Faster MacBooks
Apple very quietly announced Tuesday that
the first MacBook Pros are now shipping, and they're shipping with faster processors than originally
announced at MacWorld. Anyone who ordered a 1.67GHz machine is getting a 1.83GHz, and 1.83GHz MBPs
have been bumped to 2GHz -- at no additional cost. A 2.16GHz machine is now available as a BTO from
the Apple Store (with shorter wait times than the other models, incidentally).
Why the sudden, free speed bump? My money says this is what Apple had planned all along but
they were so concerned over Intel supply constraints a month ago that they announced the slower-chipped
machines at MacWorld just to be safe. Now they come out looking rosy by way of "giving" customers
some free GHz. Another feather in Apple's PR cap...
PowerBook Upgrades
Daystar is now shipping CPU upgrades for the PowerBook
G4 (aluminum) line of computers. $499 gets you a factory-installed upgrade including two-way shipping, parts,
and labor, and 48-hour turn around time. A warranty is also included.
How fast, you ask? 15" PBG4s go from 1/1.25/1.33Gz to 1.92GHz, and 1.5 to 2.0GHz. 17"
models go from 1.33 to 1.92 and 1.5 to 2.0. Daystar's press release claims upgraded G4 machines are "Over twice as fast as
Intel-based systems running current Mac PowerPC applications".
This is a tempting option if you've got a PowerBook and need real-world speed gains now. $500
for an upgrade isn't cheap, but it is only a fourth the cost of a new low-end MacBook Pro.
OS X 10.4.5 - A Fix for Dual Core iMacs?
Apple released OS X update 10.4.5 this week for
both PowerPC and Intel macs. While the update does claim to add a number of fixes to various
PPC applications, the buzz on the Web is this release was primarily directed at owners of
new iMac Dual Core systems who were suffering from video issues when using Front Row.
Have you used Front Row? It's going to take a lot more than a bug fix to make it a
half-decent media center, believe me.
RAZR v3i: iTunes Phone Part Three
MobileBurn has posted a review of the Motorola RAZR v3i, the next-gen RAZR cell
phone loaded up with iTunes software alongside other multimedia goodies.
The verdict? Says Michael Oryl, "With virtually nothing but praise for the Motorola RAZR
V3i, it is easy to understand why I give it a "Highly Recommended" rating. In short,
if you liked the V3, you'll love the V3i."
$50 shuffles
The Apple Store is clearing out refurbished iPod shuffles starting with the 512mb
model for just $49 shipped. Is this some kind of historic moment, witnessing the first $50 iPod? No,
not really - it's just a flash stick music player, and still not the cheapest one around at that.
But I got one anyway, and it's great. I look at it this way: No screen means I don't have to worry about scratches. Look
for a review of waterproof iPod gear in the coming weeks -- I'm gearing up my shuffle and gettin' into the
swimming pool.
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Get the best price for your new Mac at MacPrices.com
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Noah Kravitz is
the Reviews Editor for PowerBook Central. A writer, educator, and musician, he lives in Oakland, CA and is the
author of Teaching and
Learning with Technology.
