March Power News Archive

Up to April News Archive

Thursday, March 27

• If you have a Catalyst-based machine (PowerCurve, Center, Tower) and an ATI XClaim product, then the PCI Timing Fix may end your problems with choppy sound. (Then again, the SCSI Manager Fix doesn't work for a lot of people). Download it from Power Computing or from PowerWatch. (Thanks, MacInTouch)
  
  
• I have returned! Safe and sound, with a speeding ticket (oops). Updates will get regular next Monday. Pictures of the trip will be posted then as well. But now, read that Power is considering selling Wintel clones (bad move, IMHO).

Friday, March 21

• Well, folks, I'm outta here. Spring break has sprung, and I'm off for a trip to the great southwest! And as I've been warning, that means no updates! So here's some stuff to keep you busy.
  • PowerWatch Views: A great place for news and info sharing. Our friend Jim Stoneburner will be making sure that it doesn't stop working while I'm gone.
    
  • I got my APS Q3200 hard drive and installed it into my PowerTower 200e. Seems okay so far!
    
  • If you're looking for news while I'm gone, I strongly recommend MacInTouch, Mac Resource Page, and MacFixIt.
    
  • Go see a movie: The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition was excellent. So were all three soundtracks.
    
  • Go play a game: Sierra's Beast Within and Caesar II were cool. I'm also a big fan of Command and Conquer, Warcraft II, Diablo (PC only), and The Dig.
    
  • Go check out Jeff's Lostworld. The pages that started it all. They're cool.
    
  • I still don't have a cool summer job yet. If you are either Disney, equally as cool, or in the San Francisco area, then check out the Jeff Job Page.
    

Wednesday, March 19

• From Ted Landau's wonderful MacFixIt page:
  • Chris Heatherly (of Power Computing) reports that the ATI-PowerCenter compatibility problem, that I mentioned last time, is the same sound "drop-out" problem that had been mentioned here on MacFixIt awhile back - and it affects all Catalyst-based computers. Chris writes: "Power has resolved the issue in the PCI Timing Update. This update has been in seeding for a few weeks and should be available publicly this week (should it pass final qualification). Power has supplied the code for this update to ATI for inclusion in their VR drivers."
    
    
    
• Phew. Finals are over. Time for a break.
  
  
  
• Power should begin shipping a PowerTower Pro 250, powered by a 604e at 250MHz, next month, according to a Macworld article. This puppy will have all the same features we all love about the 'Pro line, plus Wide SCSI. The configuration will be have 32mb of RAM, the 8x CD-ROM (where's the 12x??), Director 5.0, and more for the low price of $4495.

Tuesday, March 18

• From O'Grady's PowerPage, yesterday:
  • I have been informed that the PowerComputingBook will be a full-sized notebook based on a PowerPC Platform (PPCP) logic board. The MPU (Motorola Processing Unit) will be based on the Arthur chip architecture and the clock speed will depend on availability at the time of release. PowerPage loyalists will recall my Post on January 4 about Arthur:
    Apple is working on a prototype of a new 603 processor code-named Arthur, the current 603 used in PowerBooks is called Valiant. Arthur reportedly has separate buses for the system and cache yielding as much as a 2x increase in performance in comparable megahertz processors. Power is hoping to include Digital Video Disc (DVD) optical storage, but that depends on the availability of drivers and a consumer-friendly price point. A CD-ROM drive will probably be a option. Video acceleration (2D and 3D) and a bundled BeOS CD are also planned.

Monday, March 17

• While the price cuts on their 603e-based systems aren't too exciting, the APS Technologies M*Power 604e/200 ($1899) undercuts the PowerTowerPro 200 core system by $800. I can't help but wonder if Power responds with a matching cut...
  
  
• A plethora of brief updates today....
  • PowerWatch Files is now mirroring the SCSI Manager Update 1.2, Clockometer 1.9.6, and the IMS Twin Turbo Software v. 3.8. Note that PowerFiles will be remodeled after vacation to make it a bit easier to use.
  • Remember that updates will be light this week, and non-existant next week. Finals and spring break can be thanked for that.
  • Interesting things that happened this weekend: Return of the Jedi was excellent, and my mother broke two bones in her arm, requiring surgery. Hence, I was pretty preoccupied this weekend.
  • PowerWatch chat has been removed from the main menu. You can still enter through PowerWatch Views, but it may stay shut off until designated chat dates and times, due to bandwidth considerations.
    
    
• I got a PowerLogix Mach9 card and will write something up about it in a few weeks. It boosted my PT 200e to 220MHz, FYI.
  
  
• A user with a Nikon Coolscan said that the new SCSI Manager Update 1.2 didn't resolve it not working with the Powerbase.

Friday, March 14

• For those who were interested in my hard drive decisions, I ordered a Quantum Tempest 3.2 (Fireball?) from APS.. I will let you all know when I get it set up!
  
  
• Users who are using the BeOS DR8 on their system should upgrade to DR8.3. Also, you can sign up to be notified when the BeOS Preview Release comes out. (Thanks, MacInTouch and Dan Walsh)

Thursday, March 13

• Power has posted a new version of the SCSI Manager Fix 1.2, which fixes problems with external SCSI devices on PowerBases. As many of you know, version 1.0 didn't work too well, so I'll let you know if this one works better... UPDATE: I will be mirroring this software later on Friday.
  
  

Wednesday, March 12

• An anonymous friend (I've always wanted to say that) tells me that Power Computing's moved its sales, tech support, and customer service sectors over the weekend into a new 90,000 square foot building across from Dell in Round Rock (near Austin). Manufacturing remains in the old Westinghouse building they've been using for a long time.
  
