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News & Opinion
Thin MacBook Air Ideal for Most, but MacBook Pro
Still Vital
BeatWeek's Bill Palmer says that "Halfway to half has been the story
of the MacBook Air," as it
has gradually progressed toward becoming a suitable everyday laptop for
typical consumers even though it's about half the thickness and half
the weight of its MacBook Pro cousin.
Palmer is of a mind that significantly more than half the population
will do well with the 13"
MacBook Air, which maxes out at 4 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage -
not generous, but probably enough for what most people do on a laptop
most of the time.
That said, Palmer allows that the MacBook Pro has wings. But those
wings must sprout with the next model, since notwithstanding its
aluminum unibody design and the massively larger permanent battery, the
MacBook Pro is still largely the same product it was back when it was
first introduced as Apple's first Intel-based laptop more than five
years ago.
Link: Halfway Thin:
MacBook Air Ideal for Most, MacBook Pro Still Vital
MacBook Chassis Maker to Operate at Full Capacity
Until End of 2011
DigiTimes' Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report that notebook chassis
maker Catcher projects that it will be running at full capacity at
least through to year-end 2011 due to strong demand for the
magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis it builds for notebook manufacturers,
and indeed the company is planning boost its capacity by 20% in the
second half of the year, thanks largely to the success of Apple's
MacBook Air boosting demand for the metal enclosures, which the company
had anticipated would contribute more than 50% of its revenues in 2011
- but with demand growing in the second half of 2011, the revised
estimate is now 55-60% with Catcher's notebook business up 30% on year.
Sources at Catcher told DigiTimes that while the penetration rate of
metal chassis in the notebook industry has typically been around
30-40%, with the MacBook Air boosting demand for metal chassis and
Intel aggressively pushing its Ultrabook concept, the penetration rate
could surpass 40% in 2012.
Link: MacBook Chassis
Maker Catcher to Operate at Full Capacity Till Year-end 2011
(subscription required)
Apple's Unibody Advantage
The Small Wave blog says that while it's clear Apple's competitors
are having a difficult time matching the iPad's price, they're also
having trouble matching prices on new laptops, and that as with
the iPad, one reason for this is
Apple's favorable OEM pricing on components such as flash memory,
thanks to the power of volume, but suggests that the unibody production
method Apple implemented in late 2008 is being underrated.
The process takes a block of aluminum and utilizes CNC (computer
numerically controlled) machining to create a structural part that
comprises the bulk of the device, thereby reducing the number of parts
in a MacBook Pro by 50%, and while the upfront development and tooling
costs were enormous, it's paying dividends now - not just the reduction
in parts, but also corresponding reductions in supplier deals,
manufacturing costs, failures and rejects, plus the enhanced quality
that comes with a single, solid part.
DigiTimes' Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai recently reported (above) that notebook chassis maker Catcher projects that it
will be running at full capacity at least through the end of 2011 due
to strong demand for the magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis it builds for
notebook manufacturers, and Catcher is planning to boost its capacity
by 20% in the second half of the year.
Link: Apple's Unibody
Advantage
PC Makers Can't Catch Up to MacBook Air
PCWorld's Jason Cross says the PC world is buzzing lately about how
laptop manufacturers are struggling to compete with Apple's MacBook
Air, which has exploded in popularity since the introduction of the
third-gen model in October 2010, and with this years fourth-gen update
is proving to be the must-have laptop of the year.
Cross notes that for every laptop manufacturer not named Apple, the
race is on to make new super-thin and super-light laptops, a class that
Intel calls Ultrabooks, but that previous efforts to market this class
of laptop, such as Sony's razor-thin, sub-two-pound X505 in 2003 and
Dell's Adamo and even thinner Adamo XPS in 2009 failed in the
marketplace, while Apple hit the sweet spot with the revised MacBook
Air last fall and has gone from strength to strength.
Cross thinks the problem for Apple's competitors in creating
"must-have" products is philosophical and conceptual, noting that they
tend to proceed conservatively with product planning and development
predicated on market research - what customers tell them they want -
while Apple routinely ranges outside the envelope to create products
that people didn't know they wanted, but find that they don't want to
live without once they see them.
