General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in Mac News Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and
Apple TV news is covered in iOS News
Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products & Services
News & Opinion
Apple Previews iCloud
PR: On Monday, Apple introduced iCloud, a breakthrough set of
free new cloud services that work seamlessly with applications on your
iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC to automatically and wirelessly
store your content in iCloud and automatically and wirelessly push it
to all your devices. When anything changes on one of your devices, all
of your devices are wirelessly updated almost instantly.
Today it is a real hassle and
very frustrating to keep all your information and content up-to-date
across all your devices, said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. iCloud keeps
your important information and content up to date across all your
devices. All of this happens automatically and wirelessly, and because
its integrated into our apps you don't even need to think about it - it
all just works.
The free iCloud services include:
- The former MobileMe services: Contacts, Calendar and Mail - all
completely re-architected and rewritten to work seamlessly with iCloud.
Users can share calendars with friends and family, and the ad-free push
Mail account is hosted at me.com. Your inbox and mailboxes are kept
up-to-date across all your iOS devices and computers.
- The App Store and iBookstore now download purchased iOS apps and
books to all your devices, not just the device they were purchased on.
In addition, the App Store and iBookstore now let you see your purchase
history, and simply tapping the iCloud icon will download any apps and
books to any iOS device (up to 10 devices) at no additional cost.
- iCloud Backup automatically and securely backs up your iOS devices
to iCloud daily over WiFi when you charge your iPhone, iPad, or iPod
touch. Backed up content includes purchased music, apps and books,
Camera Roll (photos and videos), device settings and app data. If you
replace your iOS device, just enter your Apple ID and password during
setup and iCloud restores your new device.
- iCloud Storage seamlessly stores all documents created using iCloud
Storage APIs, and automatically pushes them to all your devices. When
you change a document on any device, iCloud automatically pushes the
changes to all your devices. Apple's Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps
already take advantage of iCloud Storage. Users get up to 5 GB of
free storage for their mail, documents and backup - which is more
amazing since the storage for music, apps and books purchased from
Apple, and the storage required by Photo Stream doesn't count towards
this 5 GB total. Users will be able to buy even more storage, with
details announced when iCloud ships this fall.
- iCloud's innovative Photo Stream service automatically uploads the
photos you take or import on any of your devices and wirelessly pushes
them to all your devices and computers. So you can use your iPhone to
take a dozen photos of your friends during the afternoon baseball game,
and they will be ready to share with the entire group on your iPad (or
even Apple TV) when you return home. Photo Stream is built into the
photo apps on all iOS devices, iPhoto on Macs, and saved to the
Pictures folder on a PC. To save space, the last 1,000 photos are
stored on each device so they can be viewed or moved to an album to
save forever. Macs and PCs will store all photos from the Photo Stream,
since they have more storage. iCloud will store each photo in the cloud
for 30 days, which is plenty of time to connect your devices to iCloud
and automatically download the latest photos from Photo Stream via
WiFi.
- iTunes in the Cloud lets you download your previously purchased
iTunes music to all your iOS devices at no additional cost, and new
music purchases can be downloaded automatically to all your devices. In
addition, music not purchased from iTunes can gain the same benefits by
using iTunes Match, a service that replaces your music with a 256 kbps
AAC DRM-free version if we can match it to the over 18 million songs in
the iTunes Store, it makes the matched music available in minutes
(instead of weeks to upload your entire music library), and uploads
only the small percentage of unmatched music. iTunes Match will be
available this fall for a $24.99 annual fee. Apple today is releasing a
free beta version of iTunes in the Cloud, without iTunes Match, for
iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users running iOS 4.3. iTunes in the Cloud
will support all iPhones that iOS 5 (see this week's iNews Review for more on
iOS 5) supports this fall.
Apple is ready to ramp iCloud in its three data centers, including
the third recently completed in Maiden, NC. Apple has invested over
$500 million in its Maiden data center to support the expected customer
demand for the free iCloud services.
