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News & Opinion
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News & Opinion
Dell's 'MacBook Air Killer' Dies
The Loop's Jim Dalrymple reports that Dell's slow-selling Adamo
notebook, designed to compete with Apple's original (2008) MacBook Air is
being discontinued. Not even a price slash to $799 from the original
$2,000 worked to boost sales to a sustainable level.
One deduces that the spectacular popularity of the second generation
MacBook Air, launched last October to rave reviews, proved the final
nail in Adamo's coffin.
Link: Dell's
MacBook Air Killer Dies
New MacBook Pros Imminent?
Hardmac's Lionel reports that according sources, MacBook Pro (MBP)
stocks are running very low. Notwithstanding the Intel Sandy Bridge
controller chipset fiasco - since Apple only uses two SATA controllers
(one for the optical drive, one for the hard drive or SSD), and the
chipset flaw only affects support for four or more SATA arrays - Apple
should be unaffected for a MacBook Pro refresh.
Lionel says it remains unclear whether Apple will offer SSDs as
standard equipment, noting that according to the last scuttlebutt, the
next 13" MacBook Pro might only be powered by Intel's Sandy Bridge
chip's integrated graphics chipset, which is slower than the current
Nvidia GeForce 320M IGPU used with the Core 2 Duo CPUs in current 13"
MBP, speculating that in order to compensate for the integrated
graphics chipset performance downgrade, Apple might decide to go with
Core i5 as the minimum spec for all MacBook Pro models.
He also suggests that the SSD-based MacBook Air might get its first
refresh, switching from Core 2 Duo to low-voltage Core i3 + HD 3000
silicon, or perhaps even an AMD CPU, but expects USB 3.0 to remain off
the feature roster.
Link: New MacBook Pro
Around the Corner
Apple Quoting 4 to 6 Weeks on MacBook Pro
Replacements
AppleInsider's Neil Hughes reports that getting in front of an
anticipated refresh of Apple's MacBook Pro lineup, Apple has informed
told some customers needing replacement machines that they may need to
wait four to six weeks for new hardware due to limited supply.
Link: Apple Quotes 4-6
Weeks on MacBook Pro Replacements as Production Likely Winds
Down
Next Gen MacBook Pros Could Arrive on March 11
9 to 5 Mac's Mark Gurman says he's been informed that Best Buy
stores have recently placed in Dummy SKUs for an updated MacBook Pro
line, and according to Best Buy's inventory system, the new MacBook Pro
line will feature an $1,199 model, matching the base price for the
current 13" MacBook Pro, and the Best Buy inventory system showing a
March 11, 2011 release date for the upcoming MacBook Pro refresh.
Link: New MacBook Pros
Show Up in Best Buy Inventory with March 11 Launch Date
Should You Wait for Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros?
AppleGazette notes that pent-up demand for a MacBook Pro refresh is
building, especially following Intel's revelation last week of a
controller chipset flaw affecting its new Sandy Bridge CPU family
that's expected to be used in the next Pro models, so attempts to
answer the conundrum of whether those in the hunt for a new Apple
notebook should wait, or just buy a current model.
The imponderable is how much different the next revision machines
will be from the present offerings. Will it be in the same form factor
with Sandy Bridge silicon and perhaps some other tweaks, or a complete
redesign taking its cues from the 2010 MacBook Air?
Editor's note: My two cents? If you're not absolutely desperate to
get a laptop or upgrade your present system, wait. The Intel issue
should be rectified by the end of April, and I'll be surprised if the
new MacBook Pros are delayed beyond June. And if you can't wait, don't
feel too bad. The present-generation Pros are superb machines that can
serve your well for years to come. cm
Publisher's note: I strongly suspect that the next generation
MacBook Pros will use the same SSDs found in the 2010 MacBook Air,
which is responsible for a huge performance leap for anything
disk-related. An SSD boot drive plus room for a hard drive, perhaps
without an internal optical drive, would make sense. dk
Link: Should I Wait for
Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros? Yes and No
A True Test of SSD Durability
Hardmac's Lionel says that rather than believing what of SSD
manufacturers claim regarding the lifespan of their products, the folks
at Tom's Hardware.fr (link not provided) decided to test an old 128 GB
SSD by loading and then erasing its contents over and over nonstop
since the end of December. They report that with 250 TB of data
written, the SSD presents no symptoms of wear yet that would be
characterized by a reduction in its declared capacity.
