• Intro
• Quick Tip: LaunchBar today, in 10.4 Tiger tomorrow
• Great Buys & Special Deals - Just for Readers!
• Music on the Mac 8/14 - Good Speakers and "MMNM"
• Closing
• The Fine Print

Intro:

Greetings from your friends at Other World Computing! How can it already be another week gone by? And August half over? The Olympics are starting, kids are going back to school in just a couple weeks more, talk about time warp. What's really throwing things off even more is our weather. It's been in the 50s and 60s F for the past week - this is supposed to be August, Summer - not Fall! I really must be careful the next time I dare say that the weather is nice here. Did that last week, and look at the chill that followed. That said, it's a hardly a complaint when the hurricane that has just hit Florida is considered. I hope all is ok down there and our best thoughts to all you affected!

Guess who's coming to town? Roger Adler, who each week delivers the scoop for Music for the Mac, will be presenting a Garageband Seminar at the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago this Tuesday at 6PM! He'll be there to show you first hand all the neat things you can do with Apple's Garageband to get things jammin. Did you know there are even really great, straight-in MIDI guitars? I had never seen one before, but talk about cool. Getting back on track... if you're in the area, this is a great opportunity to really see the neat stuff available for and how easy it is to crank with Garageband + Meet Roger too!

So far so good with the Airport Express - except I am behind. The cables I discussed last week are still not in. And I haven't had time at home to do anything with the AirTunes yet. This is going to get done and I will have a full report come next week - with something more too... Apple isn't too open about stuff, but that doesn't stop other people from opening things on up. While Apple intended support for just iTunes via the Airport Express wireless audio feature, apparently apps you can read about on SlashDot make it possible to stream from other options. Will be trying this myself. One other important note - I have found the product to be GREAT for extending my Apple Airport Extreme base station coverage... that said, the Express does not work with the original Apple Airport Base Station or 3rd party base stations in that way.

And here is a pretty hot topic... Pioneer is now shipping their new DVR-108 model DVD-+R/RW, CD-R/W 'Superdrive' with Dual-Layer support. So what's really different vs. the DVR-107 Model? For DVD Burning, you now get up to 16X burn speeds (compared to 8X) - but like the 8X speed with the 107, the 8-16X speeds on the 108 are variable. Realworld, we're not talking much faster. Got the same deal with CD Recording speeds moving up to 32X Variable vs. 24X on the 107. Now - the biggest advance is the Dual Layer +R support. With DVD+R Dual Layer media, you can burn up to 8.5GBs on a single disc vs. 4.7GB with single layer. The only catch22 right now is that Apple doesn't currently offer any support for any type of +R burning yet, never mind Dual Layer. While it is possible to use the DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW features of this drive with the Apple iApps - the Dual Layer functionality currently only has support with the latest Toast 6 Titanium application. I still think the DVR-107 bundles are a deal, but, for the few dollars more - the DVR-108 is certainly something to consider too.

Hey, remember the Virginia Tech PowerMac G5 SuperComputing Cluster? Say hello to their new Xserve G5 Cluster! Talk about slick, now we're talking 1100 Xserve G5s all linked up in what will be one of the fastest and (with ECC memory supported) most reliable Supercomputing clusters in the world. And just think of the space savings compared to the first cluster of 1100 PowerMac G5s this replaces. Made with Mac to the Xtreme!

Gee, I wonder if Apple paid their shareware fee... As you probably have noticed, Apple OS 10.3.5 update is now out to fix a few bugs and, among other things, it incorporates a key part of what the shareware application Sailing Clicker had already made possible for Mac OS X 10.2.8 and later. Ever wanted to remote control your Mac and things your Mac controls - with Sailing Clicker or 10.3.5, you can do just that with an assortment of supported mobile phones and portable devices. Apple has their own purposes and Sailing Clicker still goes beyond the Apple 10.3.5 built in remote capability - and besides, you can do just fine with OS 10.2.8 Jaguar with the 'clicker' shareware too. Gotta love great apps like that - and gotta hope Apple doesn't run those that make them away too.

That's about going to do it, at least for starters this week. Still to follow, you'll find this week's Quick Tip on the great LaunchBar App, two new Music on the Mac articles, and the latest Reader Specials feature update. Hope you enjoy and thank you for being a Tips n' Deals Subscriber!

Some Quick Links
Pay Less, Get More, Surf Faster with FasterMac.NET
Nationwide 56K Dial up from $8/month, DSL from under $30 + 24/7 Toll Free Support, 10 Megs Web hosting, anti-Virus filtering, fully customizable Ant-Spam tools, and more - just for Macs.

Get Tech information on the Get the most from your Pioneer Superdrive! Increase read and write speeds, install current firmware, and more! OWC's Jamie tells you how!

Always bargains to be found on the OWC Clearance Page. An excellent selection of PowerMac G3/266MHz and faster from $99 is now online with many other bargains galore.

