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April 2006 Archives

Friday, April 28th 2006

MacBook Pro Firmware and Keyboard Updates Released

Apple has released the 1.0.1 firmware update for the MacBook Pro. The download is available from Apple and runs 2.8MB.

In more unusual news, there is also a 12MB Keyboard update which improves keyboard and trackpad reliability and functionality.

Wednesday, April 26th 2006

Booq Offers New Vyper for 17-inch MacBook Pro

Staying very on top of the latest from Apple, Booq has already announced the Vyper XL2 case for the 17-inch MacBook Pro:

SIERRA MADRE, CALIF. April 24, 2006 --- BOOQ, a fast-growing, premium brand of performance-driven laptop carrying cases for creative professionals on the move, announces the addition of Vyper XL2, a compact and durable laptop sleeve perfectly fitted for the 17-inch MacBook Pro.

Vyper XL2 easily slips into a larger bag; its rugged exterior and non-scratch interior are designed to protect the MacBook Pro against scratches and excessive wear. Priced at $59.95, creative pros who prefer a well-designed and compact sleeve will find the Vyper XL2 a must-have for their 17-inch MacBook.

With the addition of the Vyper XL2, BOOQ brings another premium sleeve of the highest performance to the next generation of creative professionals. Customers who have come to expect fresh and innovative design solutions love the exceptional level of quality and functionality of BOOQ's products. The privately held company is based in Sierra Madre, California. The Vyper XL2 will ship June 5th, 2006.

Monday, April 24th 2006

Apple Unveils 17-inch MacBook Pro at NAB

As expected, Apple today revealed its new flagship portable in the form of a 17-inch MacBook Pro. Here's a quick hit list of what all is included in the new model:

• 6.8 pound aluminum enclosure with 1-inch thickness
• Built-in iSight
• MagSafe Power Adapter
• Front Row and Apple Remote
• 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor
• 8x SuperDrive with dual layer support
• 120GB Serial ATA hard drive at 5400 rpm
• 667 MHz front-side bus
• 1 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (support for up to 2GB of RAM)
• 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 PCI Express graphics card
• FW800 port (rumors of its death have been greatly exaggerated, apparently)
• FW400 port
• Three USB2 ports
• Optical and digital audio input and output
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• DVI-out (VGA adapter included)
• ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot

All of this can be yours for just $2800 and the 17-inch MacBook Pro will be shipping next week.

FastMac Unleashes TruePower Batteries

FastMac has begun offering new TruePower batteries for Apple laptops, providing a high-capacity third-party line of batteries. The batteries offer between 16% and 56% improvement in performance depending on models and come in versions for a variety of PowerBooks and iBooks at prices between $100 and $120. The products will be shipping in a couple of weeks.

MacBook Pro Performance Crippled?

With the release of Boot Camp, many MacBook Pro owners have noticed that graphics performance in Windows is much better than in Mac OS X. Hardmac.com is reporting that this is the result of Apple underclocking the MacBook Pro's graphics card in an effort to save battery life and keep the machine cool and quiet. Using a third-party application it is possible to change the clock speed of the graphics card for better performance, but people who have done this have noted significantly reduced battery life and much more fan activity.

Friday, April 20th 2006

17-inch MacBook Pro Days Away, MacBook Months Away?

The good news first: ThinkSecret is reporting that Apple will be announcing the 17-inch MacBook Pro soon at the National Association of Broadcasters tradeshow. It sounds like the 17-inch model will be much like the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but will possibly have an option for a 2.33 GHz Core Duo processor.

The bad news is that Apple-obsessors PiperJaffray are now saying they do not expect a new iBook/MacBook until July. The educational buying season is said to begin in June, making many believe that Apple will be ready by then with a new consumer portable, but Apple has said that their strong educational buying period is not until July. While we think it's possible that it could be this long until Apple releases the MacBook, seeing as how the LCD orders were only placed recently, many other analysts still believe the MacBook will be released earlier. We would also add that analysts are not necessarily known for their ability to predict Apple products.

iAlertU Releases Maintenance Update

We came across iAlertU recently and with a new version of the beta now available thought it might be time to mention this piece of software. iAlertU utilizes the Sudden Motion Sensor found in recent models of PowerBook and MacBook Pro in order to prevent laptop theft. Set the alarm and the laptop will alert you if it's disturbed. Integration with remote controls is also possible. While currently in beta, development is moving rapidly and the final release will cost $10.

Timbuk2 Offers Discounts for Mother's Day

For those of you with hipster moms moonlighting as bike messengers, Timbuk2 has a number of discounted bags available as part of its Spring Cleaning Sale. A lot of what's on offer is geared towards laptop-carriers, so it's also good for that geek in your family (luckily, that's probably you).

If you can't even spare the dough for a bag on sale, Timbuk2 has a pretty sweet contest running with the winner getting a trip for two to San Francisco to witness the making of a couple of gratis bags.

Monday, April 17th 2006

Apple Orders 13-inch LCDs; New iBooks Any Day Now

We know you're all as tired as us of hearing about how new iBooks/MacBooks are just around the corner, we've only been hearing this for several months now. Still, we thought it worth mentioning that Macworld UK is seeing liquidation of old stock that indicates new products on the way. Also, EMSNow is reporting that Apple has 1.2 million 13.3-inch LCDs on the way from Asustek, in addition to smaller quantities of LCDs from other producers.

Friday, April 14th 2006

Dr. Bott Offers Protection Pack

Accessory-maker Dr. Bott has released a MacBook Protection Pack. The $20 kit includes a PVC leather wrist wrest for both the comfort of the user and the protection of the laptop and a keyboard cover to protect your screen from key scratches that also doubles as a screen cleaner. Protection Packs for the different sizes of Apple laptops are available immediately.

