Designer MacWorld part 2: Belkin
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The Belkin booth was my favorite at the show. They emerged as a design and innovation powerhouse.
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At San Francisco shindig, Mac community gets first look at book-size budget PC and low-end music player.  Photos: Scenes from Macworld
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Macs are now stable, Intel-based workhorses that run Windows apps and make end users happy. Is that enough for entry to the enterprise?
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With the&#160;ultra-thin MacBook Air&#160;reaching stores soon, Apple is selling accessories that make up for the laptop&#39;s skimpy features. Apple is already taking orders for a slim external optical drive and an Ethernet adapter, both designed for the MacBook Air, that plug into the laptop&#39;s only USB (Universal Serial Bus) port. The accessories are designed to match Air&#39;s slim footprint, Apple said. Belkin and WaterField Designs are also cashing in, announcing notebook bags designed for the unconventional MacBook Air.MacBook Air&#39;s optical driveTo make up for the lack of an optical drive in the laptop, Apple is taking orders for the MacBook Air SuperDrive on its Web site. The sleek drive can play and burn CDs and DVDs, and in the laptop&#39;s spirit, &quot;takes up little space on your desk or tray table,&quot; according to the company. The portable optical drive measures 5.47 by 5.47 by 0.67 inches (139 by 139 by 17 millimeters) and weighs 0.71 pounds (320 grams). The drive plugs into Air&#39;s USB port, and doesn&#39;t require a separate power adapter.The $99 drive is available on Apple&#39;s Web site.Ethernet adapter for MacBook AirTo supplement wireless networking built into MacBook Air, Apple is selling the USB Ethernet Adapter for wired networking. The Ethernet dongle is light and plugs into Air&#39;s USB port, according to Apple. Available on Apple&#39;s Web site, the $29 adapter will ship in two to three weeks.Video connector for AirMost of the older external multimedia devices -- TVs and VCRs -- can be connected to MacBook Air with Apple&#39;s Micro-DVI to Video Adapter. Designed specifically for the laptop, the adapter connects to a laptop&#39;s DVI (Digital Video Interface) port and includes S-Video and composite connectors that connect external multimedia devices like projectors to the laptop. The $19 adapter is available on Apple&#39;s Web site.Belkin&#39;s Macbook Air SleeveA MacBook Air is too small for a conventional notebook bag, so Belkin has created a bag specifically for Air&#39;s slim profile. With a neoprene cover, the Sleeve bag can protect the MacBook Air from damage by absorbing shock, said Melody Chalaban, a Belkin spokeswoman. The Sleeve is small enough to be slipped into a bag or backpack, Chalaban said. A model of the Sleeve will come with a strap to hook the bag around the shoulder.Starting at $29.99, the neoprene Sleeves will be available starting March. A $49.99 Sleeve, which will ship in May, includes leather and the option to access the laptop from the top or side.WaterField&#39;s SleeveCaseWaterField Designs this month introduced SleeveCase, a hardcover bag designed to protect the MacBook Air from impact. The cover, made of thick synthetic nylon and neoprene, cushions the laptop while in transport, the company said. Over 50 sizes of the bag are in stock, WaterField said. The bags can be carried individually or slipped into a messenger bag, backpack or suitcase.SleeveCase prices start at $38, depending on size and model. It started shipping earlier this month.
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With new rankings due soon, SGI, IBM and others are jostling for bragging rights. Also: A speedy Mac system gets speedier.
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The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro discusses his recent reviews and answers your questions about personal tech and Macworld.
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If you haven&#39;t already, check out Tom Yager&#39;s IBM&#39;s Power5 worth a second look, first posted on MacCentral on December 22nd.
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Writing for Computerworld.com, Ken Mingis describes the reaction the 24-inch iMac received at the office: &#147;Two or three other online editors popped up to oooh and aaah, and one of Computerworld&#146;s graphics gurus &#151; who has a year-old G5-based iMac &#151; admitted flat out that he was &#145;drooling.&#146;&#148;
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Cross an iPod and an eMac and what do you get? The new iMac G5, the third generation of Appleâs trendsetting desktop design for the home and school.
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Some Windows advocates are using my post about Leopard as "proof" that Vista is really what you need. When I said Leopard feels like Windows, I meant that it locks up, disappears, freezes and crashes. That I have to trick it into doing the right thing. I wasn't paying Windows a compliment, geez, you guys need to learn how to read. And by the way so do some of the Mac advocates. I didn't say you're having no fun with Leopard. Glad you're pleased. I wish I could gloat at how great an upgrade it was, nothing would make me happier. And btw, since writing the piece yesterday, it's been performing pretty well on all four systems I have it installed on. Maybe getting all that out in the open is just what was needed. For the record, I've never used Vista, I don't want to, honestly I'd rather live in Bucharest than use Vista. Not today's Bucharest, which I hear is actually pretty nice, I'm talking about the Bucharest of Ceausescu. The one who taught Cheney and Bush all they know about torture.
