Low End Mac Editorial Archive

October 2008

Debunking the Apple Tax, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 10.31. "...no one else is offering the quality of computer construction that Apple offers in the same price range."
MacBook Pro could use both GPUs at once, 9600M GT smokes 9400M for 3D gaming, new cases, and more, The 'Book Review, 10.31. Also MacBook Pro doesn't support 8 GB of RAM, matte screen petition, spill sensors in new 'Books, MacBook Pro reviews, hard drive vs. SSD benchmarks, bargain 'Books from $259 to $2,399, and more.
Mac mini still alive, migrating with Time Machine, a portable USB turntable, and more, Mac News Review, 10.31. Also is Mac right for you?, is Time Machine good enough?, DiskWarrior upgraded to support OS X 10.5.5, CrossOver Mac improves Outlook support, and more.
Free iPhone WiFi from AT&T, Google Earth on the iPhone, iPod: The Missing Manual updated, and more, iNews Review, 10.31. Also no Opera Mini on the iPhone, wireless and health, Greek and Hebrew Bible on the iPhone, cardboard iPod speaker dock, Mobile Xtand for the iPhone, and more.
The Unibody MacBook FireWire fiasco didn't have to happen, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.30. Some are claiming that Apple had no choice but to eliminate FireWire with the new MacBook design, but Apple could have eliminated ethernet instead.
Attractive and ugly Macs, discontinued MacBook Pro value, and writing with TextEdit, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.30. Readers weigh in on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Macintosh design over the past 24 years.
One OS to rule them all, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 10.29. With Fusion or Parallels letting you run Windows at full speed, Mac OS X gives you the best of both worlds.
Bring PC oppression to an end, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 10.29. "I was letting my computer use be consumed by trying to make the thing work the way it was supposed to."
Does the Android G1, doomed as an iPhone killer, dream of electric sheep?, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.29. "All Google wants is that Android is seen as better than Windows Mobile. Manufacturers and carriers unable to sell the iPhone need an alternative."
No FireWire on MacBook a deal breaker, getting Pismo working with AirPort, and Pismo screen replacement, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.29. For those with FireWire peripherals, the Unibody MacBook falls short. Also fixing a Pismo that won't recognize AirPort and replacing its display.
CrossOver Mac free for just one day, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 10.28. For just one day, CodeWeavers is making CrossOver for Mac or Linux available for free. Don't delay!
New Unibody MacBook or discontinued 15" MacBook Pro?, Charles W Moore, 'Book Value, 10.28. The new aluminum MacBook is tempting, but the older MacBook Pro has so many more expansion options.
Nikon D40 provides lots of quality at a nice price, Brian Gray, Digigraphica, 10.28. For most photographers most of the time, Nikon's D40 DSLR has all the features and quality necessary and an affordable price.
Apple more green, new MacBook details, FireWire on MacBook petition, benchmarks, and more, The 'Book Review, 10.28. Also Nvidia controller inside new 'Books, death of matte displays, MacBook Pro distorted video service program, bargain 'Books from $259 to $2,399, and more.
Use a new iPod with an old Mac, convert WMA to MP3, prepurchase iPhone account setup, and more, iNews Review, 10.28. Also nickel in some mobile phones may cause rash, MobileMe access for iPhone users, use new iPods with old FireWire docks, new apps and cases, and more.
New Unibody MacBooks provide some reasons to buy an earlier MacBook Pro, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 10.27. While the new MacBook line offers some improvements, Rev. A fears and the lack of a matte display can make the previous design a better choice.
Is running Leopard on a Sawtooth Power Mac G4 worth doing?, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 10.27. There are several ways to get Leopard running on an AGP Power Mac G4, but a slow CPU, limited RAM, a slow hard drive, and an old video card can bog it down.
Backing up your G3 PowerBook quickly and easily, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 10.27. Who needs Leopard and Time Machine? With an expansion bay hard drive and the right software, you can have a bootable clone ready for use.
Apple's new production technology: Is it worth it?, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.27. Carving MacBook bodies from a block of aluminum simplifies production, increases assembly automation, and gives Apple a leg up on the competition.
Distraction free writing on the go with the Laser PC6, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 10.27. Sometimes you just need a keyboard and screen instead of a full-fledged computer. The Laser PC6 could be what you're looking for.
Nvidia may power new Mac mini and iMac, FireWire firestorm, OS X on PCs, and more, Mac News Review, 10.27. Also turning your Mac into a WiFi access point, iKey keyboard with Bluetooth and trackpad, MacSpeech Dictate updated, and more.
The October 2008 MacBook value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.15. Apple changed the entire MacBook lineup on Tuesday. How do close-out prices compare to the new ones?
The good, the bad, and the ugly of AppleDesign, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.15. Apple has produced some beautiful computers and iPods over the years, but also a few of the ugliest and most ungainly computers ever seen.
G3 and low end G4 Mac performance comparison, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 10.15. Factors that impact performance are the version of CPU, the size and speed of the Level 2 cache, and how much RAM is installed.
3 reasons to use a Mac, and Pismo troubleshooting, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.15. Why one Windows user is also a Mac user, a Pismo that can't see its AirPort card, and sources of kernel panics.
