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MaxProtect sleeve covers iBooks, PowerBooks
MaxUpgrades has released MaxProtect, a carrying bag/sleeve-style tote designed to fit 12, 15 and 17-inch PowerBook and 12 and 14-inch iBook models. The new carrying sleeve is made of polyurethane "visco-elastic memory foam" and sports a two-zipper, pull-apart design, protected closure and handles. Prices range from US$24.99 to $29.99 depending on the size of the laptop.Editors’ Notes
Why I hate April Fool’s Day
Peter Cohen is no fan of April Fool’s Day. But that isn’t stopping him from rounding up today’s best tech-related pranks.Editors’ Notes
Fixing a hinge
News
QuickerTek offers Mac mini Airport antenna
QuickerTek Inc. on Thursday introduced a new omni-directional antenna that they claim extends the wireless networking range of Apple's Mac mini. The new Mac Mini Antenna features 5.5dBi of RF power, which QuickerTek reports can extend the wireless networking range of a Mac mini by up to three times compared to a stock configuration. It doesn't require any case modifications to be installed, according to the company. The new antenna costs US$80.News
NewerTech makes high-cap batt’s for 14-inch iBooks
Other World Computing and Newer Technology Inc. on Tuesday announced the available of NuPower replacement batteries for iBook G3 and iBook G4 14-inch models. The higher-capacity batteries are rated at 59 watt hours and 71 watt hours, 12 percent and 29 percent more respectively than Apple's stock battery. The 59 watt hour battery costs US$119.99; the 71 watt hour battery costs $139.99. Newer builds the batteries in the U.S. using Japanese and Canadian-made lithium-ion cells.News
Apple desktop market share on the rise; will the Mac mini, iPod help?
There is good and bad news for Apple Computer's market share numbers in the calendar fourth quarter. The Cupertino, Calif.-based computer company's desktop market share is on the rise, while the portable market is showing a decline. While numbers are not available to show the impact of Mac mini, research analysts expect to see continued good news for the company's desktop market share in 2005 as Mac mini sales increase.
Reviews
Mac Skeptic: ILife ’05, Must-Have or Must Avoid?
Apple upgraded its suite of multimedia applications. Should you buy it?News
QuickerTek transceiver connects G4s, G5s
QuickerTek Inc. on Tuesday introduced its 27dBM Transceiver for Power Mac G4 and Power Mac G5 computers. The US$160 transceiver boosts the wireless networking output of Power Macs from 30 milliwatts to 500 milliwatts, the maximum output allowed by the FCC. The kit includes a desktop mount, transceiver and antenna, and requires no additional installation software in order to work.Reviews
Mac Gems
This month's featured products include Digital Hotspotter, Jiggler, RePorter and CLIX.News
Transceiver now boosts most AirPort Base Stations
QuickerTek Inc. on Thursday announced that its 27dBm Transceiver will work with all AirPort Base Stations, excluding the tiny AirPort Express. The transceiver boosts the output power of AirPort Base Stations and AirPort Extreme Base Stations to 500 milliwatts (Mw) — the most allowable by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). AirPort Base Stations can only output 30Mw by themselves.News
Samsung develops 7-megapixel camera phone
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has developed a cell phone with a 7-megapixel camera and will show the device for the first time later this week at the Cebit show in Hanover, Germany, the company said Wednesday.News
LapWorks Mac Feet elevate iBooks, PowerBooks
Laptop Desk maker LapWorks Inc. on Tuesday introduced Laptop Legs and Mac Feet — peel and stick devices that lift the height of the rear of your notebook computer, to help improve ventilation and typing ergonomics. They're both US$19.95. The devices feature two fold-down legs. One raises the laptop one inch, the other raises the laptop one and three eighths of an inch.How-To
Stranger in a Strange LAN
If you’re trying to log onto a network using an AirPort Base Station, your Mac will alert you to the presence of the network. But if it’s a non-Apple network, getting on can be anything but simple. Find out how to navigate the wireless maze.News
MaxUpgrades offers MaxSleeve for PowerBooks, iBooks
MaxUpgrades on Friday issued MaxSleeve, a series of sleeves for PowerBooks and iBooks that's designed to fit in typical notebook bags or briefcases. It's made of visco-elastic memory foam that cushions the laptop and features a two-zipper pull design that keeps the zippers from touching the computer. MaxSleeves for 17- and 15-inch PowerBooks are US$27.99 and $24.99, respectively, while the version that fits 12-inch PowerBooks as well as 12- and 14-inch iBooks is $23.50.News
