betting will be called "iBook." Apple registered the iBook name as a trademark last November.

At the Apple shareholders' meeting last month, Steve Jobs commented that the lightweight PowerBook's development has been "a little like an arranged marriage - you know it's going to happen, but you don't get to see the bride until a little later this year."

"We're always trying to build lighter laptops, but we're pulled in some different directions," Jobs said, noting that the current main PowerBook clientele are from the design and publishing sectors, and "these guys all want 14-inch screens, CD-ROM or DVD drives, room for a second battery for their presentations, and so on."

On the other hand, Jobs noted, consumers are "very focused on price, and if you look at the lightweight Windows laptops like the Sony VAIO [505], they cost $2,000 or more."

Jobs suggested that there might be potential laptop markets:

• A low-cost consumer model
• A professional, full-featured model for "digital road warriors" that can do everything
• A thin-and-light model for travelling people who just want something light so they do word processing, number crunching, and download e-mail in their hotel rooms.

So will there be three new PowerBooks rather than the long anticipated two? Reportedly, Jobs did have two very different lightweight laptop prototypes in a back room at Macworld Expo in January.

Makes sense to me. Presumably the same basic guts of a new, small PowerBook could be packaged in two very different-appearing outer cases - a sleek, Vaio-like (there have even been rumors that Sony might be sub-contracted to build the new Apple subnotebook, not all that far-fetched considering that IBM Japan built the PB 2400c for Apple) "thin" PowerBook for travelling executives and a colorful "iBook" for consumers.

You can read Jason O'Grady's latest MacWeek musings on a lightweight PowerBook entitled Anatomy of an executive PB.

A Look at OS 8.6

Speaking of Mac OS 8.6, I have been trying out a recent beta of the new system on a PowerBook 5300. Visually, it's no revolution and looks pretty much identical to OS 8.5. I didn't have much luck with OS 8.5 on the 5300 and found it both significantly slower and buggier than OS 8.1, which I soon reverted to.

Consequently, I had high hopes for OS 8.6.

Have they been fulfilled? No, at least not in the beta I tried. The system seemed stable enough, and Finder speed is certainly a lot faster than with either OS 8.1 or 8.5. However, I found that on the 5300, application switching and document opening is substantially slower than with OS 8.1, and this seemed to get worse as the day wore on. On a G3, this might not even be noticeable, but it surely is on a 5300. However, a G3 user who has been experimenting with the same OS 8.6 beta also reports that the system seems to slow down the longer it runs without a restart. Let's hope Apple fixes this before the final version ships.

Another beef is that an apparent Open Transport or TCP/IP bug that affects some applications (notably Eudora Light) running under OS 8.5 on the PowerBook 5300 is still there in the OS 8.6 beta. This manifests as email downloads and/or server access stalling in mid-activity. You can usually get it to work by cancelling and trying again, but it is maddening. I have not noticed this problem with OS 8.5 running on a G3, so it may be something unique to 5300s or machines with 603e chips. I also found that the version of Sherlock in the OS 8.6 beta had a presumed conflict with some extension on my computer and would crash when summoned. This does not happen with Sherlock in OS 8.5, and I worked around it by dragging in OS 8.1's Find File app. into OS 8.6's Apple Menu Items folder and renaming it Sherlock.

Meanwhile I'm back to OS 8.1, which I find to be still the best-working OS for the 5300.

Connectix Virtual PC Part of PowerBook G3 Clearout Promotion

Apple is now offering Connectix's Virtual PC 2.1 with Windows 98 emulation software as a premium to PowerBook G3 customers at no additional cost for a limited time.

Apple really wants to clear those PowerBook G3 Series IIs out of the distribution channels to facilitate the launch of the new professional PowerBook.

"The PowerBook G3 is among the fastest and most powerful portables in the industry and with the addition of Virtual PC it's also the most compatible," said Roy McDonald, CEO and president of Connectix. (You can drop the "among," Roy - the PB G3 is the fastest and most powerful portable, period.) "Customers truly get the best of both worlds - the Mac they love and the ability to run business, Internet, and entertainment applications for Windows. And with support for 56K modems, Ethernet, and removable drives, Virtual PC is ideal for PowerBook G3 users on the move."

