Year: 2002

Motorola’s new PowerPC 7455 processor, which powers Apple’s dual-1GHz Power Mac G4 systems, is the first desktop processor to feature silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. SOI provides a number of enhancements, including increasing processor speed while decreasing power consumption, according to c|net.

Beginning today, Apple is offering owners of 550MHz or 667Mhz PowerBook G4s the opportunity to upgrade their CD-RW or DVD-ROM drive to a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive for US$299. Orders can be placed in the U.S. or Canada by calling 1-800-919-2775 and entering access code 72523. Apple will send a box that can be used to send the PowerBook G4 to an Apple Repair Center to complete the upgrade. Orders can also be placed at Apple retail stores and Apple Specialists in the U.S.

MacMinute reader Tomas Jones notes that while Apple’s new “Screen Saver” promotion has replaced the “Crystal Clear Savings” offer on Apple’s promo page, the Crystal Clear Savings offer is still available through January 31 (PDF). For users considering the purchase of a discontinued 867MHz or dual-800MHz Power Mac G4, you could save more with the Crystal Clear Savings promotion, which offers $300 (867MHz) or $500 (dual-800MHz) off any display, regardless of size.

Avid plans to release a Mac OS X-compatible version of Avid Xpress DV 3, its real-time video editing solution, in June. MacCentral reports that Avid Xpress DV 3 will offer real-time preview of over 100 effects, dual processor support, a faster rendering engine, feature parity and file compatibility between the Mac and Windows versions and more. Upgrades from previous versions will reportedly be available for US$200 or less.

When it comes to details of the as-of-yet unannounced nVIDIA GeForce4 MX video card found in the new line of Power Mac G4 systems, details are sparse in advance of an official product rollout on February 4. MacMinute has learned that the new GPU is three to five times faster than the GeForce2 MX model it replaces and features superior DVD decoding to the GeForce3. With 64MB of double-data rate (DDR) memory and a 350MHz random access memory digital-to-analog converter (RAMDAC), the GeForce4 MX delivers over 1 billion textured pixels per second.