The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) http://www.tuaw.com The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) http://www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gif The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) http://www.tuaw.com en-us Copyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/moshi zephyr MacBook coolerhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/05/12/moshi-zephyr-macbook-cooler/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/05/12/moshi-zephyr-macbook-cooler/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/05/12/moshi-zephyr-macbook-cooler/#commentsFiled under: ,

There are plenty of Mac portable stands and cooling devices out there, but few can rival the moshi zephyr for good looks. This cast aluminum stand incorporates a "high-thermal conduction interface compound" that contacts the bottom of the Mac and draws heat away to the heat sink and an "USB-powered ultra-silent fan (<20db)." The company claims around 10 degrees F of heat reduction on both the MacBook and Air.

The moshi zephyr seems to be designed for the MacBook and MacBook Air only and is available in silver or black for $75.

[via Engadget]
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]]>moshizephyrMat Lu2008-05-12T12:00:00+00:00JPMorgan: MacBook Sales Up, PC Sales Downhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/04/11/jpmorgan-macbook-sales-up-pc-sales-down/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/04/11/jpmorgan-macbook-sales-up-pc-sales-down/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/04/11/jpmorgan-macbook-sales-up-pc-sales-down/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to a recent posting on Phillip Elmer-DeWitt's Apple 2.0 column over at CNN, JPMorgan analyst Mark Moskowitz has issued a "cautiously optimistic" report on Apple based primarily on "stronger-than-expected" MacBook sales" for the quarter ending in March. According to Moskowitz, computer sales usually fall-off after Christmas, but Apple has actually had a sales increase -- albeit a small one at only 0.2%.

However, that increase is still better than sales for other PC's, which according to the report, fell 9% in the same quarter. In spite of the sales increase, there still may be other issues that have an effect on Apple's bottom line this year. According to Moskowicz, there may be some difficulty for Apple if the company is not able to deliver a 3G iPhone by Summer.

"As long as there is nothing to suggest that a summer launch of the 3G phone is not a possibility, we would expect investors to look past any near-term disappointment in iPhones," said Moskowitz in his report. The report doesn't specify which MacBook model is responsible for the slight increase in sales for Apple. But with the MacBook Air having just been released during the last quarter, perhaps it deserves the credit?

Apple will release its quarterly earnings report on April 23rd.
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]]>financialmacbookmacbook airMacbookAirsalesChris Ullrich2008-04-11T16:30:00+00:00Is the Multi-display Mini finally about to debut?http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/31/is-the-multi-display-mini-finally-about-to-debut/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/31/is-the-multi-display-mini-finally-about-to-debut/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/31/is-the-multi-display-mini-finally-about-to-debut/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mac Mini users have been waiting a long time for a true dual-monitor solution. Sure there are a bunch of work-arounds out there that let you run more than one screen at a time but a real multi-screen solution hasn't yet been available as far as I know. (Honestly, I haven't been looking all that hard--so if there's one I missed let me know in the comments.)

Display Link has finally decided to let the mini come to the multi-display party. TUAW reader Nick tipped us off to these new beta drivers for Mac OS X.

The DisplayLink hardware supports up to 4 USB-based monitors. You're limited to Intel Macs but minis and MacBook Airs are supported. The beta does not support OpenGL acceleration so Keynote and iPhoto slide shows will not properly function.

From what I could tell from the site, Display Link seems to be sold with third party branding. The Kensington USB docking station (model 33415) for $140 is apparently the product in question.

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]]>DisplaysDual MonitorsDualMonitorsMultimediaErica Sadun2008-03-31T14:00:00+00:00Apple settles out MacBook class action lawsuithttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/26/apple-settles-out-macbook-class-action-lawsuit/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/26/apple-settles-out-macbook-class-action-lawsuit/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/26/apple-settles-out-macbook-class-action-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Almost a year after those two photogs first tried to bring a class-action suit against Apple for supposedly underperforming colors on MacBook and MacBook Pro LCD screens, our own Mike Rose has been proven right -- Apple has "quietly settled" the suit, and presumably Apple didn't have to pay much: the plaintiffs apparently had trouble finding other people who had purchased the laptops solely for the "millions of colors" claim.

Which makes sense -- why would you need any more than a few hundred thousand colors on a single screen? Of course, the drawback here is that we'll never find out if you really can get millions of colors on a MacBook screen, as the photographers wanted. For all we know, they might actually be technically correct -- widely recognized as the very best kind of correct.

