Macbook
Latest
Remember back when a PowerBook could burn your house down?
Ah, the good old days. Nothing like a top-of-the-line notebook charger that may or may not be plotting to start your house on fire with you inside. [Photo credit: Dom]
Twelve South BookArc möd steps away from metal, embraces wood
Just yesterday we announced Twelve South's new HiRise stand Tactical Black finish and are giving one away; today we're going to take a look at a new take on the venerable BookArc MacBook stand. It's called the BookArc möd (US$79.99) and bring the warm look and feel of wood to a great accessory. Read on for details, then enter a giveaway for a classy walnut BookArc möd from Twelve South and TUAW. Specifications Dimensions: 3 x 5 x 10.15 inches (7.5 x 12.75 x 25.8 cm) Weight: 0.5 pounds (.22 kg) Available finishes: Birch, Walnut, Espresso Compatible with: MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro with Retina display Design Highlights Like the original BookArc that we first reviewed back in early 2010, the BookArc möd uses a graceful curved design with a slot in the middle to hold a MacBook in clamshell (closed cover) mode. This is perfect for those situations where you'd like to use a MacBook with a large screen display, a full keyboard, and a mouse or trackpad. To hold the MacBook securely, each BookArc möd comes with a pair of inserts designed for specific MacBook models. But rather than continuing to follow in the footsteps of Apple design guru Jony Ive, Twelve South's newest BookArc uses wood as a primary material rather than aluminum. The result is very attractive and functional. Functionality Highlights The BookArc möd does a simple job, holding your closed MacBook vertically on a flat surface. It performs that task admirably, with no wobble at all. You should note that you might need to swap out the inserts to get the perfect fit -- although the instructions said that I should use the "7" insert for the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, I have a Speck SeeThru Satin Case on my device that adds just a little bit of width and a lot of protection. The result? I had to use the "5" insert to get more space and it worked just fine. To keep the BookArc möd from scratching your desktop, there are four small cork pads located on the "feet". With a MacBook loaded onto the BookArc, those feet also keep it from moving thanks to additional friction between the surfaces. Conclusion Twelve South makes beautiful and useful products for Apple devices, and they've hit another home run with the BookArc möd. The natural wood finishes give the stand a nice look against the stark metal of the MacBook, and the design ensures a nice tight fit to whatever Apple laptop you're using. My only concern is the price, which seems a tad exorbitant considering the materials. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Someone out there has a beautiful office and a MacBook, and we're going to give 'em a BookArc möd in the walnut finish. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before May 13, 2014 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Twelve South BookArc möd MacBook Stand valued at $79.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Here's an all-in-one travel adapter for your MacBook charger
Road warriors who carry a MacBook may already have Apple's world travel adapter kit, or even Twelve South's PlugBug for that extra USB port; but both products require swapping plugs for different regions. Konnext's OneAdapter Twist, however, caters to the slightly lazier travelers: It's essentially a chunky all-in-one travel adapter that sits atop any MacBook charger, though it also works just fine by itself. To switch plugs, simply twist the ring in the middle until it clicks. There's also a 2.4A USB socket (PlugBug's is only 2.1A), and if you need more, you can slot an optional three-socket USB hub in between. The OneAdapter Twist won't be launching until June for around $29 to $39, but for now, we have a quick demo video of a prototype after the break.
Apple's MacBook Air is now $100 cheaper and has a slightly faster processor
Been waiting for a MacBook Air refresh? Breathe easy, friend, because one has arrived -- well, sort of. Cupertino has quietly updated its online store with a familiar looking ultraportable, matching last year's model almost spec for spec: 4GB of RAM, 128 or 256GB of flash storage, a 1,440 x 900 resolution display, Intel HD 5000 graphics and a slim wedge frame with all the trimmings -- Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports and a SDXC card reader. The laptop's processor, on the other hand, has been upgraded: We're still talking about Intel's Haswell architecture, but the standard 2014 MacBook Air now boasts a 1.4GHz Core i5 CPU. That's only a hair faster than last year's 1.3GHz processor while idling, but it also has a higher Turbo Boost speed (2.7GHz compared to 2.6GHz) and could well have better efficiency too, by virtue of the fact that it represents the best of what Intel's fabs are currently capable of. The other big change is in the price, as these new units are $100 cheaper than the ones you could pick up yesterday (or £100 cheaper, if you're in the UK). The Air now starts at $899 (£749) for an 11-inch model, while the 13-inch version will set you back $999 (£849). If you were looking for some Retina action, however, or a major step-change in battery life, then that's probably still some way off.
