Will Used PowerBook Prices Drop When the iBook Ships?

Lombard

Width: 12.2"

Lombard is currently Apple's most "compact" PowerBook by a considerable margin!

New PowerBook Coming in August? Forget it!

The rumor mill has been coughing out speculation about a new professional PowerBook supposedly to be introduced at the Seybold Seminars in San Francisco beginning 30 August 1999.

This is totally unfounded and unbelievable. Lombard is relatively freshly minted, and Apple has plenty on its hands right now with the iBook launch. Remotely possible is a Lombard speed-bump (to 450 MHz) announcement.

Don't look for the next Professional 'Book before Macworld Expo SF next January (a very long shot), and more likely next May. When 102 finally does appear, look for:

• 450-500 MHz G3 CPUs
• 4X DVD
• no latch (like the iBook)
• Ports on the sides
• FireWire
• smoke black and gray plastics

MacInterface Interactive CD Teaches Mac Users the Fundamentals

MacInterface is a new interactive CD release that has been created to help beginning-to-intermediate Mac users easily learn to take advantage of all the cool features of the Macintosh operating system.

Described as the cool way to get jump-started on your Mac, MacInterface features a series of tutorial lessons that use full screen captures, visual aids, navigation buttons and narrations to show anyone how to become a better organized, more efficient Mac user.

A major feature of the MacInterface CD is a navigation system that lets the user control the entire process of moving through the lessons. The Introduction session shows the user how to switch to the desktop to immediately practice any of the lessons.

"It's like having someone who really knows the Mac sitting right next to you, talking you through every lesson, except the user chooses what to learn and controls the pace of learning," says MacInterface founder and publisher Peter DeArmond.

"MacInterface does not show any so-called system hacks or any third-party software to accomplish the learning objectives. The goal is to help the user see it's easy to use the built-in features of the OS to customize your Mac to t your personal needs. It's great to have the feeling of being total control of your computer. In the history of personal computing, there's no product that does this as well as the Mac," DeArmond said.

MacInterface is aimed primarily at the significant number Mac-users who are either first-time Macintosh buyers, or any Mac owner who hasn't taken the time to explore the Mac's interface advantages. However, people who are in Mac tech support positions will find some timesaving value in giving the CD to new users, in lieu of formal training.

"For years I've been helping people with one-on-one sessions on how to customize their Mac interface, both for improved efficiency and personal preference, DeArmond said. It's amazing how many people still do not take advantage of this fundamental part of the OS. The Mac is unique in the way it can t the needs of so many different people. It would be a shame if you had a tool like the Mac but didn't take advantage of its built-in features."

DeArmond acknowledges that there are already plenty of books and Websites offering detailed tips on using the Mac OS. "I've often told people to use them, he said, but the CD puts selected key lessons right on your desktop. And unlike other tutorial CDs, MacInterface has more controls for the user."

All of the lessons in MacInterface are based on built-in features of the Macintosh Operating System. Most of the lessons are based on features of Mac OS 8.5 or later, but there are some that apply to Mac OS 8.1 or later. Although MacInterface is intended for people who are somewhat new to the Mac, DeArmond says that some of his more experienced Mac using friends have told him they learned some new things on the CD. I also think this would be a good training tool for some sales people who don't know the Mac very well at some chain stores, he said.

Version 1.0 of MacInterface is priced at $39.95 per individual user. The price for students or employees of K-12 education is $34.95 per user, and a K-12 school site license covering up to 500 users is available for only $249.95. MacInterface is currently available only at the MacInterface website.

The website is set up for online credit card orders, but customers also can use a fax or mail form available at the site.

DeArmond said plans already are underway for the next version of MacInterface, and that the MacInterface website is encouraging suggestions from readers for specific lessons and tips.

Outpost.com Now Taking Pre-Orders for SkyLine Wireless PC Card (AirPort Compatible)

Farallon's SkyLine Wireless PC Card for Cross-Platform Networking, compatible with Apple's AirPort, may now be pre-ordered from Outpost.com for delivery in "late August." Farallon guarantees SkyLine's compatibility with Apple's upcoming AirPort line of wireless connectivity products that were introduced along with iBook at Macworld Expo last month.

The SkyLine Wireless Notebook PC Card is priced at $298.95 [now $189.95, ed.] on the Outpost Web page, and supports both Macintosh PowerBook and PC notebooks, providing 2 Mbps [now 11 Mbps] access to network resources such as file servers, email, printers and the Internet.

