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Apple TV news is covered in The iOS News
Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Blogosphere Abuzz with 11.6" MacBook Air
Rumors
DigiTimes
DigiTimes' Yen-Shyang Hwang and Joseph Tsai report
(subscription required) that Apple is ready to launch a new generation
MacBook Air featuring an 11.6" display and Intel Core i3 series
ultra-low voltage processor (CULV) in the second half of 2010. It will
be manufactured by Quanta Computer, according to Mingchi Kuo, senior
analyst at DigiTimes Research.
Kuo, citing discussions with upstream component makers, noted that
the 11.6" MacBook Air will feature an even slimmer and lighter design
than the previous-generation models, and the technologies used for the
design and concept are expected to be broadly used in the company's
other product lines to boost their competitiveness, with volumes of the
new 11.6" MacBook expected to reach 400,000 units in 2010.
Kuo also predicts that a new iPod touch will feature a 3-megapixel
camera, capable of both photo and video recording, and be powered by
the same Apple A4 processor, used in the iPhone 4.
The Register
The Register's Tony Smith comments
that an 11.6" MacBook Air would tap into the trend toward smaller, more
compact notebooks that aim to combine netbook portability with laptop
performance, and suggests that Cupertino may have concluded that
marketing three 13-inchers is at least one too many, although he
observes that a downsizing of the Air will risk the appearance of
essentially embracing the netbook concept, which Steve Jobs ("[Apple
wouldn't] know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk,
and our DNA will not let us ship that") and other senior Apple execs
have recently dissed and scorned, and which is being successfully
challenged by the iPad.
FastCompany
FastCompany's Kit Eaton
thinks this is a plausible rumor and finds news of a redesigned
MacBook Air "fascinating," noting that the Air hasn't changed
externally since it was unveiled in January 2008 with its signature
super-thin chassis, unibody aluminum frame, and 13.3" screen. It's
received faster processors, better graphics support, and more storage
capacity along the road, but it has gone untouched since the last
refresh in June 2009.
CrunchGear
CrunchGear's Matt Burns
thinks a new GPU is also in order, and that the redesigned Air will
likely also get a higher capacity SSD, observing that thin notebooks
are everywhere now and Apple will want to do all it can to one-up the
competition.
ElectricPig
ElectricPig
says that boiling down the MacBook Air to a more compact size will
help differentiate it from Apple's other compact laptops, but it would
also presumably mean seriously rearranging the keyboard and even
purging more ports (although the Air already has precious few to
purge!), and suggests that with the iPad offering similar portability
and a 9.7" screen, a slimmed down 11.6i" MacBook Air could become an
even more niche product.
PC World
PC World's Jeff Bertolucci
thinks an 11.6" MacBook Air sounds an awful lot like a netbook, but
that might be no bad thing, observing that the MacBook Air has always
been too pricey for mainstream buyers - even after Apple lowered the
base-level price from $1,800 to $1,500, rendering it "a showy business
notebook best suited for status-seeking corporate execs."
Bertolucci allows that the DigiTimes rumor kindles hope for the
MacBook Air, although he thinks it will almost certainly be priced in
excess of $1,000, and whatever its specs, he expects it to remain a
high-end business laptop designed for an upscale, niche market.
He also observes that with a downsize, keyboard, display, and
processor would be key areas of concern, and that a high-resolution
screen (perhaps similar to the iPhone 4's retina display) would be
essential; while the i3 low-voltage CPU would hopefully resolve the
heat issues that have plagued some current MacBook Air users.
Patently Apple
Patently Apple hones in on what
it calls "a loaded statement" Mr. Kuo that they deduce may portend the
MacBook Air gaining a "new design and concept" may mean, inferring
indication of something more profound than adding new features like
USB. 3.0, Light Peak, faster RAM or a new IGPU, or a form factor
restyling exercise, and speculating that it could be more along the
line of a hybrid portable with a basic clamshell form factor but with a
detachable touchscreen display for iPad-like functionality.
Petite MacBook Air to Rival iPad?