  
• Ack. I'm out of hard disk space! Recommendations are welcome on large, inexpensive hard drives! Also, PowerTech will hopefully be quite updated, as will Systems, during the latter half of spring break.

Tuesday, March 11

• I again want to apologize for the lack of news. A number of you have attributed this to the fact that I'm "out to make money," which is absolutely ridiculous. PowerWatch has been, and will remain to be, a hobby. I have a "real job" and I'm a full-time student on the side. If I had incredible breaking news to report everyday, I would. If you want that, please check out MacInTouch and so forth. The truth is, there isn't a lot of news in the PowerCC world everyday, but when it does happen, I will of course let you all know. I have two choices: Continue to run PW as a hobby, or drop out of college and maintain it fulltime. Which would you do? Update: I want to thank those who have written in support-- it means a lot to me, thanks! I'll have a news posting later tonight.
  
  
• A new Softwindows from Insignia Solutions is out. I still can't get any of them to work ith the CD-ROM on my PowerTower. Anyone having any luck?

Monday, March 10

• Bill Fox reports on his For MacOS Users Only page that, as some of you noticed, Apple's CD-ROM Software v 5.3.2 will NOT mount CD's on non-Apple CD-ROM's. But v 5.3.1 will.. strange...
  
  
• Important PowerWatch News: Updates will be sparse in the next few weeks. Here's why:
  • Week of March 9 - Updates should be okay, esp. early in the week.
  • Week of March 16 - Few updates during first half, due to finals
  • Week of March 23 - No updates, will be out of town.

Sunday, March 9

• For those of you PowerBase'rs wondering where your copy of Weekend Warrior is, it has been released and will be shipped to all PowerBase owners. If you bought from a reseller, be sure that you registered your machine.
  
  
• I haven't decided to allow donations yet; I may let advertising pick up the tab instead.
  
  
• Thanks to those who helped me in my cellular phone buying a few weeks back; I picked up a Airtouch Powerband digital/analog phone yesterday. Qualcomm employees rejoice ;-)

Friday, March 7

• Big announcement: I have "purchased" a 100 user license for WebX Chat, which means that PowerWatch Chat is now a reality. I will be trying to setup a regular chat time when we can meet (but only 100 of us for the time being, at any one time), and possibly arrange for some Power Computing people to stop in as well. Two things:
  • I owe $1300 for WebCrossing and Chat. Users have suggested starting a fund raiser to pay for this, and I'm all for it. I will post more details about how this will work.
  • What day of the week and time is best for you?
    • Send feedback to Jeff today!
      
      
• PowerWatch Views was down this morning. The server went down for the first time in over a month. Also, I added PowerTech to the righthand side menu.
  
  
• It will be interesting to see if Apple really does raise licensing fees; My opinion: Very bad idea. Cloners like Power, UMAX, and Motorola have brought Apple's market share up over 11%, and Dr. Gil would be making au mistake if they put the clones out of the market altogether.

Thursday, March 6

• A TechWeb article talks about how Apple may be raising clone licensing fees this summer, possibly putting a lot of Mac clone makers out of business. In addition, PowerCC and other clone makes do not have a license for MacOS 8 (tempo, formerly knowna as 7.7). I guess we will have to wait and see on this one.

Wednesday, March 5

• O'Grady's PowerPage reports on possible PCC Powerbooks (nice rhyme, eh?)
  • PowerBook clones are still slow in coming but according to a friend the battle will be heating up very soon. Power Computing, the venerable pioneer in MacOS-compatible desktop CPUs, is rumored to be tired of waiting for Apple to license the PowerBook design. Instead, Power is going to do for portables what it did for desktops - roll their own. Details are still surfacing, but the smart money is on a portable PPCP logic board before the end of the year [if Powers caffeinated engineers have their way].
    
    
• A user reported that Power may have fixed the problems with the Phillips CD-ROM mechanism. Brian Combs has confirmed this, saying that a fireware update has ended the problem, so you may fear these drives no more!
  
  
• I upgraded my USR Courier V.Everything modem to x2 yesterday. A brief test AOL got me connecting at 48000bps, with transfer rates of over 5kb/sec. This was over long distance, too! Way cool!
  

Tuesday, March 4

• Those of you who follow either my Disneyland pages or are interested in the digital camera scene will love my Disneyland Trip report from Sunday!
  
  
• New PowerWatch Poll question: Would you be interested in having an online chat with representatives from Power Computing? Previous poll results are now being saved as well.
  

Monday, March 3

• I apologize for the lack of news lately, and the lack of content updating. There hasn't been any major news to speak of, and I've been swamped (and finals are coming soon). I will get some updating down in the middle of this week.
  
  
• I took my digital camera to Disneyland for a full day trip and I'll be putting up my trip report later, so you can see how the camera does....
  
  
• WebCrossing 2.0 is here! You WILL notice some quirks since I have to fix some bugs.
  • PowerWatch chat is here!!! You'll find it in PowerWatch Views, but be warned, it has a 5 user limit right now. Just try it out, maybe talk a bit, and tell me what you think, and what you'd like to see it used for.
  • New look spreads! Do you like it? Let me know.
  • A word about cookies: If you are using a proxy server or AOL and were having trouble with PowerWatch Views, cookies have come to the rescue. These little beasts will remember who you are, so you won't have to keeping logging in everytime you move around WebX. If you don't like cookies, you can turn them off in the Preferences section of WebX.

Saturday, March 1

• The page continues to evolve into its final new look. The font has been played with for today. Update: Due to unpopular demand, the font has been changed back to normal.