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Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today
Apple's skinnier, lighter MacBook option checked in for another (irregular) hardware update at this year's WWDC. Just under a year since the last time the range was renovated, the move to Ivy Bridge processors wasn't the only thing that changed. First up, those processors will reach up to 2GHz Core i7, with Turbo Boost tipping these up to 3.2GHz. The FaceTime camera is now 720p, with the display on the 11-inch model staying put at 1366 x 768 (but with Intel's HD graphics 4000 doing the pushing). The 13-incher will house a 1440 x 900 screen and both will arrive with a pair of USB 3.0 ports and capacity for up to 8GB of RAM. Storage will now extend to 512GB, while prices will start at $999 for the most basic option, up to $1099 for the speediest offering. The best part? They'll start shipping today.%Gallery-157897%%Gallery-157963% For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub.
THD N2-A is a KIRF MacBook Air that runs Ice Cream Sandwich for $149, we go hands-on (video)
It wouldn't be Computex without some KIRF Apple products. And what we have today isn't quite a MacBook Air. But it's amazingly close. The N2-A, as it's known in the OEM underground, is one of the most impressive MacBook Air lookalikes we've seen -- and one of the cheapest. $74,500 will net you 500 of these lovely 13.3-inch bundles of almost-Mac goodness, which comes out to just $149 apiece. The THD (Thread Technology Co.)-made clamshell comes complete with an LED-backlit 1366 x 768 LCD, 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 1 gig of DDR3 RAM and 8 gigs of SSD storage. There's also built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi (we're a bit devastated about the lack of 802.11ac), and the option to add a 3G dongle or Ethernet adapter via the pair of USB 2.0 ports. As you may have gathered from the image, there's a full-size QWERTY keyboard and a familiar, yet incredibly mediocre trackpad, along with a 2-cell 4200 mAh battery (rated to 8 hours), an SD card slot, a not-so-MagSafe 110-240-volt AC adapter, a headphone out, mic in and an HDMI port.In typical MacBook Air fashion, the N2-A is very thin and quite light (1.55 kilograms or 3.4 pounds) -- it's not as svelte as a top-of-the-line ICS tablet, but it's manageable for sure. While it may look perfectly fine on camera, the device's build quality certainly isn't up to Apple's standards -- but then again, it doesn't cost $1,000+. After a few busy trade show days, the trackpad was noticeably scratched up, with plenty of other blemishes around the silver case to boot, along with some warping here and there. The N2-A wasn't hideous by any stretch, even upon close inspection, but any Apple newbie would be able to recognize that this didn't come out of Cupertino, even before noticing the missing Apple logo and the added Windows key (it's there to support the nearly identical N2-C, which adds a dual-core Atom processor and Windows 7 support).ICS felt quite snappy, though without a touchscreen you're forced to use the unimpressive trackpad, which wasn't responsive enough for regular use. (You can always sacrifice portability and use a USB mouse instead.) Overall, the N2-A is a pretty slick device -- not to mention quite a bit of fun. Don't expect to see this KIRF in any stores in the US -- you'll need to order 500 units or more directly from THD to take advantage of that $149 price tag, though we may see the Android laptop make its way to the public through third-party channels, perhaps with a retail price of about $200. For now, you can take a closer look in our meaty gallery below, or in the hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-157461%
Third betas of Adobe Flash 11.3, AIR 3.3 give peeks at low-lag audio and deeper iOS support
Adobe's famous desktop browser plugin may be looking forward to a 2013 overhaul, but that doesn't mean it isn't out to improve itself in the here and now. Flash Player's 11.3 beta, for instance, rolls in low latency audio support through NetStream, designed specifically to cut back audio lag in cloud gaming. The beta also introduces support for complete keyboard control when in full-screen mode, background Flash updating on Macs, and a Protected Mode for Firefox that keeps rogue Flash files from compromising Windows PCs using Vista or later. The AIR 3.3 beta, on the other hand, smooths the runtime's iOS experience, allowing compiled apps to run in the background more like their natively-compiled siblings. It's also friendlier to developers, with new USB debugging and simulator support that now doesn't require a physical device. Android 4.0 users aren't entirely left out, getting stylus support for AIR apps on their platform. Adobe hasn't said when the finished versions of Flash 11.3 and AIR 3.3 will reach its servers, but if you're willing to live life on the bleeding edge, you can find the download links below.
