General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple
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All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Does Upgrading Your Notebook Hard Drive Make
Sense?
Tom's Hardware's Patrick Schmid and Achim Roos say:
"We recently looked at the impact of a hard drive upgrade on a
desktop PC to find out whether or not it's worth replacing a
three-year-old disk with a brand new one. Our scenario involved the
now-common choice of upgrading from Windows XP or Vista to Windows 7,
and starting over with new storage at the same time. We found small
benefits on the power consumption side and more noticeable increases on
the performance side."
Link: Upgrading
Your Notebook Hard Drive: Does It Make Sense?
42 Reasons Netbooks Are Better Than the iPad
PC Mag's Cisco Cheng has compiled a list of 42 reasons why he thinks
netbooks give the iPad a run for its money. I don't agree with him on
all points, but he makes some good ones, such as the fact that while
the base iPad's $500 price-of-entry still being more expensive than the
$200 to $400 netbooks typically cost.
Cheng has actually constructed a compelling argument as to why the
iPad isn't going to displace the notebook - netbook, conventional PC
laptop, or Apple's own MacBooks - anytime soon
Link: 42 Reasons Why
Netbooks Are Better Than the Apple iPad
10 Things Netbooks Do Better Than an iPad
Cnet's Scott Stein says that netbooks are no iPads, but indeed
they're often more, observing that while the iPad wins out on some
functions, such as video playback quality, there are still a great many
things that a small laptop can do that an iPad simply can't, such as
multitasking, video chat with webcams (the iPad has none), running
Flash, running a full-fledged operating system that can be used for
programming or modification, uploading photos from a camera without
mucking about with a USB adapter dongle (most netbooks have 2 or even 3
USB ports), store more than 64 GB of data (with even the most basic
netbooks these days shipping with 160 GB hard drives), playing Facebook
and other browser games (no Flash, again), swapping batteries (of
course you can't do that on the latest Apple laptops either), optical
drives either built in or peripherally connectable via USB, real
keyboards (iPad's optional keyboard dock can't be used for lap typing),
and hardware upgradability - especially for RAM and data drive
capacity.
Link: 10 Things
Netbooks Still Do Better Than an iPad
Why Apple's iPad Cannot Compete with Netbooks
Seeking Alpha's Bruce Everiss says that while Steve Jobs pours
ridicule on netbooks, saying: "They're slow, they have low quality
displays . . . They're not better at laptops than anything,
they're just cheaper", he has news for Apple. Even after the iPad
launch, he thinks his Acer Aspire One netbook is a better ownership
proposition, which is not what he was expecting.
Everiss criticizes Apple's marketing strategy of planned
obsolescence, reminiscent of Detroit carmakers in the 1950s and 1960s
with product lines updated regularly with features held back to make
the next model more appealing, inducing many customers upgrade every
year.
In the case of the iPad, Everiss cites the lack of an OLED display,
with Apple using instead an IPS (In Plane Switching) LCD, which
provides a wide viewing angle and good colours but switches very
slowly, producing motion blur, which is not good for games, and using a
lot more electricity, resulting in shortened battery life.
There's no camera, no significant horsepower advantage over Intel's
Atom netbook processor, no removable battery, no multitasking, no
Flash, no Skype, no USB or FireWire ports (his Aspire has three USB
ports), storage capacity limited to a maximum 64 GB flash drive while
netbooks come with bigger hard drives and memory expansion, no
(portable) mechanical keyboard, and no open platform operating
system.
Link:
Why Apple's iPad Cannot Compete with Netbooks
Tech Trends
Netbooks to See Speed Boost Later This Year
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Expect to see Atom-based netbooks speed up a little in the latter
half of the year when Intel releases upgraded Atom CPUs able to talk to
faster memory than the current lot can manage.
"Today's top-of-the-line netbook Atom, the 1.66 GHz N450, connects
to DDR 2 RAM through its built-in memory controller. Later this year,
Intel will release the N455, which will hook up to DDR 3 memory.
