[NPMUG] OWC = Other World Computing = macsales.com = LEED certified green company that we use for Goodwill parts & more

[harmonyroute at mac.com]

Here...Here, I have been a satisfied customer for years.  They have  
the stuff and they are very reliable.  Their tech page has lots of  
great videos that show how to install drives, ram etc.

CuZinBruce

On Apr 23, 2009, at 8:45 AM, Dave Sevick wrote:

This is an unsolicited plug for a great company I have been using for  
years to get items I just cannot get from MacOutfitters, the  
Pittsburgh area Apple Stores, CDW  or other local Best Buy stores.

Other World Computing   sales at macsales.com     800-275-4576   http://www.macsales.com/

Over the last several years Apple Recycling @ Goodwill ( mainly Dave  
Sevick, Bob Donaldson and Marty Swartz ) have accessed their great  
sales to get 1/2 AA logic board batteries and iBook batteries and much  
more.

So today I would like to introduce them to you as a excellent and  
reliable source for MAC products online ( since 1988 ).   Here is a  
little newsletter clip from yesterday 4-22-09 announcing their new  
"greener"  facility in Woodstock, IL , with more links and info at the  
bottom:

===============
Intro:
Hello again from your friends at OWC!

Today is 'Earth Day' and what a beautiful, sunny day we've got in  
Woodstock, Illinois. Going back to OWC's beginnings, we've truly  
focused on conservation two-fold.

First by providing various products and solutions that both enhance  
usability and extend the useful life of computers and iPods, too. From  
replacement batteries to memory and processor upgrades, hard drive  
storage to optical drives - at the core of our primary product lines  
you find items that enhance the capabilities or enable the continued  
use of a Mac or iPod you've already got.

When you look at most Apple products, the fact that they have a longer  
functional life (never mind the move towards greener manufacturing  
processes) is of great significance with respect to use of energy and  
various toxic chemicals which are utilized each time a consumer  
electronic item is produced. As does Apple, OWC builds our products to  
last and in that lasting. Not only is there a benefit to your bottom  
line when things last longer, you also save the time involved to deal  
with replacing something too + now the hidden environmental benefit of  
resources already expended going a further distance.

The proper recycling and disposal of truly obsolete electronics is  
paramount to maximizing recoverable resources and preventing  
environmental damage due to various toxic substances present in  
products, but, having to produce less in the first place (through  
extended, productive use of product already in our hands) goes well  
beyond to eliminate that damage. A Mac you purchase today is likely to  
still be serving you just fine 5-7 years from now. You might be able  
to buy a PC for one half or even a third for semi-comparable hardware  
(not the OS though...), but PCs tend to need to be replaced far more  
often - a cost that adds up both financially, as well as on the  
environmental side.

The same kind of thought can be applied to a lot of purchases, as  
there are plenty of consumer products out there where spending more  
once means something good for years vs. saving on the front-end and  
having to replace it every 6-12 months. Anyway, while they sure don't  
quite build Macs like they used to (some things are better, others -  
like less upgradability, not quite so), products from Apple and OWC  
are definitely built to last. That's a value not always recognized  
when one just looks at the raw dollars.

Second, when it was time for OWC to pursue a new headquarters, we made  
more than just the average effort to ensure we would be proud of our  
new home . While, I'm not here to debate global warming (in many ways,  
that's a moot argument as it does not impact my primary conservational  
beliefs), I am concerned about the finite resources that we consume  
and how it affects our quality of life. Resources such as the water we  
drink and the air we breath can be negatively impacted by various  
resource use and manufacturing methods.

I have three kids and I want them to have the same opportunities  
tomorrow that this good Earth has given us in the past and today. As  
such, OWC's new Headquarters was designed attain LEED (Leadership in  
Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and, actually now,  
is on point to attain the highest LEED rating, Platinum. Our new  
facility with nearly four times the space as our prior location  
actually requires less energy than our old headquarters.. You make a  
larger up front investment to go green, but just like buying a Mac,  
there is not only long term financial benefit, but also an  
environmental benefit as well. We're not done yet either, we plan to  
soon be powered 100% by the wind.

