The 'Book Review

MacBook Sales Up 25% in June, Apple Tablet with Verizon?, SSD vs. Hard Drive Benchmarks, and More

This Week's MacBook, PowerBook, and iBook News

Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2009.07.24

General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV news is covered in The iNews Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

News & Opinion

Reviews

Tech Trends

Products & Services

Bargain 'Books

News & Opinion

US MacBook Sales Surged 25% in June

Computerworld's Gregg Keizer reports:

"Sales of Apple's laptops in the US surged 25% in June compared to June 2008, a retail market analyst said....

"Stephen Baker, an analyst at the NPD Group, credited Apple's notebook refresh and accompanying lower prices early last month for the increase...."

Editor's note: Also see Apple's Best Non-Holiday Quarter Ever in this week's Mac News Review. dk

Apple: Yes on Value, No on Netbooks, Maybe on Tablets

Venture Beat's Anthony Ha reports that at Tuesday's conference call discussing Apple's third quarter earnings, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook continued to be emphatic that Apple doesn't want to sell a traditional netbook, but he danced around questions about a rumored tablet computer.

Apple to Team Up with Verizon for Internet Tablet?

The Boy Genius Report's Marc Flores says that much has been gathered about Apple's standings in the market after the impressive show it put on Tuesday evening. Now, hot on the heels of the Apple's earnings report is a nice little rumor to further fuel the fire: Apple is allegedly going to team up with Verizon to release an Internet tablet that will be subsidized by the carrier. Think of it as a giant iPod touch, potentially including an actual physical keyboard.

If they go with a real keyboard - even provision for connecting an external one - "I could get behind that idea," says Flores.

Use a MacBook Air SuperDrive with Any Mac

Hardmac's crispin and Lionel report:

"Last year we had shown that it was possible to change the USB bridge of SuperDrive intended for MacBook Air to make it function with any Mac. Since then, we are not the only ones to try to simplify things and to use a software patch to do this....

"A reader, Michael, found the way to do this, at least in an episodical way...."

Apple May Extend Antiglare Display Option to More Macs

AppleInsider's Kasper Jade reports:

"Apple made a bold move roughly two years ago to begin transitioning its entire Mac product line away from matte displays and towards glass-enclosed glossy ones, but the company may be nearing a concession that these shiny, highly-reflective screens may not be for everyone."

Editor's note: As someone who wants to avoid the crisp reflections from a glossy TV or computer display, I hope this will happen. I'd gladly come up with an additional $50 to avoid the eye strain. dk

Take Trackpad Gestures Further with MultiClutch

AppStorm's Justin Woodbridge says:

"Apple first introduced the MacBook Air in 2008. Other than its thinness (and its ability to fit inside a manilla envelope) it brought a multi-touch trackpad, similar to the iPhone. Since then, the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro have received the trackpad makeover. The trackpad seems very useful, and it is; when you are in a gesture-supported application. For me, my trackpad's abilities fade into the background. Most of the apps I work in do not support them.

"Until I discovered MultiClutch, a preference pane extension that lets you set up trackpad gestures for any application. In this tutorial I will show you the basics of setting up gestures in Multi Clutch, as well as some ideas for different uses."

Reviews

250 GB SSD vs. 7200 rpm 500 GB Hard Drive in MacBook Pro

Bare Feats' rob-ART Morgan says:

"We posted our test results using the OCZ Vertex SSD in the Mac Pro but many of you wanted to see how fast the SSD runs in the Unibody MacBook Pro. We obtained the 'mid 2009' MacBook Pro 3.06 GHz (17") with the 500G 7K HDD CTO option. We tested it and then replaced it with the Vertex 250G SSD from OCZ.

"The OCZ Vertex 250G SSD makes a sweet upgrade for the unibody MacBook Pro. It's fast, quiet, and cool running. If you can swallow hard then cough up $700, it will kick the butt of the fastest notebook HDD....

"But all is not sweetness and light in the Solid State world...."

Editor's note: If you want to buy this "wicked fast" SSD, you can get it from Tiger Direct for $725 shipped or Buy.com for $734.98 shipped (less a $50 mail-in rebate). The Seagate Momentus 7200.4 500 GB (see press release below) is available for a lot less - $119.99 shipped from NewEgg or $124.09 from Buy.com. dk

Tech Trends

Dell Cuts Adamo Price to Match MacBook Air

Electronista reports that Dell has quietly slashed the price on its Adamo ultraportable to match Apple's recent MacBook Air updates.

11.6" Medion Netbook Uses AMD Sempron Processor

11.6 inch Medion netbookWindows for Devices' Jonathan Angel reports:

"UK manufacturer Medion* announced a netbook using a 1.5 GHz AMD Sempron 210U processor. The Akoya Mini E1312 comes with integrated ATI Radeon Xpress 1250 graphics, an 11.6-inch display, both VGA and HDMI video outputs, a 160/and an optional nine-cell battery, the company says."

