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All posts tagged "macbook"


Thursday, July 19, 2012

How to Buy a Mac Laptop

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 04:00 AM

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_...d&subj=MacFixIt

"If you are planning on purchasing a used MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, then it is recommended you thoroughly test it to ensure it works properly."

Some great ideas in this article, should you be looking for a used (not refurbished from Apple) Apple laptop. It also gives you a list of equipment and programs to take along with you to test it and make sure it is working properly.


Monday, June 11, 2012

Updates to the Macbook Line From WWDC 2012

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 04:30 PM

http://www.macworld.com/article/116...na_display.html

"Along with updating the existing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, Apple has reinvented the MacBook Pro with a Retina display, as announced at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote on Monday."

Thorough run through of the updates by Macworld from WWDC on the Macbook line. If that isn't enough, over at HardMac they also have a nice list of all the updates, located here. I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon from my Macbook Air 128GB SSD, but if I did, I must say the Macbook Pro line is really tempting. What are your thoughts on these updates to the line?


Thursday, November 3, 2011

PlugBug Charger, A Unique Solution

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 05:00 AM

http://twelvesouth.com/products/plugbug/

"One accessory lets you charge two devices at once."

So simple yet so useful! $34.95 USD available now and if you order soon you get free shipping!


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Lederhosen for Your MacBook (Not Mine)

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 02:00 PM

http://gizmodo.com/5839464/lederhos...leeve/gallery/1

"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I need to shut up as you let the wonderful of the world's first lederhosen MacBook sleeve wash over you. Sure, fine, getting out of your way."

Yea, I don't think I will be purchasing one of these, but to each his or her own I suppose.


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

And Now For Some Other Apple Store News...

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Other Apple Hardware" @ 09:26 AM

http://www.macworld.com/article/161...l#lsrc.rss_main

"On Wednesday Apple marked the demise of the MacBook. No, not its entire line of laptops, which made up 70 percent of the Macs sold in the company's just-completed third quarter. Getting the chop is the $999 white plastic MacBook, which has held down the low-cost end of Apple's laptop line for years."

Well this one was kind of a no brainer wasn't it? But you can still get it in the refurbished store if you really want one. But no reason for it (unless you are really nostalgic for that clunky style) is there? That isn't all that changed in the Apple Store. They also debuted a new Mac Mini, with the obligatory Thunderbolt connection, as well as a new Cinema Display. This Thunderbolt display really is slick, with all the connectors you need. I'm thinking this may be my next purchase as it would go really well with my MacBook Air.


Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Consumer Reports to Apple: We Like You....We Really Like You!

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 10:30 PM

http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/05/...top-categories/

"If you were wondering how good Apple's MacBook line of portable computers are, the answer is simple - they are the top computer in every category on Consumer Reports."

So perhaps they don't have it in for Apple after all? The rankings would lead one to believe that it is quite the opposite, as Consumer Reports gave the MacBook line tops across all categories, 11-inch through 17-inch.


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Replace That Optical Drive With an SSD

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 03:00 AM

http://gigaom.com/apple/how-to-repl...ve-with-an-ssd/

"Just before the latest MacBook Pro updates were released, rumors swirled that the new models would adopt solid-state drives (SSD) in addition to hard disk drives (HDD) and drop internal optical DVD drives across the line."

I was hoping for more options with the SSD and the MacBook Pro, but with this handy how-to guide I'm not sure it matters now. You lose the optical drive but with the Mac App Store open, you may not even need to use it. I'm finding very limited usage for mine with my MacBook Air. How about you, any interest in this or have you done this already?


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Wondering Why the New Macbook Pro's Seem to Offer Less Battery Life?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Apple Laptops" @ 02:00 PM

http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/24/ma...o-battery-life/

"Now that the news about the new MacBook Pros is out there, one thing that may disappoint someone just reading the spec sheet is battery life. Across the board, the Pro is now rated at 7 hours. While still very solid, this is actually a step down from the previous versions which were rated at 8 to 9 hours for the 15 and 17-inch models, and 10 hours for the 13-inch model. So what gives?"

