Members
Categories
Most recent posts
- The Road Warrior Review - UNIEA Haptique Hard Shell Case For Unibody MacBook
- The Road Warrior Mailbag - June 8, 2009
- Why Pre?
- The Road Warrior Review - MacCase Premium Leather Flight Jacket For Apple Notebooks
- The Real Revolution of iPhone OS 3.0
- iFixIt Revamps Apple Laptop Teardown Guides; Disassembles 17” MacBook Pro
- Lenovo S10 Beats Out Used PowerBook G4 For Value And HP Launches Stylish Designer “Clutch” Netbook
- $999 2.0 GHz White MacBook With Nvidia Graphics: Most Notebook For The Money From Apple Ever?
- The Road Warrior MailBag - December 15, 2008
- Why Can’t Apple Build A Laptop Like This? - Perhaps They Will
- The Road Warrior Mailbag, December 1, 2008
- The Road Warrior Mailbag - November 17, 2008
- New MacBook Pro A Performer In Spite Of “Questionable” Apple Choices
- Is The End Of Matte Notebook Displays A Problem For You?
- The Road Warrior Mailbag - October 27, 2008
Search
Tip for all Mac card game enthusiasts
Mac poker sites come in two forms. The first is the native Mac client, allowing you to download the poker software right onto your Mac OS and utilizes the same quality graphics and software as the Windows version. The second type of software to play poker on a Mac is the instant play version, which is compatible with Mac players using Java or Flash programming.
Finessing The Computer Depreciation Game
Unfortunately, while a ten-year-old (or more) automobile can still be excellent, few-compromises transportation, a ten year old computer is a poor platform for anything but the least demanding tasks. It's part of the price we pay for a rapidly advancing technology, but I still detest watching the value of anything I buy melt away with every tick of the clock.
On the other hand, as with my collection of elderly vehicles, by buying used (or refurbished) you can make depreciation work in your favor.
For example, my current number-one workhorse computer is a 1.33 GHz 17" PowerBook - a model that was introduced in September, 2003, with a list price of U.S.$2999.99. Too rich for my blood in '03, but the price had dropped to $1,499.00 as an Apple Certified Refurbished unit when I purchased it in February, 2006, representing a 50% saving off the price new. Over the ensuing 17 months, the value of this machine has diminished by another $300 or so, which isn't too bad. I'm certainly getting a lot less hosed by depreciation than I would be with a new MacBook or MacBook Pro.
Of course, I'm not getting Core 2 Duo performance, but the G4 is still plenty lively enough for my needs in practical terms, and after 18 months using what is essentially now a nearly four-year-old design, I'm still not feeling at all cramped or that my workflow is being slowed down or inhibited by using this computer for production.
Indeed, I'm still spending a lot of production time (for example right now) on my number two computer, a 550 MHz G4 upgraded Pismo PowerBook, which has truly proved a depreciation-beater, especially for those of us who purchased ours used. I got mine when it was a year old in October, 2001, for the equivalent (it was a trade) of about $1,400.00, and that included auxiliary Zip and SuperDisk expansion bay modules. It's hard to but a value on this computer today, because it's been hotrodded with a RAM upgrade, a G4 processor upgrade, and several other add-ons, it's getting a bit long in the tooth, needs the CCFL backlight tube replaced, and so forth, but it still works great and at this point, who cares? I've gotten so much use out of it, it really owes me nothing.
However, for folks who bought new Pismos back in 2000, they initially depreciated about 45% in the first year.
High-end PowerBooks were traditionally fast depreciators, partly because their prices were artificially inflated to begin with. Early adopters of the high-end WallStreet 292 MHz G3 Series 'Books paid $5,599 for the privilege in 1998. A year later you could buy a refurb. WallStreet 300 MHz machine for $2,000. That represented a mind-numbing $3,600 (64.3 percent) depreciation over ONE YEAR. What other high-ticket consumer commodity depreciates 60 to 70 percent over two years? None that I can think of even comes close.
This freefall depreciation of high-end Apple notebooks has been less pronounced in the aluminum PowerBook and MacBook Pro era. A year-old Revision A 17" MacBook Pro still commands about $1,800 - $2,000 refurbished or used, which is still $800 - $1,000 depreciation over one year, but that's a lot better than $3,600! Of course this partly reflects the lower selling price of high end notebooks these days, but you could still buy a new low-end MacBook and throw it away at the end of a year for only a little more than you will lose on depreciation on a 17" MacBook Pro over the same interval.
Starting at a lower price point is crucial to minimizing the depreciation bite. One way to do this is to buy a computer with a lower price point like a MacBook, so long as it has the power and features to do what you need to do with it.
Another angle is to make depreciation work for you. The flip-side of the depreciation equation is that you can buy a computer that was the cutting edge a year or two ago, and that still has plenty of potential, for a very attractive price today.
Consequently, my provisional philosophy has been to buy low-end if I'm going new, and high-end if I'm buying used or refurbished. I've purchased three brand new 'Books over the past 11 years, and they were all the least-expensive model in their family at the time - a base, grayscale screen PowerBook 5300, a 233 MHz PDQ WallStreet, and a 700 MHz G3 CD-ROM iBook. Conversely, my used/refurb. machines have been high-end spec. models - 500 MHz Pismos and a 17" PowerBook G4. Respectively, I've minimized my depreciation losses on new hardware and maximized my advantage form depreciation when purchasing used.
Works for me.
Does it make sense to buy, say, a refurb 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro for $1,600 when you can get very respectably equipped new 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook $1,099? Maybe. The MacBook Pro still has some very cool features, expandability, and video muscle than you get on the MacBook. Apple Certified Refurbished computers have an identical 12-month warranty and the same AppleCare extension eligibility as new Macs. I've never regretted buying either my Pismo or 17" PowerBook compared with contemporaneous new hardware at the time of purchase.
Early adopters who buy high-end machines - the cutting edge of the cutting edge if you will - have always gotten hosed a lot worse that those who go for the more modest low-end versions of the same model.
One other consideration; one of my offspring bought one of the very last Lombard 333 MHz machines back in February, 2000, and at times regretted not waiting another month and picking up a 400 MHz Pismo with DVD, a 100 MHz system bus, and a full MB of cache for the same money. Apple tends to release notebook revisions fairly reliably in April-May and October-November, so if you are not desperate for a new machine, perhaps the safest plan is to wait until the next new revision is introduced before making your final decision.
On the other hand, buying a computer at the end rather than the beginning of its production run usually means that bugs and teething problems that often afflict early-production units will have been ironed out.
***
cmoore@macopinion.com
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Criticizing Criticisms, Part 1 of 5
As a student of sociology and technology, the iPhone phenomena is fascinating to me. I've been reading everything I can find about the iPhone lately. What's remarkable is how consistent all the reviews and commentary have been. They pretty much rehash the same limitations and criticisms (many without any deep analysis).
Sure, most praise the fantastic interface, but even there most fail to grasp the real significance. (A few have compared the iPhone to the breakthrough of the original Mac OS and I say that's getting closer.)
So let's take a look at the popular criticisms of the iPhone and see what they really mean.
We'll begin by looking at a comment I wrote in a previous column:
If you look at the criticisms of the iPhone, 99% of them are things that only matter to power users.
That should give you my perspective. Though I consider myself a power user -- I've hardly watched live TV since 1988 when I got my first VCR and figured out how to time-shift by using it to record shows -- I am well aware that the vast majority of people are not me and would not put up with technical hassles that I will. Thus I'm always putting people into categories of the technical (a handful of us) and the non-technical (99% of the world), and when I comment on technology, I take that into consideration. What works or doesn't work for the technophile does not mean the technology is appropriate for the average person.
One final aside before I begin my analysis: just because I'm criticizing iPhone criticisms, that does not mean the iPhone is flawless. I will cover iPhone flaws in a different article. Besides, if you disagree with any of my contentions, that's what the feedback comments are for!
So let's take a look at some of the common criticisms of the iPhone. We'll start with the low-hanging fruit and get to more essoteric criticisms later.
The iPhone is expensive.
This is a joke. I'm not saying the iPhone is cheap, but in the world we live in there ain't no free lunch. Everything costs something. Price is relative.
From my perspective, just about everyone in the world drives a more valuable car than me. But I just can't imagine spending $30K or more on a vehicle. Even $20K is steep. I just want something safe and reliable. I don't need a Lexus.
Something is expensive when there's a comparable product available for less. A Lexus is expensive compared to other high-end brands. In the case of the iPhone, there is no comparable product. Yes there are other cellular phones out there, even Internet-capable phones: but none has the iPhone combination of ease-of-use, unique interface, simple computer syncing, built-in iPod, Apple design esthetic, and Mac OS X foundation.
I certainly agree that the iPhone is a high-end product. But look what you are getting: the largest and highest-resolution screen ever for a mobile device, unprecedented software, much higher memory capacity than most phones, built-in camera, WiFi, and Bluetooth, sensors for rotation, light, and proximity, long battery life, a tough glass screen (most devices use cheap plastic), the Apple logo, and Mac OS X (that's a hundred bucks right there).
One must also keep in mind that iPhone combines several devices in one. If an iPod is worth $250 and a smart cell phone $200, that leaves $150 for the operating system, software, and Internet functionality. Not a bad deal. And don't forget that an iPhone -- because it's an iPod and WiFi Internet device -- has significant resale value even without cellular service.
Okay, the iPhone itself is worth the price, but when you tack on the monthly cellular bill, the true cost is $2000 and that's expensive.
Again, I won't say that owning an iPhone is cheap, but blaming network costs on a device is ridiculous. Blame AT&T, not Apple. Blame all the carriers. They are the ones jacking up the prices and ripping people off. The reality is all cell phone plans are outrageously expensive and the industry standard is to lock people into absurd multi-year contracts. That's not Apple's fault. It's unfair to blame the iPhone for the industry's flaws.
The truth is that the iPhone service plan is remarkably reasonable. It's hard to find any cellular plan (short of pre-paid) that is less than $40 a month, so the iPhone is really just an additional $20. For that you get unlimited data service. That's not such a bad deal -- most other carriers charge double that. Yes it might be nice if the iPhone was available without it, but iPhone without Internet is a crippled device, and I can see why both AT&T and Apple do not want that.
Besides, most people are already accustomed to paying their regular cellular bill, so for most the iPhone is a few dollars more a month. For some switching from other networks and used to paying $40/month for data, the iPhone cost is actually less!
The two-year contract with AT&T is unfair.
I don't like the idea of the two-year commitment, but it's really not that big a deal. People commit to these all the time and have long since stopped worrying about it. The early termination fee is about three months of service, so if you really got into a financial pickle it might save you money to terminate instead of continuing to pay the service fee every month.
Besides, as people have posted on the Internet, there are simple ways to activate your iPhone without a contract if you don't want the commitment. (The simplest is to enter all 9's as your social security number so you fail the credit check and go on AT&T pay-in-advance plan.)
The Road Warrior Mailbag - July 30, 2007
Pismo Trackpad
Re: Pismo question
PowerBook Temps
Consumer Electronics Upgrade Addiction vs. Your Retirement Security
Problem with Pismo trackpad
From Sam
Dear Charles,
I am a proud user and owner of the unmatchable G3 PowerBook Pismo. I have enjoyed and appreciate your articles on the Pismo for many years. I too agree that it is one of the best Apple laptops ever.
This weekend I purchased an iPhone and quickly learned it requires a feature absent on my Pismo, a USB 2.0 port.
I have searched the internet and have not found any solution for connecting the two. There is still a good size PowerBook-without-USB-2.0 community out there, so this seems like a great opportunity for an article, discussion, and product.
Is there such a thing as a cable that converts Firewire to USB 2.0? Do you know of a solution to connect an iPhone to a G3 PowerBook (or G4 Cube or G4 Quicksilver or G3 iBook)?
Thank you.
Yours,
Sam
Hi Sam;
You need a USB 2.0 CardBus adapter.
Please see my column: "USB 2.0 For Older CardBus PowerBooks" from last january:
Should tell you what you need to know.
Charles
http://www.macopinion.com/index.php/site/more/usb_20_for_older_cardbus_powerbooks/
From Tyler
Hey Charles!
I bought a Pismo off of eBay about 6 months ago as a backup machine to my MacBook. First of all, what a great machine! I have read your articles since about 2001, and I know you are a big Pismo fan.
Anyway, it was working great until about a week ago. I had used the machine for about an hour, surfing the web and listening to music. I then put the machine to sleep, and didn't use it for a few days. When I woke it up, the trackpad wouldn't respond. Plugging in a USB mouse works, but the PowerBook not longer recognizes the trackpad in the Apple System Profiler, so I believe the trackpad has failed. I zapped the PRAM, and zeroed out the hard drive and did a complete reinstall of Mac OS X, and still no trackpad. I also have a PowerBook G3 (Lombard) that I don't use anymore, and I was wondering if it would be possible to take the upper case (which contains the trackpad) from the Lombard and put it on the Pismo. Do you know if this is possible?
Thanks for your help and keep up the great work! I read most of your work on AppleLinks, MacOpinion, Low End Mac, and PowerBook Central!
Tyler
Hi Tyler;
Interesting. I had never heard of a Pismo trackpad failure before another reader reported one last week.
The cases of the Pismo and Lombard are near-identical, so the Lombard trackpad would have a good chance of fitting the space physically, however the two machines have completely different motherboard designs, so where you might run into trouble would be with the connection of the Lombard trackpad to the Pismo motherboard.
Frankly, I don't know. One suggestion; go to iFixIt.com and compare the respective teardown guides for the two machines. Their illustrations are very good, and it might be discernable as to whether a swap looks doable.
Thanks for the kind words.
Charles
Re: Pismo Trackpad
From Tyler
Hi Charles,
Thanks for the reply. I went ahead and stripped down the Lombard and the Pismo. I turns out there are subtle differences in the top case that make the two incompatible. The two main things where the ribbon cable for the trackpad, and the fact that the Pismo has its AirPort carriage mounted on the top case. That probably wouldn't be a problem if I didn't use AirPort, but I use it everday, so that didn't work out. i went ahead and ordered a new top case off of eBay, so that should hopefully fix it, unless it is a motherboard problem.
Thanks again for your help!
Tyler
Hi Tyler;
I was apprehensive about something like that. For two machines that appear to be almost identical, the Lombard and Pismo are vastly different under the skin.
Hope the eBay part works out for you.
Charles
Re: Pismo Trackpad
From Tyler
Well, this story has a sort of a sad ending. I got the new top case today, and unfortunately, it did not solve the problem. I suppose I could order a new motherboard and see if that fixes it, but I am leaning towards buying a stripped down Pismo off of eBay (with no processor, RAM, hard drive, keyboard, airport, Optical drive, or battery). I would probably just give up on the Pismo altogether, but I have a NewerTech extended life battery for it, as well as a slot loading combo drive. Maybe I will sell it off in pieces and then purchase a first generation 15 inch AlBook for my "extra" laptop.
Thanks for your help!
