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News & Opinion
Rumor Roundup
Apple Updates
Tech Trends
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Apple Finally Pulls the Plug on the White
MacBook
On
Wednesday, Mac Rumors' Eric Slivka broke the news that Apple has
notified resellers in its educational institution distribution channel
that the white polycarbonate
MacBook, last updated in May 2010 and removed from the consumer
market in July 2011, is now classified "End of Life".
Direct sales of the white MacBook to general consumers were
terminated with the release of the Intel Core i powered refresh of the
MacBook Air, at which time the 11.6" Air took sole possession
of the $999 price point it had shared with the MacBook. However, the
MacBook continued to be available to educational institutions priced at
$899.
Link: Apple Kills Off
White MacBook as Educational Institution Distribution Halted
MacBook Air Better Than Any Ultrabook for OS X and
Windows
Forrester's Ted Schadler says he's been testing the MacBook Air for five months
now both for work and for home use, in the former running his
employer's corporate image Windows XP with attendant applications and
security software in a Parallels virtual
machine, and sticking to the the Mac side at home. He reports that -
aside from a few hiccups with the security software in the corporate
image that were addressed by the Parallels support team, the in-house
IT client, and network security team - it's been a great
experience.
And while he says there are some things that are still challenging
about using the the MacBook Air in a Windows-centric business world,
"the machine itself is a wonder." He says he can drop it on the floor,
and it keeps on ticking, while the battery lasts a flight across
country. It fires up and finds a network in seconds, is satisfyingly
fast, and is thin and light enough to slide unnoticed into his bag. It
boots in seconds, finds WiFi in moments, and discovers new video
connections without problems. It may cost a bit more than an Ultrabook,
but Schadler contends that it's worth the price.
He notes that there are definitely some caveats for the corporate
Windows user, but these are far from deal breakers for a lone employee,
and he's very happy overall with the Mac as a business machine.
Link: MacBook Air: The
Ultra Ultrabook and Business Windows, Too
Rumor Roundup
15" MacBook Air Looks Like a Go
Cnet's Dan Ackerman reports
that in a recent Cnet reader poll of "most-anticipated 2012 laptops" at
January's CES, the as-yet-only-a-rumor 15" MacBook Air was the
overwhelming popular choice, attracting a whopping 40% of the total
vote, more than doubling its nearest rival, the glass HP Spectre (right),
which attracted a distant 17%.
Clearly there is strong demand for a 15" MacBook Air, and Apple will
certainly be aware of this. Is a 15" version of the Air inevitable?
Publisher's note: With the MacBook Air and Mac mini, Apple has shown
that it can sell Macs without built-in optical drives very
successfully. It's a no-brainer that at some point Apple will produce a
slimmer 15" MacBook, whether it's called an Air or a Pro. Why not this
year? dk
Link: Why a 15-inch
MacBook Air Would Be the Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread
Apple Updates
EFI Firmware Update 2.3 for Late 2010 MacBook
Air
MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.3 enables Lion Recovery from an
Internet connection on MacBook Air (Late 2010)
models and addresses an issue where the system could restart if the
power button is pressed immediately after waking from deep sleep.
For more information about Lion Recovery, visit this website:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/
System Requirements: OS X Lion 10.7.3 and later
Link: MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update
2.3
EFI Firmware Update 2.6 for Early 2010 MacBook
Pro
MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.6 enables Lion Recovery from an
Internet connection on MacBook Pro (Early 2010) models.
For more information about Lion Recovery, visit this website:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/
System Requirements: OS X Lion 10.7.3 or later
Link: MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update
2.6
Tech Trends
Notebook Shipments Expected to Rise Significantly
in 2nd Half of Year
DigiTimes' Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai say that notebook shipments,
benefiting from recovery from recent hard drive shortages and the
launch of Windows 8 in the third quarter, are expected to rise
significantly in the second half of 2012, with shipments proportionally
in the first and second halves projected to reach about 45% and 55%
respectively, with the spread possibly as great as 40% vs. 60%.
Lee and Tsai note that hard drive shortages and weak US and Europe
economies are the two major negative factors causing weak performance
in the first half, especially the first quarter, according to DigiTimes
senior analyst Joanne Chien, who says that Taiwan ODMs' notebook
shipments in the first quarter will drop 9.4% on quarter and 3.2%
year-over-year.
