11/05, 1:00pm
Adamo XPS thinner, slower than Apple rival
Dell today officially launched the Adamo XPS, the highest-end version of its designer ultraportable. The system is championed as the thinnest notebook ever and measures just 0.39 inches at its thickest point. Dell accomplishes the feat by tucking most of the computer components into the display section and relying on a unique hinge that opens underneath and acts as a built-in prop . In spite of its slimness, the notebook still has a removable battery, two USB ports and DisplayPort output but also weighs slightly more than its MacBook Air rival at 3.2 pounds.
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10/23, 2:55pm
Adamo XPS may still be slow
New rumored hardware details for the Adamo XPS suggest the system will be only a mild upgrade to the existing Adamo 13 that trades larger speed gains for its extra dimensions. The ultra-thin model should sit in between the two upgraded current models with ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duo processors between 1.4GHz and 1.9GHz versus the minimum 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo S in a challenger like the MacBook Air. The Engadget tips also claim the built-in solid-state storage will be less than for current Adamos with either a 128GB or 180GB solid-state drive.
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10/22, 4:10pm
Dell shows off Adamo XPS in more detail
Dell as part of a low-key press gathering today showed its Adamo XPS in greater detail. Although most details are still secret, company representative Alex Gruzen has revealed that the system will use one of Intel's more powerful ultra-low voltage processors and not an Atom chip, as in the Sony VAIO X. Its 0.4-inch thick shell is also designed for the battery to be replaced, unlike either the MacBook Air or Dell's own Adamo 13.
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10/20, 10:50pm
13-inch MacBook Pro drops to $1,300
Coinciding with Apple’s latest release of new Macs and accessories, the Canadian stores have made an additional change by dropping the price on its line of MacBook computers by up to $300. On the list are five different MacBook Pros, with the entry-level model dropping from $1,400 to $1,300. The most expensive 17-inch variant, previously available for $2,900, now costs just $2,600. The 13-inch with a 2.53GHz processor dropped by $150 down to $1,600, while the 2.53GHz, 15-inch Pro has been reduced from $2,000 to $1,800.
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10/19, 5:20pm
Dell Adamo finally gets Core 2 Duo S
Dell has quietly upgraded the Adamo 13 to better compete against other ultra-thin notebooks like the MacBook Air. The high-end Desire model reviewed here has had its ultra-low voltage 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo replaced with a much faster 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo S like that found in Apple's faster notebook. It has also had its solid-state drive double in capacity to 256GB and Windows 7 replace Vista as the stock OS.
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10/07, 12:05pm
Adamo XPS briefly teased in real world
Dell at a press gathering today briefly offered an in-person look at its Adamo XPS ultraportable. True to its teaser graphic, the system is overall thinner than the MacBook Air it's designed to compete against (0.4 inches maximum) and appears to rely on a unique, underside hinge to reach its dimensions. As with very early Adamo and Inspiron 11z teasers, the company didn't provide any specifications or release information.
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10/05, 12:45pm
Charger powers laptop while charging battery
QuickerTek has released a new MacBook Air power charger, the Auto and Airline Charger. The charger includes an adapter for use in an automobile or an airplane. The product differs from Apple's chargers that are included with every MacBook Air, with the ability to power the laptop while simultaneously charging the internal battery. All of the standard MacBook Air power options are maintained, including MagSafe. The charger features additional safety options such as a user-serviceable inline fuse and power filtering.
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09/15, 12:00am
New HP Envies bring Core i7, more
HP this morning revived its sleeping Envy label for two new systems targeted at the same slim but high-speed designs as the MacBook Pro. The Envy 13 and 15 are both housed in aluminum-and-black shells and drop the usual optical drive to shed weight and thickness: the 13-inch model is relatively light at just over 3.7 pounds and is 0.8 inches thick, while even the larger 15-inch system is slightly over 5.1 pounds and under an inch. Both also draw on Monster's Beats PC audio to produce better built-in audio than most notebooks, get color accurate displays, and have a MacBook-like trackpad nicknamed the "clickpad" that hides the main button underneath the surface.
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09/09, 3:05pm
Adamo XPS teased without details
Dell today quietly put up a teaser site for the Adamo XPS. While it gives few clues, the site touts a 9.99mm (under 0.4in) thickness that would make it far thinner than the Adamo 13 and significantly thinner than the MacBook Air the Adamo series has often fought against. The side profile image shows a uniformly metal (likely aluminum), tapered design unlike the block-shaped original.
