News for Wednesday, 9 March 2005

Another report from Aubert:

I am typing this message from an iMacG5 17" from October 2004, featuring a dying graphic cards... I am not sure if I will be able to finish this message! In addition this iMac is making quite some noise (constant active fans) which unexplained extremely noisy peaks. Temperature monitor is displaying CPU probe constantly over 52C even when the CPU load is zero...with performance setting: Auto or Low.
I have received a second iMacG5 at home, a 20" model. This one is extremely silent, and the CPU temperature is hardly going over 35C under normal usage, and reaches 45C under heavy CPU loading (performance setting: Auto or Low).
On the 17" model, the problem with the graphic card started after I left the computer running overnight. On the morning, fans were at full speed, and the computer itself was hot...but not crashed. This is only after rebooting that I got the scratched apple logo.

Every week we are receiving one or more reports from users owning an defect iMacG5 from October 2004. To our point of view, it is quite clear that at least part of the production series from October 2004 is defect. A problem which was identified and solved quickly afterwards since most of the problems are identified with iMac G5 from October 2004, not later.
In addition, the poor owners have to wait from 2 to 3 weeks to get the motherboard of their iMac exchanged...

This information is probably going to be much appreciated by Apple. Linux creator, Linus Torvalds has admitted using an Apple G5-based machine as his main desktop. Of course he argues that one can not call it a Mac since it runs Linux. But at least, this is another proof of the quality and reliability of Apple computers.

Samsung today introduced the SCH-V770 mobile phone, boasting a 7 megapixel camera and a QVGA LCD display. In addition, the SCH-V770 offers a focal length of 7.8 to 23.4 mm.

As shown on the picture, it looks more like a digital camera, than a mobile phone.

thanks to David for this info.

One of my friends has a digital camera, when connected to her office iMac G5 ...it works fine.
Back home, she plugged-it to her iMacG5...it did not work, not even mount, the System did not see it!!
After spending some times at the phone with her...-> still did not work.
She brought the drive to my place, we plugged it to my PMG5 Dual 2.5GHz ... it worked fine!
Back home, she tried again on her iMacG5...nothing, does not work.
This morning while browsing through the Apple forum I have found the following message:
"Older Lexar flash drive works ONLY in middle USB port not the others"
She tried it...and indeed it worked with the middle USB port of her iMacG5!!

Star Wars web shop is proposing an exclusive: "Star Wars: Episode III" iPod Cover.

The iPod cover adds an extra level of protection and uniqueness to your iPod.
Apple should look at this concept and propose an iPod Star Wars Special Edition available at the Episode III launch date.

Colorware, mainly known for their paint jobs for the iPod, strike again with custom paint jobs for the Mac mini.
The details are apparently still in the planning stage, but they intend to carry 20 different colors of paint for the latest Apple machine.

Earlier this week, we ran a newsbit about IBM's official acknowledgement of the PPC 970 GX's existence. The message seemed clear and not prone to misunderstanding. However, the page now has the following amendment :

Rather odd mistake, if you ask us... perhaps a special someone gave IBM a ring ?

Marc has an interesting story:

Happy owner of a spanking new 15" Powerbook, I stumbled across an annoying problem : the superdrive "Matshita DVD-R UJ-835E" simply doesn't show up in the system when the laptop is very warm (ok, very hot) to the touch! no way of inserting or ejecting a media. the only solution seems to be shutting down the machine, letting it cool down. Once woken up, the drive emits a noticeable "click" and seems docile and functionning again.
My Powerbook features the 128MB VRAM video card, so that might be related, since one of my clients having the same laptop is also experiencing the issue.This is odd enough to be reported.

We welcome any feedback of similar experiences with the new Powerbooks.