A growth driver for the notebook industry in the second half is
expected to be Intel's next-generation 22nm Ivy Bridge CPU platform,
which will feature Intel's 3D Tri-Gate technology with power
consumption anticipated to be up to 50% lower than with existing 32nm
Sandy Bridge processors. Apple is also expected to switch to Ivy Bridge
silicon with a complete overhaul of its MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
families in 2012.
Lee and Tsai say market watchers are pessimistic about Intel
achieving its goal of having Ultrabooks account for 40% of total
notebook shipments in 2012, but expect the devices will still attract
consumer interest, with mass shipping expected to start in the second
quarter. Another boost is anticipated with the release of
Windows 8 in the third quarter, and the reporters observe that if
shipments of Android 4.0 and Windows 8 tablet PCs are counted, notebook
shipments in 2012 might still be able to achieve double-digit
growth.
Link: Notebook Shipments
Expected to Rise Significantly in 2H12 (subscription required)
Top 8 Laptops Under $500
Is the iPad 2 overpriced, with its
entry-level model selling for $500? That's partly a value-judgment, but
the availability of a gaggle of full-featured Windows notebooks below
the $500 price point does give the budget-conscious prospective iPad
buyer pause.
Laptop magazine's David Eitelbach notes that the price of Windows
laptops continues to decline, with the average system costing just $456
as of December 2011, and he's not talking netbooks or underpowered,
poorly made "junk" that the late Steve Jobs famously maintained any
sub-$500 laptop would have to be when you opt for a bargain-priced PC
notebook.
For example, you typically get a second-generation Core i3
processor, 4 GB of RAM (double what Apple gives you at twice the price
with its entry-level 11.6" MacBook Air), and a 500 GB hard drive (the
base Air has a tiny 64 GB SSD) in the sub-$500 price range
Eitelbach profiles his picks for the 8 best laptops currently
available for less than $500, which include:
- 15.6" 2.1 GHz Core i3 HP g6t, $494
- 14" 1366 x 768, 2.3 GHz Intel Core i3 Lenovo ThinkPad E420, 4 GB
RAM, 320 GB HDD, $439
- 14" 2.2 GHz Intel Core i3 Dell Inspiron 14R, 4 GB of RAM, 500 GB
hard drive, $499
- 15" 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3 Gateway NV55C54u, 4 GB of RAM, as low as
$400
- 11" 1.65 GHz AMD Vision E2 HP Pavilion dm1, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB hard
drive, as low as $448
- 15.6" 2.2 GHz Intel Core i3 Toshiba Satellite P755, 6 GB RAM, 640
GB hard drive, on sale for $499
- 14" 2.2 GHz Intel Core i3 Asus X44L, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive,
$379
- 14" 1.65 GHz AMD Dual-Core E-450 Lenovo B575, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB hard
drive, includes an excellent Accutype keyboard and a fingerprint
reader, $329
Plenty of grist for price-jaded Apple devotees to ruminate on,
especially with Windows 8 coming and Linux Mint available right now.
Publisher's note: There are several options for buying secondhand 13.3" 1280 x 800
MacBooks with prices starting at $399 for the 1.83 GHz Core Duo
model that can't run OS X 10.7
Lion but is fine for OS X
10.5 Leopard and 10.6 Snow
Leopard, and you can get a 2.1-2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, which can
run Lion, for under $500. That is less power than a Core i3 CPU, but
you're also getting a Mac. dk
Link: Top 8
Laptops Under $500
Products & Services
Logitech Touch Mouse M600 Lets You Swipe, Scroll,
and Surf Like Second Nature
PR: Logitech has unveiled the Logitech Touch Mouse M600, a
mouse featuring a touch surface that lets you navigate intuitively with
your fingers.
"People are growing accustomed to using fingertip gestures to
navigate on their smartphones and tablets," observes Todd Walker, brand
manager for Logitech. "In fact, for many people these gestures have
become second nature. The Logitech Touch Mouse M600 reflects this
evolution in how we interact with the digital world and extends to the
computer what have become natural, intuitive motions."
With the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 you can scroll, swipe, and surf
wherever your fingertips rest on the mouse. With its modern design,
smooth edges, and designed-for-comfort curves, Logitech touts the touch
mouse as feeling comfortable in your hand and looking good wherever you
use your laptop.
Logitech's proprietary Flow Scroll software gives you scrolling that
is fluid, claimed to be much like scrolling on your favorite
touchscreen smartphone. Slide your finger along the touch surface to
experience immediate, continuous and free-flowing Web page
scrolling.