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08/20, 12:55pm
Sony Axes VAIO TT
Sony has quietly pulled the VAIO TT from its lineup. The move ends Sony's current participation in the ultraportable world and comes without any sign of an immediate replacement. Dropping the system leaves only the Atom-based VAIO P and VAIO W with screens below 10 inches in Sony's lineup.
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08/12, 9:20am
MacBook refurb price cuts
Apple is offering several new discounts on refurbished MacBooks ordered through its online store. A 13-inch unibody MacBook, equipped with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive, is now being sold for $899 with free shipping. The model is also notable for LED backlighting, and a one-year limited warranty.
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08/07, 4:10pm
ProTouch keyboard guards
iSkin has launched new ProTouch keyboard protectors for the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The skins come in three different forms: the Classic, FX and Vibes. Each is made of silicone and designed to prevent dust, food, liquids and hairs from affecting a keyboard, along with general wear. They can also be used to diminish typing noise, and make cleaning easier through handwashing.
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07/28, 12:05pm
Apple component patents
Apple has won a collection of new patents from the US Patent and Trademark Office, linked to a wide variety of products. Among these is the Apple TV, for which Apple has been granted a patent on the set-top's remote. The remote is able to identify expected light sources in the midst of ambient ones, such as reflections.
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07/21, 2:15pm
Dell Cuts Adamo Price
Dell has quietly slashed the price on its Adamo ultraportable to match Apple's recent MacBook Air updates. The base model with a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive now costs the same $1,499 as the entry 1.86GHz MacBook Air. The higher-end model has dropped to $2,299 but is still more expensive than its $1,799 Mac counterpart. It still has its 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo and 128GB SSD but comes with 4GB of RAM and built-in 3G in return.
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07/15, 12:15pm
Mobile Core i7 i5 Roadmap
Virtually all the essential details for Intel's first mobile chips based on the Nehalem architecture have escaped today courtesy of a roadmap. It now says the quad-core Clarksfield processors at 1.6GHz, 1.73GHz and 2GHz will be named the i7-720QM, i7-820QM and i7-920XM respectively with 8MB of cache on all but the slowest model. In a surprise, however, all three will also have dramatic headroom for increased clock speeds and should scale up to 2.8GHz, 3.06GHz and 3.2GHz. It's implied in the Impress leak that these speeds will come through Turbo Boost, a feature that shuts down one or more of the cores in return for higher clock speeds for tasks that don't need every core.
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07/14, 3:20pm
Multi-touch pad patent
Apple has been granted a critical patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office, covering the company's wide-ratio multi-touch trackpad. The first real-world example of the pad emerged in the beginning of 2008, when it appeared in the MacBook Air. It has since migrated to MacBooks and MacBook Pros, and should remain standard on Apple notebooks for some time.
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07/09, 11:05am
SSD Notebooks Hurt
The economic crunch is making a major impact on the viability of solid-state drives in notebooks, according to new research from iSuppli. As prices for the NAND flash memory that form the heart of these drives have in some cases more than doubled -- 128 percent for a 2GB chip -- the costs for the SSDs themselves have gone up proportionately, making it difficult or occasionally impossible to offer an SSD option in a given notebook. The jump is the result of a known shortage triggered by the economy, as companies producing memory deliberately cut production to raise prices and save money.
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07/02, 9:05am
CULV NBs Too Cheaply Made
Many of the Windows PC makers building ultraportable notebooks based on Intel's low-cost CULV platform are learning first-hand that their cheaper case designs aren't enough to sustain the systems, a research note from AmTech analyst Doug Freedman says. Many of the companies design the systems with plastic shells to keep their prices down but are discovering that the cases are cracking, often forcing major replacements. Which companies are affected aren't mentioned, but Lenovo and MSI are some of the first making systems in the category with the IdeaPad U350 and X-Slim line respectively.
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06/29, 8:20pm
MacBook Air update
Apple on Friday released a System Management Controller (SMC) firmware update for its MacBook Air devices. The latest version expands compatibility for newer service-replacement batteries. Users can download the updater, close any open applications and follow the installation steps before restarting the machine.
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06/27, 1:55pm
Apple refurbs: Mac mini
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.
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06/26, 4:40pm
Old MBA beats new MBA?
The new high-end MacBook Air is paradoxically slower than its predecessor, a review of the system is said to expose. While the updated low-end Air has been made faster, as expected, the new 2.13GHz high-end is actually said to score lower on tests than its older 1.86GHz equivalent. The last-generation model wins out in 11 of 18 Speedmark tests, for an overall score of 179 as compared to 175.
