Will Apple Make Another 12" Laptop?
29 November 2006 05:33 EST
PowerPage Contributor
Longing for the days of laptops the size of the the PowerBook Duo, reader Eric Nix offers the following request:
Have we seen the end of Apple's ultra portable laptops? Hopefully, no.
Many users demand ultra portability because of frequent travel. In my case, I frequently travel to third world countries for international relief work. I need something that's ultra portable with a decent battery life. Stocked with a few extra batteries, it might be days before I can plug into an electrical outlet to recharge a battery.
Here are the reasons why we 12" PowerBook users feel abandoned and why we hope Apple will produce another ultra portable laptop:
1. Not every person needs a widescreen display: Most of us don't watch movies on our laptops. Most of us use the laptop for surfing the internet, reading email, word processing or business applications. Although a widescreen is suited well for many users, it adds unnecessary inches to a laptop's width.
2. A smaller size translates into better portability: Ever tried using a laptop on a cramped airplane, train or bus? Imagine doing this in a third world country where the seats are even closer together than in the U.S. Yes, you can pack humans on a bus like sardines in a can. It's not the ideal place for a 17" widescreen, but the current 12" form factor works well.
3. Smaller screens allow for better battery life: No unnecessary pixels to illuminate.
4. Smaller sizes and lighter weights make it easy to tote around: Every ounce counts when you're toting textbooks or extra batteries to your class -- a half mile away from your parking garage.
5. Thin is in: A thinner laptop allows one to pack in more of those textbooks, papers, and other "fun" stuff into your laptop bag. Some of us will even opt to carry additional batteries in the saved space.
How about it, Mr. Jobs? Will you give us a 12" non-widescreen MacBook Pro for us ubergeek travelers who demand portability, or will you alienate us and force us to look for Windows (gasp) ultraportables?
Contributed by: Eric Nix, MD
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7200RPM Hard Drives for Your PowerBook, or any Notebook for that Matter
22 September 2005 11:22 EST
TechRestore (a PowerPage sponsor) is offering an overnight hard drive upgrade service with speedy 7200RPM drives:
60GB 7200RPM @ $269.00
80GB 7200RPM @ $319.00
100GB 7200RPM @ $449.00
Is the industry moving to phase out all smaller hard drive sizes? Jump to the rest...
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FireFox 1.0.7 Available
21 September 2005 07:58 EST
FireFox 1.0.7 is available. In their own words: "Firefox 1.0.7 is a security and stability release. We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to this latest version."
In other Firefox news, Firefox 1.5 Beta 1 is available for download. Beta 1 is the first Beta release of their next generation browser, to be released later this year.
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Opera Web Browser Now Free
20 September 2005 10:16 EST
Finally the little company from Norway has grown and will be offering its powerful and innovative Web browser for free. As I mentioned in a previous article that as I wait for FireFox 1.5 to arrive I would download and play around with Opera Version 8.
Well after doing so it has been a bitter sweet experience. There are so many unique features of this browser you're a bit overwhelmed as you take it all in. There is so much you can customize... and there are communities that provide excellent add-ons especially for developers and widget junkies. Though innovative Opera at the same time is poorly laid out, the interface is a bit jumbled and confusing.
But don't take my opinion for it... try it out. After all it's FREE!
BTW, also not to be missed is the fact that Opera has been busy over at their hive. They've cooked up some partnerships and are really pushing for the browser on mobile devices. But what really caught my eye and has been on my mind after HP announced the TV as a digital hub was the fact Opera has a SDK for their product to run on a TV.
Very interesting in that it is written in HTML and JAVA for easy platform compatibility. Amen to that.
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Great Job MCE- The FireWire & USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive Kit was a SNAP!
07 September 2005 10:07 EST
Ryan Kaplan
I was a little scared at first, the last time I installed a hard drive into an external enclosure was during President Clinton's first term in office. This time around was much easier, thanks to the Transport Pro FireWire and USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive Kit. It runs for US$49 and is a snap to install.