PC World's Tony Bradley counsels business professionals on the go to
weigh the pros and cons of the iPad against a smaller, lighter MacBook
Air rumored to be in the works, which Bradley suggests could be the
best mobile computing alternative yet, with apologies to the iPad.
Bradley notes that the current MacBook Air's sales
performance has been tepid, since although it is an awesome piece of
engineering, the $1,500 starting price makes the Air more of a status
symbol than a mobile computing tool, especially since for $500 less
users can get a standard
MacBook with twice the memory, twice the hard drive capacity,
double the battery life, and a faster processor. It has also been
observed that you can get both a white 2.4 GHz MacBook and a base WiFi
iPad for the same price as one entry-level MacBook Air.
Consequently, while Bradley thinks the new MacBook Air sounds
compelling enough, how that translates to sales will ultimately depend
on pricing. However, if it materializes with an 11.6" display, a form
factor even smaller than the current MacBook Air, you could have a
laptop rivaling the iPad in size and weight with a lot more power and
versatility, noting that even the current Air, last refreshed way back
in June 2009, has a dual-core processor that runs twice as fast as the
iPad's A4, four times the RAM, and double the internal hard drive
storage of the top of the line 64 GB iPad, plus a real physical
keyboard with backlit keys, a built in webcam, and it can run Adobe
Flash content on the Web, not to mention its capacity to run standard
Mac OS X productivity and other software applications, and true
multitasking.
The iPad does retain some advantages, including significantly longer
battery life, its multitouch display, and touchscreen interface. It is
priced at roughly one-half to one-third the cost of the current MacBook
Air.
However, Bradley notes that if, as rumored, the new MacBook Air is
powered by an Intel Core i3 ultra low voltage processor, it should may
have longer battery life than the current Air, closing the gap somewhat
on the iPad, and suggests that if Apple can sell it in the sub-$1,000
range (big "if"), it will be difficult to champion the iPad as a better
mobile computing tool.
Link: Rumour: Petite
MacBook to Rival iPad
iPad Bites into Netbook Sales
The Register's Tony Smith reports that market research firm Gartner
last week presented further evidence that early adopter enthusiasm for
netbooks has peaked, with netbook shipment growth slowing significantly
in Q2 2010, dropping to the low 20% range, which is down from more than
70% in Q1 2010 and Q4 2009, according to Gartner principal analyst
Mikako Kitagawa, who said it indicates that the netbook market has
begun to mature.
Kitagawa is also quoted observing that the initial popularity of
Apple's iPad has at least temporarily cannibalized netbook sales - as
well as consumer notebook sales to some degree - but is equivocal as to
whether this can continue, given the higher price of the iPad (and
presumably forthcoming PC and Android tablets) compared with
netbooks.
It's also notable that Gartner was able to detect no indication that
the iPad is eroding US Mac systems sales, but says is taking sales away
from rival manufacturers, and Apple is on track to sell as many as 6
million iPads in the quarter.
Link: iPad
'Cannibalised' Q2 Netbook Sales
Fanboy Selling His iPads; Prefers MacBook and
iPhone
Academic and blogger Vivek Wadhwa says you can definitely call him
an Apple fanboy, noting that he's bought practically every device that
Steve Jobs has made since 1985 and currently owns an Apple TV, several
iPods, a MacBook Pro, a MacBook Air, an iMac, two iPhones, and two
iPads, but he's decided to post the iPads for sale to Craigslist.
Why? Because Wadhwa says they've become like the paperweights on his
desk. He just doesn't use them, surprising himself, since he had
personally predicted iPad would be a game-changer. He says he had
expected that he would no longer need to carry around his laptop, which
would be supplanted by a device that provided almost the same features
as a laptop, but also the elegance and simplicity of an iPhone. He
found that in reality the iPad quickly lost its magic.
Link: Why
I'm Craigslisting My iPads
Could the Droid X Replace Your Laptop?
PC World's Jeff Bertolucci notes that Motorola's powerful new Droid
X device points to a future where the laptop-replacing smartphone is a
reality for businesses, and is already sold out online and at various
retail shops across the nation.
