News Archive for: Friday June 15, 2007 (later added items first)
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OWC's 4GB RAM kit for new MacBook Pros, Updated Memory benchmarks
(PR from site sponsor OWC)

" Other World Computing announced today 4.0GB Memory Kits for Apple's new recently announced MacBook Pro 2.2GHz and 2.4GHz models, which began shipping on June 5th. OWC Memory options of up to 3.0GB are also available for MacBook 13.3" and previous MacBook Pro 15" and 17" models. Upgrade from 2.0GB to 4.0GB for less than 1/3rd of the Apple Factory Option.
OWC memory upgrades meet or exceed Apple's electrical and mechanical design requirements. OWC is an Apple Developer Connection Premiere Member and maintains an active state-of-the-art test lab to ensure the highest product quality and reliability. OWC Memory Customers are ensured a lifetime of high-performance, reliable operation backed with OWC's Money Back Guarantee and Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty.

OWC, an expert in the Mac memory market, has nearly two decades of experience providing memory module upgrades for Mac computers. OWC has conducted independent memory benchmarks on MacBook and Macbook Pro laptops, which show how important memory is for customers employing high-memory intensive applications, such as audio/video, photo, 3D modeling, and other applications.
The OWC 4.0GB Memory Upgrade Kit is available immediately, priced at $219.99 (configured as two 2GB memory modules). ( $215.75 on the site specials page) Additional savings are also available for customers who take advantage of OWC's trade-in program, which provides $50 cash back for the trade-in of two 1GB modules.
Get more information on MacBook Pro and MacBook memory at:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/MacBook/DDR2/Upgrade

See OWC's memory benchmarks using memory-intensive applications, such as PhotoShop at:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/Macbook_Memory_Benchmarks"

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Latest info on (non-Apple) 802.11n Wireless Adapters (Mini PCI and PCI adapter)
Since Apple released the 802.11n enabler and N base, we've been looking for Mac compatible 802.11n cards for Macs that Apple does not offer N cards for (although their Mac Pro card, the Dell 1500 card and some vendor's other cards have been used in Core Duo Intel Macs successfully, owners of PPC Macs haven't had any options to date that I know of). I'd posted a request (twice) for a Realtek 2800 series adapter as they had promised back in March to post Mac OS X drivers for their 802.11n chipset. (A reader recd the driver from their tech support but as of today it's still not listed on their USA site Mac Drivers page.) Until today the only card we'd found based on the Realtek N chip was a GW-DS300N PCI card model mentioned in the April 26th news page (also added to the Mac 802.11n page here) but there were no USA sources of it. (Searching today still didn't find a USA dealer with it in stock (Amazon.com lists it but shows "currently unavailable".)
A reader mail today sent a link to a source of a Mini PCI 802.11n adapter and a Mini PCI to PCI slot adapter card:

" RT2800 (series) chipset wireless mini pci card
SparkLAN WMIR-215GN WLAN 802.11n draft MiniPCI Wifi Module - Laptop Internal Ralink RT2860 Chipset Wireless Adapter [WMIR215GN-S0]
Price: $48.95 - $54.95 ($54.95 in Qty 1)
Mfr website product page

link to a PCI slot adapter
Mini PCI to PCI adapter ($19.95)
-Yunna"

BTW - If using a Mini PCI card in a PCI adapter, you'd need an external antenna(s) also. Although some Intel-CPU Mac Mini owners used a single antenna with 802.11N card upgrades, multiple antennas are needed for MiMo.
After checking the mfr link at the reseller he sent, I found they also listed a WLAN 802.11n draft Mini PCI Module (Atheros AR5008-3NX AR5416) model WMIA-207GN:

"WMIA-207GN
WLAN 802.11n draft Mini PCI Module (Atheros AR5008-3NX AR5416)
Highlights:
802.11n draft
Chipset: Atheros AR5008-3NX AR5416
MIMO Technology
Mini PCI Type IIIB
Windows 2000/XP
Backward Compatible with 802.11b/g"

The Core 2 Duo MacBook/Pros ship with an Atheros AR5008 card (although it's Mini PCI-e), but I wonder about the drivers and Apple 802.11n enabler (i.e. are they Intel-only). Otherwise it would be an option for Mini PCI card based PPC Macs like the Mac Mini and iMac G5 (IIRC they used a Mini PCI card) and perhaps the G5 towers. But again the question is drivers. (And for MiMo, you'd need to add another Antenna.)
If the drivers were PPC compatible it would be interesting to know if the PCI adapter card for Mini PCI cards would work for use in other Macs also. If anyone risks buying one of these to try it (although again I suspect the apple drivers are for Intel-cpu Macs only), let me know.

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Safari 3.0 Beta User reports page updated (w/Safari reset tip)
I've added more reader mails to the Safari 3.0 beta user feedback page this morning. Included is a reader's comments on a tip for problems with some Safari addons, saying the new selective reset option in Safari 3 beta may solve some problems with 3rd party addons. (It did for Flash he said.)
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Updated Apple Support Docs
(recently revised)

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Other News/Misc. Software Updates

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Recent Articles and Reviews
Listing/links to recent articles and reviews you may have missed.
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Hard Drives


OWC SPECIALS!
(see full list)

= MEMORY =
4GB (2x2GB) Kit for Unibody MacBook/Pros $95

4GB (2x2GB) Mac Pro RAM (800MHz) $105

4GB (2x2GB) Mac Pro RAM (667MHz) $92.50

4GB (2x2GB) PC2-6400 for 2008 iMacs $50

4GB (2x2GB) PC2-5300 SODIMMs $49

2GB PC2-5300 SODIMM $24.75

1GB DDR400 DIMMs $29.25

512MB PC-133 SDRAM $30.75

= WIRELESS =
802.11N/g/b PCI, PCMCIA or USB adapters under $50
802.11N/G/B Router $65

= TV TUNERS/DVR =
EyeTV 250+ w/clear QAM $130

= CPU UPGRADES =
7448 2.0GHz $375

OWC G4 1.4GHz w/2MB L3 $215

7447A 1.6GHz $215

G3 1GHz ZIF upgrade $99.75

= HARD DRIVES =
500GB 7200rpm/16MB cache $59.99

WD 640GB 7200rpm/16MB Cache $69.50

1TB SATA HDs from $107.75

1.5TB Seagate HD $162.50

EliteAL eSATA/FW800/400/USB 2.0 Case Kit w/SW $75

1TB EliteAL FW/USB 2.0 $179

1TB EliteAL SATA/FW800/400/USB2 $217.50

= NOTEBOOK HDs =
500GB WD Scorpio + USB 2.0 Case Kit $147.50

250GB 7200rpm Notebook HD + USB 2.0 Case kit $112.75

320GB/7200RPM/16MB cache $107.50

200GB/7200RPM/16MB cache $67.50

= GRAPHICS CARDS =
ATI HD 3870 PCIe $217.99

ATI 9800 Pro AGP $205

ATI 9600 Mac/PC AGP $189.99

= SOFTWARE =
Prosoft Data Rescue II $57.50

XLR8YourMac.com T-Shirts $14.99
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