iBackFlip Somersault available for preorder; watch creator explain improvements
I met up with the guys behind iBackflip while at Macworld, and was impressed with their passion for design. Their first iBackflip was a pretty straightforward flip-down arm sling for the iPad. Using Velcro, it offered a basic black design and minimal extras. The new iBackflip Somersault, now available for pre-order, is a thoroughly updated version. At $99, I got to see one of the final versions, fresh from their factory. The Somersault's main feature is the ability to position the iPad in front of you while being securely fastened to your body via an ample sling. The flip-down panel securing the iPad is no longer Velcro, it is a sturdy YKK zipper now, and the iPad is more securely fastened in its own pocket. In addition to an iPad, the Somersault has room for an 11" MacBook Air, pockets for your headphones, ID, etc. and several loops on the shoulder strap. This is made of durable ballistic nylon in the USA and looks terrific. I can't believe they're only charging $99 for them, but I'm not complaining. Take it from someone who is a bit of a luggage/case nut, the Somersault is an excellent case for your iPad or small computer if you don't need to carry a full backpack and want a great deal on a quality on-the-go style bag. Check out the designer giving a demo below.
Love is in the Air customer support policy
Blizzard has posted a guide to what customer service and support can and cannot do for players during Love is in the Air, the WoW in-game holiday that runs between Feb. 5 through 20. As with most in-game events like this, players will be getting exclusive items, quests, tokens, prizes, and chances on really rare items like mounts from daily bosses. These events are designed to be rare and happen only once a year, and Blizzard stresses (again, by design) that these titles, achievements, and other event goodies need to be acquired during the holiday. Legitimate claims of items lost with logs will be restored as normal, but Blizzard wanted to make sure people knew in advance that item purchases and achievement-related issues during this limited-time event will most likely not be able to be addressed. Putting out notices like this is definitely a nice move by the community team. Many people have complained in the past of not knowing when a new event was starting in game or that their schedules did not permit them to complete all of the necessary holiday achievements and get all of the accompanying items. For many of those, the bright line rule is that "Blizzard wants these things to be rare," so they are rare by design. Remember: Get your holiday stuff done ASAP. This is your early notice that things will most likely not be given to you if you miss the event. The full blue post, after the break.
The MacBook Air turns four years old today
Four years ago today, Apple introduced the MacBook Air, then the world's thinnest notebook. It was Steve Jobs's last Macworld appearance and the next to last Macworld keynote for Apple. The presentation is a classic Steve Jobs performance. The keynote has his usual smooth delivery, a genuine enthusiasm for the product, and a healthy dose of showmanship. Watch the clip below and tell me you don't get goose bumps when you watch Jobs pull the first generation Air out of a manila envelope. He does a fantastic job of presenting the deficiencies in competitor's products (small keyboard, small display, underpowered) and how the MacBook Air is a step up. The first MacBook Air was a piece of engineering excellence. It was smaller but more powerful than its competitors. It started off with an 80 GB 1.8-inch HDD drive (optional SSD), a compact motherboard with a custom 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and GMA X3100 graphics processor. It also had a 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy display, 2 GB of DDR2 SDRAM, full backlit keyboard, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, USB port, and Micro-DVI port. It was thin, measuring only 12.8 in (325 mm) wide × 8.94 in (227 mm) deep × 0.16 in (4 mm) to 0.76 in (19 mm) high. You can see how much smaller it is than the MacBook Pro in our first hands-on video straight from the floor of Macworld 2008. The first model had an optional external optical drive, but Jobs insisted customers would not miss their DVD because the world was moving to wireless. It seemed radical back then, but, with Mac OS X Lion, the Mac App Store and iCloud, we now see Jobs's vision of the future. The MacBook Air received positive reviews when it launched, but the early hardware was plagued with overheating and, for some, wireless connectivity problems. At US$1,799, it was also pricey compared to its Windows counterparts. An updated version of the hardware was released at the end of 2008 and included a larger hard drive (and SSD option), a faster, non-custom Intel Core 2 Duo processor, new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, and a Mini Display port. It was a small refresh that slightly improved performance. In 2009, Apple overhauled the MacBook Pro line and refreshed the MacBook Air again. This 2009 MacBook Air was the recipient of a higher capacity battery and a slightly faster CPU. The entry price was also dropped to $1499 for the HDD version and a very reasonable $1799 for the 128 GB SSD model. In late 2010, Apple completely redesigned the 13-.3-inch MacBook Air with SSD storage across the line and improved battery performance. Apple also introduced the 11.6-inch