Tyler
Hi Tyler;
Dreadfully sorry to hear that the replacement trackpad didn't fix the problem. It's looking like a mobo issue.
I don't blame you for being frustrated with Pismos right now, but this sort of trouble is atypical. I think that buying a stripper and swapping your existing bits in is a good approach.
An option to consider is buying one of the batch of Pismos Wegener Media has right now. You could query them as to discounts for leaving components off.
I bought one of these a couple of months ago, and it's in very nice shape.
http://www.wegenermedia.com/pismo4.htm
Charles
From Laurie
OK, so it worked fine for 8 hours.
After a while, the hard drive starts clicking continuously. Like a very loud ticking clock. Then the application hangs up and you can't even force quit. You have to shut down with the power button. Takes several attempts to restart (same loud ticking, hangs up either in grey screen or right after log-in), then when you finally get the desktop, the dock has reverted back to its original icons, except half of them are now question marks, and none of the folders (pictures, music etc,) have icons anymore. Just plain folders. It's OK for an hour or so and then the ticking starts again and... you know the rest.
I've been through this several times today and I'm worn out. I even tried updating Tiger, to no avail. I'm wondering if perhaps Tiger is just too much for the Pismo?
The hard drive is an IBM Travelstar 60GB, 5400RPM, it says "ATA/IDE." I'm on the old Pismo now and am just reading the label on the HD.
Hi Laurie;
Sounds like you might have a defective hard drive. You could try swapping the hard drive from your other Pismo in as a diagnostic test.
I can assure you that Tiger purrs like a kitten on both of my Pismos - one a 500 MHz G3 and the other a 550 MHz G4.
If the hard drive is crapping out it can cause bizarre behavior. However, if it acts the same with another HD in situ, then we would have to begins suspecting bad RAM, a bad processor daughtercard, or even the motherboard, in that order. From what you;re f=describing, I strongly suspect a hardware issue.
Charles
Re: Pismo question
From Laurie
Turns out the hard drive was defective. The seller replaced it with a fairly new 100GB job for $40, installed Tiger for me plus swapped out RAM from the previous Pismo and hooked me up with about $1000 worth of software (I never said that...) He was a doll about it.
So far so good... and now I know that a ticking hard drive means death.
Hi Laurie;
Not always, but it's a sign something is amiss. Sometimes software issues can make a hard disk lose its composure, but your problem did sound like a bad HD. Delighted to hear that you got it sorted out. $40 is a decent price for a 100 GB HD.
Charles
From Neil Anderson
"130 degrees is definitely warm for a Pismo, but not off the charts. Actually, that's what my 17" G4 PowerBook is running right now."
My 15" G4 1GHz PowerBook is running at, according to the iStat Pro widget, 110°. Not bad for a central BC July day.
Consumer Electronics Upgrade Addiction vs. Your Retirement Security
From Neil Anderson
Sobering numbers. With the average lifespan getting longer, most folks are going to have to work longer. Shouldn't be a problem — a lot of young folks have no compunction about not working. 
From Jacek Rochacki
Dear Charles:
With regard to Pismo trackpad problem:
I wonder if the Pismo Hardware Test has been used/runned on this malfunctioning machine. I remember similar problem on one of Pismos at home, and the reason was of software nature.
Unfortunately Laurie didn't tell the version of OS. I presume that it is most probably one of Mac OS versions, but I have found this:
http://lists.debian.org/debian-powerpc/2001/02/msg00147.html
http://lists.debian.org/debian-powerpc/2001/02/msg00148.html
Oh yes I know that Debian is LinuX, but LinuX and Mac OS X are constructed in somehow similar way. And I read there: ...The trackpad is an ADB mouse afaik...Pismo doesn't have the ADB port as such, so the mouse used by Laurie must be USB. Therefore fact that it works or not is not necessarily connected with the state of trackpad.
So the internal ADB "system" must be malfunctioning- software wise (OS, more precisely - trackpad driver - http://lists.apple.com/archives/Darwinos-users/2002/May/msg00022.html
or something hardware wise, or just the trackpad is "broken" itself. The trackpad is removable: we can read on it here:
http://www.powerbookmedic.com/xcart1/files/Powerbook_G3_Pismo_Rep.pdf
I understand, that this:
http://lowendmac.com/pb2/pismo.shtml
Symptom: trackpad responds during boot, but not later.
Solution: disable Kensington Startup ADB extension. ... reading further: ...There is an incompatibility between the Kensington Startup ADB extension and the Trackpad control on the iBook with Mac OS 9.0.4. Symptom: trackpad responds during boot, but not later. Solution: disable Kensington Startup ADB extension. This may also apply to other USB portables and versions of the Mac OS.There is an incompatibility between the Kensington Startup ADB extension and the Trackpad control on the iBook with Mac OS 9.0.4. Symptom: trackpad responds during boot, but not later. Solution: disable Kensington Startup ADB extension. This may also apply to other USB portables and versions of the Mac OS. doesn't apply.
--
I appologize if all above doesn't apply to this case.
As always
Jacek in Poland
Thanks for this Jacek;
I've forwarded your note to Laurie.
Charles
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Cup Half Full or Half Empty?
Let's go back in time one month. Prior to the iPhone launch, financial analysts were not predicting a guaranteed hit. Of course there was reason to suspect the iPhone would be a success -- Apple's iPod track record, the tremendous iPhone interest, Steve Jobs' electrifying keynote demonstration -- but analysts were cautious. After all, this was an expensive device and there were no guarantees that customers would actually rush out to buy a $600 cell phone. Remember all the negatives: two-year contract, AT&T only, no 3G, no keyboard, poor battery life, etc.
There were many who wondered if the iPhone would be a huge flop. Their reasoning was that very few 1.0 products are huge successes: it takes time for a product to mature into usability beyond the "early adopter" crowd. Sure, there would be a large spike of sales the first weekend -- the pent-up demand and Apple's loyal fanbase guaranteed that. But would sales continue? That was the real question.
Back then, I saw articles claiming that Apple might sell as many as 50,000 phones in that first weekend. The interesting thing is that was considered an extraordinary amount for a brand new item in an extremely competitive product category.
As we got closer to the launch date, however, perceptions began to change. The AT&T rate plans were announced and were surprisingly reasonable. People began lining up to buy the phones days in advance. When the first reviews came out (Mossberg and Pogue), they were astonishingly positive. No doubt competitors like Nokia were cursing because their hopes of a flashy-but-flawed device were broken. Suddenly it seemed like the demand for the iPhone was genuine, and not just from a few fanboys.
That's when the sales speculation began. With nothing more than rumors and innuendo for data, analysts began to up their projections: 100K, 150K, 200K. One analyst actually revealed his calculation method: he guesstimated how many minutes a sale would take, multiplied that by a guess at the number of sales clerks in a store, and multiplied that by the number of stores. His assumption, of course, was that the stores would run at maximum capacity -- essentially doing nothing but selling phones for the entire weekend nonstop -- and the result was a 450,000 phone sales mark.
After that the damn broke, and I saw articles claiming 500K as the "expected" number, and others stretched it to 700,000!
Then, as the weekend hit and -- surprisingly -- there were not huge shortages of iPhones, with many stores still having stock Monday morning, the rumor started going around that Apple must have manufactured one million phones in expectation of heavy demand. So that sort of "confirmed" the idea that Apple must have sold a half million or so iPhones: the sales guesses and inventory levels sort of matched.
Forget that Apple had never revealed any inventory amounts, never stated how many units were sent, on average, to their stores or to AT&T stores, nor even speculated at how many iPhones they hoped to sell over the initial weekend.
The bottom line is that the only number Apple has ever stated was a goal of "10 million iPhones sold by the end of 2008." All the other numbers we had were figments of people's imaginations. In other words, wild guesses!
So, this brings us up to Tuesday, when Apple's stock got knocked down about eight percent when AT&T, in their quarterly statement, revealed they'd "only" activated 146,000 units. AT&T's numbers seemed low compared to reports of 500,000+, and a few worried investors sold Apple stock.
Of course this was in just 30 hours, not the whole weekend, and AT&T's initial activation problems were widely reported. The AT&T number also didn't take into consideration phones being bought as gifts or with the intention of reselling on eBay (a plan that flopped for most).
So we still had no idea how many phones were sold.
Then yesterday Apple released their quarterly financial statements. Buried in them was the news that Apple sold 270,000 iPhones in those 30 hours. Horrible, right? Half of the "expected" 500,000 phones?
But wait. Let's look at things more deeply. Actually, it was closer to 20 hours since the Apple Stores were only selling iPhones for six hours on Friday the 29th and (maybe) 14 hours on Saturday. Remember, Apple's sales numbers are only for the quarter, which ended that Saturday night. While AT&T's automated activations could take place all night, Apple's stores were only open during business hours.
Next, let's remember that Apple, like most online merchants, does not charge credit cards until a product ships -- and since online orders had a "2-4 week" ship schedule we can assume that no online orders shipped that weekend. Which means that Apple's quarterly results includes no online orders, and no sales from the rest of the weekend.
How many people were put off by the initial crowds and lines and figured they'd wait, only to hear over the weekend that the lines were gone and Apple still had phones in stock? Those people might have gone out on Sunday or Monday to pick up their iPhones!
Finally, do the weekend sales really matter? The analysts all got caught up in the numbers game, but would it matter if Apple sold 70,000 over the weekend and 200,000 on Monday? No. What's significant is how many Apple has sold overall, not just in one weekend.
Some might think the initial weekend is a good number to know because it gives us an idea of the appeal, but with six month's anticipation and hype over the product, judging long-term demand by one fervid weekend is a giant mistake. No matter what the first weekend's numbers are an anomaly. Sales will obviously cool after that initial surge and the real question is, "How many iPhones continue to be sold today?"
The answer is: we don't know. Apple hasn't told us. Apple did report that they are on target for one million iPhones to be sold in the iPhone's first quarter (end of September). That sounds like a much more reasonable number. I think Apple will beat it (they might have already, for all we know), but it's a solid, conservative, and totally reachable goal. It also fits in perfectly with their 10 million goal. And keep in mind, not only is this iPhone 1.0, but it's also USA-only: with Europe and Asia to come, Apple's got a lot of room left for iPhone growth.
Remember, it took Apple nearly two years to sell one million iPods. Granted, the iPhone is building on the iPod's foundation, but it's also a different category of product, and it's much more expensive (especially when you total in the monthly service fees). A million iPhones in their first quarter is phenomenal, and 270,000 -- over a quarter million -- in less than 24 hours is insanely great. Savvy investors will realize that it is the long-term numbers we care about, not one weekend's results.
I have no idea what this news will do to Apple's stock. Judging from how the AT&T announcement made it drop, it might well slip a bit, at least temporarily. But the iPhone reality check is complicated by the fact that Apple announced record-breaking revenue and profits in their non-iPhone businesses. Keep in mind that Apple is spreading the revenue of iPhones across a 24-month period (because Apple receives a portion of iPhone service payments from AT&T), so this quarter's results only include about $5 million in iPhone revenue. This means that despite all the excitement and hype over the iPhone, Apple's other businesses are doing exceptionally well -- and people should be buying Apple stock for those other reasons, not just in the hopes that iPhones will be successful.
Apple reported revenue of $5.41 billion and net quarterly profit of $818 million on the best Mac sales in company history: over 1.7 million Macs sold, up 33% from a year ago. Sales of iPods were solid at nearly 10 million, a 21% increase from last year.
This is Apple's best June quarter in history and in normal circumstances would make the stock stronger. If people are smart, they'll buy more.
However, the iHype surrounding the iPhone makes things complicated. Some feel the stock already grew a lot based on iPhone speculation and this reality check means the stock has peaked.
But smarter investors should realize why the iPhone is important: just like the iPod brought more customers to Apple who have started purchasing Macs and other products, the iPhone will create even more Apple fans. Ultimately it's not about how many iPhones Apple sells, but the total Apple picture. If Apple's other businesses -- Macs, music, etc. -- benefit from iPhone it's a double win for the company. Such product synergy is a dream for most companies and creates tremendous growth. Savvy investors know this and shouldn't be speculating on Apple just because of the iPhone, but because of Apple as a business.
Another couple critical things to remember that tend to get lost in all the numbers: AT&T reported 40% of their iPhone activations were "switchers" from other carriers, and Apple said that half of their Mac sales were to people new to the Mac platform. Those numbers are huge. Most companies would love it if 10% to 20% of their customers were stolen from their competitors, so Apple and AT&T have got to be thrilled at their growth rates. These numbers bode well for the future. Don't forget the iPhone's astronomical satisfaction rating (90% are happy with it): this is just the beginning.
The bottom line is Apple's businesses are doing extremely well, especially when you compare them to most PC makers. I'd say buy more stock, but then again, I'm not an analyst. But perhaps that's a good thing. (Warning: I do own a little Apple stock.)
iPhones Are for Old Fogies?
[ A side note. For those of you wondering where Less Tangible has been, I've been writing a slew of iPhone articles that have been published on Applelinks. If you missed them, check them out, including my multi-part iPhone review. You should specifically check out my iDay and iPhone Loophole articles, which explain how I ended up with an iPhone. -- Marc ]
Of the half-dozen or so personal acquaintances I know who have bought iPhones (including myself), only one is under the age of 35. This struck me as unsual. I haven't seen any hard numbers on iPhone buying patterns, but you'd think that something as high-tech as the iPhone would primarily appeal to the younger crowd. So why are old fogies buying iPhones?
There are a number of reasons. For instance, the iPhone is not cheap. (I refuse to say it's expensive, because it's not when you consider what you are getting.) Young people usually have less income than older folks, so while a ton of youth are currently lusting after the iPhone, it may take a while before they can save the dough to buy one. (It was genius of Apple to release the iPhone early in the summer -- just think of all the high school and college kids working this summer so they can go back to school in the fall with a gleaming new iPhone!)
Another possibility is that the iPhone -- like much technology today -- is the middle age crisis equivalent of a sports car. An older person, wanting to feel hip and young again, and show off a bit, comes home with an iPhone or plasma TV, not a Corvette. In that kind of comparison, the iPhone is cheap!
But the primary reason older people are buying the iPhone is because it's easy to use. That's it. It's that simple. Ease of use is the "killer app" of the iPhone.
Yes, the iPhone is being compared to traditional "smartphones" -- that's because like them it is multi-functional: it surfs the web, handles email, manages contacts, and is a media device. But regular smartphones are way, way, way too complicated for the average person, and that's even more true of busy, non-technical, older people.
This doesn't mean older people are stupid. Older people just don't have the patience of the young when it comes to technology. Something either just works or it gets dumped in the trash, end of story. An older person has experienced life and knows what's important and what's not. An older person knows the value of time, for instance, and knows that time is priceless and can never be retrieved, while money is renewable. An older person isn't wowed by trends and fads, but values elegance and wants simplicity and reliability.
If you look at the criticisms of the iPhone, 99% of them are things that only matter to power users. For the average user, who is not that technical and doesn't need -- or even want -- all the options and configuration mess of a traditional smartphone, the iPhone is the ideal device. Its fantastic touch-screen interface keeps things elegantly simple: only the buttons you need right now are available. All the other functions are hidden, not distracting you with reminders that they exist.
