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JEFF'S LOSTWORLD

 

September Power News Archive
(Up to October News Archive)

Monday, September 29

  • Saturday was PowerWatch's first anniversary! Thanks to all of you for your support! And keep coming back! It's a shame things turned out the way they did.

  • Did you see Apple's new advertising campaign last night? Were you as disappointed as I was? Share you views in the PowerWatch Views Apple's Direction discussion.

  • The PowerWatch survey is OVER! See the results now!

  • Read the article about Power shutting down its manufacturing plant in Round Rock.

 

Friday, September 26

  • Users looking for a G3-based system may not be completely out of luck. Webintosh reports that PowerTools is ready to start shipping their X-Factor systems, which will start at $3999.

  • Some readers have reported much smaller wait times than reported (as low as 5 days). Also, users have reported troubles with Power's online store, so you may want to call instead.

 

Thursday, September 25 (First day of class)

  • Indeed, supplies of PowerCenter Pro 180 and 210 models have been exhausted. Only the 240 remains, and along with the PowerTower Pro models, they're going fast. Expect at least a three week wait if you order one soon.

Wednesday, September 24

  • A user reports being told by Power sales that the PowerCenter Pro 180 and 210 models are all gone. No official confirmation of this, though.

  • I have posted some benchmarks of the PowerCenter Pro 240. If you can help fill in the blanks, that would be super.

  • With PowerWatch still having record traffic, I thought it would be a good time to allow advertisers to get their ad on this page for less! There are two new ad options (ads will no longer appear on PowerTech):
    • 25,000 impressions/month on the home page, for $250/month
    • 100% of all impressions on the PowerWatch Views pages, for $350/month
    • If you are interested in advertising on PowerWatch, contact Jeff.
  • PowerWatch readers-- stay tuned -- now that I'm settling down back at school, I'll be able to start sculpting the future for this page!

  • Do you have a G3 upgrade card? Send a review!

  • I have updated the "Fight Back for the Mac" desktop pictures, converting them all to JPEG format, and adding the "Let's Kick Intel's Ass" ad that Power ran. They're available on the PowerFiles page.

 

Monday, September 22

  • Well, I'm back in San Diego and things will be returning to normal soon. I have a nice, speedy Zenith cable modem to help me out, too ;-)

  • Many people have written in response to my comments on Saturday about choosing a PowerTower Pro over a PowerCenter Pro. I must add that it really depends on what you do... as someone who uses Photoshop a lot, the superior TwinTurbo card is why I recommend the PTPro. However, if you're more a general use person, the PCPro makes more sense.

  • Power must've sold out of Powerbases, because they've disappeared from their online store.
  • Meanwhile, MacBase has refurbished (from what I can tell) PowerCenter Pro 210MT's for $1699, and PowerTower Pro 225's for $1999.

  • A News.com article discusses Power's financial status, saying they only have about 12 months of "cushion" to prove their new business model.

  • Users have noticed that Power has no more internal Zip drives. Don't fret, places like MacZone sell them (part number M 86617).

 

Saturday, September 20

  • Want to see what could be Power's last magazine ad? It's the "license for speeding" ad and it's pretty funny. (Thanks, Delane). An American-Statesman article talks more about it.

  • A whole lot of people are asking me for advice between the $2099 PowerCenter Pro 210, and the $2199 PowerTower Pro 225. I recommend the latter, in a nutshell. Also, the PTPro has a 24X CD-ROM, from some reports, though others still say 16X.

 

Friday, September 19

  • Well, I'm back in the Bay Area, but I'm moving back to San Diego for the start of school this weekend, so updates will be scarce. I had a nice trip to Florida, and I'll have lots of pictures for those interested.

  • PowerWatch has learned that Power's marketing whiz, Mike Rosenfelt, has left the company. Mike was behind all the ads you see in the magazines, and he worked his butt off at MacWorld Expo too. He was also a big supporter of PowerWatch, and I wish him good luck in the future! Power Webmaster Brian Combs, who was also a tremendous help, has left the company as well.

  • Have you seen the latest Power ad? I know it's in the newest MacWeek, and it may be in the November MacWorld too. It's pretty funny (and it deals with the "buyout").

  • Have you taken the survey yet? It ends next week!!

  • I know this is off topic, but I need your help. I need to replace my AT&T Cordless 900MHz/SST phone because batteries are impossible to find. Can you recommend a new 900MHz/SST phone?



Wednesday, September 17

  • As my Walt Disney World vacation comes to an end, I have a few worthy news bits, that most of you have been waiting for..
    • Be is now taking orders for free copies of the BeOS to all PowerComputing owners who purchased a system after November 26, 1996.
    • Apple is once again giving Power owners copies of MacOS 8 for only $9.95. Read the fulfillment page for more info. (I don't know why there is a PCPro 250 on the list, either).