Link: A True Test of the
Life of a SSD
Does the iPad Really Spell 'the End of the
Laptop?'
MacNews' Dennis Sellers notes that in a recent interview with "PaidContent", Rupert
Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corp., suggested that the iPad spells
end of the laptop - observing, "Here we have the man who invented the
personal computer, then the laptop. He's now destroying them. That is
an amazing life."
Sellers begs to differ with the formidable Mr. Murdoch on the latter
point (as does your editor), contending that iPads, laptops, and
desktops will all continue to coexist long into the future.
Link: Does the iPad
Really Spell 'the End of the Laptop?'
WD, Hitachi, and Toshiba Trounce Seagate in Mobile
Drive Shipments
The Register's Chris Mellor notes that hard drive specialist Seagate
has lost considerable market share to rival Toshiba on mobile hard
drive shipments, according to research metrics from Aaron Rakers of
Stifel Nicolaus. Data shows that in Q4 2010, Seagate shipped 11.8
million 2.5" mobile drives - down 14% year-over-year and down 12% on Q3
2010, continuing a pattern of decline. Seagate was roundly trounced by
Hitachi GST, which shipped 16.3 million 2.5" drives in the Q4 2010
quarter - a 13.2% improvement on its 2009 Q4 performance - and Western
Digital, which shipped 17.4 million mobile 2.5" drives in the same
period.
Toshiba's Q4 mobile hard drive shipments numbered 11.8 million, down
15% from 2009's fourth quarter, but up a whopping 25% over Q3 2010
shipments.
Better news for Seagate is that it still led in overall hard drive
shipments for the quarter, moving 52.2 million drives, up 5%
year-over-year, with WD second, Hitachi GST third, and Toshiba fourth,
even though it makes no 3.5" drives.
Link: Toshiba Trounces
Seagate on Mobile Drives
Products & Services
RunCore Combo USB 3.0/SSD ExpressCard/34
Many PC news sites are reporting that SSD maker RunCore
is primed to release its Pro IV USB 3.0 ExpressCard SSD, a
laptop-oriented combination USB 3.0 adapter card and 32 or 64 GB
SSD.
The data storage can reportedly be accessed at transfer rates of 110
MB/s read and 80 MB/s write, and the card also adds two USB 3.0 ports,
although throughput bandwidth is diminished when both "personalities"
of this card are in use simultaneously.
The device itself can reportedly be used as a standalone
external SSD by connecting the bundled USB 3.0 male-male cable to a
port on your non-ExpressCard/34 equipped system on any personal
computer with USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 ports, although the latter case would
bottleneck throughput somewhat (USB 3.0 has ten times as much
bandwidth).
I've been able to find no information on either pricing or
availability. Amazon.com
carries other RunCore products and will probably have this one when
it's available. No word on Mac compatibility.
A tip of the hat to French-English language Apple news site Hardmac
(via Tom's Hardware.fr) for bringing this one to our attention.
Link: Happy to Have a
Portable with an Express-card Slot
Link: RunCore Pro IV
Express Solid State Card
Innovative Swiftpoint Laptop Mouse Piling Up Award
Accolades
PR: New Zealand-based Swiftpoint's innovative Swiftpoint
mouse continues to receive critical acclaim. It received a Best of
What's New 2010 award from Popular Science magazine last fall as one of
"the 100 greatest creations of the year," an Editors Choice award from
Computer Shopper magazine. and last month a "Computer Peripherals
Innovations" award at the Consumer Electronics Show 2011 (CES) in Las
Vegas.
The
Swiftpoint mouse is a different kind of mouse. It provides all of the
functions of a traditional mouse, however, it operates on the area of
the laptop next to the touchpad, called the palmrest. This means laptop
users can use their laptop in any environment they choose and still
maintain the performance and accuracy a mouse gives. With the
Swiftpoint mouse laptop users will never have to rely on a touchpad
again.