And the award for cheapest MacBook sleeve goes to...
I'm utterly ashamed that I didn't think of this myself. What an amazing way to recycle a pair of old trousers. Bonus points for solid sewing skills and making it look professional! [Photo credit: John]
Here's what your new black MacBook Air would look like, if it existed
In love with the idea of a new black Apple notebook? So am I. There's just no denying that a black MacBook would be an awesome addition to the company's lineup, though whether we'll ever be graced with such a device is anyone's guess. But just to tease the idea, I whipped up some images that show off the idea of a MacBook Air with a decidedly dark personality. Enjoy!
Gandalf takes a break on his MacBook Pro while filming "The Hobbit"
Let the software install wizard jokes fly! What you're looking at above is Gandalf, played by Ian McKellen, using his MacBook Pro while taking a break during filming of The Hobbit. Naturally, the photo has inspired a slew of photoshopping and other creative spoofs. This one in particular is pretty good, courtesy of nufound.tumblr.com. You can check out some more spoofs over here.
A MacBook with a split personality
Wow! I had never considered this as an option, but back when Apple saw fit to make black MacBooks, swapping out some of the pieces onto a white model creates a pretty cool looking final product. [Photo credit: Barjack]
I want a new black MacBook
There is a stark contrast between Apple's use of color on its computer hardware and its mobile devices. You can get an iPod, iPhone, and to a lesser extent, an iPad, in a number of hues, but ever since the black polycarbonate MacBook bit the dust in 2009, there's been a distinct lack of flavor in the all-aluminum notebooks. We already know Apple is fine with giving its smartphone the anodized color treatment, so why not the MacBook? In fact, I'd be happy if Apple even just offered a single additional color option for the most portable of the MacBook family, the MacBook Air. I want a black MacBook Air. Sure, Apple would probably want to name the color something silly like "Space Black," but I'd totally be willing to overlook that to get my hands on an Air with a darker personality. So why hasn't it happened yet? That's a tough question, but it's clear that Apple has captured a "look" that has become part of the brand itself. You can spot an aluminum MacBook in a crowded coffee shop without even trying, and that aesthetic has a value all its own. It's clean, sharp, and modern. That's the reason companies like Asus and Samsung shamelessly mimic Apple's notebooks. But would the option of a darker shade actually harm the brand? I don't think it would. It was once insane to consider a gold (or even a white) iPhone, and now those devices are everywhere. Apple's history is a colorful one, and I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing a bit of that come back. The easiest, smallest, most subtle step in that direction would be to offer something you've already offered in the past: a black MacBook.
Apple and carriers will donate free devices and broadband to US schools
The White House won't be going it alone as it brings US classrooms into the internet era through its ConnectED initiative -- it just revealed that a host of technology firms will also lend a hand. Apple plans to donate $100 million in iPads, MacBooks and software to underprivileged schools, while Autodesk and O'Reilly Media will give away free software and content. Microsoft, in turn, will heavily discount Windows to lower educational PC prices. Carriers are getting in on the action, too. AT&T and Sprint have both pledged to offer free wireless broadband to schools for multiple years; Verizon isn't giving away service, but it will donate up to $100 million in cash and other commitments. The combined efforts aren't going to fix the American education system by themselves, but they could create a level playing field for schools across the country. [Image credit: Johan Larsson, Flickr]
Kitty likes that old-school PowerBook style
I'd begrudgingly have to pick the one on the left -- for productivity reasons, of course -- but that oh-so-retro PowerBook could definitely have a place in my home as well. As could that adorable feline. [Photo Credit: Raneko]
Welcome to The Dark Side
Is there anyone who didn't love the black MacBook? [Photo Credit: Felixtriller]
Dedicated app will stream every episode of The Simpsons, and more news for January 16, 2014
Fans of The Simpsons will be happy to hear they'll soon be able to download an app which will allow them to legally stream all 24 seasons of the show for free. The app will be coming courtesy of the FX network, whose sister site FXX got the exclusive on-demand rights to The Simpsons in a deal worth almost US$1 billion last year. This is huge news for Simpsons fans as there is currently no legal way to stream the series online or via an app. But the app won't be free for everyone. In order to stream The Simpsons through the new app you'll need an FXNOW account, which only about half of US cable providers offer. In more news for the morning of January 16, 2014: Refurbished Late 2013 13-inch MacBook Pros are now for sale in Apple's online store. Customers can save between $200-270 depending on which model they buy. Baldur's Gate II is now available for download in the App Store. The game