For details on this promotion visit The Apple Store.

Steve Jobs On Apple Support Problems

Readers who followed our Road Warrior series on Apple Support a while back may be interested in this snipit from the Apple shareholders' meeting.

A woman who identified herself as a contractor supporting Macs, NT, and Unix told Steve Jobs that Apple's hardware support "stinks" and urged him to experience the problem for himself by calling the support line anonymously. "I do, and I know," he replied. "I feel your pain. It's true that in some cases it's not very good."

Jobs told her that he's aware of deficiencies in this area, but that "we couldn't fix everything on Day 1 - we didn't have the management resources - and I figured that if we didn't have any customers, support was incidental." However, he affirmed that "we started working on it in earnest last fall. We've made great strides, but we still have a long way to go."

iCab Browser Preview 1.3a Released

Oliver Joppisch and Alexander Clauss have released preview version 1.3a of their iCab Mac-only Web browser for free download and evaluation.

With each incremental release, svelte, fast, iCab becomes a more serious challenger to its capable but bloated competitors, Communicator and Explorer.

Changes in iCab Preview 1.3a include:

• The image filter supports filtering of the whole URL.
• iCab now stores the URL of a saved file in the comment field of the file.
• New settings for GIF animations (loop never, once, normal or infinite).
• It is possible to remove History entries.
• "Edit/Copy" now works in the Hotlist, History, Error report and in download manager.
• In the preferences dialog, you can switch off the support for the Navigation Services.
• Command-Click on a link adds the link to the Download Manager.
• iCab now supports monochrome screen resolutions.
• New option in the preferences dialog for the web cache. You can now set the amount of space that should be always kept free on the hard drive where the web cache is located.
• New option for cookies. It is now possible to set the expiry date of the cookies so that the cookies will be always deleted when quitting iCab.
• A new "Compatibility" panel in preferences dialog allows you to configure iCab in certain details so that it either behaves "correctly" (like it is defined in the HTML specs) or like Netscape or MSIE.

Some important Bugfixes in iCab 1.3a include:

• In the Download manager all downloads were stopped after a single one was finished or aborted.
• HTTP redirections to FTP servers should work now.
• External viewers (like the RealPlayer) will be now started correctly.
• Drag & Drop to Java applets is now supported correctly.
• Some problems with JAR/ZIP archives (Java applets) solved.
• Many new workarounds for false HTML code.
• Spaces in file names on FTP servers should work now.
• iCab now supports MacTCP correctly. No more "network error" because of MacTCP.
• Small problem with certain Kaleidoscope schemes solved.
• <META HTTP-EQUIV=REFRESH> in the <NOFRAMES> section of a page will only be used when frame support is switched off.
• many other small bugfixes.

iCab now supports "Shared Menus," but still doesn't support all the needed AppleEvents yet so the URL-Manager will still not work fully with iCab.

Preview 1.3a is the fourth beta version of iCab that I've sampled. It has great promise, but there are still bugs to be worked out. Version 1.3 now supports forms on more Websites (but still regrettably not the login form at my local daily newspaper's site). It still crashes too often, and comparing its performance with Netscape 2.0.2 (which it resembles in size and memory requirements) back to back as I have been doing on the PowerBook 5300 lately, iCab is substantially slower and less stable, although more capable and modern, features-wise. Unfortunately, Version 1.3 seems less stable that Version 1.25 was.

For questions concerning iCab, bugreports and suggestions, email: support@icab.de.

For general questions concerning the concept, marketing etc: info@icab.de.

You can download a free evaluation copy of iCab preview 1.3a here.

RAM for Low-end PowerBooks

RAM manufacturer Trans Intl. this week announced its continued support for Apple PowerBook 5300/190, 2300, 1400, 500 series memory modules, bucking a trend that has seen many memory manufacturers discontinue their support for older PowerBooks, due to diminished availability of 16 Mbit fast page mode, self refresh DRAM chips in the channel.