 

Monday, September 15

  • Just a brief note from WDW... spamming (unsolicited e-mail) PowerWatch Views will not be tolerated. Strong action will be taken to anyone who does this. Updates will be light for the next week due to my absence and return to San Diego next weekend.



Friday, September 12

  • The PowerWatch Survey has been repaired and is ready to go! Please take the survey only once! The survey will run until I get back from Florida in one week (I leave this weekend). Special thanks to Stephen Booth for his help with the CGI to make it all work. To view the latest results, click here. Note: If you took the survey yesterday and it failed, please try again. Thanks!
  • I received my Techworks Power3D card yesterday. Preliminary results are positive. Now that my summer job is over, I'll have more time to play around with it, at least until I leave this weekend for Florida.

 

Thursday, September 11

  • My review of the PowerTower Pro G3 is now up. I'm gonna miss the little guy ;- (
    I would definitely buy a G3 upgrade as soon as I could afford one, though!

  • Update: Lower prices have been found on Power's online store! And more RAM, too! Check it out!
    • PowerCenter Pro 210 64/2000/16X/LP $1999
    • PowerCenter Pro 240 64/2000/16X/LP $2299
    • As usual, add $100 for mini-towers on the PCPro machines
    • PowerTower Pro 225 96/2000/24X/4mbVRAM $2199 (wow)
    • PowerTower Pro 225 128/2000AV/24X/8mbVRAM $2799
    • PowerTower Pro 250 96/2000/24X/4mbVRAM $2699 (wow wow)
    • PowerTower Pro 250 128/2000AV/24X/8mbVRAM $3299

Wednesday, September 10


Tuesday, September 9

  • The rumor of a agreement to bundle MacOS 8 remains just that--a rumor. When we hear concrete information, it'll go up here. But for now, assume you won't be getting it.

  • Please be patient-- I've been swamped lately-- I'll post that PTPro G3 review tomorrow so it can return back to PowerCC HQ. I'll give you the fact of the day: It MacBenched 1035 on the processor score. The Powerboost 233 review has been delayed for a few days.

  • MacCPU's Bob Moriarty wrote a somewhat hostile, yet excellent letter to the Apple Board of Directors.

  • The old PowerTrip notebook (whose name several PW users claim was coined right here) even made it onto the late news here in SF last night.. it looked pretty nice.. but enough about PC's.

 

Monday, September 8

  • Power today introduced their PowerTrip line of Wintel notebooks (see their home page for more). While I said that I will not cover their Wintel offerings, it is kind of sad to see the kind of product that we would've enjoyed had Apple let them make Mac notebooks. A PowerTrip 200MMX 32/2gb/20X with a 13.3" screen and a 56K model, at $3949 's. It makes you wonder what we missed out on.



Sunday, September 7

  • Perhaps not surprising after last week's buyout, a TechWeb story says that Power is now licensed for MacOS 8. (Thanks, MacInTouch)

  • In the next week or so, before my trip to Florida, I will try to get out a review of the PowerTower Pro G3/275, as well as a Powerlogix Powerboost Pro 233.

  • I will be converting the Power "Fight Back for the Mac" desktop pictures to JPEG format, as well as adding the "Sluggo" ad this week as well.

  • The promised PowerWatch Survey should be ready this next week as well -- I urge you all to take it as soon as it arrives!

 

Friday, September 5

  • I write this tonight on a PowerTower Pro G3/275 -- the fastest machine you'll never be able to own, no thanks to Mr. Jobs. The speed is indescribable... truly amazing.. it's going to take a little while but I'm going to review it anyway, so you'll get an idea about not only what you're missing, but what you will be able to get with a G3 upgrade card. Stay tuned!

  • MacOS 8 will be included with Power systems in a few weeks, sources say. I'm still trying to find out about MacOS Up-to-Date.

  • On a lighter note, Umax ("that scanner company" to some) has bought the rights for the name of the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, where the Raiders and Athletics play. The Umax Coliseum -- really -- right across the bay from 3Com Park.


Thursday, September 4

  • Power is not going forward with their IPO, as a result of Tuesday's buyout. See their RW filing with the SEC. (A RW is a Request for Withdrawl of registration).

  • Power yesterday dropped a few prices:
    • PowerBase 240 (the only remaining 'Base) drops to $1295 for a low-profile configuration
    • PowerCenter Pro 240 is now $2495, low profile (add $100 to the both of these for minitower)

  • So the question many of you have is.. should I buy one, considering Power's situation now? If I was in such a situation, I'd jump all over the deals that Power is offering now (or any other cloner--get them while they last). What about support? Well, Power will be supporting users for the near future, and so will PowerWatch.. most of people's problems are within the first month, so you should be okay.. (all this is my opinion.. I may be wrong).