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06/26, 11:10am
MS to Offer Win 7 on USB
Microsoft is considering offering Windows 7 on USB flash drives to make upgrades easier for systems without optical drives, a source claimed on Friday. The unnamed contact explains to CNET that the company is looking at the move to make it easier to upgrade netbooks in particular, which currently need either an external drive or else the elaborate creation of a bootable USB drive. Whether this would involve copy protection beyond a CD key isn't known.
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06/13, 5:05pm
Dell Adamo 13 Review
Dell has had a long history of ultraportables, but when Apple released the MacBook Air in early 2008, it underscored a wide gap in terms of design: while Latitudes have always been functional, they've rarely been alluring to home (or simply design-centric) users in the way the Air was. The Adamo 13 is Dell's attempt to rectify this with an ultra-slim profile and attention to quality. But is it a case of improving on what's come before or just a Latitude in better packaging? Our full Adamo 13 review hopes to settle this question once and for all.
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06/12, 4:35pm
Piper on MacBook cuts
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.
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06/10, 3:20pm
MacBook clearout sales
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."
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06/09, 3:30pm
ASUS Aims at Apple
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.
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05/27, 2:05pm
Cheaper MB Air Rumor
Apple may push the cost of the MacBook Air downwards while also extending its feature set, a rumor asserted on Wednesday. Unnamed sources for SiliconRumors claim that an entry-level model will push the price down to between $1,300 and $1,500, or at least $300 less than the current model. Whether this would be a smaller model or just a price reduction isn't certain.
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05/27, 12:20pm
Multitouch, iPhone patents
Apple has won four new patents from the US Patent and Trademark Office, covering a range of technologies. Among these are ones for riser card housing in the Mac Pro, and a Mac OS-related concept called Computer system with graphical user interface including drawer-like windows. Important however is one for a touchpad surface, covering the multi-touch trackpad in the MacBook Air, and in a minor fashion the iPhone touchscreen.
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05/19, 2:20pm
Apple refurbs: MacBooks
Apple's online store is currently offering a variety of Mac models starting as low as $849. Two Mac models are priced at $849, the 20-inch 2.4GHz iMac and 2.0GHz white MacBook. MacBook Airs are available for as low as $999 for the 1.6GHz model with 2GB of memory and 80GB hard drive. The 24-inch, 2.66GHz iMac with 4GB of memory and 640GB hard drive is available for $1299. Unibody MacBook models start as low as $1099 for the 2.0GHz model with 2GB of memory and 160GB hard drive. The 2.4GHz MacBook Pro with 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive is priced at $1699. Save $400 on the 2.8GHz Mac Pro with 2GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive, now priced at $2399.
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05/14, 7:45am
MSI X-Slim X400 X600 Tease
MSI this morning claimed a further foothold in ultraportable PCs by providing early details of two larger X-Slim notebooks. The 14-inch X400 and 15-inch X600 are meant to improve not only on the 13-inch X340 but to offer a still-larger alternative to systems like the MacBook Air; despite their sizes, both are less than an inch thick and weigh far less than other systems in their class at 3.3 pounds for the X400 and 4.6 pounds for the X600. Both also use Intel's Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processors to provide better performance than a netbook but with less cost and battery use (as well as less performance) than the Core 2 Duo S used in Apple's system.
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05/05, 9:00am
ASUS U Series Notebooks
ASUS has fleshed out the details of its designer U series notebooks. Ostensibly based on the shape of a butterfly, the systems share the same tapered shape of the MacBook Air and are also faster, larger versions of the Eee PC 1008HA. The 12-inch U20A, 13.3-inch UX30 and 15.6-inch UX50V are all based on the basic processors expected to be part of Intel's Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) effort and attempt to bring ultra-thin designs to larger systems, ranging from the entry 1.2GHz Celeron M in the U20A to the 1.3GHz Pentium, 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo and 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo in the UX30 and UX50V.
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04/30, 12:00pm
Apple carbon fiber patent
Apple may be toying with the notion of introducing carbon fiber into future products, a newly exposed patent application reveals. Carbon fiber is extremely durable, and when mixed with plastic can also result in a very lightweight material. The difficulty, Apple suggests, is that even in many alternative methods of forming a carbon fiber shell, the result is a black surface with visible fibers that can dictate how a product will look.