Yet despite its simplicity, the iPhone is a tremendously powerful device. Granted, version 1.0 has some significant limitations for power users, but for most people the iPhone is a breakthrough device. In fact, I'd argue that it's the most powerful phone in the world -- not based on feature count, but simply because it's so easy to use all of the features it has that those features will actually get used. What good is a phone with an impressive feature list if the thing is too dang hard to figure out? I bet most smartphone users hardly use a fraction of their phone's features!
Now when I say "ease of use" I'm not just talking the phone itself. I'm talking about the entire ecosystem: phone + computer + media. If the iPhone's interface is a home run, the ecosystem is where Apple hits the ball off the planet. No one else can come close to Apple here.
Most phones -- even the smartest ones -- have issues with syncing information with computers. There are many reasons for this: bad software, too many options, excessive complexity, a poor interface, etc. Apple makes it easy. You don't even have to press a button -- just plug it in!
Best of all, this is an easy sell because people already know it's easy because an iPhone syncs just like an iPod.
What other device maker would think to sync not just your address book, but all your email settings (configuration and password)? Who else would automatically back up your entire iPhone each time you sync so you can easily restore your iPhone?
No, Apple doesn't sync with every software program out there, but it works with the main ones most people use. For 95% of the world, Apple's sync is the best and easiest. Even my mom can sync her iPhone -- and loves having all her contacts (phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, even birthdays) on both her phone and her MacBook.
The iPhone was not designed for any specific age group. It was designed for people. It makes the complex simple, and truth be told, that appeals to everyone, even technophiles.
The iPod was a monster product. It appealed to a wide range of people because it made managing digital music easy for anyone. But music -- especially music all the time, everywhere -- is of primary appeal to youth. Older folks just aren't that into music and don't have to have it always with them (though it's a nice bonus).
Thus I predict the iPhone will be even more successful because it handles much more than just music (contact information, photo collection, emails, data, the Internet, etc.). The iPhone offers something for everyone. It's a more practical, more useful product than a mere music player. As the costs come down and 2.0 and 3.0 devices are born, you watch: iPhone will become the best-selling electronics product in the world. All because it appeals to old fogies.
Why Apple Needs A Tablet And Better Handwriting Recognition In OS X
Reader David Walker wrote explaining why he prefers the iPhone to carrying a portable computer. You can read our conversation thread in yesterday's The Road Warrior Mailbag.
I didn't intend to my argument to imply a slam against the iPhone, only that for me, at least, I'm not ready (and probably never will be) to give up the comprehensive features set and input facility of a notebook computer for mobile use. However, that doesn't mean there's no room for a advances and innovation in this context, such as tablet computers.
By coincidence, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald's technology columnist Pat D'Entrement's piece on Sunday was about how he has converted to using a PC tablet computer to consolidate all of his note-taking and other office computing needs on one machine that functions as a regular laptop for traditional computing tasks, but also morphs into a tablet computer capable of accepting handwritten input on its screen using a stylus.
D'Entrement says that Windows' handwriting recognition is amazingly accurate even with his self-described "atrocious" handwriting, and that handwritten input combined with Microsoft's OneNote Software (part of Office for Windows) has revolutionized his data input, storage, management, and retrieval habits.
Apple needs capability like this, but has thus far shunned the tablet computer category. It's not that there appears to be any daunting technical roadblock to development of a tablet Mac. Indeed, the only new "Mac" hardware introduced had Macworld Expo in January, was a third-party tablet device, based on the MacBook, the Axiotron ModBook, designed by a California based team of German and American engineers, to be marketed exclusively by Other World Computing.
However, ModBook does have a pedigree in Apple engineering, since Axiotron's co-founder Andreas Haas was part of Apple's Newton PDA team prior to the company terminating Newton sales and development.
Both the ModBook's top shell and the interior display frame are built from top grade, aircraft quality magnesium alloy, giving the ModBook superior structural strength for almost every situation. Its satin textured top shell plated with chrome over a set of copper and nickel layers provides for a scratch resistant and attractive finish, while also offering effective protection against oxidation.
Both the LCD panel and the built-in iSight camera are protected by replaceable screen covers made from chemically strengthened ForceGlass. Compared to cheaper non-glass-based solutions found in most tablet computers, Axiotron ForceGlass provides superior optical and aging properties as well as far improved scratch resistance.
The display screen cover is treated on both sides for optimized optical properties. The LCD facing (in)side features an anti-reflective coating to increase the light transmissivity for a brighter image. The user-facing (out)side has been acid treated to achieve an etched surface, carefully calibrated to match the display resolution. This is claimed to provide a crisp, "paper-like" writing feel, while keeping perceived haze and glare to a minimum.
The Axiotron ModBook is built using digitizer technology from WACOM, and supports the following performance specs.:
• Speed - 133 position updates per second
• Accuracy - 20x display resolution
• Sensitivity - 512 pressure levels
• Efficiency - No batteries required
The included ModBook Digitizer Pen stylus features 2 programmable side buttons plus an eraser, and ships with 3 different types of replaceable pen tips, which if used on the acid etched surface of the Axiotron ForceGlass, offer a wider range of drawing styles and sensations. The Pencil Nib, the most durable nib, is most commonly used in pen tablets and TabletPCs and is designed to provide a hard and direct drawing feel. The Studio Nib is the default tip in the ModBook Digitizer Pen and essentially a spring-loaded variation of the Pencil Nib, offering a different feel in controlling the 512 pressure levels. The Felt Nib's marker-type material maximizes friction on the ModBook's acid etched ForceGlass surface, resulting in a paper-like drawing experience.
Users will also be able to write with their hand resting on the screen. This technology also allows the cursor to be controlled while the pen is hovering over the screen, providing for an intuitive, mouse-like interface with a zero learning curve.
In a nutshell, he Axiotron/OWC ModBook takes a standard MacBook and adds true pen input, a new 13.3" wide screen LCD and an optional Global Positioning System in a tough, satin chrome plated Aircraft-grade magnesium top shell, while retaining all the powerful features of the MacBook base system, complete with Mac OS X and its built-in Inkwell handwriting recognition, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Apple's integrated iSight camera and a CD/DVD combo drive or optional DVD SuperDrive.
Mac OS X has actually supported handwriting recognition since the release of version 10.2 Jaguar. Apple's Inkwell technology, based on software originally developed for the late, lamented, Newton PDA, allows OS X to accept a handwritten (or at least hand block capital - it can't read cursive script efficiently), and convert it to editable computer text, provided you have a graphics tablet such as the several products manufactured by Wacom, or of course a ModBook. Inkwell also facilitates extended control of the system through gesture recognition.
The concept of tablet computers has long intrigued me, partly because I battle flare-ups of typing pain, while I find longhand writing much less aggravating to my nerves and tendons than typing. I've experimented with OS X Inkwell using a Wacom tablet and stylus, but I find writing on the tablet with output on the computer screen clumsy and counterintuitive. I also have a scrawly hand, and often find it a challenge to decipher my own script, which is not the best for longhand inputting of computer text. Unfortunately, Apple has pretty much ignored Inkwell after adding it to OS X 10.2. My results with Inkwell have been "mixed" to say the leas, compared with Pat D'Entrement's reported high satisfaction using a PC tablet computer and Windows' superior handwriting recognition support.
By the way, if Inkwell is an OS X feature that has eluded your notice, that's because the Ink preference panel only appears when a graphics tablet is connected to the computer.
ModBook is offered in 2.0 Core 2 Duo and 2.16 C2D models at $2,279.00 and $2,579.00 respectively. Specifications include all the standard MacBook stuff, plus:
• AnyView 13.3" Wide Screen
• ForceGlass Screen & Camera Cover
• WACOM Penabled Digitizer with 512 Levels of Pressure Sensitivity
• Axiotron Digitizer Pen
• WAAS enabled GPS (optional on 2.0 GHz model)
ModBook will also be available as a Mod-kit for converting your standard MacBook into a tablet computer. Since both the kit and assembled products are strictly speaking after-market conversions which void Apple's standard warranty, Other World Computing includes a one year warranty that can be extended up to three years,
Unfortunately, nearly eight months after it was announced, the ModBook is still not shipping, and OWC currently estimates shipping, originally slated for April, then moved back to June, and later July, will now commence in 4th-Quarter 2007. For more information, visit:
http://www.macsales.com/modbook
As near as I can evaluate sight unseen, I think I would very much like using a ModBook, and I wish Axiotron and OWC well with their venture, and it sounds like it will be an attractive and capable tablet solution for determined and patient Mac OS fans, it will still be hobbled by OS X's mediocre handwriting support, and the Mac OS platform really needs an Apple-developed convertible notebook/tablet with improved Inkwell handwriting recognition software comparable to the The Microsoft handwriting-recognition engine in Windows XP and Vista.
In Windows Vista, instead of having to print or change your handwriting to get better handwriting recognition results, you can train the handwriting recognizer to recognize how you write characters and words. You can provide handwriting samples to teach the handwriting recognizer about your writing style and specific recognition errors to target. Using the handwriting recognition personalization tool increases the likelihood that your handwriting will be recognized correctly by Input Panel and by programs for the Tablet PC that use handwriting recognition.
Vista's automatic learning feature also enables the handwriting recognizer to learn your handwriting style or vocabulary by collecting data about the words you use and how you write them. The personalization occurs behind the scenes, without user interaction. OS X Inkwell supports nothing close to this level. For the full skinny on Vista's Tablet PC support, visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/tabletpc.mspx
As for other software support for tablet computing, Microsoft has not seen fit to include one note in the MS Office for Mac software suite. The Atlantic Monthly's technology columnist James Fallows also gave OneNote an enthusiastic thumbs up in the the June, 2007, issue observing that it can handle almost any kind of information - Web clippings, PDFs, audio or video files, straight text, - and index it for quick retrieval, as well as having "an elegant feature that make the capturing information utterly painless. When something you want to save is on your computer screen, you can press a button to" print" that blog posting - or photo, or e-mail, or online receipt - to your OneNote file. It's like storing paper documents in folders, except that it's faster, easier, and more reliable when you look for the material later on."
Sounds great, tablet or no tablet, but Fallows says the nearest thing he can think of supporting the Mac is the new research and writing application, Scrivener, which I haven't had an opportunity to check out yet.
Am I seriously tempted by tablet computing on the Windows side? Not really, I detest Windows, but one has to concede that tablets and handwriting recognition are another couple of things Windows PCs do better than the Mac OS. Pity.
***
cmoore@macopinion.com
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
The Road Warrior Mailbag - July 23, 2007
A question about Ti paint
Why The Notebook Still Rules, iPhone Notwithstanding
From Laurie Russo
Hey Charles,
Don't know if you remember me, I was the one last year who bought the Pismo off eBay and it literally went up in smoke.
I've been on the Apple Support Forums and have had no luck, that's when I realized I should have come to you! Long story short, the trackpad has suddenly stopped responding. Everything's fine with a mouse attached, but obviously that's not ideal. Is this fixable for an affordable price? I called Tekserve and they said no, but as much as I trust them, that doesn't seem likely to me. And I am NO GOOD at dealing with a computer's insides. I will destroy it if I even try.
Any advice you can give would be great. Besides the fact that it runs at 130 degrees after it's been on for more than 10 minutes (I installed Temperature Monitor, which I read about in your column), I love this thing... and I can't afford yet another computer.
Best,
Laurie
Hi Laurie;
Yes, I remember our exchange last year.
Your trackpad problem could be something as simple as a loose ribbon cable, more likely a bad trackpad circuit, or even a motherboard problem. Other than the first possibility, paying a service tech to diagnose and repair this fault would quickly exceed what the computer is worth, so the Tekserv folks were being responsible.
And if you're not handy with computer internals, a trackpad repair is not the place to start learning.
What I would suggest is to try and find another Pismo cheap. Wegener Media has a bunch of them, and you might be able to persuade them to sell you just the computer core at a discount and then you could swap in the battery, optical drive, power adapter, and perhaps even the RAM and hard drive from your present Pismo.
Another option would be to pick up a 500 Mhz or 600 MHz G3 iBook, models which are selling in the $200 range.
130 degrees is definitely warm for a Pismo, but not off the charts. Actually, that's what my 17" G4 PowerBook is running right now.
Charles
Re: Pismo question
From Laurie Russo
Yikes. That's what I was afraid you'd say. I've had this machine for a scant year and spent $600
Some dude on Craigslist is selling a 500/640/60GB/DVD for $200... I'm going to do my best to be the first one there with the cash, because I'm totally in love with the Pismo.
Thanks, as always, for your expert advice!
Laurie
Hi Laurie;
Sounds like a good deal if it's in decent working condition, and of course you have your present Pismo for a parts mule.
Charles
From Anthony Connors
Dear Charles;
I figured if ANYONE would know about this, you would!
My question is this; Is there ANY 'touch-up' paint kits that you would recommend for the finish on the Titanium PowerBookG4? Is Apple planning on offering a 'touch-up' service similar to the power adapter program(the 'Wallstreet' Series)?
I'm sorry, I should explain. The silery finish has worn easily around where I press the mouse button.
Thanks again!
Anthony Connors
P.S. The iKlear wipes worked great, thank you!!
Hi Anthony;
Delighted to hear that the iKlear worked out well for you.
As for TiBook touchup paint, here is a possible solution:
http://www.welovemacs.com/0155044349.html
I haven't used this product, but it looks promising.
This article may also be of interest:
Charles
http://www.macmod.com/content/view/568/192/
Why The Notebook Still Rules, iPhone Notwithstanding
From David Walker
The rise of the ultraportable notebook in the Windows PC world appears to be proof that handhelds cannot replace full fledged computers. However, the majority of people have no need to carry a computer around with them all the time. In the everyday life of the average consumer a device like the iPhone makes much more sense. I certainly don't need a notebook with me while I shop, but the ability to look up more information on a product, check the price at a competing store, get a map to find recommended help, etc. would be terrific. If that was all available in a pocket sized device with long battery life I'd carry it with me all the time. That's the promise of the iPhone and why it will soon surpass the Mac as the best selling OS X product.
Unlike you I see no need for a notebook computer in my life. I have a desktop computer at home and one at work. Rarely do I need to move data from one to the other, but 160GB mobile HDs and VPN access more than suffice. I'm intrigued that you listed ergonomics as the primarly reason for using a notebook over a handheld because I see that as a major reason to use a desktop over a notebook.
Also unlike you I've not been pleased with the performance of notebooks over the years. They've always felt slow and the battery life has never lived up to the claims. I'm also addicted to large screens, something that only recent PowerBooks and MacBooks have supported.
Hi David;
I didn't intend to imply that the iPhone is not useful, but was responding to the notion that the personal computer era is over and that the future is in handheld devices.