Major DRAM manufacturers have already cut production on 16 Mbit (FPM) DRAMs; currently their focus is shifted towards main stream SDRAMs. Trans Intl. PowerBook 5300/190 upgrade prices are 56 MB, $179; 48 MB, $149; 32 MB, $99. PowerBook 1400 upgrades 48 MB, $175; 32 MB, $123; 24 MB, $89.

Trans Intl. designs and manufactures innovative and high quality computer memory and mass storage products and is a member of the Apple Developer Group. For more information, visit the company's web site at http://www.transintl.com.

RAM for High-end PowerBooks

Two companies, NewerRAM and Peripheral Enhancements Corporation, recently announced that they are shipping 256 MB memory upgrades for the Apple PowerBook G3. The soon to be introduced "Lombard" G3 professional PowerBooks are expected to support 512 MB of RAM. The Series I and Series II PowerBooks can support a maximum of 384 MB.

NewerRAM of Wichita, Kansas, which manufactures computer memory upgrades for the graphic arts and pre-press industries and other high-end applications, is one firm offering 256 MB RAM cards for Apple's PowerBook G3 Series.

NewerRAM makes memory upgrades for the PowerBook G3 Series in 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, and 256 MB configurations.

PowerBook G3 Series I and II computers have two RAM expansion slots that accommodate NewerRAM's SO (small outline) DIMMs using SDRAM devices. One slot is on the bottom of the system module and is shipped standard with a factory installed SO-DIMM. The other slot is on the top of the system module and is available for a memory upgrade. The 256 MB upgrade will only fit in the top slot because of space limitations. The NewerRAM SDRAM upgrades are designed and engineered to Apple specifications which require self refresh SDRAM type devices operating at speeds of 100 MHz or greater.

The top-of-the-line PowerBook G3 using a 292 MHz version of the PowerPC 750 (G3) chip has the fastest system bus of any PowerBook and ships with 64 MB of RAM. The lower-end models use either a 233 MHz or 250 MHz version of the G3 chip and ship with 32 MB of RAM. Both models will accept up to 384 MB of memory.

All NewerRAM memory products are built to Apple specifications and feature a lifetime warranty.

Peripheral Enhancements Corporation has also announced the availability of 256Mb RAM upgrades for the PowerBook G3 Series Computers.

Peripheral's memory upgrades for the PowerBook G3 series are manufactured in 16Mb, 32Mb, 64Mb, 128Mb and 256Mb configurations.

The Peripheral SDRAM upgrades are designed and engineered to Apple specifications which require self-refresh SDRAM type devices operating at speeds of 100 MHz or greater.

Another Free Web Storage and File Transfer Service

Shortly after the iMac was introduced with no internal floppy drive, iMacFloppy.com established its free iMac-themed file transfer website offering 3 MB of server space per customer. Now a new service, MyDocsOnline!, has upped the ante by offering up to 20 MB of free storage and access to files on the Web. With MyDocsOnline!, you can save important files as a backup, access your documents from anywhere in the world, and move files from one computer to another - floppyless or otherwise. It takes less than a minute to sign up for a My Docs Online! Account.

The service is supported by banner ads, but that seems a small price to pay. With My Docs Online! you can:

• Store up to 20 megabytes of your stuff on the Web for free.
• Access your files from any web-enabled PC or Mac in the world
• Upload virtually any type of file including word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, GIFs, JPGs, MP3s
• Move files from one device to another
• Share your files easily with co-workers or friends regardless of whether they're My Docs Online! users
• Track the files and documents you shared with others using our unique Follow That File™ feature
• End the guesswork associated with sending and receiving email attachments

The My Docs Online! development team is comprised of former personnel from a leading Internet security firm who say their primary security goals in the design of the My Docs Online! product were to protect the integrity of the user database, and to prevent unauthorized access to user files or documents.

All user files are stored on the My Docs Online! private network servers, which are physically isolated from the public Internet for security purposes. The My Docs Online! Web server is deployed using a dual-homed configuration, thus providing specialized, application-specific firewall protection to our private network.