Missing Sync improves Treo 650 support, more
Mark/Space Inc. on Thursday released a maintenance update to their The Missing Sync for Palm OS application, bringing it to version 4.0.4. The new version is available for download from their Web site. Changes in this release include enhanced support for the PalmOne's Treo 650 smartphone and Tungsten T5 PDA. Conduit support has also been enhanced for Tapwave Zodiac PDA and more. Complete release notes can be found online.News
AnchorFree offers free Wi-Fi in 4-block SF area
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AnchorFree on Monday announced the creation of a free Wi-Fi hot zone in San Francisco's Marina district, along a four-block area of Chestnut St. between Fillmore and Scott Streets. Anyone with a Wi-Fi-capable device, including an Apple computer equipped with AirPort or AirPort Extreme, can use the service indoors or outdoors. The company said it launched the service in response to city mayor Gavin Newsom's 2004 announcement that "we will not stop until every San Franciscan has access to free wireless Internet service."News
New QuickerTek handles work with latest PowerBooks
QuickerTek Inc. on Wednesday noted that its line of handles for the 12-, 15- and 17-inch PowerBooks are compatible with the latest iterations of the laptops, which Apple released at the end of January. The US$50 user-installable aluminum handle doubles as a desktop stand that tilts the computer at a slight angle, allowing for better airflow and cooling. QuickerTek also still offers a titanium handle for the older 15-inch Titanium PowerBook, which is the same price as the others. The company sells that handle alone or bundled with its TiBook 2dBi Wi-Fi antenna for $85.News
Sony to end Clie line of PDAs
Sony Corp. is calling an end to its Clie line of PDAs (personal digital assistants) in Japan, the company said Tuesday. The move comes eight months after the company said it would no longer sell new models of PDAs overseas and puts the cap on a product line first announced by the Tokyo company in mid-2000.News
iStumbler Release 91 improves overall usage
iStumbler, the free utility for locating AirPort networks, Bluetooth devices and mDNS (Multicast-DNS, or Rendezvous) services, has received an overall face-lift with Release 91, which was scheduled to be issued on Friday. This edition displays icons for various items in the Airport, Bluetooth and mDNS plug-ins, improves the menus and enhances stability, memory and processor usage. Mac OS X v10.3 is required. For US$10, you can receive the next 10 updates to iStumbler a week before they're posted on the Web. The developer's Web site had not been updated with the new version as MacCentral posted this article.News
Mac Security: Fact and Fiction
Are you worrying too much about security—or not enough? Our panel of Mac security experts examines several commonly held assumptions about viruses, spyware, wireless networking, and Web privacy and reveals which ones are true and which ones are false.News
New transceiver extends AirPort Base Station range
QuickerTek Inc. on Monday announced its 27db Transceiver for AirPort Base Station. The transceiver extends the effective line-of-sight signal range of Apple's AirPort and AirPort Extreme Base Stations up to one-half mile, according to QuickerTek. The transceiver combines a more powerful signal with a low-noise amplifier to help increase the receiver sensitivity.News
SAS to add in-flight Internet to all long-haul routes
Broadband Internet access will soon be available across all Scandinavian Airline System long-haul flights, the airline said Monday.News
Missing Sync 4.0.3 for Palm boosts sync speed, more
Mark/Space Inc. has released The Missing Sync for Palm OS v4.0.3, a new version of their data synchronization product for Palm OS-based PDAs. New to this release is improved synchronization speed, better iPhoto integration now with photo scaling and image quality controls, the Mark/Space Conduit for AvantGo, support for Fossil's new Wrist PDA, improved MemoPad functionality, a new Sort feature and other changes. It's a free update for Missing Sync 4 users.News
RoadWired launches Skooba series of laptop bags
On Thursday, Rochester, New York-based RoadWired launched a new series of laptop bags and sleeves dubbed the Skooba collection. The main product is the Skooba Satchel, a laptop bag featuring more than a dozen compartments and pockets and an inner lining made of Air Square, a heavy-duty, bubble wrap-like material designed to cushion the computer. It also includes panels compatible with RoadWired's Rivert clip system, for attaching portable devices to the bag. The US$99.95 Skooba Satchel is made of ballistic nylon and comes in four color combinations: black with blue trim, gray with orange trim, olive with red trim and tan with black trim.News
