Apple Thoughts - News & Reviews on all things Apple

"I spent way too much time playing with the iPad today. In fact, I'm still thinking about it and here's why: The browser is better than the browser on my MacBook. It might be the best browsing experience out there. By a lot."

And so began the review from Seth Weintraub over at 9 to 5 Mac. And here is an even better hands-on review over at Apple Insider. I'm not sure if you watched the keynote or any of a number of streams from the event, but here are my thoughts on it.

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"Rely on the most trusted guide to restaurants and access over 40,000 Zagat Ratings & Reviews on your iPhone or Wi-Fi connected iPod Touch. Nightlife, Hotels, and Shopping are also included."

I don't have this app, since they don't have Portland listed as one of the cities, but I have used their books in the past when traveling so I can see the appeal of having that information handy on your iPhone or iPod Touch. It is available now in the iTunes store for $9.99 USD, and if you aren't sure you need it, have a look at this review.

"Apple's new 5th-gen iPod nano, unveiled this past Wednesday, is "exactly the same size as the previous one: 3.6 x 1.5 x 0.2 inches. That is, it's a wafer-thin, rounded-edged slab that comes in 9 metallic colors," David Pogue reports for The New York Times."

It is a down and dirty quick review of the Nano, something that Pogue seems to really like. I have to admit I'm tempted to pick one up to play with. The video quality is standard definition and is like the iPhone 3GS according to Pogue. You can read the entire review here.

"The long-awaited iPhone OS 3.0 is finally here. While it is certainly less momentous than the launch of the original iPhone, it is still a solid OS upgrade in terms of performance and additional features."

If, like me, you aren't picking up a iPhone 3G S today, you can still enjoy the benefits of the 3.0 software. There are many articles on just what each feature can do and this article talks about some that didn't get the coverage the Cut and Paste feature did for example. Mainly because they are minor improvements, but even minor they "raise the usability" of the iPhone. One such feature is the addition of more options for the "Home" button on the iPhone. Now you can double tap the button and it will take you to the Home Screen, Spotlight, Phone Favorites, iPod or Camera. Minor yes, but major when it comes to usability, for me at least.

Which improvements were your favorite?

"I have just spent a few weeks testing [Apple's MobileMe] again on multiple Windows and Mac computers, and an iPhone," Walter S. Mossberg reports for The Wall Street Journal."

And what did Mr. Mossberg conclude? I'll let him tell you.

According to Mossberg, "Apple has fixed all of the speed and reliability issues I encountered last year. In my new tests, MobileMe's email was prompt and reliable. I was able to add, delete or edit a contact or calendar entry on one device, and see these changes almost immediately on all the others, and on the MobileMe Web site. The Web-based photo gallery, which can also house videos, worked fine on both Windows and Mac, and I was able to upload photos to it from my iPhone. The file storage also worked well, and now has a feature that allows you to share files too large to email. And each MobileMe account works with an unlimited number of computers, iPhones and Touches."

Sounds like he likes it. You can read his review over at All Things Digital. Oh one caveat though, it does work better with Macs than it does with Windows.

Product Category: Notebook Computer
Manufacturer: Apple
Where to Buy: Amazon.com [Affiliate]
Price: $1999 - $2499 ($2499 configuration tested, no BTO options)
Specifications: Detailed Specs Here

Pros:

• Solid smooth design;
  
• Powerful CPU and GPU;
• Excellent screen.
  

Cons:

• Trackpad is somewhat fidgety;
  
• A tad on the heavy side;
  
• Expensive.
  

Summary:
Apple has ditched the two-piece shell of the MacBook Pro, opting for a new single-piece shell they refer to as "brick." Is the new MacBook Pro a divine piece of masonry or an over-hyped marketing gimmick? Read more...