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First, thanks for the great comments on yesterday's post about Apple and the hard disk of my MacBook. People were universally positive and helpful, and I can say I really learned some really important things as a result of the discussion. First, the cost of the data on the hard disk swamps the value of the value of the disk and even the value of the computer. There was source code on the computer, and other information, which if it fell into the wrong hands, could cause some serious problems for me. I have no agreement with Apple that covers the security or privacy of the data. As far as I know they think they own the contents of the disk as well as the disk itself. The experience I had with them actually makes me think they probably do feel its theirs. This from a company that takes the security of its own private information very seriously, they seem to have almost no regard for the security of its customers' information. You have no control over when a hard disk will crash, or any foreknowledge of when it's even likely to crash. So there's no way to protect against this kind of security issue. And that's what it is. What kind of sense does it make to invest in firewalls, and of what value is Apple's claim that Macs are inherently more secure, when all the data on one of my computers is now completely out of my control forever? I'm not so concerned about the privacy issues, but I could imagine that other people might be. And if identity thieves are not aware of this backdoor way to get access to private information, how long before they are? Security experts always warn us that obscurity is not a good strategy for security. So what to do?  Basically I've given up on trying to get Apple to do the right thing and give me my disk back. Some people at the Emeryville store are well-itentioned, and are just naive about the problems that can come when you trust people with all your data. Others just don't care. Either way it seems unlikely that I'm going to get it back, and even if I do, it's been out of my control for too long.  I'm going to go through the tedious job of changing the passwords on all my sensitive online accounts. That was overdue anyway. And next time a laptop blows its hard disk, I'm either going to replace it myself and shred the old disk, the same way I'd shred any sensitive documents before throwing them out, or just throw away the whole computer. I know this isn't green, but there seems to be no other course that's anything close to secure. And always be aware that you could lose a laptop, or it could be stolen. So far it seems that this is not yet an identity theft concern, but you can't be sure, and it won't be long before it is.  Thanks again for all the good info, advice and vibe.
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The recent word from The Inquirer that Apple may be hoarding all of Intel's new 45nm Penryn processors -- and possibly paying for the privilege -- has prompted a lot of speculation about the future of Apple's Mac Pro desktop lineup. Apple's professional machines, which now use Intel Xeon Cloverton chips topping out at 3GHz, are called workstations by Apple and offer quad- and eight-core configurations. They're fast, and they sport professional prices to match with top-of-the-line eight-core units starting at $3,997.The latest generation of Mac Pros, although radically restyled on the inside when Apple jumped to Intel chips in 2006, look pretty much the same on the outside as they did when they sported PowerPC chips. But the expected move to Penryn -- at or before the next Macworld show in January -- could mean the first major change in Mac Pro design in years.Penryn is Intel's first chip under 45nm (compared with the 65nm processors now used) and offers a faster front-side bus, larger Level 2 caches, better energy efficiency, and a new instruction set (SSE4) aimed at boosting media, gaming, and graphics uses.As important for Mac fans, the new chip architecture allows some new possibilities in case design -- namely because the motherboard and cooling system could take up less space. The new chips could also mean the incorporation of new technologies such as scalable-link interface (used for linking two or more video cards) and a faster front-side bus.With that in mind, let's go through some of the things Mac users -- especially this Mac user -- would like to see in the next Mac Pro:1. A new enclosure Rumors abound that the now-familiar all-aluminum Mac Pro box -- brought over part and parcel from the original Power Mac G5 -- will finally be shrinking. Of course, I still expect Apple to house all of the latest goodies, so whatever Apple comes up with isn't going to rival the Mac Mini for portability either.I'm looking for more audio/USB/Firewire ports up front with space for four 3.5-in. internal drive slots and two 5.25-in. optical drives -- which are now offered on the current crop of Mac Pros. An easier-to-open case more like that found way back on the Power Mac G4 desktops would certainly be appreciated by systems administrators, along with a reduced weight and better handles for lugging around.2. A Blu-ray option not just for movie editing but also for storing 50GB of data on a single disc -- perfect for sending off major quantities of files (high-definition movies, anyone?) to a client or user. Although I never thought I'd say it, DVDs -- even double-sided ones that can hold up to 8GB of information -- are too small. It's time for Apple to get on board with the next level of optical drives.As for using a Blu-ray drive for movies, the digital rights management associated with them might be too much to ask for. But they'd look pretty darn nice on Apple's 30-inch Cinema Display, now, wouldn't they?3. Cooler but quieter systems Those fans on current Mac Pros can sometimes be loud and annoying. Liquid-cooled enclosures, while more expensive, are