Low End Mac Editorial Archive
September 2006
- Of mice and, well, hockey pucks, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.29. Some mice don't get no respect, but now Apple's round USB "hockey puck" mice have organized to tell their side of the story.
- Beleaguered: Apple bottoms out, 1996-98, Cortland, 09.29. Apple was in a strong position in 1995, but by 1997 the company's future was in question.
- New iMacs have 802.11n, Apple may go AMD, Japan's PM uses a Mac, a germ free mouse, and more, Mac News Review, 09.29. Also Intel offers a million dollars for a Mac mini killer, 24" iMac 'a great system', a new ergonomic keyboard, and Windows-to-Mac migration software from Laplink.
- AirPort update improves security, Britannica incompatible with Macintel, Cool Feet for your 'Book, and more, The 'Book Review, 09.29. Also a nasty chemical inside the MacBook, VGA and DVI on MacBook not supported by Boot Camp, fastest SuperDrive for 'Books, bargain 'Books from $249 to $2,399, and more.
- Jag's House on the future of the Mac, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.26. "I'd much rather have the stability and features of Mac OS X and lose a couple of old odds & ends than still be using Classic. Time marches on, and so does innovation."
- Ubuntu Linux not best for Macs, OS 9 on Macintel, using FireWire Target Disk Mode to install OS X, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.25. Also looking at WallStreet hard drive ugprades, problems with fifth-generation iPods scratching, and media issues when reading CD-R and DVD-R.
- Jag's House, where older Macs still rock, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.25. Over a decade old, Jag's House is the oldest Mac website supporting classic Macs and remains a great resource for vintage Mac users.
- VisiCalc and the rise of the Apple II, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 09.22. "VisiCalc was first released for the Apple II, which quickly became an invaluable tool for businesspeople - at least until IBM moved into the "personal computing" market in 1981."
- Apple's Pippin and Bandai's @World: Missing the mark(et), Cortland, 09.15. Intended as a multimedia player to fit between gaming consoles and full-fledged computers, Apple's Pippin technology just couldn't carve a niche between two already saturated markets.
- iTunes 7 improves organization, adds new browsing modes, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.22. Apple has streamlined content organization with iTunes 7 and added a couple of great new browsing modes for your music collection.
- Apple II greatest PC ever, Core 2 in a Mac mini, iMac Core 2 Duo 'ultimate Mac value', and more, Mac News Review, 09.22. Also firmware restoration for Intel Macs, Mac Pro firmware updates, iron on iPod nano cases, Boot Camp beta 1.1.1, and more.
- Virgin bans 'Book batteries, Sony to take on MacBook, glossy screen upgrades for G4 PowerBooks, and more, The 'Book Review, 09.22. Also MacBook "fashionably late" to go Core 2, new battery tech still years off, wrappers for MacBook, control your backlit keyboard, bargain 'Books from $119 to $2,399, and more.
- Beginning my Macintel adventure, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 09.21. When Apple introduced the Core 2 Duo iMacs, the time was ripe to pick up a 20" Core Duo iMac on the cheap.
- How iTV will become Apple's 'next big thing', Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.20. Just as the iPod began as an expensive device with a limited audience and grew to dominate the field, Apple's iTV will become the dominant computer-TV interface as television goes digital.
- Microsoft Zune incompatible with Microsoft Plays For Sure media, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.19. If you use a Plays For Sure player with DRM content (instead of an iPod), don't expect to use that content on Microsoft's Zune. It's incompatible.
- A $25 Mac, growing up Macintosh, and a complete Mac addict, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.18. Three Mac users recount what drew them to the Mac in the first place - and what keeps them with the platform.
- Is Ubuntu Linux a sensible alternative for Mac users?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.18. If your Mac can run OS X decently, is there any reason to try Ubuntu Linux? If it can't run OS X well, is Ubuntu a reasonable choice?
- MacHome magazine: 1991-2006, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 09.18. MacHome specialized in practical advice for the average Mac user. It will be missed.
- Reliability can't wait: Reflections of a MacBook guinea pig, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 09.15. Lesson learned from using a PowerBook 145B, PowerBook 5300c, Toshiba Portegé 4000, and MacBook: "let someone else buy the bleeding edge."
- iTV will succeed because it lets you watch video on your TV, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.15. Apple realizes that we'd rather watch our TV show and movie downloads on our television sets, not our computer monitors or iPods.
