05/10, 2:26pm
Bluetooth keyboard typing issues with iPad and more
Earlier this week in the MacNN forums, Mac Elite "abbaZaba" was trying to figure out why the Apple Bluetooth keyboard that they have paired with an iPad 4 will stutter the first letter when typing. After making a digital copy of a 20-year-old VHS home movie, one Fresh-Faced Recruit turned to the forums looking for any advice on ways to make the imported footage look a little less faded.
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05/10, 6:40am
i-mate back from the dead with Intelegent Windows 8 smartphone concept
Former Windows Mobile maker i-mate has apparently sparked back into life after looking as though it was all over just a few years ago. The troubled company is planning on returning to the market with a new 4.7-inch smartphone running the full Windows 8 desktop and tablet operating system – not to be confused with Windows Phone 8, which runs on Nokia, HTC and Samsung handsets. The company, now based in Redmond Washington, is developing the Intelegent smartphone to work in combination with a dock and a wireless tablet display to create comprehensive workstation with full mobile capabilities.
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05/09, 4:36pm
Apple issues minor patch
Apple has posted a new support download for Macs, Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.2. The patch appears to deal solely with stability problems related to Target Disk Mode. The file is 1.22MB, and requires OS X 10.8.3 or later.
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05/09, 3:54pm
New model supplements dual PCI-E slot model
Sonnet today introduced a significant upgrade of its popular xMac mini Server, a Thunderbolt-to-PCI Express expansion system and 1U rackmount enclosure for a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac mini with a Thunderbolt port. The updated xMac mini Server now supports a double-width PCIe card's daughter card and includes BNC connector mounting holes on the enclosure's rear panel. In addition, the length of the xMac mini Server is now just 15.8 inches, optimizing it for a wider range of popular mobile racks, carts, and rack bags.
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05/09, 11:11am
Appears to be 13-inch version of Sony Vaio Duo 11 Ultrabook
A video clip on YouTube claimed to be leaked from training videos for the Dixons Store Group in the UK appears to show an unannounced larger version of the Sony Vaio Duo 11. Using the same "Surf Slider" hinge found on the 11-inch version, the mystery Ultrabook is shown in the clip to have a 13-inch Full HD Triluminos touchscreen that lines up with the top of the keyboard when propped up.
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05/09, 9:08am
Microsoft said to be responsive to OEM feedback on Windows 8
Acer Chairman J.T. Wang has said that Microsoft is starting to listen more closely to its OEM partners following the troubled launch of Windows 8, reports the Wall Street Journal. Wang indicated that he thought that that Microsoft has had its head in the clouds until recently, “But now the go down to earth and they start to learn how people living on earth think.” Acer President Jim Wong also added that Microsoft is becoming more “considerate” to its partners and has been baking in their suggestions into Windows Blue, the first major update to Windows 8 due later this year.
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05/08, 8:42am
Acer first to market with sub-10-inch Windows 8 tablet
The leaked Acer Iconia W3, which first surfaced on the weekend has been confirmed for June 4 launch in Russia. The launch date was revealed by Acer’s general director of the Taiwanese company’s Russian office, and provides an indication for its global rollout. The device briefly appeared on the Amazon store, before it was quickly pulled.
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05/07, 9:05pm
New version brings better mobile integration, enhanced reporting
Retail technologist LightSpeed today announced the launch of StoreMaster, enabling Macintosh users to track real-time data across all sales channels, manage inventory levels, and process invoices and shipments from one control panel. Its new customizable Dashboard delivers up-to-the-minute metrics in easy-to-read graphs, assisting stores in reaching sales goals and performance monitoring.
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05/07, 5:22pm
Gadget gifts to get for the woman that gave you life
Mother's Day is a special sort of day where we get to give back to the woman that gave us life. This special day is right around the corner -- but you knew that already, right? Of course, the reason you haven't gotten a gift yet is because you're looking for just the perfect one. Ah, but what's the thing to get for such a woman? Electronista took a look at the latest and greatest in consumer tech to figure out what you should get good ol' Mom in order to one-up all your siblings -- who went the flowers-and-chocolate route.