The iCloud beta and Cloud Storage APIs are available immediately to
iOS and Mac Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. iCloud
will be available this fall concurrent with iOS 5. Users can sign up
for iCloud for free on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 5 or
a Mac running Mac OS X Lion (see this week's Mac News Review for more
on Lion) with a valid Apple ID. iCloud includes 5 GB of free cloud
storage for Mail, Document Storage and Backup. Purchased music, apps,
books and Photo Stream do not count against the storage limit. iTunes
Match will be available for $24.99 per year (US only).
iTunes in the Cloud is available today in the US and requires iTunes
10.3 and iOS 4.3.3. Automatic download of apps and books is available
today. Using iCloud with a PC requires Windows Vista or Windows 7;
Outlook 2010 or 2007 is recommended for accessing contacts and
calendars.
Link: iCloud
Apple Quietly Upgrading Optical Bay on 2011 MacBook
Pros to 6 Gbps SATA
9 to 5 Mac's Christian Zibreg says that when Apple rolled out the
new MacBook Pro family with Sandy Bridge chips and Thunderbolt I/O in
February, the company surprised and disappointed many by using a SATA3
interface for the hard drive but leaving the SuperDrive on SATA2.
However, he notes that appears to be changing with anecdotal reports
from multiple sources that Apple has quietly upgraded MBPs delivered
lately to 6 Gbps SATA3 connectivity in the optical bay, although
that doesn't mean the latest SATA3 SSDs will work in the optical bay
due to some compatibility problems with the SATA interface, resolution
of which will likely require an EFI update.
Link: Apple Secretly
Upping Optical Bay on 2011 MacBook Pros to SATA3 6Gb/s as a Production
Change
Products & Services
Sonnet SDXC UHS-I Pro Reader/Writer
ExpressCard/34
PR:
Not only fast, but perfectly sized, the SDXC UHS-I Pro Reader/Writer
ExpressCard/34 adapter inserts flush inside your computer's ExpressCard
slot so you can store it there when its not in use.
High Speed Alternative to Ordinary SD Media Readers
Sonnet's SDXC UHS-I Pro Reader/Writer ExpressCard/34 quickly
transfers files from SDXC and SDHC memory cards to your ExpressCard
slot-equipped MacBook Pro or Windows notebook computer on-location, in
the studio, or office. No ordinary card reader, this UHS-I speed
class-compliant adapter supports at full speed the fastest available
SDXC and SDHC memory cards, and future cards up to 104 MB/s.
Unlike common SD media readers, including those
built into computers, Sonnet's SDXC UHS-I Pro Reader/Writer
ExpressCard/34 uses the 2.5 Gbps PCI Express interface incorporated
into ExpressCard slots, so it delivers performance superior to built-in
readers, and adapters that use the ExpressCard slots slower USB 2.0
interface. Also unlike common SD media readers, Sonnet's SDXC UHS-I Pro
Reader/Writer ExpressCard/34 has the extra pins necessary to support
SDXC UHS-I and SDHC UHS-I memory cards at full speed - if you're a
photographer or videographer using equipment that relies on fast, high
capacity SDXC or SDHC cards, this Sonnet adapter will save you time and
accelerate your workflow.
Key Features
- Supports UHS-I SDXC and SDHC media at maximum speeds today, with
sustained data transfers up to 104 MB/sec as faster, next generation
cards become available
- Uses the ExpressCard slots PCI Express interface to deliver
performance superior to adapters that depend on the ExpressCard slots
USB 2.0 interface
- Fits completely inside the ExpressCard slot with no protrusion -
the adapter may be left in all the time
Mac Compatibility
- MacBook Pro (with ExpressCard slot)
- Mac OS X Version 10.5+
Windows Compatibility
- PC notebook (with ExpressCard slot)
- Windows 7
- Windows Vista
- Windows XP SP2
SDXC UHS-I Pro Reader/Writer ExpressCard/34 sells for $49.95.
