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Apple confirms it's 'unclear' whether there will be enough Retina iPad minis to meet demand
While Apple CEO Tim Cook may have put one rumor to rest during today's earnings call, he basically confirmed another one: When asked about the availability of the iPad mini with Retina display, Cook said that the new model will start shipping "later in November," but that it's "unclear whether we'll have enough for the quarter or not." Cook quickly pointed out that "we know how many we'll have," but that it's difficult to predict demand for a product until it starts shipping. He seemed to be confirming persistent rumors that the Retina mini would be in short supply during the holiday shopping season. Although Cook insisted that "we'll do fairly well with iPad," and that Apple will have a "really great holiday season," the company may have reason to be concerned about not being able to meet demand for the new model. As reported earlier, iPad sales were flat compared to the same period last year, even while competitors are seeing major growth in tablet sales. Apple has seen its share of the total tablet market drop from 60 percent a year ago to just 32 percent today. Apple is hoping, according to Cook, for "an iPad Christmas," but it may be one that many customers will have to celebrate without the company's most notable new model.
iFixit tears apart Apple's new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro
It's only been a couple of days since Apple released its shiny new MacBook Pros and iFixit has already torn them apart, in more ways than one. Just like its older sibling, the new 13-inch Retina notebook didn't perform that well on the repairability scale, scoring a one out of 10 -- dropping one point from its predecessor's less than impressive two. That's largely down to the same restrictions as before: a glued battery that has been positioned to cover important screws, a Retina display that is fused inside a whole unit, soldered RAM and a non-standard SSD drive. Apple's also reduced the size of the battery, relying on Intel's Haswell processor and Mavericks' improved power management to boost battery life. The same fate befalls the 15-inch model, meaning it'll be almost impossible to upgrade either of Apple's latest notebooks when they start suffering from the effects of entropy.
Reuters sources predict shortage for unannounced iPad mini with Retina display
It's little more than a rumor at this point, but stories of delays and shortages have been circulating for about as long as mentions of an iPad mini with Retina display. Reuters spent the morning adding a bit more fuel to that proverbial fire with its own band of anonymous sources. The "people who work in the company's supply chain" confirmed that there have been issues bringing a higher res tablet to market -- issues that may, in fact, impede Cupertino's ability to capitalize on the ever-important holiday push. The refreshed mini is still apparently set for an October release according to the aforementioned unnamed informants, but it "could be available in only limited quantities this year." As to what's actually causing said shortage, no can say for sure, though word is that Apple's own certification process around power consumption may have thrown a wrench in the proceedings.
WSJ: Apple to use Samsung retina displays on next iPad mini
Earlier this month, there was a rumor that Apple was facing possible delays with its next-gen iPad mini due to supplier issues with an (also rumored) next generation Retina display. Now WSJ is reporting that Apple may have gotten around the problem thanks to, of all companies, Samsung. The ubiquitous "people familiar with the matter" told the journal that Cupertino originally wanted to be supplied solely by LG Display and Sharp for the high res screens (likely to be the same 7.9 inches as the current model). However, to ensure enough supply, Apple has reportedly been forced to resort to Samsung's display division for the next iPad mini, too. It bears noting that such supplier leaks are often unreliable, and as we've mentioned before, Apple frequently tests components before deciding on a final design. If true, though, it would show that despite its best efforts, Apple can't make a clean break from its frequent sparring partner.
Pupil for Retina display Macs makes it easy to switch screen resolutions
Pupil (US$5.00) is an app specifically designed for Macs with Retina displays, specifically Apple's Retina-equipped MacBook Pro range (rMBP). Although Mac OS X gives users five screen resolution options, they are cumbersome to access and change, with users having to enter System Preferences any time they want to change the screen's resolution. Most users of a rMBP will be happy with the native Retina display resolution of 2,880 x 1,800, but more demanding (or adventurous) users may wish to regularly change their Mac's screen resolution to take advantage of the greater screen real estate rMBPs have to offer. Pupil is a simple utility app that gives you access to varying screen resolutions (including 1:1 native pixel resolution for Retina displays) directly from the Mac OS X menu bar. Two clicks will change your screen's resolution, instead of forcing you to dig into System Preferences. Pupil also lets you customize your favorite six resolutions and label them. %Gallery-186236% Some of the resolutions are extreme and impractical, like 3,840 x 2,400 or 720 x 450, and it's no wonder Apple doesn't give direct access to them -- though you may be an advanced user who might use them for testing purposes. Resolutions like 1,920 x 1,200 or 1,680 x 1,050 (which appear as Mac OS X's More Space and second from More Space options in System Preferences) can be really beneficial, so it's very convenient to have on-the-fly, two-click access to them through Pupil. Pupil is available through the Pupil website. It's not available on the Mac App Store, but it's fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. An alternative to Pupil is SwitchRes 4, which you can check out here.
