General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in Mac News Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and
Apple TV news is covered in iOS News
Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Reviews
Tech Trends
Products & Services
Software
News & Opinion
Late 2011 MacBook Pro Compatibility with 6 Gb/s
SATA Drives
OWC blogger Larry says:
"As we mentioned last Monday, Apple has released new speed bumped
MacBook Pro 13", 15", and 17" model laptops. These units all show 6
Gb/s link capability for both the main drive bay and the optical bay.
Right out of the gate all of these models are proving 100% reliable for
use of a SATA Revision 3.0 hard drive or OWC 6G SSD installed into the
main drive bay.
"Just like the Early 2011 models, while we continue to see
reliability with 6 Gb/s in the optical bay of the 13" model - the
optical bays of the 15" and 17" models remain too unstable for 6 Gb/s
drive use. Although still unstable in the 15" and 17", the optical bay
SATA signal has improved considerably and we are looking into
possibilities that might make 6 Gb/s in this bay reliable.
"This is the same drive setup/configuration we saw in the the Early
2011 MacBook Pros. While it had been a long road with various
frustrations in terms of using a 6 Gb/s SSD in even the main bay of the
previous 15" and 17" models Apple's EFI 2.2 update resolved most of
those issues. Future updates may resolve some fringe issues for those
models, but, unfortunately, testing across a significant number of both
Early and Late 2011 MacBook Pro models indicate that 6 Gb/s is only
stable in the main bay of 15" and 17" models, while optical bay 6 Gb/s
is reliable for 13" models only at this time.
"To keep it simple:
Link: Apple's Latest
2011 MacBook Pro Refresh & Using SATA Revision 3.0 6 Gb/s
Drives
15" MacBook Air Prototype Spotted?
danbo of the Japanese Apple-watcher blogsite Macotakara follows up
on a
previous MacRumors report that a 15" MacBook Air-like prototype
notebook had been spotted, according to unnamed Asian intelligence
sources.
danbo speculates that Apple apparently is developing such a product,
an ultrathin laptop with a 15" display and no internal optical drive,
but thinks it may more likely be a prototype for one of a new line of
optical driveless MacBook Pros than a forthcoming extension of the
MacBook Air family.
That would be my best guess as well.
Indeed, the MacRumors report by Arnold Kim that was referenced by
danbo expressed equivocation over whether the rumored 15" ultrathin Mac
notebook would be called a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, but positively
affirmed it is be already in late testing stages by Apple.
AppleInsider Staff suggests that
whatever name the new portable Mac ultimately takes, rumors have
suggested that the current physical form factor of the MacBook Pro
lineup will undergo a drastic redesign in 2012, with Apple's future
MacBooks expected to feature Intel's next-generation 22nm Ivy Bridge
processors, which are projected to arrive at some point in the first
half of 2012, and that Intel confirmed last week that it has begun Ivy
Bridge volume production, with systems powered by the new CPUs to be
available in the spring of 2012.
Link: MacBook Air
(15-inch)の試作開発を完了？
(Japanese-to-English
translation by Google Translate)
Reviews
Ultimate 11" MacBook Air Reviewed
Computing's Dave Bailey declares the full-load 11" MacBook Air (1.8 GHz Core
i7 CPU, 256 GB SSD) to be a very good laptop, upgraded with the latest
Intel processors and also Apple's 10 Gb/s Thunderbolt connectivity,
although he notes that the lack of USB 3.0 is a point against the
MacBook Air - and the price could cause a sharp increase in blood
pressure.
Bailey observes that one of the most visible and biggest
improvements to this iteration of the MacBook Air is the keyboard,
which now has backlighting to help users work in dim light, as well as
a much more positive key action than the 13" 2010 model used, even
though the keyboard travel looks the same.
He says Apple's decision not to put USB 3.0 on its systems is
mystifying, since data transfer rates using USB 3.0 can be an order of
magnitude better than USB 2.0 devices, but that Intel's
second-generation 1.8 GHz Core i7-2677M processor offers an approximate
threefold performance boost over the earlier 1.86 GHz Core 2 Duo used
in the 2010 vintage MacBook Airs.