Droid X features a 4.3" display, 8 MP camera, HDMI output, and the
ability to capture high-def (720p) video, and Bertolucci says its
strong multimedia focus is resonating with consumers, but suggests that
it could be a suitable laptop-replacement for business as well - at
least for field workers, albeit with a few caveats.
Link: Could the Droid
X Replace Your Laptop?
Products & Services
Lowest Cost Ever 8 GB RAM Upgrade from OWC
PR: In case you missed the big news back in late May,
NewerTech re-entered the RAM market in a big way with a huge savings
splash on DDR3 4 GB modules with kits up to 16 GB.
Today, they made an even bigger splash with a cannonball move; the
NewerTech NuRAM 8 GB (4 GB x 2) PC8500 DDR3 SO-DIMM Kit is
now just $227.99.
To make the deal even better, customers can trade in their existing
memory for up to $50 cash-back trade-in rebate reducing the final cost
to as low as $177.99. Compared to the cost of Apple factory upgrading
from 4 GB to 8 GB, that's a savings of over 55%.
These memory kits are compatible with select 2009 & Later Apple
iMac, Mac mini, MacBook, and MacBook Pro models as well as PCs which
support 8 GB (or more) memory and use PC8500 DDR3 SO-DIMM 1066 MHz
204 pin modules. See the online description for a full compatibility
guide.
NewerTech NuRAM is fully Mac and PC tested/certified and comes
backed by a Lifetime Replacement Warranty. Delivery is available for
free on this memory set as well as any order with item(s) totally $199
or more. Freight starts from under $2 for orders under $199.
So what are you waiting for? Dive into the deep end of the
performance pool and upgrade the memory in your Mac today! And with the
savings over factory, you can enjoy some other summer memory deals
& like a Kitchen Sink.
Link:
Lowest Cost Ever 8 GB RAM Upgrade from OWC
OWC Slim eSATA ExpressCard Adapter Adds High Speed
Flush-Fitting eSATA Port to MacBook Pros
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) has announced the OWC
Slim eSATA ExpressCard Adapter, a $39.99 MSRP solution for adding a
high speed 3.0 Gb/s eSATA port to any Apple MacBook Pro model that
offers a built-in ExpressCard slot. Featuring a flush fitting design,
the OWC Slim eSATA ExpressCard Adapter fits completely inside the
MacBook Pro ExpressCard slot and is AHCI compliant requiring no drivers
for Apple Mac OS 10.5.x and later or other modern operating
systems.
Performance Upgrade Made Plug & Play Simple
Adding performance upgrades to a computer often requires a
time-consuming internal installation. The OWC Slim eSATA ExpressCard
Adapter is Plug and Play easy to use & no drivers are required and
the hot swappable card can be inserted at any time and sits flush with
the edge of the ExpressCard slot, making it both safe and convenient to
leave installed during transport. The card is compatible with MacBook
Pro's running OS X 10.5.x and later, Windows, Linux, Ubuntu or other
operating systems via Boot Camp or Parallels, as well as any PC
notebook computer with an available ExpressCard slot.
Adds Fastest Data Interface to MacBook Pro Cost Effectively
Available immediately and at a special introductory price of $32.99,
the OWC Slim eSATA ExpressCard Adapter is the highly cost-effective
solution for MacBook Pro owners to connect to and take advantage of
high-speed hard drive and even faster Solid State Drive (SSD) based
external solutions equipped with an eSATA interface. Sustained read
speeds of up to 170 MB/s and write speeds of up to 120 MB/s make the
OWC's adapter one of the very fastest eSATA ExpressCard options
available.
OWC Slim eSATA ExpressCard Adapter
"MacBook Pro owners are performance-minded and now with the OWC Slim
eSATA ExpressCard, they can easily add the fastest data transfer
interface to their machine," comments Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO,
Other World Computing. "With its slim, lightweight, Plug and Play
design, the OWC Slim eSATA ExpressCard can be left in the ExpressCard
slot so a user can always be ready to take advantage of the enhanced
compatibility and high speed performance eSATA offers."
High Performance eSATA Drives & Docks Available
In addition to its new Slim eSATA ExpressCard Adapter, OWC carries a
full line of eSATA equipped external storage solutions up to 8 TB.
The Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini bus powered portable storage solution is
a natural compliment for MacBook Pro users with models up to 1.0 TB
(1000 GB) from $107.99. The Voyager hard drive dock priced from $27.99
provides the speed of eSATA with the unmatched convenience of swapping
and accessing bare drives at will.
Link: OWC Slim eSATA
ExpressCard Adapter
Samsung Launches Its First 1 TB Spinpoint 2.5"
Mobile Hard Drive
PR: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced that it's now
shipping its new Spinpoint MT2 1 Terabyte (TB) 2.5" internal mobile
hard disk drive. Ideally suited for use in portable storage solutions,
such as the newly released Samsung S2 Portable 1 TB USB Drives.
Other applications include digital TVs, home media systems, and set-top
boxes, where quiet and cool operations are important.
Employing industry-leading 333 GB per-platter technology, the
new Spinpoint MT2 drive offers up to an enormous 1 TB for personal
digital collections such as photos, music, video and work files.
Running at 5400 rpm speed, the MT2 has a 12.5mm form factor and
utilizes Samsung's proprietary SilentSeek and NoiseGuard technologies
to minimize noise levels during drive operation.
"The new Spinpoint MT2 drive offers the largest capacity in what has
previously been offered as an option for portable digital devices,"
said I.C. Park, Samsung's vice president, storage marketing. "As the
total storage solution provider, Samsung is committed to offering
products that feature exceptional performance and value across a wide
range of computing and consumer electronics markets."
The performance and reliability features of the Spinpoint MT2 have
been enhanced with an optimized design and improved suspension for
multidisc. The new MT2 drive delivers about 20% increased read/write
performance and 4% lower power consumption compared with competitive
drives, and it features shock resistance levels of 400G (2ms) in
operation mode and 800G (1ms) when the power is off. Equipped with
Samsung's exclusive dynamic balancing technology, the drive's overall
stability and reliability is optimized as a high-performing
solution.
The halogen-free drive complies with the European Union's Directive
on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in
electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS).
The Spinpoint MT2 features 5400 rpm speed rotation, SATA 3.0 Gbps
interface and Native Command Queuing functions for advanced
performance, an 8 MB buffer memory and is available in 750 GB and
1 TB capacity. The drive utilizes Samsung's proprietary SilentSeek
and NoiseGuard technologies to minimize noise levels during drive
operation.
MacBook Compatibility?
The Spinpoint NT2's 12.5mm form factor has generated some
controversy as to whether it will fit in MacBook Pro computers, whose
standard drive thickness is 9.5mm. However, reportedly 12.5mm drives
will at least fit in 13" and 15" unibody MacBooks with removable
batteries. On the other hand, an iFixit
Forum editor says the 12.5mm will not fit in MacBooks unless you
remove all of the mounting hardware and jam the hard drive in (not
recommended), and that the only Apple laptops that take 12.5mm drives
are the older 17" MacBook Pro Aluminums (not Unibody), followed by a
forum poster who says: "I have just installed a 1 TB Toshiba
12.5mm drive in my new MacBook Pro 13". It fits perfectly, the MBP is
clearly designed to accommodate a 12.5mm drive."
There seem to be competing schools of thought. Also see this forum on
MacRumors.
Other World Computing says
that the competing 1.0 TB WD Scorpio Blue 5200 RPM SATA 12.5mm will fit
all Apple MacBook/MacBook Pro Unibody Models (13/15/17"), MacBook Pro
pre-unibody 17", and PC Laptops that support 12.5mm SATA Drives.
9 to 5 Mac reports
that Apple Authorized third-party MyService has verified that that at
least some 12.5mm form factor drives will fit in Unibody MacBook Pros:
"These drives are slightly higher than standard 2.5" drives but fit
perfectly in all Unibody MacBook Pros, the 13" MacBook Unibody and the
17" (Silver Keyboard) MacBook Pro.
Some cause for optimism, but caveat emptor.
Keyboard Cases from Waterfield Designs for Mobile
Users
PR: Waterfield Designs has announced four different keyboard
case options to meet the needs of road warriors who prefer having an
external keyboard even while mobile - a point of particular interest to
iPadders unenchanted with the tablet's virtual keyboard.