Handhelds certainly have a bright future, but they will not replace the PC - especially laptops, which continue to gain marketshare. I'm skeptical that the iPhone will outsell the Mac anytime in the foreseeable future, but wish Apple well in continuing what has been an auspicious product launch.
As for notebooks vs. desktops, it's another of those neverending dialectics, and one's preference is of course partly a matter of taste. As I noted in the article, I have never been able to discern any reason why I would want to use a desktop machine for my particular computing needs since I bought my first PowerBook back in '96, but I know some folks like 'em.
My reference to ergonomics in the article was relative to the iPhone, which a laptop beats hands-down for typing. When I'm using my laptops at a desktop workstation I connect an external keyboard and pointing device(es), and mount the computer on a notebook stand, which takes care of the desktop ergonomics, and I can switch to laptop mode by disconnecting a few cables.
I have a 17" PowerBook, but I'm not really a big-screen junkie, and am quite happy for the most part working with the 1024 x 768 displays in my Pismos and iBook. Battery life? I have three extended life batteries for the Pismo, which cumulatively provide me with at least 12 hours of uninterrupted computing.
I find it hard to imagine anyone bit an uber power-user being dissatisfied with the speed of a Santa Rosa MacBook Pro
Thanks for your comment.
Charles
Re: Why The Notebook Still Rules, iPhone Notwithstanding
From David Walker
The MacBook Pro is quite the machine. I've had the opportunity to use a Core 2 Duo model at work and find it very quick. Having said that a desktop PC with equivalent horsepower is roughly half the price, something Apple could do if they wanted to.
I also like desktops for the ease of upgrading components, particularly the HD. In the last 10 years I've had three HDs die on me in unrecoverable ways. Fortunately none of them were my primary drive at the time. To keep my data safe I replace my HD every year and use the old drive as a backup. That's easy and affordable in the desktop world.
I find one large display is great for home, but inadequate for work where I need to have iChat, Mail and often 3 documents created with 3 different apps visible at once. When things get really hectic I even see value in Windows' approach of embedding a menu bar in each window. Having to move the mouse and my attention off one screen and onto another just to access the menu can be frustrating.
Hi David;
I think Apple is correct in steering clear of the low-profit cheapo PC end of the market. Macs are cheaper than they ever were, and I condsidered them a good value (I'm still using a seven year old Pismo as my number two computer in daily service) at the older, higher prices.
You have a point about easy upgrading, but the MacBook (not the Pro) is very easy to swap hard drives in, and I can change the HD in a Pismo in about ten minutes with only a couple of screwdrivers. In15 years of computing with Macs, I've had two HD failures, both brand-new drives with less than 100 hours on them - one a 2.5" drive in an external FireWire housing, and the other a 3.5" desktop drive. I'm on my computers at least 10 hours a day.
Monitor size is partly a matter of taste and work habits. I use windowshading and the Hide command extensively.
Charles
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Why The Notebook Still Rules, iPhone Notwithstanding
Among more than 1,000 corporate respondents comparing mobile access via a handheld device to remote notebook access more than twice as many favored the notebook over the handheld option.
In the article, Collins speculates that the reason for this preference may be that mobile email is no longer an adequate support for a remotely accessible corporate presence, and many users need access to a wider pool of applications. Another possibility cited is that the majority of people who need laptops these days have them, lessening the need for handheld connectivity.
Personally, it's no contest. For me, relying only on a handheld, even a powerful, comprehensively-featured device like the iPhone or one of the newer Blackberries, simply involves too many compromises. Which is why I'm extremely skeptical of the assertion that "the PC era is over" with smartphone handhelds representing the future.
No way.
The biggest reason is simply ergonomics. You can make machines smaller, but people remain the same size, with the same visual acuity. Doing serious work with teeny-tiny keyboards or touchscreens is simply not practical or efficient, and extensive Web surfing on a display the size of the iPhone's an exercise in eyestrain and frustration. Even on the road, I want a real, full-size keyboard and trackpad and a display that doesn't make me squint.
It may not be stimulating enough for cutting-edge junkies, but the basic laptop computer form factor is pretty difficult to improve on as a mobile production and communications platform, which is why there have been no really radical innovations in laptop technology over the past decade. For Mac laptops, the 1998 WallStreet pretty much laid down the paradigm that we find in the latest MacBooks and MacBook Pros, with changes and additions (and some subtractions, alas - removable device expansion bays and daughtercard-mounted processors were great) being evolutionary rather than evolutionary.
With a modern notebook, you have an astonishing amount of computing and communications power in a remarkably compact package. Unless you are an out and out power-user, there is very little you can do with a desktop tower that can't be executed with a notebook. It's a point that struck me in about the first half-hour using my first PowerBook back in 1996. I had bought the PowerBook anticipating that it would serve as an auxiliary to my desktop Mac, but the opposite obtained from the get-go, with the PowerBook immediately taking on the role of my number one workhorse computer, and I've never gone back to using a desktop as my primary Mac. The newest desktop that I have is a late-'90s UMAX SuperMac S-900 with a 200 MHz 604e processor.
And of course my current number one Mac, a getting long in the tooth but still tremendously capable 1.33 GHz G4 PowerBook, is vastly more satisfactory in its role than that 1996 PowerBook 5300 ever was, and I still find it tremendously gratifying that I can essentially contain my entire computing orbit in this small package, tuck it in a computer bag or backpack, and use it to enter and access my normal work environment anywhere I happen to be, especially of there's a WiFi hot spot handy. To me, this is a lot cooler than what is possible with any handheld device.
A lot of other people evidently think so too. PC Mag is reporting this week that in mid-2006, more laptops were shipped than desktop PCs for teh first time (if I recall accurately, Apple passed this tipping point back in 2001 or 2002). PC Mag notes that "What's even more interesting is that this trend is only getting stronger. There's a lot of activity in laptop computing today, as the focus shifts toward increased mobility. The reason for this is relatively obvious. Laptops provide computer users with much more flexibility. And now that they're cheaper than ever, the need for a full-fledged desktop computer has diminished.
This is not to say there's no potential for crossover convergence between laptop and handheld devices. Indeed, a big hole in Apple's portable lineup for the past 14 months or so has been the lack of a road warrioring subnotebook since the 12" PowerBook was discontinued at the introduction of the MacBook. Rumors continue to swirl about a forthcoming MacBook Pro in the subnotebook category, which may be very light (under three pounds), have NAND flash solid state memory instead of a hard drive for storage, and maybe (I'm skeptical but not dismissive about this one) even touchscreen functionality.
It is perhaps a bit fanciful to speculate that such a machine might also have full iPhone-type wireless communications capability built-in, although there should be no technical reason why it couldn't be. However, Apple would probably be reluctant to do that because it would cannibalize iPhone sale to a degree.
Phone or no phone, a sub three pound MacBook Pro with flash memory would be pretty much a slam-dunk hot seller, as continued demand and high resale prices for the 12" G4 PowerBook indicate. There's a lot of pent-up demand, and certainly lost sales to the PC side, where a selection of subnotebooks is available until Apple fills this gap.
However, a MacBook Pro mini or whatever it might eventually be called would not be Apple's first computer blurring the distinction between handheld and laptop devices. Mac veterans will recall the Apple Newton eMate 300, produced for just a scant 11 months in 1997 - '98.
The eMate wasn't a Mac - it used Apple's Newton 2.1 OS - but it had a laptop form factor, and featured a 25 MHz ARM 710a processor, 8 MB of ROM, 3 MB of RAM (1MB of DRAM, 2 MB of Flash Memory for user storage), a PCMCIA slot, and IrDA-beaming capabilities, and and standard Macintosh serial/LocalTalk ports.
The eMate 300 was packaged in a funky-styled and super-rugged translucent aquamarine and black clamshell case (stylistic resonances of which lived on in the original clamshell iBooks) with a 480x320 16-shade grayscale backlit LCD touchscreen display that could be used either Newton PDA style with a stylus or laptop-style with a built-in conventional keyboard, and came bundled with a suite of built-in software applications including a word processor, draw program, spreadsheet, graphing calculator, address book, calendar functions, and more. It could also run hundreds of applications that had been developed for Newton 2.0.
The eMate 300 also had TCP/IP capabilities for Internet and email access. A very cool characteristic of the eMate was that it could provide up to 24 hours of continuous use without recharging, depending on usage, according to Apple.
Measuring 12.0" x 11.4" x 2.1" and weighing in at four pounds, the eMate 300 was heavier than the MacBook Pro subnotebook is anticipated to be if and when it materializes, and the eMate was lighter, but not smaller than either the contemporaneous subnotebook PowerBook Duos and PowerBook 2400s, or the 12" PowerBooks and iBooks that followed. The eMate was, however, a lot cheaper than any PowerBook available at the time, selling for US$800.00.
If you think you might like to own one of these somewhat esoteric but as it turns out considerably ahead of its time pieces of Apple history, CustomMacs.com has some available for a modest $89.99. You can check it out here:
http://www.custommacs.com/store.html
And if you're at all handy, no need to be concerned about battery availability. Check out this tutorial:
http://www.hackcanada.com/homegrown/palmpilot/emate/battery/index.html
The eMate 300 gave us a brief but tantalizing taste of what is possible with flash memory subnotebooks. With a decade of technological advancement since its introduction and the power of Mac OS X, Apple should be able to give us a truly paradigm-busting and awesome handheld/laptop crossover device if they choose to. Let's hope they do.
***
cmoore@macopinion.com
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
The Road Warrior Mailbag - July 16, 2007
From The Archives - Computer Chemical Health Hazards
Current list of low toxic laptops
From Don R Paladin
Hi Charles,
I have run off your article on MCS and "toxic" chemical emissions. Like yourself, I am very sensitive to many chemicals. I watch TV on a 20+ year old TV set ... and have had a laptop that was not much of a problem ... and bought the newer model with a fan .
Do you know of a current list of the least toxic laptop models? An MCS friend in Victoria BC is going to buy a new laptop. I know you are Apple oriented ... but I thought at one time there was a list floating on the web. I thought it had been emailed on one of the MCS discussion lists I belong to.
Anyway, GREAT article! Thanks for sharing your wisdom ... and a solution.
Don R Paladin
http://wsmcsn.s5.com
Hi Don;
If there is such a list, I'm not aware of it.
The thing is that nearly all laptops these days - Mac or PC - are made by a handful of subcontractors in Taiwan and China, so the toxicity and emissions characteristics across brands are unlikely to be substantial.
Apple's MacBook Pros with their anodized aluminum housings would have the advantage of fewer plastics to gas off, but in practical terms metal-skinned 'Books still smell pretty bad. It's definitely an issue with my 17"PowerBook.
Asus has announced that it will build a "green" laptop for the European market at least, but based on what I've read about it, they are concentrating on heavy metals and flame-retardant content, which is to the good, but doesn;t really address the immediate issues MCS people have with computers, which is off-gassing of plastics and phenolic resin fumes.
Asus builds MacBooks for Apple, and they're pretty smelly.
You can read more about their green laptop initiative here:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Asus-shows-the-green-laptop-12094.shtml
Charles
Re: Current list of low toxic laptops
From Don R Paladin
Hi Charles,
Thank you for your response. May I have your permission to forward your response to my list? I have already sent a link (several times) to your page on MCS and computers. I am grateful that you are out there writing about this important topic (for us with MCS who would like access to a computer.).
Thanks.
Don
Hi Don;
Permission happily granted, and thanks for the links.
Charles
From The Archives - Computer Chemical Health Hazards
Don's is the only Mailbag entry this week, so for an archive selection I'm posting an article on the same topic as his letter, which was originally published on Applelinks June 11, 2004. Some of the links to resources may be stale, but (regrettably) it is still quite topical. The chemical emissions from computers issue is if anything worse today than it was three years ago.
CM
Computer Chemical Health Hazards (And Some Workarounds) [Originally published June 11, 2004]
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, with which I and an unfortunately growing community of others are afflicted, makes one's relationship with computers a bittersweet affair. On the one hand, a computer connected to the Internet is a means of communication and a tool for interaction with a chemically-polluted world that many of us are obliged to keep at arm's length.
The other side of the coin for some of us struggling with this illness is that computers contain a lot of plastics, and plastics tend to gas off chemical vapors. Computers, especially newer ones, also tend to run hot, which amplifies their chemical emissions.
However, computers may also be a significant health hazard to people who are not environmentally ill. Last week, a report released by a coalition of environmental advocacy groups including the Computer Take-Back Campaign (CTBC), Clean Production Action (CPA), and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition said that in the first nationwide tests for brominated flame retardants in dust swiped from computers, neurotoxic chemicals were found on every computer sampled. The highest levels found were a form of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) called deca-BDE — one of the most widely used fire retardant chemicals used in the electronics industry.
The report abstract notes:
"These results indicate that there is exposure to certain brominated flame retardants and that computers are likely to be a significant source of deca-BDE exposure in the dust of homes, offices, schools, and businesses. There is evidence that these chemicals could be hazardous to human health. All exposures, no matter how small, are of concern because deca-BDE is a bioaccumulative substance. This means that multiple exposures to low levels of deca-BDE add up over time and build up in the body. There is no safe dose associated with these chemicals...."
The report goes on to note that Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), especially PBDEs, are persistent in the environment and contaminate the food chain, building up in the body tissues of animals, and people.
"The capacity of PBDEs to bioaccumulate in fatty tissue and biomagnify up the food chain, in combination with their persistence and toxicity make this class of chemicals of high concern to the environment and human health. PBDEs and related compounds are turning up just about everywhere scientists look for them, up and down the food chain, in sediments, beluga whales, seals, bird eggs, and human milk, serum and adipose tissue.
"Of grave concern is the research showing that women in North America have the highest levels globally of these chemicals in their breast milk and evidence continues to mount about their effect on the neurological and endocrine systems. These levels are doubling every two to five years in the North American population."
This isn't the first time flame-retardant chemicals have been identified as a health hazard associated with computers. Another flame retardant chemical known to emit from computer monitors is triphenyl phosphate, which is known to trigger allergic reactions in some people such as itching, nasal congestion, and headaches. A Swedish study led by Conny Ostman of Stockholm University was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, a peer-reviewed publication of the American Chemical Society, found that triphenyl phosphate emissions levels dropped sharply after eight days of continuous operation, but remained 10 times higher than the background level even after 183 days - roughly the equivalent of two years of normal use.
"Even in offices with adequate ventilation, this compound could be a potential hazard for computer users," Ostman is quoted saying.
Ostman's team found that some monitors contained as much 10 percent of the allergenic compound, but that concentrations seemed to vary among various manufacturing plants, and may also be different at various times within the plants, which could explain my personal experience of reacting severely to one example of a particular computer model, but not to another seemingly identical one.
You can read more about the Swedish research here.
There are reportedly about 175 different types of chemical flame retardants. About 40% of PBDEs are used in the outer casings of computers, printers and televisions and by far the largest volume PBDE mixture used as a flame retardant has been deca-BDE. Two of the three forms of PBDEs —penta- and octa-BDE— will be taken off the market by the end of 2004, but deca-BDE and other brominated flame retardants will continue to be used in the United States.