Death of the iPod 'way off in the future', Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.14. Someday Apple will decide that the iPod is no longer profitable and discontinue it, "but that day looks to be way off in the future."
Will Apple's rumored $800 notebook be a netbook?, Charles W Moore, 'Book Value, 10.13. Netbooks are hot, and with the economy in turmoil, Apple needs to offer a netbook for the OS X crowd.
TruePower battery can run WallStreet PowerBook past the 5 hour mark, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 10.10. If you have a rugged old PowerBook but its battery is losing capacity, TruePower can give you plenty of time in the field.
30% of iPhone 3G buyers switched carriers, EU battery rule may force iPhone redesign, and more, iNews Review, 10.10. Also iPhone 3G greatest consumer electronics device ever, track presidential polls on your iPhone, Talking English Dictionary, waterproof armbands, several new iPhone apps, and more.
Nvidia inside next MacBook?, time for a Mac netbook, Asus launches MacBook Air killer, and more, The 'Book Review, 10.10. Also photo reveals more about MacBook Pro, comparing 16:9 and 16:10 displays, Apple settles suit over faulty iBook and PowerBook adapters, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
Economic crunch may slow Mac sales, a recycled Cube, ToCA Race Driver 3 for Mac, and more, Mac News Review, 10.10. Also don't buy RAM from Apple, customize your Mac's appearance, MacTribe expanding into print, My Apple Space social networking, and more.
What would an $800 MacBook mean for the Mac mini?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.09. If Apple does release an $800 entry-level MacBook next week, the $600 Mac mini is going to look very overpriced.
Modding your old Mac to make it more useful, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 10.09. If your old Mac is too slow, too noisy, too plain looking, or has too little room for expansion, you might want to mod it.
Will Apple's iPhone/App Store tornado blow away the competition?, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.08. The iPod, iTunes, and the iTunes Store paved the way for the success of the iPhone and the App Store - and nobody can match that.
Migrating my law office from Windows to Macintosh, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 10.08. By switching to Leopard Server, everyone in the office will be able to move to a Mac - but which ones will best meet their needs?
The power of older Macs, why Vista only sees 3 GB of RAM, Wangwriter supplies, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.08. Also the end of an era as MIT HyperArchive shuts down and another suggestion for profiling Windows computers.
Low End Mac needs help moving to Joomla, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 10.08. We've settled on Joomla as the content management system that should work very well for Low End Mac, but we're running stuck with templates.
How to clone Mac OS X to a new hard drive, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 10.07. Whether you want to put a bigger, faster drive in your Mac or clone OS X for use in another Mac, here's the simple process.
New Apple notebooks at zero minus one week, Charles W Moore, 'Book Value, 10.07. It's widely anticipated that Apple will overhaul the MacBook Pro and MacBook lines next Tuesday. What should we expect?
The cost of moving to Small Business Server vs. moving to Leopard Server, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 10.06. Upgrading the existing SBS 2003 Server would cost less, the the server will run up against hardware limitations long before a Mac Pro does
Use your FileMaker Pro databases on your iPhone, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 10.06. Although there's no version of FileMaker Pro for the iPhone, FMTouch will let you use your data and layouts on it.
$19,800 Bentley Ego laptop remarkably similar to 1999 clamshell iBook, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.06. Granted, Apple's iBook didn't have white gold trim, a padded leather exterior, or come in colors to match your Bentley automobile.
Getting the most from your G3 Mac, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 10.03. Most G3 Macs can be upgraded so they can run Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' quite nicely. Here's how.
Mac netbook coming?, $179 64 GB SSD, Apple owns 20% of US notebook market, and more, The 'Book Review, 10.03. Also head of Norton AntiVirus team uses a Mac, Toshiba demos new battery technology, 1 TB notebook drives due in 2010, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
OS X and Safari shares grow in September, toxic Mac Pro?, green hard drives, and more, Mac News Review, 10.03. Also Vista terrible as Mac market grows, CrossOver Mac Pro reviewed, SimpleTech Pro Drives, and a new toolkit for working on computers.
Apple drops iPhone NDA, defecting to Android, auto performance apps for the iPhone, and More, iNews Review, 10.03. Also more research needed on cellphone cancer link, file sharing app for the iPhone, three new power accessories from Macally, several new iPhone apps, and more.
Why I'm switching from Windows Small Business Server to Leopard Server, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 10.02. Windows SBS 2003 has served very well, but with SBS 2008 just around the corner, it's time to reconsider that choice. Leopard Server has a lot to offer.
The best browsers for older Macs running Tiger, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.25. A dialup user's overview of browsers for Mac OS X 10.4 puts the emphasis on reliability, downloads, and speed.
The unwritten rule behind Apple's App Store rejections, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 10.02. "If you want to work with someone, don't attack or try to take over part of what they think of as theirs."
CodeWeavers brings Google's Chrome browser to Intel Macs, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 10.02. Google's new Chrome browser uses separate processes for each tab and brings other changes to Windows users. Now Mac fans can try it as well.
Tiger great on old G3 'Books, maximum RAM for 867 MHz PowerBook G4, and more, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 10.01. Also why 4 GB of RAM in a 32-bit Vista PC wastes most of the last gigabyte and system profile software for Windows PCs.