News tagged ‘MacBook’

Typically geniuses staying behind Genius bars use MacBook Pros to provide customers with help and support, facilitate repairs, look up customer information, and order new parts. But last week some Apple retail stores replaced MacBook Pros with iPads that can mirror functionality of the laptops.

These iPads will obviously make the Genius’ job easier and provide a much better experience for Apple’s customers that are looking for repairs and/or help from the Genius Bar. At least one reason for the iPad is that Apple’s tablet is portable so that geniuses can help customers anywhere in a store. So use of the iPads may transform Genius bar from a place in a store where you may receive quality help to the service that you can get anywhere in a store.

Using MacBook Pros, Apple has been limited to fitting only a few the computers at Genius Bars. The iPad allows Apple to serve more people at one time at Genius bar. Moreover, Apple has already developed a system called MobileGenius, which runs on iOS devices and provides the same services as MacBook Pros.

Digitimes is now reporting that Apple have ordered a small number of components for a 15-inch ultra-thin notebook that Apple is said to start shipping this month with mass shipments set for the beginning of March 2012.

Upstream suppliers of Apple have recently started shipping a small volume of components for a 15-inch ultra-thin notebook model from Apple in November and the device could be either MacBook Air or just a thinner MacBook Pro. The new MacBook is expected to appear as early as the second quarter of 2012, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

It remains unclear whether the final version of the 15-inch laptop will be marketed as a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro. Rumors related to the new Apple’s notebook have been circulating since July, when we reported that Apple was finishing up work on a new ultra-thin laptop, and at the end of October it was rumored that Apple was finishing a “test phase” and the new machine was nearing the production. The Mac maker is also rumored to be developing a 17-inch ultraportable MacBook, though such a machine was not mentioned in Tuesday's report.

Back in February, Appleinsider reported that according to people familiar with the matter, Apple appears poised to move its MacBook Pro lines more toward the MacBook Air next year. So it is likely that the new Apple’s notebook will feature a SSD rather than HDD, similar to current MacBook Air models, and would forego an optical drive.

Aside from pressing the home button to activate Siri, this Siri hack reported by IntoMobile is absolutely thought-controlled. The developers who initiated Project Black Mirror recorded activity of brain waves with ECG sensors,  matched them to pre-saved patterns on a MacBook and then direct the matched commands to a chip that translates them to Siri. The developers linked about 25 brain wave patterns to different functions controlled by Siri, and they hope to bypass the need to press the home button with a completely automated solution. You can see on the video above how a developer initiates a call using Siri without pressing the Home button.

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MacBook Air ships with either a moderately fast SSD from Toshiba or a significantly faster drive with an updated controller from Samsung. But some people want to have even faster drives. And SSD from OWC called Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G can provide them with faster speeds.

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Video where Miller demonstates this exploit

According to Forbes, security specialist Charlie Miller has found an exploit on iOS devices, which allows developers to put malware apps onto the App Store without detection. These malware apps can be used to steal user’s contacts, photo and other information, play a ringtone, make the device vibrate and more at any time the developer chooses.

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Digitimes claims that Apple plans to completely overhaul its iPad, iMac, iPhone and MacBook Air lines in 2012, saying nothing about MacBook Pro, Mac mini, Mac Pro and iPod lines.

Apple plans to completely overhaul its product lineups, including iPad, iMac, iPhone and MacBook Air, in 2012 and is expected to finalize order volumes for key parts and components for the next-generation iPad in December, according to sources in the upstream supply chain.

The iPhone is most likely to be redesign. The iPhone 4S has the same design as the previous generation iPhone 4. So it is quite reasonable to suggest that the iPhone will receive a new design. As for iMac, its design hasn’t been changed for some years. And it’s unclear how drastically it would be changed. The iPad is expected to become thinner in 2012. Some analysts believe that Apple’s tablet could finally receive Retina display. Finally, the MacBook Air. The notebook will certainly receive new design next year. There are rumors about a 15" Air-like design. Moreover, the Air and Pro lines is expected to be merged into one, but the Air form factor will dominate the consumer market in the near future.

Macotakara reported that Apple is allegedly testing a new thin-and-light 15-inch MacBook to add it to its lineup in the near future. Apple now is finishing up a taste phase. According to Asian source, Apple already finished development of an LCD test component for the new laptop.

The next Apple’s notebook is believed to be a next-generation MacBook Pro without a built-in optical disc drive. That means that the new notebook will undergo significant changes in design in 2012. Moreover, earlier this year, there were some rumors about drastic redesign of the MacBook Pro line. Last week, ahead of the holiday buying season Apple quietly updated its MacBook Pro models, adding slightly faster Intel Sandy Bridge processors, as well as improved AMD Radeon graphics. The new MacBook Pro may boast about Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge processors. Moreover, Intel has already begun production of new processors.