In the CTBA (et al.) survey, the highest single deca-BDE sample came from a new flat screen monitor in a university office with no other computers, and the researchers note that "computers that use brominated flame retardants, are likely to be a source of exposure and add to the growing body of evidence showing that deca-BDE is quickly becoming one of the most abundant congeners found in samples of indoor dust."
The report further notes that an international European convention on toxics has placed the entire class of brominated flame retardants on their list of hazardous materials targeted for phase-out, and that several European countries, including Norway, Germany and Sweden, have introduced legislation that will require companies to replace BFRs with safer alternatives. The European Union recently banned the use of all PBDEs and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) in electronic products starting in 2006.
Maine has banned penta- and octa-BDE as of January 1, 2006, and deca-BDE by January 1, 2008, becoming the first U.S. state to ban deca- BDE assuming safer alternatives exist. Washington state's governor signed an Executive Order in January instructing the Department of Ecology to develop a phase out plan by December of 2004 for all PBDEs including deca-BDE. California also passed legislation in 2003 calling for a ban and phase-out of penta-and octa-BDE, and several other states, including New York, Massachusetts and Wisconsin are planning to legislate bans.
The survey summarizes that while "there is universal agreement that preventing fires and reducing burn time is critical in buildings, transportation vehicles and consumer products.... in the face of new evidence and increasing chemical contamination of the general public, the United States can no longer ignore the evidence that deca-BDE and other toxic fire retardants pose a high risk to public health and the environment...."
A report by Mercury News' John Boudreau last week notes that "Past research has shown that California women have three to 30 times more of PBDEs in their breast tissue than do Europeans or Japanese women," and that "North American women have the highest levels of PBDEs in the world, close to the levels shown to damage memory, behavior and learning in laboratory mice." North America also has the world's highest level of computer and other consumer electronics use.
However, it would be foolhardy to imagine that removing PBDEs from computer plastics, as commendable as that will be, amounts to any sort of panacea in addressing the issue of the toxic chemical miasma most of us live in nowadays. Computers are far from being the only problem in this context.
In a recent column, Low End Mac's Jeff Adkins noted that the smell of a new Mac is "kind of like that new car smell you get when they open the door to a brand new car for the first time. It's never even been sweated in by a burly car trailer guy moving the car onto the lot so it could be sold. Macs have a scent like that as well. I'm beginning to suspect Apple is deliberately spraying something in the box to give it that piquant odor...."
Gak! I certainly hope not! The unintentional stink is bad enough. And seriously, even if one is not knowingly afflicted with chemical sensitivity, there should be concern about what these chemical emissions are doing to anyone's immune system. A fellow MCS sufferer who works in a university science laboratory says there are two types of people: environmentally ill and not-yet-environmentally ill. In a world as saturated as ours is with chemical and electromagnetic pollution, that's only partly tongue-in-cheek.
A reader wrote to my The Road Warrior Mailbag column responding to an archived article on chemical sensitivity and computers:
"Please help!! I am so glad I saw this article. I could not understand what was happening to me when test driving new cars. I get pressure headaches, dizziness, tightness in my throat, and I feel really nervous and I couldn't understand why? I have never suffered with allergies in my life, but all of a sudden my senses have become very sensitive.
"In July of 2003 I bought a used car and I think it had mold in the air filtration system, and I became very ill while driving the car, so that's why I started looking for new cars but that's when I noticed I have a reaction every time I test drive new cars. I can smell all the chemicals in the new cars. What can I do?"
The symptoms described are fairly typical of MCS onset. Some types of mold can be potent sensitizers, and it is very rare that one remains sensitized only to the original irritant trigger substance. I had no history of allergies before I developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Strictly speaking, MCS is not a classic allergy, and usually will not show up in conventional allergy testing. That is one reason why many in the medical profession are skeptical about MCS as a diagnosis Allergies tend to be irritant-specific. MCS is, well, multiple.
Commonly the syndrome will "cascade" into sensitivity to many common substances, especially, but not limited to, synthetic chemicals. New cars can be especially bad, and it is topical to note here that auto upholstery and interior plastics are treated with flame retardants. Even wearing a charcoal respirator, I'm not a happy camper in vehicles newer than about five years old. On the other hand, I find my two old Toyotas (1989 and 1990 models) quite tolerable without a mask.
A 1995 analysis by Santford V. Overton & John J. Manura of the air in a new Lincoln Continental ( http://www.sisweb.com/referenc/applnote/app-36-a.htm ) identified more than 100 volatile organic chemicals in the air samples analyzed. The air samples studied produced 50 or more volatile organics which were identified in addition to many more that were either too weak to identify or in which a good NBS library match was not achievable, suggesting that new-car smell is a mix of plasticizers, lubricants, solvents, adhesives, gasoline, and no doubt some bits from the vinyl. None of these things is good for you, and as a cocktail who knows what the cumulative effect is? If you're chemically sensitive they can certainly make you acutely ill in the immediate term.
The BBC has reported that researchers in Australia say the smell of new cars can be toxic and can even cause cancer. A two-year study by an Australian government research organization found gases from vinyl and plastic materials in new cars cause headaches, nausea and drowsiness. The chemicals involved included benzene — a known cancer-causing agent — which was found in one case at five times the recommended exposure limit.
The study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) found emissions can take just a few minutes to take effect and may actually be responsible for many traffic accidents. The CSIRO study found total volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations initially very high -- up to 64,000 micrograms per cubic metre -- in two Australian-made cars three to 10 weeks after manufacture. Levels decreased by approximately 60 percent in the first month, but still substantially exceeded the NHMRC indoor air goal of 500 micrograms per cubic metre.
Long-term exposure could cause cancers and abnormalities in unborn babies. Some of the air toxics emitted inside new cars during the CSIRO study included: carcinogenic benzene as previously noted; acetone, a mucosal irritant; cyclohexanone, a possible human carcinogen; ethylbenzene and MIBK -- systemic toxic agents; xylene isomers, a fetal development toxic agent.
Overton & Manura note: "Potential health risks exist due to the toxic nature of many of these components. Individually, the contribution from any one product may not be significant, but the cumulative levels of emissions from these products are increasingly becoming a major concern. Because many of the volatile emissions and by-products from these products are toxic... Although the concentrations of VOC's were significantly reduced over time in a new automobile, the exposure of the public to such compounds that were identified should be of concern to both the automobile industry and health officials. These air samples show that the public is constantly in contact with a wide variety of potentially harmful VOC's due to cleaning supplies, lubricants and fuel by-products. Because of the potential toxic nature of many of these compounds, additional knowledge of the levels of these organic compounds in the car's interior is required in order to determine human health impacts."
Like car interiors, computers and Video Display Terminals (VDTs) off-gas VOCs. The greatest amount of VOC off-gassing is around 175 µg/hr and goes down quickly within the first 300 hours of use. In proposed regulations to improve indoor air quality, the U.S. OSHA has listed the following chemicals as being emitted by computers/VDTs:
n-Butanol
2-Butanole
2-Butoxyethanol
Butyl-2-Methylpropyl phthalate
Caprolactam
Cresol
Diisooctyl phthalate
Dodecamethyl cyclosiloxane
2-Ethoxyethyl acetate
Ethylbenzene
Hexanedioic acid
3-Methylene-2-pentanone
Ozone
Phenol
Phosphoric Acid
Toluene
Xylene
Another nasty little chemical cocktail. Some of those chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens. While none would likely be emitted from computers in quantities that would exceed any established workplace health and safety limits, an unknown factor is how some of these chemicals may interact with each other to cause health problems many years in the future. And we MCS victims react to concentrations of chemical toxins far below any established safety standards -- sometimes thousands of times lower.
But you may not need to be chemically-sensitized to suffer harm from computer chemical off-gassing. Especially when the equipment is new, the off-gassing is prolific and noticeable even to people who aren't particularly sensitive; eg: that "new computer smell," One of the chemicals listed above, from the family known as Phthalates, are softeners used in plastic manufacture, don't bond with the material and leach out over time, and are suspected of causing kidney and liver damage and other health problems.
Both Apple and Dell stopped using PBDE flame retardants in 2002, and Apple's shift to metal computer cases obviously addresses that issue effectively, but unhappily for those of us who battle chemical sensitivity, computers still gas off a smorgasbord of chemical fumes, and now it's revealed that the older computers we find more tolerable in the context of lower chemical vapor emissions are apparently the ones that expose us to greater amounts of toxic dust ( he says looking around a house full of antiquarian Macs ). The only non-PBDE Mac I've got is my late 2002 iBook, and it spends most of its time in an externally ventilated isolation box.
Computers do tend to eventually stop gassing off. When it was new I had severe reactions to my 233 MHz WallStreet PowerBook, which I was for three and a half years obliged to isolate in a glass case, force-vented away from my work area, or wear an activated charcoal respirator when I used it. However, the fumes eventually died down, and these days I can use the now 5+ year old WallStreet hands-on as a laptop is designed to be used with no problem at all, save for that unfortunate matter of PBDE dust, presumably. Unfortunately, there's that awkward first three to five years that has to be worked around. And while Apple's metal-cased computers are obviously superior in terms of less PBDE dust-generating potentential, unfortunately their internal circuit boards are still way too pungent for many MCS people — in fact they seem to have gotten worse in that regard in recent years.
I've written from time to time here and elsewhere about my Multiple Chemical Sensitivity travails, and I hear fairly frequently from other folks encountering similar difficulties. Recently I received this note from a reader named Amy:
Hello:
I was just wondering what kind of computer box you use? I have a steel box
with glass front and fan in the back that exhausts out the window. It has
always worked well for me (I bought my last computer in 1998) but now is not enough to control the problem with my computer I bought new in 2002. I've been running this computer in the basement for almost 2 years but in my office, in the box, I can't stand to be in the room more than 15 minutes.
Any recommendations you have for manufacturers or how-to books on this issue would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Amy
My computer isolation boxes are ones I've fabricated myself out of glass and well-seasoned spruce lumber. Both of them can accommodate either a PowerBook or an iBook, and both are force-ventilated into remote airspace -- one through a window panel to the outdoors, and the other through the floor into the basement of my house.
The cases are shaped like an oversized PowerBook -- large "L"s with panes of glass on the front of the upright limb, and the top of the horizontal limb. The glass is set in 1/8" routed dados. I didn't use any sealants of any sort. For my purposes, the case does not have to be airtight -- in fact it needs to admit air to cool the computer.
This case is the first one I built, and it has served me well for five years. There is enough depth — just- to sit a Pismo, Lombard, or iBook on a Road Tools CoolPad for more efficient cooling.
With an extraction fan running sucking heated air away, I've found that the 'Books run at about the same temperature inside this case as they would running normally sitting on a desk or table. I have occasionally forgotten to turn on the basement fan (it is quiet enough that it's possible not to notice it) and experienced no difficulties. The glass area is large enough that I think it acts as a fairly efficient radiator, and of course this is Canada.
There is an aperture on one side of the case to accept an intake for the duct to the basement which is just a piece of two and one-half inch plastic plumbing drain pipe. The fan hangs from the bottom of the pipe on a flexible plastic tube secured with rubber bands, which minimizes noise and vibration. With the fan at the basement end, one barely hears it. The case is a little over 20 inches wide, which allows me to insert CDs on the right and PC cards on the left.
However, when I built the second case, I made the lower limb of the "L" shape deeper in section, which allows the computer to sit on a Podium CoolPad for even better cooling.
With both cases, the lid of the top is hinged to flip open for access to the ports at the back of the PowerBook. The glass panels over the keyboard are also hinged to lift up for access to the keys and the optical drives, PC Card slots, and side ports, and the second case also has a small flip-up panel for quick access to the ports on the left side of the iBook.
I built the cases out of basically stuff that I had laying around. I used glass panes from old house or car door windows, well aged spruce lumber which had very little smell, plywood paneling for the backs, and old computer cooling fans with power supplies salvaged from something or other. The wood frame components are relatively small-dimensioned, basically just scrap lumber.
My cases are bottomless. I just plunk it down over the open PowerBook or iBook on a table or platform. If all this sounds like a bizzare hassle, you wanna believe it is, but for some of us there's no alternative. One side-advantage of computer isolation boxes, I suppose, is that they should also cut down on PBDE contamination of the living environment.
I'll end this somewhat gloomy report on a positive note, I was delighted to read that Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco recently signed a proclamation designating May "Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month," and that Congress and public-health agencies are being increasingly lobbied to acknowledge MCS as a "real" disease; with one key goal to have it officially recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If we can get it established that chemicals in consumer products, etc. are making people sick, more effort might be put into pro-actively addressing the problem.
***
cmoore@macopinion.com
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Consumer Electronics Upgrade Addiction vs. Your Retirement Security
Even cars seem like blue-chip investments compared with consumer electronics. The speed with which equity in these items evaporates would be considered outrageous in almost any other type of consumer commodity.
For example, if you paid $2,799.00 (plus applicable taxes and so forth) for a new Revision A 17" MacBook Pro a year ago, you've seen $1,000 or more of a capital depreciation in 12 months, and it's gone for good. No chance to recoup. It's a dead loss. Of course, at least if you use the MacBook Pro as a tool for making your living or in a course of study, that can be considered a business expense or an investment in the future, but the question is begged as to whether whatever computer you were using before that could not have continued doing an adequate job. I'm typing these words on a nearly 7 1/2 year old Pismo PowerBook that still acquits itself remarkably well in accommodating my daily requirements.
Meanwhile, lets say you're 30 years old and still had that $1,000 you've lost in depreciation on your MacBook Pro over the past year, and instead had invested it with a conservative projection of it earning 5.5% after inflation over the next 35 years, your money will have grown to $6,514 by the time you reach retirement age at 65 according to RBC Royal Bank's handy online compound interest calculator:
http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/RBC:RND4bo71A8YAAYtaPaE/cgi-bin/retirement/c3.pl
What got me thinking along these lines was a column last week by The Street's Brett Arends, who argued that the true cost of a new 8 GB iPhone is not the nominal $599.00 (plus applicable taxes), but rather a whopping $17,670. Arends points out that the up-front price of the iPhone is just the jumping off point, since in order to use it you need a service plan, the minimum one offered by AT&T hosing you for $60 a month over two years - or $2,039, but if you can't write it of your income tax as a work-related expense, the penalty if you're in a 25% tax bracket is really more like $2,720.
Consequently, Arends calculates the real cost of your $2,720 dead-loss overhead expenditure on an iPhone, compared with investing the same amount in a tax-sheltered 401(k) retirement plan at an average 5.5 percent ( a reasonable, conservative expectation) return over 35 years, is $17,670, or if you paid with a credit card and take a year to pay it off - more like $19,000.
Now, if you can write all this off as a business expense tax deduction, all well and good, and of course if you're rich, these concerns are irrelevant, but few of us are rich, and most of us should be making more prudent preparations than we likely are for retirement. When we're in our 20s and 30s, retirement seems like a distant abstraction, but speaking as one who will turn 56 in a couple of months, it sneaks up on you.