"DDR 2 runs at up to 800 MHz. DDR 3 can clock at more than double
that frequency."
Link: Netbooks to
See Speed Boost This Year When Updated Atom CPUs Get DDR 3
Support
Products & Services
nCard: Highest Wireless Speeds Possible with Older
MacBooks and Mac minis
PR: QuickerTek announces the new nCard for first, second, and
third generation MacBook, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini computers (this
upgrade excludes the unibody's and the Mac mini-middle 2009 models).
This new nCard installs into the internal AirPort card slot. The
installation itself is no more complex than upgrading the memory. This
new, more powerful version of our nCard is priced the same at $89.95
for the MacBook and MacBook Pro, and $179.95 do it yourself Mac mini
kit.
Imagine using your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or Mac mini with any
wireless network. The wireless benefits of higher transmit power and
higher receiver sensitivity means greater networking performance. You
gain complete compatibility with all 802.11a/b/g/n networks which
include all Apple AirPort Base Stations, D link, Linksys, Belkin, and
virtually all other wireless network hardware.
The new nCard from QuickerTek maximizes your wireless
experience, where ever you find yourself. You always have the highest
wireless speed without any extra work - up to 300 megabits per second
when using 802.11a - 5.8 GHz.
Compatibility:
- MacBook - all 2006-2009 models (no unibody)
- MacBook Pro - all 2006-2008 models (no unibody)
- Mac mini - all 2006-early 2009 (nothing after mid 2009)
Like most QuickerTek products, the nCard is backed with a one-year
warranty on parts and labor. This card can be purchased from
QuickerTek's web store or from a reseller.
Link: QuickerTek
nCard
New djay Keyboard Covers Transform MacBooks into
Fully Interactive DJ Controllers
PR: algoriddim , a
leader in next-generation music software for the Mac, and KB Covers, announced the release of the
djay Keyboard Cover, which converts any US MacBook, MacBook Air, or
unibody MacBook Pro into fun, fully interactive DJ controllers. Already
known to professionals and novices alike for its exciting visual
interface, simple controls and seamless integration with any iTunes
library, djay's many features are now even easier to learn through the
keyboard cover's straightforward display of program shortcuts and
commands.
Developed in conjunction with KB Covers, a leading provider of
the finest quality keyboard covers for Apple/Mac desktop and laptop
computers, the djay Keyboard Cover enables users to spend less time
learning controls and more time having fun mixing their own music. Each
button is clearly coded with symbols and colors to help identify key
functions and distinguish between djay's extensive shortcuts for both
the left and right turntables.
"The djay Keyboard Cover gives users the power to play and mix songs
faster than they've ever experienced, plus it protects the keyboard
from any accidental spill," said Greg Sad, marketing director of KB
Covers. "Our mission is to create truly interactive reference tools for
the latest and greatest Mac applications, and when we heard about the
capabilities of djay, we knew we could provide DJs everywhere with a
must-have accessory."
Consisting of soft, ultra-thin silicone, the djay Keyboard Cover has
a smooth texture that won't slip off the keyboard and is nonrestrictive
to regular typing. It also helps to safeguard the MacBook from dirt,
spills, wear and tear, allowing the user to protect their equipment
while they mix music in their home, at a party or in a nightclub.
"We're very excited to be continually expanding djay's lineup of
accessories," said Karim Morsy, CEO of algoriddim. "djay already
provides the user with a truly fun and addictive musical experience,
but for the many fans who want a more tactile mixing experience, or
wish to learn djay's controls faster, we teamed with KB Covers to
create the djay Keyboard Cover. It is now easier than ever to master
the program's commands and reach a new level of interactivity with your
own music, and we can't wait to hear what users think."
For more information about djay, the djay Keyboard Cover or other
available accessories, please visit www.djay-software.com. The djay
Keyboard Cover is available for purchase online at the KB Covers store
and in select music/audio resellers for $29.95, and beginning today
through December 31, 2010, any online customer can enter the code
"DJAY10" at checkout to receive a 10% discount.
Link: djay-software.com
Bargain 'Books
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,
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