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Colorware's limited-edition MacBook Pro Apple logo replacement
It was only a matter of time before those crazy fools over at Colorware took their strange voodoo laptop customization rituals to the next level, which has resulted in what some might consider an unholy abomination against his Steveness: the non-Apple emblazoned MacBook Pro. Limited to a run of just a few units, Colorware's custom machined lid still lights up as your classic Mac might, but provides sweet freedom from the oppression of that white upside-down fruit. They've got ten or fewer laptops on hand built to order for a client at a price unbeknownst to us, so if you're looking to snag one you'd really better be prepared to pull some serious strings (and have the bankbook to prove your love).P.S. -Next stop: the real-deal Ceci n'est pas un MacBook Pro?
Apple sneaks new logic board into whining MacBook Pros
They sort of skipped the first step: admitting they have a problem, but Apple is at least starting to patch stuff up with their customers who have been complaining about whining MacBook Pros since the release of the product. MacBook Pro user Rickard Almqvist sent in his MBP for some repairs and got it back with a new logic board and a friendly letter from Apple letting him know what was up. The new version of the logic board requires OS X 10.4.6, as opposed to the machine's original 10.4.5, so they included some new install DVDs in case he needs to reinstall. After the upgrade he hasn't had any whining problems, and he, along with other users with similar reports, is attributing it to the new board. No word yet if Apple will offer this upgrade to users who merely complain of the whine, or if you'll need a more serious problem to crop up before they'll do the swap-a-roo, but it does look like there's hope on the horizon beyond just buying a new revision of the troublesome laptop.[Via TUAW]
SeisMac
Living in San Francisco is great; the weather is fantastic, the people are friendly, and I challenge you to find a city with a higher concentration of geeks. However, one does have to keep in mind that although this town may seem perfect, a deadly force lies dormant beneath my feet, waiting to unleash its fury upon this techie metropolis in a few seconds of violent earth shaking. In plainer words; this here is earthquake country. Lucky for those of us who spend working hours staring at our 'Books, Suitable Systems has released SeisMac, a new program which takes data from the motion sensor in your later model PowerBook, MacBook, or MacBook Pro, and presents it as a fancy-shmancy scientific seismograph. SeisMac is available as a free download.Via Infinite Loop
TUAW Poll: Your MacBook/Pro experience
Yesterday, we pointed out an article at Infinite Loop that was describing yet another (allegedly) melting MagSafe connector. Many of you wrote in to state that your MacBook/Pro experience has been trouble-free. Still, the issues people are having are very real, so let's take a brief (and informal) poll.How has your MacBook/Pro experience been? Is it noisy, hot, discolored...melting? Is it a dream come true, the best laptop you've ever used? Leave your answer below, and check back tomorrow for the results. How has your MacBook/Pro experience been? It's been a nightmare I've had minor issues It's been a dream! Free polls from Pollhost.com
Yet another melting magsafe connector
The more I read, the happier I am that I don't have a MacBook/MacBook Pro. From stains to heat to odd noises to melting parts, I wonder how Apple has sold even a single unit.Infinite Loop is reporting on yet another (allegedly) melting MacSafe connector (you may remember that Apple ordered the immediate removal of photos from Flickr the first time this was reported). Check it out...while you still can.
Incase hints at new Ripstop Backpack
Incase has posted a couple of teaser shots in their gallery of a new bag on the way, the Ripstop Backpack. Available in July from Apple, this bag looks to be a full-sized backpack that can carry more than just an Apple portable, a magazine and a pack of gum (I kid - I'm a big fan of Incase's stuff). I have also heard they have a new, fully-featured site coming later this summer which should help to settle the Incase + Apple conspiracy theories.Pricing and specs of the Ripstop Backpack are still to be announced.
Tinkering with Apple portables' light sensors
He taught the Mac world to wonder again by unearthing the secrets of the Sudden Motion sensor and now Amit Signh is at it again.This time his sights are set on the ambient light sensors on more recent Apple portables (as well as those cool light up keyboards). Amit lays out how someone can programmatically take advantage of those sensors. Hackers, start you engines.
Rig of the Day: Mac on a wall
We just can't get enough of those wall mounted LCDs. Check out mkwhitley's Mac on a wall. The Dell 2005FPW 20" LCD on the wall is connected to a Mac mini hidden beneath his desk, with the cables popping out at the baseboard. We love it."Mac on a wall" posted by mkwhitley.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.PS-Where did you get that cool lamp?
