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News & Opinion
Reviews
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Apple Aces Laptop Mag's Tech Support Showdown
Again
Laptop magazine says your notebook is only as good as the help you
receive when something goes wrong. That's a pretty broad and open-ended
statement, but it's true that most consumer product after-sales tech
support is painful - getting stuck in voicemail purgatory, being passed
from one representative to another and having to repeat your tale of
woe over and over again, and it's usually a time-burner.
Again this year, Laptop vetted out a dozen big-name notebook makers
to determining a trend to getting pitched a lot of pricey support
packages instead.
The best news for Apple fans is that, as is frequently the case in
service and user-satisfaction surveys like this, Apple was the class of
the field, scoring a full-mark "A" in every evaluation category - the
only vendor to do so - and reprising its showing in the 2008 and 2009
editions of the survey.
"At this point Apple's dominance in the tech support arena is
getting a little boring, but that's good news for MacBook and MacBook
Pro owners," Laptop's editors observe. "Whether you're looking to make
the switch or upgrade to a new machine, no other company comes close to
Apple's combination of web-based help, friendly phone service, and
in-store support options."
They do note that Apple only offers a skimpy 90 days of free phone
support, but prise the company's support site facility that allows
users to easily check coverage and warranty status based on the
product's serial number, and the availability of Apple Care ($349 for a
MacBook Pro), which extends full tech support and warranty coverage to
three years, and the eager and friendly phone support agents they
encountered.
Link: Tech Support
Showdown 2010
MacBooks Dominate Best Buy's 'Elite Laptop'
Category
Cnet's Brooke Crothers notes that Apple's MacBooks, more than any
other portable computer brand, dominate the Best Buy priciest laptops
rankings ($1,699 and up), underscoring Apple's cachet as purveyor of
elite computers.
Link: Apple Rules Elite
Laptop List at Best Buy
Tablet PC vs. iPad on the Road
Blogger Stephen Shantz says:
"A few weeks ago, I traveled to Singapore with my good friend
Maurilio Amorim to attend a conference looking at TWR's global ministry
in Asia. I traveled with my trusty Dell XT2, 64 bit Windows 7 tablet
Notebook. Maurilio was sporting his new Apple
3G iPad....
"This second leg of the trip however is a 15 hour flight. My XT2
battery is going dead after 2.5 hours of activity and I have to shut
down and read a magazine. Okay, I could carry a second battery, but I
like to travel without checking luggage, so everything I am bringing
for 7 days in Asia is with me in the cabin. I could also purchase a
smaller laptop with longer battery life, but I like having a tablet for
reasons I have blogged about earlier. Maurilio however lands in Hong
Kong and posts the blog he's been working on during the flight. His
battery power indicator shows 85% remaining. He won't even need to
charge the iPad for the 3.5 hour flight down to Singapore
. . . Which tool would you prefer to travel with?"
Link: Tablet PC vs.
iPad on the Road
Apple's Primary MacBook Subcontractor Breaks
Shipment Record in June
IDG News Service's Dan Nystedt reports that longtime (since 2008)
Apple subcontractor Quanta Computer of Taiwan, which is the world's
largest contract laptop computer maker, set record highs for shipments
and revenue in the month of June.
Quanta also builds Sony, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard laptops, and
shipped 4.8 million assorted machines in June, breaking its previous
record for a single month set in April, when Quanta shipped 4.5 million
notebooks.
Link: World's Biggest
Laptop Maker Breaks Shipment Record in June
Laptops Will Survive in a Tablet World
Creative Mac's Michael Blumreich argues that while tablet computers
have been getting most of the proverbial ink lately, thanks mainly to
the iPad, the reality is that laptops remain the workhorses of the
portable computing world, and he predicts them to most likely weather
the tablet storm.
Link: Why Laptops Will
Survive in a Tablet World
Apple Sues 3 Companies for 'Knockoff' MagSafe
Adapters
The Register's Cade Metz reports:
"Apple has sued three more outfits for allegedly infringing a
Jobsian patent by selling knock-off power adapters for MacBooks and
MacBook Pros."
