macbooks posts

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Desktops, Rumors, iMac, MacBook

New iMacs and MacBooks coming soon?

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Sep 17th, 2009

Maybe so, if you believe the predictions of some analysts at Wedge Partners. They proclaim in their neverending analyst-y wisdom that in the next few weeks, Apple will again refresh its lines of iMacs and MacBooks, including a slimmer iMac and an only slightly updated MacBook. Why would Apple announce such a thing, especially so soon after the recent June revamp? Windows 7 is apparently the answer -- Apple wants to distract from Microsoft's big release, according to the analysts

Personally, it all sounds kind of hokey to us -- Apple's already got their back-to-school lineup all set, and while there probably is room for one more update before the holiday season, it's hard to believe they're going to announce some extremely minor updates in a desperate grab against Windows 7.

And not even the analysts will guess at a netbook or tablet release -- they say neither one of those is coming up for an announcement any time soon. You have to think that if Apple is doing one more update before the holidays, it really will come up in the next few weeks, so by the time Halloween candy starts dropping in pillowcases, we should know for sure.

[via PC World]

Tags: analysts, apple, back-to-school, hokey, holidays, imacs, macbooks, predictions, questionable, rumors, slimmer, updates, upgrades, wedge-partners

Filed under: Desktops, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends

Florida school may trash 200 Macs to go PC-only

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Aug 12th, 2009

This could be the saddest thing I've seen all week (and I've watched a few Cubs games): a Florida school is declaring itself PC-only, and apparently was planning to toss almost 200 Macs in the trash to get new Windows computers for the kids and teachers. Hearing that kids will have to use Windows is sad enough, but tossing out working Macs, even if they're old G3 models? Not cool at all. The teachers were apparently also told originally that they couldn't buy them or give them away to kids either -- it was the trash bin for these machines.

Cult of Mac also updates with pictures of the Macs, and we warn you, if all of those machines really are headed for the landfill, it's a little scary to look at. Fortunately, the outcry has caused school officials to reconsider (or at least state their position more clearly), and it looks like what they'll be doing is assessing the machines to see if they can be refurbished and then given away or sent off to a recycling center. The other problem apparently lies in the software -- giving away the machines is no problem, but the school has to make sure all the software is cleaned off of the computers, as they don't have licenses to distribute software that way. And as the school administrator says, the computers aren't much good without an OS on them.

But surely we can save these guys. Apple, want to step in here and grant this school some licenses to keep these computers (208 in total, many of which are likely workable, even at "five to ten years old") in the hands of people who can use them? It would be a shame if the school had to toss working computers because their hands were tied by OS X software licenses.

Tags: costs, cult-of-mac, ibooks, imacs, mac, mac-massacre, macbooks, os, os-x, school

Filed under: Apple Corporate

WWDC '09 keynote stream now available via QuickTime

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Jun 8th, 2009

With all the news floating around today about the new iPhone 3G S, and the updates on the release dates of iPhone 3.0 or Snow Leopard, you might feel deprived if you didn't get to make it out to this year's WWDC. Don't fret. You can now watch the keynote stream on the Apple website and see all of the announcements from the event. Click here to go to the stream page.

You can view all of our coverage from this week on the TUAW WWDC page.

Update: You should soon be able to download the keynote as a podcast from iTunes via the Apple Keynotes feed, which can be found here [click opens iTunes].

Tags: 09, iPhone, iPhone 3G s, Iphone3gS, keynote, MacBooks, notebooks, OS 3.0, Os3.0, Snow Leopard, SnowLeopard, video, WWDC, WWDC2009

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, Hardware, Odds and ends

Businessweek puts Apple at top of Most Innovative list

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on May 28th, 2009

Businessweek has posted a list of what they call the top 50 most innovative companies in 2009, and guess who is sitting right at the top of the list. Sure enough, it's our favorite computer maker -- according to the survey, taken by "senior executives around the world," Apple is number one, and the reason listed by 47% of respondents is the products. Not that surprising, no? From the iPhone to the unibody MacBooks right up to the new Shuffles, Apple's products ooze new concepts and features and ideas.

Then again, Microsoft comes in at number four, and Wal-Mart is not far behind at number 10, and I don't know too many non-executives who would call those companies out for being "innovative," necessarily. But then again, both of them are being recognized for their "process," not their actual products. In terms of product, Apple is followed by Nintendo (no arguments there), Blackberry's RIM, and then Nokia.

So maybe Businessweek is just asking the wrong people. At any rate, congrats to Apple for topping the list (for the second year in a row), and we can't wait to see what's new in the next year.