Publisher's note: In theory, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 has a bit more than
10x the bandwidth of High-Speed USB 2.0, in extensive testing of USB
3.0 and 2.0 flash drives, AnandTech
found the difference between the fastest 2.0 and 3.0 drives was
typically in the 6-8x range, with some showing far less improvement
than that. In brief, expect to see a real difference in throughput (if
and when Macs get USB 3.0 support), but don't expect to see that "order
of magnitude" difference in the real world. dk
Link: Review: MacBook
Air 11in Ultimate MD214
Macworld: Plenty to Like About Late 2011 MacBook
Pros
Macworld's James Galbraith notes that last month's MacBook Pro
update announcement was so low-key that you might have missed it,
highlighted by faster new Intel Sandy Bridge processors and upgraded
ATI graphics processors on the 15" and 17" models delivered at the same
price points as the machines they replace. However, Galbraith observes
that while the improvements are modest, there's plenty to like about
these upgrades, especially if you own an older laptop and are looking
to upgrade your system, although he says they shouldn't invoke buyers
remorse for anyone who purchased a member of the Early 2011 MacBook Pro
family, or perhaps even buyers of a 2010 MacBook Pro.
Link: New MacBook Pros
(Late 2011) Feature Updates That Boost Performance and Value
Tech Trends
Acer, Asustek Ultrabook Sales Fall Short
DigiTimes' Monica Chen and Steve Shen report that Ultrabook
shipments by Acer and Asustek Computer are expected to reach 100,000
units each by the end of 2011, falling well short of their targets of
200,000 to 300,000 units, due mainly to their relatively high prices,
according to DigiTimes' sources in the channels.
For example Chen and Shen note that Acer's 13.3" Aspire S3 sells for
the exchange equivalent of US$1,101 in the Taiwan market, or about
US$100 higher than the price there of comparable MacBook Air models,
and for a hardware spec that isn't especially exciting, both factors
dampening consumers' willingness to try the new laptops.
However, the reporters suggest that Ultrabooks may account for 10%
of the notebook market come March/April 2012. when branded notebook
vendors begin to release revised models with Intel's next-generation
Core I "Ivy Bridge" silicon inside, with the category's sales share
likely to increase to 20-30% when Windows 8 arrives in Q4 2012.
However, Apple is expected to use Ivy Bridge processors in its
MacBook lines too, and OS X 10.8, reported this week to be in early
development, could be ready for Q4 2012 release as well.
Link: Acer, Asustek
Initial Ultrabook Sales Fall Short of Expectations (subscription
required)
The Problem with Ultrabooks: Apple's MacBook
Air
Cnet's Scott Stein notes that for the past several months we've been
bombarded with news about Ultrabooks, a new category of laptop given a
new name by Intel - machines that are meant to be improvements on the
laptop as we've come to know it, with smartphone-like startup speed and
wafer-thin, future-sexy designs.
So far, so good, says Stein, who perceives the first few Ultrabook
examples we've seen as excellent products, noting that the Acer Aspire
S3, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, and the Asus Zenbook UX31 have all lived
up to expectations - and provide valid alternatives to the MacBook
Air.
But there's still a big problem, as Stein sees it: While all of
laptops are first and foremost, MacBook Air-alikes, somehow, Apple's
MacBook Air is a nothing-alike, standing alone and having earned that
distinction, because it was the first of the class. Indeed, it created
the class.
Link: The Problem with
Ultrabooks, Thus Far
Products & Services
PlugBug: Charge Your MacBook and iPad or iPhone
Simultaneously
PR: PlugBug from TwelveSouth
is a 10W USB wall charger that piggybacks onto your MacBook Power
Adapter, creating a unique, all-in-one, dual charger for MacBook + iPad
or iPhone. That means you can charge your MacBook + iPad or iPhone at
the same time using one wall outlet.
Simple and elegantly designed, this
go-anywhere power pack means one less power brick to carry and one less
wall outlet to find. PlugBug simplifies your life.
PlugBug is made exclusively for all MacBook Power Adapters,
including current and recently previous models. Snap PlugBug onto your
MacBook Power Adapter and you can charge your MacBook + iPad or iPhone
simultaneously, from one wall outlet.
