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
Tech Trends
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Consumer Reports: Apple #1 in Laptop and
Desktop Tech Support
Macworld's Nicholas Bonsack says:
"It seems Consumer Reports subscribers feel the same way. In
a survey with four categories - problem solved, phone waits, phone
staff and online support - 3,685 subscribers ranked Apple number one in
laptop tech support and 3,711 ranked Apple number one in desktop tech
support. The combined scores are ranked out of 100, with differences of
7 points not considered meaningful. Apple was the only company to earn
the highest Consumer Reports individual rating (that coveted red
circle with the little dot in the middle) for any category - and it
earned them for all four categories for both desktops and laptops!
"For laptop tech support, Apple scored 86 out of a possible 100,
putting them above 'very satisfied' (80) on average...."
Link:
Consumer Reports: Apple Still Tops in Computer Tech
Support
Apple Files for Patents Covering Notebook Cooling
Tech
MacNN reports:
"The US Patent Office is currently reviewing several of Apple's
applications detailing technology for cooling and heat dissipation. One
filing, initially submitted in September of 2008, describes a system
for cooling devices using flow sensors. The technology is designed to
help reduce heat by limiting the performance characteristics or using
active cooling systems.
"'Heat dissipation is an important consideration in the design of
such electronic devices,' the filing reads. 'If this heat is not
adequately dissipated, the electronic components may fail and/or cause
damage to the electronic device.'
"The sensors, such as velocimeters and temperature sensors, could be
placed near a cavity in a notebook housing to detect the flow and
temperature of air. The velocity can then be adjusted as the computer
generates more heat under heavy load."
Link:
Apple Files for Patents Covering Notebook Cooling Tech
Quick Update: The Mac User and His i7 Laptop
Applepeels' David Sobotta says:
"The simple response would be that my HP i7 running Windows 7 is
doing great. I have had no problems and have yet to run into an issue.
My only minor complaint is that the power supply brick seems very
large. I have used all the software on the system that I normally do.
As far as I can tell everything is working fine.
"Some additional things which are important to me have been resolved
by this system. One is that it is very quiet and wakes from sleep
quickly and reliably. It is also fast. I find Picasa much nicer on this
system than on my previous Windows' system. I also find importing
pictures to my laptops is faster on my Windows system than it is on my
Intel MacBook that will turn four this year. That's a minor point, but
it is something that I do everyday so I am pleased with the speed
increase."
Link:
Quick Update, the Apple User & His i7 PC Laptop
Tech Trends
The Rise of Netbooks Charted
If you are of a mind that netbooks are just an ephemeral
flash-in-the-pan fad fueled by the global economic recession, check
this out.
Excerpt from GigaOM's "Rise of Netbooks" chart.
Link: The Rise of
Netbooks Charted
Next 'Must Have' Fashion Accessory: HP's Vivienne
Tam Netbook
PR: HP and world-renowned designer Vivienne Tam have
announced availability of the latest in "digital clutch" chic.
The HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition made its runway design debut at
New York Fashion Week as part of Tam's spring 2010 collection.
Fashion-forward women around the globe can reserve theirs now.
Combining Tam's arresting "Butterfly Lovers" design with
premium PC technology, the HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition is pitched
to become the next must-have accessory. Starting at 2.7 pounds and less
than 1-inch thin, it fits easily into purses or bags.1
"As a fashion designer I have always found inspiration in bringing
contrasting worlds together," said Tam. "I use computers in every
aspect of my life so it seemed natural to marry fashion and technology.
Together with HP, we created this movement of fashionable tech
accessories with the second-edition digital clutch."
Partnering with Beats by Dr. Dre, HP has included high-performance
audio software that enables listeners to experience music through
headphones or external speakers the way artists intended. Previously
Beats Audio was available only in the premium HP Envy notebook PC
line.
Inspiration and Design
Reflecting Tam's spring 2010 collection, the netbook design is
inspired by the classic Chinese love story, "Butterfly Lovers," a
beautiful tale of freedom, romance and inspiration. Integrated directly
into the netbook's lid using HP Imprint technology, the design is as
durable as it is stunning.
The HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition also comes with a Butterfly
Lovers desktop theme that includes an animated butterfly start menu,
custom Vivienne Tam icons and three wallpapers to coordinate with the
design.
HP has been at the forefront of fusing fashion and technology since
unveiling the HP Mini Vivienne Tam digital clutch netbook on the
catwalk of Tam's 2008 fashion show at New York Fashion Week in Bryant
Park. Models walked down the runway in that show with the peony-adorned
computer in hand, a first on an American runway.
What's Inside
With an elegant design on the inside and out, the HP Mini 210
Vivienne Tam Edition features custom software to help fashionistas be
efficient, stay connected, and look their best while on the go:
The built-in webcam allows customers to create and upload videos,
take snapshots, and chat with friends over the Web.2 With a
click of a button, the Webcam turns into an instant "mirror."
HP QuickWeb, the company's instant-on software, lets users post to
Facebook, send a tweet, listen to music, browse the Web, check an
appointment, send an email or chat in seconds saving time usually spent
waiting for the computer to fully boot.2
Coordinated accessories that further complement the HP Mini 210
Vivienne Tam Edition include a matching microfiber suede sleeve, an
optional Butterfly Lovers wireless mouse and Monster-branded in-ear
headphones. The Vivienne Tam Mini comes in exclusive gift-box packaging
to provide a premium experience.
Product details
The HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition is the ideal companion PC for
the highly mobile, intern et-centric fashionista, providing freedom and
fun with up to 5.5 hours of battery time.3 It has a 10.1"
diagonal LED widescreen display and a keyboard that is 93% of the size
of a standard notebook PC keyboard.
The HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition comes with 2 GB of memory and
large hard-drive options up to 320 GB, automatic backup software, and
Microsoft Windows 7 Premium.4
Pricing, availability and preorder options5
Customers in the United States can reserve the HP Mini 210 Vivienne
Tam Edition by calling +1 800 230 5752 or by visiting hp.com/viviennetam.
The HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition also will be available at US
retailers including Neiman Marcus, Amazon.com,
Best Buy, and J&R Electronics. A list of additional retailers
worldwide is available at http://www.hp.com/viviennetam
The HP Mini 210 Vivienne Tam Edition is expected to be available
March 19 with a starting price of $599.
The Butterfly Lovers themed HP Wireless Mouse is expected to be
available March 19 for $39.99.
Vivienne Tam is a leading designer fashion house founded in 1994.
The company produces, designs and markets women's contemporary apparel
distributed in major department stores, specialty stores and
independent boutiques throughout the US The company also has a strong
presence in the Asia Pacific region with over 30 freestanding stores
and in-store boutiques.
The Vivienne Tam brand's unique positioning designs that meld the
aesthetic and feminine mystique of Asia with the spirit of the modern
world is well recognized around the globe. The company's philosophy is
to create harmonious clothing that enhances one's personality while at
the same time provides fashionable clothing for modern women that is
beautifully designed, superior in quality, wearable, easy to travel
with and affordable.
Link: HP Mini 210
Vivienne Tam Edition series
Products & Services
Bus Powered Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini Hits 1
TB
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) announced its OWC Mercury
Elite-AL Pro mini is the first 2.5" 1 TB "Quad Interface" bus
powered portable storage solution on the market and available for
immediate ordering with 10 models priced from $119.99. Featuring a
"Quad Interface" of FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA interface
connectivity for data transfer speeds up to 300 MB/s, the fanless
Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini delivers high performance storage/backup to
Mac or PC users in a portable, brushed aluminum, no AC adapter required
Plug and Play footprint.
In addition to the new 1 TB model, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro
mini is available in nine other "Quad Interface" models offering a
variety of speed, capacity, and drive type options:
5200/5400 RPM
- 250 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB cache, $119.99
- 320 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB cache, $129.99
- 500 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB cache, $154.99
- 640 GB 5400 RPM, 8 MB cache, $189.00
- 1.0 TB 5200 RPM, 8 MB cache, $299.99
7200 RPM
- 320 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB cache, $144.99
- 500 GB 7200 RPM, 16 MB cache, $189.99
Solid State Drive featuring the OWC Mercury Extreme Enterprise
SSD
- 50 GB SSD $299.99
- 100 GB SSD $469.99
- 200 GB SSD $849.99
All OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini models, including the new
1 TB model, are available for immediate ordering from Other World
Computing.
Mercury Elite-AL Pro Storage Solutions are compatible with Mac OS
8.6 and later including the latest 10.6 "Snow Leopard"; and Windows
98SE or later operating systems; and come ready for Plug and Play ease
of use with all supported interface connecting cables, a $200 retail
value disk utility software bundle, and an industry leading three year
complete solution warranty.
Portable & Bus Powered for Mobile Lifestyles
Measuring a compact 3.8" W x 5.5" L x 1.1" H, the OWC Mercury
Elite-AL Pro mini offers storage capacity up to 1 TB - enough
space for up to 1,000,000 JPEG photos, 500 DVD movies, 76 hours of
digital video, or 350,000 MP3 songs - in its fanless, aircraft grade
brushed aluminum enclosure. Because it's bus-powered, the Mercury
Elite-AL Pro mini doesn't require an AC adapter, which makes it ideal
for in-the-field business professionals, creative/entertainment
professionals, students, and anyone else needing to back up data,
transport large files between computers, gain additional storage
capacity, and even perform video editing and live music recording.
Built for Performance & Flexibility
Designed to emulate the award winning history of the larger desktop
sized Mercury Elite-AL Pro, the new Elite-AL Pro mini portable storage
solution features the fastest 2.5" SATA hard drive mechanisms up to
7200 RPM as well as OWC's Mercury Extreme Enterprise SSD for demanding
A/V, digital photography, professional music, graphics, general data,
and Time Machine ready storage needs. With two FireWire 800 ports,
users can "daisy chain" multiple devices, connect legacy FireWire 400
devices via the included 800 to 400 connecting cable, and can even
utilize the fastest data transfer interface, eSATA, while bus powering
via FireWire. The Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini can also be used with
storage capable digital cameras and camcorders with FireWire and/or USB
data ports for fast, on-location backups of images and video.
"We're very pleased to have our renowned Mercury storage line
achieve another industry first," said Larry O'Connor, CEO, Other World
Computing. "With the highest capacity and most interfaces in a portable
design, our 'mini' delivers massive, professional grade data
storage/backup to the modern mobile computing society."
Link: OWC Mercury
Elite-AL Pro
Proporta Perfora Leather Style Laptop Case for 13"
Laptops and MacBook
PR: The Perfora Netbook Case offers robust
protection and a sharp, stylish finish. The handcrafted faux-leather
exterior guards against everyday damage, scratches and knocks, and the
contrast stripe and perforation detail design means that it cuts quite
a dash in the process, whilst inside the luxury lining will cocoon your
Netbook in the finest style - and safety.
The Perfora Netbook Case is available in black, red and green and is
suitable for your MacBook or any Netbook with a 13" screen.
Key Features
- Handcrafted from the finest quality faux-leather.
- Luxury lining and robust exterior guard against scratches and
knocks.
- Adds little bulk to your MacBook or Netbook.
- Striking design detail and stylish finish. Available in red, black
and green
MSRP$34.95
Currently just $27.95
Link: Proporta
Perfora Leather Style Laptop Case for 13" Laptops and MacBook
Bargain 'Books
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
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