I thought we'd already have our turbine 'blowing in the wind', but you  
wouldn't believe the number of steps involved for getting a permit to  
actually do it! The overly long process seemed to primarily exist  
because no one involved at the various steps had ever had experience  
in the permits for this kind of project. I expect, in our local area  
at least, our efforts here will have helped paved the way to both  
provide proof of concept as well as make the whole project easier.

With the 'hard part' out of the way, we expect project completion and  
operation of our wind turbine to commence sometime this summer. Don't  
worry, when there isn't wind, conventional power still is provided by  
the same grid we're on now. (Even now, when there is a conventional  
power outage, OWC has both battery backup as well as a natural gas  
generator backup so that both our regular operations as well as online  
services continue without any interruption or even blip.) That said,  
this wind turbine will not only net cover 100% of OWC's power needs,  
it will also generate enough power for us to put up to 150% of what we  
use ourselves back on the grid for others to benefit from.

These long term investments, aimed at conserving our natural  
resources, enable OWC to provide our products and services even more  
competitively, as long term costs benefits are recognized. For us at  
OWC, it's about a long-term relationship, not a shortâ€"term one. OWC  
is here (thanks to you) planning for the long-term. We are working  
hard to make responsible choices because the decisions that all of us  
make will determine the difference for what that long term bodes.

Apple MacBook Pro 15" 'Unibody' Update
Our March 31st edition newsletter went into detail on all the new Mac  
models, including the 15.4" MacBook Pro unibody model 'speed bumps'.  
What we couldn't confirm until we had these units in our hands would  
be whether they were still limited to 6GB or if 8GB was now possible.  
Although Apple supports only 4GB max for any of the MacBook Pro 15.4"  
models, OWC has offered options for up to 6GB for some time. We got  
both 2.66GHz and 2.93GHz units in and are pleased to have confirmed,  
that like the new Unibody 17" models, the new 2.66GHz and 2.93GHz also  
support 8GB with no problem at all! Although these two 15.4" processor  
speed models are good for 8GB, the 6GB limit does remain for all other  
unibody MacBook 13.3" as well as MacBook 15.4" models. Unibody 15.4"  
models with 2.4GHz, 2.53GHz, and 2.8GHz remain limited to the same 6GB  
unchanged. You can compare performance of these and other models + see  
the difference additional memory makes - on the OWC benchmark testing  
pages, now updated to include these latest models too.

New and updated Products from OWC
Done a lot of detail on Apple stuff, but we've got new stuff going  
too. :)

OWC now offers a USB2 to Video Display Solution for $99 which allows  
the connection of additional displays right via an available USB2  
Port. It's not for games, but it's a very cost effective way to add  
additional desktop space with resolution support of up to 1600x1200.  
Connects to VGA, DVI, and HDMI too (connect to a digital television  
display). Neat and cost effective option where you don't have a video  
card/port option for an additional display or display type desired.  
For Intel processor based Macs running OS X 10.4.x or later, and also  
PCs (or Mac w/Bootcamp) running Windows 2000 SP4 or later.

OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro single bay solutions are now available with  
up to 2.0TB of capacity.This award-winning, plug n' play line of  
solutions now starts from $84.99 with available interfaces of FireWire  
800, FireWire 400, USB2, and/or eSATA. Ideal for just about any  
storage need from backup (time-machine ready) to music, photography &  
Audio/Video certified - these solutions provide high reliability and  
high-performance and are backed with a full 3yr Solution Warranty. The  
included Prosoft Data Backup, Intech HD Speedtools, and Carbon Copy  
Cloner software applications add even more value and functionality.

OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual-Bay RAID Solutions are now available  
with up to 4.0TB of capacity. Available from $159.99,this award  
winning line builds upon the feature of the single bay version - but  
with twice the capacity and with higher performance potential via  
built in Hardware RAID. This full line is also fully plug n' play and  
thanks to that Hardware RAID, the eSATA equipped model sustains data  
rates of over 220 Megabytes per Second (via eSATA) which is fast  
enough even for live, uncompressed, high-definition video capture.  
Amazing amounts of performance storage, plug & play, at an amazing  
value too.

OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 Quad-Bay RAID 0/1/5/10 Solutions are  
brand new and offer up to a whopping 8.0TBs of capacity. Starting from  
$679.99 for 2.0TB, these solutions feature FireWire 800, FireWire 400,  
USB 2.0, and eSATA interfaces for ultimate performance and flexibility  
options. Hardware RAID modes of 0/1/5/10 and Non-Raid Span are user  
selectable for your choice of maximum performance/capacity/and  
redundancy choices. When it comes to high-capacity, high-performance,  
and maintaining plug and play interface flexibility - these solutions  
are tops. Included is a either a 3yr Standard or 5yr Enterprise  
solution warranty.

