Low End Mac Editorial Archive
June 2006
- MacBook replaces Dell laptop, can outperform Power Mac G5/2.7 GHz dual, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 06.30. After two years, the Dell was on its last legs, and Apple's bundled apps made the MacBook a compelling choice. But what's really impressive is the performance of universal apps.
- eMac repair extension program, Core 2 Duo Mac mini world's fastest Mac, $99 full-screen video capture, and more, Mac News Review, 06.30. Also customized Mac minis from Rival Computer, students advised to pack a Mac, use multiple iPods with one Mac, iDictionary software for the iPod, and much more.
- MacBook nano coming?, expanding battery woes, MacBook 'almost perfect', color MacBooks, and more, The 'Book Review, 06.30. Also the mooing MacBook, Apple's fix for 17" MacBook Pro fans, educator's test $100 laptop, white notebook from Acer, Dell notebook goes up in smoke, bargain 'Books from $139 to $2,149, and more.
- Floppy drive observations: A compleat guide to Mac floppy drives and disk formats, Scott Baret, Online Tech Journal, 06.29. A history of the Mac floppy from the 400K drive in the Mac 128K through the manual-inject 1.4M SuperDrives used in the late 1990s.
- Why I want Apple to make an ultralight notebook computer, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 06.29. The 12" PowerBook is nice but heavy. And while Apple practically invented the ultralight category with the PowerBook Duo, it has long since abandoned the market. It's time for a comeback.
- Getting IE 4.5 to work with Low End Mac, 7200 rpm drive heat in an iMac, upgrading OS X on a white iBook, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 06.29. Configuring Internet Explorer 4.5 to work with CSS-based websites, overheating issues with iMacs, positive results with OS X upgrades, and problems getting an SD flash card to work in a PowerBook 1400.
- Core 2 performance coming to the Mac, Intel version of Darwin closed, IBM's 500 GHz chip, and more, The Macintel Report, 06.29. Also Fink now universal, Intel's plans for 10-core CPUs, and 65nm chip production surpasses 90nm production.
- Switching the small office from Windows to Macs, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 06.28. With Intel-based Macs, the time may be right to adopt OS X as your standard platform while providing Windows as an option when necessary.
- More on the best classic Mac OS browser and video capture options with Mac OS 9, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 06.28. WaMCom as the best classic Mac browser, software suggestions for OS 9 video capture, and two hardware alternatives to having your Mac do the video conversion.
- Need for a midrange Mac, Internet café needs, internal or external 7200 rpm drive?, LEM broken with IE 4.5, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 06.27. Suggested ways to use Compact Flash with vintage Macs and PowerBooks, problems getting CD-RW to work with a PowerBook 1400, and more thoughts on website incompatibilities.
- How and why a 1998 Windows CE device found a place in one 'Book user's bag, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, a06.26. Although a bit of a disappointment in 1998, this HP Jornada 680 has found new life as a backup note taking system.
- 'Macs suck' and the PC conspiracy, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 06.26. Half the Windows users in an informal survey responded that "Macs suck" while also claiming to be unfamiliar with Macs. What's up with that?
- Elsie, a prototype of the Macintosh LC, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 06.26. This LC prototype has "confidential" ROMs, a reset button on the motherboard, and only supports 1-bit video.
- Mac Pro musings, no Pismo startup chime, changing a user's Short Name, MacBook drive upgrades, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 06.26. Also OS X installation questions, a cool hard drive gadget, thoughts on Mark Pilgrim switching from the Mac, and more on an upgraded Pismo vs. a PowerBook G4.
- Make your Mac region free for DVD viewing, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 06.23. If you travel to different parts of the world, it can be helpful to have region-free DVD playback. Here's how you get it.
- Pimping my 15" PowerBook G4, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 06.19. You can add a faster CPU, but the more cost-effective upgrades are more RAM, a bigger/faster hard drive, and a better SuperDrive.
- Compact Flash with SCSI Macs, PB 1400 CD-RW upgrade problems, and Web incompatibilities, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 06.16. Suggested ways to use Compact Flash with vintage Macs and PowerBooks, problems getting CD-RW to work with a PowerBook 1400, and more thoughts on website incompatibilities.
- Improving the 12" PowerBook with a faster hard drive, more RAM, and a better SuperDrive, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 06.16. Although you can upgrade to a 1.67 GHz CPU, that's a small boost for more recent PowerBooks. Putting in a faster hard drive and more memory is another way to speed things up.