- eWorld: Apple's overpriced, poorly marketed online service, Cortland, 09.15. Apple's eWorld was innovative, built communities, and allowed Internet access in 1994, but hardly anyone even knew it existed. And those who did thought it overpriced.
- The story behind the Sony Walkman, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 09.12. Sony's chairman was convinced that a small, portable cassette player would find a receptive market. Everyone else thought leaving out a record function doomed the Walkman.
- Core 2 iMac praise, MS Vista 'a pile of crap', Cube redux?, high capacity iPod battery, and more, Mac News Review, 09.15. Also the Mac Pro's 'pure, unadulterated power', Parallels now runs on the Mac Pro, iMac Core 2 specs, dual G4 upgrade for MDD and Xserve G4, and more.
- MacBook shutdown solved, better batteries after recall, MacBook Pro better for Vista than Vaio, and more, The 'Book Review, 09.15. Also MacBook troubleshooting, the value of a used iBook, Apple to sell 1 million 'Books this quarter, replacing cells in an old PowerBook G3 battery, bargain 'Books from $299 to $1,299, and more.
- Quad-core Mac Pro, carbon-free computing, Lonelygirl15 scam, Microsoft Zune, and more, Ed Eubanks Jr, Tech Tracker, 09.15. Also students have option to buy lectures online, students spurn free and legal music downloads, the frustration of anonymous surfing, and Apple's FairPlay undergoes antitrust scrutiny.
- Using FireWire Target Disk Mode to install OS X on Macs without DVD drives, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.14. Two methods for using FireWire Target Disk mode to install OS X on a Mac that can't read DVDs.
- Small networks: Apple's AirPort hardware trumps the competition, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 09.14. Creating a wireless network with a range extender was a nightmare with other brands, but Apple's AirPort Extreme Hub and AirPort Express were plug and play.
- 30 days of old school computing: Increasing battery life with a RAM disk, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 09.14. When using the hard drive, the old battery ran out of juice within 30 minutes, but running from a RAM disk it still has a 50% charge after half an hour.
- Nintendo and Apple, industry leaders, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 09.13. Both Apple and Nintendo remain committed to providing the best platform in their market, and neither company is afraid of innovation.
- The GIMP, a free alternative to Photoshop, Brian Richards, Advantage Mac, 09.13. Although it's not as powerful or polished as Photoshop, the GIMP may be all the image editing software you need.
- Region Free DVD Viewing Options for Intel and PowerPC Macs, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 09.12. Several hardware and software options that will let your view 'wrong region' DVDs on your PowerPC or Intel Mac.
- MaxxBoxx: The biggest, most colorful, least known Mac clones, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 09.12. Designed to accommodate several different Apple motherboards, the MaxxBoxx clones had room for up to 10 internal drives, garnering a dedicate following among German power users.
- 30 days of old school computing: Computing at work with a PowerBook 170, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 09.08. This vintage Mac laptop's battery still holds a charge, and it's a competent performer for browsing the Web, email, writing, and instant messaging.
- Mac OS 8 and 8.1: Maximum size, maximum convenience, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 09.11. Mac OS 8 and 8.1 add some useful new features and tools, and it can even be practical on 68030-based Macs.
- iPod drive failure: Culprit may not be the drive, fix may be free, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 09.11. Many times an iPod's "drive failure" is nothing more than a loose cable inside the iPod. Here's how to reseat it.
- iMac startup problem solved, PowerBook 5300 and WallStreet memories, removing languages, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.11. Also Kanga "all I need", another WallStreet upgrade, dual USB iBook thoughts, and problems reading CD-R in older Macs.
- Microsoft high school, Vista reality check, Unbox is spyware, eBay seller tips, and more, Ed Eubanks Jr, Tech Tracker, 09.11. Also the top secret warplanes of Area 51, the father of blue LEDs, trash to fuel in Florida, the iPod is losing its cool, and more.
- Inside your notebook's battery: Ordinary AA Li-Ion cells, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.08. That expensive battery in your notebook computer probably holds less than $30 worth of off-the-shelf AA Li-Ion batteries.
- 30 days of old school computing: A partnership and weird network problems, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 09.08. Another participant in 'Vintage Mac Survivor' and troubleshooting some very strange server behavior.