[Via Engadget]
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]]>appleclass-actioncolorsfuturama-referencelawlawsuitmacbookrainbow-britesettlementMike Schramm2008-03-26T23:00:00+00:00Next up for gaming: the MacBookhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/18/next-up-for-gaming-macbook/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/18/next-up-for-gaming-macbook/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/18/next-up-for-gaming-macbook/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Peter Cohen's got a good commentary up at Macworld about Apple's should-be next target for gaming, the Macbook. Finally, as of the iPhone SDK announcement, we've seen some serious movement on the gaming front from Apple -- they brought EA in and commissioned their own programmers to punch out some game software to show off the iPhone SDK implementation (and as I've said before, including on the talkcast a few weeks ago, we're only seeing the beginning of what's possible with gaming on the iPhone). So maybe they're finally seeing the light on gaming.

But as is, the Macbook isn't winning any awards as a gaming machine. As Cohen says, yes, the integrated graphics card puts the consumer Mac laptop hopelessly behind the times, but the problem isn't just upgrading the hardware -- the software itself needs to be optimized and redesigned. Apple has always been at the forefront of development, and Leopard especially, with Core Image functionality, looks great in the OS and in applications.

But when even mainstream sports titles, the kind that are on all platforms from day one, can't even play on your hardware, it's time to go back to square one. As Cohen says, we're not asking for much -- but games are a core part of the personal computing experience, and Apple shouldn't sideline that demographic any more than the others they serve.
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]]>analysisgamingmacbookmacworldpeter-cohenMike Schramm2008-03-18T01:00:00+00:00Mahalo Daily visits the ModBook folkshttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/07/mahalo-daily-visits-the-modbook-folks/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/07/mahalo-daily-visits-the-modbook-folks/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/07/mahalo-daily-visits-the-modbook-folks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Our good friends at Mahalo Daily took this short look at the Axiotron ModBook, which (you've probably seen) is a modified MacBook that's been turned into a tablet computer. I learned a couple of interesting things about the device -- first of all, it's not a touchscreen, it's really a tablet, which means you need a stylus to use it. Also, Apple is approving, if not actually supportive, of these things. They're supplying the MacBook bases to Axiotron as an "Apple Proprietary Solution Provider." One could infer from this that Apple doesn't think there's a big enough market for these to make it worth Apple's making an iTablet anytime soon.

The lovely and talented Veronica Belmont also runs through a few practical applications of the device, which I'd imagine are pretty standard on any Tablet PC -- the big draw here, obviously, is that it's a Mac, and you get all the software and UI-shininess contained therein. I don't know that I'm any more inclined to buy one after watching this (I kind of like my keyboard-laden PowerBook, to be quite honest), but it's cool to get a fun look at them in action.
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]]>appleaxiotronitabletmacbookmahalo-dailymodbooktabletveronica-belmontMike Schramm2008-03-07T23:30:00+00:00Put your laptop to sleep with SmartSleephttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/28/put-your-laptop-to-sleep-with-smartsleep/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/28/put-your-laptop-to-sleep-with-smartsleep/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/28/put-your-laptop-to-sleep-with-smartsleep/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You know the drill. Close your laptop's lid or select "Sleep" from the Apple Menu and it does just that - it goes into low-power mode, or "sleep."

That's just not good enough. Check out SmartSleep, which puts your MacBook or MacBook Pro into either Sleep Mode or Hibernate Mode, depending on several factors.

For example, if your battery is at 20%, SmartSleep puts your Mac to sleep and hibernate. If it's down to 5%, it goes right to hibernate mode, preserving items in memory. Otherwise, it just sleeps as it typically does.

Finally, you can select any of these settings as the default for your machine. SmartSleep is free.