Apple adds refurbished 13-inch MacBook Pro to online store, Retina model starting at $1,439
It's been nearly two weeks since Apple made its 15-inch next-generation MacBook Pro available as a refurb and now the 13-inch model's ready to follow suit. Listed on the company's online storefront today, iFans averse to full retail pricing can now snag the base model with a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM and a 500GB HDD for $1,019 (about $180 less). That's if you hate your eyes, but have slightly more respect for your wallet. Or... or you can go for the gloss and get the Retina model with the same processor setup, 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD (configurations of up to 512GB also available) for $1,439 -- so long as you're willing to pay more of a premium. However it shakes down for you, there's no denying you're in store for savings and the pleasures of a product that's almost brand new.
Adobe Lightroom 4.3 now available, brings support for Retina displays and more
It's been but a mere few days since Adobe added some much-welcomed Retina support to its Photoshop and Illustrator CS6 apps, but that's not stopping the outfit from coming back with more updates today. This time out, however, it's the creative software giant's Lightroom, which leaves its 4.3 beta stages behind and is now available in full, bringing with it compatibility with high-res screens while developing / viewing pics, RAW image support for about 20 new cameras and a number of bug fixes that should solve issues with the application being unfriendly with some lenses. The new version of Lightroom is up for download now, and you can grab it by checking for updates from within the app or via Adobe's own site.
Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS6 get Retina display support
Adobe has announced updates for Photoshop and Illustrator Creative Suite 6 that add much-awaited Retina display support to the popular graphics applications. Owners of the standalone versions and owners of the Creative Cloud versions are elligible for the Retina display updates. From an Adobe blog post announcing the Illustrator update: The Illustrator team is happy to announce support for HiDPI and Retina display support for Illustrator CS6 customers. This update is available to all Illustrator CS6 customers, both Creative Cloud members as well as owners of perpetual products. With this update, customers can see more detail in images, text, and in the Illustrator user interface when working on high-resolution displays, including the new Retina display available on MacBook Pro. The HiDPI feature in Illustrator is currently only available on Mac OS. It is expected to be available in the future on additional operating systems. Adobe also says that those wishing to see what further updates are coming to Adobe Creative Cloud can watch the Create Now Live event online that begins today, Tuesday, December 11, at 10 AM PT.
Opera 12.10 browser hits desktops with Windows 8 touch, Retina display, SPDY support
Opera has just released version 12.10 of its browser for Windows, Linux and Mac with some significant touch-ups, considering it's a point release. Building on the recent 12.0 launch, the desktop browser now has OS X notifications, Retina support, pinch zoom and inertia scrolling for touch-friendly Windows 8, better color rendering, SPDY support for faster page loading and built-in page sharing to Twitter or Facebook. Along with a bump in speed, some of those new treats might tempt desktop users to make a switch, though it's got an uphill climb. You can grab it at the source.
iPad review (late 2012)
Welcome to the new new iPad, same as the old new iPad. Well, mostly, anyway. It was less than eight months ago that Apple grafted a Retina display onto its world-conquering tablet, giving every other slate on the market resolution envy, while enchanting gadget lovers with world-class performance and battery life. Now, it's obsolete. Put out to pasture just as it was hitting its stride and replaced by this, the fourth-generation iPad -- still just called "new iPad." Other than a Lightning connector on the bottom it's visually indistinguishable from its predecessor. Even its starting MSRP of $499 stays the same. But, on the inside where it counts, is the new, fire-breathing A6X processor. Could this be possibly worth buying a second new iPad in just one year, or could this perhaps be the one you've been waiting for? Hold on to your wallets and click on through to find out.