Link: Sonnet SDXC
UHS-I Pro Reader/Writer ExpressCard/34
Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600 Features Large,
Retractable Multitouch Touchpad
PR: So you can browse comfortably right
from your lap, Logitech has unveiled the Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600,
featuring a large touchpad that makes it easier than ever to point,
scroll and swipe your way through the Web.
"We've seen people using everything from pillows to pets to shield
their laps from the heat their laptops generate," says Denis Pavillard,
vice president of product marketing for laptop accessories. "Our
lapdesks are much more effective and, with the addition of a multitouch
touchpad, you'll get the added capability to more easily move through
your favorite content without attaching additional peripherals."
The Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600 features a
5-inch, retractable touchpad with multitouch navigation. You can move
the pointer with one finger, scroll using two, and swipe through pages
or pictures with three.
The multilayer, heat-shielding design of the lapdesk protects you
from laptop heat so you can browse in cool comfort, and the anti-slip
surface helps keep your laptop in place. To get started, you just plug
the tiny Logitech Unifying receiver into the USB port and start
navigating. For your convenience, Logitech's newest lapdesk offers up
to six months of battery life.
The Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600 is expected to be available in the
US and Europe beginning in June, for a suggested retail price of
$69.99.
Link: Logitech Touch
Lapdesk N600 (preorder from Amazon.com
for $69.99 with free Super Saver shipping)
NewerTech AdaptaDrive Bracket for Installing 2.5"
SATA Drive in 3.5" SATA Drive Bay
PR: Newer Technology, Inc. (NewerTech) has announced the
NewerTech AdaptaDrive converter bracket for installing any capacity
size 2.5" SATA hard drive or Solid State Drive in a 3.5" SATA drive bay
equipped desktop Mac, PC or external enclosure.
Works With All 2.5" Drives, Including Latest SATA 6G 6Gb/s
SSDs
The
AdaptaDrive supports 1.5 Gb/s and 3.0 Gb/s drives, so existing notebook
hard drives can be utilized for extra storage; or a high performance 3G
SSD such as the Mercury Extreme Pro
can be added for an incredible system speed boost. Power users and
gamers seeking maximum drive speed can now easily add the latest high
performance 6G SSDs, like the Mercury
Extreme Pro 6G, and experience data transfer rates over 500 MB/s
from their SATA Revision 3.0 (6Gb/s) compatible home/office computer or
external drive.
Maintains Highest Performance While Offering Ultimate
Convenience
The NewerTech AdaptaDrive has been benchmark test proven to deliver
the same data transfer rates as is experienced when a drive is
connected directly to the SATA data bus. The AdaptaDrive doesn't create
a bottleneck or any performance throttling . . . it delivers
pure data pass-through performance and drive use convenience from any
2.5" SATA hard drive or SSD.
AdaptaDrive Features and Specifications:
- Compatible with any 2.5" SATA hard drive or Solid State drive
- Fits all 3.5" SATA drive bays, including backplane trays found in
the Mac Pro
- Fully SATA 3.0 Revision (6Gb/s) compatible
- Backward compatible with SATA 2.0 Revision (3 Gb/s) and 1.0
Revision (1.5 Gb/s) drives
- Open design allows for full air flow for proper drive cooling
- Material: Black painted aluminum
- Measurements: 5.77" L (146.7mm) x 3.98" W (101.2mm) x .35" H
(9mm)
- Weight: 3.5 ounces
- Warranty: Five years
- Includes all drive and drive bay mounting screws
"AdaptaDrive offers Mac and PC desktop and tower users a Plug and
Play method to experience the performance advantage SSDs offer," says
Grant Dahlke, Brand Manager, Newer Technology, Inc. "With industry
standard 3.5" drive screw mounting locations and all mounting hardware
included, adding a state of the art SSD like the OWC Mercury Extreme
Pro is a breeze."
The NewerTech AdaptaDrive is available immediately starting at
$24.99 MSRP from NewerTech's exclusive distributor, Other World
Computing (OWC), as well as through the retail channel.
Link: NewerTech
AdaptaDrive
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.
