new powerbooks from apple

today apple released new powerbooks including these new features:



-bluetooth 2.0

-a new scrolling trackpad

-sudden motion sensor

-5400 rpm hard drives

-duel link support for apples 30 in. display

-brighter backlit keyboard



the 15 and 17 inch powerbooks inclue 1.67 ghz processors, while the 12 in models include 1.5 ghz. 512 mb of memory is now standard on all powerbooks. and you can add and remove options at the applestore. this is a nice little upgrade for those of you with powerbook lust.

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get apple manuals

lost your manual? well apple just happens to have a page which lists lots of the user manuals for apple airport, displays, ibook and powerbook, all of the ipods and imacs, powermacs, xserve, final cut pro, os x, and more. you can download these apple manuals as pdf files which you can read with the free adobe reader software.



this is a great little resource for any mac user who has ever lost their original manuals.

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macworld keynote webcast

if you didn't get a chance to attend macworld this year you can still watch steve jobs deliver the keynote and catch all the excitement of the new hardware and software introductions. macworld keynote

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powerbook and ibook battery tips

is your "books" battery running low quicker than when you bought it? here are some quick tips to help prolong the charge of your powerbook or ibook battery. from the apple knowledge base:



"Optimize your battery settings in Energy Saver preferences.

1-From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.

2-From the View menu, choose Energy Saver.

3-Click Show Details.

4-Choose Battery Power from the "Settings for" pop-up menu.

5-Choose Longest Battery Life from the Optimize Energy Settings pop-up menu.





These settings will put the hard disk to sleep whenever possible and reduce the computer's microprocessor performance in order to maximize its battery life. If you are using processor-intensive applications, you may wish to change these settings so the microprocessor performance is no longer reduced.



Turn off unused features and technologies.

Just as you would turn off the lights in an unoccupied room, turning off unused features and technologies can help maximize your battery life, too. Here are a few suggestions:



1-Eject CDs and DVDs you're no longer using. Every so often, the optical drive spins up to read CDs or DVDs. This consumes a small amount of power.

2- * Disconnect peripherals when you're not using them. Connected peripherals, such as printers and digital cameras, can draw power from your battery even when you're not using them."



these are just a few of the tips that can help you get more out of your laptop.

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find a mac user group

own a mac? looking for like-minded souls to share advice, and tech support to solve problems? then you might want to join a "mug" or mac user group. from apple:



"User groups help members with technical questions, give honest advice on software selection, and provide a friendly environment where people can learn more about their computers. Many groups offer classes, one-on-one support, monthly meetings, an informative newsletter, member discounts, special interest groups, and of course, the inevitable camaraderie that all Mac users share. Larger groups offer extensive training programs, computer labs, and resource libraries."



"User group members receive exclusive benefits from a large number of companies. As a user group member, you can save money on software and new and used hardware from many of the top vendors."



so these are just some of the benefits of joining a user group. to find one in your area, you can use the apple usergroups search page.

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free itunes songs pepsi bottles in stores now

the contest doesn't start until january 31, but there are reports that itunes bottles are already in some stores now. so check your local outlet to see if they are available, and get drinking.



im just glad they have my fave mountian dew now in the contest! oh and no tilting the bottles this time...part of the fun in the last free itunes contest, was in buying a couple bottles and checking to see if i won. so no peeking, as steve jobs would say, its bad karma. good luck!

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original 1984 macintosh introduction video found

for the last 21 years scott knaster kept the only known copy of a video of apple iceo steve jobs (wearing a bow tie no less) introducing the macintosh computer. i have always wanted to see this video, and it also shows the section where the mac speaks for the first time.



the macintosh was groundbreaking for what it could do at the time. and it really was the computer "for the rest of us" this clip is only a small part of the 2 hour long video (with more to come) which was shown on public tv (too bad we didn't have tivo back then) click 1984 macintosh video to find out where you can view the video.

