General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and
Apple TV news is covered in The iOS News
Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Products & Services
News & Opinion
How to Properly Coil a MacBook Power Cord
Do it the wrong way, and you'll risk damaging your cable and
creating a fire hazard. This video tutorial shows the correct
technique.
Link:
How to Properly Coil a MacBook Power Cord
Problems with a New MacBook Pro
eXtensions' Graham K. Rogers says that after three years of great
service from his 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro
it was an easy decision to move to the current 2.66 GHz
version with the i7 processor, and that the first four months with
the new machine were great as well. Rogers reports that he reveled in
the improved speed and graphics, but that in late July the proverbial
wheels began to come off. The screen cursor would stop moving, and the
computer would freeze, leaving him with no choice but to shut down
using the power button: not recommended.
Rogers goes on to relate in detail how he's tried doing two
reinstalls (one clean from scratch) of Mac OS X 10.6.4, but he's still
getting screen freezes, leading him to conclude that the problems are
hardware-based.
He may be correct, but my own experience with Snow Leopard (less
severe symptoms than those Rogers describes, thankfully) inclines me to
think that some suspicion should be cast Snow Leopard's way as well.
My late 2008 model
aluminum MacBook supports OS X 10.5 Leopard and is a smooth,
poised, and reliable performer in that OS version - but Snow Leopard
performance on the same machine (I have both systems installed on
separate hard drive partitions) with the same suite of applications is
decidedly raggedy and buggy, with frequent keyboard cursor-input
freezes, although I've not yet had the mouse response crap out. A
merciful workaround has been a little AppleScript that initiates
quitting and restarting the Dock, which restores keyboard response (see
2 Weeks with OS X
10.6.4 and Safari 5 for details).
This issue may have nothing to do with what Graham Rogers is
encountering on his MacBook Pro, but it's a relatively painless thing
to try.
Link: A Week or
More of Problems with a MacBook Pro
The MacBook Air Project: Converting a MacBook Air
into a Keyboard Computer
The MacBook Air Project blog chronicles and documents an attempt to
turn a "busted up" MacBook Air into a computer in a keyboard.
Bart Reardon says that since the Air was announced and Steve Jobs
held up that tiny motherboard, he's had an idea about installing an Air
in a keyboard, specifically one of the old white Apple keyboards.
So with the opportunity handed to him, he set about determining what
did and didn't work.
Link: The MacBook Air
Project
Tech Trends
Asustek Lowers 3Q10 Netbook Shipments Goal Due to
iPad Competition
DigiTimes' Monica Chen and Adam Hwang report that
"Asustek Computer's netbook sales in the second quarter fall short
of expectations mainly due to competition from Apple's iPad, and the company has consequently
adjusted its target shipments downward for Q3, the traditional peak
sales period, to 1.4 million units, according to company president and
CEO Jerry Shen at an investors conference on August 13."
However, Chen and Hwang say Asustek will continue to offer Eee PC
netbooks and also step into the tablet PC segment with its Eee Note and
Eee Pad series.
Link: Asustek Lowers 3Q10
Netbook Shipments Goal Due to iPad Competition (paid subscription
required)
17" 6-core Eurocom Panther 2.0 Laptop
Workstation
PR: Canadian PC-maker Eurocom has announced a new line
of 17.3" laptop computers featuring Intel 6-core CPUs, up to 4 TB
of internal data storage, and Nvidia SLI with two GeForce GTX 480M or
Nvidia Quadro FX 3800M graphics processor units.
The Eurocom Panther 2.0, described as "the world's first workstation
class professional super-notebook," is projected to start shipping
later this month in a base configuration with a 2.8 GHz Core i7
processor, 320 GB of storage, an ATI Radeon HD5870 graphics card and
6 GB of memory for of $2,631 (Can$2,999), although the laptop can
be optioned up with Intel's fastest, 3.33 GHz Core i7-980X processor,
4 TB of storage and 24 GB of memory to cost as much as Can$9,000
(US$8,634) - a nosebleed inducing price level some of us recall from
mid-90s top-of-the-line Apple PowerBooks. Windows 7 adds additional
cost, or you can run Open Source RedHat System Architecture Linux.
Eurocom
speculates that Panther 2.0 users might include industrial designers
working with CAD (computer-aided design), CAE (computer-aided
engineering), DCC (digital content creation), visualization, 3D and
cinematic CGI artists, and financial traders.
The Panther 2.0's display is a LED backlit 17.3" full HD glossy 1920
x 1080 pixel unit, while the standard processors are Intel i7-980X
Extreme or Xeon 5500/5600, 4- and 6-core LGA1366 CPUs with 32nm
technology, up to 12 MB L3 cache, and thermal profiles from 65W to
130W, and supporting Intel's XTU (eXtreme Tuning Utility) and XMP
(eXtreme Memory Profile) functions. The machine can accommodate up to
four physical drives (mechanical or SSD); RAID 0/1/5/10; over 3 TB
of storage.
