Archive for February, 2011
New MacBook Pro 15" and MacBook Pro 17"
15-inch MacBook Pro: this model comes with Quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM and Intel HD Graphics 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6000M graphics. The graphics switching will work exactly like the previous models - it automatically switches between the GPU and IGP depending on what you're doing.
The cheapest $1,799 model has a 2.0GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, Intel HD Graphics 3000 + AMD Radeon HD6490M graphics with 256MB of GDDR5 memory and a 500GB hard drive. The $2,199 model has faster 2.2GHz Core i7 chip, AMD Radeon 6750M graphics with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and 750GB hard drive.
The display resolution is 1440x900, upgradeable to 1680x1050 high-resolution glossy or antiglare.
17-inch MacBook Pro: This is a powerful 17-inch macbook pro. It has the same specs as high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro. For just $2,499 you get that 2.2GHz Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon 6750M graphics and a 750GB hard drive. Resolution is 1920x1200 with antiglare option.
17-inch MacBook Pro has 3 USB ports and ExpressCard/34 slot compared to 2 USB and SDXC card slot in 15-inch version.
Bor both 15 and 17 inch models you can customize it with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB SSD and increase RAM to 8GB. Different HDD options are also available - 500Gb (5400 or 7200 rpm), 750Gb (5400rpm). You can also upgrade to 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with 8MB shared L3 cache. Both come this Built-in FaceTime HD camera.
More photos:
New 13-inch MacBook Pros Get Core i5 and i7 CPUs
As we reported earlier, today Apple unveiled new 13", 15" and 17" MacBook Pros. 13-inch notebook will be offered in two configurations: one with an Intel Dual-Core 2.7 GHz i7 processor and 500GB HDD for $1,499 and another with an Intel Dual-Core 2.3 GHz i5 processor and 320GB HDD with price of $1,199. In other hardware specifications, which are listed below, they are the same:
- 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with native resolution of 1280x800.
- Intel HD Graphics 3000 that sports 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory;
- 4GB of DDR3 RAM @ 1333 MHz with two other SO-DIMM slots to support up to 8GB;
- Built-in 63.5-watt-hour Li-Pol battery that allows to surf the web wirelessly for up to 7 hours;
- 8x slot-loading SuperDrive;
- FaceTime HD camera;
- Thunderbolt port, Gigabit Ethernet port (RJ-45), FireWire 800 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, Audio in/out, Kensington lock slot, SDXC card slot;
- 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet support;
- 2,04 kg weight.
Apple Showed Off Its New High-Speed Thunderbolt Technology
Today Apple showed off its new lineup of MacBook Pros and unveiled new technology called Thunderbolt. When Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing Philip Schiller was explaining what's new in upgraded devices, he also mentioned Thunderbolt:
“The new MacBook Pro brings next generation dual and quad Core processors, high performance graphics, Thunderbolt technology and FaceTime HD to the great design loved by our pro customers. Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro.”
Today Apple's Media Event: What To Expect
As you may know, today Apple unveils its new lineup of MacBook Pros and has already shut down the Apple Store for some time. CNet reports the launch of new laptops will come "shortly after Intel's announcement" of its new Light Peak technology at 10 a.m. Pacific. That actually break's usual practice of Apple to release products at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.
However, before Apple unveils new MacBook Pro we decided to collect all the information gathered about new laptops into one single post so you could know what you can expect from today's announcement.
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Apple Attracts Smaller Companies To Its iAd Network
Those companies that want to buy interactive ads on Apple's iAd network may rejoice - Apple has lowered the minimum advertising buy from $1 million to $500,000.
John Paczkowski of Digital Daily says in this way Apple wants to broaden its platform and attract smaller companies who are interested in advertising of their products on Apple's network.
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Yes, Apple Will Introduce iPad 2 on March 2
Yesterday Apple had sent out official invitations to visit a media event, which will take place on March 2 in San Francisco, to presumably show off its new-generation iPad.
Loop reports that the event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, which confirms previous rumors from All Things D.
