Published: 2/7/00 3:00a ET Look for updates! ADs Click Images Above! Advertising Info EDITORIALS It's The Consumers! Best of '98 The Good Fight '98 Open Link Policy News Archive HANDS-ON REVIEWS PowerForce G4-J3 PowerForce G4Z-J3 Z-Force-J3 AirPort Network-D13 Mac OS 9-O23 Que!-A23 iPresenter-A16 PowerPrint For Networks-J14 CarrierZIF-J6 UniTrap Mouse-J1 PowerForce G3 466-M27 Mac OS 8.6-M9 PowerJOLT 400-A27 gPort-A26 PowerForce G3 400-A14 UniMouse USB-M22 PowerPrint USB-M15 Virtual Game Stn.-F22 PowerBooster G3-F2 Maccelerate 375-J4 Vpower 300-D30 YOOT ToweR-D28 webSavant-D24 Fusion Gamepad-D23 iMacButtons(OST)-D19 iMate-D7 iPort-N27 MacMagic-N23 Funnel Web 2.5-N11 Keyspan USB-O27 MacOS 8.5-O19 PowerPrint 4.5-O12 iMac SuperDisk-S21 10b-T Ethernet-S8 MAXpowr G3 6100-A3 StyleScript 3.8-J6 Assembly Line-J2 MacDrive 98-J29 VirtualPC 2.0-J1 Apple's Road Tour-M23 Amelio's Book-A13 MAXpowr G3 7100-A10 MacPicasso 340-M16 MacPicasso 523-M9 3D Overdrive-F24 MacPicasso 540-F16 Mac OS 8.1-J21 Crescendo 604-D29 ISDN Line-N25 PowerForce G3-N20 Mac OS 8 BeOS R2 TechTool Pro 1.04 PowerLogix Pro 225 EVENTS Seybold Boston '00 2/7-11 Macworld Expo Tokyo 2/16-19 Game Devel. Conf. 3/8-12 Internet World 4/3-7 Macworld NY '00 7/18-21 FEATURES CompUSA Watch 180+ Stores Rated CVGS Watch 264 Games Tested Apple's Stock Best Web Sites Ethernet Network Free Consulting Hardware Corner PowerBase Fixes Software Updates RAM & You RAM Loss Think different. LINKS Latest Final Browser: Netscape Communicator 4.0.8 Communicator 4.7 (PPC Only) Microsoft Explorer 4.5 Special Links Mac Freeware Free Mac Email Tell it to Steve Jobs! SiteLink Accelerate Your Mac! Forums Established Dec. 28, 1995 Bill Fox, Publisher/Editor Chris Adamson. CVGS Watch Editor Dana Baggett, Ace Reporter Brian Nakamoto, Field Reporter Bob Burdeau, Macs Only! logo and page design Technology Award

Macs Only! requests your support by visiting our sponsor. WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK ? News, Opinion, Reviews & Troubleshooting ADV: TransIntl.com - Quantum 18.2 GB SCSI 7200RPM..$349; 128MB DIMM[FPM]..$199; iBook 128M SDRAM DIMM...$249 Visit Macs Only!'s CVGS Watch Page and file your Submission Visit Macs Only!'s CompUSA WATCH Page and file your Report News tips are welcome! -- Monday, Feb. 7 -- [Last updated 3:00a ET 2/6/00] PowerBook Stand Special Sale--$29! Power Support has made 50 of their Spartacamus universal PowerBook stands available at the remarkably low price of $29 each plus shipping and handling. They normally sell for $69. The stands are extremely sturdy and made from coated steel. They hold the PowerBook up so the screen is at normal height. Check them out at MacImports.Com. PowerBook G3 (Lombard/Bronze Keyboard) "Wetsuit Material" Carry Bags in Stock Again! A few more of these terrific bags were found in Japan and seven are available on MacImports.Com. CVGS Watch has 264 Entries! The Macs Only! CVGS Watch has been updated with lots of new submissions -- we now have 264 entries! Recently rated PlayStation games include Medal of Honor, Suikoden 2, Dukes of Hazzard, Trap Gunner, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Thousand Arms, Tales of Destiny, Tactics Ogre, Pac-Man World, Toy Story 2, and International Track and Field 2000. There are also a bunch of new screenshots. We're also hearing various reports of problems with new Mac models and Mac OS 9. Some have had problems getting games started without first going to the CVGS "insert game" screen and hitting ESC to bring up the menu bar. After upgrading to Mac OS 9, CVGS Watch Editor Chris Adamson couldn't get his Gravis GamePad Pro USB working until he updated to version 1.7.3 of Apple's GameSprockets. Reader Laurent Seroude detailed many problems freezing on a black screen with an iMac DV -- he says Connectix tech support has told him they've had problems with DV's. Other readers have submitted scores from iMac DV's that are inconsistent: a 10 for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and a 9 for Pac-Man World, but a 5 for Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (reportedly crashes at end of disc one). It should be noted that CVGS has not been updated since version 1.2, released on 3/12/99. And we're not aware of any developments in the lawsuit against Connectix by Sony. Chris has some clarifications for CVGS Watch submissions on the submission read-me page, involving duplicate initials and changes in reviewers' machines. The short version is that if you get a new Mac, we want to treat that as a new "submitter" so all your old entries remain valid. Also, would someone please get screenshots of games starting with "A", "K", "O", and "W" so we can get rid of the year-old screenshots for those letters? Value America--The Final Chapter on Dana Baggett's attempt to purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan from Value America using his $100 value dollars is closed. Dana just cancelled the order after being given the runaround for too long--months. Readers will remember that the last communication Dana had on his order was that the AppleCare Plan was "backordered," something that makes no sense to me. My own $100 value dollars had been cancelled last year when I went to use them even though the Value America web site said that value dollars were still good. If you want to buy from VA, consider that