The mouse's shape is designed so that it feels good doing the tasks
you do most - pointing, clicking and scrolling. Able to accommodate
right- and left-handers alike, with click areas that can easily be
reassigned with Logitech SetPoint software, the Logitech Touch Mouse
M600 also includes the tiny Logitech Unifying receiver, which can
connect up to six compatible mice and keyboards through one USB port.
Add a keyboard, switch between mice, mix and match to fit your
lifestyle, without having to change receivers or sacrifice another USB
port.
With smooth feet, advanced optical tracking, and ease of use, this
sleek mouse is everything you've come to expect from Logitech
products.
The Logitech Touch Mouse M600 was named an International CES
Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree in the Computer
Peripherals product category.
The Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is expected to be available in the US
and Europe beginning this month, at a suggested retail price of
$69.99.
Link: Logitech
Touch Mouse M600 (preorder for $69.99 from Amazon.com
or Logitech
with free shipping)
Byte-Dock MacBook Pro Dock Comes in Range of Colors
with Free Cable
PR: The Byte-Dock docking station for Apple's MacBook
Pro is now available in a new range of colors.
The team behind the Byte-dock is hoping to continue the success of
the device, which has gone down a storm since its launch last
September.
The Byte-dock offers users a seamless solution for leaving computer
peripherals connected while on the move with their MacBook Pro.
The developers say demand has far outstripped expectations for
the Byte-dock, as they have been snapped up by MacBook Pro users
worldwide in just five months.
Now Byte-dock's creators, Southampton, UK-based Techne Industries,
have made the gadget available in pink, green, yellow, blue and wood
laminate, as well as the standard black with more options to
follow.
Techne Industries is also expanding the availability of the device
by making it available via reselling and distribution channels.
And as an added bonus for buyers, they are also offering a free
mini-display to HDMI cable worth £19.99 with every Byte-dock
sold. It will allow it to be connected via the mini-display port to any
HDMI-enabled device.
Mark Petley, who runs Techne Industries with partner Paul Hackett,
says: "We have been thrilled with how people have embraced the
Byte-dock since we launched it in September last year. We have also
been careful to listen to feedback and take on board the comments of
users and this is one of the reasons we have launched the range of
colors. We are also keen to expand the wholesale options and to
increase the overall availability of the Byte-dock."
Paul adds that "Hopefully the
free mini-display to HDMI cable worth £19.99 will convince
MacBook Pro owners that ordering a Byte-dock really is a
no-brainer.
The Byte-dock provides extended functionality and ease of use and
has been designed so it integrates with most office or home
environments. It can turn the MacBook Pro into a desktop system using
the mini-display to HDMI connection and cable, and display work on an
external monitor. Users can also use an external full-size keyboard
connected via Bluetooth or USB.
You can watch a video of how the
Byte-dock works.
The Byte-dock costs £99.99.
Link: Byte-dock
Comtek's Power-Free, Fanless Laptop Cooling
Stand
PR: Regular laptop
cooling stands often consume more battery power and fail to protect the
laptop from the excessive heat generated by the laptop components.
Kalispell, Montana-based Comtek USA has introduced a new laptop stand,
the "Cool Stand" (http://www.coolstandusa.com/), that does not require
power or a fan for cooling.
This laptop peripheral has been designed to improve airflow around
the laptop to keep it cool, increasing the usability and longevity of
internal components. Unlike many cooling stands, there are no 4 legged
tables to support the computer and there is no necessity to plug in a
wire. Cool Stand is a simple yet strong detachable laptop stand to
support the laptop/notebook no matter where the user takes it. It comes
with a built-in cord threader that keeps pesky cords out of the way;
possibly preventing accidental tripping that can be life-ending for a
laptop (although not so much recent Mac notebooks with Apple's
jealously patented MagSafe connector).
Cool Stand can be easily
attached with the laptop in seconds, and once attached; there is no
fear of the machine falling off the stand. It is compact - 11" long and
weighing just 7 oz. - and stores easily in most computer bags. The
cooling stand also lifts the back of the laptop to the angle of
keyboard rake many users prefer, and raises the viewing height of the
display to a more comfortable and healthy elevation.
The Comtek laptop cooling stand is available in a spectrum of team,
company and school colors with 256 potential color combinations. It can
be used by anyone, being made with non-harmful chemical-free
materials.