Link: Apple
Sues Three More Over Power Adapter 'Knock-offs'
Reviews
Mid 2010 MacBook: White Mischief?
The Register's Alistair Dabbs says, "This non-pro notebook is cute
but coy and comes with almost everything a consumer will need."
Dabbs notes that while Apple says the MacBook's non-swappable
built-in battery will last ten hours on a full charge in normal use, in
Reg Hardware's real-world testing it managed barely more than half that
- typically lasting five-and-a-half hours on a full charge, consuming
an average of 23W, rising to 30W while charging the battery.
However, Dabbs couldn't resist the MacBook's charm, observing that
"You can sniff at the benchmark results, frown at the 250 GB hard drive
and rub your chin at the 2 GB RAM, but none of this tells you what
it's really like to play with an Apple MacBook. It is a terrific
notebook computer that is great to use for pleasure and everyday work,
and looks lovely being slid in and out of a student's shoulder bag
. . . It's expensive, but I don't care: if you want cheap, go
buy a tombstone. What I do care about, however, is the limited range of
I/O ports. Please, sir, I want some more."
Editor's note: We concur - see We Need More than 2 USB
Ports in MacBooks. Of course, the MacBook Air is even more
challenged with just one USB port. dk
Link: Apple MacBook
mid-2010
Products & Services
Toshiba's Canvio for Mac Portable Hard Drives
PR: Toshiba's Canvio for Mac is now available In 1 TB, 750
GB, and 500 GB capacities.
With consumers constantly amassing more digital
valuables - from photos, videos, and favorite music to important
personal documents - Toshiba offers Mac users the compact, easy-to-use
Canvio for Mac portable hard drive lineup, providing Mac owners 500
gigabytes (GB), 750 GB, or one terabyte (TB) of storage space, with
preloaded Mac-customized backup software.
According to a February 2010 survey conducted by Impulse Research,
70% of Americans have lost some type of data on their computers.
Unfortunately, the majority of consumers surveyed (89%) are aware of
the importance of regularly backing up their computers to avoid losses
but less than half (43%) regularly do so, leaving many computer users
vulnerable to data loss that could include digital photos and movies,
important financial records, or professional documents.
Recognizing that many users do not back up their data because they
believe it's a complicated process, the Canvio for Mac line makes data
backup simple for everyone, from novice users to the most tech-savvy
consumers. The included NTI Shadow 5 for Mac software allows for fully
customized backup and synchronization, including the backup of specific
folders, certain file types, or even a complete system backup and
recovery of everything that is saved on the Mac. Selected folders on
the Canvio for Mac and the Mac computer can be merged and synchronized,
while the frequency of backups can be adjusted to different periods
(from weekly to continuously) for greater convenience. Complete
password-protection with up to 256-bit data encryption prevents
unauthorized access to data and a special Drive Space Alert monitor
sends an onscreen update when storage space is running low.
For advanced users, there's the ability to
customize your backup routine. Options include the ability to select
only the most common file types, change how often your backup takes
place and change the threshold settings on the Drive Space Alert.
The Canvio for Mac's plug-and-play usability and full customization
are matched by its small size and elegant, simple styling. Available in
either Radiant Silver with silver accents or Infinite White with glossy
white-gray accents on the top cover, both feature an anti-slip design
and anti-slip side, making the Canvio for Mac an excellent companion to
the full line of Mac computers. On the inside, an Internal Shock Sensor
and Ramp Loading Technology keep data safe during day-to-day movement
from a desk, pocket, bag, or beyond. Despite being smaller than a
postcard and boasting a featherweight (six ounce) frame, the Canvio for
Mac in 1 TB form can hold up to 285,000 digital photos, 263,000 digital
music files, or 820 digital movies.