a much more elegant solution. Heck, Apple even used that with late-generation Power Mac G5s, although there were some reports of leaks.If Apple doesn't want to go back to that option, then it should turn the whole case into a heat sink. Whether it's on purpose or not, my MacBook Pro sometimes feels like one well-designed heat sink.4. Less energy use I love power, but I also love clean air and Middle East peace and all of that, so Apple, while you're at it, cut down our energy usage! It's nice not to have the lights dim when I turn on the computer. This should be doable, and former Vice President Al Gore, who's on your board of directors, will no doubt approve.5. Penryn I know what The Inquirer reported, and yes, it makes perfect sense that you'd want to offer the latest and greatest from Intel to your top-end customers. What better way to run cool and cut power consumption than with a 45nm Penryn chip? These babies are fast and efficient. The first widely distributed 45nm processors, nothing comes close to them in terms of speed per watt -- the main reason Apple moved to Intel in the first place.And let's get there sooner rather than later. The Mac Pro has been out since August 2006 with only the addition of faster chips in April to update the line.6. eSATA external storage Firewire 800, first introduced in 2003, just doesn't do it anymore for high-speed external storage and is beginning to become outdated. I need more options. 3GB eSATA is coming out of the woodwork now as the new standard for super-high-speed drives even as external drives and arrays that use it are coming down in price dramatically. Fiber is nice, too, but overkill for workstations. USB3 fiber isn't ready yet; eSATA is.7. Strong video support: HDMI out How about letting users present stuff on an HDTV without having to use an adapter? This feature would cost very little, but the coolness factor would be huge, right Steve? Besides, HDMI is already available on Apple TV, so we know it can be done.In fact, while I'm wishing, why not add two HDMI out ports? Running two hi-def TVs from a Mac Pro over HDMI would be absurdly cool. This, of course, could be part of an extremely high-end video card option. I know Apple likes to have options when it comes to processors. Well, users like options when it comes to video cards. Some of us want a solid video card, while others want the absolute fastest thing money can buy. I happen to want both.8. 10GB Ethernet If not now, when? If not Apple, who? 10GB Ethernet cards are coming down in price by around $100 a pop -- and they're even cheaper when integrated on the motherboard. The prices for switches that utilize them are also coming down. Maybe Apple doesn't have to put them on all new Mac Pro models, but wouldn't they be perfectly appropriate for top-of-the-line HD video rigs? How about Xgrid? The speed certainly helps.Now, I know the question will arise: Who needs 10GB Ethernet? Something along those same lines was asked five years ago when Apple released the G4 models with 1GB Ethernet. Time flies.9. Hardware RAID standard A few months ago, Apple introduced a $1,000 add-on card that turns mild-mannered SATA ports on the Mac Pro into a hard-core RAID configuration. Now it's time to build it in.And with the ZFS file system expected to be part of the upcoming Leopard OS, RAID configurations should work even better. (ZFS, if you aren't familiar with it, offers a whole new way to handle storage, allowing large capacity, storage pooling, fast data snapshots, and copy-on-write.)10. Affordability I'm not talking $399.99 Dell affordable, but drop the barrier to entry a bit. Perhaps you can offer something under $2,000 at the low end. No doubt, some additional PC gamers and tinkerers will come into the Apple fold if you have the fastest processor and a solid video card.Oh, just one more thing: Let's not wait for Macworld San Francisco to get the next Mac Pro on store shelves. The holidays are coming, and I know of at least one computer geek who'd like to see something like this wrapped up with a bow on top.Seth Weintraub is a global IT management consultant specializing in the technology needs of creative organizations, including The Paris Times, Omnicom and WPP Group. He has set up and managed cross-platform networks on four continents and is an expert in Active Directory/Open Directory PC and Macintosh integration. Computerworld is an InfoWorld affiliate.
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Someone else can make sexy systems, surely? IDF Intel will pay whoever designs what it reckons is the world's coolest living room computer $1m. Apple's Mac Mini might be a candidate, but despite the appearance of VP Phil Schiller during CEO Paul Otellini's Intel Developer Forum - a first for the Mac maker - the contest is only open to Viiv-branded machines.â¦
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By Yager, Tom  PLATFORMS  Jobs unveils an Intel rack server and offers a glimpse of Leopard  APPLE'S WORLDWIDE DEVELOPERS Conference (WWDC) is no Mac pep rally. It's a gathering of geeks ready for a deep dive into a pool of technologies.
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iMac, âthe very model of a modern Macintosh,â may have evolved over the years into âthis new aluminum fighter-jet of a personal computer, but the same idea is retained: You can put everything you need in a computer into an all-in-one design that actually looks good on a desk,â reports Jeff Carlson (Seattle Times).
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Twenty years on, one of the engineers who helped create the Mac writes his memoirs. But programmer Andy Hertzfeld's account is no dry paean to code: It's funny, engaging and deeply human. Wired News interview by Leander Kahney.
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With new rankings due soon, SGI, IBM and others jostle for bragging rights. Also: Speedy Mac system gets speedier.