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04/14, 5:25pm
Apple refurbs: MacBooks
Apple's online store has a wide variety of refurbished Apple products at reduced prices. The MacBook Air SuperDrive is available for $79. Twenty-inch iMac models start at $849 for the 2.4GHz model with 1GB of memory and 250GB hard drive. MacBook Airs are available for as low as $999 for the 1.6GHz model with 2GB of memory and 80GB hard drive. The unibody MacBook with 2GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive can be purchased for $1099. MacBook Pros start at $1699 for the 2.4GHz model with 2GB of RAM and 250GB hard drive and go up to $2799 for the 2.8GHz model with 4GB of memory and 128GB Solid State Drive.
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04/13, 9:20pm
QuickerTek Air battery
QuickerTek has released its latest notebook accessory, a new external battery for the MacBook Air. The external pack powers the device while simultaneously charging the internal battery. The company claims users can achieve 12 to 16 total hours of run time, or around 6 to 10 extra hours of power. The charger is also said to charge the internal battery in only three hours.
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04/08, 8:40am
Acer Timeline
Acer has launched itself into direct contention against systems like the MacBook Air and ThinkPad X301 with the release of the Timeline series. The notebooks have screens at 13.3, 14 and 15.6 inches but use ultra low-voltage Core 2 Duo and Solo processors to keep the systems light and, combined with LED-backlit displays, extend their battery life well past other designs. Acer's smallest system weighs just 3.5 pounds, and battery life measures as much as 10 hours with an optional 80GB solid-state drive; even with a rotating hard drive, systems still net as much as 8 hours.
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03/30, 10:15am
Acer CULV Plans
Internal sources at Acer have reportedly claimed today that the company is planning four systems based on Intel's CULV platform and could pose a significant threat to Apple. CENS hears that systems will launch as soon as April with 11.6-inch, 13-inch, 14-inch and 15-inch models appearing as part of the early lineup. Their technical details aren't known, though the 13-inch versions would use magnesium alloys to give them strength without impacting weight.
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03/27, 2:55pm
Intel C2D S and ULV Monday
Intel is now known to be launching significant updates to its notebook processor line on Monday that should be headlined by an upgrade to the processor line central to Apple's MacBook Air and Lenovo's ThinkPad X301. An update list obtained by CNET has the semiconductor company upgrading its Core 2 Duo S to include a 2.13GHz model, the SL9600. The chip is a significant update over the previous 1.86GHz ceiling but should still preserve an identical 17W of peak thermal power consumption, 6MB of Level 2 cache and the 1,066MHz system bus.
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03/24, 5:05pm
Apple refurbs: seven Macs
Seven refurbished Mac models are currently being offered at Apple's online store for $1399 or less. Starting at $849 is the 20-inch 2.4GHz iMac with 1GB of memory and 250GB hard drive. The 2.66GHz iMac with 2GB of memory and 320GB hard drive is priced at $999. Also priced at $999 is the 1.6GHz MacBook Air with 2GB of memory and 80GB hard drive. For $1099 is the unibody 2.0GHz MacBook with 2GB of memory and 160GB hard drive. The 24-inch, 2.8GHz iMac is available with 2GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive for $1199. Next up is the 1.8GH MacBook Air with 2GB of memory and 64GB solid-state drive for $1299. Lastly is the 2.4GHz unibody macbook with 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive for $1399.
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03/17, 7:30am
Dell Adamo 13
Dell this morning unveiled its heavily promoted Adamo notebook. Consciously designed as a competitor to the MacBook Air, the ultraportable carries an etched, designer aluminum chassis that measures just 0.65 inches thick at virtually every point but which has a unique hinge design that lets it fit genuine expansion, such as Ethernet, DisplayPort and three USB connectors that include a combo eSATA port. The thinness also belies a relatively long battery life that Dell estimates at about 5 hours, though the system is significantly heavier than the Air at 4 pounds.
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03/16, 2:20pm
Dell Adamo May Show Tues
Dell has potentially tipped its hand as to the planned official launch for its Adamo designer notebook. A Google AdSense ad for Ireland claims Dell will let users "discover the love story" on the 17th; the mention of a specific date contrasts against Dell's teaser campaign so far, which has never been given a public schedule. The link nonetheless points to the existing teaser page.
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03/09, 7:45am
Apple Touch Netbook Rumor
Apple is gearing up suppliers to build a touchscreen netbook that would ship in the summer of this year, according to Taiwan's Commercial Times. Following a confirmation by local display maker Wintek that it's developing touchscreens for new Apple products, the Times said that at least some of these panels are destined for a netbook that would ship sometime during the summer. A regular supplier of Apple, Quanta, would manufacture the netbook itself.
