July 1 - 4:55pm EDT   Apple and NVIDIA may be engaged in a fierce dispute that could exclude NVIDIA graphics chips from future Macs, according to sources reportedly aware of the talks. They claim to SemiAccurate that Apple views NVIDIA's proposals for renewed deals as "arrogance" and that much of the argument centers on the overheating material that triggered widespread failures in all GeForce 8400M and 8600M mobile graphics chips. The Mac firm has had to extend MacBook Pro warranties for up to three years and may be skeptical of NVIDIA's insistence that newer models aren't at risk of the same problem. [full story]

July 1 - 4:05pm EDT   Other World computing has launched new Memory upgrades for Apple iMacs (Early 2008 models) and the 2009 White MacBook 13". The iMac offerings include a new DDR2 800MHz 4GB module and 6GB kit, allowing for a 5GB or 6GB setup that is not available from Apple. The 4GB memory module is $150 and the 6GB combo, which includes both 4GB and 2GB RAM modules, costs $170. OWC also has 2GB and 1GB options at substantially reduced pricing vs. Apple factory charges. The memory sticks carry a lifetime OWC warranty. [full story]

July 1 - 2:30pm EDT   The sequel to NVIDIA's Ion platform could be much faster than its predecessor when it ships, leaks today would show. While the current graphics and chipset combo is based on the GeForce 9400M and has just 16 visual effects cores, Fudzilla now hears that it will have 32 cores, potentially doubling the amount of simultaneous effects it can handle at once. The difference will have the most dramatic effect on 3D but could also impact general-purpose computing tasks that need CUDA or OpenCL. [full story]

June 30 - 4:30pm EDT   Plans are now in place to distribute MacBooks amongst Maine high school students, according to officials from the state's Department of Education. Known to have been in the works since at least March, a deal with Apple will see over 64,000 MacBooks reach students and teachers between grades 7 and 12. Another 7,000 notebooks should be ordered within the next few weeks, officials say. [full story]

June 27 - 1:55pm EDT   Apple's online store is currently offering a selection of refurbished Mac mini's at discounted prices. Starting at $419 is the 1.83GHz Mac mini with 1GB of RAM and 80GB hard drive. Next up is the 2.0GHz model with 1GB of RAM and 120GB hard drive for $469. Lastly is the 2.0GHz model with 2GB of memory and 320GB hard drive for $699. Other refurbished Mac models include the 2.0GHz unibody MacBook with 2GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive for $949. The 1.6GHz MacBook Air with 2GB of RAM and 80GB hard drive for $999 and the 20-inch, 2.66GHz iMac with 2GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive also priced at $999. [full story]

June 22 - 11:00am EDT   Apple has been both vindicated and condemned in an advertising dispute with Dell, reports say. The latter company earlier filed a complaint with the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, accusing Apple of potentially misleading the public by claiming its unibody MacBooks are the "greenest" notebooks on the market. Dell has asserted that its notebooks also meet high environmental standards, for instance by scaling down mercury, PVC and brominated flame retardant content. [full story]

June 19 - 5:10pm EDT   Quanta Computer has reportedly landed a contract with Apple to manufacture new notebooks, according to the Chinese news outlet Commercial Times. The computer maker is said to be the exclusive MacBook producer in the second half of 2009, with an estimated production volume of 10 million units shipped to Apple by the end of the year. [full story]

June 15 - 3:10pm EDT   Australia's Queensland University of Technology has released health-based recommendations for using high-gloss Apple screens, claiming that reflections can lead to users adopting awkward postures, in turn producing injuries. The report takes a fairly negative stance against the glass found in iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros, and also recommends considering a number of factors that could help alleviate or minimize harm. Injury is only a concern however in cases of intense usage, the university suggests. [full story]

June 12 - 4:35pm EDT   Wall Street firms may be missing out on the true significance of Apple's MacBook price cuts, claims Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. Prices have fallen several hundred dollars in some cases, which Munster argues should mitigate some of the predicted sales decline for the June quarter. Updated MacBooks could push the month of June's growth up as much as 5 percent year-over-year, according to Piper figures. [full story]

June 10 - 3:20pm EDT   Apple is pushing hard to get rid of older MacBooks still sitting in inventory, a company memo indicates. While having introduced new MacBook Pros on Tuesday, a number of outdated systems continue to be stocked at Apple Stores. "Our Macbook Family has been updated and all current stock of Macbook and Macbook Pros need to be sold," the memo tells store representatives, and various groups supplied by Apple. "All current in store computers are on a first come first serve basis." [full story]

June 9 - 3:30pm EDT   ASUS vice chairman Jonathan Tsang today said in an interview that his company intends to beat Apple in design in the US. Even though the Eee PC line has been successful in the country, Tsang tells the New York Times that ASUS has little recognition in the US and that it plans to rely on engineering to boost its name, with Apple's MacBooks as the conspicuous target. The company's focus on product design reportedly leaves little room for a marketing budget and thus gives it little room to depend on advertising. [full story]

June 8 - 1:45pm EDT   In an unusual turn for WWDC, Apple has announced a new 15-inch MacBook Pro. While similar to the existing unibody model, the notebook now has a sealed battery with seven hours of runtime, capable of lasting five years, or 1,000 recharge cycles. The display is said to produce more vivid colors, but the ExpressCard slot is being replaced with the SD format, due to the proliferation of digital cameras. Configuration options run up to a 3GHz Core 2 Duo with 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. [full story]

June 3 - 3:00pm EDT   Timing its launch for Computex, Synaptics has unveiled a new notebook trackpad design to close the gap between MacBooks and Windows PCs. Similar to Apple's design, the ClickPad removes discrete mouse buttons in favor of a larger unbroken surface. Users press down to click the button and get more space for multi-touch gestures, which are now a staple of the design. Pinching, scrolling and zooming are all possible with two fingers, while three fingers can either swipe or else produce an alternate click. [full story]

June 1 - 10:55am EDT   Service has been extended for some older MacBook Pro models, an Apple support page reveals. In an article discussing problems with absent or distorted video, Apple notes that machines based on NVIDIA's GeForce 8600M GT may now be repaired for free up to three years after purchase, even if officially out of warranty. The latest the option should be available is September 2011. [full story]

May 28 - 9:40am EDT   Apple's modest increase of specifications for the white MacBook -- including 800MHz RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a 2.13GHz CPU -- has led to a price increase in the UK, local Mac users note. Having formerly been priced at £719, the notebook now costs £749 in the region. In spite of having the same hardware, the US version has remained at $999. [full story]