When I was looking at the battery life on the new Macbook Pros, I noticed something curious: they're all listed as "up to 7 hours". I couldn't recall what the exact battery life specs were for the previous Macbook Pros, but I knew it varied from model to model. As the above text shows, Apple had quoted the battery life on previous Macbooks from 8 to 10 hours. Sandy Bridge processors are supposed to be even more power-friendly than the first-gen Core series processors. So what gives? Read more...


Thursday, February 24, 2011

Anyone Else Underwhelmed by the New Macbook Pro Line?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Other Laptops & Netbooks" @ 04:00 PM

Apple announced a new line of Macbook Pro hardware today (buy 'em from our Amazon.com store), and I have to admit I was underwhelmed. Yes, they have Intel's rocking new Sandy Bridge CPUs that offer insanely great performance. Yes, they've switched from NVIDIA to AMD (ATI) graphics that offer up to 3x graphics performance. And, yes, there's the impressive Thunderbolt connectivity and an HD camera. Read more...


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Apple's Macbook Air 13 (2010 Model): The Future of Laptops?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Apple Laptops" @ 01:30 PM

This is my review video of the Macbook Air 13 (2010 model). This version has the 2.16 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 4 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce 320M GPU, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi. It has no CD/DVD drive. The unboxing video can be found here; I kept this laptop for the full two weeks before returning it to Apple. Returning it was a hard decision, because there were so many things I liked about the Macbook Air. Read more...


Monday, October 11, 2010

Apple Releases Update for MacBook and MacBook Pro

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (OS X)" @ 07:00 AM

http://www.macworld.com/article/154...l?lsrc=rss_main

"Apple has released a pair of firmware updates that fix some charging issues for previous generations of the MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Apple has found some customers that own either a MacBook or MacBook Pro are having charging problems, mainly the models from 2007-2008. So they have released MacBook SMC Firmware Update 1.4 and MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.4. You can also get them via Software Update on your Mac.


Friday, August 13, 2010

Education, Education and More Education

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad)" @ 06:00 AM

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2010/08...t=Google+Reader

"Apple, ever tinkering with the app store, has just released a very interesting option for developers: bulk educational discounts. As a developer you can now offer a lower price to a school when it buys your app in quantity."

This is a great option for developers, and even better for the schools taking advantage of it. I'm sure you have all seen the various education-themed stories in recent weeks. Some schools are giving iPads to their students, such as Stanford University. While other schools, like George Fox College, are giving their students a choice between a MacBook and an iPad when they register for classes. On top of that comes the news that 47% of students intending to buy a laptop for college will purchase a Mac. I like that they are embracing the iPad, and my hope is that college texts, and perhaps even high school textbooks, will eventually all be available in eBook or PDF versions that you can read on either a laptop or iPad. Or whatever tablet PC a student chooses. And hopefully the costs will drop because of it. Yeah, I'm a dreamer.


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

MacBook Upgrade Includes HDMI Bonus

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...dio_output.html

"Apple's updated entry level white MacBook now supports audio and video output via its Mini DisplayPort, enabling users to drive an HDMI HDTV using a single cable or adapter."

This brings it even with the MacBook Pros so now you can hook a MacBook up to your TV via HDMI and get both sound and picture without having to have a separate audio cable.


Tuesday, May 18, 2010

So That's Why the Apple Store Was Down

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 07:10 AM

http://www.tuaw.com/2010/05/18/macb...tealthy-update/

"I didn't even see the Apple Store go down, did you? Well, no matter: the MacBook has been updated. Its base specs are virtually identical to those from the Vietnamese leak a few days ago."

The big change is the battery life, boosted to the "up to 10 hours" by giving it the same battery as the 13" MacBook Pro model. You also get bumped up speed to 2.4GHz and the NVIDIA GeForce 320M instead of the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M. Ram is still at 2GB, the hard drive remains at 250GB and most importantly, the price stays at $999.00 USD.