[Via Download Squad]
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]]>betamacbookmacbook proMacbookProsmartsleepsoftwareDave Caolo2008-02-28T18:30:00+00:00The new MacBook (Pros): the fine printhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/27/the-new-macbook-pros-the-fine-print/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/27/the-new-macbook-pros-the-fine-print/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/27/the-new-macbook-pros-the-fine-print/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We finally got the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros we've all been waiting for and now it time to dig into the fine print a little bit. As we noted earlier the new machines are shipping without the $19 Apple remote, but there are also some other subtle changes worth noting:
  • The processors are confirmed to be Intel's Penryn technology.
  • Only the MacBook Pro is getting the multi-touch trackpad functionality of the MacBook Air. Apparently Apple is doing this deliberately to differentiate the higher-end portables from the MacBook line.
  • Only the Pros are getting LED backlights, and that's standard only on the 15". LED backlighting is a $100 BTO option on the 17" and simply not available on the MacBook. This despite Uncle Steve's assurance that the entire Mac line would transition to LED backlighting "when technically and economically feasible." I suppose that Apple would say that it's not yet economically feasible in the MacBook line.
  • The Pros feature a slightly new keyboard layout missing the virtual number pad.
  • The Pros also have 3 USB ports now, instead of 2. Update: Oops, lots of people have pointed out that only the 17 incher has the 3rd USB port, and it has had that forever. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
  • Perhaps most disturbing is that the official battery life estimates have dropped noticeably. MacNN notes that "Apple's revised projections falls to a maximum of 4.5 hours versus six [on the MacBook]... from six hours to five [on the 15" MBP and]... from 5.75 hours of use to 4.5" [on the 17" MBP].
Now none of these things is that big of a deal (hence the fine print), but there is some cause for concern, especially with the reduced battery life estimates. We may hope that perhaps Apple is being more realistic in their projections and that accounts for the reductions. It's particularly confusing given that one of the supposed advantages of the Penryn processor is energy efficiency. We won't know for sure until third-party benchmarks are available.

Thanks to everyone who sent in tips!
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]]>LEDMacBookMacBook ProMacbookProPenrynMat Lu2008-02-27T07:00:00+00:00But, there is one less thing... dealing with Front Row without a remotehttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/26/but-there-is-one-less-thing-dealing-with-front-row-without-a/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/26/but-there-is-one-less-thing-dealing-with-front-row-without-a/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/26/but-there-is-one-less-thing-dealing-with-front-row-without-a/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The MacBook / MacBook Pro update wasn't "major" but it brought about some changes to the Apple line of notebooks. However, one feature that the new 'books are lacking is the inclusion of an Apple remote. The Apple remote is now a $19 accessory. Currently, the only computers that Apple is including the remote with (as standard) are the iMac and Mac mini.

You can still use Front Row (Apple's media management application) without a remote. To start Front Row, just press Command + esc on your keyboard. You can also launch Front Row by clicking it in your applications folder (if you are running Mac OS X Leopard). To navigate through the menus, just use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

What do you think about Apple not including the remote with their line of notebooks? Sound off in the comments!
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]]>Apple remoteMacBookMacBook AirMacBook ProCory Bohon2008-02-26T19:00:00+00:00New MacBook and MacBook Pros now availablehttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/26/new-macbook-and-macbook-pros-now-available/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/26/new-macbook-and-macbook-pros-now-available/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/26/new-macbook-and-macbook-pros-now-available/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Well, the rumors were right on target -- new MacBook and MacBook Pros are finally here! Unlike the very minor updates in November, this refresh features across the board speed bumps, bigger hard drives, more stock RAM and for the MacBook Pro, a few new features sure to make every Apple fan's mouth water. Both lines are now featuring the new Penryn Core 2 Duo chipset, with the higher end MacBook Pro models taking advantage of a spectacular 6MB of L2 cache.

MacBook

The price configuration is the same same (starting at $1099 US for the non-Super Drive white base model, $1499 for the BlackBook), but the base features have received a nice upgrade. The significant changes:

  • Processor speeds now start at 2.1 GHz for the base model, 2.4 GHz for the $1299 and $1499 models
  • 120 GB drive is standard for the base level MacBook, 160 GB for the $1299 MacBook and a whopping 250 GB drive for the BlackBook. All drives are 5400 RPM
  • 2 GB RAM standard for all but entry-level MacBooks (that remains at 1 GB)

MacBook Pro
  • Processor speeds now start at 2.4 GHz, and are available up to 2.6 GHz (2.5 GHz is standard for the 17"); the new 2.5 GHz chip has 6 MB of L2 cache
  • The MBP 17" now has an LED backlit screen option
  • 200 GB is the starting HD size (this is up from 120 GB in the last revision), 250 GB standard for the upper 15" and 17" models. A 300 GB drive is available BTO, as is a 7200 rpm 200 GB drive
  • NVidia 8600GT now starts at 256 MB of VRAM -- 512 for the higher end 15" and stock 17"
  • Multi-touch trackpad a la the Air.
All in all, some very nice updates -- particularly for the MacBook. The basic specs for the BlackBook and entry-level MacBook Pro are so similar, I have to think the MacBook is the better deal for anyone who doesn't need the dedicated graphics card.