OWC Mercury Rack Pro Quad-Bay RAID 0/1/5/10 1U Rack-Mountable  
solutions are new for 2009 and, like the Qx2, also offer up to 8.0TB  
of capacity. Starting from $799.99 for 2.0TB, these are essentially  
the Rack version of the Qx2. High performance for demand audio, music,  
video, high-definition video needs - as well as any application or  
even backup process where performance is key. Highly reliable design  
and RAID redundancy options to support both high performance while  
protecting against data loss even should a physical hard drive fail.  
Included is a 2yr Standard or 5yr Enterprise Warranty.

New and updated NewerTech Products at OWC

NewerTech miniStack storage + integrated hub solutions are are now  
available with up to 2.0TB of capacity. These award winning, clever  
devices provide not just high-performance drive capacity, but also the  
convenience of built-it, powered USB2 and FireWire Hubs.They can be  
especially convenient with the latest Mac models that have FireWire  
800, but no FireWire 400 - as the miniStack integrated hub can be your  
bridge to existing FireWire 400 devices, thus negating the need for  
adapters or adapter cabling.

NewerTech's highly acclaimed Guardian MAXimus Hardware RAID-1 Solution  
is not only now available with up to 2.0TB + 2.0TB of Redundant  
mirrored capacity, but also now offers eSATA in addition to the  
FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB2 interfaces previously standard.  
Plug and Play redundancy doesn't get any easier or more flexible than  
the latest GMAX solutions. Whatever interface available for the best  
performance today + the future is open via any of those quad  
interfaces to give you use of the best option tomorrow too. And of  
course, like all our multi-interface solutions - 'feel free to move  
about the cabin and mingle'... connect interchangeably between  
different systems and via the different interfaces as needed - your  
data is safe, sound and there from whatever interface best available.  
GMAX is used by customers looking to have a backup drive for critical  
data (photos, music, video, etc) which deserves an additional level of  
redundancy for their value, those doing regular Photo/Music/Video  
editing and capture where the failure of a drive during a project  
could cost significant down time... and also customers who aren't as  
regular with their backups (and/or not using TimeMachine or the  
Prosoft Data Backup we include) looking for that backup they don't  
have to think about in terms of a primary file location.

The NewerTech Voyager Docking Solutions were introduced just a few  
short months ago and are one of our hottest products of 2009. A great  
'external' storage solution, but that you can upgrade by just dropping  
in a new hard drive... plus that works fantastically for using hard  
drives for backup archiving, and even to facilitate data transfer  
during an internal hard drive upgrade process too. It's the easily  
capacity upgradable solution that has use beyond just that primary  
storage solution use. In the most recently published review, Macworld  
UK gives it a glowing 4 Star rating. We rave about it, but it's not  
just us. :)

Featured new Products and Product lines now available at OWC
We've got a great selection, IMHO, of our own product lines - but we  
also offer a wide selection well beyond. In general, we seek to bring  
availability to products of high quality, value, and need fulfilling.  
In some 'cases' (ok, like iPod/iPhone cases :) there can be hundreds  
of versions or just different brand marked of the same thing. We work  
to offer best of breed/value product lines that get the job done/ 
expectations met or exceeded. If it doesn't meet your needs or  
expectations, that's just an extra headache for us. As we test and  
even use most all of the items we offer, ideally we've experienced  
those headache items and not inclusive of what you'll find in our  
listings. Having said that, we're always looking at new items to add  
and we gladly accept suggestions via email.

When it comes to the ever growing and expanding line of Music and  
Audio products, I don't even know where to begin! It's not a product  
area I have expertise in not often discuss. That's an injustice with  
respect to the wide selection, competitive prices, and high level of  
expertise supporting these products at OWC. Need some guidance/advice  
on anything in this category? Rick Van Dyne is your man and you can  
email him for free expert info or to discuss by phone too. Like the  
rest of the products we offer, these music and audio items are just  
sold by OWC - nearly all of them have been tested or are even in use  
for OWC's own productions.