- 10 of the most important Macs ever, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 06.16. Time to pare back the old Mac collection. Which models to keep, and which ones to add later on.
- MacBook a bargain, MacBook Pro a dream, Daystar 1.4 GHz G4 upgrades, thin 16 GB Flash Drive, and More, The 'Book Review, 06.16. Also keeping your laptop looking new, iLevel and iLap stands, eSATA card for MacBook Pro, new sleeves and cases, bargain 'Books from $155 to $1,199, and more
- Macs take away Microsoft pain, Macs revive James Bond, iMac king of all media, iWoofer, and more, Mac News Review, 06.16. Also Windows users guide to switching to the Mac, Bluetooth firmware update for PPC Macs, universal USB 2.0 drive adapter, waterproof case for video iPod, and more.
- After music, photos, and video, how about ebook support on the iPod?, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 06.15. With a delivery system already in place, Apple could do wonders for the small ebook industry by putting an ebook reader on the iPod and selling ebooks through the iTunes Music Store.
- Compact Flash with SCSI Macs, PB 1400 CD-RW upgrade problems, and Web incompatibilities, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 15.06. Suggested ways to use Compact Flash with vintage Macs and PowerBooks, problems getting CD-RW to work with a PowerBook 1400, and more thoughts on website incompatibilities.
- MacBook Apple's Best Yet, Unexpected Performance Differences, Case Discoloration, and SATA drives, The 'Book Review, 06.15. Still more reviews raving about the MacBook, and some head scratching at Macworld about performance differences between white and black models.
- Core 2 to hit 3.2 GHz this year, Apple 80% Intel, new Intel GPU adds high def video support, and more, The Macintel Report, 06.15. Intel has more efficient chips in the queue, the new satisfaction per Watt metric, Intel working on water cooling, and Intel targets the low-end PC market with Core 2 and cheap Pentiums.
- Drive matters, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 06.14. There's more to picking the right hard drive than size, spindle speed, buffer size, and price. But how can a 5400 rpm drive ever outperform a 7200 rpm drive?
- Mac nostalgia: Why Apple should introduce a modern Pismo and SE/30, Matthew Wright, My Turn, 06.14. The best PowerBook ever made and the iconic all-in-one compact Mac are just crying out to be reinvented for our nostalgic "everything old is new again" retro culture.
- Moving files from your new Mac to your vintage Mac, Paul Brierley, The 'Book Beat, 06.13. Old Macs use floppies; new ones don't. Old Macs use AppleTalk; Tiger doesn't support it. New Macs can burn CDs, but old CD drives can't always read CD-R. So how do you move the files?
- Problem banking with older Macs, winning the education market, Compact Flash for vintage Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 13.06. Also thanks for help with StyleWriter drivers, a new Mac user and Pismo lover, Apple as a prosumer company, and problems with PayPal.
- Upgraded PowerBook vs. new MacBook: Which makes more sense?, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 06.12. Especially for serious gamers, the older PowerBooks with their graphics processors and dedicated memory run circles around the low-end Intel GMA 950 graphics of the MacBook.
- Is Netscape 7 the best classic Mac OS browser?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 06.12. Why the one-time "king of browsers" beats out Internet Explorer and iCab as the classic Mac user's browser of choice.
- Sudden impact: Apple's great Asteroid hoax, Anne Onymus, Rumor Mill, 06.09. Truth of the matter is, the Asteroid Project didn't exist to produce a viable product, but as a way to shut down rumor sites.
- Macs bait in Chinese scam, time to switch from OS 9, new U2 iPod, OmniDazzle software, and more, Mac News Review, 06.09. Also switching from the Mac, G5 Quad power, the multimedia Mac mini, WD drives now sync with Macs, Guest PC adds MMX support, and more.
- Hot MacBook Pro, long term iBook, glossy vs. matte, PB 1400 'Volvo of laptops', first 200 GB notebook drive, and more, The 'Book Review, 06.09. Also an iBook fire starter, sticky space bar on MBP, Escalade of notebooks, ultraportables to change laptop landscape, bargain 'Books from $155 to $1,699, and more.
- Pismo downgrade a treat, IE for OS X, pimp my SE/30, education market reality, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 09.06. Also a church looking for five Macs for a cybercafé, another ADB mouse source, why not USB?, and LEM had the answer all along.