To log in to your My Docs Online! account go to the Login screen, enter your login name and password, then click on the Go! button. You will be logged in and taken to the File List screen where you can manage your files.

To upload a file, click on the "Upload File" link at the top of any screen and My Docs Online! will walk you through the upload process. To download a file, clicking on the file you want to download. Using the "Save As" command, save the file to the drive and folder you want to download it to.

To share files with others, simply select the file you want to give to someone and then click the "Give Files to Others" button, then enter the e-mail addresses of the people you wish to give the file to and click the "Done" button. My Docs Online will send an e-mail notification to alert your recipient(s) that the file is waiting for them at My Docs Online! The e-mail message will include and Internet link that will take the recipient directly to My Docs Online!, where they can browse or download your file. The recipient need not be a My Docs Online! account holder.

Files that appear in your "My Files" section will be stored until you delete them. In the event that you do not login to My Docs Online! for a period of 120 days, your account will become inactive and your files may be deleted.

For more information: info@mydocsonline.com.

Apple G3 Modem Software Update

Apple has posted the Apple Modem Updater 1.3.5 to their FTP servers. However, reports are that it's not anything to get in a lather about.

If you'd like to read Apple's release on the topic, go to: http://asu.info.apple.com/swupdates.nsf/artnum/n11315.

"The Apple Modem Updater will update all modems in the iMac and the PowerBook G3 Series computers (both the K56flex only modem shipping in earlier PowerBook G3 Series and the V.90 compliant modem currently shipping in the PowerBook G3 Series). The updater installs version 2.2 of the Rockwell firmware which contains the latest versions of both the V.90 and the K56flex protocols. The modems can use either the K56flex or V.90 protocols and will automatically negotiate with the service provider to use the appropriate one. The modem scripts have been revised to properly reflect the new V.90 connection speeds, and to resolve a European blind dialing issue."

The new PowerBook G3 Series Modem extension resolves several known issues.

These include:

• Modem power-off issue: Resolves a modem power down issue (resulting in battery drain during PowerBook G3 sleep), if the PowerBook G3 Series computer is manually put to sleep before the modem has been shut down for 30 seconds.
• Modem 'popping' sound: Resolves an audible pop when the modem is being powered on or off.

Note: if you installed Apple's last modem updater, these issues have already been attended to. This new update included exactly the same Rockwell v2.2 firmware, the same PowerBook modem extension (v1.02) and the same PowerBook modem script as in the previous apple updater (v. 1.2.1.).

Two Cool New FTP Client Applications

Panic Software has released version 1.5 of its Mac-only Transmit FTP client, with what Panic calls "screamingly modern," features:

• Resumable Downloads & Uploads - if your transfer is interrupted, you can return anytime to pick it up where you left off!
• Drag and Drop Everything - files, folders, finder, anything. Even URLs into E-Mails!
• MacOS8 Look and Feel
• Folder/File Synchronization - if you maintain a remote web site, you can mirror it in either direction with a click.
• Fully Multithreading
• Contextual Menus
• MacOS8-style Actions are a control-click away
• Finder Progress Icons - during transfers, finder icons have progress bars built in
• MacBinary III Encoding
• Site Redial - Transmit will redial for you until you connect
• Solid Speed - the slower your connection, the more time you'll save

On Panic Software's Transmit Website you can find a graph comparing Transmit's speed to six other FTP clients and browsers. Transmit is faster than all except Anarchie, which beat Transmit by 3 seconds on the test upload.

You can download a fully-functional, never-disabled copy of Transmit here: ftp://randy.panic.com/pub/transmit_1.5_ppc.sit.

The shareware fee to register Transmit is $24.95, but if you've purchased a previous version of Transmit, the upgrade to Transmit 1.5 is free.

I downloaded a copy, and the program seems to be everything Panic says it is. Uploads and downloads are very fast, and the interface is comfortably intuitive.

Vicomsoft has also posted a new upgrade to their FTP Client and FTP Client Pro software to their Website for downloading.