The idea for the product came to Swiftpoint CEO Grant Odgers in 2002
when his frustrations with the touchpad on his laptop grew. He wanted
to be truly mobile with his laptop but could not do this with a
traditional mouse. He discovered that he was not alone in this
thinking, but in discussions with other laptop users, he realized there
was no other mouse alternative that would allow him to use his laptop
away from a table or desk without having to rely on a touchpad. Eight
years on and after multiple product iterations, user group input, and
product testing, Odgers believes the Swiftpoint mouse will greatly
improve people's laptop experiences whether for commuting, gaming, or
simply browsing on the couch. "The Swiftpoint mouse can be used in so
many environments and with a variety of applications from precision
design applications, gaming to general laptop use on planes, trains,
buses, or around the home," says Odgers. "We truly believe it will
change the way people use their laptops."
Odgers also believes the Swiftpoint mouse has the potential to
address ergonomic issues often associated with using small mice. The
Swiftpoint mouse has been designed to employ a pen-like grip, making it
feel natural and comfortable to use. Research has demonstrated that the
Swiftpoint mouse design is 30-40% more accurate than a touchpad. The
combination of portability, efficiency, and comfort is what Odgers and
his team believe make this mouse truly unique.
The Swiftpoint mouse gives you all the functions of a traditional
mouse but operates next to your laptop's touchpad. It works anywhere
your laptop works, so you never have to rely on a touchpad again.
The Swiftpoint mouse is small, wireless, and goes wherever you go.
You can use the Swiftpoint mouse on the palmrest or on a desk surface
just like a traditional mouse.
An unobtrusive USB dock provides wireless operation and also charges
the mouse. It docks the mouse, magnetically securing it directly to
your laptop, so when you move, you only carry one thing.
If the battery goes flat, a 30-second rapid charge gives you another
hour of use. Fully charged, the battery lasts for as long as 3
weeks.
The developers claim that research (linked from their site) shows
that the Swiftpoint mouse design is 30-40% more efficient than a
touchpad - so accurate it can be used for precision applications such
as graphic design and gaming. Advanced scrolling, paging, and zooming
functions help you navigate through documents quickly.
When it's time to type, you can park the mouse between your hands.
The Swiftpoint Mouse is small enough to stay out of the way - and close
at hand when you need it again. You can work at whatever angle you
choose, because when you park the mouse it will not slide off your
laptop.
The Swiftpoint mouse is ideal for use in small spaces Left- and
right-click buttons and a scroll wheel make the Swiftpoint mouse as
easy-to-use as a traditional mouse. Simply tilt the mouse and slide the
scroll wheel along the mousing surface to quickly scroll through
documents. You can also use SlideScroll to page through a document or
zoom in for a closer look.
The SmartTouch sensor ensures the mouse's pointer stops moving when
your finger is not detected on the finger grip. This optimizes power
consumption and ensures the mouse pointer only moves when you want it
to move.
Wherever you use the mouse, you can easily change the pointer's up
direction to suit where you're working.
No cables required, the USB dock acts as a wireless receiver for up
to 30 feet (10 meters) and charges a docked mouse. The dock secures the
mouse to your laptop, so when you move, you only carry one thing. The
mouse LED lets you know when it needs charging and when it's ready to
go again.
The mouse offers plug-and-play simplicity - No software to install,
and it gets you started quickly, on any platform.
A parking accessory comes with every Swiftpoint mouse. This thin
adhesive film has a parking area that secures the mouse in place whilst
typing. The parked mouse stays out of the way and is close at hand when
you need it. You can cut the thin film to suit the size of your laptop.
It is easy to apply and remove and won't leave a sticky residue on your
laptop. The magnet used to park the mouse will not cause any damage to
your laptop.
Supported operating systems:
- Mac OS X 10.4 or higher
- Windows 7
- Windows Vista
- Windows XP
- Windows 2000
30-Day Risk Free Trial
The Swiftpoint mouse is sold online through the company's website
and through Amazon, with plans to expand into further retail
outlets.
Street price about $70 (Canada $80)
Link: Swiftpoint Laptop Mouse ($69
with free ground shipping from Amazon.com)
Plextor Announces Its First Laptop Solid State
Drives
PR: Plextor has unveiled introduced its first generation
solid-state drive, using nonvolatile and flash memory as the storage
medium. Compared with conventional hard disk drives (HDDs), Solid State
Drives (SSDs) deliver faster speed in system bootup, application
launch, and file transfer, lower power consumption, longer battery
life, and greater reliability, with lower component fate failure and
higher durability with up to five times more resistant to shock and
vibration when compared with HDD's.
Equipped
with Plextor's proprietary wear leveling algorithm, the company's SSD's
can prevent degradation of drive performance and prolong product life.