- Core 2 paves way for Mac Pro, Core 2 benchmarked, Parallels Desktop release candidate, and more, The Macintel Report, 06.08. Intel's new Core 2 chips point to more powerful Macs, Intel's new chipsets abandon parallel ATA, the Mac vs. PC difference, and a step-by-step guide to using Boot Camp.
- MacBook 'that good', easy hard drive swap, mooing noise disaster, and vent cover problems, The 'Book Review, 06.08. Reviewers find the MacBook screen nice, the keyboard excellent, but have mixed reactions to heat and noise. Also, Parallels Desktop runs nicely on the MacBook.
- The Zen of Mac, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 06.07. "Macs give us the most productive and simple usefulness that other computers never come close to."
- PowerBook 1400 still a favorite nearly 10 years on, Heather Anne Hurd, My Turn, 06.07. "Even as I type this, I am amazed by this old PowerBook. It's keyboard feels great, and I love the 1400's small form factor."
- Apple needs to offer less Mac for less money, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 06.07. As nice as today's Macs are, they offer a lot of features the budget buyer doesn't need or want to pay for. Why not give them what they want?
- Microsoft out of acquisition targets, may acquire self, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 06.06. With a dearth of worthwhile companies to swallow up, Microsoft might to well to look in the mirror and contemplate buying the Redmond Behemoth and doing a massive reorg.
- Need IE for Mac, looking for ADB mouse, IIfx ROM in SE/30, Mac family numbers, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 06.06. Also where to find better RAM prices, drivers for the StyleWriter 2400, and a new URL for downloading System 6.0.x.
- A pair of application switchers for the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 06.06. Both LiteSwitch and ApplWindows let you quickly switch between apps, but AppleWindows has a lot more features.
- Power strategies for using your 'Book in the field: Batteries and AC adapters, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 06.05. One or two extra batteries and at least one spare AC adapter can be essential when you're traveling and need to get hours and hours of use from your 'Book.
- Free and low-cost software for 680x0 or PowerPC Macs in the recording studio, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 06.05. No cost and low-cost software that lets you use vintage Macs and the classic Mac OS in your sound studio to capture, mix, manipulate, and convert digital music.
- Matte vs. glossy screens, upgraded Pismo vs. 12" PowerBook G4, video capture with OS 9, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 06.05. Also how DiskWarrior can save the day even when it 'fails', thoughts on keyboards for those with neuropathy in their hands, Norton SystemWorks for Mac, and more on OS X browsers.
- End of G4 models points to unprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others, 06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a place in Apple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-based Macs are obsolete. If anything, their value is going to increase.
- The Lite Side's guide to Mac humor on the Web, Jeff Adkins, The Lite Side, 06.02. What, the Lite Side isn't enough humor for you? Here are five more Mac-related humor sites to sink your teeth into.
- Sometimes an extended warranty can be a real lifesaver, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 06.02. Desktop computers tend to just keep on working, but when it comes to items you use "in the field", an extended warranty could be just what the doctor ordered.
- 5 Apple products among PC World's 100 best, 5 among 25 worst, Mac Pro anticipation, and more, Mac News Review, 06.02. Also how Apple eliminates the need to choose between Windows and Mac, Apple's computer recycling program, cool retro speaker for iPod, Microsoft's first Mac-only mouse and keyboard, and more.
- iBook bursts into flames, Dell's Mac OS support, turn your 'Book into a virtual light saber, and more, The 'Book Review, 06.02. Also more on thermal paste in the MacBook Pro, more good press for the MacBook, AirPort Base Station upgrades, new high-capacity batteries, bargain 'Books from $165 to $1,999, and more.
- Does technology improve our lives or just complicate it?, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 06.01. The question isn't what can technology do, but how can it simplify our lives, improve our efficiency, and reduce complication.
- iCal alternatives, synching Palm to Mac, cross-platform project management, and securing Windows, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 06.01. Other calendar suggestions, looking for a separate iCal editor, say no to Norton, and securing Windows by staying off the Internet.
- Blocked MacBook vent, MacBook benchmarked, how to upgrade RAM and replace your hard drive, and more, The 'Book Review, 06.01. Also the price of beauty, MacBook anticipates features of future MacBook Pro models, and several MacBook reviews.
- Should Apple delay Mac Pro?, Intel Core 2 Solo, Windows on Mac ebook, and more, The Macintel Report, 06.01. Why Apple might benefit from postponing the Power Mac replacement, Intel's pursuit of the cutting edge, and Macintel POST error codes.
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