Link: PC Makers Can't
Catch Up to MacBook Air
Asus UX31 Ultrabook vs. MacBook Air
PC Authority's William Maher says the new Asus UX31 Ultrabook isn't
just an aluminum laptop running Windows - it's good news if you've been
torn between a MacBook and the sometimes awful styling of everything
else, since the UX31 is one of the most MacBook-like laptops he's seen
- very thin, with sleek, bare metal, straight lines and an aluminum
chassis, chiclet keyboard, and clean, minimalist look.
However, Maher says that comparing the Ultrabook to a MacBook on
looks alone misses the point, since there are many reasons other than
aesthetics to choose a Mac or another brand of laptop - the operating
system being one. But if you don't want a MacBook and you've found
other machines too ugly, the Ultrabook might be what you're looking
for.
Link: Windows Ultrabook
Laptop v MacBook Decision
Intel Capital Creates $300 Million Ultrabook
Fund
PR: Intel Capital spokesman Patrick Darling says Intel has
launched a $300 million Ultrabook Fund to help drive innovation in this
new category of devices. As announced at Computex earlier this year,
Ultrabook systems* will marry the performance and capabilities of
today's laptops with tablet-like features, and are designed to deliver
a highly responsive and secure experience in a thin, light and elegant
design at mainstream prices.
To help realize that vision, the Intel Capital Ultrabook Fund aims
to invest in companies building hardware and software technologies
focused on enhancing how people interact with Ultrabooks, achieving
all-day usage through longer battery life, enabling innovative physical
designs, and improved storage capacity. The overall goal of the fund,
which will be invested over the next 3-4 years, is to create a cycle of
innovation and system capabilities for this new and growing category of
mobile devices.
"Ultrabook devices are poised to be an important area for innovation
in the $261 billion global computer industry," says Arvind Sodhani,
president of Intel Capital and Intel executive vice president. "The
Intel Capital Ultrabook fund will focus on investing in companies
building technologies that will help revolutionize the computing
experience and morph today's mobile computers into the next must have
device."
"Celebrating 30 years of innovation, the PC is the ultimate
Darwinian device, and Intel is striving to again reinvent mobile
computing," says Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of
Intel's PC Client Group. In 2003, the combination of Intel's Centrino
technology with built-in WiFi, paired with Intel Capital's $300 million
in venture investments and other industry enabling efforts, ushered in
the shift from desktop PCs to anytime, anywhere mobile computing. Our
announcement today is about Intel mobilizing significant investments to
achieve the next historic shift in computing."
There are three key phases in Intel's strategy to accelerate its
vision for this new category, Darling notes. The company's efforts
begin to unfold this year with Intel's latest 2nd Generation Intel Core
processors. This family of products will enable thin, light, and
beautiful designs that are less than 21mm (0.8") thick, and at
mainstream prices. Systems based on these chips will be available for
the 2011 winter holiday shopping season.
To ship Ultrabook devices this year required significant
collaboration amongst the entire computing industry. Intel has worked
very closely with its customers to ensure that Ultrabook devices
deliver compelling and unique value to consumers. Many OEMs have been
collaborating on this effort from the very beginning.
"Ultrabook takes the best technologies and marries them with sleeker
designs and extraordinarily long battery life for a new kind of
computing experience, says Peter Hortensius, Lenovo's Product Group
president. "This new type of personal computing aligns with our
continual focus on engineering innovative laptop solutions that push
the boundaries on mobility."
The second phase of Intel's vision happens around the
next-generation Intel processor family code named Ivy Bridge, which is
scheduled for availability in systems in the first half of 2012.
Laptops based on Ivy Bridge will bring improved power efficiency, smart
visual performance, increased responsiveness and enhanced security.
Intel's planned 2013 products, code named Haswell, are the third
step in the Ultrabook device progression and expected to reduce power
consumption to half of the thermal design point for today's
microprocessors.