Waterfield Designs' new keyboard cases.
The Waterfield Designs Keyboard Cases are designed for the ultrathin
Apple Wireless Keyboard and include: the Keyboard Travel Case, Keyboard
Sleeve, Keyboard Slip and the Keyboard Socket. You can opt for taking
your collection of input peripherals along with the Travel Case, select
stylish protection with the Sleeve; make it light and tight with the
Slip; get down to basics with the Socket.
Keyboard Travel Case
Master and Commander. Take your mobile office on the road wherever
you go. Venturing out with your Keyboard Travel Case protects your
wireless keyboard, mouse, power supply and other laptop accessories
securely in its sectionalized, padded pockets. Light and compact, the
case can be stored easily in another bag. To infinity and beyond.
Available in one size: 13" x 6 " x 1.8" - 7 oz.
Keyboard Travel Case: $49
Keyboard Sleeve
keyboardsleeve.jpg
Luxurious Ride. Laptop? Check. iPad? Check. Comfortable keyboard?
Hmmmm. Take your wireless or wired extended keyboard along wherever you
go and your wrists will thank you. The Keyboard Sleeves (Short and
Long) have generous padding, snaps shut at the top and fits the
ultrathin Apple Wireless Keyboard and the Apple Keyboard with Numeric
Keypad perfectly. You'll be ready to hit the ground running.
Available in two sizes:
- Keyboard Sleeve (Short): $39 - 12" x 5.75" - 6 oz.
- Keyboard Sleeve (Long): $42 - 17.5" x 5.2" - 7 oz.
Keyboard Slip
Prerequisite Protection. Take your ultrathin Apple wireless keyboard
to work, the coffee shop, or wherever you go. The Keyboard Slip Case
offers gentle protection in a slim ballistic nylon case with a lightly
padded liner. A piping trimmed edge let's you chose to add a splash of
bold color, or to stay under the radar with subdued tones. Pack it up
and off you go.
Available in six trim colors.
Keyboard Slip: $29 - 12" x 5.5" - 3 oz.
Keyboard Sockit
Primary Protection. Protect your wireless keyboard in transit on a
student's budget. The Keyboard Sockit is a padded pouch for your
keyboard made from soft, scratch-free material that will protect your
keyboard from the other detritus of your bag. Sewn to perfection.
Priced to please.
Keyboard Sockit: $15 - 12" x 5.75" - 1 oz.
Link: Keyboard
Cases
Large Selection of 2.5" Drive Enclosures at
NewEgg
PR: Online reseller NewEgg offers an array of external
enclosures for 2.5" drives at very friendly prices. All support USB
2.0, one supports USB 3.0, one supports eSATA, and two support
FireWire. Most use SATA drives, but some use IDE (parallel ATA) drives.
Some examples:
USB and FireWire
USB and eSATA
- CoolMax HD-250YL-eSATA 2.5"
Yellow USB & eSATA External Enclosure
- Internal Interface: SATA I/II
- USB and eSATA interface and compatibility.
- Aluminum alloy case provides maximum heat dissipation and thermal
efficiency.
- Plug and Play.
- Smart LED status indicatory lights
- Case and mounting mechanism provides protection for your hard
drive
- Supports USB bus-power
- $15.99 + $2.99 shipping
USB 3.0, SATA Drive Support
- Keydex UG-S1001BK 2.5" Black USB
3.0 External Enclosure
- The next generation of SuperSpeed USB 3.0
- 2.5" HDD Enclosure, with unique screw-less, tool-free
structure.
- Easy to install or replace the hard disk in 25 seconds.
- ABS / Silicon case.
- Dimensions: 13.7" x 8" x 1.94"
- SATA internal interface.
- Hard Drive Stabilizer - Innovative anti-vibration, shock-absorbing,
soft silicon stabilizer embracing the hard drive, reducing accidental
data loss.
- Stackable Case Design.