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03/06, 4:20pm
ASUS Fold to be Produced
ASUS will turn its conceptual Fold/Unfold notebook into a production system later this year, the company's chief Jerry Shen said today. First shown at CES and now at CeBIT, the prototype was originally thought to be just a technology demo but, after a Shen interview with TechRadar, is now known to be in formal development for a summer release window. Its actual specifications haven't yet been disclosed.
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03/03, 2:10pm
ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Shell
ASUS' centerpiece at the CeBIT expo today is a new addition to the Eee PC family. Nicknamed the Seashell for its blue-and-white colors, the design is much rounder and has a thinner, tapered design very similar to that of the MacBook Air, including for its side ports and sealed-in battery. The trade-off produces a 10-inch netbook which is an inch thick only at one point and is comparatively light at 2.4 pounds.
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02/26, 5:00pm
MacBook Air hinges faulty?
First-generation MacBook Airs may have a fundamental flaw in their hinge construction, accounts suggest. A number of Air owners claim that after several months of use, hinges can become unreasonably loose, sometimes enough for a lid to travel or close completely without any help. In extreme cases hinges may break entirely, rendering an Air useless as a portable device.
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02/24, 4:40pm
Apple: Macs $1399 or less
Currently the Apple store is offering six refurbished Mac models for $1,399 or less. Starting at $849 is the white MacBook with 2.1GHz processor, 1GB of memory and 120GB hard drive. Next up is the 1.6GHz MacBook Air with 2GB of memory and 80GB hard drive for $999. The unibody 2.0GHz MacBook with 2GB of memory and a 160GB hard drive is priced at $1,099. Another MBA configuration also falls into this category and has a 1.8GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 64GB solid-state drive for $1,299. A 20-inch iMac with 2.66GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 320GB hard drive is also priced at $1,299. Lastly is the 2.4GHz unibody MacBook with 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive for $1,399.
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02/10, 4:40pm
Apple refubs: MacBook Air
Currently Apple's online store is offering six refurbished Mac models for $1,399 or less. Three MacBook Airs with different configurations to chose from lead the list. The first of the three is only $999 and has a 1.6GHz processor with 2GB of memory and 80GB PATA hard drive. Next up is the 1.8GHz model with the same storage and memory options as the first, priced at $1,099.
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02/03, 5:50pm
Apple refurbs: $999 and up
Apple's online store is currently offering seven refurbished Mac models for $1500 or less. Starting at $999 is the 20-inch iMac with a 2.4GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. Also priced at $999 is the MacBook Air with 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 80GB hard drive. Another MBA is also available priced at $1,299 and has a 1.8GHz processor, 2GB of memory and a 64GB solid-state drive. One more 20-inch iMac is available with a 2.66GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 320GB hard drive for $1,299. A MacBook Pro with 2.4GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 200GB hard drive is available for $1,349. A unibody MacBook with 2.4GHz processor, 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive is priced at $1,399. Lastly is the 2.5GHz MacBook Pro with 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive for $1,499.
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01/26, 9:50am
Apple video adapter issues
Apple's recent Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter may be causing problems with 30-inch LCD displays, complaints on Apple's support forums suggest. The adapter is mainly intended to connect modern MacBooks, MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs, which are currently the only devices that support Mini DisplayPort. Users of the adapter are reporting a variety of errors however, ranging from graphics corruption to temporary blackouts.
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01/23, 5:00pm
25 years of Mac
January 24th will mark the 25th anniversary of the Macintosh, Apple's flagship product. The computer was the first commercially successful system to include a mouse and a graphical interface, and is widely seen as having made personal computers accessible to the general public, rather than just people with technical expertise. Apple would continue to expand the technology over the coming years, and adopt a number of different names, such as Performa, PowerBook, iMac and Mac Pro.
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01/23, 10:05am
Quanta MacBook Air Rival
Normally known only for manufacturing notebooks for others, Quanta is making a system of its own that would compete against Apple's MacBook Air in dimensions but aim at the low end, alleged tips from within the PC industry suggest to Digitimes. The system would measure between just 1-2cm (0.79-0.39in) thick but would be a step in quality above large netbooks like the MSI X-Slim 320, which uses an Intel Atom to keep its price down despite a 13.4-inch display.
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