The bright red PlugBug packs a
powerful 10 watts, providing the fastest charge possible to iPad and
iPhone. Knowing iPad requires twice the power of a typical USB charger,
the 10 watt PlugBug could be regarded as a must-have Mac accessory.
Between flights or before work, you can charge your MacBook + iPad or
iPhone with PlugBug and one wall outlet.
PlugBug Lets You De-Clutter.
When you connect PlugBug to your
MacBook Power Adapter, you instantly have an all-in-one MacBook + iPad
and iPhone charger. You can finally purge the tangled mess of chargers
in your computer bag, and as long as you have PlugBug in the bag,
you'll never have to worry about forgetting a charger again. Powering
up with PlugBug also beats using a $2,500 MacBook Pro as an iPhone
charger.
Stand Alone Charger Too
Only need to charge your iPad or iPhone? No worries. PlugBug works
as a stand-alone wall charger too. Slide PlugBug off your MacBook power
supply and slip on the included cap to use PlugBug as an extra iPad
charger. A solid 10 watts of power ensures your iPad gets a quick
charge. The bright red finish makes it easy to spot PlugBug inside your
backpack, computer bag or purse.
International Power Converter
Travelers visiting the US or Canada from faraway places can use
PlugBug to convert an international MacBook Power Adapter into a North
American compatible adapter. PlugBug in your bag means you'll have a
backup USB charger too.
Having one device that charges two Mac products at once has several
benefits. First, you have one less charger to carry around and
secondly, you only need one power outlet to charge two devices at once.
If you spend time working on the road, in conference rooms, coffee
shops, etc., you know how hard it can be to find an outlet. Having a
dual charger like PlugBug means one power supply is all you need to
quickly charge both your MacBook and iPad or iPhone at the same
time.
PlugBug fits all MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air Power
Adapters and charges all iPads and iPhones.
$34.99
Link: PlugBug
OWC Mercury On-The-Go External, Bus-Powered USB
3.0/2.0 Enclosure for MacBook Air SSD
PR: The OWC Mercury On-The-Go USB 3.0 2010-2011 MacBook
Air Enclosure Kit packs a punch into a 3" W x 5.5" L x 1" H 11 ounce
package.
After making your 2010-2011 MacBook Air better than new with an OWC
Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD, you can "re-task" the replaced Apple
factory flash storage by installing it into this OWC Mercury On-The-Go
Enclosure Solution for immediate use as a high performance, bus powered
external drive.
Everything's included for a simple two-step installation:
Plug
the factory SSD module into the special SATA adapter already installed
in the OWC Enclosure Solution.
Attach the other end of the factory SSD module to the mounting
stanchion secured to the OWC enclosure's drive bay.
Just two simple steps, less than two minutes, and no special tools
are needed to transform your factory SSD into fast and reliable
external storage capacity.
The OWC Mercury On-The-Go USB 3.0/2.0 enclosure solution provides an
ultraportable, totally bus powered design to reuse your Apple factory
SSD.
Key
features include:
- Mac and PC compatible
- Compact size: 3.5"(W) x 5.5"(D) x 1"(H)
- Lightweight: 11 ounces empty case
- Bus powered or may be powered with AC adapter
- Fully utilize the MacBook Air SSD's 200 MB/s speed capability via
USB 3.0 which offers speeds up to 500 MB/s
- Super quiet fanless operation
- Clear, shock resistant polycarbonate acrylic case design
- Includes carrying case, all interface connection cables, and one
year complete solution warranty
- On-The-Go Pro Manual
$69.99
Link: OWC Mercury
On-The-Go USB 3.0/2.0 External, Bus-Powered Enclosure Solution
OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini Bus-Powered FireWire/USB
2/eSATA Enclosure for MacBook Air SSD
PR: The Mercury Elite Pro mini Portable Storage Solution
delivers up to 300 MB/s data transfer speeds for demanding data storage
and backup needs, with high performance and Plug and Play data storage/
backup reliability and a fanless, bus powered design. All that
performance resides in an impact resistant, heat dissipating 5.5 in (L)
x 3.8 in (W) x 1.1 in (H) brushed aluminum enclosure with super quiet
operation.