According to Employee Benefit Research Institute stats. cited by Arends in his article, fewer than half of Americans between 25 and 34 have saved more than $10,000, and fewer than one in three has $25,000 in a germinating retirement nest-egg. In the 35-44 age bracket, still fewer than half have $25,000 saved, which is cause for considerable alarm.
When I was 25, $25,000 seemed like a lot of money, and even after the ravages of 31 years of inflation, it's still not chump change, but in terms of what it costs to live in the context of even 20 years of retirement, it amounts to a spit-in-the-ocean, as is the average [2004] U.S. 401(k) retirement plan balance of $57,000.
My fellow Canadians are even worse-prepared for retirement than Americans. Almost 70 per cent of Canadians have no financial plans for retirement, and no financial advisers, and the average Canadian Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) - the Canuck equivalent of the 401(k) - contains Can$37,000, enough for the average person to live on for maybe one year. Maybe. In typical years, about 65 per cent of Canadians make no RRSP contribution at all, and even among Canadians aged 45-plus who do have an RRSP and are still working, 39 percent have less than Can$50,000 saved.
There is also a troubling reality-disconnect between retirement expectations and the sober facts. A Decima Research survey found that 41 percent of Canadians intend to retire before age 60, but more than half that number had no idea how much money they would need, while, a survey by COMPAS Inc. revealed that 38 percent of retired Canadians lack sufficient savings to maintain the lifestyle they had anticipated for their retirement years, and that an astonishing eleven percent of not-yet-retired Canadians are betting that some of their retirement income will come from winning the lottery.
By 2015, more than half of the population will be over 40 for the first time in history. By 2020 there will be four times as many 70 year olds as there are today. By 2030, there will be nearly twice as many senior citizens, and projections suggest some 750,000 Alzheimer's Disease cases - up from about 300,000 today. By 2040 there will be a whopping 500 percent more people over 85 than there are now.
Because of projected inflation, if you're in your 40s, some maintain that you'll need an estimated $600,000 and $1,000,000 in invested assets to maintain a modest, middle-class lifestyle if you retire at 65 and live another 20 years.
So how much money do you really need for a comfortable retirement? Projections and prescriptions vary widely, as do of course individual circumstances, pension status, and so forth, but if you start with the assumption that you will retire at 65 and live to 90, with an average annual rate of return on your investments (before inflation) of eight percent (probably optimistic) and inflation of three percent a year during your retirement, it is estimated by some experts that you’ll need savings equal to 15 times your income, or to put it another way, for every $10,000 in income you'll require from your retirement fund, you’ll need to build a nest egg of $150,000 to $220,000 by the time you clock out of the employment world. For most folks, an income of $30,000 to $40,000 will be necessary to maintain a modest but comfortable middle class lifestyle, so you're looking at the necessity of having $450,000 to $880,000 saved by the time you're 65. Others maintain that you should have $1,000,000 invested at retirement to ensure a sustainable $30,000 retirement income and $2,000,000 if you'll be needing $60,000 annually. Viewed in that context, 35 years doesn't seem very long at all, although if you end up retiring without adequate savings, your sunset years could seem very long indeed.
The good news is that the sooner you start to save for retirement, the less money you will need to invest, or to put it another way, the earlier you start saving seriously, and the more regularly you save, the faster your investment will grow. (An investment earning ten percent compounded growth annually will double every seven years.).
It takes discipline and the resolve to defer gratification, unfortunately not qualities typically characterized by the age cohort that could benefit most from the advice, and the siren song of iPods, computers, iPhones, stereos, game consoles, and so forth is beguiling. However, it's definitely in your best interest to carefully consider whether your really need a new computer or that iPhone, and to count the true cost before taking the plunge. I don't know about you, but $17,670 seems pretty steep for a mobile phone-cum-music player, however cool.
***
cmoore@macopinion.com
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
The Road Warrior MailBag (And From The Road Warrior Archive) - July 9/07
Sims 2 on a MacBook?
From The Road Warrior Archive: 12" iBook and 12" Power Book - Brothers Under The Skin
From David Anasco
MacOpinion RSS site now operational
feed://www.macopinion.com/index.php/site/rss_2.0/
Charles,
Thanks so much for getting this set up. I am doing less and less "surfing," and more and more letting the stuff I want to read come to me via RSS.
David
From Pretty Lady
I would like to know how can i run Sims 2 on a MacBook, because i've trying and it closes unexpectedly...Please answer as soon as possible
Hello PL;
The unexpected quits could be caused by a variety of things. You might try reinstalling the program and re-entering any registration information required.
The Sims 2 for mac System requirements are:
The Sims 2
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.3.8 or later
Your MacBook should have more than enough power to run this program, although it does specify a PowerPC processor, so it will run in Rosetta emulation and is not Intel-native evidently.
You might find the comments on this forum helpful:
Charles
Platforms: Mac
Genre: Strategy/Simulation
ESRB: Teen
Mac Release Date: June 2005
CPU Processor: PowerPC G4/G5
CPU Speed: 1.2GHz or faster
Memory: 256 MB or higher
Hard Disk Space: 3GB free disk space
Video Card (ATI): Radeon 9000 or better
Video Card (NVidia): GeForce FX5200 or better
Video Memory (VRam): 32 MB or higher
Media Required: DVD Drive
http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-304960.html
From The Road Warrior Archive: 12" iBook and 12" Power Book - Brothers Under The Skin
Not a lot of mail this past holiiday week, so here's another selection from The Road Warrior archive. In January 2003 Apple had unveiled the 12" PowerBook - just two weeks after I bought a 700 Mhz G3 iBook in the last week of 2002, in order to qualify for an income tax deduction in that year.
I hadn't been expecting the 12-inch profressional machine, and had I known it was coming, I might have waited. The 12" PowerBook is perhaps my favorite PowerPC Apple notebook that I've never owned.
Nevertheless, the G3 iBook served me well, and is still in fine fettle more than four years later, and actually there was a lot of commonality between the littlest PowerBook and the 12" iBook, fraternal twins, if you will, were built by the same subcontractor and sharing a substantial amount of engineering. In the column below, originally published February 9, 2003, I explored and discussed these commonalities.
12" iBook and 12" Power Book - Brothers Under The Skin [First Published 02/09/03]
Is it just me, or is the 1024 x 768 12.1" TFT display Apple has used in the iBook since May 1, 2001, getting more respect now that it's also being used in the 12". aluminum PowerBook, which is turning out to be a smash hit for Apple? I haven't heard many comments about the 12.1" unit being " too small" lately.
Personally, I love this screen in my new 700 MHz "Opaque White" iBook. It's wonderfully bright, razor sharp, and despite its smaller size, I find it no harder to read than the 14.1 in. display in my Pismo PowerBook. In fact, I would say that it's easier on the eyes.
The most appropriate term is "jewel-like," a description I first heard applied in this context to the 800 x 600 10.4" screen introduced in 1995 on the high-end PowerBook 5300ce model, and later used in the PowerBook 2400c, and which had an almost identical DPI count as the 12.1" 1024 x 768. screen. The 10.4 in. 800 x 600 display had a pixel density of 105 dpi. The current 1024 x 768, 12.1" display has a pixel density of 106 dpi. The superb image quality afforded but these displays is attributable to those dense pixel counts. It's like blowing up a photograph. The larger the print size for a particular negative, the more visible the grain will be.
(For comparison, the first generation iBook's 12.1" 800 x 600 display had a pixel density of 85 dpi, as does the Apple 15" Studio Display. The PowerBook G3 14.1" displays are 91 dpi, as were the first two generations of the TiBook.)
Consequently, the 12.1" screen is an ideal choice for the 12" G4 PowerBooks, but the cool thing is that those of us who opt for an entry-level iBook get exactly the same display - albeit with more modest video support.
However, the display is far from being the only common factor linking the 12" iBook and the LittleAl book. In many respects, the LittleAl is essentially the G4 iBook that many Mac laptop fans have been pining for. It is apparent that a lot of engineering from the dual USB iBook was incorporated into the 12" PowerBooks. The many configuration similarities have to be more than coincidental. For example, both machines have 128 MB of RAM soldered to the motherboard, and a single RAM upgrade slot, which limits the maximum RAM configuration to 640 MB.
Both machines use a proprietary Composite video out cable dongle to hook up to external monitors. Both machines have pretty much the same array of interface connection ports.
Of course there are some significant differences as well. The LittleAl's aluminum case compared with the iBook's polycarbonate housing is in obvious one. The LittleAl isn't just an aluminum iBook with a G4 processor. It is substantially smaller than the iBook.
The LittleAl has an NVIDIA GeForce4 420 graphics accelerator, as opposed to the iBook's last year technology ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics card, and its combo optical drive is slot-loading, while the iBook's is a tray-loader. And you can get an optional SuperDrive with the LittleAl, while at the other end of the scale, the 700 MHz iBook comes with a plain-vanilla CD-ROM drive. LittleAl also is available with optional 54Mbps AirPort Extreme, and includes Bluetooth support, while neither is offered for the iBook, at least as yet.
LittleAl has a 133 MHz system bus, compared with the iBook's 100 MHz bus; it sports PC 2100 DDR SDRAM instead of the iBook's PC 100 SDRAM; comes with a 40 GB hard drive, while the iBooks have either 20 GB or 30 GB standard; it supports monitor spanning rather than just mirroring with external monitors; it has a real audio-in analog mini-jack, unlike the iBook with which you're stuck with USB audio in, and it comes with a wider selection of bundled software. The keyboard used in the aluminum PowerBooks is superior to the one that graces the iBook.
The LittleAl's G4 processor is of course another major distinction, and in some respects the 12" PowerBook's main raison d'etre. With LittleAl now available, I would not be surprised to see Apple go with at least one more generation of G3 iBooks, which would suit me fine, especially if they bump it up to the 1 GHz IBM 750fx chip. I continue to maintain that the G3 is a better laptop processor than the G4 because of its lower power demands and heat generation, and it's been interesting to note that the main complaint one is hearing about the 12" PowerBooks from early adopter users it is that the little darling gets too hot for some people's comfort. I can well believe it. My G3 700 MHz iBook certainly gets hot enough.
Part of the PowerBook's heat issue is doubtless related to the aluminum case itself. Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor - much more efficient than polycarbonate plastic, or even titanium. That's why my wife's Lagostina pressure cookers have an aluminum heat sink bonded to the bottom of their stainless steel pressure vessels. I'm not sure what the ultimate solution to this problem will be, as demand for hotter (figuratively and literally) processors in laptop computers will continue. Perhaps water cooling. I understand that my PowerBook G3 2000 is partly liquid cooled, and it certainly runs a lot cooler compared with the little iBook. The old Gauge Pro utility indicates internal processor temperature of about 107 degrees F these winter days. Unfortunately, Gauge Pro doesn't recognize the 750fx chip and the iBook for comparison, but the latter is obviously running a lot hotter than that based on "feel." And reportedly, the LittleAl is even hotter.
The dual USB iBook in its various permutations has proved to be an excellent little computer, and indications are that the 12" PowerBook will be as well. It is testimony to the "rightness" of the original dual USB iBook concept and engineering that nearly two years later Apple has been able to utilize it as the basis for a new higher-end machine.
The introduction of the 12" PowerBook (and its BigAl 17 in. sibling) have deepened Apple's portable line of substantially in what Steve Jobs has declared "The Year of the laptop." Am I sorry that I upgraded to a new iBook just two weeks before the LittleAl was unveiled?. Nope. For me, the iBook is still the best choice. For one thing, the base 12" PowerBook sells for 80 percent more than my 700 MHz, iBook -- too much for my wallet, and I don't really need the G4 or the other AlBook bells and whistles, nice as some of them would be to have. I'm very happy with my iBook so far.
However, if you can afford the extra capital outlay, The LittleAl is shaping up to be a great computer. You can't go wrong either way -PowerBook or iBook.
12" iBook and 12" PowerBooks Specifications And Features Compared<BR>
Processor
iBooks
700MHz PowerPC G3; 800MHz PowerPC G3
12" PowerBook
867MHz PowerPC G4
Processor Cache
iBooks
Level 2 Cache: 512K at 700MHz; 512K at 800MHz
12" PowerBook
Level 2 cache 256K
System Bus
iBooks
100MHz system bus
12" PowerBook
133MHz system bus
Memory Config and Support
iBooks
128MB of built in PC100 SDRAM
Single 1.25-inch standard SO-DIMM slot (3.3V) supports up to 512MB SO-DIMM for a total of 640MB of SDRAM
12" PowerBook
256MB of PC2100 (266MHz) DDR SDRAM (128MB built in and 128MB in SO-DIMM slot); supports up to 640MB
Hard Drives (Standard)
iBooks
20GB or 30GB Ultra ATA hard disk drive
12" PowerBook
40GB Ultra ATA/1004
Combo Drives
iBooks
Tray-loading 16x8x8x24x-speed (maximum) Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW); writes CD-R discs at 16x speed, writes CD-RW discs at 8x speed, reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x speed, reads CD-ROM discs at 24x speed. 24x CD-ROM drive on 700 MHz iBook.
12" PowerBook
Slot-loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW): reads DVDs at 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at 24x speed, writes CD-RW discs at 10x speed, reads CD-ROM disks at 24x speed. Optional slot-loading SuperDrive.
Display
12.1" iBooks
12.1-inch TFT XGA active-matrix display
Support for millions of colors at 1024-by-768-pixel resolution
Support for resolution scaling to 800-by-600-pixel and 640-by-480-pixel resolution with millions of colors
12" PowerBook
12.1-inch (diagonal) TFT XGA active-matrix display
Support for millions of colors at 1024-by-768-pixel resolution
Support for resolution scaling to 800-by-600-pixel and 640-by-480-pixel resolution with millions
of colors
Graphics Support
iBooks
ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics accelerator with 16MB or 32MB of dedicated video memory and AGP 2X support
12" PowerBook
NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics processor with AGP 4X support and 32MB of DDR SDRAM video memory for 2D/3D graphics acceleration
Peripheral connections
iBooks
Two 12-Mbps USB ports
One 400-Mbps FireWire (IEEE 1394) port
12" PowerBook
Two 12-Mbps USB ports
One 400-Mbps FireWire (IEEE 1394) port
Video Out Support
iBooks
VGA, S-video and composite video output Video outport for mirroring with an external display or projector [requires included VGA video adapter]; S-video and composite video output to TV through Video output port (requires optional Apple Video Adapter, sold separately). Mirroring only.
