Eliminate that MacBook Pro “whineâ€? once and for all!….Or die trying
Posted by Helper Monkey
There has recently been much discussion among the “early adopters� who rushed out to get the 1st generation of MacBook Pros. Apparently there is an audible “whine� sound coming from a good portion of these machines, and no one really has been able to come up with a good reason why. In addition, the recently released Apple Keyboard Update seems to have made the problem worse for some users.
Well, despite not knowing the cause, some brilliant soul claims to have found the cure. Macenstein faithful reader rico points us to a thread on the Apple support forums, which outlines a brilliant (yet potentially disastrous) plan to eliminate this horrible sound. In his post titled “Permanent SOLUTION for the WHINE issue. STEP by STEP Instructions.�, member Oben claims by eliminating and changing very specific lines of code deep within the “IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext� file, the noise can be eliminated. By changing certain values, the CPU Throttling of the Macbook Pros can be changed, thus eliminating the noise.
Or at least it did for Oben.
You see, the problem is no one else who followed his instructions was able to get the same result, and most people reading his solution have raised some significant questions. Chief among them, “how does this affect the performance of the Macbook?�, “How does it affect the battery life?�, and “What about over-heating?�
Well, a slower MacBook Pro with 1.5 hours of battery life and a chip so hot the keyboard warps are all small prices to pay for quiet, which you’ll apparently have plenty of once you MacBook overheats and dies.
So, either way, Oben’s solution seems destined to stop the noise, and his “permanent� solution to the problem seems aptly titled.
Apple releases Keyboard Update 1.0 for Intel Macs – Yet problems persist
Posted by Dr. Macenstein
Apple today released the “Apple Keyboard Update 1.0� for early Intel Macs. The update claims it “addresses reliability of keyboard and mouse functionality�, and it is recommended for owners of the MacBook Pro, the iMac (Early 2006), and the Mac mini (Early 2006).
After installing the keyboard update on our Intel mini, we have noticed no improvement at all. The Kensignton keyboard we hooked up still continues to need to be re-identified (the mini thinks it is a Japanese keyboard, and the “b� key (among others) will only work in certain apps. We have gotten into the habit of copying the “b� from webpages and keeping it on the clipboard when typing now.
While we would hate to think odd third-party keyboard behavior is an attempt by Apple to sell more Apple branded keyboards, we are starting to wonder…
In any case, now that it looks like this update is a bust (at least for us), we may be forced to plunk down the $30 for a new apple keyboard after all.
[One odd note… The fact that Apple has made the distinction (early 2006) next to the mini and iMac entries is interesting. It could mean that refreshed updates are in the near future. Or (more likely) it could mean they just don’t want to have to update their technotes when they eventually update them.]
Review: Popcorn 2 by Roxio
Posted by Lab Rat
As Apple’s video iPods continue to set record sales, demand for video content to play on them has far outpaced the supply. The offerings on the iTunes store are largely relegated to television programs, most of which can be seen for “free� on TV. While sales of such shows on iTunes have been healthy, the idea of paying as much (or more) per episode for an iPod-sized version of a show as the eventual DVD release doesn’t sit well with many users. Additionally, full-length movies — The “holy grail� of portable media players — have yet to make their appearance on iTunes.
So what is the content-starved video iPod owner to do? Well, why not take the role of producer, and put your OWN stuff on the iPod? Roxio has recently released version 2 of their Popcorn software, which in addition to making perfect copies of your DVDs, can now compress DVDs and video files of almost any format into iPod- (and PSP-) friendly formats.
Now please note, I said Popcorn can make copies of YOUR DVDs, meaning DVDs YOU made, not just DVDs you own. Popcorn cannot rip copy protected Hollywood DVDs you have purchased (although like a gun, Popcorn is merely a tool, and can be used for good or evil depending on the user; more on that later).
Using Popcorn 2
Roxio created (in my opinion) one of the more intuitive and cleanly designed interfaces when they released Toast 7 last year, and they have pretty much cloned it for Popcorn 2. The interface contains two main tabs depending on the output you are looking for. Select “DVD� if you intend to copy a DVD, or burn DVDs from an existing VIDEO-TS folder or disk image. Choose “PLAYER� if you want to output to a video iPod, PlayStation Portable (PSP), DIVX player, 3G Phone, generic MP4 player, or generic H.264 player.
The Popcorn 2 interface closely resembles Roxio’s other app, Toast.