Update:
As the commenters have pointed out, the Apple Remote is no longer included in the box. That's right, you know have to spend an extra $19, for what I think is one of the most convenient Mac accessories. With $18 billion in cash, you'd think they could throw in something that we all know probably costs $0.30 to make. Oh well.


Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
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]]>hardware refreshHardwareRefreshmacbookmacbook proMacbookProtweet thisTweetThisChristina Warren2008-02-26T09:10:00+00:00DIY on how to make your plants Twitterhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/25/diy-on-how-to-make-your-plants-twitter/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/25/diy-on-how-to-make-your-plants-twitter/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/25/diy-on-how-to-make-your-plants-twitter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Engadget hit on this one, and it's technically possible to do it with a Windows PC, but considering that Mac users are greener than most folks, and lovers of both plants and cool tech DIY, we're posting it anyway. Botanicalls, which is a project to help your plants make phone calls, has posted a how-to guide on getting your plants to twitter when they need water, got water but not enough, or are even being overwatered.

The whole rig requires an Arduino board, and it's not exactly for Mom to do on her own (unless of course your Mom is an electrical engineer, which is entirely possible), because it also will walk you through making your own moisture sensor. Once you've got everything plugged in, the Arduino software will talk to the unit via USB and ethernet, and a terminal script will actually send the Tweets out. Unfortunately, despite a quick search on Twitter, I wasn't able to find any plants actually tweeting, but if you have one, let us know.
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]]>arduinobotanicallscooldiymacbookplantstwitterMike Schramm2008-02-25T20:00:00+00:00MacBook and MacBookPro get keyboard updatehttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/19/macbook-mb-pro-keyboard-update/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/19/macbook-mb-pro-keyboard-update/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/19/macbook-mb-pro-keyboard-update/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Today Apple released a keyboard update for both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro notebooks. In regular Apple style, their release notes are not extremely profuse, "This MacBook and MacBook Pro firmware update addresses an issue where the first key press may be ignored if the computer has been sitting idle. It also addresses some other issues."

Please note, this is a firmware upgrade that will install an application in the utilities folder that you will then, in turn, need to open and follow the on-screen instructions. For a list of MacBooks that may need the update, you can look at the Apple support note.

If you computer has been affect by these issues, or if you are just inclined to installing all Apple updates, you can get this update by opening Software Update (Apple Menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support downloads site.


Thanks to everyone that sent this in!
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]]>firmwarekeyboardMacBookMacBook ProupdateCory Bohon2008-02-19T17:15:00+00:00Smart Scroll X updated for Leopardhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/19/smart-scroll-x-updated-for-leopard/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/19/smart-scroll-x-updated-for-leopard/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/19/smart-scroll-x-updated-for-leopard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The iPhone may definitely have people jealous when it comes to the scrolling and multi-touch gestures -- many people may very well want this feature on a Mac. Well, with Smart Scroll X, you can get one step closer to the iPhone's scrolling feature. The "Super Wheel" gives your Mac's trackpad an iPhone-like scrolling feature. It allows you to control many different trackpad setting with the simple system preferences plug-in. Another cool feature is the "Grab Scroll," which allows you to grab a window and "fling" it across the screen.

Smart Scroll X was rated 4/5 by Macworld's Mac Gems. It was also recently updated to work with Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.2. Smart Scroll is avaiable for $19 from the developer's website; a free trial is also available.
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]]>MacnotebookSmart Scroll XCory Bohon2008-02-19T13:00:00+00:00Clean your MacBook with toothpastehttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/08/clean-your-macbook-with-toothpaste/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/08/clean-your-macbook-with-toothpaste/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/08/clean-your-macbook-with-toothpaste/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Toothpaste is such versatile material. When I was in college, I used it as drywall spackle to fill in nail holes. As a kid at summer camp, I used it to write my name on the rafters of our cabin. I've heard that some people even clean their teeth with it.

Check out this tip from Lifehacker. It seems that a dab of Arm & Hammer Dental Care Advance Cleaning toothpaste can be used to rub the nasty wrist stains clean off of a white MacBook. A reader also suggests that a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (which is free of abrasives) also works.

MacBook owners, rejoice! A cheap solution is probably in your bathroom.
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]]>discolorationmacbookyellowingDave Caolo2008-02-08T08:00:00+00:00MacBook Air Guided Tourhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air-guide-tour/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air-guide-tour/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air-guide-tour/#commentsFiled under: ,

Following in the grand tradition of the iPhone guided tours Apple has posted a guided tour of the new MacBook Air. Available in QuickTime, of course, for download (iPod or large versions) and in a variety of streaming sizes.