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05/07, 7:43am
Sony revamps 2013 notebook line with new Vaio Fit 14, 15-inch models
Sony Japan has revealed a new lineup of notebooks for 2013 that also carry new branding. The new ‘Fit’ series encompasses a wide range of notebooks that the company is targeting at "students and business users who are looking for a step up and want more of a premium design but still at an entry-level price point." The 14- and 15-inch touchscreen notebooks also span a wide price range, starting at $550 with the high end models topping out at $2,210.
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05/06, 4:00pm
Specific processor models not revealed at Intel's briefing
In Intel's second major technology announcement in the span of a week, the chip manufacturer has revealed a refresh of its Atom processor line. Intel's new "Silvermont" architecture promises faster speeds and reduced power draw with what the company calls best-in-class performance plus power efficiency.
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05/03, 3:42pm
Aspire P3 includes keyboard cover, 5-megapixel camera
Aside from unveiling the Aspire R7 with the "Ezel" hinge, Acer also revealed a number of other mobile computing options at its media event. The Aspire P3 is billed as a slate computer that can convert to a notebook with its keyboard case, while the Aspire V5 and V7 notebooks are said to bring thinner and lighter designs to the company's notebook ranges.
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05/03, 3:15pm
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
This week at Apple's online store, take advantage of a vast array of refurbished MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. The 11.6-inch MacBook Air with a 1.7GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage has been reduced by $190 to $909. A $240 price break is offered on the 13.3-inch MacBook Air with a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 256GB of flash storage, now $1,159.
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05/03, 3:14pm
iMacs, printers and more
This weeks deals from DealNN include bargain prices on iMacs, printers, monitors and more. Currently MacConnection.com has the 21.5-inch iMac for $1,279, which is $220 off the MSRP and the lowest price we have seen on this iMac by about $90. Free shipping is included, but sales tax applies for residents of New York state. The 21.5-inch iMac features a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. Included are an Apple Bluetooth wireless keyboard, Magic Mouse, and one-year warranty on parts and labor from Apple.
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05/03, 12:19pm
Notebook screen can face away from user, be used as tablet
Acer has revealed a new notebook with a floating touchscreen, one that it previously teased alongside Star Trek footage. The Aspire R7 holds its 15.6-inch 1080p multitouch display on an "Ezel" hinge, allowing it to be viewed in the normal notebook way, lying flat on a table, flipped to face away from the user, and also closed with the display facing out and making it resemble a tablet.
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05/03, 8:16am
Microsoft prepping high-res 7.5-inch Surface says NPD DisplaySearch
An analyst with NPD DisplaySearch has told CNET that Microsoft has settled on a 7.5-inch display for one of its second-generation Surface tablets, which would go on sale in Q1 2014. The display could have a resolution of 1,400x1050 pixels that would give it a pixel density of 233 pixels per inch. This would make it one of the highest resolution small display tablets available and would comfortably beat out the current iPad mini, which sports a 7.9-inch display with a pixel density of 132ppi.
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05/02, 3:24pm
New processors give up to 10 percent speed increase over predecessors
AMD has deployed a pair of new processors to the component channel. The new AMD FX 4350 and 6350 chips have been added to the line. Both processors are fully AM3+ compatible, fit in a 900-series motherboard and bring up to 10 percent more performance than the processors they replace.
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05/02, 10:46am
Offers alternative to Fusion Drive, larger SSDs
Apple has added 256GB and 512GB SSD options for build-to-order iMac customers at its online store. Picking 256GB adds $300 to the cost of a system, while choosing 512GB adds $600. Stock iMac configurations are priced between $1,299 and $1,999.
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05/02, 8:46am
Plastic-cased tablet houses 11.6-inch touchscreen display, DigitizerPen
A Windows 8 tablet aimed at business professionals has been unveiled by Toshiba, shortly after the company presented its high-resolution Kirabook. The WT310 tablet houses a 11.6-inch 1080p anti-glare display with gesture-enabled touchscreen controls, and an accompanying DigitizerPen as an additional input option.
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05/02, 7:48am
Microsoft Surface shipments for Q1 under 1 million, smaller devices coming
Microsoft Surface shipments for Q1 total just 900,000, according to the latest IDC report published yesterday. The underwhelming sales figures are said to be predominantly sales of its Surface Pro tablet, while the Surface RT had difficulty gaining any significant market traction. In total, since its launch late last year the company is thought to have shipped a total of just 1.5 million Surface devices, which pales in comparison to the 19.5 million iPadsApple sold in Q1 alone.