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iControl: GarageBand Hardware Interface
08 April 2005 11:26 EST
M-Audio has announced the new iControl hardware for GarageBand. No audio, but one heck of a control surface for manipulating your GarageBand songs with physical controls: jog wheel, transport, individual track controls and volume knobs, master volume fader, and individual track parameters for GarageBand effects and settings. Plug it in via USB (class-compliant so no drivers), and it's automatically recognized by GarageBand with zero configuration. Price expected under US$200 (EUR 141 list). No word on when it's shipping yet. Not much use if you're a Logic lover, but if GarageBand is your thing, this is a must-have.
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iControl: GarageBand Hardware Interface
08 April 2005 11:26 EST
M-Audio has announced the new iControl hardware for GarageBand. No audio, but one heck of a control surface for manipulating your GarageBand songs with physical controls: jog wheel, transport, individual track controls and volume knobs, master volume fader, and individual track parameters for GarageBand effects and settings. Plug it in via USB (class-compliant so no drivers), and it's automatically recognized by GarageBand with zero configuration. Price expected under US$200 (EUR 141 list). No word on when it's shipping yet. Not much use if you're a Logic lover, but if GarageBand is your thing, this is a must-have.
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iControl: GarageBand Hardware Interface
08 April 2005 11:26 EST
M-Audio has announced the new iControl hardware for GarageBand. No audio, but one heck of a control surface for manipulating your GarageBand songs with physical controls: jog wheel, transport, individual track controls and volume knobs, master volume fader, and individual track parameters for GarageBand effects and settings. Plug it in via USB (class-compliant so no drivers), and it's automatically recognized by GarageBand with zero configuration. Price expected under US$200 (EUR 141 list). No word on when it's shipping yet. Not much use if you're a Logic lover, but if GarageBand is your thing, this is a must-have.
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MWSF05: Observations From the Show Floor
13 January 2005 01:07 EST
Observations From the Show Floor.
Here are some of our picks of new accessories and third party
software announced at Macworld Expo SF 2005.
Panic (booth 1951) has a sneak peak of Transmit 3, the company's FTP client. One of the best products made for OS X. Anybody buying Transit 2 with qualify for a free Transit upgrade.
WiebeTech (booth 1348) debuts the Ultra Bus powered UltraGB+ desktop enclosure and a "super DriveDock that connects drives via Firewire and USB2.
From Better Energy Systems comes the Solio - a trillium-shaped solar-powered battery charger for your iPod, digital camera, cell phone or other devices. It weights 5.8 ounces and is the size of a pack of cards when folded up. It fits nicely in the pocket.
LaCie (booth 1843) Showed a 2TB Raid FireWire 800 subsystem for Video pros. Also a real time MPEG ? 1/2 encoder that converts DV files to MPEG Files.
Sonic Solutions (formerly Roxio) announced that they would add HD support to a future version of its flagship Toast authoring software.
Elgato, and ATI Technologies announced Tuesday the EyeTV Wonder USB 2.0, an analog TV Tuner for the Macintosh. It will ship at the end of January 2005 for US$149. System requirements are a G4 or higher and USB 2.0 and Mac OS 10.3 and higher.
RadTech (Booth 2329) displayed a number of STM Bags for PowerBooks. STM is one of the best bags made for PowerBooks. The weatherproof zippers are a nice touch and well-crafted backpacks.
More in a follow-up...
What did you see on the show floor that excited you?
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MWSF05: Observations From the Show Floor
13 January 2005 01:07 EST
Observations From the Show Floor.
Here are some of our picks of new accessories and third party
software announced at Macworld Expo SF 2005.
Panic (booth 1951) has a sneak peak of Transmit 3, the company's FTP client. One of the best products made for OS X. Anybody buying Transit 2 with qualify for a free Transit upgrade.
WiebeTech (booth 1348) debuts the Ultra Bus powered UltraGB+ desktop enclosure and a "super DriveDock that connects drives via Firewire and USB2.
From Better Energy Systems comes the Solio - a trillium-shaped solar-powered battery charger for your iPod, digital camera, cell phone or other devices. It weights 5.8 ounces and is the size of a pack of cards when folded up. It fits nicely in the pocket.
LaCie (booth 1843) Showed a 2TB Raid FireWire 800 subsystem for Video pros. Also a real time MPEG ? 1/2 encoder that converts DV files to MPEG Files.
Sonic Solutions (formerly Roxio) announced that they would add HD support to a future version of its flagship Toast authoring software.