The Cool Stand sells for $19.95 including shipping
Buyers can
experiment with the cool stand color through the interactive custom
color selection format available on the company website
Link: Cool Stand
USA
Intel Claims Improved Speed and Reliability for
New 520 Series Solid-State Drive
PR: Intel Corporation has announced what it says is its
fastest, most robust client/consumer solid-state drive (SSD) to date,
the Intel Solid-State Drive 520 Series (Intel SSD 520), a 6
gigabit-per-second (gbps) SATA III SSD produced using Intel
compute-quality 25-nanometer (nm) NAND memory process technology. Aimed
at delivering world-class performance for even the most demanding PC
enthusiasts, gamers, professionals or small-medium businesses (SMBs),
the Intel SSD 520 has fast throughput performance, new security
features and unmatched reliability to meet even the most intensive user
requirements.
Any consumer
application requiring high throughput and bandwidth, low latencies and
accelerated speed will benefit from the Intel SSD 520, Intel says.
Software developers, architects, accountants, engineers, musicians,
media creators and artists are just some of the professionals that will
find that the Intel SSD 520s full package of features can make a
dramatic impact on their productivity. With faster performance for
graphic renderings, compiling, data transfers and system bootups, users
can speed through multitasking or once-cumbersome application wait
times with an Intel SSD 520 Series.
"We tapped Intel engineering to create a client SSD that delivers
performance on all fronts with obsessively high reliability," says Rob
Crooke, Intel vice president and general manager of the Intel
Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group. "The Intel SSD 520 once again
raises the industry bar on SSD performance, quality and reliability to
dramatically improve user experience."
Unlike a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) with spinning disks and
moveable parts, an SSD is based on silicon, NAND flash memory
specifically, to create a lower power, more reliable and drastically
faster storage solution that can keep up with today's most demanding
applications, Internet streaming and intense multitasking. Based on its
own industry-leading 25nm Intel compute-quality NAND flash memory and a
6 Gbps SATA III interface, the Intel SSD 520 uses an LSI SandForce
Flash Storage Processor with an Intel co-defined and validated firmware
release, to create an SSD that sets new industry performance
benchmarks. The Intel SSD 520 delivers up to 80,000 maximum 4K random
write Input-Output Operations Per Second (IOPS) and up to 50,000 4K
random read IOPS to speed through every day operations. High sequential
read performance of up to 550 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and up to 520
MB/s sequential writes also markedly accelerate and improve user
productivity. This is backed by thousands of hours of Intel testing and
validation, including more than 5,000 individual tests, as well as a
5-year limited warranty.
"We worked closely with Intel to leverage their deep understanding
of the NAND flash, ultimately providing a unique and optimized solution
for client computing applications with the LSI SandForce Flash Storage
Processor," says Michael Raam, vice president and general manager of
LSIs Flash Components Division, formed by LSIs acquisition of
SandForce. "Working through Intel's extensive validation process
ensures the Intel 520 SSD will raise the bar in delivering top-tier
performance and superior quality and reliability over the life of the
drive."
The Intel SSD 520 will mark the high end of its client SSD offerings
and include these new features: a wide range of user capacities from 60
GB to 480 GB, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256 bit encryption
capabilities and stronger password protection for added security in the
event of theft or power loss. According to PCMark Vantage benchmarking,
users of the Intel SSD 520 may see significant productivity gains
through an up to 78 percent boost in overall PC responsiveness, and
gamers will see an up to 88 percent jump in performance to enhance
their gaming experience. Intel claims that IT professionals will not
only provide this additional performance and productivity to their
customers/employees, but find that the Intel SSD 520 also delivers on
reliability, improved security, smoother operations and lower total
operational costs.
"Our game development workflow involves a combination of large batch
process and aggressive interactive pre-visualization, all highly
parallelized to the point that the storage performance becomes a major
bottleneck," says John Carmack, founder and technical director of id
Software, a gaming software developer and creators of Doom and Quake.
"For many of our workloads, Intel SSDs have doubled throughput, and in
some cases involving mapping tens of gigabytes of image data, we have
seen an honest order of magnitude performance improvement, which is a
rare and wonderful thing."
With a broad range of capacity choices, the Intel SSD 520 Series is
priced as follows, based on 1,000-unit quantities: 60 GB for $149, 120
GB at $229, 180 GB at $369, 240 GB at $509 and 480 GB at $999. It comes
with a 5-year limited warranty.
Link:
Intel Solid-State Drive 520 Series (available through Amazon.com)
Bargain 'Books
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