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05/02, 12:08am
New chipsets offer up to three times the performance of HD4000
Intel has revealed limited specifications on its fourth-generation "Haswell" Core-series processors' video circuitry. The upcoming chip line features a graphical power boost well above the third generation, with three discrete levels. One tier is aimed at power efficiency, with two tailored for increased video performance.
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04/30, 9:07pm
Long-term exclusive deal with Apple nixed by new deal
Hewlett Packard announced today that it was awarded a four-year hardware and services contract by the Maine Department of Education. The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) award effectively ends the state's long-running exclusive contract with Apple, which was in place since 2002. The program will ensure each student in the school system is equipped with a computing device, an underpinning of the initiative since it was founded by then-Governor Angus King in 2001.
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04/30, 3:09pm
27-inch iMac cut to $2,899
This week, MacMall.com has lowered the price on the 27-inch iMac from $2,949 down to $2,899 with free shipping. That's a savings of $49, making this the lowest price on this iMac brand new. This iMac features a 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 3TB Fusion Drive with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX graphics processor and two Thunderbolt ports. Included with it are an Apple wireless keyboard, Magic Mouse, and one-year warranty on parts and labor from Apple.
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04/29, 10:00pm
Original Wozniak, Jobs creation one of only six still functioning
[Update]: Steve Wozniak signature added German auction house Team Breker has rounded up an interesting collection of significant "firsts" from the computing world for an upcoming auction in Koln, Germany on May 25. Among the items of interest will be a mechanical calculator created by philosopher and physicist Blaise Pascal from the year 1652; the first Intel microprocessor (the 4004) from 1971; a 1975 Altair 8800 said to have started the personal computer revolution, and one of only six known original Apple I computers still in working condition.
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04/29, 6:30pm
Speedy OSX and Windows USB 3.0 RAID implementation tested
Apple was one of the first -- if not the first -- major computer manufacturers to provide then-fledgling USB support at the expense of legacy ports on its iMac line some 15 ago. Since then, the Mac maker hasn't always been the fastest at adding new USB protocols to machines, generally lagging six months or more behind, depending on the product line. The Mac Pro is languishing these days, awaiting a revamp -- but still has no USB 3.0 ports, despite an incremental update last summer boosting the speed of the computer somewhat. Highpoint Technologies has had strong support for the Macintosh and OS X despite only one current line of hardware having PCI-E slots. The latest offering from the company is the quad-channel Rocket-U 1144CM 4x PCI-E USB 3.0 card for the Mac Pro, and MacNN got a chance to test one out.
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04/26, 3:58pm
Building a USB charging station and more
Today in the MacNN forums, Grizzled Veteran "PeterParker" was wondering if it would be a good idea to build their own USB charging station that could be used to charge Apple devices among other things. Mac Elite "CIA" started a thread earlier this week trying to find out if the maxed out Mac Pro setup that they are using will fry the power supply.
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04/26, 3:56pm
MBP for $2,099, 64GB Touch for $329
Deals from DealNN this week include price cuts on MacBook Pros, iPods and more. Today's deal of the day from MacMall.com is on the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro which has been reduced by $549, lowering the cost from $2,649 down to $2,099. This MBP features a 2.7GHz Intel quad-core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive with Bluetooth, FaceTime camera, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Apple.
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04/25, 4:35pm
CEO talks 'living up to expectations'
The shipping date for the Leap Motion 3D Motion Controller has been delayed from May 13th until July 22, says the company's CEO. Michael Buckwald revealed the information during a conference call earlier today. "There’s nothing catastrophically wrong," he explained, "we’re very proud of the product … if we’d tried very hard we would have been able to ship the product [on the original date] but we wouldn’t have had the time to do the iteration and testing that we would want to do otherwise."
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04/25, 12:52pm
June-quarter shipments expected to grow 10 percent over previous quarter
Apple's June-quarter MacBook shipments should increase about 10 percent over the previous quarter, say DigiTimes supply chain sources. The people claim that Apple has almost finished consuming excess inventory, and will probably start placing new orders in mid-May. Most of the ordered systems will likely be Haswell-based MacBooks, the sources comment.