Friday, April 23, 2010

Henge Dock for Your MacBook

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.digitalhomethoughts.com/...-ever-seen.html

"Yes, it's for Apple products, but I really admire the ingenuity of the approach - most docks are ugly, clumsy, and generally poorly designed. This is the first dock I've seen that has a real "Of course! That makes so much sense!" approach."

This is pretty slick, and it works on the unibody MacBook 13, 15 and 17-inch versions, as well as the white and black MacBooks. They start at $59.95 USD and you can find more about these at the Henge site.


Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Speaking of Patents...

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 12:00 PM

http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/03...by.macbook.air/

"Apple has this week won the rights to three patents, all covering the construction of unibody MacBooks. Two of these document the MacBook Air, which was the first Apple notebook to use a combination frame and casing made out of a single block of aluminum. Aside from external design, the other patent covers the Air's multi-touch glass trackpad, which has also since spread to other Apple portables. Its origins can be traced back to the iPhone."

The last of the patents awarded was for the MacBook Pro, shown above. I think it is about time for a revamp of this line don't you?


Thursday, February 18, 2010

MacBook Owners Circa 2006 and 2007, Check Your Hard Drive

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.cultofmac.com/apple-repl...w+(Cult+of+Mac)

"Mea culpa. If you bought a MacBook between 2006 and 2007 and your hard drive sounds like an unoiled rock tumbler trying to work its way through a belly full of rusty bolts, you could be eligible for a free replacement, courtesy of Apple."

According to Apple, a "very small percentage of plastic MacBooks may fail under certain conditions." So they are offering to replace the hard drive if you bring it in to a Genius Bar. The MacBooks in question are both the black and the white ones that were sold between May 2006 and December 2007. According to this page at Apple, the diagnosis is fairly simple: your computer stops working and at boot up, it displays a folder icon with a question mark on it. If you have already paid for a repair for this, you might be able to get a refund, and they are extending the eligibility to three years from purchase or August 15, 2010, whichever is longer.


Monday, January 25, 2010

A "Book" Cover for Your MacBook

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 12:00 PM

http://www.macworld.com/article/145...ss_products_mac

"Ever wish your MacBook was a little more, well, bookish? If so, you're in luck! The folks at Twelve South are putting the 'book' in 'MacBook' with the aptly named BookBook case."

At $79.95 USD for the 13-inch MacBook, it is a bit bulky for my tastes. But if you want a novelty cover that is unique, perhaps is what you are looking for. It doesn't really appeal to me, but to each his own. 


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Need a Fancy Sleeve for Your MacBook?

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Laptops" @ 07:00 AM

http://www.cultofmac.com/high-end-m...w+(Cult+of+Mac)

"I've never paid much attention to laptop sleeves, but as they get fancier and fancier, they are becoming perhaps the most popular MacBook accessory out there. At least, that's according to one high-end sleeve and case maker from Australia."

These are definitely nice cases/sleeves, and they should be for what they charge, starting at $99.95 USD and going up from there. They have quite the collection on their website, including some phone cases. If I were in the business of meeting clients, etc and wanted to make an impression, I might consider something like this.


Monday, December 28, 2009

Contest Time! Win a Speck SeeThru!

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Thoughts Site Updates" @ 10:00 AM

Now that Christmas has passed, I'm sure that some of you were on the nice list, and may have even been given a new white UniBody MacBook. If that is the case, then this is the contest for you!

The generous folks at Speck have given us two cases to give away, and to enter all you have to do is post a message in the discussion thread. The first winner, chosen randomly from the messages, will get his or her choice of the clear or the red Speck SeeThru case, designed specifically for the white MacBook Unibody. Obviously, the 2nd winner will get the remaining one. Just so you know, the clear case has been opened as I used that for my review posted earlier today, however everything that came with the case is intact. The contest closes on January 11th, 2010 at 12pm, which is UTC/GMT -8. Winners will be contacted via private message in the forum and will have 72 hours to claim their prize from time of notification. Good luck, and if this is your first post, it may take up to 72 hours for it to show in the thread.


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