2.33 GHz Laptops on the Way?

The Inquirer has news on the latest to come out of Intel. In about six weeks we should be seeing 2.33 GHz Core Duo processors out of Intel, meaning we could see some combination of price cuts and/or performance increases in Apple's portable lineup. We wouldn't complain if Apple wanted to bump the MacBook Pros to 2.33 GHz and then let the new iBooks/MacBooks come with slightly faster processors.

Wednesday, April 12th 2006

New Laptops Available in Multiple Colors?

AppleInsider has some tantalizing rumors about the new iBook/MacBook coming in a variety of colors. The likelihood of multiple colors being available upon release, and what colors would be available, is not yet clear, but it's safe to assume we aren't talking about Flower Power and Blue Dalmatian again. For years there have been rumors of Apple experimenting with anodization to give different colors to the PowerBook and iBook cases, but nothing has come of it yet, so we aren't holding our breath, but with the massive success of colored (and black in particular) iPods, there's some reason for optimism. If you're one of the many who have been waiting patiently for a new black-cased laptop from Apple to replace your PowerBook, let's keep our fingers crossed.

Monday, April 10th 2006

Reader Mail: Adding AirPort to Older PowerBooks?

We recently received this email from a reader:

I have a G3 powerbook...

My mother, sadly broke her leg recently. She has DSL in her house and I want to make my G3 wireless so that she can use it all over her house..

Any suggestions as to what I can use to do this?

For the older G3-based PowerBooks (this includes Kanga, Wallstreet, and Lombard), a PCMCIA wireless card is necessary. We Love Macs has several options available at reasonable prices. Not all of these appear to be OS9-compatible, so make sure and do your research so that your operating system of choice works with whatever hardware you buy.

As for wireless routers, Apple sells multiple options specifically designed for Mac users, but there are also plenty of budget options available at any electronics or computer store. Just about all of these are platform-independent, but it is always worth researching whatever model you're interested in before you buy to see what other people have experienced.

Friday, April 7th 2006

The Final Days of the iBook?

Both ThinkSecret and AppleInsider have updates on the latest news of the Intel iBooks, and it looks like they might not be iBooks at all. Confirming some speculation that has existed since the introduction of the MacBook Pros, both sites believe Apple's consumer portable line will be called the MacBook.

Both sites still agree that a 13-inch widescreen will try and replace the existing 12-inch and 14-inch iBook and PowerBook models, with ThinkSecret even suggesting a resolution of 1280x720. As for processor type and speed, that seems to still be up in the air. Think Secret believes there will be a Solo and Duo model, creating at least two tiers for pricing, but AppleInsider believes 1.67 Core Duo processors will be the minimum. Simply from the perspective of product differentiation, offering the cheapest iBook with a Solo processor seems logical, but Apple has been known to offer very competitive performance in the consumer notebooks.

AppleInsider also adds that the new iBooks will sport more of the value features seen in the MacBook Pros, such as iSights, MagSafe, and Front Row. After years without a major enclosure update to an Apple notebook, we're just plain excited to see the case on these new laptops, whether they're iBooks or MacBooks.

As a side note, both sites also speculate that a 17-inch MacBook Pro could be announced at the same time as the new iBooks, which will certainly be welcome news for some of you.

Wednesday, April 5th 2006

MaxUpgrades Release iProtect

MaxUpgrades sent us this information on their new iProtect screen protector for Apple portables:

MaxUpgrades iProtect Micro Screen Protector provides protection against dust, scratches ,grease and oil that gradually get deposited on the laptop keybaord and plam rest area by every day use. iProtect Micro Screen Protector is made with ultrafine microfibers effectivly protect and removes dust particles, grease and finger prints that gets despoisted on the the laptop, it also provides protection for laptop LCD Screen from keyboard and track pad indentation caused by the keyboard keys touching the display when the laptop is closed.

The iProtect is available for all sizes of PowerBook and iBook for between $9 and $12.

MaxUpgrades Also Release MaxProtect

MaxUpgrades isn't the sort of company to be content with just releasing one new product, though. The MaxUpgrade crew is also unveiling its new MaxProtect sleeve:

MaxUpgrades has released the MaxProtect, an impact resistant carrying sleeve for Apple MacBook Pro (15 inch Models) It is made of Visco-Elastic Memory Foam, which is designed to resist impact and shock.

The MaxProtect envelopes the whole notebook, providing padded protection on all sides from external impact or shock during daily usage, It features: high impact resistance polyurethane foam for shock absorption from all sides; thick foam padding throughout the entire surface of the notebook; a two-zipper, pull apart design; protected zipper closure (zippers don't come in contact with the laptop); and handles.

The MaxProtect is available now for $25-$30 and comes in different sizes suited for the various iBooks, PowerBooks, and MacBook Pro.

New iPod Hi-Fi Carrying Case from Waterfield

While not PowerBook, iBook, or MacBook Pro news, we know a lot of you are big fans of WaterField bags, so we thought we'd share this:

Today we are announcing our new travel play-through case for Apple's iPod Hi-Fi Speaker. The case is fully padded, provides complete play-through functionality and has five pockets for all the iPod gear. A solid plate of impact-resistant plastic protects the front grill and speakers and a comfortable shoulder strap helps to lighten the load.

The case is made from our custom designed and domestically produced ballistic nylon, high density foam, YKK locking zippers and durable metal hardware. The inside of the case is layered with a soft, scratch free liner.

The iPod Hi-Fi Speaker Case will be shipping on April 18 for $150 and is available in three colors.