In stock, and for less than Apple charges - we've now got mini- 
DisplayPort to DVI and mini-DisplayPort to HDMI cable adapters for  
$19.99. All the new Unibody MacBook/MacBook Pro, Mac mini 2009, and  
Mac Pro 2009 models now feature the miniDisplay port when it comes to  
hooking up a 2nd display. With the exception of Apple's 24" LED Cinema  
Display, any other display you can buy or may already have will need  
to be adapted. Unfortunately, there is no non-Apple option for the  
Dual-DVI adapter type needed for 30" displays.... and, a quick rant,  
the pricey Apple Dual-DVI (no problem with the DVI or HDMI) adapter  
tends to have some issues of flicker. Anyway..... We've got the  
options in stock now for your DVI displays up to 24", HDMI.

We met the iDowell team at Macworld this year - and came away really  
impressed with their products. Designed and manufactured in Italy  
(really, not China!), their line of stylish and Eco-Efficient UPS  
Battery Backup models keep your Mac running and protected during power  
outages/brownouts/blips + saves power vs. typically battery backups  
too. Designed for Macs (with what Macs covered by model) and priced  
from $219.99, you can count on these products to have the power that's  
needed when put to the test. Nothing worse than buying a battery  
backup which doesn't do the job when called upon. I also like their  
portable USB device Charger - it's built in battery which you charge  
via USB will power/charge virtually any device that can use USB Power  
(has the dock connector and tips included). Very nice, high quality  
products clearly made to last.

iPod and iPhone cases are practically a dime a dozen... Got to see the  
same cases ten times over, also at Macworld this year. Fortunately,  
right next to our booth happened to be xGear. Their cases for iPods,  
iPhones, and even Macbooks are not the same as all the rest. In  
particular, I've been using their carbon fiber iPhone case (I have a  
1st Gen, works fine with that as well as the current iPhones) and  
couldn't be happier. The case gives huge protection + excellent grip +  
doesn't pickup dust, etc like many rubber type ones do. Not the  
cheapest options out there - but, certainly in the case of their  
carbon fiber options, these are products you'll buy once and not be  
replacing again and again later.

Alright, while Drobo products are not my favorite - I do have respect  
for their current products and recognize that they fulfill a niche +  
that there are a lot of people that swear by them. Although we did not  
offer them early, after it matured some (bugs out + with FireWire vs.  
just USB2), we did add the 4-Bay Drobo and DroboShare (NAS option) in  
late 2008. Brand new, and just introduced this month is the DroboPro.  
The DroboPro supports 8 hard drives + adds iSCSI support in addition  
to continuing FireWire 800 and USB2. The DroboPro truly goes after an  
higher end application while also giving those who don't mind the  
premium an 8 drive option where before there was just the 4.

New and Improved OWC 'Do-it-yourself' Video Section
For years we've been doing installation videos to show how various  
upgrades and replacements are done, usually to the effect of showing  
you how easy such 'professional' service jobs can be done by you,  
right at home. Now, not every component installation/upgrade is going  
to be in that do it yourself comfort zone, but our online videos give  
you the opportunity to be your own judge of this. The vast majority of  
upgrades and installations a typical service center will charge $80  
and on up for (even stuff as simple as a memory upgrade!), these  
videos offer the clear, step by step instructional - so you can save  
yourself the cost and that trip. We are currently in the process of a  
total and complete site redesign... that said, certain pages are  
getting that future treatment made live a little sooner. While our old  
videos page was kind of a bear to navigate - you'll find our new page  
about as easy as it gets when it comes to seeing if we've got the free  
video guide for your Mac upgrade project.

OWC has a Blog!
Ok - I'm repeating myself with this one, but it's still new and it's  
really coming along. At some point it's likely that the blog will  
drive the newsletter more so than the newsletter driving the blog.  
With lots to share, our OWC Blog just gives our team a great means of  
doing that sharing. And slowly, but surely - more and more of our team  
is coming on board to do just that.

Chris writes about it being 'inside that counts' when it comes to,  
well, what's inside that box you depend on your data being safely  
stored upon.

