The Power of Mac

Pass the Crow, Please

- 2002.07.23 - Tip Jar

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core Memory 4GB kit $154 / 2GB kit $94, New 2008 iMac 2GB $46. MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO 2GB $44 / 1GB $23--Free shipping available.

Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com

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.

OWC: Top Quality Memory for Faster Mac Performance 1GB/2GB/4GB Kits from $23.99/$47.99/$94.99 Expert Support, Free Installation Videos & Guides, Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty - www.MacSales.com

Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.

Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.

Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.

MacBook/MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO DDR2 667Mhz 4GB Kit $84, 3GB Kit $60, 2GB Kit $40 1GB $20. Click to Maximize your Macs...

It's really not bad once you get used to it. With a little salt and pepper, it almost tastes like chicken. At least I'm not dining alone. Macworld has come and gone, and the top of the line TiBook is still 800 MHz, not the 1 GHz that many (yours truly included) predicted. I am gathered 'round the table with other Mac pundits, enjoying our dinner of crow.

I am proud that I did get a few right, though. As I boldly (and perhaps foolishly) promised last week, we will revisit my pre-Macworld column and see how I did.

Prediction: The G3 line would remain untouched; no G3 products upped to G4. The G5 would not appear.

Scorecard: A+. A home run all the way around! Hooray! Okay, so taking credit for being right about predicting that the G5 would not appear may be a little bit lame....

Prediction: The G3 iMac product line would remain unchanged. Wishful thinking: The price would be lowered.

Scorecard: A-. The phase out of the G3 CRT iMac that some predicted did not happen (at least not yet). My pipe dream of seeing the price reduced did not materialize, however.

Prediction: No significant movement on the iBook. Wishful thinking: Introduction of a bare-bones, $999 entry-level iBook.

Scorecard: A. No significant movement on the iBook. Wishful thinking: Still wishful thinking.

Prediction: No changes to the eMac.

Scorecard: B. While there were no product changes, the previously education-only eMac with a Combo drive is now available for purchase by the general public.

Prediction: Power Mac G4 speed bump.

Scorecard: F. Power Mac G4 at 1 GHz and holding.

Prediction: iMac (flat-panel): Revved up to 1 GHz.

Scorecard: F. Swing and a miss. Flat-panel iMac revved, but to 17" not 1 GHz.

Prediction: TiBook reaches 1 GHz.

Scorecard: F. Strike 3! TiBook still at 800 MHz.

Prediction: OS X Jaguar will be officially announced, and it will be called OS X 10.2.

Scorecard: A+. OS X Jaguar officially announced, and it will be called OS X 10.2. Oh, and welcome back spring-loaded folders, we've missed you.

Prediction: AppleWorks and iTunes receive major upgrades; updates to some other software titles; maybe a surprise addition or two.

Scorecard: A-. AppleWorks untouched, but iTunes 3 announced. Best new iTunes feature: Sound Check, which normalizes sound and makes all songs playable at the same level. Sherlock updated as well. Greetings to the newest members of the iFamily: iSync and iCal.

Prediction: A misc. surprise or two.

Scorecard: P (for pass). Predicting that Steve Jobs has a surprise or two up his sleeve is such a gimme as not to deserve the award of a letter grade that would actually figure into your GPA! Let's see, where do we begin here.
  • The 20 GB iPod was introduced, and the price was lowered on the 5 and 10 GB models. Although there was no "Newton II," some software upgrades to the iPod hint that it may one day evolve into just that. iPod for Windows now available. Hooray!
  • Free to fee: iTools is going away to be replaced by the fee-based .Mac. Boo!
  • Rendezvous: Automatically discovers other devices over an IP network with no configuration necessary. It's like plug-and-play, except you don't have to plug.
  • QuickTime 6: MPEG-4 comes to Apple. Now, only Microsoft left behind.

Report Card: Debatable, but I passed! The other half of the fun will be reading the debates and analysis for the next few weeks. The demise of iTools could turn out to be a very sore subject.

eMac Test Drive Follow-up

I had several readers inquire about user-upgradeability of the eMac. It is almost identical to the CRT iMac. There is a user-accessible panel on the bottom that allows the user to upgrade or change RAM. This is pretty much all that is user-serviceable.

I did not take the case apart, mainly because the eMac wasn't mine. Although I have changed a hard drive on my tangerine iMac, it is not a task I recommend for the beginner. It involves removal of other components as well as a number of screws that look alike, but in fact are not, something you will discover only if you get them mixed up and start putting the thing back together.  LEM

Steve Watkins is the Vice President for Information Technology for a mid-sized bank and also an attorney. He has been a Mac user for about ten years. He has owned some PCs along the way - but always came back to the Mac. If you find Steve's's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.

Recent Practical Mac Articles

Links for the Day

Recent Content on Low End Mac

About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts


Have a question?
Ask an expert!

Navigation

Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Best Used Macs
Video Cards
Email Lists
InfoMac's Low
End Mac Forum

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
   Museum

DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
   Mac FAQ

Abandonware
   Petition

Mac vs. PC Info

Affiliates

The Apple Store
Mac Connection
MacMall
TechRestore
MacResQ
ExperCom
Crucial Memory
batteries.com

Advertise

Open Link