Exporting for iPod
As you can see from the listing above, Popcorn 2 can pretty much output a video file for just about any device out there capable of playing video. Popcorn makes the export process very easy by giving you a large selection of presets optimized for each device. For instance, if you choose to export for video iPod, you can choose from “Standardâ€? (MPEG-4, 320×180 widescreen, 320×240 standard), “For TVâ€? (MPEG-4 640×360 widescreen, 640 x 480 standard), “Highâ€? (H.264, 320×180 widescreen, 320×240 standard), or “Customâ€?, which allows you to choose your own sizes and bit rates, all the way up to 1920×1080 HD. Obviously a setting that high won’t play on your iPod, but Popcorn 2 is quite versatile, and can be used as a poor man’s Sorenson Squeeze, even allowing you to set streaming settings. You can also set your output directory to be your iTunes library if you’d like, making it that much easier to sync your exported movie to your iPod.
The Popcorn 2’s “Export to Player” offers a number of devices and presets from the drop down menus.
Exporting to other formats is similar, although each has its own limitations. For instance, choosing to export to PSP, you are presented with only “Standard� and “Custom�, and the custom options are far more restricted than the iPod’s, presumably due to the device’s limitations (although the iPod certainly can’t play back HD video and yet Popcorn’s custom iPod options allows for the export of such, so I am not sure why this is).
As for source material, Popcorn lets you grab from DVDs (non copy protected), Image files, VIDEO_TS folders, or raw video files. The video files option is great for those of us who use EYE TV to record shows. Now it is easy to bypass the iTMS and still get the latest episodes of LOST on your iPod.
Exporting for DVD
If you want to export to a DVD, you have the same source options as when exporting for “PLAYERS�, minus the “video file� option. Popcorn can’t make a DVD from scratch, for that you will need to use Toast or iMovie or something capable of making the VIDEO_TS file for you. However, something Popcorn 2 DOES do that makes it quite unique (and to my mind, makes it worth its meager $42.99 price tag) is it employs a sophisticated “Fit-to-DVD video compression� technology, which allows you to take an 8GB dual-layer DVD, and fit it onto a regular 4.7GB single-layer blank DVD. This is the same technology offered in Roxio’s flagship Toast product, and it works great.
Why is this important? Well, as I said above, Popcorn is intended for use only on non copy protected DVDs, meaning ones you made yourself. However, the odds are the home movies of the kids you shot and edited were probably burned on a single-layer DVD, and therefore this feature would not be of much interest to you (although new Macs DO come with dual-layer burners now, so it is possible you will eventually burn an 4 hour 8GB disc of your trip to Disney). But, what if you were not limited to only burning copy-protected DVDs?
Popcorn 2’s “fit-to-DVD” option allows you to choose which parts of a DVD you want to encode and how much compression to apply in order to get it to fit on your disc.
Using Popcorn 2 for evil
Now, we all know Hollywood frowns upon copying their masterpieces and distributing them, and rightly so. However, there is still a gray area when it comes to backing up your purchased DVDs incase of catastrophe. So assuming you feel you DO have the right to make a backup of your copy of King Kong
The Popcorn 2 can be used for to copy Hollwood DVDs with the aid of DVD ripping software.
Well, we know Popcorn has our solution to the 2nd problem, so let’s tackle the first. There are many free DVD rippers available on the web that will remove a DVD’s copy protection, but by far the easiest and most reliable is MacTheRipper. With one click, MacTheRipper quickly rips your commercial DVDs to your hard drive, giving you an UN-copy protected VIDEO_TS folder. Once you have that VIDEO_TS folder, Popcorn 2 suddenly becomes almost invaluable.
Using that folder, Popcorn 2 can now make a perfect copy of the DVD for you to use as a backup. If you are lucky enough to have a dual-layer DVD burner on your computer, then Popcorn will not compress the DVD at all; you will get a 1-to-1 identical copy. However, if you have a single-layer drive, Popcorn’s “fit-to-DVD� feature will recompress the feature to fit on your standard 4.7GB disc, albeit with some loss of picture quality (the audio is left unchanged). However, you can reduce the amount of compression needed by selecting only the parts of the VIDEO_TS you want burned to DVD. Popcorn will scan the VIDEO_TS folder and show you a list of available tracks and extras available for burning. For instance, you may choose to burn the entire disc, with all menus, special features, foreign audio tracks, etc., OR you can choose to burn just the main feature (or the main feature and any combination of extras and audio) to save space and reduce the amount of compression. Those worried about loss of quality can relax somewhat, as the compression Popcorn applies is actually quite good. Depending on just how far over the 4.7GB limit your disc is, the results will be somewhere between the original and a good VHS. I found a 3-hour movie with menus and extras (like King Kong) will likely come out closer to the VHS-side, maybe a bit better.