12" PowerBook
VGA output using included Apple VGA Display Adapter. S-video output using included Apple Video Adapter. Composite video output using included Apple Video Adapter. Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports up to 1024 by 768 pixels on the built-in display and up to 1600 by 1200 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
Audio
iBooks
16-bit CD-quality stereo sound output minijack
Built-in stereo speakers
Built-in microphone
Headphone out (minijack)
Support for external USB audio devices such as microphones and speakers
12" PowerBook
Audio line in (minijack)
Headphone out (minijack)
Built-in stereo speakers with midrange-enhancing third speaker
Internal omnidirectional microphone
Support for external USB audio devices such as microphones and speakers
Ethernet
iBooks
Built-in 10/100BASE-T
12" PowerBook
Built-in 10/100BASE-T
Modem
iBooks
Built-in 56K V.92 modem
12" PowerBook
Built-in 56K V.925 modem
Wireless networking
iBooks
Built-in antennas and expansion slot for optional 11-Mbps AirPort Card; IEEE 802.11b compliant
12" PowerBook
Built-in Bluetooth 1.1; AirPort Extreme ready (requires optional AirPort Extreme Card
Battery
iBook with 12.1-inch display:
47-watt-hour lithium-ion battery provides up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge
12" PowerBook
47-watt-hour lithium-ion battery (with integrated charge indicator LEDs) providing up to 5 hours of battery life
Size and Weight
iBook with 12.1-inch display
Height: 1.35 inches (3.4 cm)
Width: 11.2 inches (28.5 cm)
Depth: 9.06 inches (23.0 cm)
Weight: 4.9 pounds (2.2 kg)
12" PowerBook
Height: 1.18 inches (3.0 cm)
Width: 10.9 inches (27.7 cm)
Depth: 8.6 inches (21.9 cm)
Weight: 4.6 pounds (2.1 kg) with battery and optical drive installed
Bundled Software
iBooks
Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, QuickTime, iCal, iChat, iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes, DVD Player, AppleWorks, Mac OS X Mail, Microsoft Internet Explorer, EarthLink (includes 30 days of free service), AOL, Quicken 2003 Deluxe, World Book 2003 Edition, Mac OS X Chess, Otto Matic, Deimos Rising, FAXstf, PixelNhance, and Acrobat Reader; Apple Hardware Test CD
12" PowerBook
Mac OS X, QuickTime, iCal, iChat, iMovie, iPhoto, iTunes, DVD Player, Mac OS X Mail, Microsoft Internet Explorer, EarthLink (includes 30 days of free service), Acrobat Reader, Art Directors Toolkit, FAXstf, FileMaker Pro Trial,
GraphicConverter, Microsoft Office v. X Test Drive, OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, QuickBooks for Mac New User Edition, Developer Tools, Apple Hardware Test CD
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
How To Have iPhone Functionality Without An iPhone
And when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod back in October, 2001, my first reaction was something like: "Whaaaaaat?! - a digital jukebox? But Apple is a computer company...."
Obviously, I came to appreciate the incredible usefulness of the computer as a tool, and I soon came around to appreciating the genius of the iPod as well, so maybe the iPhone will grow on me, but at this point I can't perceive it as being the revolutionary device that the hype surrounding its release would imply. I am resigned, however, to the fact that six years after the iPod intro., Apple is much more than a computer company.
On the other hand, cell phones have been around for more than a decade, and I still don't really get the obsessive passion that vast numbers of people seem to have for them. I appreciate the utilitarian value that unwired communication offers, especially in business for people who spend a lot of time out of the office and away from their desks, and their advantages in an emergency are obvious. It's not that I dislike the concept; just that I perceive it as a commodity device.
I of course use telephones for business. And with a daughter living and working in Japan, it's nice to be able to check in by voice from time to time. However, land lines serve my utilitarian telephony needs very satisfactorily, and for a reasonable tariff. One of the things I really don't get about the cell phone's undeniable popularity is apparent enthusiasm about a service that hoses you for both a hefty subscription fee and tolls on both outgoing and incoming calls - plus long distance charges. My thrifty (OK, cheap) nature balks at it all. But whatever floats your boat.
Which brings us back to the iPhone, which, ahem, will set you back $499.00 for the base, 4 GB version, after which AT&T will siphon your wallet for another $59.99 - per month for service. That's all way too rich for my blood. It's also academic for me at this point, since I'm in Canada, and the iPhone will not be offered here for some time yet. One news report last weekend said that Rogers Wireless (the iPhone's rumored Canadian service carrier) personnel were telling customers that it might be two years yet, although I suspect that's an exaggeration. Regardless, I'll not be lining up for the Canadian iPhone launch, whenever it comes.
Now, all that said, I do appreciate that the iPhone offers some very cool functionality that vastly transcends it's telephone role. I don't think it's the future of personal computing, but aside from the cost issue, I would certainly relish having one.
And there are workarounds for both the cost and the current lack of availability outside the U.S. Indeed, you may be able to graft a lot of the iPhone's rich feature set onto the mobile phone you already have, or failing that, on a non-Apple but less pricey device.
For example, Motorola's SLVR L7 ( pronounced "sliver") is the latest iteration of Moto's RAZR "iPod phone,"and will work with AT&T, T-mobile, Rogers, or Fido wireless services, The SLVR L7 incorporates integrated Bluetooth and a VGA cameras with up to 512 megabytes of expandable flash memory, and sports an integrated miniSD-slot, so you can record photos and short videos to a miniSD card for easy transfer to a PC. Moto also offers a SLVR L6, with no miniSD slot.
Motorola SLVR's Bluetooth support provides hands-free connections and Push-to-Talk (PTT) connects you to work groups and friends easily.
SLVR L7 FEATURES:
• Super-thin design
• PTT with icon presence indicators for one-touch connections
• Integrated VGA camera with 4x zoom and video capture and playback
• Bluetooth Class 2 for hands-free connectivity
• MP3 player to store, repeat, shuffle and play favorite tunes; 22Khz polyphonic speaker
• Up to 512 MB or removable TransFlash memory
• WAP 2.0
• Downloadable wallpaper, screensaver and MP3 ringtones
• J2ME MIDP 2.0
• Integrated hands-free speakerphone
• Messaging via MMS, IM Wireless Village and email (POP3, SMTP)
• Motorola's SCREEN3 technology solution featuring zero-click access to news, sports, entertainment, and other premium content
Not a shabby package at all, and while the SLVR L7's list price of $399.00 is not radically lower than the base iPhone's, I've found them offered by third party resellers as low as $136.00.
But the SLVR L7 is just one of many mobile phoine products to which a great deal of the iPhone's capabilities can be added.
Phone features a stripped-down version of the Safari web browser, which displays web pages at full-window, but also zooms in to expand any section by tapping on the multi-touch display with a finger, while surfing the web over Wi-Fi or EDGE. iPhone Safari can automatically sync your bookmarks from a PC or Mac, and includes built-in Google Search and Yahoo! Search.
However, Opera offers their Opera Mini mobile device browser for a wide variety of cell phones, and I happen to like Opera better than Safari anyway.
With Opera Mini 3.1 you can surf the Web and get RSS news on your phone, share photos using Opera Mini's photo sharing feature, download files directly to your mobile phone from the Web, safely use secured sites, such as your e-mail, bank site, online stores, and so forth.
Opera Mini uses a remote server to pre-process Web pages before sending them to your phone. Web content is compressed to reduce the size of data transferred, enabling handling on simpler phones and creating fast browsing at low costs.
For more information, visit:
http://www.operamini.com/
Does the iPhone's iSync compatibility appeal? There are actually many iSync-compatible mobile phones. You can find Apple's list here:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/isync/devices.html
Also included in the iPhone is support for Google Maps and iPhone's own maps application, with which users can view maps, satellite images, traffic information and get directions.
However, you can access many Google features from anywhere, anytime on a mobile device that doesn't have to be an iPhone. Google's Local for mobile service is a stripped-down version of the web-based Google Local that puts a particularly emphasizes maps and driving directions.
The service allows you to search for specific addresses, businesses or business categories in the United States. Unlike the web-based Google Local service, results are minimalized, featuring maps or satellite imagery.
Locations you enter are stored, and up to 20 recent locations are accessible by scrolling and clicking the "OK" or other confirmation button on your phone. Google does not store information that can identify you personally, but does associate a unique identifying number with your phone. See Google's privacy policy for more information.
With Google Maps on your mobile phone you can get:
Real-time traffic reports - See where the congestion is, and estimate delays in over 30 major US metropolitan areas.
Detailed directions - Whether you plan to walk or drive, your route is displayed on the map itself, together with step-by-step directions.
Integrated search results - Local business locations and contact information appear all in one place, integrated on your map.
Easily movable maps - Interactive maps let you zoom in or out, and move in all directions so you can orient yourself visually.
Satellite imagery - Get a bird's eye view of your desired location.
Google Maps is available on hundreds of mobile devices.
For more information, visit:
http://mobile.google.com
or
http://www.google.com/mobile/
iPhone's "Visual Voicemail" will let you look at a listing of your voicemails, decide which messages to listen to, then go directly to those messages without listening to the prior messages, similar to the way you manage email. Want access to your voice mail on your non-iPhone cell phone? Check out SimulScribe.
SimulScribe utilizes cutting edge voice recognition technology to convert your voicemail messages into text. It delivers your transcribed voicemail, along with the original audio, to your mobile phone, PDA, and/or email account.
SimulScribe converts your voicemail into text messages and then sends them directly to your mobile phone, Blackberry, Goodlink enabled phone and/or your email account.
You can instantly see who has called and what they said, whether you are sitting in a business meeting or traveling on the road. Your voicemail functionality does not change; it can still be listened to and stored for later use. You can use the SimulScribe online user interface to search, sort, archive and delete voicemail like email
SimulScribe Mobile Voicemail Integration pricing starts at $9.95.
For more information, visit:
http://www.simulscribe.com/
For podcasts and other online media delivery to your mobile phone, check out Melodeo, which offers a selection of on-demand audio and video programs for the Web and mobile phone.
Melodeo's current products and projects include:
• Mobilcast, which provides on-demand access to over 150,000 programs covering music, news and much more (now in HiFi!)
• A joint venture in China with Sony/BMG and Warner Music Group
• A video product for launch in Q2 2007
Melodeo has strong relationships with a range of key partners, from major content providers to wireless carriers.
Melodeo's Mobilcast client supports a variety of Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson phones, allowing you to stream podcasts or to download them for listening later.
For more information, visit:
http://melodeo.com/
Of course, Apple's iTunes support is elegantly integrated into the iPhone experience, but Tea Vui Huang's Mass Storage Synchronizer is an Windows-based iTunes Add-on for Sony Ericsson Walkman Phones, Sony Clie PDA and Sony Ericsson P900/P910 Smartphone (Sony Devices). Sony Ericsson Walkman Phones presently include the w800, w600 and w550. Not unlike the Motorola ROKR, this add-on enables Walkman phones to be a virtual iTunes Mobile. This combination of iTunes and Mass Storage Synchronizer allows Sony Walkman Phone users to use iTunes to manage their songs, and sync/update the songs to the phone. It can used in place of the bundled Disc2Phone.
You can use Disc2Phone software to search for music on your computer or audio CDs, convert your existing audio tracks to MP3 format, and copy tracks to a Sony Memory Stick for listening on your Sony Ericsson phone.
The following audio files can be managed from iTunes to the Walkman Phone via Mass Storage Synchronizer:
MP3
MP4
M4A
3GP (Audio encoded in AAC or AMR)
AMR
WAV
G-MIDI
For more information, visit:
http://www.teavuihuang.com/massstorsync/
Another third-party iTunes mobile phone tool is nuTsie, which allows you to access your entire iTunes music library from your cell phone, and it's free.
You can also use the nuTsie Web player to listen to your music wherever you have a connected PC, at work, at the library, at your friend's house, or wherever you have access to an Internet-connected computer even though you're away from your iTunes collection, and you can share your nuTsie page with others so they can listen to your music too.
nuTsie compares the list of the songs in your iTunes library and playlists with all the music already stored on nuTsie's Web servers, and then streams those same songs to your mobile phone. It plays all the songs in a shuffle mode. nuTsie pays the artists and recording industry based on your listening to their music..
There are several phones the nuTsie folks have actively developed on and tested to make sure nuTsie works well on them. You can find a list of featured phones and accessories which that the developers think provide the best nuTsie experience here:
http://www.nutsie.com/main/whats_nutsie
For more information, visit:
http://www.nutsie.com/main
iPhone is of course also a widescreen iPod - essentially the top-of-the-line iPod nano. However, instead of a scroll wheel, users "touch" their music by scrolling through lists of songs, artists, albums and playlists with a flick of a finger. Album artwork is also presented on iPhone's display with Cover Flow, with which you can browse your music library by album cover artwork. When navigating your iPhone's music library, you are automatically switched into Cover Flow by rotating iPhone into its landscape position. iPhone's 3.5-inch widescreen display features touch controls for play-pause, chapter forward-backward and volume.
iPhone supports all of the usual iPod content, including music, audiobooks, audio podcasts, video podcasts, music videos, television shows and movies, and syncs content from your iTunes library on your PC or Mac.
However, if your other-brand cell phone doesn't support digital jukebox capability, there's a case to be made for buying a separate iPod, especially if you already have a cell phone and are using a service other than AT&T, and save several hundred bucks compared with switching to the iPhone. Apple will be happy to sell you an iPod nano 4 GB for $199.00 or an iPod nano 8GB for $249.00. The thrifty iPod shopper should also check out what's available in Apple Certified Refurbished iPods at the online Apple Store. ACR iPods have the same 1-year warranty as new iPods.
***
cmoore@macopinion.com
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
The Road Warrior Mailbag - July 2, 2007
Back To The Future: My "New" Pismo
Unlocking the iPhone
MCS
From Cyril
I bought the Alchemy FW card for my trusty Pismo after reading your article - looks like it might need a driver because the drive (2.5") doesn't mount nor power up. Is that your experience also, and, if so, where did you get it?
Cheers,
Cyril
Hi Cyril;
You don't need a driver, since FireWire drivers are built into OS X, but to support bus-powered FireWire peripherals you do need an external AC power adapter, which lists for a somewhat steep $29. The input spec. is 12 volts DC, so it might be possible to use some sort of universal 12 volt power adapter with the appropriate cord connector.
As it notes on the Miglia Alchemy Website:
"Optional Power Supply to allow bus-powering If you want to connect bus-powered devices like 2.5” hard drives, you can use the external power supply for Alchemy FW 800 CB available as an option."
The Miglia adapter should be available from where you purchased the card or from other Miglia resellers:
Best,
http://www.miglia.com/buy/usa.html
Charles
Back To The Future: My "New" Pismo
From Barret
CM,
As a freelance Mac tech, I've pretty much worked on most of the Macintosh "canon." I've recently gotten to set up? and play with - the latest MacBooks, including the newest Pros. To quote Der Bingle, there's noooo doubt about it: a loaded MacBook Pro is <i>sweet</i>, especially when putting Photoshop through it's paces on one.
But, being a photographer as well, I have a fairly souped-up G4 tower for that sort of thing. (In fact, that's almost all the tower does over here.) For everything else, there's my box-stock, 400mHz Pismo. Yes, it has a 5400 RPM, 40GB HD, and it's topped-off with a full gig o' RAM, but that's about all I've done with it (it was a castoff from a client who wanted me to fix it, but then ran out and bought a late-model Al-Book instead). What's funny is that, while a MacBook Pro will, under certain conditions, run rings around my machine, under most circumstances, the difference is smaller than one might imagine. The Pismo still "does the biz-mo!"