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itunes music store sells over a quarter billion songs

apple computer reported today that the worlds number 1 music store, itunes, sold more than 250 million songs to date. the company said:



"With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod® and groundbreaking personal use rights, the iTunes Music Store is the best way for Mac® and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online. The iTunes Music Store features more than one million songs from the major music companies and 600 independent record labels, over 9,000 audiobooks, gift certificates and exclusive music not found anywhere else online."



the itunes music store is so easy to use that i have purchased hundreds of songs using it. and some potential users may not realize that you don't have to use the itunes music store to enjoy itunes. it can be used for free as a jukebox just to play any mp3 files you have stored on your computer, as well as ripping any cd's you own. you can download itunes here

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save $100.00 on ipods

looking for cheap ipods? well how about cheaper ipods. save $100.00 on the purchase price of an ipod, ipod mini, ipod photo, the u2 ipod, or 1 gig ipod shuffle when you join audiblelistener for 1 year.



audible has a great collection of audiobooks, and i like that fact that they include the 1 gig ipod shuttle (bringing that price down to $49.00!) to learn more about this offer surf to audible and click the "need an audio player?" tab.

or click here

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ipod case for click wheel ipods

here's a great case for the ipod called the iskin evo 2 it comes in 5 standard colors: arctic, ebony, carbon, sonic (my fave), and blush. also four colors that glow in the dark: lava, wasabi, vamp, and ghost.



it includes an integrated docking port cover, to keep liquids,dust, etc. out, a clear screen saver with soft contacts so you don't scratch your screen. also the revoclip which allows you to rotate your ipod when clipped to your belt. nice.

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free trial of .mac

apple is offering a 60 day free trial of .mac which provides idisk online file backup, virex antivirus scanning, your own free homepage, backup service, .mac mail, and more. the service is normally $99.95 a year so this is a great way to try it out for free. you can also take the video tour.

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why the mac mini matters

ok macheads, get ready for a whole slew of new windows switchers joining the club as they open their brand-spanking-new mac mini's. this is going to be huge...as steve jobs said, they can no longer use price as a reason not to buy a mac. lets look at some of the benefits of owning a mac.



-no windows virus's

-superior os, based on unix

-no windows spyware

-mac os x is more secure right out of the box

-share files with a windows network

-runs many popular X11 based applications

-get more work done using less steps

-os x has the best user interface






in my own informal survey, i've found that a number of windows users feel that the price is now right for them to try out a mac. the $499 pricepoint seems to cross a line that makes it much easier for them to justify a purchase. and the mini is a portable computer that you can take with you to work, plug in, and just get stuff done.



and checking the apple online store, it shows a 3 to 4 week wait on new mac mini orders, which tells me sales must be off the charts. this will grow apple's marketshare. did you get yours yet?



think of it as a laptop without the laptop price...

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ipod shuffle autopsy

someone had to do it...

curious about the guts of the new ipod shuffle, this user decided to go exploring and dug deep inside the belly of his ipod. whats intresting is the soft rubber membrane underneath the navigation buttons, i had not expected that. but it just shows apple's attention to detail.



everything comes apart rather easily with small tools. its incredible how they packed all this equipment into such a tiny mp3 player. if you wish to see the "autopsy" click ipod shuffle for all the gory pics.

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new pepsi itunes song givaway coming

it looks like there will be another promotion with pepsi giving away free song codes for itunes. also you can win free ipod mini's every hour. the page had been yanked but is back up now. (i just entered my email for the free notification service) we scored pretty well last year winning over 25 free songs. since i drink pepsi along with other soft drinks it was a good deal.



some areas of the country (the northeast) had lots of pepsi codes, while others did not. but the addition to win an ipod mini makes this contest one to watch. you can check free pepsi itunes songs for more info.

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free office 2004 test drive

check out the free demo of office 2004 for mac, from microsoft. this 30 day demo includes the new project center in entourage. also word, excel, and powerpoint. this is a great way to "try, before you buy" you can download it here: free office 2004 for the mac

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the new, tiny, $499 mac mini

the new mac mini





last week at macworld, apple released the new mac mini. an affordable, mini-computer for anyone thinking of switching to the mac, but wanted to spend alot less than the top of the line powermac.



this thing is $499 for the 1.25 mhz model, with a 40 gig hard drive, and combo cd burner/dvd drive. or you can upgrade to the $599 with 1.42 mhz, 80 gig hard drive model. either mac can be customized at the apple store buy the mac mini here with additional options. you provide your own keyboard, mouse, and display. (yes you can use your pc equipment) and if you purchase a kvm switch you can pop this puppy right on top of your current pc tower and switch back and forth between the mac and pc using just one keyboard and display.



i like the new mac mini and am thinking of getting one (or 2) for myself. now price can no longer be used as an excuse not to get a mac.

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