Elgato, and ATI Technologies announced Tuesday the EyeTV Wonder USB 2.0, an analog TV Tuner for the Macintosh. It will ship at the end of January 2005 for US$149. System requirements are a G4 or higher and USB 2.0 and Mac OS 10.3 and higher.
RadTech (Booth 2329) displayed a number of STM Bags for PowerBooks. STM is one of the best bags made for PowerBooks. The weatherproof zippers are a nice touch and well-crafted backpacks.
More in a follow-up...
What did you see on the show floor that excited you?
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Burton and Motorola Sowboarding jacket
07 January 2005 05:26 EST
Remember when Burton came out with the Amp, that snowboarding jacket with a special slot for your iPod? Well, this is just like that, except now it's Motorola trying to prove they can roll with the X-Games set. This time they're the ones working with Burton instead of Apple, and they're taking things just that littlest step further by adding a cellphone to the mix. The new jacket the two are collaborating on should be out in the 2nd half of this year and will come with two special padding casings, one for a cellphone (it sounds like it will actually ship with a Moto, natch), the other for an MP3 player, and will sport a control pad sewn into the sleeve that'll let you operate each gadget and easily switch between them. The jacket also comes with removable speakers in the hood, but will have Bluetooth if you want to use a wireless headset. And if that's not enough for ya, they're working on a line of snowboarding helmets and
caps, too. (Thanks Engadget)
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Burton and Motorola Sowboarding jacket
07 January 2005 05:26 EST
Remember when Burton came out with the Amp, that snowboarding jacket with a special slot for your iPod? Well, this is just like that, except now it's Motorola trying to prove they can roll with the X-Games set. This time they're the ones working with Burton instead of Apple, and they're taking things just that littlest step further by adding a cellphone to the mix. The new jacket the two are collaborating on should be out in the 2nd half of this year and will come with two special padding casings, one for a cellphone (it sounds like it will actually ship with a Moto, natch), the other for an MP3 player, and will sport a control pad sewn into the sleeve that'll let you operate each gadget and easily switch between them. The jacket also comes with removable speakers in the hood, but will have Bluetooth if you want to use a wireless headset. And if that's not enough for ya, they're working on a line of snowboarding helmets and
caps, too. (Thanks Engadget)
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Complete Your Migration to Firefox
07 January 2005 05:23 EST
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Complete Your Migration to Firefox
07 January 2005 05:23 EST
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Motorola's Serious Looking DVR Rolling out to Comcast
07 January 2005 05:15 EST
In a previous story we mentioned that you can capture digital programming from the FireWire port on the back of new cable box (Motorola 6400) being used by Comcast. If you're wondering about how Comcast's new Hi-Def DVR compares to say TiVo, check out this article on PVRBlog.com:
I've been reading reviews and reports of Motorola's dual tuner, HDTV 6412 DVR, and word on the street is that it's finally reaching a lot of major Comcast markets. While almost all reviews of cable company DVRs have been mostly poor, due to bad software, bad hardware, or an overall low quality experience, this one looks like a serious TiVo fighter, since it packs a lot of features you just can't get in a TiVo.I have been using the 6412 DVR for a little over a week and have to admit to being totally enamoured with the ability to record HDTV. I also love that is has dual tuners which means that you can watch one and record another or even record two shows at once. There's even a hack to enable the 30-second skip button. Sure, the guide blows and there's no thumbs up or wish lists but that will come as Comcast rolls out the Microsoft TV Foundation 1.7 software to more and more customers.
So, where are you on the whoie DVR thing?
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Motorola's Serious Looking DVR Rolling out to Comcast
07 January 2005 05:15 EST
In a previous story we mentioned that you can capture digital programming from the FireWire port on the back of new cable box (Motorola 6400) being used by Comcast. If you're wondering about how Comcast's new Hi-Def DVR compares to say TiVo, check out this article on PVRBlog.com:
I've been reading reviews and reports of Motorola's dual tuner, HDTV 6412 DVR, and word on the street is that it's finally reaching a lot of major Comcast markets. While almost all reviews of cable company DVRs have been mostly poor, due to bad software, bad hardware, or an overall low quality experience, this one looks like a serious TiVo fighter, since it packs a lot of features you just can't get in a TiVo.I have been using the 6412 DVR for a little over a week and have to admit to being totally enamoured with the ability to record HDTV. I also love that is has dual tuners which means that you can watch one and record another or even record two shows at once. There's even a hack to enable the 30-second skip button. Sure, the guide blows and there's no thumbs up or wish lists but that will come as Comcast rolls out the Microsoft TV Foundation 1.7 software to more and more customers.