MacBook Air, a version with most of the power of the 13.3-inch in a smaller form factor. The 11-inch competed directly with netbooks (remember those?) and was an instant hit for those who wanted a small notebook that'll work on the go. Pricing was very competitive with the 11.6-inch starting at $999 and the 13.3-inch at $1299. Similar to previous models, the 2010 MacBook Air was not as powerful as its MacBook Pro cousins. Customers liked the small size of the Air, but not the slower processing power and frequent beach balls. Apple also removed the backlit keyboard from the Air, which caused a stir among customers who sorely missed that feature. This changed in mid-2011 when Apple introduced the current MacBook Air models. The current generation Air models have Core i5 or Core i7 processors, SSD storage, and an Intel HD 3000 graphics processor. Though the Air got a significant boost, pricing remained the same, with the 11.6-inch starting at $999 and the 13.3-inch starting at $1299. The latest model also includes Thunderbolt, Bluetooth 4.0 and a backlit keyboard. It ships with Lion, the Mac App Store and iCloud support, making the MacBook Air the ultimate wireless notebook that Steve Jobs promoted in that 2008 Macworld keynote. Benchmarks also show the lastest MacBook Air is no longer a slow performer. It's an excellent choice for customers who want both speed and portability. This ideal combination of size and power propelled the MacBook Air to the top of Apple's Mac line. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said during the Q4 2011 earning call that "the increase in Mac sales was fueled by the very strong growth in MacBook Air, as well as the continued strong performance of MacBook Pro." He also noted that "the portables represented 74 percent of the total Mac mix." Sales estimates from analysts suggest the 2011 MacBook Air now grabs 28% of Apple's notebook sales, up from 8% in early 2011. If you own one (or more) of these MacBook Air models, share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. We'd love to hear how you are using the MacBook Air in your daily life. MacBook Air Introduction, Part 1 MacBook Air Introduction, Part 2
Adobe abandoning Flash Player for TVs as well
And the white-flag waving continues. Shortly after announcing the painful death of Flash Player for mobile devices, Adobe is also stepping back from the platform on another major pedestal: television. In a statement to GigaOM, Adobe said that it would "continue to support existing licensees who are planning on supporting Flash Player for web browsing on digital home devices and are using the Flash Player Porting Kit to do so," but that it felt the "right approach to deliver content on televisions is through applications, not a web browsing experience." The broader efforts to bring Flash to connected HDTVs, Blu-ray players etc. were all part of its Open Screen Project -- something the now-defunct Palm joined in 2009 -- which was established in order to allow developers to craft a single Flash app and distribute it across a number of devices. A perfectly acceptable initiative in theory, but it seems that traction has been hard to come by. One has to wonder what this means for products in the Google TV family, which obviously rely on Flash Player to bring a "complete" browsing experience to the tee-vee screen. In related news, HTML5 could not be reached for comment, but close friends have affirmed that "snickering" and "belly laughs" could be heard coming from his Los Angeles hotel room.
RIM announces PlayBook 2.0 Developer Beta and Runtime, marries Android to BlackBerry
Research in Motion announced the developer beta of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 today at its annual DevCon event. The new beta will be released today, and has a few goodies that we've been waiting a long time for: namely, BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and the BlackBerry Plug-In for Android Development Tools, which will give developers the opportunity to bring their Android apps to the PlayBook. Also coming along for the ride is support for Adobe AIR 3, Flash Player 11 and WebGL, a new tech that enables hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to show in the browser without needing additional software. Needless to say, this changes the ballgame a bit for Waterloo. Sounds great, but is it enough to keep the company's head above water? Remains to be seen, but check out the press release after the break to get the full scoop, and head over to the Runtime site to get started.
Invisibility cloak made of carbon nanotubes uses 'mirage effect' to disappear
If the phrase "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" means anything to you, you'll be happy to know that scientists have come one step closer to a Potter-style "invisibility cloak" so you can use your Marauder's Map to the fullest. With the help of carbon nanotubes, researchers have been able to make objects seem to magically vanish by using the same principle that causes mirages. As anyone who's been especially parched along Route 66 knows, optical illusions occur when heat changes the air's temperature and density, something that forces light to "bend," making us see all sorts of crazy things. Apply the same theory under water using nanotubes -- one molecule carbon coils with super high heat conductivity -- and scientists can make a sheet of the stuff "disappear." Remember, it only works underwater, so get your gillyweed ready and check out the video after the break.