  • There are indications that Power will still come out with the promised upgrades for all their upgradable machines.. maybe later this month.. we'll wait and see what happens.

  • Jab! Uppercut! Henry Norr and Ric Ford both provide super editorials, slamming Apple over the Power buyout.

  • You wanted them! PowerWatch has 'em! Grab the ads Power used in their "Fight Back for the Mac" campaign from PowerWatch Files today!

 

Wednesday, September 3

  • Yesterday was quite a day.. it will take me a few more to catch up and get everything straightened out, so please be patient. I got a great response (over 150 messages!) to my letter on the home page yesterday (which will remain there all week), and I wanted to share some comments and feelings with you all that I received from readers:
    • " I don't know about anyone else, but this page provided the info that i needed to buy my power120 that I couldn't find anywhere else."
    • "Take heart, for we know not what the future brings. Perhaps Apple will surprise us and learn from the Power staff it has acquired. Maybe they'll go on to develop the kind of innovative hardware that was a Power Computing tradition."
    • " Your web site was one of the major reasons why I purchased my PowerTowerPro 225 (heck, I even put down your web site on the registration card indicating your influence on my purchasing decision). [Jeff says: cool!] Indeed, it is a sad day that Apple have bought PowerComputing MacOS business and effectively put it out of the competition. Wintel notwithstanding, I believe that we need a company like PowerComputing to keep Apple on its toes."
    • "But what I really wanted tell is to keep PowerWatch alive. It has been a marvelous resource for me in the past, and I believe it can be in the future."
    • "As a loyal reader of PowerWatch and a faithful owner of a PowerCenter 150, I would like to thank you for all the time and effort you put into PowerWatch. I always knew the place to go for info and support with a touch of whimsey and a down-to-earth style. Someone had to keep their eye on all things Power, and I am glad that you were able to provide that role. The events that have recently transpired cast a foreboding shadow on all things Mac. I hope that we can all band together and keep the spirit of PowerComputing alive and well, and forever fight back for the Mac." [Jeff says: I really like this one]
    • "Not satisfied with Apple sliding in obscurity, Steve Jobs will do what Microssoft could not do, kill it. Apple has decided that if they can't make it, they will take everyone else with them. I am distraught. The Macintosh is doomed and what will I use for a home computer? The thought of buying a windows machine makes me physically ill." [This one's kind of funny]
    • "Thank you very much for all the help and support you've given all of us over here at Power Computing service and support.
      Your information has always been very helpful and factual regarding Power's products. I referred many customers to your site so they could get more information regarding ram, upgrades, and Mac information in general. Your site reflected the image of a company that wanted to change the world."
    • "Just saw a quotation attributed to you, lamenting that Apple can't innovate and come up with a killer product. But I think the 3400 240mhz laptop is a killer product. It is simply the best laptop ever made. And although the new 9600 isn't a sufficient substitute for the 750 (which I would think that Apple will now bring out), it is still a great computer. System 8.0 is splendid, and is definitely a killer product." [Ok, so Apple can't innovate on desktop systems. I like the Powerbook 3400 so much, I bought one last week.. but if I had a choice....]
    • "'We look forward to...welcoming their customers back in to the Apple family.'
      Screw us August buyers on Up to date? Take our preffered cpu vendor's license away?
      Welcome us back???
      Words can not begin to express what revulsion I feel toward Apple. And I was a believer!" [Love that last line]
    • "You sold me my PowerCenter Pro 210, and I wish you had of received commission, Based largely with the reviews of actual users, I felt confident to buy at Mac clone and have been extremely happy even since."
    • "It seems to me that you still have a rather large contribution to make, if you want to. Integrating support for Power machines into Apple is going to be difficult. Keeping track of the various post-buyoyut issues for us Power customers will be incredibly valuable. And keeping track of the whole "G3 or not G3" upgrade issues will be important. "
    • Did I quote you and you don't want to be? Did I bore you silly with these happy stories? E-Mail Jeff and complain! (I take no responsibility for reader spelling problems).


  • I'm currently working on a big survey for all you readers-- hopefully it will be ready for Thursday.

  • There are tons of articles I could reference you all to, but here's just a select few, for your reading pleasure:
  • There are many ways you can react to yesterday's announcement:

 

Monday, September 1

  • MacInTouch supplies more details on tomorrow's announcement: Apple will buy back the license for $100mil, Motorola and Umax stay as cloners, Power shows new Wintel notebook later in the week. It's sad that Power, the major innovator in the clone market, will be the one to go, but at least the other companies will survive. As soon as the news comes out, I'll post it tomorrow.

 

(Down to August News Archive)

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