* Editor's note: Medion International is a German consumer electronics company. Its products are often seen in Aldi stores, and some Medion notebooks are available through Best Buy. dk

Products & Services

Seagate Momentus 7200.4 Laptop Hard Drives

PR: The Seagate Momentus 7200.4 drive is claimed to deliver the highest available laptop hard drive capacity, satisfying the need for desktop performance in a notebook computer. All this without sacrificing battery life, because these new 7200 RPM drives draw only slightly more power than a 5400 RPM laptop drive.

Seagate 7200 RPM drives can shut your system down 34% faster, and opening big files can be up to 30 seconds faster than a 5400 RPM drive can manage.

The Seagate Momentus 7200 RPM family comes with optional G-Force Protection technology for hardcore road warriors or even aspiring warriors in need of extra robustness. The G-Force Protection feature provides enhanced data protection against shock that may occur while the drive is operating. This feature is designed to decrease the likelihood of data loss by detecting a freefall event and unloading the actuator before a shock takes place in falls of greater than 8 inches (nominal). The drive uses a drop sensor mounted on the printed circuit board assembly to sense this event and protect your data. (Editor's note: For Mac users, it may be best to order without the G-Force Protection option, since Apple laptops already have Sudden Motion Sensor technology built-in, and there are reports of possible conflicts. cm)

Available in capacities up to 500 GB with 16 MB of cache and a SATA 3 Gb/s NCQ interface, the Momentus 7200.4 laptop hard drive is ideal for mainstream and performance laptops, workstations, small form factor desktop systems, industrial applications and non-mission-critical blade servers.

Key Features and Benefits

  • Highest available notebook performance increases productivity in all environments.
  • SATA 3 Gb/s interface with Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and command ordering
  • 16-MB cache on every capacity
  • Green features:
    • Leverages Seagate laptop power management technology, delivering the lowest-power 7200 RPM laptop hard drive yet
    • Utilizes ramp load features that remove the head from the disk during idle periods, improving idle power consumption and adding to the durability of the drive
  • Optional G-Force Protection feature adds another layer of robustness for road warriors.
  • QuietStep technology enables ultra-quiet load/unload acoustics
  • State-of-the-art cache and on-the-fly error-correction algorithms
  • Fluid dynamic bearing motor for quiet operation
  • Support for S.M.A.R.T. drive monitoring and reporting Key Applications
  • High-performance and mainstream laptop PCs
  • Small form factor PCs
  • Workstations
  • Non-mission-critical blade servers and industrial applications

Momentus 7200.4 Industry-leading 7200 RPM performance meets extreme green low power consumption levels.

Specifications

  • Capacity (GB) 500 and 250
  • Interface SATA 3 Gb/s NCQ
  • Cache (MB) 16
  • Spindle Speed (RPM) 7200
  • Shock, Operating: 2 ms (Gs) 350
  • Shock, Nonoperating: 1 ms (Gs) 1000
  • Acoustics, Idle, typical (bels) 2.3
  • Acoustics, Seek, typical (bels) 2.5
  • Operating Temperature (°C) 0 to 60

Crucial 2.5" Solid State Drives

PR: Introducing Crucial SSD (Solid State Drive) technology -delivering the benefits of flash technology in a completely different way. More reliable, faster, and more durable than traditional magnetic hard drives, Crucial SSDs are a forward-thinking solution for mobile users who want longer battery life, and can't afford to lose or corrupt the data stored on their notebooks. Likewise, SSDs are a great alternative for the PC enthusiast who is always looking for the very best in system performance.

Crucial 2.5 inch SSDThe advantages reach beyond the notebook, too. the innovative SK01external storage kit integrates an SSD into your standard desktop PC and allows it to act as a portable USB storage device. The possibilities are endless!

Crucial is the company that's been giving your outstanding DRAM memory upgrades backed by industry-leading warranties and outstanding service and support. And now, they offer SSD products and information to meet your needs.

Why an SSD?

Put simply, SSDs are flash-based drives that offer greater reliability and faster performance than traditional magnetic hard drives. SSDs (solid state drives) are data storage devices that utilize nonvolatile (do not lose data when power is removed) flash memory for computing applications that traditionally rely upon a mechanical hard disk drive. Crucial SSDs are designed as industry-standard drop-in replacements (via a SATA connection) for hard drives.

Consisting of just NAND, a controller, connectors, and a PCB, the SSD has no moving parts, creating greater stability by eliminating the mechanical delays and failures associated with a conventional magnetic hard disk drive.