Flash 11 and AIR 3 landing tonight and delivering 7.1 surround sound to connected home theaters
Later tonight Adobe Flash 11 and AIR 3 will hit the tubes delivering with it a host of new features, including hardware acceleration for 2D and 3D graphics -- at least for desktops. Stage 3D support will be added to the mobile variants for Android, iOS and BlackBerry at a later date. AIR 3 will also be sprucing up connected entertainment devices, like Samsung SmartTVs, with the ability to deliver Flash-based games and content to your home theater system. What's more, Adobe has baked in support for both Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound. That means both 5.1 and 7.1 sound can be built into an AIR app, whether it be a game or streaming video, and pumped out at up to 512Kbps though your Blu-ray player or other connected theater component. For more, including a demo of a Flash app on a phone and a TV communicating, check out the trio of press releases and video after the break.
Adobe promises console quality games on iOS with new Air 3
Adobe has announced version 3 of its Air cross-platform development runtime is out now, and the company says it will allow developers to use Flash, Actionscript, JavaScript, and other technologies to create what are essentially console-quality 2D and 3D games for the web, and even iOS. While Flash doesn't yet work on iOS, Adobe Air works on iOS, Mac, Windows, and a few other compatible platforms. The new version of the development kit, in addition with Flash 11, will be able to build out some pretty good-looking games, and run rather powerful applications. I use TweetDeck on my Mac, which is built with Adobe Air, and even the popular iPad game Machinarium was created with the Air technology. Traditionalists may scoff (and, of course, the reason Flash isn't on the iPad or iPhone is because performance still isn't where it needs to be), but truthfully, the more options developers have for making great apps on Apple's platform, the better for us users.
Adobe's launching Flash Player 11, Air 3 bringing HD video and 3D gaming to all
While we've had access to Adobe's Flash Player 11 in beta form for months, the company announced it will finally get official, along with Air 3, next month. Among the many new features included are support for accelerated 2D and 3D graphics with a claimed 1,000 times faster performance than Flash Player 10 and Air 2. That's enough to enable "console-quality" gaming on both computers and connected TVs and on mobile devices (Android, iOS, Playbook) with a pre-release version of Flash 11 (a production release you can take on the go is expected in "the near future"). Other new options include allowing developers to package Air 3 along with their apps in a single install, HD video quality on multiple platforms including iOS, DRM for video rentals, 64-bit support and more. Check out Adobe's pitch to developers with a press release and demo videos after the break, including a look at the hit iPad game Machinarium which was built with its tools.
Adobe: yep, your Windows 8 system will support Flash -- sometimes (video)
Flash fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief -- Adobe has confirmed that the next version of Windows will, in fact, support work built on its once ubiquitous web publishing platform. Windows 8 PCs and tablets with x86 or ARM processors will support the platform -- in the more traditional desktop mode, that is. The version of Internet Explorer 10 built for that interface will play nicely with Flash. Those users who opt for the new Metro UI, on the other hand, will be out of luck on the Flash front, thanks to a lack of plug-in support. Between Adobe's work in the HTML5 world and the ability to build Flash-like apps using Air for the Metro interface, however, the company seems to have most of its bases covered in Windows 8 land. Check out evidence of Flash running in Windows 8 after the break, courtesy of Qualcomm.
Acer Aspire 3951 photos leaked, new Ultrabooks to launch in September
We don't mind eyeballing a few impossibly clean renders when we get wind of a new toy, but there's nothing like the real McCoy. Today's bones slipped out of a (now pulled) HDblog hands-on of the Acer Aspire 3951 Ultrabook, possibly leaked ahead of an IFA 2011 embargo. The genuine article looks nearly identical to its rendered counterpart, albeit a bit thicker and more plasticky. The unveiled 13.3-inch MacBook Air competitor reportedly sports a second generation Intel Core processor, boots from sleep in under two seconds, and is only 13mm thick. The price? While there is no official word on this exact model, Acer head-honcho JT Wang mentioned last week that the outfit was prepping to launch a new Ultrabook in September for about $800. Lines up nicely with the Acer 3951's rumored $770-960 price range, doesn't it?
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: laptops
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today we're getting down to the very important business of helping you sift through laptops, and you can always head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Ah, laptops. Some of us received our first notebooks the summer before college if not later. But times have changed and we're sure for many of the kids reading this freshman year is just an excuse to upgrade from the clunkers that carried them through high school. Either way, this one's pretty much mandatory -- unless you're a serious gamer who insists on a desktop GPU for marathon sessions of CoD: Black Ops, you're going to need a laptop for pounding out last-minute term papers in the library, taking notes in class and posting incriminating photos on Facebook. The problem is, the market's overrun with laptops that purport to be just perfect for the back to school set. They can't all be worth your money, though, so we whittled the list down to a handful of choices for each budget -- and if you're lucky you'll get your very own HP Pavilion dm1z for the pretty price of, well, nothing. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. So wipe off the glasses, grab your clicker, and get ready to jump past the break for a top-level overview of this year's picks for back to school.