This guide will answer any questions you might have about just how thin this thing is (it is very thin) and just might get you to open that wallet of yours and increase your consumer debt.
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]]>macbook-airmacworldmacworld08tweet-thisScott McNulty2008-01-15T14:32:00+00:00MacBook Airhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air/#commentsFiled under: ,



Apple stunned a nation, or at least those who haven't been paying attention to the rumors, today with the unveiling of a very thin new MacBook called the MacBook Air. 'The world's thinnest notebooks' starts at $1799 and comes with a 13.3 inch display (LED), a full keyboard, built-in 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, built-in iSight, and a multitouch trackpad that lets you use gestures to control a number of actions on the MacBook Air. Some other stats include:
  • 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache
  • 2GB of RAM
  • 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive (with optional 64 gig solid state drive
  • 1 USB 2.0 port

What it doesn't come with are built-in ethernet ports, FireWire, and optical drive, or enough graphics power to power a 30 inch Display (but you can hook up a 20 or 23 inch display via a built in mini-DVI port).
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]]>macbook-airmacworldmacworld08tweet-thisScott McNulty2008-01-15T14:24:00+00:00Keeping your screen cleanhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/11/keeping-your-screen-clean/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/11/keeping-your-screen-clean/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/11/keeping-your-screen-clean/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Although I can be a bit of a slob, I'm pretty anal retentive when it comes to keeping my electronics clean. That goes triple for my MacBook. Although I was pretty scrupulous with my last laptop, the glossy screen and black casing that shows all have required me to become even more attentive. Even though I don't have people touching my screen all the time, I manage to accumulate build up of fingerprints, smudges and dust marks (most likely from the keyboard) that require giving the screen a full cleaning every week.

The Apple Blog has posted some some great tips/techniques for keeping your screen looking like new, and while they are directed for glossy screen owners, the same basic techniques can be used for any screen, be it iPod/iPhone, matte LCD screen (like on a MacBook Pro or older Apple laptop), iMac, etc.

The key is getting the right type of cleaning solution an the right type of cleaning cloth. The author of the tips article recommends using monitor wipes from some sort of Office supply store, but I've found that unless you get individually sealed one-time use wipes (which can get expensive), the wipes tend to dry out very, very quickly, effectively making them useless. I prefer to use cleaning product like iKlear or a home-made 50/50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and bottled water. 99% of all electronics cleaners out there are essentially diluted isopropyl alcohol (add blue dye and some fragrance and ammonia and you have Windex -- don't use Windex on your screen).

As for the right kind of cloth, you want to use a lint-free microfiber lens cloth (it will be slightly textured as opposed to a smooth microfiber cloth that you use for polishing/cleaning an iPod or digital camera screen, you can use a smooth microfiber cloth, but I have had much better results with the more textured ultra-suede cloths for laptop screens).

Now for the actual cleaning:

Continue reading Keeping your screen clean

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]]>cleaningglossy lcdGlossyLcdmac cleaningMacCleaningscreenChristina Warren2008-01-11T20:00:00+00:00Machines at War: light RTShttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/01/machines-at-war-light-rts/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/01/machines-at-war-light-rts/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/01/machines-at-war-light-rts/#commentsFiled under: ,



I suspect like a lot of you I spent a lot of time visiting family this Christmas season, and while I love to see the folks sometimes you just need a little break from the togetherness. Unfortunately, however, my road machine is a MacBook with its anemic graphics, so I went looking around for a decent game that would run on limited hardware. And I found it. Machines at War is a light-weight 2D real time strategy game in the tradition of StarCraft.

While it's not the deepest RTS available it runs great on the MacBook. The graphics, while limited, are quite serviceable. It doesn't support multiplayer and the total number of units is limited, but it's prefect for whiling away an hour or two on the road. Recommended.

Machines at War is $19.95 from isotope244 and a demo is available.