SMS Mac sends text to any mobile number
URL Manager Pro developer Alco Blom has released the first public beta version of SMS Mac, a plug-in for Apple's Address Book utility that lets users send a Short Message Service (SMS) message to any cell phone number in the world over the Internet. You do not need a mobile number yourself in order for SMS Mac to work.News
PocketMac HoldIt! pauses Mac for phone calls
Information Appliance Associates on Friday released PocketMac HoldIt!, a utility that senses an incoming phone call and stops or pauses iTunes, DVD Player or El Gato's eyeTV, or simply mutes the computer's sound, runs an AppleScript or displays a warning. It can also run some or all of those actions simultaneously when the phone rings. Users plug a phone line into their Mac's modem port and run the US$12.95 application to get started. Mac OS X v10.3 is required.Editors’ Notes
Thanks for the Memory
How-To
Dialing for Less
Feeling the need to phone home without breaking the bank? You can turn your Mac into a telephone and place long-distance calls—even calls overseas—for a fraction of what you’re currently paying.News
PhoneValet enhances call screening, recording
Parliant Corp. on Thursday updated its PhoneValet Message Center (PVMC) software to version 2.1.6. The free update for registered users allows you to select the audio output device when screening messages as they are being received. Performance has also been improved when processing long (hour or more) call recordings.News
AlphaSmart, Renaissance Learning to merge
Dana maker AlphaSmart Inc. and K-12 learning information system developer Renaissance Learning Inc. have announced plans to merge. Under the terms of the agreement, valued at about US$57 million, AlphaSmart stockholders will receive $3.75 per share. The plan is subject to customary regulatory approval and still has to be approved by AlphaSmart stockholders. Renaissance Learning said that it plans to operate AlphaSmart as a wholly-owned subsidiary, retaining the AlphaSmart brand.News
iStumbler adds mDNS plug-in
Alf Watt has released a new version of iStumbler, the Mac OS X utility that helps you find wireless networks and Bluetooth devices. iStumbler release 90 adds the mDNS plug-in, which lets you browse published services on the local network and connect to them. The Bluetooth plug-in enables "Pair" and "Browse" features. And preferences have been updated for all plug-ins. iStumbler is offered for free as an open source tool, but users can buy "subscriptions" for $1 per release to help spur further development.News
Mac mini Frequently Asked Questions… Answered!
Got a question about the Mac mini? We've got answers, including info about installing RAM and wireless options, using it as a server, and more.News
MWSF: RadTech intros new mini Bluetooth mouse, more
RadTech on Tuesday announced three new products on display at its Macworld Conference & Expo San Francisco booth: the Silver Edition BT500 mini Bluetooth mouse, ScreensavRz protection and cleaning cloths for G5 iMacs and Tekstyl soft cases for laptops. The mouse, which sells for US$54.95, features three buttons, 800dpi resolution and a power switch for conserving its batteries when not in use. The ScreensavRz cloth fits snugly over the G5 iMac and can be used to clean its LCD screen; RadTech will ship it on Feb. 1 but hasn't disclosed the cost. Tekstyl, which is not listed on the RadTech Web site yet and has no price available, features full access to ports and drives while the laptop is still in the case and includes an integrated fold-out stand.News
MWSF: Mac Boingo accesses over 12K Wi-Fi hot spots
Santa Monica, Calif.-based Boingo Wireless on Monday released Mac Boingo, the Mac OS X version of its software that enables users to join one of more than 12,000 Wi-Fi hot spots with a single user name and password. The company's Boingo Roaming System works with such partners as Wayport, STSN, Surf & Sip and others to aggregate all of their access points into one network. Mac Boingo integrates with Apple's AirPort software to "sniff out" wireless hot spots; the software also includes a built-in directory of all of them, automatically updating itself when the developer adds new ones. While the download is free, user subscriptions are US$7.95 per day or $21.95 per month. Mac OS X v10.2.8 is required, although earlier versions are supported for Safari users.News
MWSF: Griffin intros AirPort Express stand, SmartDeck