Darling notes that through dedicated and consistent investments in
startups and companies at the cutting edge of technology innovation
worldwide, and by employing Intel's core assets of architecture,
engineering and manufacturing leadership along with capital investment,
Intel Capital has helped to create the technology ecosystems which
underlie many of the most widespread applications of technology
today.
* By
definition, an Ultrabook is no more than 0.8" (21mm) thick, uses an
Intel CPU, has five hour battery life, sells for under $1,000, although
manufacturers are complaining that Intel's chip prices currently put
this price tag just out of reach - except for Apple. It's $999 11" MacBook Air meets all of
these requirements, although it is short on RAM and drive space.
dk
Link: Intel Capital
Creates $300 Million Ultrabook Fund
Stakes High for Intel in Success of Ultrabook
Strategy
Writing in Forbes, Endpoint Technologies Associates, Inc.'s Roger
Kay notes that last week Intel accelerated promotion of what it's
touting as a new category of computer, the Ultrabook, whose specs and
characteristics are quite precise in some cases and generously vague in
others but stipulate that Ultrabooks must be less than 21mm (0.83")
thick, use low-voltage Core processors, cost less than $1,000, sustain
at least five hours of battery life, and employ Intel's Rapid Start
technology, which allows nearly instant power-on by means of embedded
flash memory.
Not required, but recommended, are solid state drives (SSDs), and
touch technology will likely be incorporated in later Ultrabook
versions. Thunderbolt I/O interface technology, which is 22 times as
fast as USB 2.0 and already shipping in Apple's 2011 notebooks and
desktops, may also become part of the Ultrabook package in the future,
the first iteration of which will be based on 32nm Sandy Bridge
processors with systems based on these chips reaching markets in time
for the holidays according to an Intel announcement last week
(above).
In his article, Kay reviews the history of subnotebook PC computers
and observes that there's an enormous amount at stake for Intel in
promoting mindshare for x86 architecture in the high mobility space,
noting that Apple, which has already effectively colonized the category
with its MacBook Air, and could easily switch it's subnotebooks over to
its own in-house developed ARM-based processor silicon "at any
moment."
Publisher's note: It could be argued that Apple invented the
ultrasmall, ultralight category with the 1.4" thick, 10.9" wide, 8.5"
deep, 4.2 lb. PowerBook Duo in 1992,
which was smaller and lighter than Apple's previous smallest notebook,
the PowerBook 100 (1.8" x 11.0" x
8.5" and 5.1 lb.), because it eliminated all the usual ports. The Duo
was completely dependent on a dock for network connectivity, attaching
an external drive (floppy, hard, or optical), connecting a mouse or
keyboard, etc. Today's ultrabooks are far less limited in that respect.
dk
Link: Ultrabook: Is
It a New Category?
Graphics Issues Plague 2010 MacBook Pros Running OS
X 10.7 Lion
MacFixIt's Topher Kessler says that while OS X 10.7 Lion seems to
run well on many systems, there are several prominent issues affecting
some Mac users running Lion that seem to revolve around the management
or processing of graphics.
Most prominently affected, he says, are MacBook Pro systems
(specifically the 2010 models), where it seems a bug results in kernel
panics when performing specific video-processing tasks, be it the
movement of a window or the editing and management of a graphics file,
and that in addition to freezes and crashes, these systems also appear
to be suffering from a black-screen bug that, while present for some
users before upgrading to Lion, has definitely increased in prevalence
after users have upgraded their systems, and noting that for now the
only real workaround is downgrading to Snow Leopard and waiting for
Apple to address the problems.
Link: Graphics Issues
Plaguing OS X 10.7 Lion Upgrades
2011 MacBook Air Graphics Bug Not Fixed in OS X
10.7.1
T-GAAP's Karl Johnson notes that the new MacBook Airs are fast and
light, but they currently come with a few software bugs - mostly minor
annoyances that should be solved in the next update to Lion, but there
is one bug that needs more than just an operating system update, a
problem with brush icons that don't display correctly in graphics
applications like Photoshop, Aperture, and Pixelmator. At certain
sizes, the cursor will display the incorrect size of brush, and it will
be offset from the actual location. Changing the cursor to non-brush
shapes will still result in incorrect placement of the cursor position,
and Apple's updated Mac OS 10.7.1 does not correct the problem.