I can "field-strip" a Pismo in ten minutes: HD, daughter card, backup battery, RAM, AirPort card. Contrast that with a typical iBook (yes, I've worked on them, too...Apple's own techs must curse under their breaths when taking them apart. What was Apple thinking?). Even a PB G4, nice as it is, doesn't break apart quite as easily as a Pismo. This, IMO, explains their long-term viability so many years after their production. Yes, when I have the bucks in place, I certainly wouldn't mind a loaded, late-model Al-Book, but, somehow, I'm in no major-league hurry.
Barrett
Hi Barrett;
Thanks for the interesting comments.
I'm in no major-league hurry either. Of course I have a 17" AlBook, and it is faster than my hotrodded Pismo, but as I noted in the article, not by a whole lot, or necessarily any, for a lot of the stuff I do.
The Pismo is a much nicer laptop to hold on your lap, runs a great deal cooler than the BigAl, has much longer battery life (amazing with the FastMac TruePower extended life battery, and as you note - easier to work on in the rare event it needs work (or a hardware upgrade).
I like my G3 iBook too, but after sudying the iFixIt teardown guide, I would really rather not open it up, and fortunately have never been faced with the need to, save for installing RAM, which is the only easy iBook service procedure. It also has a crappy keyboard compared with the Pismo. One aspect where it outshines the Pismo is the screen, which is lovely.
Alpha-Top, the original Taiwanese subcontractor for the iBook did a lot of the engineering (also for the 12" PowerBook), so we can blame them for tis teardown angularities.
Charles
From RJ
Hi Charles:
Seems many people are asking about unlocking their iPhone. Some stuff has cropped up on the web that may or may not help you unlock your iPhone. Here is one:
http://unlockuriphone.blogspot.com/
Charles
From Rick
I've had MCS since 1991 and I'm thinking of buying an old iBook online on Powermac, something like a G3 600 -800 with a 10 GB hard drive.
I hope to use it for 3 things: word processing, watching DVDs, and maybe Internet.
I know there's still a chance I won't be able to tolerate it but I wonder if you have any advice.
Thanks,
Rick
Hi Rick;
Well, as I'm sure I don't need to tell you, MCS is so ideosyncratic from one individual to another that it's impossible to predict with any certainty what someone will react to.
An iBook or PowerMac of 600 - 800 MHz should be able to perform the three functions you mention provided it's equipped with a DVD drive. A lot of the G3 iBooks (including my 700 MHz unit) had only CD-ROM drives.
A 10 MB HD can handle OS X, especially if you stick with Jaguar or Panther, but 20 GB would be more comfortable.
Note that some G3 dual-USB iBooks were afflicted with an odor from some adhesive used on the keyboard. It's been described frequently as like armpit-odor. I've never experienced it first-hand, but something to be on the lookout for.
Laptops are smaller, which means less plastic surface area to gas off, and their cooling fans don't run continuously, which is a plus. On the other hand, if you use the built-in keyboard, you're in closer proximity to the internals. On the other hand, a desktop machine requires an external monitor, which may add to chemical emissions.
After it was about two years old, however, my iBook has gassed-off sufficiently that it was no longer a problem.
Hope this helps a bit.
Charles
Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.
Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.
If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.
CM
Negatives, Shmegatives
By now the first authorized iPhone reviews are out. They are mostly glowing, but all include handfuls of iPhone negatives, most of which we've heard for months. Some aren't crazy about the virtual keyboard, which takes time to get used to, no one likes the slow Edge network, and most point out the device's high price and AT&T lock-in as the iPhone's biggest drawbacks. There are plenty of other issues, too, mostly features iPhone is missing: no instant messaging, no voice control, no video recording, no copy/paste, no games, limited ringtones, etc.
Let me tell you right now that you can safely ignore all these negatives. They are irrelevant. There are two key reasons these "problems" don't matter.
First, the iPhone is a software product. At any time Apple can upgrade the software and fix the majority of these limitations. With virtual buttons the entire interface can be revamped or restructured, which is completely unlike any existing smartphone. Apple will improve the product and eventually all these issues will go away. Look at the evolution of the iPod and iMac.
Second, while some of these issues will limit the potential market for the iPhone, there will still be plenty of buyers for iPhone 1.0. The reality is that no 1.0 product is perfect. Every product has limitations and early buyers know this. The ones who will buy today will buy with these "limitations" in mind.
But don't think that there are only a few 1.0 buyers. There are millions. People want the iPhone, even one with a few 1.0 limitations or a high price.
I'm going to divide iPhone buyers into two categories, the Techies and the Average Joes. The Techies consist of technophiles who just love gadgets and aren't concerned about price or 1.0 bugs. The Techies also include rich people who just want to show off their style by waving around a fancy, rare iPhone. There aren't a huge number of Techies -- I'd guess maybe a million or two all told. Enough to make iPhone moderately successful, but not an out-of-the-park hit.
Then we have the Average Joes. They consist of business people, grandparents, moms and dads, college students, etc. They are the real market for the iPhone and there are a lot of them. But will iPhone appeal to them? Can they afford it?
To attract Average Joes, the iPhone only needs to get one thing right: it must be simple to use. That's it. It's got to combine three complex activities -- multimedia, Internet, and cellular phone -- and make them so easy to use a Grandma would want one.
I tell you right now, Apple's got nothing to worry about. From the early reviews we know that the iPhone's core is solid. No complaints about sluggish behavior, interface problems, or needing to read the manual to learn how to use the thing. Even the keyboard problems are only an issue to those used to traditional smartphones with hardwired mini-keyboards, and smartphone buyers are Techies, not Average Joes. Apple has once again made the complex simple, and that's all the Average Joes want.
Most Average Joes aren't concerned with technical details like networks or whether the thing can do this or that. All they want is a phone that is easy to use. You know why the vast majority of iPhone buyers want it? Simple address book syncing and calling. That's it. Existing phones make such an important thing so cumbersome and awkward people dread having to do something as obvious as enter a person's contact information. (Remember, I'm talking about Average Joes here, not Techies who enjoy fiddling with technology.)
Just the other day I told someone about my new cell phone number and he told me to call him. "That way I can add your number to my address book," he explained. "That's much easier than me trying to add it manually."
I completely understood and agreed. But isn't that weird and a bit backward?
With iPhone, he could type my info on his computer and sync it to his phone, or I could send him an email or SMS with my contact details. Apple just made managing contacts so much easier.
Even if that's all a person did with an iPhone -- manage their contacts and use it as a cellular phone -- it would have value over traditional phones. But of course iPhone is so much more. It easily allows powerful multi-media features, video and music, and of course the full Internet, web and email. And those functions are just as easy to manage as your contacts.
The iPhone is infinitely more powerful than any existing phone simply because it's useable. What good are a dozen cool features if you can't remember how to activate them?
I had been just the tiniest bit apprehensive. With all the hype over the iPhone I figured there might be a backlash. If the phone didn't perform as expected, if there was the slightest hint of a problem, it would have been front page news. But instead the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We still have to wait to see what real world people think of the device, but I can't imagine we'd hear anything different.
So I'm no longer worried. The iPhone will be a monster success. It will change the world (it already has). No, everyone on the planet won't buy one on the first day -- but there are still people out there who don't own an iPod, believe it or not, and they've been selling for years. Give this thing time and it will be revolutionary. Unlike the iPod, which snuck onto the landscape with a whimper, this revolution is beginning with a fantastic bang.
Forget it when people complain that the iPhone is missing this or that or has a flaw or problem. It's irrelevant. The only thing that truly mattered was "Does it simply work?" Since it does, we're good to go. Everything else will be addressed with updates and future models. Now go buy your iPhone.
The Rates Are Here, the Rates Are Here!
Finally, after an eternity of waiting, we know what the iPhone will actually cost. Today Apple and AT&T announced the rate plans for the iPhone.
As expected, the rate plans are a mixed bag of good and bad news. While they are actually not as expensive as some people expected, they are not exactly cheap.
One problem that could be looked at as good or as bad, depending on your perspective, is that all the iPhone plans include unlimited data. This raises the cost of a basic iPhone to at least $60 a month (closer to $75 by the time fees and taxes are included). That's a lot of moolah if you're not used to paying for a data plan or if you don't currently have a cell phone plan (like me).
However, if you're used to data plans from other companies, this is actually a remarkably inexpensive service. I've heard many people say they get charged $50 a month just for their data plan, so an extra $20 for unlimited data is not bad at all. People that used to pay $90 or more per month for their phone and data service can actually save money by switching to AT&T and an iPhone.
I had been very worried that with all the hype and rabid interest in the iPhone, AT&T's exclusivity, and those surveys that claimed millions were still interested in the device despite its $600 price tag, that AT&T would have been greedy and gouged iPhone buyers with extremely steep plans (like voice for $50 minimum and $40 data plans on top of that). So I am relieved to see that AT&T is being reasonable. The plans, while not cheap, are not outrageous, and will fit in many people's budgets.
Unfortunately, this all-inclusive plan means that there's no way to use an iPhone for phone service only. Since iPhone can use WiFi for data access, I had been toying with the idea of getting one with a voice-only plan and only using data capabilities when I was near a WiFi hot spot. If I could have done that for $40/month I might have considered an iPhone, but the announced pricing structure pretty much eliminates the device for me. I currently pay zero a month for cell phone service so jumping to over $70 is quite steep. (Technically I pre-pay a $180 a year, so that's $15 a month on average, but at least my costs are controllable and I don't have to worry about taxes and extra fees.)
I'm also unhappy with the family plan option. My mom already has a Cingular/AT&T contract and she's expressed an interest in getting an iPhone. I'd talked with AT&T guys a while back about what it would cost me to sign up on her plan and the increased cost was not bad. But the iPhone rate plans are different: the minimum family plan is $80 (instead of $60) and you get only 700 minutes to share (instead of 450 on an individual plan). For the two of us that would 350 minutes each. But AT&T also charges an additional $30 for the extra line, which means a total monthly bill of $110 (not including fees and taxes). Since we could get our own individual plans for $60 ($120 total), we'd only save $5 each and lose 100 minutes for that savings. Not a great deal.
Of course, that's for just two people. With more people, the savings are much better:
| Plan | Number of Lines | Total Monthly Cost | Cost per Person | Minutes per Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual 450-minute Plan | 1 | $60 | $60 | 450 |
| Individual 450-minute Plan | 2 | $120 | $60 | 450 |
| Individual 450-minute Plan | 3 | $180 | $60 | 450 |
| Individual 450-minute Plan | 4 | $240 | $60 | 450 |
| Family 700-minute Plan | 2 | $110 | $65 | 350 |
| Family 700-minute Plan | 3 | $140 | $47 | 233 |
| Family 1400-minute Plan | 3 | $160 | $54 | 466 |
| Family 700-minute Plan | 4 | $170 | $43 | 175 |
| Family 1400-minute Plan | 4 | $190 | $48 | 350 |
As you can see, once you add a third person to the mix you start to see some significant savings. Of course these are shared minutes, but if you just want several iPhones and don't use that many minutes, the family plan's not a bad way to go.
Unfortunately, the plan as structured is not too competitive with just two people, so couples are out unless they want to buy iPhones for their kids (and teens would suck up the minutes). I suspect we'll see a fair amount of "adopted" family because of these rates. For instance, I use very few minutes so the family plan with three or four people at under $50 is attractive to me -- but I'd need to find another person or two to split the cost with. Once you do that, you've got to factor in the cost of the iPhone itself -- at $500 or $600 each that's a lot money if you're buying three or four phones.
At first I was puzzled why AT&T priced the family plans like this. A friend of mine says that he can add a line on his AT&T plan for just $10 a month -- so why is AT&T charging $30 a month for extra iPhone lines? Then I realize that that's what AT&T is doing: $10 for the extra line, and $20 more for the unlimited data plan. Which does make sense. AT&T isn't gouging for those extra lines as data usage could be extensive for each extra iPhone.
However, AT&T is charging too much for the family plans considering their normal family plans include two lines for $60. With iPhone AT&T is charging $80 for a family plan -- but that only includes one line. So the two-line charge is really $110, which is quite a jump from $60, even if it includes more total minutes and unlimited data. You're basically paying an extra $20 (the total cost of services should be $90) and I don't know what you get for that, other than less minutes as part of the family plan. Seems a bit wonky to me!
(BTW, I did ask AT&T about this, via both my local store and the national customer service number, and in both cases the people were pretty clueless and I knew more about things than they did. The local guy was actually pretty funny: he didn't know about the iPhone self-activation feature and argued with me that it wouldn't work that way at AT&T stores, only at Apple Stores, which makes no sense at all since it would save the store time and effort. It could be he's worried about his job, for why do you need so many customer service people if they can activate phones themselves?)
The iPhone's Real Cost
While people initially balked at the iPhone's cost of $500/$600, that's a one-time fee -- and not that bad when you consider iPods alone have sold for $500. Even today an 8GB iPod nano sells for $250, and a nano has a postage stamp screen and won't do video. When you add in the other benefits of an iPhone -- gorgeously huge 3.5" screen, touch-screen interface, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity -- you're already approaching $500 and you haven't even gotten to the phone part yet!
The real cost of the iPhone isn't the device itself but the service plan, and that's where things get interesting. Originally I figured that AT&T would have different levels of data service which would make choosing a plan complicated. But probably under pressure from Steve Jobs, AT&T has kept that part simple: the only difference between plans are the amount of voice minutes and number of SMS messages included.
This is great for the future which will be all about wireless Internet. Once people get accustomed to having it, they'll always want it, just like once you've experienced broadband you can't go back to dial-up. Having flat all-inclusive pricing means there's no penalty for using wireless Internet and people will get used to it quickly and it'll become a standard thing.
Since you can buy extra SMS messaging a la carte, it's the voice minutes that really distinguish the plans, so just look at how many minutes you typically use and pick a plan. But remember the annual cost is the real cost:
| Annual Cost | Cost of Device | Total first year cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan (450 minutes) | $720 | $600 | $1320 |
| Plan (900 minutes) | $960 | $600 | $1560 |
| Plan (1350 minutes) | $1200 | $600 | $1800 |
| Plan (2000 minutes) | $1440 | $600 | $2040 |
| Plan (4000 minutes) | $2040 | $600 | $2640 |
| Plan (6000 minutes) | $2640 | $600 | $3240 |
Starting buying several iPhones for different members of your family with a family plan and you are talking some serious money!
Of course the price of the iPhone will drop, but you'll have to wait. It may be a while, too. With iPhone fever just beginning, I doubt Apple will need to drop the price or release an "iPhone 2.0" any time soon, certainly not until after the upcoming Christmas season.
The bottom line is if you want to be among the first to have this magical device and gain all those envious and admiring glances, you'd better be prepared to open your wallet because it will cost you at least $1220 (if you buy the 4GB model). If you're Bill Gates or Steve Jobs that's not a big deal, but the rest of us... we might have to wait.