Mike writes about an awesome deal we've got on these 'Cellboost'  
battery products in an ongoing 'repurposing technology' series. Here  
we have a product for a now obsolete iPod... it's being sold at a  
fraction of it's original (and current comparable product) price - but  
it happens to be 100% usable for nearly and iPod or iPhone, including  
the latest made today... can hardly beat $4.99 for portable, USB  
rechargeable, battery extension/charger.

This blog isn't just a one way street either. While we started the  
ball rolling with some initial testing, outside user feedback as well  
as actual use experiences has made this 2009 Mac Pro Video Cards -  
Compatibility with 2006-2008 models entry of far greater purpose.  
Additional user feedback, which continues to roll in, is helpful to  
anyone looking at the best options for Mac Pro video in general.

And.... if you're not a blog person, but you 'twitter'... well, so do  
we -and you can follow us via Twitter. :)

Reader Special Deals and Deal Highlights

Brand New Hitachi Rebates of up to $20 per internal hard drive, and up  
to $80 per OWC and/or NewerTech Solution!
1.0TB SATA 3.5" from $75.00, 2.5" 320GB Notebook 7200RPM HD $55.00,  
Notebook 500GB HD $85.00
Check out all the available Hitachi rebate options on drives and  
solutions up to 4.0TB online here. These rebates expire in just 3  
days, so don't miss out!

Prosoft Utility Software can save you time and even save your data....  
you can get savings on owning these excellent utilities exclusively  
from OWC. Here's a fun fact for you - the same Drive Genius we offer  
for sale here is that which, at the Apple Store, customer's pay for  
the service of having that same application run on their Mac(s) at the  
Apple Genius Bar.
Buy Prosoft Drive Genius v2.x (latest) for $99 $59.00
Buy prosoft Data Rescue v2.x (latest) for $99 $55.00 or Both of them  
for $198 $99.00!
Or - Buy Drive Genius v2.x for as low as $25.00 (74% off Prosoft  
Retail!) with the purchase of a Qualifying OWC or NewerTech Storage  
Product

Quality LCDs Built by Dell, Tested & Backed for Mac by OWC - Save!
22" LCD w/DVI & VGA connectivity support, up to 1680x1050 Resolution,  
and featuring High-Efficiency 'Green' LED Technology - $239 $179.00
23" LCD w/DVI, HDMI, VGA with resolutions supported up to 2048x1152,  
Built-In 2.0MPWebCam + USB2 Hub for $379 $275.00
24" LCD w/DVI, HDMI, VGA with resolutions up to 1920x1080 for $299  
$245.00
Backed with a 3 Year Factory Warranty, these competitively priced  
displays are hugely popular for good reasons.

elgato EyeTV Hybrid lets you Tune/Watch/Record/Playback TV/HDTV and  
Video right via your Mac for $149 $99 $89.00
These are Factory Refurbished, but in new condition. This '2008' Model  
Hybrid supports both Analog and Digital TV (including HDTV) as well as  
Clear QAM Cable too. Plug n' Play with any Mac with 512MB of memory,  
with available built in USB2 port, and running Apple OS 10.4 or later.  
Great for transferring video from VCRs, and other video sources too!

See even more of our deal highlights via the latest online version of  
our Hot Deals Blast e-mail update. You can also subscribe to this  
weekly 'deal blast' online here.

Even before we our newsletter emails roll out, these deals and many  
more - just for our subscribers - can be seen on our Reader Specials  
page.

Quick Tip: Make your Current Mac feel like it's a New Mac again!
I have to admit I've played this tune almost to the point of possibly  
wearing it out. None the less, and in that conservational mind set,  
it's amazing what hidden potential exists with Macs (and.. PCs too)  
that you may already own (and, ideally, are fully paid for).  
Eventually, the time comes when the old faithful needs to be replaced  
or shuffled from a primary to secondary role. Unfortunately, with the  
exception of regular OWC newsletter readers/upgrade educated  
customers, more often than not a brand new computer is purchased that  
might not even offer the performance an existing system could have.

There are Macs with only 512MB of memory that an upgrade to 1GB or 2GB  
would double or triple performance... 2GB to 4GB for another doubling  
or more, and onward too depending on OS and application use. Only have  
the ability to burn CDs - upgrade to an internal or external optical  
drive with DVD/DVD-DL and even Blu-Ray burning capabilities. Not  
enough room on your hard drive - easy to plug n' play external if not  
a larger (or additional) internal drive + newer hard drives make your  
computer faster as drives keep getting faster and faster. Computers,  
so far, aren't restricted as other typical appliances are.

