May 15 - 4:40pm EDT
Sprint will soon sell a Novatel 3G modem that properly supports the MacBook Air's USB opening, if a spec sheet for the device obtained by Phone Arena proves accurate. The US carrier is reportedly set to launch the as-yet unannounced Novatel U680, an extra-thin USB modem which is explicitly compatible with the Air's slot. Novatel's device would support Sprint's faster EVDO Revision A network and is labeled in the leak as a "zero install" adapter that automatically loads drivers for most operating systems. Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows would all be served by the device. [full story]
May 15 - 4:30pm EDT
Marware on Thursday unveiled the C.E.O. Envi, a new high-fashion leather sleeve case for the MacBook Air that protects the ultraportable with a soft interior lining. The sleeve fastens itself shut with a magnetic latch, and wraps the Air in high-quality black leather. The Envi can fit into an existing laptop bag or case, doubling the protection that the sleeve would offer. Marware is currently shipping the C.E.O. Envi, with a price of $90, and is available from the company's website or select retailers. [full story]
May 13 - 11:50am EDT
QuickerTek has introduced an extended battery upgrade for Apple's MacBook Air, which it says offes six to ten hours of additional battery power -- for a total of 12-16 hours of battery life when used in conjunction with the (charged) internal battery. "Since the MacBook Air has a non-removeable battery, the typical user strategy of using multiple batteries is not possible. QuickerTek had already developed battery charging technology for MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops, but those solutions did not charge AND power the computer at the same time. QuickerTek's MacBook Air External Battery powers and charges the internal battery while in use." [full story]
May 2 - 5:55pm EDT
Lenovo is taking a jab at Apple's MacBook Air with a commercial for the company's new ThinkPad X300 ultraportable. The ad, posted on YouTube, shows the MacBook Air sliding out of its infamous document envelope, while the anonymous hands fumble with connecting a USB hub, several accessories – including the USB Superdrive – before cramming the computer and previously mentioned accessories back into the envelope, tearing it. [full story]
May 2 - 4:15pm EDT
Accessory maker Contour Design has released a new version of its notebook sleeve, the rE-versible. The new edition is specifically tailored to fit Apple's MacBook and MacBook Air, and takes its name from an alternate appearance option; while a checkered pattern faces outward by default, the case can be flipped inside-out to reveal a solid version of the same basic color scheme. Either side uses polychloroprene to protect against scratches and impacts. [full story]
April 30 - 12:10pm EDT
People contemplating SSD versions of computers like the MacBook Air -- which costs approximately $1,300 more than the HDD edition -- may not find the performance difference worthwhile, writes Computerworld. The magazine has conducted a test of 32GB SSDs by Crucial and Ridata, in comparison to two 7200rpm hard drives by Seagate. All four drives used cloned copies of Vista Home Premium, and were benchmarked by software called HD Tach. [full story]
April 29 - 7:50pm EDT
One MacBook Air owner, Jordan Bunnell, has disassembled his prized ultraportable in order to install a stripped-down Verizon USB727 Aircard for dongle-less EVDO connectivity. Bunnell replaced the internal Airport card, located underneath the left-hand palm rest area, with the components inside the 727. To complete the operation, he also had to file away three screw mounts for the card to fit, as well as removing the USB connector to solder leads to the computer's USB port. [full story]
April 29 - 11:35am EDT
Lenovo today held its last IdeaPad unveiling for the US this season with the formal launch of the IdeaPad U110. The final version of the PC announced in January is now billed as a crossover ultraportable designed equally for fashionable users as well as serious travelers. Externally, the 11-inch system has a textured metal shell that recalls Lenovo's "Cloud of Promise" Olympic theme and is one of Lenovo's most compact systems yet, weighing under 2.5 pounds and measuring between 0.7 and 0.9 inches thick. [full story]
April 25 - 8:00pm EDT
iSkin today announced its ProTouch silicone keyboard covers are now using Microban antimicrobial protection, which helps to inhibit odor and stains from surfacing on the products from sweat and dust. The Protouch line of protectors for the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air, as well as for the aluminum and older model Apple keyboards all contain the protective substance. ProTouch skins are available ranging from $25 to $35, depending on the model. [full story]
April 24 - 2:05pm EDT
VMWare Fusion 1.1.2 has been released, adding enhanced support for the MacBook Air. The new release also enables Time Machine backup of virtual machines, adds support for Windows XP SP3 Boot Camp partitions, and is now available in Simplified Chinese. In addition, VMWare can now properly disconnect USB devices connected to the virtual machine when shut down, making the USB devices available again to the Mac. It also addresses problem with wireless bridged networking in some cases not being able to obtain an IP address from the DHCP server.
[full story]April 24 - 12:10pm EDT
The performance of Mac sales in Apple's second quarter was the best the company has seen in years, write analysts with Piper Jaffray. The research firm notes that with a year-over-year unit growth of 51 percent, and an accompanying revenue growth of 54 percent, Macs did better in the last quarter relative to any other period in the last 17 years. Growth estimates for the second half of CY08 are expected to decline to 12 percent year-over-year, but this should not be a major problem; Mac growth is continuing to accelerate as a whole, even though it has already been strong for several quarters. [full story]
April 23 - 3:30pm EDT
nova media has launched the GlobeSurfer ICON HSUPA, a USB cellular modem for notebooks. As its name implies, the modem is compatible with both HSUPA and HSDPA networks; it has a maximum download speed of 7.2Mbps, and can upload at 1.4Mbps. It also supports generic 3G UMTS networks, and can fall back to EDGE or GPRS as necessary, which caps speeds at 200Kbps down and 80Kbps up. [full story]
April 18 - 3:50pm EDT
Orbino has released a new notebook case for the MacBook Air, the Arista. The case is said to be made of handcrafted Italian leather, and tailored specifically to the dimensions of the Air. Padding helps protect against shocks and impacts, and an accessories pocket can be used to hold various items, among them cellphones such as the iPhone. A shoulder harness lets users replace a standard satchel case. [full story]
April 18 - 3:25pm EDT
The MacBook Air, with its use of an LED-lit display, is supposedly spurring adoption of the technology all throughout the industry, due to its energy conservation and even lighting. According to Macworld, Apple's slender ultraportable – due to its aesthetic appeal – is spurring an almost exponential rise in LED use in devices ranging from laptops and desktop LCD monitors, to LCD televisions. [full story]
April 11 - 11:30am EDT
Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 is just the first wave of a new line of ultra-thin notebooks at the company, says an apparent leak from Gizmodo. Timed to coincide with the launch of Intel's low-power Centrino 2 platform and processors in September, the line will scale down to a 12-inch X200 but will also move upwards to a 14-inch X400 and even a 15.4-inch X500, supplying a similar case thickness but at the user's choice of screen size. [full story]
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