Tags: apple, businessweek, executives, innovation, macbooks, microsoft, nintendo, shuffle, survey, walmart

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Macbook Pro, MacBook

A big bag of Blu-Ray hurt for Apple

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Oct 15th, 2008

Just the other day I was wondering on this very site just where Blu-Ray has been on Macs, and yesterday's big Apple event gave us the answer: Blu-Ray, according to Steve Jobs, is just "a big bag of hurt." Apple says they haven't settled on an HD format yet because no one else has either: "the licensing of the tech is so complex, we're waiting until things settle down and Blu-Ray takes off in the marketplace," said Jobs. He might as well have added an "if it does" on the end of there -- Sony, spurned by the Betamax loss, wants to make sure they get credit when Blu-ray gets popular, and for that very reason it may never be.

In fact, if Apple has their way, there may not be a physical media of choice for high-definition content -- Phil Schiller pointed out that iTunes has plenty of HD TV and movie options without ever tying Apple down to licensing a specific format.

Which is exactly everything we said last week. And I'm drinking the kool-aid, actually -- a while back, I was one who would have said that people need their physical media, but nowadays, I'm not so sure. I haven't bought a DVD, HD or otherwise, in months and months, and yet I've purchased and seen plenty of HD content in iTunes and over my Xbox and cable connection. Blu-Ray may have won the HD disc format wars and claimed the country, but maybe there's nobody living there any more.

Tags: apple, blu-ray, disc, dvd, hd-movies, hd-tv, high-definition, macbook-pros, macbooks, physical-media, steve-jobs

Filed under: Software Update, Apple, MacBook

MacBook SMC Firmware Update 1.1

by Scott McNulty (RSS feed) on Oct 26th, 2006

MacBook owners: dust off Software Update and download yourself Apple's latest take on the MacBook SMC Firmware (1.1). This update, 'improves the MacBook's internal monitoring system and addresses issues with unexpected shutdowns. This update is recommended for all MacBook systems, including those that received warranty repair. The updater application will be installed in the /Applications/Utilities folder. Please follow the instructions in the updater application to complete the process.'

Very interesting that Apple addresses the Random Shutdown Syndrome in the text of the update. Check out the full instructions, and note that you must be running at least OS X 10.4.7 to install this update.

[via MacMinute]

Tags: macbook rss, MacbookRss, macbooks, smc firmware, SmcFirmware

Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Features

The "Duh" factor: glossy, iSight Cinema Displays up next

by Conrad Quilty-Harper (RSS feed) on Jul 18th, 2006

Saw this on digg: Dennis Sellers, a writer over at Macsimum News writes:

"Now that the MacBook Pro, MacBook and iMacs all have built-in iSights, it makes sense for Apple to revamp its display line and include the same feature" and "if such updated monitors are in the works, it will be interesting to see whether Apple offers them with glossy and non-glossy screen options as it does with the MacBook."

Now, a bunch of -- what I can only assume to be matt screen loving/iSight hating -- digg users have reported that the story may be inaccurate, but how far from the truth can it be? You don't need to be a genius to see MacBooks with iSights and glossy screens and think "hey, maybe Apple will make new Cinema Displays with those features!" We even guessed this in the latest edition of the TUAW podcast just over a month ago -- if we could guess it, everyone and their dog should be able to! Yet more evidence that the majority of Apple rumors consist of Mac users looking at Apple's current line-up and letting their mind wander into the land of obvious features.

When was the last time there was a factual Mac rumor about something that wasn't immediately obvious? Or, for that matter, the last time that an obvious Mac rumor was inaccurate?

Tags: Blogging, Cinema Displays, CinemaDisplays, glossy, Hearsay, iSIght, MacBooks, Macsimum, Rumor, Rumors

Filed under: Humor, Cult of Mac, iBook

Cats and dogs totally dig Macs

by Conrad Quilty-Harper (RSS feed) on May 28th, 2006

Christopher Phin over at his wildly optimistically named blog, Receding Hairline, has brought my attention to a brilliant Flickr group called "Cats love Macs." As the name implies, the photos all feature two elements: a cat and a Mac. With over 230 members, it's pretty clear that cats really do like Macs. There's plenty of space for canines in the similar group called "Dogs love Macs too!" Some highlights from the cat group include Mac owner's pets lounging on toasty iBooks and pawing at new MacBooks or even jumping on top of eMacs. Fortunately for the owners, no poo is involved at this point. Now, how about a "Humans love Macs" Flickr group?

Tags: Canine, Cats, Cats love Macs, CatsLoveMacs, Dogs, Dogs love macs too, DogsLoveMacsToo, Flickr, iBooks, MacBooks, Macs, MacUser

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