Link: MacBook Air
Graphics Bug Not Fixed in OS X 10.7.1
2.3 GHz Quad-Core i7 CPU in MacBook Pro Runs So
Hot It Could Boil Water
Yahoo! News' Christopher Null observes that when you buy a Mac, you
know you're getting the state of the art when it comes to components
(except for Blu-ray), but as many an early adopter can tell you, when
you push the envelope, unintended consequences can be the result.
A case in point being the 17" MacBook Pro with
latest Core i7-620M CPU from Intel, an incredibly powerful chip for the
performance-obsessed who are willing to sacrifice portability for
something that will blow the benchmarks out of the water.
That fast i7 chip runs hot, with users reporting that the MacBook
Pro gets "almost too hot" to touch, and one PC Authority test finding
that under heavy loads the chip hit as high as 101° Celsius, hot
enough to boil water (but still within Intel's spec - the i7 CPU is
specified to run as hot as 105° Celsius).
However, other computers using the same CPU don't get nearly this
hot, so what gives? Chalk it up to the Mac's unique design and
unconventional approach to cooling, says Null.
Link: Latest MacBook Pro
CPU Runs So Hot It Can Boil Water
Apple USB Modem Doesn't Work with Lion, but Others
Will
MacFixIt's Topher Kessler notes that a recent Cult of Mac
article said that Apple appears to no longer be supporting USB
modems and other analog forms of communication in OS X, but observes
that while this may be the case with Apple's modem, others seem to be
working, showing up, and can be configured just fine in the OS X
System Preferences.
Kessler says that a scan with Pacifist revealed the presence of the
"SM56KUSBAudioFamily.kext" kernel extension that contains the audio and
modem family extensions within it, and additionally, the /Library
folder contains a Modem Scripts directory that holds a number of modem
configurations for devices from numerous manufacturers.
Publisher's note: Low End Mac first covered this topic on August 8, a
week before the Cult of Mac article was posted, along with links to two
compatible USB modems. dk
Link: Apple USB Modem
Not Working in Lion, but Others Will
Reviews
Two Reviewers Declare 13" MacBook Air 'The Perfect
Notebook'
Techpinions' Ben Bajarin says he's used a lot of notebooks in his 11
years as an industry analyst of consumer technology products, including
nearly every type of design, form factor, performance, and screen size
imaginable across notebooks and desktops.
Based on that comprehensive range of hands-on experience, Bajarin
says he's confident in his conviction that the 13" MacBook Air is the perfect
blend of everything required to be a great computer, and that after
using the latest 13" Air he finds it it to be the perfect blend of
portability and performance.
An owner and user of the original 11" Air, he says he found the
smaller Air's screen size an inhibition to long term use, and for him
13" is the ideal size allowing for a larger screen experience without
sacrificing portability, observing in summation that at the end of the
day, the 11 is under-screened for his needs and the 15 MacBook Pro
slightly to large to travel with comfortably, while the 13" Air is
perfect.
Computerworld's Ken Mingis doesn't beat about the bush, declaring up
front in his review that as far as he's concerned, the 13" Air is just
about perfect, observing that the synergy of Apple's unibody encased
hardware with OS X 10.7 Lion
forms a solid nexus of modern OS and topnotch hardware that makes this
laptop a real pleasure to use, and that although, his current personal
laptop of choice is the top-of-the-line 17" MacBook Pro, he
finds himself realizing he'd be fine with the 13". MacBook Air,
concluding that there may well be one in his future.
Link: The 13" MacBook
Air Is the Perfect Notebook, Techpinion
Link: Apple's 13-in. MacBook Air: All
This Style and Speed, Too, Computerworld
Products & Services
OWC Memory Modules Supercharge 2011 MacBook Pro
and Mac mini with 16 GB RAM, Double the Factory Maximum
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) has announced that its
in-house MaxRAM tested and verified compatible OWC DDR3 1333 MHz 16 GB
Memory Upgrade Kit supercharges 2011 MacBook Pro and Mac mini models by
doubling the factory maximum offered memory. The OWC 16 GB Memory
Upgrade Kit, now priced at $929.99, joins existing OWC memory upgrade
kits for MacBook Pro and Mac mini models including the 8 GB Memory
Upgrade Kit priced at $71.99, which offers savings up to 70% compared
to the same sized Factory installed 8 GB option.