I received email outlining other "horror" stories from readers. This is clearly a "buyer beware" situation. G4 ATI AGP Rage 128 Pro vs AGP Rage 128: Mike Breeden compared the original ATI video card (AGP Rage 128) that came with the first Sawtooth Power Mac G4s to the latest Rage 128 Pro shipping with the current Sawtooth models on Accelerate Your Mac! My summary is that the Pro version is better but not a lot. A 3dfx Voodoo3 video card still appears to be needed for the latest 3D games like Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament. Virex 6.1 RC is available for download (7.6MB). Yet another beta of v6.1 from NAI. [Version Tracker] Macs. DVDs. Toys. Music. Electronics. Gifts. Deals. Click for dealmac news. Macs Only! requests your support by visiting our sponsor. -- TGIF, Feb. 4 -- PowerLogix Cuts Prices on G3/G4 CPU Upgrades From PL's Robin Sharp, "PowerLogix today announced price reductions on their innovative line of PowerForce G3 and G4 upgrades. 'Anyone with an investment in an earlier PowerMac should seriously consider upgrading the processor, instead of buying a new machine. There are substantial advantages to upgrading ie. cost-effective performance enhancements. In addition, users do not have to buy new-style RAM, do not lose serial ports and floppy drives,' said Robin Sharp, Marketing Director. The PowerForce G3 cards, awarded the honor of 'Editor's Choice' by MacWorld Magazine, can be used to upgrade the 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 8600, 9500, and 9600 models from Apple as well as Power Computing clones and the S900 and J700 from Umax. PowerForce G3 New Price: 300/150/1mb $299 400/200/1mb $425 500/250/1mb $735 The PowerForce G4 is compatible with the standard set of Apple PowerMacs from the 7300 to the 9600; Power Computing PowerBase, PowerWave and PowerTower Pro; UMAX S900 and J700. Power Computing Catalyst-based computers (PowerTower, PowerCenter, PowerCenter Pro) at this point are not compatible with the G4 processor chip. PowerForce G4 New Price: 400/200/1mb $850 The ZForce ZIF adapter board is compatible with the 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 8600, 9500, and 9600 models from Apple as well as Power Computing clones and the S900 and J700 from Umax. However, be advised that the G4 chips are not compatible with the PowerTower, PowerCenter, PowerCenter Pro and PowerCurve machines from PowerComputing. ZForce New Price: $129 The PowerForce G3 and G4 ZIF upgrades are 100% compatible with all PowerMac G3s, including desktops, minitowers, the Blue and White G3, All-in-One educational model, as well as the PowerLogix ZForce ZIF Adapter. PowerForce G3 ZIF New Price: 500/250/1mb $735 PowerForce G4 ZIF New Price: 400/200/1mb $850" New Epson Printers: From Bob Unger, "Epson's new inkjet printers are now on the Epson web site: Epson Stylus Photo 870 US$299 (A4) Epson Stylus Photo 1270 US$499 (A3) Features: 4 picolitre Ultra Micro Dots 1440dpi High Resolution 6 Color Photo Printing Borderless, Edge-to-Edge Printing on Epson Photo Paper 10-Year Lightfast Prints Built in PC-Parallel & USB connections" Game--Star Wars Episode I Racer v1.0.1 is available for download from Lucas Arts. "Now allows for 3D accelerator cards using 3Dfx Voodoo2/Voodoo3 chipsets to run without 32-bit Z buffering enabled (see 16-bit buffer Setting in updated Switches.txt file); Issue with assigning a function to the mouse button when using mouse controls fixed; Added ability to manually calibrate joysticks via Switches.txt file; Troubleshooting information added to Read Me regarding lockups and virtual memory, QuickTime 4.1, and controllers. This update is for the Retail version only." [Version Tracker] Embedded iBook Ad from Bill Jensen, "Bill, as part last night's ER episode, one of the docs used a blueberry iBook to try to help a kid suffering from muscular dystrophy, and the kid in anger tosses it on the floor. Of course, it still worked. Apple could not have a better ad!" iTools License Mini-Tempest Over: We pointed out when Apple first released iTools that the license seemed to appropriate for Apple one's iDisk and HomePage content rather than simply to grant Apple a license to display/distribute the content as the user desires. This issue came up again this week as "outrage" on several sites and Apple has appropriately changed the language to convey the actual intent, i.e. protecting itself and not ripping off the user's stuff. [Back to top of page] [Go to the News Archive] Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 by Bill Fox, All rights reserved. Macs Only! Logo and page design by Bob Burdeau MY LAWYER MADE ME POST THIS: 8-/ The Macs Only! web site is for informational purposes only. No one associated with Macs Only! assumes any responsibility for its accuracy. The information is subject to change without notice. Any use of, or actions taken based upon, any of the information contained on this web site is done entirely at your own risk. Mention of any products or services is for informational purposes only, and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Macs Only! and those associated with Macs Only! assume no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these products. Apple, Apple Logos, Macintosh, and Mac OS Logos are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners. [Back to top of page]