According to Forrester research, Mac business users are more productive than their PC counterparts, because MacBook laptops from Apple tend to be more reliable and require less maintenance than PCs. Forrester issued a new report entitled "People are Bringing Macs to Work - It's Time to Repeal Prohibition" in order to encourage companies to support Apple hardware in the workplace.

Although the use of Mac in enterprises is increasing, approximately 41 percent of companies that took part in the research do not officially allow their employees to use Mac. Of course, users find ways how bypass company restrictions and use their Mac at work.

Moreover, Mac sales in the enterprise sector have seen a huge spike in 2011. In May, Apple announced that corporate Mac sales grew by 66 percent. But sales of iOS products are more significant. 93 percent of Fortune 500 companies are deploying or testing the iPhone, while 90 percent are doing the same for the iPad.

Yesterday Apple quietly released a minor update to its MacBook Pro line. Now upgraded laptops offer better processor, and in some cases graphics and/or storage options at the same price points as the previous models.

13-inch MacBook Pro:

• Processor options move to 2.4 GHz and 2.8 GHz options.
• Hard drive options offer increased capacity up tо  500 GB in the low-end configuration and 750 GB in the high-end configuration.

15-inch MacBook Pro:

• Standard processor options move to 2.2 GHz and 2.4 GHz options. The high-end custom processor option has now a 2.5 GHz speed.
• For discrete graphics, Apple now offers the AMD Radeon HD 6750M to the low-end configuration with 512 MB of memory and given the high-end configuration a Radeon HD 6770M with 1 GB of memory.
• Hard drive has been bumped to a 750 GB.

17-inch MacBook Pro:

• Processor speeds have been bumped to a 2.4 GHz base processor with a 2.5 GHz option.
• Graphics have been improved to the Radeon HD 6770M, also with 1 GB of memory.
• Hard drive has been bumped to a 750 GB.

9to5Mac suggests that Apple may launch the new MacBook Pros next week.

With supplies only becoming more constrained, and with shipments already touching down in select countries, we think a launch next week is likely (between Tuesday and Thursday). That is, of course, if there are no unforeseen circumstances.

The new laptops are likely to have the same prices as current MacBook Pros. The new machines are said to be only a minor update and would probably take advantage of new Sandy Bridge processors released by Intel late this year. The new processors include Quad Core i7 processors with speeds of 2.4GHz, 2.5GHz and 2.7GHz, as well as a Dual Core i7 at 2.8GHz models. The most expectable candidates among processors that might be used for upgrade are Core i7-2840M, Core i7-2760QM, Core i7-2860QM (the top three in the list below). Apple is unable to use Core i7-2960XM due to problems with heating and is unlikely to use the mobile Celeron processor.

Computerworld reports that the Taiwanese company Catcher Technology has had to shut down a factory in due to complaints of a "strange odor" coming from the building. The company manufactures 60% of uni-body aluminum casings for Apple's notebook line. Apple obtains the other 40% of its case supply from Foxconn. Catcher Technology admitted that the shutdown would affect Apple notebook supplies.

"Shipments to our customers will inevitably be affected. We already asked them to make adjustments to their (casings) procurement," Catcher President Allen Horng told a news conference.

There is no information when the plant will resume full operations.

As 9to5Mac reports, all current models of MacBook Pro line are constrained and new part numbers for models with 17, 15, and 13 inch screens sizes appeared in Apple’s inventory system. Last month it was reported that Apple planned to increase processor speeds across all current MacBook Pro models.

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Such products like iPhone, iPad, Macbook are cool and very popular. Were there any bad products from Apple? Well.. there were a few. Let's take a look at top 5 list of Apple's biggest flops:

John Paczkowski at AllThingsD claims that the next keynote, where Apple is rumored to announce its next-generation iPhone, will be held on Apple Campus in Cupertino, rather than the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where Apple usually holds its fall media event. We’ve heard various rumors that Apple might work on two iPhone models: completely redesigned device and a minor update unofficially dubbed “iPhone 4S”. It is widely believed the new device will come with iOS 5, pre-installed and ready to be configured with iCloud.

Perhaps, the company felt a more intimate venue was best for newly installed CEO Tim Cook’s first media event. Perhaps YBCA was simply already booked. Whatever the reason, the world will get it’s first look at the next iPhone at Apple’s Town Hall Auditorium in early October.

Apple has already used Town Hall Auditoriumon several occasions to preview upcoming versions of iOS, OS X, Lion, iLife ’11 and announce updated MacBook Air models.