OWC Memory Upgrades Up to 16 GB for 2011 Apple MacBook Pro and Mac
mini models, up to 32 MB for 2010-2011 iMac immediately available:
- OWC 8 GB DDR3 1333 MHz Memory Kit (2 x 4 GB memory modules) -
$71.99
- OWC 12 GB DDR3 1333 MHz Memory Upgrade Kit (8 GB + 4 GB memory
modules) - $499.99
- OWC 16 GB DDR3 1333 MHz Memory Upgrade Kit (2 x 8 GB memory
modules) - $929.99
- OWC 24 GB DDR3 1333 MHz Memory Upgrade Kit for iMac 27" i5/i7 only
(2 x 8 GB + 2 x 4 GB memory modules) - $999.97
- OWC 32 GB DDR3 1333 MHz Memory Upgrade Kit for iMac 27" i5/i7 only
(4 x 8 GB memory modules) - $1847.99
OWC makes it easy to select a memory upgrade up to 96 GB for any
particular Apple computer. For 2006-2011 MacBook and MacBook Pro
models, visit http://bit.ly/rs4TM.
For 2005-2011 Mac mini models, visit https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/mac-mini/.
For 1998-2011 iMac models, visit https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/iMac.
OWC Offers More Memory Choices for OS X Lion Users
While Apple's official minimum RAM requirement for OS X Lion is 2
GB, industry experts agree 4 GB of RAM is the minimum that should be
installed for optimum performance of typical daily computer usage. For
more advanced uses such as graphics production, A/V editing, and/or
running a virtual machine, 8 GB to 16 GB of RAM is highly
recommended.
OWC MaxRAM Lab Confirms Performance and Compatibility
By maintaining its own lab with the industry's most extensive
collection of Apple Macintosh computers - only second to Apple itself -
OWC is uniquely positioned to develop memory upgrade kits that deliver
maximum capacity, performance, and savings. OWC Memory Upgrade Kits are
engineered with premium quality components and are fully tested and
certified to meet, if not surpass, all Apple memory design and
compatibility specifications and come backed by a Lifetime Advance
Replacement Warranty. To see all the OWC MaxRAM configurations that
exceed Apple's officially supported maximums, visit https://eshop.macsales.com/memory/maxram.
Samsung High-performance 512 GB SSDs with
Ultra-fast SATA 3.0
PR: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced volume
production of SSDs (solid state drives) that support the Serial ATA
Revision 3.0 interface with data transmissions at six gigabits per
second (6 Gb/s). The new high-performance PM830 SSDs1 are
available at up to 512 gigabyte (GB) densities.
The industry is expected to quickly embrace SATA 6
Gb/s-based SSDs, which also will help increase market interest in 256
GB and higher densities significantly
Samsung's new high-speed SSDs are ideally suited for use in
high-performance OEM notebooks and tablets. Sample production of the
SATA 6 Gb/s 512 GB SSDs began in May, with volume production initiated
earlier this month. The new drives are expected to replace SATA 3
Gb/s-based SSDs by year-end.
Samsung's new lineup of advanced SSDs will raise the performance bar
to the next level for ultra-slim notebooks and tablets and accelerate
growth of the market for high-performance SSDs, said Wanhoon Hong,
executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Device
Solutions, Samsung Electronics. The industry is expected to quickly
embrace SATA 6 Gb/s-based SSDs, which also will help increase market
interest in 256 GB and higher densities significantly, he added.
The SATA 6 Gb/s SSD shortens system bootup time to about 10 seconds,
while its high-performance allows users to download up to five DVD
video files in less than a minute.
