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News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Products & Services
Software
News & Opinion
Nearly 1 in 3 Laptops Fail within 3 Years; Apple
4th in Reliability
PR: SquareTrade analyzed failure rates for over 30,000 new
laptop computers covered by SquareTrade Laptop Warranty plans and found
that one-third of all laptops will fail within 3 years. SquareTrade
also found that netbooks are 20% more unreliable than other laptops,
and that Asus and Toshiba are the most reliable laptop brands, while
Apple finished in 4th place between Sony and Dell.
Editor's note: This is one of those frustrating statistics that's
getting a lot of traction. The issue isn't the numbers themselves, but
the fact that MacBook owners are far more likely to buy AppleCare,
which insures that their 'Books are being repaired by Apple itself,
than some third-party laptop warranty. SquareTrade provides no
indication whether its statistics represent dozens, hundreds, or
thousands of MacBooks. Because of this, there is no way of knowing
whether SquareTrade's data is representative of the wider MacBook
market or not. dk
Link: SquareTrade
Research: Nearly 1 in 3 Laptops Fail Over 3 Years - Apple Falls to 4th
Place (PDF)
Link: SquareTrade
Apple Tablet: One Tech Gadget for All?
CNN Money staff writer David Goldman thinks the rumored and
much-hyped Apple tablet computer could lay waste to markets for
countless other gadgets, and according to him, "technology experts are
giddy about the device, already exclaiming it will be the gadget to end
all gadgets," - widely believed to be a "magazine-sized, touch-screen,
hand-held, all-in-one device that is half-iPhone, half-Macintosh
computer" with a 10" to 12" screen and a high-end graphics card that
will enable "stunning resolution" and selling at somewhere between $600
and $1,000 depending upon whose guesses are the most accurate.
Link: Apple
Tablet: One Tech Gadget for All?
Flash 10.1 Good News for Hackintosh Netbooks
Gizmodo says:
"High-Def Flash video is a stretch on some hacktintosh netbooks, but
Flash 10.1 brings it into the realm of possibility. I just installed it
on my MSI Wind running Leopard, and damn: HD YouTube and Vimeo videos
were almost watchable."
Link:
Flash 10.1 Is Good News for Hackintosh Netbooks
MacBook Pro Battery Busts Wide Open
Engadget's Darren Murph reports:
"The story behind this one is as follows: a 17-inch (non-unibody)
MBP owner was using his machine on a desk (thankfully), when suddenly
an odd noise began to increase in volume; following that, the entire
machine 'jumped up' slightly and turned off, and this battery is to
blame. Oh, and if this all-too-commonplace occurrence happens to you
next, let's hope you aren't actually using your laptop on your, um,
lap."
Link:
MacBook Pro Battery Flies Off the Handle, Busts Wide Open
Tech Trends
More Expensive than Netbooks, Thin-and-Light
Laptops Impress
WSJ's Walter S. Mossberg takes a look at some higher-end "ultrathin"
or "thin and light" PC laptops that are lighter and thinner than many
standard laptops, but have bigger screens and keyboards than most
netbooks and range in price from around $500 to $900.
Mossberg, who recently declared Windows 7 to be "almost as good" as
OS X checks out the Toshiba Satellite T135, the Hewlett-Packard (HPQ)
Pavilion dm3t, and the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 - all with 13" displays, low
power consumption Intel processors, and Windows 7 Home Premium
operating systems, weighing between 3.5 and 4.2 pounds, and all falling
within the above noted price range - the most expensive of which still
undercutting the price of Apple's entry-level MacBook by $160.
Mossberg finds the three thin-and-light PC laptops all have notable
pros and cons, but rates them all as capable, easy-to-carry
laptops.
Link:
Price Is Heavier, but These Laptops Are Very Sleek
HP's Core i7 Laptop 'Outdoes Its Mac Rivals'
Cliff Joseph reports:
"Yes, the battery life is disappointing, but the Envy 15's
powerhouse performance and competitive price make this an impressive
desktop replacement system.
"It might be more accurate to refer to HP's latest laptop as the
Apple Envy, as the design of the machine so closely mimics that of
Apple's MacBook Pro range. But, to be fair to HP, it hasn't simply
copied Apple. It has added some nice touches of its own, and its use of
the Intel Core i7 processor ensures that the Envy 15 outdoes its Mac
rivals when it comes to performance."
Link: HP
Envy 15 'Lynnfield' Core i7 Laptop - Inside Intel's Most Powerful
Mobile CPU Yet
Windows XP on Netbooks to Lose Life Support?
The Register's Gavin Clarke says:
"You might not be able to buy a brand-new netbook running Windows XP
much past the New Year, even though Microsoft has committed to offering
that operating system for another year.
"That's because Microsoft hopes - and expects - that shoppers will
buy Windows 7 Home Premium instead."
Link:
Windows XP on Netbooks to Lose Life Support?
LED to Overtake TFT LCD Backlights in 2011
PR: Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will become the dominant
large-area TFT LCD backlight unit light source by 2011 with a 56%
share, according to the most recent DisplaySearch Quarterly LED CCFL
Backlight Report. Traditional backlights using fluorescent tubes (CCFL
and EEFL) for notebook PC, monitor, and TV displays will drop to 44% of
the market in 2011. DisplaySearch forecasts that LED penetration will
skyrocket to 78% in 2015.
With the transition to LEDs already taking place in the notebook PC
segment, DisplaySearch forecasts LED penetration in large-area TFT LCD
will reach 27.8% in 2009. As a result of the LCD TV supply chain's
efforts to promote LED backlit TVs, and the introduction of new LCD
monitors with LED backlights, LED penetration in large-area TFT LCD is
forecast to reach 44% in 2010. Traditional CCFL and EEFL backlights are
forecast to fall from 72% in 2009 to 55% in 2011.