SkyLine Features include:

• Type II PC Card (PCMCIA) with the Harris PRISM chip set for advanced Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology in the 2.4 GHz radio frequency band
• IEEE 802.11 standard, including translation and encapsulation addressing modes, for seamless integration with any Ethernet network
• Compatibility with 802.11 DSSS access points from manufactures such as Nokia (formerly InTalk), Lucent, Maxtech & Zoom
• Control Panel with real-time signal strength meter (Macintosh version), statistics & dynamic configuration
• Multiplatform drivers for use in Macintosh PowerBooks & Windows 95/98, NT notebooks
• Range is up to 1000 ft in open air; up to 300 ft indoors to an access point or other wireless device
• Farallon test utilities & at-a-glance status LEDs simplify troubleshooting
• Support for peer-to-peer ad hoc networking
• Free Dr. Farallon technical support & 3 year warranty
• 802.11 Wireless Connectivity for Macintosh PowerBooks and PC Notebooks Roaming computer users such as on college campuses, where students go from building to building, wireless connectivity means anytime, anywhere access to network resources.

Through IEEE 802.11 DSSS compatible access points from manufacturers such as Nokia (formerly InTalk), Lucent, Maxtech and Zoom, as well as AirPort when it arrives, SkyLine users can connect to a wired Ethernet network. Additionally, SkyLine users can create an ad-hoc network between two or more portable computers. A robust Control Panel provides a real-time signal strength meter (Macintosh version), network statistics as well as dynamic configuration, omitting the need to restart.

System requirements: SkyLine works in Macintosh PowerBooks and Windows 95/98 or NT notebooks with an available Type II PC card (PCMCIA) slot. SkyLine is certified for use in North America, Australia and Europe except France and Spain. Future certifications to include France, Spain and Japan.

NetFinder v2.0.1b4 FTP Client Public Beta Released

NetFinder v2.0 is an ftp client by Australian developers Peter Li and Vincent Tan, whose interface looks like the Mac OS Finder.

NetFinder's interface supports the MacOS 8.x theme, and a key feature of this ftp client is resumable downloads. Hooray!

NetFinder Version 2.0 Includes the following features:

• Completely new "Partial File Window"
• Appearance Manager Savvy.
• Contextual Menu Support.
• Navigation Manager Support.
• "View Graphic" Window. (This feature along with View File and Edit in BBEdit makes NetFinder a really valuable tool for web publishers)
• Support for HTTP directory listings. (only certain sites supported)
• Support for downloading a HTTP URL/file
• Resume download supported - you can continue downloading a file that has been partially downloaded instead of having to download the entire file again. This works even if you quit NetFinder or your Mac crashes and you have to restart.
• Support for FTP through a HTTP proxy. (only certain proxies)
• Support for HTTP servers that require Basic Authentication. FILE Protocol
• Supports viewing of files in the Finder in a NetFinder listing window
• Most Finder operations can be performed in NetFinder - Copy, Move, Rename, etc.
• Support for One Time Password servers
• Support for configuring when NetFinder attempts to retry connecting to a busy server
• Improved directory caching mechanism
• Support for "Recent Items", to access often visited sites.
• Support for "URL completion", so you only need to type in the first few characters of your sites hostname, then hit connect
• MacBinary III support.
• Support for Apple's KeyChain Manager (encryption)
• Support for viewing files as a Graphic
• Full Drag and Drop support
• download, upload, delete, rename and move files and folders as easily as you would in the Finder
• supports moving files to your Mac's disk and moving files around on a FTP site
• the ability to save and open bookmarks of your favourite FTP sites
• can work with Internet Explorer or Netscape
• Internet Config savvy
• Year 2000 (Y2K) Compliance

The latest NetFinder beta v2.0.1b4 released this week incorporates a variety of enhancements and bug fixes, including:

• tweaked code so that GUI is a bit more responsive when NF is not doing anything
• improved One Time Password support.

Mobile Celeron Speeds now "Faster" than Pentium II (but the G3 Will Still Toast Them)

John G. Spooner of ZDNet reports that Intel will release a 466 MHz mobile Celeron on Sept. 15, making it nominally "faster" than the high-end Mobile Pentium II.

Consequently, the cheaper, Celeron-powered notebooks will appear to be faster than top-of-the-line Mobile Pentium II notebooks - an analog of the same situation that pertains with Apple's G3 PowerBooks being substantially faster than Mobile Pentiums, but having nominally lower MHz numbers.

However, a Mobile Pentium III chip is due to be released later in the fall

Flat Screen Laptop Monitor Shortage

A Reuters story on CNET News.com reports that an industrywide shortage of flat-screen LCD computer displays could stem the supply of laptop computers, noting that IBM was only able to meet 70 percent of its notebook production target for August.