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04/25, 6:37am
Windows 8 tablets off to slow start, Apple still dominant
New figures compiled by Strategy Analytics shows that Windows 8 OEM’s shipped a combined total of 3 million Windows tablets in calendar Q1 for 2013. The tablet market reached an all-time high of 40.6 million branded tablet shipments for the quarter, a 117 percent increase from the 18.7 million sold for the same period in 2012. Apple retained a dominant 48 percent share of the branded market with 19.5 million tablets sold, singlehandedly shipping more than the total number of branded tablets that shipped globally in Q1 2012.
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04/24, 7:30pm
Study shows clean install of Windows is best for stability
A new study by a cloud-based PC admin software maker, Soluto, concludes that bloatware included on most Windows PC notebooks by the manufacturers is harming the Windows experience to such an extent that the best portable on which to run Windows is now Apple's MacBook Pro. In part this is because, like the other PC models judged to be the most reliable, the Mac requires a "clean" copy of Windows. The company gathered boot-up times, crash or hang incidents, background process logs and BSOD reports from 150,000 notebook PCs to come up with the rankings.
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04/23, 10:43pm
New startup wizard, connector technology, Solution Pak added
Graphic manipulation software developer CS Odessa today announced free upgrades to the company’s ConceptDraw Pro business graphics and diagramming package. ConceptDraw Pro 9.4 features an enhanced startup wizard, new connectors technology and ConceptDraw Solution Park additions to help users produce documents more rapidly.
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04/23, 9:49pm
Jaguar based CPU paired with Radeon 8000-series GPU
AMD today announced at the Design West tradeshow the new Embedded G-Series System-on-Chip (SOC) platform, a single-chip solution based on the AMD next-generation "Jaguar" CPU architecture and AMD Radeon 8000 Series graphics. The new AMD Embedded G-Series SOC platform points to AMD's future focus on high-growth markets outside the PC industry, with an emphasis on embedded systems.
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04/23, 9:08pm
New model supplements original with 128GB
Storage solutions manufacturer Akitio today announced the release of the company’s new 256GB one-bay, bus-powered "Neutrino" Thunderbolt storage solution. Akitio’s new larger-capacity device is a follow-up to the company’s successful 120GB SSD solution, which was previously launched in 2012.
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04/23, 6:17pm
Looking at new product categories, but no timeframe
Speaking during a conference call following the company's Q2 results, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that the company may have no major product launches until the fall. He refused to talk about the specific timing for particular devices, but told analysts that there is "great stuff coming in the fall and across 2014." The statement may quash rumors of summer updates for the iPhone and/or the iPad and iPad mini.
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04/23, 5:42pm
Regional growth rates relatively modest
Following an official announcement of its Q2 results, Apple has also posted a detailed breakdown (PDF) of its performance. Notably, the 19.477 million iPads the company sold was a jump of 65 percent year-over-year. This may however have come at the expense of Mac, which saw units fall 2 percent to 3.952 million. Mac revenue did however rise 7 percent to $5.447 billion, while iPad revenue grew 40 percent to $8.746 billion.
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04/23, 5:28pm
Surface Pro to hit 24 more countries, RT to reach four more
Microsoft is increasing the number of countries where customers can buy the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets. The Surface Pro will be available in 24 more countries, while the Surface RT will be launching in Malaysia on April 25th, in Mexico by the end of may, and in Korea and Thailand in June. The expansion will see the Surface RT be available in 29 countries, and the Surface Pro in 27 in total.
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04/23, 4:42pm
Company plans $50 billion share buyback
Apple has posted the results of its fiscal second quarter, which ended in March. The company reaped $43.6 billion in revenue, up 11 percent year-over-year. Net income was $9.5 billion, or $10.09 per share. That's down, however, from Q2 2012, when Apple posted net income of $11.6 billion with $12.30 in EPS. During the latest quarter, Apple recorded sales of 37.4 million iPhones, 19.5 million iPads, and approximately 4 million Macs. Gross margin was 37.5 percent, at the low end of earlier guidance.
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04/23, 3:48pm
MBA mouse clicks not registering and more
Yesterday in the MacNN forums, Professional Poster "Paco500" was looking for assistance with a trackpad that was not registering clicks on a MacBook Air. In the thread titled "21.5-inch iMac" Professional Poster "mattyb" was trying to decide between purchasing two different iMac models, but was looking for some advice from other forum-goers before taking the plunge.