iPad mini coming to Verizon, AT&T and Sprint in mid-November starting at $459
Today, Apple finally announced its highly anticipated iPad mini. This 7.9-inch "little tablet that could" will be available from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint with shipping starting "a couple of weeks after" WiFi models go on sale on November 2nd. Available in black and white for $459 (16GB), $559 (32GB) and $659 (64GB), the company will begin accepting pre-orders on October 26th. So, if you plan on calling dibs on one of these little guys, we suggest that you plan accordingly.
Apple iMac (2012) hands-on!
Look out, world -- Apple just unleashed its latest iMac, and we agree that it might just be the biggest leap in the platform since we left Bondi Blue. It's hard to overstate just how phenomenal this machine looks in the flesh. It's also unbelievably thin -- we'd be impressed if it were simply a new Cinema Display, but the fact that a computer is in there really takes it over the top. At $1,299, you'll be hard-pressed to find a sexier all-in-one (assuming you don't need an inbuilt optical drive, of course). Have a look at the eye candy below; we'll be spending a fair amount of time with this guy in the weeks ahead.
Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro hands-on!
Apple just introduced its second Retina display MacBook: the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,699 and is shipping today. Just months after the 15-incher was gifted with a display that packs more pixels than your existing HDTV, the 13-inch sibling is receiving similar treatment. Unveiled today in San Jose alongside the iPad mini, the intensely dense 13-inch MBP is true to the rumors -- there's a 2,560 x 1,600 panel, a pair of Thunderbolt ports, a full-size HDMI socket and a MagSafe 2 power connector. Unfortunately, those yearning for a Retina-equipped MacBook Air won't find their dreams fulfilled just yet, but you can bet that holdouts will most certainly give this guy a look. For starters, it's wildly thin. No, not manilla envelope thin, but thin enough to slip into most briefcases and backpacks without the consumer even noticing. Outside of that, it's mostly a shrunken version of the 15-incher let loose over the summer. The unibody design is as tight as ever, with the fit and finish continuing to impress. In my estimation, this is Apple's most deliberate move yet to differentiate the 13-inch MacBook Pro from the 13-inch MacBook Air. On one hand, power users longing for a highly portable laptop can rejoice; on the other, this could be seen as reason for Apple to restrict the use of Retina displays to its Pro range for the foreseeable future. Compared to the 1,280 x 800 resolution of the non-Retina 13-inch MBP, the new display is particularly stunning. Text has never looked more crisp, and colors are stupendously vibrant. Of course, apps, websites and graphics that haven't been optimized for Retina still look like utter rubbish, and as more Apple machines transition to these panels, the outcry is going to get even louder. But, hopefully, it'll light a fire under developers to get with the program.
Samsung may be getting out of display supplier deal with Apple next year
A report in the Korea Times suggests Samsung will sever its contract with Apple and will no longer supply LCD panels to the Cupertino company, starting in 2013. An unnamed senior industry source told the newspaper that the company is not making enough money off the panels that it is selling to Apple. We are unable to supply our flat-screens to Apple with huge price discounts. Samsung has already cut our portion of shipments to Apple and next year we will stop shipping displays. Samsung is reportedly shipping fewer and fewer panels to Apple each quarter, with the Korean company expected to supply Apple with only 4.5 million LCD panels in the second half of the year. This is down from the 15 million panels that Samsung sent to Apple in the first six months of 2012. Samsung will reportedly turn to Amazon and its own handset division to make up for the loss of orders from Apple. Apple sources components from many companies, including displays from LG and Sharp as well as Samsung.