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Apple Wants To Offer 24-bit Music On iTunes
According to CNN, Apple is currently negotiating with different record labels to improve the quality of songs available in the iTunes Music Store.
Current songs can be downloaded in 16-bit format, and Apple wants to increase the quality of downloads to 24-bit high-fidelity format. This is a format in which studio recordings are being originally captured. Then they usually get downgraded to 16-bit format and delivered to CDs and iTunes.
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New Final Cut Pro May Be Released This Spring
A new report by TechCrunch claims a new update to Final Cut Pro will be released this spring. The publication informs that new version of application for professional video editing will represent "the biggest overhaul to Final Cut Pro since the original version was created over 10 years ago".
The last major update of The Final Cut Suite was back in July 2009, when Final Cut Pro 7 was released.
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Apple Will Reportedly Unveil iPad 2 On March 2
Kara Swisher from All Things D reported yesterday that the iPad 2 will be unveiled on March 2, most likely at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, which became the common place for Apple media events.
Citing multiple sources she added that the invitations will be sent by Apple soon. No other details were unveiled.
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Apple May Also Refresh iMacs This Week
Today DigiTimes reported that this week Apple may launch not only new MacBook Pros but new iMacs as well. Citing its supply chain sources the publication revealed that Apple "may make some changes over the screen size to allow panel cutting to reach its optimization."
The latest information about new iMacs came in December 2010, when it was reported that new all-in-one desktops will appear in the first half of 2011 and will have a "new panel size and price point for the mainstream market."
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MacBook Pros Launch Will Become a Birthday Gift For Jobs
AppleInsider confirms that the lineup of the next-gen MacBook Pros will be officially unveiled this Thursday because this day is also Steve Jobs' birthday. On February 24 Apple's CEO turns 56.
In the first place, previously MacRumors reported that Thursday is the earliest date when Apple can unveil its new models, though next-gen MacBook Pros were originally expected to be released in early March. In the second place, traditionally Apple has been launching its new laptops on Tuesday.
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Motorola's Xoom Will Get Flash Support This Spring
A new ad of Motorola's upcoming tablet Xoom on the website of Verizon Wireless shows that the device has 1 GHz dual-core processor that is "fully Flash-enabled for video-rich web". But as you can see on the screenshot above, there is a note, which shows that actually Adobe Flash is expected in Spring 2011.
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Apple patent features sound-driven commands
A new Apple’s patent tells us that the company at this point works on the gesture-based commands determined with audio transducers on the corners of a given surface. That means that if you press or tap on a surface, the audio receivers would determine where and how you touched it. The application describes a microprocessor that can "interpret electrical signals generated by the one or more acoustic transducers as input." The idea is that these transducers detect a finger making contact with the chassis and register those vibrations as gestures. Now the company found five different ways how it could be done.
Apple’s Furthest-North Store To Open in Anchorage, Alaska
Apple will open it’s the furthest-north Apple Store in Anchorage, Alaska in September. Now the company is looking for retail staff in the Fifth Avenue Mall (Anchorage). The store reportedly locates in the second floor of the mall and will become the most-northern Apple retail store at 61° north latitude, 20 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The new Store will be geographically located “above” the current most-northern Aberdeen store in Scotland and any Scandinavian city that might be chosen by Apple in the future. No official construction plans have surfaced at this point.
New MacBook Pros to Carry Larger Trackpads, Dedicated SSD for Mac OS X
Rumors suggest that updated MacBook Pros appear later this week, most likely on Thursday. The new MacBook Pros will feature larger glass trackpads than those found on current models for greater flexibility and perhaps for more complex gestures. The lower-end models will have 8GB-16GB solid-state drives to house Mac OS X system files, and will also come equipped with a regular hard drive. This will offer the benefits of SSDs - instant on and super fast performance - while also providing lots of room for heavy users’ files. The idea of separate flash-based storage for system files is not a new one. Intel's "Turbo Memory", in 2006, offered similar functionality. The new machines will be up to a half-pound lighter than current models and there will be five different SKUs.