- $21.99 + $2.99 shipping
USB Only, SATA Drive Support
- Sabrent EC-UST25 Aluminum 2.5"
USB 2.0 to SATA External Enclosure
- Internal SATA Interface
- USB 2.0 and backward-compatible with USB 1.1
- Ultra Light Aluminum Case
- Easy access on PC or Notebook
- Equipped with LED indicator for Power and Action status
- USB Bus-power support.
- Supports Wakeup ability
- Supports up to 480 Mbps high-speed data transfers.
- Supports 9.5mm drives only.
- Hot-swappable
- Plug and Play.
- Supports UDMA/100
- $9.99 + $2.99 shipping
- Transcend TS0GSJ25S-S 2.5" Silver
USB 2.0 External Enclosure
- SATA Internal Interface.
- Hi-Speed USB 2.0 compliant and USB 1.1 backwards compatible.
- Easy Plug and Play installation
- Ultra-Portability
- Powered via the USB port.
- No external power or battery needed.
- LED indicates Power on and data transfer activity
- OS Support: Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista Mac OS 9.0 and
up.
- $14.99 + $2.99 shipping
- StarTech SAT2510U2S 2.5" Silver
USB 2.0 SATA Hard Drive Enclosure for SAT2510U2REM
- This spare 2.5" removable SATA drive enclosure is designed for use
with StarTech.com's 3.5" Bay Removable 2.5" SATA Drive Enclosure
(SAT2510U2REM), providing additional external storage via USB 2.0, and
in turn allowing multiple users to share and access files from a single
desktop system.
- Aluminum and ABS plastic.
- SATA I/II Internal Interface
- $29.74 + $2.99 shipping
- Vantek NexStar TX NST-210S2-BK
2.5" USB 2.0 External Enclosure
- Aluminum.
- Dimensions: 5.12" x 2.87" x 0.55.
- SATA I/II internal interface.
- $11.99 with free shipping
- Enermax Jazz EB207S-B 2.5" USB
2.0 External Enclosure
- Aluminum & Steel Mesh.
- SATA internal interface.
- Data Transfer Rate: 480 Mb/sec max
- Power & Access LED: Blue & Purple LED.
- Supports Windows 98SE/ME /2000 /XP/Vista, Mac OS 8.6 or
higher.
- $21.99 + $2.99 shipping
- CoolMax HD-250BZ-U2 2.5" Copper
USB 2.0 External Enclosure
- SATA I/II internal interface.
- USB interface and compatibility
- Aluminum alloy case provides maximum heat dissipation and thermal
efficiency.
- Plug and Play.
- Smart LED status indicatory lights.
- Supports USB bus-power.
- $11.99 + $2.99 shipping
- Thermaltake Silver River II
ST0018Z 2.5" Black USB 2.0 External Enclosure
- Aluminum.
- Dimensions: 3.11" x 0.67" x 5.35".
- SATA I/II internal interface.
- HDD Capacity: Standard 2.5" SATA & SSD Hard Drive Disks
- OS Compatible with Windows 7 / Vista / XP / 2003 / 2000, Mac 10.3
and later.
- $18.49 + $2.99 shipping
USB Only, IDE Drive Support
- Nippon Labs 2.5" IDE to USB 2.0
Black USB External Enclosure Model EN-25USB-BK
- IDE Internal Interface
- PC or Apple Mac - Windows 98SE or later or Mac OS 8.6 or later
compatible.
- Supports high-speed (480 Mbps), full-speed (12 Mbps), and low-speed
(1.5 Mbps) data transfer modes.
- For all standard 2.5" IDE interface hard disk (44-pin).
- Truly Plug & Play automatic system configuration.
- $9.98 with free shipping
- Macally PHR-250M4 2.5" Silver USB
2.0 External Enclosure
- Dimensions: 3.1" x 5.4" x 0.8".
- IDE internal interface.
- Supports the following media formats:
- Video: MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI, MPG), MPEG-4 (AVI / DivX v3.11 / 4.x /
5.x / XviD)
- Audio: wav, wma, MP3, MPEG-4 audio
- Photo: JPEG Supports both NTSC and PAL
- Signal output: AV output, S-video, and Coaxial SPDIF.
- Designed for 2.5" IDE HDD (up to 9.5mm)
- $43.99 + $3.99 shipping
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.