A 3.0 Megapixels webcam is a $78 option, while optical drive options
include DVD burner, Blu-ray reader, or Blu-ray burner, and 7-in-1 card
reader support includes MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/SD/Mini-SD/SDHC/SDXC
compatible/MMC/RSMMC, plus an ExpressCard slot.
Pointing is via a multi-gesture touchpad, and the Panther 2.0
is equipped with high definition audio, S/PDIF output, a built-in
microphone; five speakers; a subwoofer; and Dolby Home Theater.
The comprehensive I/O port array includes 2 USB 3.0 ports; 3 USB 2.0
ports; HDMI-in 1.4; HDMI-out; DVI-DL; eSATA; 1 IEEE-1394b (FireWire)
port; S/PDIF; headphone; microphone; audio line-in; RJ-45; and
CATV-in.
As might be expected, with all that onboard power, estimated battery
life is a worse than mediocre - "up to 1.5 hours" even with an 88.8 WH
battery, so the Panther 2.0 is pretty much a desktop substitute by
default, not to mention its "road hugging" weight of 11.66 lb.
including battery and ODD. Available warranty plans include one, two,
and three year coverage options.
Link: Eurocom Panther
2.0
Products & Services
SanDisk Introduces World's Smallest 64 GB Solid
State Drive, First in New Embedded SSD Category
PR: Flash memory cards specialist SanDisk
Corporation has announced the first product in a new category of
embedded solid state drives (SSD) that are smaller than a postage stamp
and offer higher capacities and performance than existing storage
solutions. The SanDisk integrated SSD (iSSD), the first high-capacity
product within this new category, is designed for use in fast-growing
mobile computing platforms such as tablet PCs and ultra-thin
notebooks.
Computing platforms are responding to consumer demand for highly
portable, ultra-thin, anywhere-anytime access to the Internet and their
favorite content. The SanDisk iSSD drive is the first flash SSD device
to support the industry standard SATA interface in a small BGA (Ball
Grid Array) package that can be soldered onto any motherboard, and that
is fast enough for use with advanced operating systems in
next-generation mobile computing platforms.
"The new category of embedded SSDs should enable OEMs to produce
tablets and notebooks with an unprecedented combination of thin,
lightweight form factors and fast performance," says Doron Myersdorf,
senior director, SSD marketing, SanDisk. "With our embedded flash
storage leadership, SanDisk believes it is uniquely positioned to
deliver the ultra compact SSD solutions needed by OEMs."
"The
ultra-thin tablet and mobile computer markets are expected to
experience tremendous growth over the coming years, and new advanced
platforms will introduce new requirements for storage solutions," says
Jeff Janukowicz, research manager, solid state drives, IDC. "New
embedded SSDs such as the SanDisk iSSD drive, which meet the stringent
size requirements of small and light devices while offering greater
performance, are designed to enable OEMs to deliver an enhanced user
experience in their next-generation designs."
The SanDisk iSSD offers 160 MB/sec sequential read and 100 MB/sec
sequential write speeds for greater system responsiveness(*). With no
moving parts, the tiny, robust drive is designed to deliver the
durability needed by portable devices that are frequently dropped or
jostled. SanDisk iSSD offers a substantial level of design flexibility
for OEMs who seek to create the next generation of tablets and ultra
thin mobile devices based on the standard SATA interface.
The SanDisk iSSD is available now for sampling to OEMs, and is being
evaluated by top-tier manufacturers. Measuring 16mm x 20mm x 1.85mm and
weighing less than one gram, the drive uses a BGA form factor and a
SATA interface, and is compatible with all leading operating systems.
SanDisk iSSD is available in capacities ranging from 4 GB to 64 GB,
with pricing dependent upon the quantity ordered.
Link: SanDisk
iSSD
$50 Rebate on a New Duo Dual Display Extender
PR: Buy a new CinemaView Duo Dual Display Extender and submit
proof of purchase for two CinemaView 24 displays, get $50!
Sure, it's cool to use two big 24" LCD displays with your Mac. But
it's even cooler to save $50 in the process.
If you buy a new CV Duo dual display extender from our online store
or from a CinemaView dealer, you can save $50 just by submitting a
simple rebate form and proof of purchase for two CV 24 LCD displays -
the displays may be bought at any time, including ones you already own.
Just go to our website for the rebate program details and to download
the rebate form.
The CinemaView Duo plugs into any Mac with a Mini DisplayPort
connector and provides two Mini DisplayPorts. Plug in a pair of
beautiful CV 24 LCD displays and enjoy an amazing 3840 x 1080 pixels of
additional screen.
If you have a MacBook Pro, you can have your normal display there,
plus add 4,147,200 additional pixels spread across two 24" CinemaView
displays.
Link: CinemaView
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,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
