News tagged ‘ebook’
Intel Working to Boost Thunderbolt Speeds with Move to PCI-Express 3.0
In a new report IDG News claims that Intel is currently working on shifting its Thunderbolt standard to the PCI-Express 3.0 protocol. Such move means that the company could double data transfer speeds comparing with the existing implementations based on PCIe 2.0 protocol.
Intel in the future will support the PCI-Express 3.0 protocol to shuttle data faster between host devices and peripherals, an Intel spokesman said in an email. Computers with Thunderbolt interconnect currently communicate with external devices using the older PCI-Express 2.0 technology.
The company will incorporate PCI-Express 3.0 in Thunderbolt, but could not provide a time frame for when it will be accomplished.
Apple published the list of 100 best of the best apps
Apple’s iTunes AppStore has recently reached 25 Billion downloaded apps. Apple has an updated its all time most popular apps list for both iPhone and iPad. There are 4 categories - iPhone apps, iPad apps, Free and Paid.
This list varies from country to country. For example, US AppStore number one apps are: Angry Birds, Facebook, Pages and Angry Birds HD Free, while in Russia - WhatsApp Messenger, Facebook, Angry Birds Seasons HD and Skype iPad.
You can take a look at the list in iTunes (
New Intel’s Xeon E5 Chips Arrive Next Week
Apple said to be considering a 14-inch MacBook Air for Asian markets
A new rumor suggests that Apple could develop a new 14-inch MacBook Air model specifically for the Asian PC market. DigiTimes reported that mass production of the 14-inch thin-and-light notebook may begin soon. Apple is said to be considering the 14-inch screen size for the notebook because it is a popular form factor unique to the region.
Apple currently sells MacBook Air in screen sizes of 11.6 inches and 13.3 inches. But in the Asia market 14-inch notebooks account for as much as 40 percent of sales that is why Apple is said to be considering a screen size specifically for that region.
Thinner MacBook Pro Models in 13-Inch and 15-Inch Sizes Coming in April
Sources in Apple's upstream supply chain indicated to DigiTimes that new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros with a thinner and lighter design are expected to launch in April "at the soonest," with an initial shipment of just under a million units. A redesigned version of the 17-inch MacBook Pro is apparently not expected at launch.
Apple's upgraded MacBook Pro lineup along with new MacBook Airs and the forthcoming OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Mac operating system upgrade are expected in the industry to pose a "significant threat" to notebooks. Moreover, earlier this week Intel indicated that the company's next-generation Ivy Bridge chips are expected to debut eight to 10 weeks later than previously planned.
Apple Confirms Plans for Another Large Data Center in Prineville, Oregon
Apple revealed on Tuesday their plans to build a new data center in Prineville, Oregon on a 160-acre plot of land that it purchased for $5.6 million. Last December, sources close to Apple indicated that the company was "nearing a decision" to build a server farm in Oregon and was in discussions over the location, and a week ago Apple publicly confirmed that it has been developing the project, which is known as "Project Maverick."
"We purchased the land and it’s for a data center,” said Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet, adding that the facility will be "green." Earlier this week, the company revealed in a Facilities Environmental Report that its massive server farm in North Carolina will utilize the largest end-user-owned onsite solar array and the largest non utility fuel cell installation in the U.S., making it the only facility in its class to earn LEED Platinum certification.
Suppliers gearing up for Apple's launch of new MacBook Air models
MacBook Air lineup was last updated in July of 2011, when Apple added high-speed Thunderbolt ports and backlit keyboards to both the 11.6- and 13.3-inch models, and now sources from Apple's supply chain are waiting for the refreshed notebooks.
The anticipated MacBook Air update was mentioned on Tuesday by DigiTimes, which said that assembler Quanta Computer is expected to see its revenues grow thanks to the new product launch. It was said that Apple is "set to launch a new MacBook Air model," but a specific timeline for its release was not given.
Apple Forces Pegatron Into Ceasing Production of ASUS Zenbooks
MacBook Pros Will Adopt MacBook Air Form Factor This Year?
Mockup of MacBook Air design covering full range of notebook sizes
Last year it was reported that Apple is working on a redesigned ultra-thin 15-inch Mac notebook which was expected to launch by the end of 2011. But the company apparently elected to delay its release and wait for the launch of Intel’s Ivy Bridge platform in 2012 to include it in its new models.
AppleInsider now
Apple Offers Stripped-Down 13" MacBook Air Package To Educational Institutions
Apple has begun to offer a cheaper 13-inch MacBook Air to educational institutions buying in bulk, replacing the two-year offering of white plastic MacBooks, which was recently discontinued. The sales of white MacBook were discontinued by the company back in July of 2011.
iPad 3 Event in March, An 'Unusual' Apple Event in February
Japanese site Macotakara has issued a new report where it clarified earlier claims of an Apple event in February with the cryptic details that Apple will hold a "Strange" event in February to unveil the so-called "iPad 3" and iOS 5.1 with deeper Facebook integration and a Special Event to launch the third-generation iPad in early March.
Citing both an Asian supplier and a source in the U.S., blogger Danbo has now corrected the original claim telling that Apple will indeed hold an event in February, but it will be a "Strange" event rather than a full product launch.
One possibility is that the rumored February event could contain industry-related announcements similar to how last month's education event in New York City to mark the release of iBooks 2 and iBooks Author without showing off new hardware. "Special Event for new products will be hold in early March and will release products during March as usual," Danbo continued.
iPad Drives Apple to Perch Atop List of Top-Selling PC Manufacturers
Research firm Canalys predicted last year that Apple might become the world's largest PC manufacturer during the fourth quarter of 2011, but with one exception, if tablets were counted alongside more traditional computers. Now Canalys may confirm its suggestions that Apple has indeed taken the lead on the strength of the iPad.
Canalys today announced that Apple, after reporting stellar results, became the leading worldwide client PC vendor in Q4 2011. Apple shipped over 15 million iPads and five million Macs, representing 17% of the total 120 million client PCs shipped globally in Q4. Overall, the total client PC market, including desktops, netbooks, notebooks, and pads grew 16% year-on-year. Excluding pads, the client PC market declined 0.4%. The report notes that tablets such as the iPad accounted for 22% of PC sales during the quarter, with the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook also contributing to the strong tablet performance.
Canalys predicts that the iPad would have been able to top the list even without the help of the Mac. Apple sold 15.43 million iPads during the quarter, while the non-tablet market leader HP's shipments were between 14.7 and 15.3 million units.
Foxconn To Build Up To Five Factories In Brazil
Today Julio Semeghini, the Secretary of Planning and Development of the State of Sao Paulo revealed that Apple’s major contract manufacturer Foxconn will construct up to five plants in Brazil with 1,000 employees each.
According to local website
Wisconsin uses Microsoft settlement funds to buy iPads for schools
Wisconsin State Journal has reported that Wisconsin is buying 600 iPads this spring and plans to buy another 800 this fall. The state will pay for the tablets using the funds of the state's settlement with Microsoft related to consumer lawsuits claiming the company overcharged customers for its software. The Journal also presented rather strong argument that the tablets are simply cheaper, more portable and easier to use than conventional computers.
The new iPads will enable students to wirelessly share their work and enable schools to replace textbooks with digital apps or ebooks, referring to Apple's recent announcement related to iBooks 2, iBooks Author and digital textbooks as a "significant development."
District deputy superintendent Sue Abplanalp noted that Madison administrators had been impressed by the results of an iPad trial by Chicago Public Schools, which found the tablets were successful in keeping students more engaged in the classroom.
Autodesk Inventor Fusion For Mac Platform Soon Available
At Macworld