Dell spokesman T.R. Reid was quoted saying that the flat-screen shortage is not expected to disappear before the end of 1999.

It is not evident what effect, if any this supply crunch will have on Apple's PowerBook and iBook production. Apple recently invested $100 million in Korea's Samsung LCD division expressly to help avoid such shortages.

Road Warrior Mailbag

From David Chilstrom:

First of all, thanks for your article a while back "Lombard: Still the Mac to Have" on MacTimes.com. I've long been biased against laptops because of the traditionally high cost to performance ratio. Your article swayed me to purchase a Lombard 333 and I now fully understand your preference for laptops. Even a yummy iMac seems clunky in comparison. I fully expected to frequently hook up my PowerBook to a 17" monitor but don't find it the least bit appealing unless I really, really need the extra real estate. Same goes for an external keyboard, though I am expecting to use a trackball for more intensive use. I find that I use the PowerBook on batteries more than I need to because of convenience. I estimate the cost is about 25 cents a charge (figuring 500 charges per battery and a cost of about $125 a battery) so it's no big deal. I understand the appeal of wireless connectivity as it feels so much more natural to have the PowerBook untethered. In this regard, I think the minimal ports on the iBook are a sign of things to come and can't wait till the Ethernet and modem port are completely dispensable. Wireless USB and FireWireless would be fine by me also.

I like your Model T analogy of the current state of computer development. Henry Ford once said something to the effect that "You can have a Model T in any color you like as long as it's black". I understand the desire expressed by a number of Mac users for a smoke iBook or in your case a blackberry iBook, but I'm doubtful that those colors fit into the psychology of the "i" series. Part of that psychology is that a computer can be "yummy", sensual and appealing, not just to the eye but to the touch and even to the taste buds. It's no coincidence that Apple's "Yum" ads bear a strong resemblance to Lifesavers candy. More than one iBook commentator has described the tangerine iBook as the "Creamsicle" iBook after the popular ice cream bar of the baby boomers youth. There's some powerful subconscious mojo in the iMac and iBook design.

Color aside, the iMac and iBook represent a return to the Macintosh vision of making a computer as simple and elegant as possible. The small touches of the latchless iBook lid and the fact that the iBook wakes up when you open the lid are features that make it more natural and intuitive. The rugged design and handle convey the impression that you should feel carefree to grab and go with the iBook, whereas I gingerly pick up my PowerBook and carefully open the back door when I need to hook up and am very conscious of it when I carry it from room to room. The Airport wireless technology is a brilliant innovation for a laptop, as having a laptop is all about the freedom to roam. Also, the battery recharging connections on the bottom of the iBook suggest that some users might never use the yo-yo cord, preferring to put the iBook on a charger (when one becomes available) and always run it off batteries or while seated on the charger base. Less cords and cables = more freedom.

I appreciate the fact that John Dvorak came right out and called the iBook "girly" because it touches on another part of the iBook psychology, as it is clearly the feminine counterpart of the very macho PowerBook line. I'm not saying that real men wouldn't carry an iBook, but rather that it's appeal is to our sensate, esthetic and grounded side, whereas the PowerBook commands a cooler, abstract and more objective appreciation. I don't know whether the iBook will attract hitherto disinterested female buyers, but I am certain that many men with a more concrete and tactile sensibility will find the iBook very appealing and satisfying to their nature.

I enjoyed your well-written 12/98 column on the PowerBook 5300. I'm the sometimes-proud owner of a vintage 5300cs, with the flickering dual scan display. My major beef with the system is that it cannot display 16-bit ("thousands") of colors, something I need in order to work with Photoshop. I inherited this machine from my grandmother when she purchased one of the new PowerBook G3s. Although I've been working with Macs for over a decade, I've never owned one prior to this: I've had various PCs since 1988. I'd been looking forward to migrating from my trusty Pentium, which I'd been using for Photoshop and web design work, to this machine for graphics work. I realize that you're a columnist and not a tech-support person, but I have had a few nagging questions about my machine:

- is it possible to upgrade the VRAM (or something else) to support higher color depth?

- I have System Enabler 1.1 and the original 7.5.2 OS. Apple's website says that the upgrade path is 7.5.3 then 7.5.5, which is my target. However, it says I need Enabler 1.2 to upgrade to 7.5.3, and I can't find anywhere to download a new enabler, if this is even possible. I bought a PC-Card modem which, according to the box, needs 7.5.4 or higher - I installed it anyway, and it works, but according to Viking Component's tech support, it will "work better" with a newer version of the Mac OS. Ack! Should I just spring the $100 for MacOS 8.6?