All versions of the Vicomsoft FTP Client support simple interactive transfers of single or multiple files and directories using Macintosh Drag & Drop. Text command mode is also supported.

Viacomsoft's file and directory synchronization feature allows an entire directory, or user selection, to be synchronized or mirrored in either direction.

The application's persistent downloads feature instructs a connection to keep trying to download a file until it is complete.

MacBinary III is the latest MacBinary standard, which allows files from MacOS 8 to be transferred with all information intact is supported. The program interface has a Mac OS 8 Finder-like 3D look and supports both Mac OS 8's appearance manager and Kaleidoscope.

When a file is being downloaded, the finder progress icon shown in the Finder dynamically indicates the percentage of the file that has been received. Threaded Transfers allows multiple independent transfers within a single session.

The software incorporates native code for both 68k Macs and PowerPCs. File transfers are speeded by a highly optimized FTP engine. A Quick Connect Facility allows quick connection to anonymous FTP sites by entering an IP address or URL.

Support for 'GetURL' AppleEvent means that you can tell your web browser and e-mail application to download files and access FTP directories through Vicomsoft FTP Client.

Other ViacomSoft FTP Client features include:

• Easy to use Finder-like graphical user interface.
• Full Drag & Drop support.
• Full support for AppleScript to enable automation of repetitive activities or to integrate with other applications.
• Support for resumption of broken, paused or aborted file transfers using the FTP REGET function.
• Two variations of the Vicomsoft FTP Client Software available: Shareware and Pro. The shareware version can be downloaded for free. Additional features in the Pro ($30.00) version include:
• Unlimited simultaneous connections support (Up to 5)
• Scripting
• Aliases
• A larger variety of server hosts supported

The Vicomsoft FTP Client is only delivered online. To download either version, go to http://www.vicomsoft.com/ftp.order.html.

I haven't tried this one yet, but it sounds like it has some cool and powerful features, and the shareware version's price (free) is very friendly.

Exotic Software Department: Blue Label PowerEmulator

Lismore Software's $19.95 Blue Label PowerEmulator claims a higher operating speed than Virtual PC and SoftWindows, as well as extensive configuration options. DOS, Windows, Windows NT, Linux, NeXTSTEP, and Unix are all supported by Blue Label.

No operating system ships with the emulator. You can install as many operating systems as your hardware configuration has room for. Blue Label PowerEmulator also supports installations of PC OS from CDs. However, reports from early adopters suggest that the higher speed claim may be somewhat overstated.

Blue Label's system requirements are relatively modest: a power PC processor; at least 16 MB free HD space, and System 7.5.x or better. A detailed manual is available for free download from the Lismore Software Web site in PDF format.

The Blue Label PowerEmulator allows you to switch between the MacOS to DOS/Windows or Linux or by using a dialog. Blue Label also supports a wide range of PC peripherals: from mice to SCSI printers and scanners.

Blue Label cites these user-friendly features of its PowerEmulator:

• Point-and-click installation of any PC OS.
• Easy-to-use interface.
• All PC hardware settings are pre-set.
• Facility to use corporate software standards and custom developed programs.
• You can load Windows or Linux directly from CD-ROM
• Full Internet Support (through modem or Ethernet) in PC mode.
• Support for joysticks and 3Dfx, as well as support for Mac devices in emulated PC.
• Full adjustment of emulated PC hardware.
• A unique opportunity for cross-platform development.
• Open modular architecture.
• Debugger module allows you debug PC programs.
• The "vast majority "of games for DOS and Windows work.
• Compatibility with all PowerMacs - from 6100 to G3 Blue&White, including clones and G3 upgrade cards.
• The emulator is compatible with the latest MacOS versions.
• Year 2000 compliant.
• Full support of different languages in all PC OSs.
• Ability to use programs that are not available for Macs.

Blue Label PowerEmulator's modular architecture allows you to have an infinite number of modules. According to Lismore Software, advanced setting in each component makes PowerEmulator not just an application, but a unique development environment!