Incidentally, Apple has suggestions for gaming on various hardware, including the MacBook. What games have you found to run well on limited hardware?
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]]>gamesMachines at WarMachines-at-WarMachinesAtWarreal time strategyRealTimeStrategyRTSMat Lu2008-01-01T21:00:00+00:00Axiotron's ModBook now shippinghttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/01/axiotrons-modbook-now-shipping/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/01/axiotrons-modbook-now-shipping/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/01/axiotrons-modbook-now-shipping/#commentsFiled under: ,


Just over a week ago, we posted that Axiotron's MacBook-based tablet was indeed about to ship. If you've been holding out for one, and if you have then I take my hat off to you for your patience, the most important news is that you can finally run over to Axiotron's site and order your very own ModBook. I have to admit, the specs look particularly tasty: built-in GPS, Wacom-developed digitiser technology on top of the Macbook's screen, not to mention the simple fact that it is a Mac OS X tablet!

My only concern echoes that of Scott's last week: Apple choosing to revise the MacBook configurations, or even enter the market themselves with a more touch-orientated device at Macworld, could put a dampener on Axiotron's much-deserved party. If any readers get a ModBook, drop us a line via our tips form: your nerves in advance of the keynote contents must be stronger than ours!

Thanks Greg!
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]]>axiotron-ships-modbookmac-tabletmodbooktablet-os-xNik Fletcher2008-01-01T19:30:00+00:00Dear Santa Steve: A Sub-notebook, iPhone stability and Aperture 2http://www.tuaw.com/2007/12/24/dear-santa-steve-a-sub-notebook-iphone-stability-and-aperture/http://www.tuaw.com/2007/12/24/dear-santa-steve-a-sub-notebook-iphone-stability-and-aperture/http://www.tuaw.com/2007/12/24/dear-santa-steve-a-sub-notebook-iphone-stability-and-aperture/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Dear Santa Steve,


As my most recent bank statements show: I've most certainly not misbehaved over the course of this last year. I've queued for hours in the bitter cold, and sacrificed myself endured keyhole surgery for injuries from doing so - no really, that bit isn't hyperbole. If there's anyone who's been an exceptionally well behaved Apple fan, you've got to admit I'm up there with the best of them. So what on earth could I be asking for? Just a few simple things:


13" MacBook Pro / MacBook nano Steve, I can wax lyrical about the sheer brute force of my 17" MacBook Pro - I love it, I really do. But lugging it on the train for a ninety-minute commute everyday isn't the pleasurable workout you might expect. In fact, I'd quite like a little version of my MBP, so that I pack it into a reasonably-sized Crumpler with my Nikon D80 and not resort to hiring sherpas buying a small trolley-case to travel. So what might I be asking for? If you were to start by making the display 13 (matte) inches or there abouts, and keep a dedicated GPU, that'd be ace - a machine Aperture would love. In fact, you could even remove the optical drive from the body, and use SSD if you really, really, wanted. I can hear Jonny Ive say 'SSD may be a little way-off yet' in the background, but you get the idea? All I'm asking for is a modern-day 12" PowerBook. I've sold my soul to Cupertino maximised my overdraft told the bank not to block large charges from my local Apple Store, and you've got my bank details. So let's work something out, for I can't be the only one asking for such a machine this year.

Stability in my iPhone This one's arguably simpler Steve, what with it not requiring you to design any new hardware. I'd like my iPhone's iPod and Safari applications to get on better than you and John Sculley. I'm sorry, that was perhaps a little too forceful but I think I made my point. A software update to the device that brings some new functionality would be most welcome too, what with it being 'all about the software' and the SDK on the horizon.

Aperture 2 This one may seem out of place for Stevemas - for general wisdom places Macworld as the launch of more consumer-orientated products - so I'll happily be told 'be patient, my child' for this one. But with Aperture now the last of your professional applications not to see a notable (paid) update, I'm hopeful that whatever may be in the works arrives sooner rather than later.

There's but one more thing, and I'll be content for a while Steve. In fact, if there's one thing I'd choose from my requests this year, it would be this.... Let's take these big-media names to task, and encourage investment in, not criminalisation of, those who do buy their content online. Towards the end of 2007, Apple seemed to lose their iTunes momentum despite the year getting off to a good start. EMI went on the offensive, trying to capture hearts and minds by dropping DRM from their download sales. But since then, we've seen little continuation in the dream of eradicating DRM from our digital lifestyles. Steve, in 2008, all I want is for Apple to help bring the media industry back to serving the needs of its customers as a business model. Let's make it less of the iTunes Extortion and Shakedown Store, and all about the music once more.

There's cookies by the side of the MacBook Pro - and green tea simmering on it. Enjoy.
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]]>Dear-Santa-Stevetweet-thisNik Fletcher2007-12-24T17:15:00+00:00