Now, if you REALLY want to push your rights as a consumer (and get even MORE value from Popcorn) you can also use that ripped VIDEO_TS folder you just made using MacTheRipper and use it as a source to export full length movies to your iPod, cel phone, PSP, Archos player, or what have you via Popcorn’s “PLAYER� export option. Here is where the legality gets a bit more touchy (especially for PSP users, as Sony DOES sell movies designed for it). In theory though, as an iPod owner, you could argue you are still using the one copy of a movie you purchased for personal use, and since there is currently no “official� way to get movies onto your iPod, you are not hurting Hollywood. After all, you are an honest guy and WOULD buy the iPod version of Glitter
Popcorn 2 allows you to choose which tracks and extras you want to include on your DVD copy
Conclusion
Popcorn 2 is a very powerful and easy to use application, but is hampered by the limitation of only being able to work with non-copy protected material. The potential market for people who want to put DVDs they made onto iPods is rather small, and to use Popcorn simply as a tool make copies of your homemade DVDs seems like overkill. I understand a large company like Roxio wanting to steer clear of the whole copy protection issue, but the implied use for Popcorn 2 is clearly to copy Hollywood DVDs and get them onto your video iPod. In fact, Popcorn’s most powerful feature, the “fit-to-DVD� compression, is almost ONLY useful in trying to fit an 8GB Hollywood DVD onto a standard 4.7GB consumer disc.
By combining Popcorn 2 with a DVD ripping application, it suddenly becomes a must-have utility for video iPod owners and movie buffs who wish to make backups of their DVDs. The excellent export options also make Popcorn 2 a great utility for exporting movies to the web. Many of Popcorn’s features are available in freeware in shareware apps found on the web, but Popcorn boasts far more import and export options than apps like iSquint, Podner, and iPSP, and has a more cohesive and intuitive workflow. The ability to export to multiple portable devices, including DIVX players and 3G phones really sets Popcorn apart.
Price: $42.99 (Amazon)
Rating: 9 out of 10 (when used with a DVD ripping app like MacTheRipper)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (when used solo)
Pros: Universal Binary, exports content to almost any portable player imaginable, “fit-to-DVD� compression gives great results, makes copying DVDs easy, best way to get video onto the iPod
Cons: Only works with non-copy protected materials, requiring the download of an app like MacTheRipper to achieve its full potential
Review: The Stowaway Boomtube H201 speaker system
Posted by Lab Rat
With over 50 million iPods sold, there is no denying that people like to carry their music around with them. However, despite what many press articles would have you think, not ALL iPod users are isolationists, content to tune out the world via their tiny white earbuds. SOME iPod users actually have friends, and want to share their music with others, whether at their house or out on the road.
A company called Think Outside has addressed this need (in spades) with their new Stowaway Boomtube H2O1, a portable speaker system unlike any I have come across before. For those of you too lazy to read a full review, let me cut to the chase here. Every iPod owner in the world should go out RIGHT NOW and buy the Boomtube H2O1. That’s right, all 50 million of you. I freely admit I am smitten with this device. As Mike Myers once said, “I am in deep smit.�
So what is the Boomtube H2O1?
The Boomtube H2O1 is a 40 watt portable speaker system, complete with a subwoofer-like bass tube and two two-inch aluminum satellite speakers. Out of the box, the design and craftsmanship of the Boomtube is what will first impress you. While billed as the ultimate portable speaker system, this thing is NOT light. It weighs in around 3.5 pounds, and the thing feels rock solid. The exterior of the unit is housed in anodized aluminum that, according to the manufacturer, delivers a better sound than a plastic housing would. It also makes it WAY more resistant to scratches and such (maybe Apple should make an anodized aluminum iPod).
The Boomtube in “travel mode” with speakers attached.
A good portion of the Boomtube’s weight may be attributed to its built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery, which keeps the music pumping for up to 5 hours. This is actually a godsend for me, as my current portable speaker solution runs off standard (or rechargeable) AA batteries, and it eats them like candy. Just keep the Boomtube plugged in to an AC jack when not in use and you’ll always be ready to take it on the road.
The Boomtube’s speakers can be positioned a full 2 meters apart.
The design of the Boomtube is really quite cool. The speakers twist off each end of the central bass tube, and can be positioned a full two meters apart thanks to the generously lengthy included audio cables. This allows for a great separation and “room filling� sound.
And speaking of sound…
This thing simply sounds great. You would NEVER expect sound this full and rich (and loud!) from a unit this small. The sound easily surpasses that of the (debatably) fugly Sonic Impact i-Fusion Portable Speakers, which lack the Boomtube’s sense of style. The volume smoothly scales without distortion, even at the highest levels. In fact, Think Outside actually gave the Boomtube’s volume knob an “11� setting.
