New Apple Powerbooks released today. Still G4. Very small bump in processor speed (to 1.5 and 1.67 Ghz.) 512 megs RAM now standard using 1 DIMM, so going to 1 Gig is only $150 more from Apple (probably a little less if you buy yourself.) It's about time they stopped with the 256 meg nonesense. Slightly faster hard drives (5400 RPM.) And slightly bigger video card with the option of adding a 128 meg ATI with dual-link DVI support for driving the 30 inch Cinema Display (I can dream!)

The trackpad now supports scrolling (horizontal and vertical) through an interesting sounding interface - touch the pad with two fingers at once and it then acts as a scroll wheel type surface (drag up and down and the page moves up and down.)

Nothing to get too excited about, but lots of nice little things and the prices drop a bit too.
- jim 1-31-2005 10:41 pm

the scrolling trackpad is something i miss a lot from the vaio. every time i use my new ibook i go to scroll and nothing happens.
- linda 1-31-2005 11:18 pm


There is a program called sidetrack that can make the right edge of the trackpad into a scroll surface. It also gives you a right click (which is 'apple key-click' when you only have one button) if you tap on the trackpad surface.

Alternately, in case you didn't know, you can plug in any PC USB mouse and all scroll wheels and right click buttons will work. Kind of defeats the portability thing though.

Definitely ask about stuff that bothers you because there will almost always be some sort of work around (if not outright solution.)
- jim 1-31-2005 11:29 pm


yay, thanks. that is just what i was missing.

- linda 2-01-2005 2:35 am





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