is one of the most popular RPGs of all time. Features of the game include the final chapter of the Bhaalspawn saga, easy multiplayer gaming and The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay saga. Baldur's Gate II is $14.99. Apple has released a small update to the WWDC app. Version 1.0.3 addresses an issue where developers were unable to log in to watch videos from the 2013 WWDC. WWDC is a free download. The US Patent and Trademark Office has published an Apple patent application for a "Method to send payment data through various air interfaces without compromising user data" -- essentially a patent that details a backend strategy for enabling contactless payment systems for mobile devices. Does this mean an iWallet is coming soon? Who knows. Apple has thousands of patents for products and tech that never see the light of day.
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station expands your MacBook options
Now that the entire Mac line has been blessed with Thunderbolt (or in some cases, Thunderbolt 2) ports, more manufacturers are beginning to make accessories that allow a single port to perform many duties. That's the case with CalDigit's Thunderbolt Station (US$199), a compact docking station that gives Mac users a hand when it comes to getting connected to peripherals and the world. Specifications Dimensions: 6.85" long x 3.15" wide x 1.02" high (17.4cm x 8cm x 2.6cm) Weight: 0.4 kg / 0.88 lbs. Power: AC Power Adapter Full range, Output is DC 12V, 5A Max Interfaces: 2 x Thunderbolt, 3 x USB 3.0 (1x Front), 1 x Gigabit Ethernet, 1 x HDMI Out, 1 x Headphone Out, 1 x Microphone In Case Material: Aluminum Amazon Buyer Ratings: 4 stars out of 5, 16 customer reviews Similar Products Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock, $299 Matrox DS1/HDMI, $249 Design Highlights Probably the most notable differences between this and the original Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock are that the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station includes a HDMI port, provides UASP and Bus Power support, and also supports USB charging. CalDigit's offering also has an MSRP that's $100 less. Functionality Highlights During my testing, I connected the Thunderbolt Station to a MacBook Pro with Retina display, an external HDMI monitor, an USB 2.0 external hard drive, an iPad mini (through a USB to Lightning cable), and a set of headphones. In addition, I used the Thunderbolt Station's Gigabit Ethernet port to connect the MacBook Pro to the network. This is truly a plug-and-play solution, as there was no configuration required, no drivers installed, anything. It just worked, and worked quite well. The Ethernet connection once again made me wonder why I don't have my office wired for Ethernet, and the iPad mini charged right up as it should have. The bus-powered USB 2.0 drive? Started right up. Note that the no-driver installation is only for OS X Mavericks users; if you are using an older version of OS X, there is a driver to install to enable the Ethernet port. Size-wise, the Thunderbolt Stations is just small enough to be portable, if you don't mind lugging another pound of weight in your computer bag. But it's meant as a desktop "dock" to allow for easy external expansion of your MacBook, and that's where it really excels. I appreciated the placement of the headphone, microphone and one of the USB ports on the front of the device, as they're always at your fingertips. My two "complaints" are really quite minor. First -- and realize that this is a pet peeve of mine -- I dislike generic power bricks. I'd gladly pay $50 more for a dock that had a built-in power supply, and with some of the advances being made in switching power supplies, it could probably be built in without increasing the size or weight of the Thunderbolt Station drastically. I mean, seriously, look at the size of the brick in one of the gallery photos... Second, I heard a high-pitched sound that could be a bit distracting. Unplugging the Thunderbolt cable eliminated the sound, but that also kills the functionality of the device. Conclusion I honestly can't think of any reason not to purchase the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station rather than one of the other two options listed above. Those who are still tied to DVI monitors might want the Matrox DS1/DVI, but for the rest of us, this dock is just as powerful and less expensive. Rating: 3-1/2 stars (out of 4 stars possible)
Caturday: "Everyone in this house is always on the computer"
TUAW reader Mike Morrow got a tip from our very own TJ Luoma that he ought to ping us with this fun Instagram he sent out last month with the headline "OMG, EVERYONE in this house is always on the computer." Related: that's one big, fluffy cat. We'd love to see photos of your favorite feline soaking up the warmth of an Apple product, chasing a Magic Mouse, or just being a general nuisance while you're attempting to work on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Please let us know via our feedback page and please remember that your cat photo has to have some sort of connection to Apple or its products. For security reasons we can't accept inbound attachments, so you should host the photo (Dropbox, Flickr, iPhoto Journals, etc.) and send us the link. Many thanks to reader Mike Morrow for sharing the photo with us.