With a few exceptions, when you want to improve performance or expand  
capabilities -there are typically multiple areas of upgrade potential  
and at a cost that is a fraction of purchasing a whole new Mac.  
Furthermore, and this depends one what you're starting with, it's not  
uncommon for a simple upgrade to provide better real world performance  
than that new Mac might offer in its base/standard factory config.  
Sure you can upgrade that new Mac too (and really should when ROI is  
considered), but regardless of the current system - you may add months  
or even years of acceptable usability with the performance gain a much  
lower upgrade option can provide.

Our free installation videos (viewable via our website, no obligation,  
etc) show how easy various upgrades are to do. Our newsletter 'Speed  
bump that current Mac' article goes into real detail laying out just  
what options might be of consideration for the different Macs. Note -  
the only part of this article that's really dated are the prices...  
today's costs for memory and hard drives happens to be a lot lower  
than it was when this was 'penned' back in October. The upgrades were  
a deal then - even at twice or thrice the price. A definite must read  
if you've got that need for more speed, etc. :)

See reviews, articles, and previous Quick-Tips online here.

Quick Links
Online Installation Videos, PDF Docs, FAQ & more in OWC Tech Center:
 From installing memory to ipod batteries, installing processor  
upgrades to Optical and Hard Disk Drives - you'll find help in the OWC  
Tech center. Tips on setting up hard drives, creating raids, proper  
memory handling, network setup, basic trouble shooting, and just a  
whole lot more. We're always adding new information, videos, etc - a  
wealth of information we're happy to share!

There's lots of things you might pay someone to do for ya... with a  
little help from our Tech Center, you may learn and find out first  
hand how easy a lot things can be done right at home.

Check out our Quick Tips Archive, Hardware/Software Review articles,  
and more - all in the OWC Product Reviews and Editorial center.

For Fun and of Interest
I do wonder what passes for a white paper these days. Same goes for  
some published research articles too. Be it of statistical,  
analytical, observation, or scientific - the conclusions reached (and  
data focused upon for such conclusions) is often times highly  
influenced by the entity funding said research (and that entity's  
agenda). While it can be hard to judge fact from propaganda with some  
published works, the 'Apple Tax' paper was acknowleded as propaganda  
even by those who don't like Apple. Microsoft, who -yes- funded this  
'research', seems a little more desperate, more concerned about Apple  
lately. Given the mammoth difference in market shares (90% Windows vs.  
8% Mac), to be lashing out in such ways... perhaps Microsoft fears a  
real shift in the balance.

Of course, it doesn't stop there.... their marketing with this new  
this new ad series is attacking hard too. Whether these are actually  
real or just staged, have to give them credit for message. At the same  
time, the message seems to be about not buying an Apple rather than  
any compelling reason to buy something running Windows... they're  
about buying a PC cause they're cheaper, even if not really comparing  
comparable hardware (wow look at the giant screen... oh, but we don't  
need no stinking pixel resolution)... In the three ads, 'regular  
people' pick PCs over Macs (two times picking a HP, once picking a  
Sony - nah, they didn't contribute to the ad cost) with hardly even  
Windows having time in frame. Where it is framed, not exactly sure how  
'Windows - Life without Walls' fits either. We'll just have to see.

Short, simple, and more fun too - Apple's latest 'Time Travel'  
commercial takes the cake. This is definitely, IMHO, one of Apple's  
best commercials to date. I'm not going to spoil it if you haven't yet  
seen it. :)

Coming off of all this, Apple just announced yet another blow-out  
quarter. iPhone sales doubled, and despite a major dip in February Mac  
sales - with all the new models finally shipping end of February,  
beginning of March, clearly made back a lot of ground in March with  
respect to Mac sales only being down 3% for the quarter as a whole.  
You spend more to have a Mac, but you can expect that Mac to last  
longer too. There's always cheaper stuff, but that doesn't make it a  
better buy. More and more people out there seem to recognize the value  
of Apple products with Apple's continuing on a solid roll, despite the  
overall economy.