Based on PC Mark SYSMark benchmark tests, Plextor SSD's were the only
brand SSDs that maintained the same level of performance regardless
whether the drives were "clean" or "dirty."
Leveraging Plextor's years of expertise in optical storage products,
the company expands its product category to the solid state drive. The
PX-128M1S 128 GB SSD is designed to bring top performance and
portability to your daily workflow. With Plextor's Wear Leveling
Technology and TRIM support, the PX-128M1S is able to maintain the
performance and reliability over an extended period of usage. PC Mark,
SYSMark, & HD Benchmark industry utility tests gave high scores to
Plextor SSDs, which have proven to prevent data degradation over time
when compared with other SSDs.
With TRIM
support, an operating system command set (not yet supported by OS X)
that instructs the SSD to recognize deleted blocks as available blocks,
PX-128M1S can maintain write performance "like new" over time. It also
supports SMART technology which analyzes data error ensuring the
accuracy of data every time you use the drives. The PX-128M1S also
includes the most powerful Acronis True Image software which provides
users a full set of advanced features for backup and recovery
needs.
The PX-128M1S is offered in a 2.5" laptop drive form factor that
delivers a digital storage capacity of 128 GB. A 64 GB PX-64M1S SSD is
also offered. Both have a SATA II interface for better performance and
versatility. The PX-128M1S also offers low power consumption, high
shock and vibration resistance among other benefits.
Featuring the Latest Technology:
- Wear leveling technology maintains SSD reliability over period of
usage
- S.M.A.R.T (Self Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) for
error analyzing and reporting
- Designed with a commercial grade controller IC for professional
use
- 128 MB onboard cache
- Ultra low power consumption
- Completed SATA compatibility test in Drive Master
Performance & Reliability
- Sustain up to 50,000 power on-off cycles
- MTBF 1.5M hours
- Top scores received in PCMark & SYSMark & HD Tune Benchmark
tests
- High shock and vibration resistance
Link: Plextor SSDs
Waterfield Designs Unveils 11.6" MacBook Air
Wallet
PR: Waterfield Designs, a San Francisco manufacturer of
custom laptop sleeves, bags and cases for digital gear, introduces the
MacBook Air 11.6" Wallet - a lightweight, sophisticated MacBook Air
travel case for the slim laptop, a mouse, the charger, the SuperDrive,
cables and other accessories. Fully packed, the case maintains its
light and compact feel and can fit into an Airline seatback pocket.
"Most MacBook Air owners take their Air on the road - that's why the
slim size and light weight are so critical," explains owner Gary
Waterfield. "The MacBook Air Wallet allows frequent flyers and road
warriors to take their MacBook Air 11.6", a mouse, adapters, cables,
SuperDrive, Power, etc. - all safely stowed in a light, narrow case
that's easy to pack. Slide it upright under the airline seat and
there's still plenty of room left over to stretch your legs."
More than a case, yet smaller than a bag, the MacBook Air
Wallet celebrates the ultra-portability of the MacBook Air. Users tuck
it the case under the arm, in another bag or - with the optional
shoulder strap - carry it as a stand-alone bag. Scratch-free pockets,
foam padding, and impact-resistant plastic inserts protect the MacBook
Air, and soft, scratch-free internal pockets plus a stretchy outside
back pocket hold other individual items. Available in a choice of six
panel colors, each MacBook Air Wallet is flanked by eco-friendly,
distressed leather trim. YKK self-locking zippers seal the deal for
this rugged case.
The versatile MacBook Air Wallet is the third and newest of
Waterfield Designs' MacBook cases, joining the SleeveCase and the Suede
Jacket Sleeve; the Muzetto, a bespoke, leather, MacBook Air
messenger-style bag adds a classic option for carrying the latter two.
Waterfield also offers the iPad Wallet to tote the iPad and Apple
Wireless Keyboard.
Colors: Black, Copper, Pine, Green, Flame and Pearl - each
with brown distressed leather trim.- Dimensions: 13 x 9 x 2 inches
Available for the 11.6" MacBook Air.
MacBook Air Wallet sells for $89
Optional add-ons - D-rings: $5, Simple Shoulder Strap: $9.
Suspension Shoulder Strap: $19. Dimensions: 13 x 9 x 2 inches.
Shipping begins end-of-February 2011.
Link: MacBook Air
Wallet
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