PowerBook prices cut $500

Apple Computer (AAPL) cut prices today on its PowerBook 3400 notebook PC by up to $500 and is offering promotions such as free memory.

Along with the price cut, the company also announced that customers who purchase a PowerBook 3400 between now and September 26 can receive a 32MB memory card from TechWorks, an Apple lithium ion battery, and a coupon for 50 percent off a VST Technologies dual-battery charger at no additional cost.

The PowerBook 3400 is Apple's high-end notebook PC and features PowerPC 603e processors running as fast as 240 MHz, built-in networking capability, and hard drives ranging up to 3GB in capacity.

Among other price reductions:

The 3400c/180 with a 180-MHz processor, 16MB of memory, an active-matrix LCD screen, a combination 12X CD-ROM/floppy drive, and a 1.3GB hard drive will now be priced at $4,000.

The 3400c/200 with the same features but packing a faster 200-MHz processor and a 2GB hard drive will sell for $4,500.

The 3400c/240 with the same features but a 240-MHz processor and a 3GB hard drive will go for $5,500.

Apple pointed out that the offer is made only to customers who purchase from an Apple authorized dealer or direct from Apple. Products purchased through higher-education resellers or Apple Campus Direct, and items bought by higher-education institutions, do not qualify for this promotion, the company said.