See what a Processor Upgrade can do for your Mac and compare new Macs too. Our Benchmark Reporting System lets you compare stock Apple systems versus those systems with different upgrades and against new Mac models too! It's easy and informative to compare with OWC's exclusive BRS!

Use Apple OS 9.2.2 & Apple OS X 10.3.x on Macs Apple doesn't support - OWC Supports you with OS 9 Helper and Xpostfacto!

Something the Government got right, the FTC's Do Not Call List puts a stop to annoying telemarketing calls!

The Fastest in FireWire Reader Specials
Our OWC Mercury Elite 800 Pro drives offer the fastest FireWire 800 Performance EVER. Using the fastest hard drives, featuring 8MB data buffers, and our custom tuned bridge solution - these Elites deliver for the most demanding power user! All Elite Drives include Dantz Retrospect Backup, Intech Speed Tools, FireWire 800 and FireWire 400 cables, 2 Year OWC Warranty.
200GB Elite 800 Pro 7200RPM Solution $229.00 250GB Elite 800 Pro 7200RPM Solution $295.00

2-Port FireWire 400 Card for any PowerMac with a PCI Slot - $9.95

2-Port FireWire 800 + 1-Port FireWire 400 PowerMac PCI Card - $47.50

Browse our full line of FireWire 400/800/USB, hubs, cables, etc online. Solutions by EzQuest, Lacie, OWC, SmartDisk, and others in stock and available.

Upgrading the Mac you have can be Better than buying a New Mac!
Featured Processor Upgrade for AGP Graphics/Sawtooth, Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio, and QuickSilver PowerMac G4 Models:
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/1.0-1.2GHz, 2MB L3 Cache is $315.00

For G3 Beige, G3 Blue & White, G4 'Yikes' PCI PowerMac Models:
OWC Mercury G4/450-500MHz 1MB L2 - $135.00; G4/500-600MHz 1MB L2 Cache $209.00

Visit our Acceleration Section for our full upgrade offering for Macs new and old. G3s and G4s, Single and Dual Processor, for PowerBooks and PowerMacs - available by Gigadesigns, NewerTech, OWC, PowerLogix, and Sonnet. G3 upgrades start from $99; G4s from $137.95.

More storage, that's Quieter and Faster too
For PowerBook & iBook G3-G4 models
40.0GB Toshiba MK4025GAS 2.5" with 8MB Data Buffer, now $92.50
80.0GB Hitachi 80GN 4200RPM 2.5" with 8MB Data Buffer, now $179.00

For PowerMac G3/G4, Cubes, eMac, iMac Desktop & Tower models
160GB Hitachi Deskstar 7K250 7200RPM 3.5" with 2MB Buffer $ 99.00
80GB Western Digital Caviar 7200RPM 3.5" with 8MB Buffer $78.00

For PowerMac G5 Models or any Mac with a SATA Controller
*NEW* 300GB Maxtor Maxline III 7200RPM SATA HD w/16MB Buffer $275.00
One of the highest capacity, and FASTEST SATA drives ever!

See all of our ATA/SATA Hard Drives and PCI Controller cards too, online.

Memory Specials & Price Trend Report:
8/14/2004 Memory 'Watch': Another soft week for memory. Mixed signals though - all the signs of good growth, but still plenty of supply to meet demand - but lower than expected inventories on hand all at the same time. Despite the mix there, I thing memory prices are at least stable for the next couple weeks or so, but without a crystal ball - you never know. What I do know for sure is that a Mac without enough memory runs a lot slower than the same Mac with the right memory.

Memory Deal Highlights:
256MB SDRam for all PowerMac G3 Models and PowerMac G4 'Yikes PCI $37.50

PowerMac G5 1GB Upgrade Set, 2x512MB Matched PC3200 DDR400 now $179.00

512MB PC133 CL3/PC100 CL2 168 Pin SDRam Module for G4 Cube, eMacs, iMac G3/350-700MHz models, PowerMac G4 AGP Graphics(aka Sawtooth)/Gigabit Ethernet/Digital Audio/QuickSilver now $93.50

Mac 128MB 5V 168 Pin 60NS Dimms for 7300-9600 Models & Clones, $16.99

1GB Module for PowerBook G4 AL 12/15/17"; iMac G4/1.0GHz+, iBook G4s $265.00
At that price - you can get Two 1GB Modules for than Apple charges for One!

Visit our Mac Memory Section to browse the full selection of memory we offer and/or use our online memory guide to get the right memory for the Mac(s) you have.

Total Digital Media Control - Video, Music, Etc!
El Gato's new 'EyeHome' lets you control your Mac to play Movies, Music, even Access the Internet via your home entertainment system. You Mac has the content, Eyehome puts it all where you want it. On special for $239, check it out. :)

That's just a small sample of the many deals you'll find on your Tips 'n Deals Reader Specials Page, check it out!