Computer
Connections
BY LLOYD PREZANT
September 2004
Apple improves AirPort
Apple
has released AirPort 4.0.1. This new version of their wireless communication
software
improves handling of Wired Equivalent Protocol (WEP) keys and has
improvements to "Profiles" support in the AirPort Admin Utility. You
can download this update on the Web, where you will find installers
for both Macintosh
and Windows computers. www.apple.com/support/
downloads/airport401formac.html.
SONY
burns – double deep
Sony
announces their new external DVD burner - a double-layer unit named
DRU-710UL. The mechanicals are the same as their DRU-710A internal
burner that they are currently shipping. This new model has: 8.5GB
of data recording using double-layer discs; USB 2.0 and FireWire
interfaces; can record: 16x DVD+R; 8x DVD-R; 4x DVD+RW & DVD-RW;
48x CD-R and 24x CD-RW discs. Roxio Toast 6 and Ahead's Nero software
(for the PC) come
with the burner. Look for this drive in October 2004 at a list
price of $280. www.sonyburners.com/products/product_detail.php?id=
2039743887.
ATI –
for you and I
ATI Technologies will continue to support legacy Macintosh computers
with their Radeon 9200 Mac Edition video card. It has 128MB of DDR
RAM and goes into a PCI slot on your Mac. The features on the card
include: programmable pixel shaders, full screen anti-aliasing and
environment and bump mapping. Going out of the card is made easy through
VGA, S-Video or DVI-I ports. They include DVI-I to S-Video and VGA
adapters for connections to legacy Mac peripherals. You must have a
Mac G3, G4 or G5 with OS X 10.2.8 or 10.3.3 or higher. Amazing, that
G3 and G4 Macs are now legacy Mac computers (where does the time go?).
Available by mid September 2004 for $120.
www.ati.com/products/radeon9200/
radeon9200me/index.html.
Wiebtech
offers 400GB
WiebeTech
LLC now has 400GB drives. Made by Hitachi, the Fire800, DuoGB800 and the
QuadBayDock800
storage systems can be bought in the
400GB size. More information is on their Web site. They have lowered
prices on their G5Jam internal storage expansion system for PowerMac
G5 models. You can buy a 1.6TB (that's Terabyte!) system for only
$2,999.95 – a $500 savings. The G5Jam enclosure with no drives
is just $399.95. www.wiebetech.com/home.php.
Tunewear's
iPod power
Tunewear 's latest iPod
invention is the Tunemax – a black leather case packed with a Lithium Ion
battery system giving users up to 16
additional hours of power depending upon how you use your iPod. Tunemax
has a USB port so you can synch with your Mac. Using the supplied
cable, it charges from the Mac's FireWire port. There is an on/off switch
letting you decide when to turn on the reserves and four LED indicators
tell you what's left in the pack. Compatible with all iPods, but
could
be helped by Tunewear's Icewear sleeve for a snug fit. Clips onto
you belt with the supplied belt clip. No price was given. Expect Tunemax
to ship later this month! www.tunewear.com/english/product/tunemax/index.html.
Canopus
rides the bus
Canopus
Corp. brings to market the ADVC 110 – their bus-powered analog/digital
video converter. The unit gets its juice from the FireWire bus
cable that connects it to your Mac. Connections for S-Video and composite
signals allow users to do analog and digital conversions easily.
Locked
audio support allows perfect synchronization with the video signal.
You can perform audio-only conversions if wanted. The ADVC 110
is compatible with major software packages such as: Final Cut Pro, iDVD,
iMovie,
Avid Xpress DV, etc. www.canopus.us/us/products/advc110
/pm_advc110.asp.
HP shops iPod
Hewlett-Packard's
on-line store, HPshopping.com now sells "Apple iPod
from HP." It is their version of the fourth generation Apple iPod,
that sell in 20GB and 40GB sizes. Featured are: backlit LCD screen,
click wheel operation, USB 2.0 and a docking station. The HP site
primarily serves the Windows computing community, but they offer
iTunes software
for both the Mac and Windows machines. Purchase your HP iPod on-line
from HP as well as Amazon.com, or at: Circuit City, Staples, Radio
Shack, CompUSA, Office Depot, Best Buy, and Costco stores. Priced
the same as Apple prices them - 20GB - $299 and the 40GB - $399.
www.hpshopping.com.
LaCie
doubles down
LaCie also checks in with two new double-layer DVD burners that allow
users to make DVDs with 8.5GB capacities. The d2 DVD+/-RW Double Layer
drive can burn a dual layer DVD in 25 minutes and a standard DVD in
6 minutes! Available in internal - $129 or external FireWire/USB for
$199. You will need to be using OS X 10.2.3 for dual layer burning.
The Slim DVD+/-RW Double Layer drive gets its power from the USB or
FireWire port it is connected to. Slim and portable, it lists for $199.
http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10114.
Lloyd Prezant is a NYC computer consultant who buys and sells recent used Mac computers and their peripherals. Call him at (718) 548-1623.
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