The emulator has an open architecture that allows you to add more modules and update existing ones. The program's structure is such that you can have, for example, three different processors, five videocards and six keyboards. If you want to add a new device and you are familiar with the way it works and can write a program - you can do so.

Lismore has released two Components Updates for Blue Label PowerEmulator. You must install both updates, 1 and 2, in that order.

You can download both updates here: http://www.lismoresoft.com/update.htm.

Prices for the Blue Label PowerEmulator are as follows:

• Single-user licence: $19.95
• Family licence (all computers in your family): $29.95
• Educational license (up to 20 computers): $179.85

The Blue Label PowerEmulator may be purchased and downloaded directly from the Lismore Systems Website.

Anyone Running OS X Server on a PowerBook?

Apple's Tech Exchange Discussion Forums recently posted this note about installing Mac OS X Server on a PowerBook G3 from Brian Hill

"I've had a devil of a time trying to install OS X Server on a PowerBook G3 series (233MHz) with a stock CD ROM. All reports seem to indicate that this works fine, but I've had no luck so far.

"The problem is that I can't get it to boot from the MacOS X Server partition on the install CD. I've tried the procedure detailed earlier for DVD-ROM machines, but no luck with that.

"After getting into the innards of the Open Firmware, what seems to be happening is that the device set up as the boot-device by System Disk can't be opened during the boot process. The boot-device path assigned is:

/pci/mac-io/media-bay/ata1@21000/@0:0
the boot-file assigned is:
/pci/mac-io/media-bay/ata1@21000/@0:b,mach_kernal
the boot-command assigned is:
0 bootr

when booting verbosely (0 bootr -v), OF states that it can't OPEN the device assigned to boot-device (ie., /pci/mac-io/media-bay/ata1@21000/@0:0).

"When I list the devices listed under the ata1 node, I get 'disk@0,0'. I tried using that at the end of the path (instead of @0:0), but that didn't work either. I've also tried substituting @0:b for @0:0 (thinking it was the second partition) but, nope.

"It just keeps failing to open the device (ie., the CDROM drive in the media bay), falls back on the /AAPL,ROM after about 30 attempts and boots the MacOS partition on the OS X Server CD.

"Has anyone actually installed OS X Server on a stock PowerBook G3 series with a CD-ROM in the bay? There have been several reports of success with the DVD-ROM (after some work), but none so far from anyone with a CD-ROM (other than the comment I keep seeing that it 'reportedly installs fine').

"Is there a OF command that 'wakes up' the cd rom in the media bay that needs to be sent? I've been through lots of LinuxPPC and MkLinux documentation looking for something like this, but haven't found any clues.

"I also tried using a tiny Forth program I found somewhere to force OF to keep trying to use the device until it spins up (begin ['] boot catch 1000 ms cr again), but the CD never spins up and it just keeps trying until I force a reboot.

"Thanks for any info,
Brian Hill

"ps. I've already zapped my PRAM and NVRAM so many times that they're getting sore...

"pps. To make sure that there was nothing wrong with the CD, I also tried installing temporarily on a stock G3/266 desktop, and it worked without a hitch."

Kevyn Shortell replied:

"I installed OS X Server on my PowerBook G3 Series laptop using the following method:

1. I booted the laptop off the Mac OS X Server CD
2. Walked through the standard install
3. When the installer asks you to restart, force quit
4. Using the system disk utility I clicked on Open Firmware and selected the CD's OS X Server parition and told Open Firmware to stop on boot (setenv auto-boot? false) and clicked on save.
5. Restarted the laptop which came up to the Open Firmware prompt
6. Typed "boot"

"The installer at this point proceeds normally. As far as I know there is no known workaround that allows a PowerBook G3 series laptop to boot directly into OS X Server. Some of the linux guys were having this same problem on the PowerBook for awhile.

" This is what you have to live with while running on an "unsupported" machine. But it works quite happily on the Powebook.

"Actually, I prefer it this way, I type boot for OS X Server, bye for MacOS and it doesn't require me to do anything weird other than type one or the other. a very simple boot manager if you will =)

Kevyn"

That's all for this week. Happy Easter, everyone!