The Boomtube’s volume and bass dials.
I love music, but I would not consider myself a true audiophile. However, the sound guy at the video company I work for IS, so I had him listen to the Boomtube to give me his honest assessment.
Hooked to my iPod and playing a little Zepplin, his first impression was he thought the sound was very good (he used the word “clean� a lot) but he said the unit lacked a bit in the mid ranges. Then we realized my iPod’s EQ was set to NONE. After fiddling around with some EQ settings (we settled on JAZZ of all things) he seemed quite impressed. He said he had never heard such clear sound from such a small device, and was especially fond of the bass the Boomtube delivers. He pointed out that it sounded even better when the bass tube was positioned on the floor (so the bass had a hard surface to bounce off of). So the moral here is the Boomtube can only sound as good as your source. Garbage in, garbage out, so adjust those EQ settings people!
Next I plugged the Boomtube into my portable DVD player. Here again the Boomtube’s rich bass was the star. The low, rumbling breathing of King Kong really came through, and as long as I held the 8-inch screen a foot from my face, I could almost envision I was at the theater.
Let me just stress one more time how clean and loud the Boomtube’s sound is. Even outside, where most speaker systems can feel underpowered, the Boomtube is LOUD. I plugged my Sirius radio receiver into the Boomtube and my friends and I blasted out our favorite 80’s hair bands for hours, annoying anyone in a one-block radius born after 1976.
The Boomtube H2O1can be attached to anything with an audio out cable, from iPods and DVD players to MP3 cell phones.
Conclusion
Honestly, I think the Boomtube H2O1 may be the best sounding and most stylish portable speaker set money can buy (well, AVERAGE money can buy). Its “light saber� good looks, impressive battery life, and awesome sound really deliver. Think Outside seems to be a company that realizes it’s the small details that can make a good product a great one. Little touches, like quality audio cables, an included sport carrying case, and ear plugs (included for those neighbors I was annoying) show the company has a somewhat irreverent but obsessive outlook on product design. And I’m sorry, but the fact that the Boomtube’s volume goes up to “11� is just awesome.
The only design issue I have even a slight problem with is that you must press and hold the power button for 2 or 3 seconds to turn the Boomtube on. I’m assuming this decision was made to keep the unit from being accidentally turned on and running down the battery while being transported, so it’s understandable.
The Boomtube H2O1 comes with a travel case with strap.
So is it perfect?
Yes. Well, sort of. The only potential problem here is the cost. The Boomtube H2O1 sells for $250, which falls in the mid-to-high range of speakers currently selling at the Apple Store (although most of those do not have the battery powered option or portable form-factor). While I think the Boomtube is well worth the $250 given its great sound and styling, I think Think Outside would sell a ton more of these at $199 (I know, I know, they would sell even more at $39). The price issue here is not whether you get your money’s worth (you do), it’s whether enough people can afford to spend as much as a new iPod costs in order to make their current iPod sound great.
So, will the average person be willing to shell out $250 for portable speakers? Well, I would. Remember, these are not simply portable speakers. Think of them as an amazingly robust and stylish sound system that adds the versatility of portability to the equation. Just leave them plugged into your computer or put them on a bookshelf and you’ve got a kick-ass sound system capable of rocking any dorm or living room, yet know you can quickly bring the party outside without the need to be huddled around an AC jack.
The bottom line is, if you can afford these speakers, you should get them, and if you can’t afford them, you should get a better job.
The Stowaway Boomtube H2O1 By Think Outside
Price: $250
Rating: 9.4 out of 10
Pros: Amazing sound, great styling/solid design, very good battery life, included cables and carrying case
Cons: Non significant (Although it would be a runaway seller at $199)
iTunes: 5 free episodes of O’Grady
Posted by Helper Monkey
Now available on iTunes (FOR FREE), the first 5 episodes of the 2nd season of the awesome animated series O’Grady. O’Grady is Noggin’s first original animated program, and centers around the “weirdness� that surrounds 4 high school students and the town they live in.
The free episodes available are: JERKED, VACATION, BIG JERK ON CAMPUS, THE FLY, and A STRANGER O’GRADY. The animated series from Noggin features celebrity voices such as Conan O’Brien, Rachel Dratch, Amy Poehler, David Cross, and Will Arnet.
O’Grady is one of those rare shows actually worth PAYING for, so this is a sweet deal. I encourage everyone to check the series out.
[UPDATE:] Apple briefly had all 5 episodes free, then relisted each episode at $1.99, and offered the entire season for $1.99 as well. Now the entire season is listed at $10.99, and each episode is $1.99. Congrats to all who got in early and capitalized on this Apple snafu!
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