- Can I partition a 5300 drive? I have the 500 MB disk, and I was keeping an eye on MkLinux, but I don't have the experience with Mac partitions (though I've done it on PCs)... also, 500 megs seems on the smallish side in order to install a second operating system, so I may just have to buy an external SCSI drive as well. (Especially since I have a mere 23 MB free as of this writing! ;)

- I agree with your stylistic notes about the 5300. I've always admired its handsome lines, and the 3400/ first-gen G3 PowerBooks practically left stretch marks, whereas the new G3 PowerBooks are gratuitously swoopy, and the new iBook looks like a toilet seat. And Apple needs to rethink its model nomenclature, there are now three distinct models called the "PowerBook G3" (the original in the 3400 case, the swoopier new one, and the thinned-down version of the new one). Plus the model names no longer give a megahertz rating. How I long for the days of the 7100/80 !

Hi Christian;

I continue to be amazed at how much mail that 5300 column continues to pull in.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no VRAM upgrade available for the PowerBook 5300.

Gak! get something better than the wretched OS 7.5.2 - a real stinker version of the Mac OS in my estimation. (BTW, OS 7.5.4 never shipped.)

The appropriate system enablers come with the OS upgrades. Your cheapest (free) upgrade path is to download OS 7.5.3 and then put OS 7.5.5 on top of it. You have to do it that way, but OS 7.5.5 addressed several problems specific to the 5300, and is a good working system.

I'm still using OS 8.1 on my 5300, and I think it is the ideal OS for this model 'Book. I have a late beta of OS 8.6 on the drive as well, but am not partial to how it runs on the 5300 (works great on my WallStreet), although some people report success.

You can certainly partition the 5300's hard drive. I have my internal 500 MB drive partitioned into four smaller virtual drives, plus a VST 810 MB expansion bay drive. You will have to back up your files somewhere to do the partition. However, I don't think McLinux is a practical proposition for that small a drive, partitioned or otherwise. I would be fascinated to learn how Linux performs on the 5300 though. Any standard IDE 2.5" laptop HD should work with the 5300 as long as it physically fits in the case. Maybe a used drive from an upgraded WallStreet or Lombard would be a good option.

Me new Mac person....me need help.

Thanks for your columns, they are very interesting as well as helpful to me, a PC user who is venturing into your scary Mac world. The last time i used Macs, it was mainly in logo, soooooo as you can see I am befuddled by new Mac technology. :)

My main question is, do you think, when looking at buying a PowerBook for school (i.e. a 1400 or something in that price range or below), I should buy one relatively soon, or wait until the iBook makes its big splash on the market sending prices on other PowerBooks downward. is this theory of PowerBook prices going down a half-baked pipe dream or worth holding out for in your humble opinion?

Hi Jenny;

You use PCs and you think Macs are scary? ;-)

Re: your question, I do think that used Mac prices will take an incremental bump downwards when iBook ships, and unless you are in a big rush, it might be worthwhile to wait a month or two until that factor settles in. Another thing putting downward pressure on PB 1400 and PB 2400 prices is the question of whether G3 upgrades will continue to be available, a question mark at this point.

However, as a general rule, trying to time computer purchases is a very tricky business, and whenever you take the plunge, six months later you will be able to get something more powerful for the same or less money.

Some good news about my PB5300. After many email messages and letters to Apple USA and Apple Japan as well as calling the local support number, Apple Japan called me and told me to send them my PowerBook and they'd look into my complaints about the screen that came back ill after I had the bezel repaired under the extended warranty.

Yesterday my PowerBook arrived with a new screen so the bottom half isn't like trying to read something that's under water.

Thanks for your help.
Duncan Dixon

I'd like to update you on my PowerBook 5300cs self-repair to replace the balky display ribbon cable. As you and your readers know, this is one of the parts for which the 5300 series is known for, for causing all kinds of problems. I had this repair performed earlier this year by Apple for $120, and I'd be damned if I was going to have them do it again. I decided to tackle it myself.

Many thanks to you for forwarding the note from Dan Patnaude. His note explained in great detail how exactly to disassemble the PowerBook and swap out the balky cable. With the new cable from Sun Remarketing (about $45 dollars) in place, all is well with the display on my PowerBook.

I'm also trying a bit of an experiment. I don't understand why Apple designed the cable they way they did, but to install the cable requires folding its two "arms" to make a 90-degree turn for each, and it is these folds which cause the shorts that many folks have experienced. To combat this problem, I purchased a 3/16" (5 mm) diameter wooden dowel, and cut two small lengths from it. I wrapped the cable around the two small dowels to make the 90-degree turns. I'll be watching to see if I encounter any unwanted side effects of this bit of rigging. So far, so good.

Joe Williams