- Andy Hertzfeld, software wizard: From Apple to Google, Cortland, 09.08. Andy Hertzfeld, an innovative software engineer, loved the Apple II, helped create the original Mac OS, and cofounded Radius, General Magic, and Radius. Today he programs for Google.
- Compared with creaky old Windows, OS X is a pleasure to use, Brian Richards, Advantage Mac, 09.08. Compared with bogged down Windows 9x and 2000 computers, a late 90s G3 with OS X is a breath of fresh air.
- MacBook random shutdown, inside a notebook battery, Portectorz for MacBook, EVDO support, and more, The 'Book Review, 09.08. Also MacBook Q&A, Logitech's revolutionary laptop mouse, Danger Mouse in black, bargain 'Books from $119 to $1,899, and more.
- Core 2 7% faster, iMac goes Core 2, G4/1.6 GHz dual, SAFE drive secures data, wireless headphones, and more, Mac News Review, 09.08. Also how to share a printer with OS 9, more praise for Logitech Revolution mouse, CrossOver lets you run Windows apps without Windows, a USB car charger for the iPod, and more.
- The genes that make us human, home theft via identity theft, danger of a shared calendar, and more, Ed Eubanks Jr, Tech Tracker, 09.08. Also virtual theft in the online world, Google's eavesdropping software, hacking a voting machine, being green, energy independence, clever use of an Xbox 360, and more.
- Putting Apple's Intel transition in perspective, Trevor Wale, One More Thing, 09.07. Going toe-to-toe with other computers based on the same CPU is nothing new to Apple. Just look at what Amiga and Atari had in 1985.
- The new Mac mini value equation: Core Duo entry level changes everything, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.07. For the first round, the top-end Intel Mac mini offered far more power for your dollar, but that's not the case with the newly introduced models.
- 30 days of old school computing: Setting up a Mac Classic II, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 09.07. Fond memories of using a Classic II in elementary school lead to it being the first Mac set up for a month of vintage, very low-end computing.
- The iMac Core 2 value equation: Practically perfect pricing, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.06. The new iMacs, build with Core 2 Duo processors, are a great value - and refurbished prices on the older Core Duo models are right where they should be.
- Installing Linux on a PCI Power Mac, Part 1, Larry Stotler, Linux on the Low End, 09.05. Preparing your PCI Power Mac (or clone) for Linux and getting openSUSE Linux installed.
- PDQ PowerBook G3 at 8: Still Useful Or Too Long In Tooth?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.05. The WallStreet and PDQ PowerBooks were Apple's most expandable 'Books ever, but is even that enough to keep them practical in the era of OS X?
- The good old days of computing, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.05. There was a time when you didn't need GHz CPUs, multi-GB hard drives, or hundreds of megs of RAM to computer - and it was more fun.
- Setting up a titanium PowerBook for video editing, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 09.01. Working with a limited budget, a 867 MHz TiBook should be sufficient for basic video editing.
- Apple updates battery recall, MacBook 'best computer for school', random MacBook shutdown, and more, The 'Book Review, 09.01. Also more on battery safety, high capacity battery for 14" iBooks, low-cost USB 2.0 PC Cards, turn your 'Book into a reading light, bargain 'Books from $380 to $2,399, and more.
- The Amiga story: Conceived at Atari, born at Commodore, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 09.01. Conceived by Atari's Jay Miner as a floppy-based 16-bit game console, the Amiga grew into a powerful video system far ahead of its time - then stagnated
- Apple III chaos: What happened when Apple tried to enter the business market, Cortland, 09.01. Apple had known nothing but success with its Apple II product line, but when it tried to enter the business world with the Apple III, the learned the cost of failure.
- Death of a Mac Plus and refurbishing old Macs for students, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.01. A funeral fit for a Mac, and how one person has refurbished hundreds upon hundreds of Macs and given them away to students.
- Toshiba to build Zune, make your own .mac, how soon an email response?, 17 Office killers, and more, Ed Eubanks Jr, Tech Tracker, 09.01. Also skipping morning classes in favor of the podcast, a Star Trek thesis, and Nokia's new N80 multimedia phone.
- Logitech's scrolling revolution, G4 upgrades reach 2.0 GHz Mark, Solar Charger for iPods and cell phones, and more, Mac News Review, 09.01. Also Mac Pro "the ultimate in desktop computing", Apple USB modem meltdown, Parallels coming to Mac Pro, Mac Pro memory upgrades, and more.
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