The 512 GB SSD utilizes Samsung's most advanced 20 nanometer (nm)
class2 32 Gb multilevel cell (MLC) NAND memory chip
incorporating the toggle DDR interface. A proprietary NAND controller
facilitates exceptional performance levels that take full advantage of
the toggle DDR architecture and the SATA 6 Gb/s interface. The new SSD
doubles the performance of a SATA 3 Gb/s drive, with sequential read
speeds of 500 megabytes per second (MB/s) and sequential write speeds
of 350 MB/s.
The drive also features what Samsung claims is the industry's
highest level of security, which uses an AES 256-bit encryption
algorithm to protect personal or corporate data from unauthorized
access.
Samsung's SATA 6 Gb/s SSDs are available in 512 GB, 256 GB, and 128
GB densities. The new high-performance SSD lineup is targeted for use
in premium OEM notebooks and tablets.
According to market research firm IDC, the global outlook for
client-side SSDs is expected to grow tenfold from 11 million units in
2011 to 100 million units in 2015. Moreover, the use of NAND in 256 GB
SSDs is forecast to more than double from 19% of all NAND used in SSDs
in 2011 to 42% in 2015. Further, demand for 512 GB SSDs is expected to
grow from a 0.3% portion in 2011 to 8% in 2015, also underscoring the
growing interest in higher density SSDs.
- The PM830 SSD is available to OEMs only for installation into new
PCs or other devices. A consumer version of the drive which can be used
as an upgrade for existing devices will be forthcoming and announced at
a later date.
- 20nm-class means a process technology node somewhere between 20 and
29 nanometers.
Computer Choppers Offers Polished 24kt Gold
MacBook Pros
PR: Computer Choppers will build you a custom 24kt Gold
MacBook Pro 13" with color matched keyboard and trackpad. The plating
is given a baked on clear coat so you can handle the it just like a
regular laptop without worry of scratching. Pricing for the 13" MacBook
Pro model starts at $5,000 and will vary based on the hardware
specifications you choose. Build time is 3-4 weeks or 2 weeks expedited
(additional fee applies). Needless to say, buyers will be members of an
exclusive fraternity in possession a flawless 24kt mirror finish on
their MacBook Pro.
Polished 24kt Gold MacBook Pro 13 Unibody
Computer Choppers' signature customized laptop, the MacBook Pro
is available in 13", 15", and 17" sizes. Available in plating,
anodizing, or a combination of the two, these laptops can be
personalized to fit your unique style. Laser or hand engraving is
available along with an assortment of jewelry options from custom logos
to diamond accents on the unibody chassis. If you have a specific
design requirement, simply send CC the details and they will quote you
a price specific to your requests. Exotic plating finishes are also
available in bronze, pewter, and many more gold variants.
Polished 24kt Gold MacBook Pro 15 Unibody
These laptops are exclusively plated and anodized by Computer
Choppers.
Keyboard and trackpad color matching is available.- Keyboards are clear coated for durability and long life.
- Trackpads are painted under the glass to retain the original smooth
finish.
- Laser Engraving (text or graphics) is available.
- Engraving appears white on clear coated items, black on chrome or
platinum plating.
- Custom diamond logos can be created in cubic zirconia, diamonds, or
sapphires. Base metal options include sterling silver, 14kt gold, 18kt
gold, 22kt gold, or platinum. Logos can be emailed to CC in any common
image format: JPG, CDR, PSD, or EPS preferred.
Polished Rose Gold & Black Anodized MacBook Pro 17 Unibody
Plating options:
- Triple Chrome
- Blk Chrome (clear coat req.)
- Copper (clear coat req.)
- 24kt Gold (clear coat req.)
- White Gold (clear coat req.)
- Rose Gold (clear coat req.)
- Platinum
Color Anodizing options:
- Flat or Candy Colors (Available in all colors)
Jewelry:
- Diamond Logo
- Custom Logo
- Diamond Unibody Accents
- Laser Engraving
Computer Choppers also offers bespoke, customized iMacs, iPhones and
iPads.
Link: Computer Choppers
Bargain 'Books
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13" MacBook and MacBook Pro,
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