Caturday: MacBert
Take a cat and a Mac and put 'em in the same room, and eventually the two will migrate to the same place. Since Macs don't move on their own yet (unlike iPhones), the cat usually does a bit more migration than the Mac... In this case, beautiful MacBert jumped up on top of his human's computer desk and took his rightful place on the MacBook keyboard, as he should. After all, cats DO own everything that they touch. We'd love to see photos of your favorite feline soaking up the warmth of an Apple product, chasing a Magic Mouse, or just being a general nuisance while you're attempting to work on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Please let us know via our feedback page and please remember that your cat photo has to have some sort of connection to Apple or its products. For security reasons we can't accept inbound attachments, so you should host the photo (Dropbox, Flickr, iPhoto Journals, etc.) and send us the link. Many thanks to reader Peter Ondruška for sharing the photo with us.
Report Card: Grading Apple in 2013
2013 was a huge year for Apple, both in terms of hardware and software. iOS got a massive facelift and OS X broke free of the cats for the first time ever, while the Mac Pro got new life and the iPads continued their commanding lead in the consumer tablet space. But not all of Apple's product lines were so lucky, so let's take a look at how each of Apple's offerings fared over the past year. Mac It was a big year for the biggest Mac, with the new Pro being shown for the first time and eventually going up for sale just a few days ago. The Pro is a beast of a machine with a ridiculously compact design that surprised just about everyone. That power comes with an enormous price tag, but we kind of expected that, didn't we? The iMac and Mac mini didn't get quite the same attention, with the iMac receiving a timely processor upgrade in the fall, and the mini getting absolutely zero attention whatsoever. It would have been nice to see the tiniest Mac brother get a little bit of love at some point in the last 12 months, but everyone is so busy gawking at the Mac Pro that they barely noticed anyway. Grade: B+ MacBook With the introduction of the 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina coming in late 2012, Apple spent 2013 upgrading the processors of both the Pro and the Air lines. Some pundits seemed sure we'd see a Retina-equipped Air at some point this year -- and boy would that have been great -- but it was not to be. However, the jump to Haswell chips for both the Air and Pro was welcomed with open arms. Overall, Apple's notebooks kept pace with the refresh cycle (and maybe even jumped a bit ahead), but did little else. Grade: B iPad The iPad got arguably the most attention out of any Apple product in 2013, with the company introducing us to both the all-new iPad Air as well as the iPad mini w/ Retina. Then, while we were all still digesting the fact that the two iPad minis would exist side-by-side, Apple dropped the bomb and brought the Retina mini into processor parity with the iPad Air, making it a ridiculously capable little slate. The Air is really what made the year for the iPad, and the fact that Apple was able to shave even more weight off of what was already a pretty light device is really a testament to their engineering wit -- or perhaps proof that they are indeed dabbling in black magic. When the year began, Apple had three distinct iPads on offer, and that seemed to be more than enough. As we enter 2014, there are four. Grade: A+ iPhone Oh, the iPhone. When the year began the blogosphere was filled with theories that a bargain-basement iPhone was inevitable and nobody knew what Apple truly had up its sleeve when it came to its top-of-the-line offering. TouchID, the A7 processor, and slow-mo video made the iPhone 5s a huge hit, and the not-so-cheap iPhone 5c seems to be carving its own niche while proving that Apple isn't in the business of making "bargain" products. It was a good year for the iPhone. Not the best it's ever had, but certainly one of the better off-years the Apple smartphone has seen. Grade: B iPod I'm not convinced Apple even remembers that they still sell the iPod. Ok, that's not true, but without a single significant upgrade in 2013, the iPod line is definitely looking a bit long in the tooth. In the past 36 months, Apple has introduced two new iPods in total (7G Nano and 5G Touch), with the Shuffle and Classic