Intro Closing:
Alrighty - hard to keep these things short when so much to write  
about. Guess the real intent is to make sure there's a least a little  
something for everyone in these editions. This one in particular,  
after the 'Earth Day' themed intro, actually covered a lot of OWC,  
NewerTech, and additional 3rd party offerings you'll find at OWC.  
There's always something to talk about when it comes the platform at  
large - but as good as a Mac may be, without the after market support,  
without the hardware and software that isn't available or practical  
(or not economical...) from Apple - well, Macs would be potentially a  
whole lot less appealing. Spending a little time to highlight some of  
these various products just rolls in theme I'd say.

Earth Day - we've got one planet, one world to call our home. It's  
amazing all the stumping that goes on out there about various  
environmental issues and in many cases focused on what the government  
has to do to make the world a better place. I've always been a  
believer that individuals, collectively, make the difference and is  
where any kind of change has to start. Choices we make have a direct  
impact to the availability and quality of our fresh water supplies, of  
the clean air we'd like to be breathing. From bottled water vs. tap  
water (where tap is a safe choice), disposable goods vs. reusable,  
from products buried in packaging to those more practically packaged  
(insane how some foodstuffs you find in every day grocery stores are  
packaged - for the sake of marketing - these days), heck - even type  
of toilet paper. Automobiles get a ton of attention out there, but in  
the US and worldwide - livestock has a far greater impact. Who picks  
and chooses these various 'battles'... and what really drives those  
choices?

Small changes in our own, individual habits add up significantly. It  
worries me that some of the loudest advocates for green house gas  
emission reduction are some of the worst offenders when it comes to  
their own 'carbon footprint' (using private jets vs. commercial, for  
example)... Oh, but they buy 'green credits' to make up for that...  
pay someone else who's actually making a difference, huh.. Do as I  
say, not as I do? Some of the loudest talkers seem to have their own  
agendas as the green business is a big business too. They don't walk  
the walk perhaps cause for them it's just about the talk, but you know  
what - this isn't a joking matter and it's all made worse when such  
talkers may have credibility issues from their own practices or even  
use questionable information to drive their point. When you can  
question the credibility of the source, that doesn't exactly bolster  
the credibility acceptance of the information itself.

When OWC needed a new home, the choice was made to see this home be as  
'green' as current technologies make feasible. Our new headquarters,  
which we moved into just a year ago April, not only provides an  
exceptional work environment to give you, our customer, the best we  
possibly can - but at nearly four times the prior location's size, the  
energy saving technologies employed allow it to actually use less  
total energy to heat/cool and overall operate. We had to make a real  
investment on the front end to attain such energy savings, but not  
only does this benefit our planet and help conserve resources for the  
next generation - it also has long term economic benefits. It's all  
about looking at the long term and that's what should be talked about  
out there. Our next green project, the wind turbine, not only makes us  
a wholly green powered operation - but even will put more than our own  
power consumption needs on our local power grid. That extra power we  
produce will potentially cut the use of coal or natural gas that  
'peaker plants' use to generate power during peak demand times thanks  
to that little extra we out there. Every little bit helps.

We have the ability to make smart decisions. We have the technology to  
implement energy saving methods as well as clean energy production.  
Special interests on all sides of the issue really cloud things up...  
A real breath of fresh air, pardon the pun, would be some leadership  
out there which promoted practical opportunities that all of us can  
feel a direct part of. Otherwise it always seems like the battle is  
elsewhere and we're just on the side lines. Then - that's our  
choice... while politicians and special interests, in the broader  
picture, really promote for their own ultimate gains - we can make our  
own decisions for better or worse when it comes to conserving our  
resources for the goal of tomorrow being as good as today.

A pleasant breeze at your back and a comfortably warm sun shining down  
- the best always to you and yours. Thanks for reading!

We Support our Troops

The 'fine print':

Contact Information+
++++++++++++++++++++
Sales: sales at macsales.com or 800-275-4576, International 815-338-8685

Customer Service: custserv at macsales.com or 800-275-4576 / 815-338-8685

Tech Support: Online Tech Center or 815-338-8685

Please feel free to e-mail any comments or suggestions to:suggestions at macsales.com

You may ALWAYS reply to our OWC Tips and Deals e-mail at owc at macsales.com
with any questions or comments as well - PLEASE change the subject to
reflect your e-mail question/comment to ensure a speedy reply!

Other World Computing
div. of New Concepts Development Corp.
2650 Bridge Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
815-338-8685

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