Talkcast: Looking ahead to iPad mini, earnings and more
It's Talkcast time again, and it's a doozy -- we're on the brink of a new product announcement and a quarterly earnings report, and that just gets us to Thursday. What will we see at Wednesday's announcement? Will there be pie? Plus a hands-on assessment of the current flagship in mini tablets (for the next few days, anyway), the Google/Asus Nexus 7, from the perspective of an iPad owner. It's going to be nothing but fun -- and better if you join us. To participate, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; or just call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice); basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Microsoft: Surface display superior to iPad display
The iPad 3 is known for its gorgeous, high-resolution Retina display, but it is not the best tablet display, said a Microsoft engineer during a Reddit IAmA event on Tuesday. Though its display is a lower resolution, Microsoft claims the screen on its upcoming Surface tablet is even better than the iPad's Retina display. Steven Bathiche, director of research in the Applied Sciences group, said the Surface is superior because Microsoft's ClearType display technology maximizes the "perceived resolution" of its display. He noted that "doing a side by side with the new iPad in a consistently lit room, we have had many people see more detail on Surface RT than on the iPad with more resolution." This, of course, is a very subjective measurement that will be hotly debated when the Surface tablet finally hits the market next week. [Via CNET]
Apple announces 'Special Event' for October 23rd -- we'll be there live!
Apple has just invited members of the press to attend a product launch on October 23rd, where we assume the long-rumored iPad mini will be unveiled. The event will go down merely weeks after Apple took the wraps off of the iPhone 5 (and strangely enough, the Foo Fighters played their last show for the foreseeable future). It's quite unlike Apple to throw two product parties in the fall, but if an entirely new iPad is being revealed, it may be a scenario that becomes more familiar in years to come. At this point, we're left with far more questions than answers: will the iPad mini really ship with a Lightning port, while the Retina iPad -- which was only introduced in March -- continues to ship with the "old" Dock Connector? Will Apple really continue to refresh its two iPad products at different intervals? Will the (presumed) AT&T iPad mini actually include mobile hotspot functionality? And while we're at it, is Apple really going to throw a "one more thing" into the mix by bumping its 13-inch MacBook Pro into Retina territory? After all, tossing "little" into the invite could allude to a smaller iPad and an update to an already-small laptop. We'll be there to bring you the blow-by-blow as it happens, so feel free to go ahead and take next Tuesday off. We'll sign the approval form.
iPod touch review (2012)
When last we got a new iPod touch, the fourth-generation from 2010, it was so thin relative to other devices of that era we said it looked like "a toothpick." Its 7.2mm thinness was unparalleled -- at the time. But now, just two years later, the iPhone 5 is less than a half-millimeter thicker, and that is of course packing a lot more wizardry inside. Suddenly, that toothpick is looking a little portly, which means it's time for the touch to lose a little weight. Enter the fifth-generation iPod touch, the 2012 model that has slimmed down to a mere 6.1mm in thickness. It's also about 10 percent lighter -- despite being grafted with a new 4-inch Retina display. Not only is it bigger and thinner, but it's far faster and has hugely improved cameras on both the front and rear. The perfect PMP package for $299? Click on through to find out.
Microsoft brings Retina display support to Office for Mac
Microsoft brought Office for Mac 2011 up to speed with Mountain Lion this summer, and it's now back with another update that finally adds support for the MacBook Pro's Retina display. That comes courtesy of version 14.2.4 of the software suite, and that added sharpness naturally extends across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. You can find the update waiting for you in the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool if you haven't been prompted to download it already.
7th-generation iPod nano hands-on!
Not to be outdone by a refreshed iPod touch (and, let's face it, a new iPhone), Apple also shot out a 5.4mm-thick iPod nano today -- that's 38 percent thinner than the one it replaces. We just got our hands on the newest, tiniest music player outside of Apple's product launch today, replete with a 2.5-inch multitouch panel and a familiar Home button. As you'd expect, the enlarged display is hugely beneficial. While there's no bona fide version of iOS on here, the stripped-down variant seems sufficient for handling media alone. As if the ability to watch widescreen video wasn't enough, fitness gurus are also apt to take notice -- inbuilt support for Nike+ gear, along with Bluetooth, make this one potent device. The Lightning connector seems to make a lot of sense here, given the dearth of real estate along the bottom, but somehow the company squeezed a big enough battery in here to net some 30 reported hours of battery life. In playing with it, we found screen transitions to be adequately smooth, and video playback was surprisingly enjoyable to watch. The screen is most definitely less stunning than the one on the iPod touch, but at $149, you can bet quite a bit of these end up in stockings this holiday season. %Gallery-165135%