continuing their stagnation. Apple still leads the pack when it comes to the shrinking media player market, and opinions seem to range from "they shouldn't do anything" to "they should just stop selling the iPod." The latter simply isn't going to happen, and the former isn't exactly Apple's style, or at least it hasn't been until lately. Is there still innovation to be mined in the media player space? If we don't see Apple prove it in 2014, maybe there isn't. Grade: D- Apple TV It was a relatively slow year for the Apple TV despite the new model launching in January. As the months rolled on the box got access to WatchESPN, HBO Go, Crackle, ABC, and a few others, but nothing that suddenly made it significantly more desirable than it was a year prior. Grade: C+ Software iOS 7 was obviously the biggest change this year when it comes to Apple software. The new face of mobile did away with almost all of the skeumorphic design elements that originally helped make iOS so appealing, and added a whole bunch of eye candy on top. There was a vocal minority that absolutely despised the changes -- and a vocal majority who noticed significant battery life decline -- but in the end the change was for the better. OS X no longer has its feline flair but Mavericks added a good deal of usability improvements that breathed a bit of new life into the aging platform. New notifications, Maps, and Tags are just a few of the things that gave Mac users incentive to upgrade. Oh, and Apple decided to make Mavericks free, so that probably helped as well. iWork and iLife got a facelift as well, but some of the tweaks made to bring in new users left veterans feeling a bit miffed. Apple has begun bringing back some of the functionality that was originally removed, but the company said it would take a full six months to finish adding everything it plans to. iTunes Radio is the biggest news in the music section, giving (almost) all iTunes users on iOS, Mac, and Apple TV access to free streaming radio with customized radio stations based on their interests. This is great for iPhone and 4G iPad owners, but since streaming requires an internet connection (obviously), it's not of much use on Apple's dedicated music players unless you're in WiFi range. Overall, the positive changes strongly outweigh the negatives, but some of the transitions could have been a wee bit smoother. Grade: B+ Giving the entire company a grade for its efforts in 2013 is significantly more difficult than grading any of its various products -- and likely involves even more opinionated stances -- so we'll leave that to you. Let us know what you loved and loathed from Apple over the past year and feel free assign some grades of your own.
Study proves that you can secretly hijack an older Mac's webcam
If you believe common wisdom, it shouldn't be possible to take over most webcams without alerting users. The indicator LED is supposed to be hack-proof, after all. However, a pair of Johns Hopkins researchers have recently published a research paper showing that it's possible to control the camera while keeping the indicator dark. Their proof-of-concept app, iSeeYou, reprograms a controller chip on pre-2009 Macs to separate the camera and LED functions; users can flick the light on and off like a switch. Apple is aware of the issue with its own systems, but it hasn't said whether or not there will be a fix. It's also unclear how many newer Macs or other PCs are at risk. Regardless of the exact threat, the study isn't very reassuring in an era of widespread surveillance -- if a pair of academics can stealthily record your activity, it's likely that professional spies can do the same.
TUAW video tip: How to "double-wrap" your MacBook power adapter (updated)
It's the Mac tip that's taking the Internet by storm! Just yesterday, Twitter user J Cornelius tweeted out the following: MacBook Pro tip: Use the small cable to hold the big cable in place. pic.twitter.com/i7l6ZJ3xgH - J Cornelius (@jc) December 10, 2013 Tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of retweets later, we bring you a TUAW video tip version of this amazing feat -- the double-wrap! It's an intuitively obvious way of wrapping up your MacBook power adapter cords that for some reason seems to have bypassed most MacBook owners. Enjoy! UPDATE: Some folks at Wired have spoiled all the double-wrapping fun by saying that using this technique can shorten the life of the cables. Me? I use a $10 Quirky Power Curl.