Acer's Aspire 3951 leaks with MacBook Air-like specs, available in October?
It looks like Acer may be dropping down to the lightweight laptop division, now that images of its so-called Aspire 3951 have leaked out of Vietnam. An ostensible rival to the recently refreshed MacBook Air, the 13.3-inch 3951 reportedly boasts a similarly slim design, measuring 13mm thick and weighing less than 1.4 kilograms (about three pounds). According to Sohoa, the aluminum-cased device is powered by a second generation Intel Core processor, features an optional 160GB SSD, and offers more than six hours of battery life, along with Bluetooth 4.0 support. Much like the Air, this Aspire can purportedly boot up pretty fast, as well, rousing from sleep mode in just 1.7 seconds. It's rumored that Acer will release this new line in October within the curiously affordable price range between $770 and $960, but we'll have to wait and see whether that actually comes to fruition. In the meantime, you can check out an extra image of the Aspire 3951 below, or hit the source link for the full collection. [Thanks, @tranquochuyvn] Update: Oddly enough, it appears that we've caught a glimpse of this exact same laptop before, except it was portrayed by M.I.C. Gadget as a Thunderbolt MacBook Air leak. Perhaps the folks received some bad intel, be it intentional or not.
BBC iPlayer app gets a new look on the PS3 now, other devices later
While we keep waiting for the BBC to release a version of its iPlayer on this side of the Atlantic, it's already upgrading UK PlayStation 3s with a brand new interface. Designed to be navigated by any standard remote, the main focuses are personalization and enhanced navigation to avoid scrolling through long lists, as well as bringing over synced iPlayer Favourites from the PC. The new UI is built on HTML5 and CE-HTML with an eye towards rolling it out easily on other devices soon, but there's also plans for a version built with Adobe Flash and AIR technology. Check after the break for a quick video demo of the new features which sadly does not include a new episode of Top Gear (UK version) -- we checked.
PSA: Apple using slower SSDs in some MacBook Air models (video)
When you head to Apple's online store to configure your MacBook Air, you'll find options to increase processor speed or SSD capacity -- depending on the model you select, of course. There's no mention of flash drive speed, however, though it's now clear that not all SSDs are created equal at Apple -- not only when it comes to capacity, but also performance. Jonathan over at TLD discovered a fairly significant discrepancy when benchmarking both MacBook Air models over the weekend. The 128GB Samsung SSD in his 11-inch Air was able to achieve 246 MB/s write and 264 MB/s read speeds. When he switched to the 13-inch model, however, speeds dropped to 156 MB/s and 208 MB/s, respectively, using that notebook's 128GB Toshiba SSD. We compared speeds on two generations of 13-inch models, and confirmed Jonathan's findings. During our tests, the 256GB Samsung drive in our older model achieved 214 MB/s write and 251 MB/s read speeds, while the 128GB Toshiba drive in the new MacBook Air scored 184 MB/s and 203 MB/s during write and read tests, respectively. Overall, you're not likely to notice a significant difference during normal usage, though it's certainly an interesting find, nonetheless. [Thanks, Larry]
MacBook Air review (mid 2011)
There comes a time when that giant, corporate-issued laptop stops fitting into your lifestyle. When dragging around a Kensington roller case just won't do. When you start to hear the siren lilt of something thinner, lighter, and maybe a bit more alluring. For years the MacBook Air has been that svelte temptress hollering your name, but it's always been a bit too slow -- all show and no go. It didn't have the power and the longevity to make it a serious contender for your serious affections.No more. With its latest refresh, Apple has taken what was once a manilla-clad curiosity and turned it into a legitimate machine, not just a sultry looker. Good thing, too, because the death of the plastic-clad MacBook means the Air is now Apple's entry-level portable. Weary traveler looking for a laptop that will lighten your load and, it must be said, your wallet too? This might just be it.%Gallery-129057%
Adobe's InMarket to fade into the sunset, AIR marketplace faces similar fate
Remember Adobe's InMarket? You know, that marketplace where devs can publish once, distribute anywhere -- like on Intel's AppUp. If you're still drawing a blank, fret not, as the software giant plans to shutter the service come August 31st, leaving developers with a little over a month to download analytics and revenue reports. Also on the chopping block is the company's AIR Marketplace, which the firm now views as redundant given that AIR apps can be published on Cupertino's App Store, the Android Market and BlackBerry's App World. Got any burning questions? A letter and FAQ await you at the source. [Thanks, Koiyu]