"Toshiba develops personal storage devices that combine the latest,
high quality designs with topnotch performance and an intuitive, easy
to use interface," says Manuel Camarena, product manager for consumer
storage at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "Our Canvio for Mac
products give Mac users a safe, convenient, and truly portable solution
for backing up their digital entertainment, documents, and other
content instantly."
Features:
- Compact and anti-slip design for easy portability
- USB-powered for easy plug-and-play operation
- Internal shock sensor and ramp loading technology help protect your
drive and data
- Continuous backup of your home folder
- Keeps a copy of everything saved on your computer
- Merges and synchronizes selected folders
- Secures your backup with a password (Data Encryption, up to
256-bit)
- Alerts you when running low on backup capacity
- Protects your drive (Internal Shock Sensor & Ramp Loading
Technology)
- Three-year limited warranty provides you peace of mind
The Canvio product line is available now at toshibadirect.com or
through major retailers and online outlets.
Suggested retail prices by capacities are:
- $119.99 for the 500 GB Canvio for Mac
- $139.99 for the 750 GB Canvio for Mac
- $189.99 for the 1 TB Canvio for Mac
Instant Savings from Toshiba Store:
- List Price (1 TB): $189.99
Current Instant Savings: -$50.00
Total Price: $139.99
- List Price: (750 GB ) $139.99
Current Instant Savings: -$20.00
Total Price: $119.99
- List Price (500 GB): $119.99
Current Instant Savings: -$20.00
Total Price: $99.99
Link:
Canvio for Mac
LaCie XtremKey Adventurous USB Flash Drive
PR: LaCie has announced the LaCie XtremKey offering
industrial-strength protection for your data. With capacities up to 64
GB and an impenetrable shell, the XtremKey is pitched as a truly rugged
USB key that stands up to the elements.
LaCie, originator of the flat, award-winning key-shaped USB flash
drives, shields the XtremKey's premium flash memory modules inside a
2mm metal pipe casing. Sealed with wear-resistant screw threads and a
rubber O-ring, it is watertight up to 100 meters. The LaCie XtremKey is
also resistant to 5-meter drops, fierce heat and bitter cold - it is
claimed to hold up in any environment, no matter where you take it
(+200°C / -50°).
XtremKey is constructed with zamac, a metal alloy so strong it
can withstand the pressure of a 10-ton truck. Zamak, also known as
Zamac, is a family of
alloys with a base metal of zinc and alloying elements of aluminium,
magnesium, and copper. Zamak alloys are part of the zinc aluminium
alloy family; they are distinguished from the other ZA alloys because
of their constant 4% aluminium composition. The New Jersey Zinc Company
developed zamak alloys in 1929, and it is sometimes referred to as pot
metal or white metal. Less than three inches tall, this flash memory
drive puts strength, security, and storage right on your key ring.
"The XtremKey offers extreme durability and capacity in a
convenient, well-protected and fun form factor," says Alexis Kobassian,
Product Manager, LaCie. "Despite the robust, industrial-strength
protection we've added, it's still a LaCie key that brings ease-of-use
and reliability to customers looking to keep their data secure while on
the go."
Equipped with the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface, XtremKey offers
instant compatibility, outstanding transfer speeds and cross-platform
convenience to all PC and Mac users. With writing speeds up to 30 Mb/s
and reading up to 40 Mb/s, you don't have to sacrifice performance for
protection.
Designed by Constance Guisset exclusively for LaCie, XtremKey works
to keep your data protected. The key, when placed on a desktop, even
shows some playful personality with a perfectly balanced wobble
effect.
The LaCie XtremKey comes in capacities from 8 GB to 64 GB and
will be available in August through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie
Corner, and LaCie Reseller+ starting at $49.99.
Link: LaCie
XtremKey
Bargain 'Books
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air, 13" MacBook Pro, 15" MacBook Pro, 17" MacBook Pro, 12" PowerBook G4, 15" PowerBook G4, 17" PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,
iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,
iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