Install your own 2.5" SATA hard drive into a shock resistant
portable aluminum enclosure. The Mercury Elite Pro mini is ready to go
wherever you need an A/V, Digital Photography, Professional Music,
Graphics, General Data, and Time Machine ready storage solution.
After making your 2010-2011 MacBook Air better than new with an OWC
Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD, "re-task" the replaced Apple factory SSD
with the OWC External Enclosure Kit Solution. This DIY solution comes
ready for you to simply "plug in" your factory SSD for immediate use as
a high performance, bus powered external drive.
Bus powered and portable, the Mercury Elite Pro mini delivers
up to 300 MB/s data transfer speeds from your factory SSD for demanding
data storage and backup needs. All that performance resides in an
impact resistant, heat dissipating 5.5 in (L) x 3.8 in (W) x 1.1 in a
brushed aluminum enclosure with super quiet fanless operation. It's
ready to go wherever you need an A/V, digital photography, professional
music, graphics, general data, and/or Time Machine ready storage
solution.
Everything's included for an easy two-step installation.
Plug the factory SSD module into the special SATA adapter already
installed in the OWC Enclosure Solution.
Attach the other end of the factory SSD module to the mounting
stanchion secured to the OWC enclosure's drive bay.
Just two simple steps, less than two minutes, and no special tools
are needed to transform your factory SSD into fast and reliable
external storage capacity.
The OWC Mercury On-The-Go USB 3.0/2.0 enclosure solution provides an
ultraportable, totally bus powered design to reuse your Apple factory
SSD.
Key features include:
- Mac and PC compatible
- Compact size: 3.8(W) x 5.5(D) x 1.1(H)
- Lightweight: 11.5 ounces empty case
- Bus powered or may be powered with AC adapter
- Fully utilize the MacBook Air SSD's 200 MB/s speed capability via
eSATA which offers speeds up to 300 MB/s
- Super quiet fanless operation
- Ultra-protective Shock Isolation System
- Includes carrying case, all interface connection cables, and one
year complete solution warranty
Note: When using eSATA connection, the use of a powered FireWire
port or optional AC Adapter (not included) is required. When using
FireWire or USB connection, the Elite Pro mini autoswitches to bus
power via FireWire or USB connection.
Includes
- OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini "Quad Interface" Case Kit
- 18 High Quality eSATA connecting cable (eSATA - eSATA)
- High Quality FireWire 800 connecting cable (9-9 Pin cable)
- High Quality USB 2.0/1.1 connecting cable
- Mercury Elite Pro mini Manual
- Special SATA Adapter
- Plastic Riser
- OWC 1 Year Warranty with 48-Hour Turnaround Time
$109.99
Link: OWC Mercury Elite
Pro mini FireWire 800/400+USB 2+eSATA Bus-Powered Enclosure
Solution
Software
Jettison: Close Your MacBook, Unplug, and Go
PR: St. Clair Software has released Jettison 1.1, an update
to their purpose-built application for Mac OS X. This update adds the
option to run Jettison without its menu in your menubar. It also works
around a bug in Mac OS 10.7 Lion.
Jettison is a small,
purpose-built application that automatically ejects external disk
drives from your Mac before you put it to sleep. Are you ready to close
your MacBook and leave your desk? Jettison eliminates the hassle of
manually ejecting Time Machine backup drives, network server volumes
and flash drives before you put your MacBook to sleep - just close the
lid and Jettison does it for you! Time Machine will be stopped and
other data safely written to the drives before they're ejected.
What's New: Jettison 1.1 now lets you run without its menu in the
menubar (you can still get to its menu when you want it by
double-clicking on the Jettison application again). Version 1.1 also
works around a bug in Mac OS 10.7 that resulted in Jettison's
notification sounds playing after the Mac woke back up from sleep,
rather than immediately before it went to sleep.
System Requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.6 or 10.7
- 0.8 MB
Jettison 1.1 is a free update if you purchased version 1.0. It is
available for $1.99 in the Mac App Store if you don't have it yet.
Please see the St. Clair Software web site or the Mac App Store for a
full change log and additional feature information.
Link:
Jettison
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.