"LEDs have significant advantages over CCFL and EEFL backlights,
such as power consumption, slim form factor, enhanced performance and
market differentiation," noted Yoshio Tamura, Senior Vice President of
DisplaySearch and leader of the materials and cost research team.
"While there are still some technical and cost premium concerns about
LED backlights, this is the first time the LCD TV supply chain
(including backlight, display and consumer products) has joined forces
to aggressively promote the benefits of LED backlight products."
"We are seeing a tremendous LED backlight structure improvement,
with cost reduction and supply chain revolution efforts, and this will
only accelerate over the next five years. LED backlights will continue
to drive momentum for continued growth in the TFT LCD industry. As LED
backlights gain share in TFT LCD, pressure will be added on emerging
display technologies such as PDP and OLED," Tamura concluded.
The DisplaySearch Quarterly LED CCFL Backlight Report tracks TFT LCD
manufacturers' shipments of LED backlights and includes forecasts by
size, by resolution, by LED type, and by panel manufacturers through
2010. This unique report is the most comprehensive way to find out how
LED backlight will contribute to growth across the industry, making it
a key guide for panel buyers, LCD TV product planners and component
makers.
Link: DisplaySearch Quarterly LED CCFL Backlight
Report
Products & Services
Tiny $5 USB 2.0 Bluetooth Dongle Is Mac
Compatible
PR: Convert non-Bluetooth PC or Mac into Bluetooth
enabled.
Wireless connect to Bluetooth devices such as Mobile phones, PDA or
PC, for data transfer, Networking, and Dial-up, Fax.
Specifications
- Size: 20x14x4mm, or 0.78x0.55x0.15in
- Net Weight: 2g, or 0.07oz
- Bluetooth Compliant: V2.0/V1.2
- Supporting Profiles: Networking, Dial-up, Fax, LAN access, and
Headset
- Interface: USB compliance
- Symbol Rate: 3 Mbps
- Receiving/ Sending Range: 0-100m
Price: $5.07
Low End Mac's Dan Knight has tested this dongle and
says that it works with older Macs. BudgetGadgets.com is offering Low
End Mac readers a 5% discount using the coupon code DM5OFF23
Link: Tiny USB 2.0
Bluetooth Dongle Adapter for PC Laptop
New SimpleTech SimpleDrive External Hard Drives
from Hitachi
PR: SimpleTech SimpleDrive! offers simply better external
storage and backup. Plug'nplay, Turbo-powered USB 2.0 (Windows now; Mac
OS coming soon); keeps your data moving up to 25% faster. With two
levels of backup, it's easier to steer clear of life's little disasters
and protect your irreplaceable pics, flicks and tunes from spilled
drinks, curious toddlers, fire, or theft.
No engineering brilliance required. Just plug it in and you're ready
to store your capacity-hungry files. Affordable and reliable,
SimpleDrive's automated backup software saves copies of your stuff on
the drive and on encrypted, secure servers for ultimate online backup
protection.
Features:
- Turbo USB 2.0 interface, up to 25% faster than traditional USB 2.0
(Turbo USB 2.0 for Mac OS coming soon)
- Affordable and reliable design
- Award-winning Fabrik backup software, including 2 GB free
online backup
- Built-in cooling vents for quiet, reliable performance
- Automatically powers on or off with your computer
- Compatible with USB 2.0, 1.1
- Sits flat or stands upright with included cradle
- Friendly, free unlimited technical support
- PC and Mac compatible
- 1 year warranty
Available in 250 GB, 320 GB, 500 GB, 750GX and 1 TB
capacities
Street prices range from approximately $65 to $125 depending on
capacity.
You can order SimpleTech drives through Low
End Mac's Amazon.com store.
Link: SimpleDrive
MacBook Power Button Earrings and Mac Jewelry
PR: PowerBookMedic says their rank and file is filled with
tech nuts and nerds, and they're proud of that.
One thing about working with tech nuts and nerds is that there is
never a shortage of ideas. Out of one of these ideas comes
PowerBookMedic's latest venture; Mac Jewelry. Yes, Seriously!
- Aluminum Mac Power Button Earrings - $14.95
- Black MacBook Power Button Earrings - $14.95
- White MacBook Power Button Earrings - $14.95
Link: MacBook
Power Button Earrings and Mac Jewelry
Software
BetterTouchTool Customizes Gestures on Your
MacBook
PR: With BetterTouchTool it is possible to make the gestures
on MacBooks do everything you want. You can set key commands that
should be executed if you do the selected gesture.
BetterTouchTool is based on MultiClutch but it works totally
different. So it works on Snow Leopard and does not need
installation.
Additionally it introduces a new gesture called three finger tap.
The standard behavior for this gesture is doing a middle click, but you
can customize it the way you want. This works on Magic Mouse and
MacBook Touchpad.
Features:
- Three Finger Tap
- Customize Gestures global and app specific does not need
installation, just start the app and it should work
- set higher mouse speed than possible with apple prefs
- Magic Mouse atm supports: swipe left, swipe right, three finger
tap.
- More gestures will be available soon
New in BetterTouchTool 0.316
- two finger scrolling should work if there is no custom two finger
swipe shortcut set
- three finger scrolling should work if there is no custom three
finger swipe shortcut set
- fixed some memory leaks (maybe not all)
- fixed some performance issues, but there is much room for
improvements (next week)
- three finger swipes on magic mouse are back and MAY be better, but
I have not really tested it yet
- will be available via autoupdate in about an hour if no major bugs
are posted,
System Requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.6 or later (may work in Mac OS X 10.5)
- MacBook or MacBook Pro
Platform Support: Intel
Free
Link: BetterTouchTool
Bargain 'Books
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
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