So, where are you on the whoie DVR thing?
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Forbes: 'Apple Bites The Fans That Feed It'
07 January 2005 05:04 EST
Forbes' Lisa DiCarlo wrote an interesting piece about Apple's new strategy for 2005 to litigate its best customers. Specifically, she delves into Apple's suit against ThinkSecret.com.
Make no mistake, there's a good chance that the source of ThinkSecret's story about plans for a $500 Mac and new business software did break whatever legal agreement not to divulge the information that they had agreed to with Apple. And, one must assume it is at least partly true, or Apple wouldn't bother suing.
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Forbes: 'Apple Bites The Fans That Feed It'
07 January 2005 05:04 EST
Forbes' Lisa DiCarlo wrote an interesting piece about Apple's new strategy for 2005 to litigate its best customers. Specifically, she delves into Apple's suit against ThinkSecret.com.
Make no mistake, there's a good chance that the source of ThinkSecret's story about plans for a $500 Mac and new business software did break whatever legal agreement not to divulge the information that they had agreed to with Apple. And, one must assume it is at least partly true, or Apple wouldn't bother suing.
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West Coast Mac-a-palooza: O'Reilly, AES, Remix Hotel, DigiWorld
22 October 2004 11:53 EST
Geeks! Audio! DJs! Macs! Oh, my. The Mac is all about the Bay Area this week with a huge lineup of events, one Mac-only and three audio-related but with heavy Mac involvement expected:
I'll be at all four events in San Francisco; hit comments here if you're in the Bay Area and want to wrangle some PowerPagers together! I'll also launch createdigitalmusic.com officially over the weekend (yes, it's down now); together with the PowerPage I'll bring 'team coverage' of all four events live!
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West Coast Mac-a-palooza: O'Reilly, AES, Remix Hotel, DigiWorld
22 October 2004 11:53 EST
Geeks! Audio! DJs! Macs! Oh, my. The Mac is all about the Bay Area this week with a huge lineup of events, one Mac-only and three audio-related but with heavy Mac involvement expected:
I'll be at all four events in San Francisco; hit comments here if you're in the Bay Area and want to wrangle some PowerPagers together! I'll also launch createdigitalmusic.com officially over the weekend (yes, it's down now); together with the PowerPage I'll bring 'team coverage' of all four events live!
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Music & Audio Edition of Inside Mac Show
22 October 2004 11:44 EST
This weekend, I'm joining Digidesign's David Gibbons on the Inside Mac Radio show. It's an all-audio and music edition, so listen up Mac musicians and DJ's! First up, Director of Product Marketing David Gibbons from Digidesign will talk all things Digi on the eve of the enormous Digidesign/M-Audio extravaganza Digiworld. Then, in hour two, I'll talk about the upcoming O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference and its huge audio track, plus the AES professional audio show in San Francisco, all of which are coming up next week. Scot hass posted show notes with more info.
The show is broadcast worldwide online on the Universal Talk Network (listen on the Web) or in the San Francisco bay area on 1220 KNTS, 1-3PM Pacific Saturday (rebroadcast 1-3PM Sunday). Call in at 1-800-490-0058.
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Music & Audio Edition of Inside Mac Show
22 October 2004 11:44 EST
This weekend, I'm joining Digidesign's David Gibbons on the Inside Mac Radio show. It's an all-audio and music edition, so listen up Mac musicians and DJ's! First up, Director of Product Marketing David Gibbons from Digidesign will talk all things Digi on the eve of the enormous Digidesign/M-Audio extravaganza Digiworld. Then, in hour two, I'll talk about the upcoming O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference and its huge audio track, plus the AES professional audio show in San Francisco, all of which are coming up next week. Scot hass posted show notes with more info.
The show is broadcast worldwide online on the Universal Talk Network (listen on the Web) or in the San Francisco bay area on 1220 KNTS, 1-3PM Pacific Saturday (rebroadcast 1-3PM Sunday). Call in at 1-800-490-0058.