Griffin Technology Inc. on Monday introduced its new Xpress Stand accessory for Apple's AirPort Express. On display during Macworld Conference & Expo San Francisco, Xpress Stand props up the wireless device to give it better range and offers a cable management solution in addition to a status light checking your wireless connection at a glance. Pricing is US$24.99 and pre-orders are being accepted now; Xpress Stand will ship during the first quarter.News
MWSF: Ovolab Phlink 2.0 adds call log, features
Ovolab on Tuesday released Phlink 2.0, a new version of its telephony software for the Macintosh. With Phlink, the Mac can become an answering machine and what Ovolab calls "a telephone answering center," greeting callers with personalized messages, playing caller-specific ringtones, sending you voice messages by e-mail and more.News
The Year in Macs, Part One
An army of iPods, a redesigned iMac, and a Tiger looming on the horizon—2004 proved to be quite a year for Apple. MacCentral.com Editor Jim Dalrymple takes a look back at the last 12 months in a two-part review of Apple’s busy year. Today’s installment looks at significant hardware releases and updates. Part two will examine software news, Apple’s financial performance, and assorted legal wranglings involving the company.Editors’ Notes
Sound Off, Mobile Mac Users
News
Apple updates AirPort Express, Extreme firmware
Apple on Monday updated the firmware used by its AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme base stations. The new firmware is available for download from Apple's Web site, and is available in various forms for Mac OS X and Windows users — as well as a "raw firmware" version for users trying to update from Mac OS X v10.2.8.News
OWC, Newertech offer high-capacity iBook batteries
Other World Computing and Newer Technology Inc. on Friday announced the availability of NuPower replacement batteries for Apple Computer Inc.'s iBook laptop computers — both the white-clad "Dual USB models" and the original "Clamshell" models.How-To
Extend Your Wireless Reach
As great as it is for connecting wirelessly to the Internet, Apple’s AirPort technology has range issues. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to extend the range of your AirPort network—we’ll show you how.News
Mobile High Speed 3G expands cell phone support
German developer Nova Media on Thursday released Mobile High Speed 3G 4.10, a new version of the utility that automatically configures Mac OS X to connect to the Internet through a cell phone or PC Data card using the UMTS, GPRS, EDGE, HSCSD or GSM protocols. This update adds support for over 18 devices, including Nokia 6630, 6220, 6260 and 9500, Motorola V3, V180, V547, V550, V980, A1000 and E1000 and Sony Ericsson v800, s700, s700i, P910 and P910i. In addition, Novatel Merlin U630 and Sierra Wireless AC750 and AC775 PC Data cards are now supported too. This is a free update for existing users; the full software is €75 (US$99.26).How-To
Portable Protection
Keep your portable Mac products spotless with a few of these protective products.News
MacWireless releases WiFinder
MacWireless has released the WiFinder, a keychain-sized device used to locate Wi-Fi wireless network hotspots. The device features a four-bar signal strength indicator, and contains circuitry that can differentiate between Wi-Fi networks and devices that operate on similar signal frequencies, such as cordless phones and microwave ovens. The WiFinder costs US$34.98.News
QuickerTek offers iBook carry handles
Wichita, Kan.-based QuickerTek on Monday introduced iBook carry handles. When installed, the devices enable 12- and 14-inch iBooks to be carried without needing an external carrying case. Made of aluminum, the handles are fitted for either 12-inch or 14-inch iBooks, and double as a lift stand when the iBook is being used, which QuickerTek claims helps circulate air and improve cooling beneath the iBook, and provide users with a more optimal typing angle. The new handles are expected to be available in January 2005 for US$50.News
Verizon deal lets Philadelphia move with wireless plan
The city of Philadelphia has reached an agreement with Verizon Communications Inc. that will let the municipal government deploy a citywide Wi-Fi network, but a carrier-backed bill that would let incumbent carriers block such projects has been signed into law by Pennsylvania's governor.News
New file system constrains Treo 650 storage capacity
The change to flash memory from DRAM (dynamic RAM) for PalmOne Inc.'s new Treo 650 smart phone appears to have had the unintended consequence of reducing the amount of memory that is actually available to users. As a result, PalmOne plans to offer a free 128MB expansion card to Treo 650 purchasers to get around the problem, the company said Monday.News