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04/23, 3:47pm
27-inch refurbished iMacs from $1,529
Apple's online store currently has a wide selection of current-generation refurbished 27-inch iMac models starting at $1,529. The recertified 27-inch iMac with a 2.9GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive has been reduced by $270 to $1,529. Save $300 on the 27-inch iMac with a 3.2GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, now $1,699.
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04/23, 3:45pm
62 percent off refurbished LaCie 1TB Little Big Disk and more
This week, eCost.com has reduced the price on the refurbished LaCie 1TB Little Big Disk external hard drive with Thunderbolt from $450 down to $170, a savings of $280. That's about $180 less than buying this hard drive brand new anywhere else. This hard drive features 1TB of storage space in a compact, lightweight form factor with Thunderbolt connectivity that can be used to play, edit and acquire multiple uncompressed A/V streams directly from the drive regardless of the resolution of the content. A limited warranty is included from LaCie.
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04/22, 9:36pm
New battery gives up to four hours of runtime for Retina display laptops
Power solutions provider QuickerTek, has just unveiled an external battery for the Apple MacBook Pro line of laptops, including models with the new Retina display. The new EyeBattery adds up to four more hours of battery power to the MacBook Pro. Two models support either version of the MagSafe connector present on varying models of Apple's Intel-based laptops.
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04/22, 12:58pm
Second hinge allows for display to hover above keyboard
Acer is using its tie-in with the movie Star Trek: Into Darkness to tease a notebook with a sliding-hinge screen. The clip, which intersperses clips from the film with that of the notebook sliding down a textured wall, calls it "A Unique Notebook" that will be revealed on May 3rd, ahead of the movie's own release on May 17th.
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04/20, 8:07pm
Processor in tablet runs slower when closed, full speed when opened out
Taiwanese manufacturer Inhon has revealed a tablet that shares aspects of its design with the Microsoft Surface. The Carbon Tablet, following on from the 10.7mm-thick Blade 13 Carbon notebook shown yesterday, is able to vary its processing power depending on if it is held closed like a tablet, or opened up for desk-based use.
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04/19, 1:53pm
Who's to blame, Safari or Java?
Yesterday in the MacNN forums, "cgc" was trying to figure out why they were having problems with certain websites after updating Safari and Java. Also yesterday, Professional Poster "badidea" was having a problem with the cursor remaining on screen while the iTunes visualizer is playing.
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04/19, 1:52pm
Low prices on iMacs and Mac Pros
At Apple's online store today, save on refurbished iMacs and Mac Pros. The 21.5-inch iMac with a 2.9GHz Intel quad-core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive has seen a $230 price break to $1,269. The refurbished 27-inch iMac with a 3.2GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM and 768GB of flash storage -- originally released in October 2012 -- has been reduced to $2,969.
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04/19, 1:50pm
1.8GHz i5 MacBook Air, now $1,250
At eCost.com this week, save $48 on the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, which has been reduced from $1,299 to $1,250. That's the lowest price we have seen on this Mac model anywhere. Free shipping is included, but sales tax applies for residents of California, Texas and Tennessee. This MBA features a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage with Intel HD Graphics 4000, and Mac OS X Lion. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Apple.
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04/19, 8:10am
Taiwanese PC maker Inhon claims title of thinnest, lightest notebook
Taiwanese manufacturer Inhon has unveiled the carbon fiber Blade 13 Carbon, reports Engadget. The company claims that it is the world’s thinnest and lightest notebook weighing just 870 grams and measuring only 10.7mm thick. As a point of comparison, Apple’s 13-inch aluminum MacBook Air, once the benchmark for ultraportables, weighs 1.35kg and measures 17mm at its thickest point.
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04/18, 7:34pm
Devices coming soon, no pricing or specifications revealed
Outbound Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Peter Klein revealed in today's financial conference call that Microsoft is working with partner companies to build a "new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows" at "competitive price points." The devices are expected in the "coming months" according to Klein. The executive declined to name partner companies, specific prices, or detail specifications.
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04/18, 9:54am
Company may have overestimated product demand
Apple has temporarily stopped ordering any parts for Mac systems, and hasn't sent any word of when orders might resume, supply chain sources tell DigiTimes. The people add that suppliers expected to run through their current Mac parts inventories this month, but are now stuck. Mac orders allegedly slowed to a trickle after the Lunar New Year holiday, when many Asian suppliers shut down.
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