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Mini Tutorial: Liquid Mishaps
14 October 2004 08:12 EST
A new MacFixIt article deals with an age-old PowerPage topic: Dealing with accidental beverage spills on your PowerBook/iBook.
Immediate post-spill procedure Perhaps the most important step in avoiding permanent damage to a PowerBook or iBook that has been introduced to a spilled liquid is immediately unplugging the unit, removing the battery, and performing a perfunctory wipe-down with a clean, dry cloth and/or cotton tip.Don't become a statistic, these important tips can save your PowerBook from destruction. Just remember to write to us with your Extreme PowerBook story, Ok?Next, if your PowerBook has a removable keyboard, lift it from the unit and allow the internal components to dry
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Mini Tutorial: Liquid Mishaps
14 October 2004 08:12 EST
A new MacFixIt article deals with an age-old PowerPage topic: Dealing with accidental beverage spills on your PowerBook/iBook.
Immediate post-spill procedure Perhaps the most important step in avoiding permanent damage to a PowerBook or iBook that has been introduced to a spilled liquid is immediately unplugging the unit, removing the battery, and performing a perfunctory wipe-down with a clean, dry cloth and/or cotton tip.Don't become a statistic, these important tips can save your PowerBook from destruction. Just remember to write to us with your Extreme PowerBook story, Ok?Next, if your PowerBook has a removable keyboard, lift it from the unit and allow the internal components to dry
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Traktor DJ Studio 2.6: Final Scratch, Live Audio (PC/Mac)
13 September 2004 01:49 EST
Traktor DJ Studio has gotten a 2.6 update, but that .1 upgrade is understatement: Native has packed a lot of new features into this free upgrade of the leading DJ software:
And there’s more: enhanced filter bank, browser favorites, playlist history, and more. Maybe not a 3.0 upgrade, but nearly as big as the significant 2.5 update, and entirely free. Hit comments and let us know if Traktor’s part of your DJ rig. And if you’re in London, check out Native’s major presence at the PLASA show – be sure to send us a report to make us very jealous indeed.Final Scratch 2 compatibility: Previous Traktor versions featured integration with Stanton’s Final Scratch hardware so you can control live decks; this version adds support for the brand-new Final Scratch 2. (If you haven’t seen Final Scratch, this is the hottest DJ hardware out there: control your software DJ interface with real hardware.) Recording and live audio: Stream live audio, record on the fly or add an audio channel for voiceovers and the like, and record mixes AAC/WMA support: Good news – Apple AAC (iTunes) support and Microsoft WMA (Windows Media Player) format is new. Bad news – no support for digital rights management, so you can’t use music you purchased from iTunes. Bugger.
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Traktor DJ Studio 2.6: Final Scratch, Live Audio (PC/Mac)
13 September 2004 01:49 EST
Traktor DJ Studio has gotten a 2.6 update, but that .1 upgrade is understatement: Native has packed a lot of new features into this free upgrade of the leading DJ software:
And there’s more: enhanced filter bank, browser favorites, playlist history, and more. Maybe not a 3.0 upgrade, but nearly as big as the significant 2.5 update, and entirely free. Hit comments and let us know if Traktor’s part of your DJ rig. And if you’re in London, check out Native’s major presence at the PLASA show – be sure to send us a report to make us very jealous indeed.Final Scratch 2 compatibility: Previous Traktor versions featured integration with Stanton’s Final Scratch hardware so you can control live decks; this version adds support for the brand-new Final Scratch 2. (If you haven’t seen Final Scratch, this is the hottest DJ hardware out there: control your software DJ interface with real hardware.) Recording and live audio: Stream live audio, record on the fly or add an audio channel for voiceovers and the like, and record mixes AAC/WMA support: Good news – Apple AAC (iTunes) support and Microsoft WMA (Windows Media Player) format is new. Bad news – no support for digital rights management, so you can’t use music you purchased from iTunes. Bugger.
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Photos from WWDC - Delivered Fresh
28 June 2004 04:41 EST
Starved for WWDC media? (Darn you, Apple, for no live feed!) Our friend and media partner from OSXFAQ, Scott Shepard, brings us a lovely gallery of WWDC photos. Check them out! Stay tuned for more from Scott from those of us too poor to go to California.