What are the advantages of an SSD?

Superior reliability

The continuous motion generated by multiple moving parts creates heat, which is a leading factor in hard drive failure. In fact, hard drives are one of the notebook components most likely to fail. Because an SSD does not have moving parts, heat dissipation and noise are reduced or eliminated, resulting in a very rugged and reliable offering compared to a mechanical hard drive.

SSDs also have extreme shock and vibration tolerance, and their operating temperature ranges meet or exceed that of standard hard drives.

Increased power efficiency

Ever have your notebook battery die during a presentation? With no moving parts, SSDs require less power, improving battery operating time in notebook PCs and portable electronic devices.

Instant-load performance

Without the moving mechanical parts that cause latency issues, SSDs are not impeded by spin-up, seek time, or rotational latency. This equates to faster boot times, faster application loading, and greater overall system responsiveness. Via SATA, the Crucial 2.5" SSD offers a host data transfer rate of up to 3 Gb/s, backward-compatible to SATA 1.5 Gb/s.

Quiet acoustics

With no spinning parts, SSDs provide for silent operation, similar to that of a standard USB flash drive rather than the constant, noisy humming of a mechanical hard drive.

More efficient heat dissipation

Hard drives dissipate high levels of failure-inducing heat due to the parts necessary to operate the hard drive (such as the spinning platter). In contrast, SSDs produce little-to-no measurable heat because they have no moving parts, thus helping keep notebooks operating cooler.

Lightweight

Enjoy increased mobility with a lighter-weight SSD, which weighs less than a traditional mechanical drive.

Crucial SK01 External 2.5" Storage Kit

Crucial SK01 External 2.5inch Storage KitThe Crucial SK01 External 2.5" Storage Kit provides:

  • 2.5" USB 2.0 external enclosure for 2.5" SSDs
  • 3.5" drive bay with SATA interface for internal desktop installation
  • 5.25" bracket for internal desktop installation

If the Crucial Solid State Drive (SSD) is redefining desktop computing, the Crucial SK01 external drive kit can make it even more versatile, allowing you to use the technology in your desktop or as a portable storage device via a USB port. It's also compatible with your SATA 2.5" mechanical hard drive.

The kit, which is sold separately from the Crucial SSD, includes a rugged 2.5" USB 2.0 external enclosure. It also comes with a SATA 3 Gb/s interface 3.5" hot-swappable drive bay to allow for SSD integration into your PC. Don't have a spare 3.5" drive bay? We've got you covered, thanks to a 5.25" drive bay bracket.

For hot-swap-supported systems, get enhanced security and mobility for your critical data by easily removing the SSD from desktop drive bays and storing it in a secure location, without even turning the computer power off. For USB connections, simply disconnect the USB cable and carry the drive with you. It's that simple.

Crucial Solid State Disk (SSD) drives in 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB capacities have MSRP's of $170, $330, and $600 respectively.

Speck SeeThru and SeeThru Satin Hard Shell MacBook Cases Updated

Orange Spec SeeThru Hard ShellPR: Speck has introduced updated versions of its popular SeeThru and soft-touch SeeThru Satin hard shell cases to address recent AppleDesign changes in both the 13" and 15" MacBook products released earlier this month. The updated cases also fit previous editions of MacBook and MacBook Pro aluminum unibody models originally launched in October 2008.

For the 13" category, the new SeeThru and SeeThru Satin are compatible with both the previous aluminum unibody MacBook and the newly introduced aluminum unibody MacBook Pro. 13".

For the 15" MacBook Pro, the new SeeThru and SeeThru Satin universally cover all unibody MacBook Pro aluminum unibody notebooks introduced since October 2008, including the latest updated MacBook Pro models unveiled earlier this month.

Purple Spec SeeThru Hard ShellThe recently announced SeeThru and SeeThru Satin for the 17" unibody MacBook Pro remains unchanged and fits all previous and current 17" MacBook Pro models.

For MacBook Air and the newly introduced MacBook (white), the current SeeThru cases are still compatible.

"We've refined our SeeThru case designs to fit the new changes in port locations on each side of the latest aluminum unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro models," said Irene Baran, CEO of Speck. "Our updated cases offer all the great protection and personalization fans expect from a Speck SeeThru and now fit all aluminum unibody notebook models launched by Apple since October 2008."

SeeThru is a road-tested, translucent two-piece form-fit hard shell case that will protect your MacBook from scrapes and scratches caused by life's bumbles and thumps. The SeeThru Satin offers the same hard shell protection as the SeeThru, but also features a soft-touch outer finish that gives the new unibody MacBook Pro a semi-translucent frosted appearance that easily slips in and out your bag or backpack, all the while retaining a grippy edge for extra peace of mind. Precise device-specific engineering makes both case styles custom fits that highlight the sleek look of your new unibody MacBook Pro. In addition, the hard shells both personalize and protect while offering complete access to all ports, controls and functions, including the battery status check button, without the need to remove the case. Both SeeThru and SeeThru Satin hard shell cases are available for $49.95 MSRP each and available at Apple Stores and online.

Bargain 'Books

Bargain 'Books are used unless otherwise indicated. New and refurbished units have a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible for AppleCare.

PowerBook, iBook, and MacBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.

Apple Store

Factory refurbished units with Apple's full one-year warranty.

  • 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80 HD, $999
  • 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/64 SSD, $1,199
  • 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/120 HD, $1,199
  • 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/80 HD, $1,099
  • 1.8 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/64 GB SSD, $1,299
  • 1.86 GHz MacBook Air, 2 GB/128 GB SSD, $1,449
  • 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 MacBook White, 2 GB/160/SD, $849
  • 2.0 GHz Unibody MacBook, 2 GB/160/SD, $949
  • 2.4 GHz Unibody MacBook, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,099
  • 2.4 GHz Unibody MacBook, 2 GB/128 SSD/SD, $1,449
  • 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,349
  • 15" 2.66 GHz MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $1,499
  • 15" 2.8 GHz MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $1,699
  • 15" 2.93 GHz MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $1,949
  • 17" 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,799
  • 17" 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $1,999
  • 17" 2.66 GHz MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $1,949
  • 17" 2.66 GHz MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, antiglare, $1,999

TechRestore

  • 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 1 GB/60/Combo, $669.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 1 GB/60/SD, $679.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 1 GB/80/Combo, $699.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 2.0 GHz 1 GB/80/SD, $719.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $729.00
  • 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/160/SD, $729.99
  • 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white, 1 GB/120/SD, $769.99
  • 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/80/SD, $769.99
  • 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $779.99
  • 15" 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $899.99
  • 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $949.99
  • 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/160/SD, $999.99
  • 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, APX, $1,099
  • 17" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, APX, $1,269
  • 17" 2.6 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/200/8x DL SuperDrive, $1,499

MacMall

  • 2.13 GHz MacBook White, 2 GB/160/SD, $929
  • 2.0 GHz Unibody MacBook, 2 GB/160/SD, $924.99
  • 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/250/SD, $1,569.99
  • 15" 2.66 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 4 GB/320/SD, $1,829.99
  • 15" 2.66 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 4 GB/250-7200rpm/SD, $2,144
  • 17" 2.6 GHz hi-res Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200-7200rpm/SD, $2,049.99

Beta Macs

  • Lombard PowerBook G3/400, 256/6/DVD, OS 9, $179
  • Pismo PowerBook G3/400, 512/10/no optical drive?, AP, $299

Wegener Media - Pismo - G4 iBooks - MacBook

  • Pismo PowerBook G3/400, 128/6/DVD, $299.99
  • Pismo PowerBook G3/500, 128/6/DVD, $349.99
  • Pismo PowerBook G3/400, 256/40/DVD, $399.99
  • Pismo PowerBook G3/400, 256/60/DVD, $419.99
  • Pismo PowerBook G3/500, 256/40/DVD, $439.99
  • Pismo PowerBook G3/500, 256/60/DVD, $449.99
  • Pismo PowerBook with G4/550 upgrade, 256/40/Combo, $529.99
  • 12" iBook G4/800 MHz, 256/30/Combo, 60 day warranty, $289.99
  • 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 256/30/Combo, 60 day warranty, $369.99
  • 12" iBook G4/1.2 GHz, 256/30/Combo, 60 day warranty, $409.99
  • 12" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/40/Combo, AirPort & Bluetooth, 60 day warranty, $489.99
  • 14" iBook G4/1.33 GHz, 512/60/Combo, 60 day warranty, $499.99
  • 14" iBook G4/1.42 GHz, 512/60/SD, 60 day warranty, $529.99
  • 1.83 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, $594.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, white, 512/60/Combo, $659.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core Duo MacBook, black, 512/80/SD, $719.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, white Core2 Duo, 1 GB/80/SD, $769.99
  • 2.0 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black Core2 Duo, 1 GB/120/SD, $799.99

ExperCom

  • 2.0 GHz MacBook, white, 1 GB/60/SD, scratched, $549
  • 2.0 GHz MacBook, white, 1 GB/100/SD, $679
  • 15" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 2 GB/100/SD, $999
  • 15" 2.33 GHz MacBook Pro, 3 GB/500/SD, $1,299
  • 17" PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, scratched, $399
  • 17" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 1 GB/80/SD, $699

For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4, iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.

We also track iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.

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