Windows Vista on my MacBook Pro (because I'm an idiot)
As many of you know, I've experienced numerous, nail-biting, revenge-worthy problems with my MacBook Pro. After many replacements and repairs, I finally just cracked and decided to wreak my vengeance in the form of callously installing Windows Vista, without regard for the Pro's feelings or my standing in His Steveness' eyes. After spending several hours troubleshooting tiny problems with the installer (ie, why it wouldn't install), I finally googled "Vista + MacBook" and came to one great blog on the MSDN network that made the whole thing very, very easy. (Install pictures here; driver updates here and here.)Basically, David had it right: You do need to wipe the EFI partition, which can be nasty if you need to update the firmware or repartition your drive. But you don't need to have Windows XP already installed -- just boot from the Vista install disk instead of the XP disk after running Boot Camp. Also, after the install, you need to Repair the Vista installation to get the thing to actually boot. The Mac Drivers for Windows XP disk doesn't work, but Vista manages to load (by default or via Windows Update) most of the drivers it needs to run. Check out the blog for more details, or feel free to ask any related questions in this post's comments -- I'll do my best to provide helpful (or at least not insulting) (but no promises) answers.
MacBook Pro sits in 'fridge for Tiger install
Jon at rentzsch.com was having trouble getting Tiger installed on his MacBook Pro. Specifically, the DVD wouldn't mount in his MBP, though it did work in other machines (CDs mounted without a problem, too). With his machine's temperature issues in mind, he stuck the MBP and DVD in the refrigerator, let them sit for 45 minutes and then, presto! It worked.Thanks, Guillermo!
Ask TUAW: Where do you put your Apple remote?
"Where's the zapper?!"A time old phrase uttered countless times in countless living rooms across the world, usually accompanied by an expletive or two. Now that Apple has standardized Front Row and bundled a remote with nearly its whole range, Mac mini, MacBook and MacBook Pro owners are also screaming out for their lost "thingy", "zapper" and "remote control". iMac owners are in the clear: they've got a nice little magnetic section on the side of their machine that the Apple remote will elegantly stick to. Mac mini, MacBook and MacBook Pro owners aren't so fortunate. Apple's forgot to give us non-iMac owners a place to stash our remote! The MacBook, with its magnetic lid, offers a semi-viable solution. The remote will happily stick to the left and right corners at the top of the screen where the lid magnets are. It looks pretty stupid though.One solution that Apple could use, for the MacBook Pro at least, is to adapt the Apple remote so that it will fit inside the laptop's ExpressCard slot. That would allow users to store the remote out of the way while the machine was closed (our less than elegant solution shown above doesn't tackle that problem). Have any TUAW readers come up with a way to keep the Apple remote with their Mac when they're not using it? Guides for Velcro mods, tractor beam construction manuals and levitation how-tos are welcome!
Get your own SmackBook Pro
Remember Scott's 'Smack your MacBook Pro' post from yesterday? It looks like Scott got his wish: now you can go a step further and get your own SmackBook Pro. That's right boys and girls, for the low low price of nothing (all code is released under the GPL), you too can have your very own smackable MacBook Pro. If you don't want to deal with the instructions, some commenters have compiled new versions; scroll down for the links.It sounds like this might work on any Apple notebooks with a motion sensor, as I also noticed some commenters were tinkering with getting this to work on a recent 12" PowerBook. Either way, Erling Ellingsen has ushered in a brave new world of computing - a world where you can literally smack your computer to make it do something productive.[via UNEASYsilence]
SmackBook and MacSaber -- best two reasons to buy a MacBook?
If you've already grown tired of impressing your friends and family with that iAlertU car alarm app for your MacBook or MacBook Pro, you might be interested in a couple new apps that should make you even prouder to be a MacBook owner. They're both based on the MacBook's sudden motion sensor, and both have the honorable distinction of not really doing much at all to improve your quality of life. The SmackBook, as demonstrated in the video, allows you to switch desktops by smacking the side of your precious MacBook. If you don't think that's enough potential endangerment of your MacBook, you might be interested in MacSaber, which makes light saber noises when you swing your computer around, and light saber clashes when you swing it really hard (peep the video by Metafilter founder Matthew Haughey). We just can't wait for reports to start flooding in of far flung laptops. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to head down to an Apple Store and try this stuff out.[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]Read - SmackBookRead - MacSaber
Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro reviewed
You know, for all the talk about those greasy-hot, overclockin' MacBook Pros and their mysterious firmware updates, only now has PCMag completed a full review of the 17-inch flavor MBP. Alas, you won't find any real surprises in the review of this "astounding" 6.8-pound, easy toting 17-incher. Yeah, it does indeed get "too hot" by the reviewers standards, though apparently not as hot as the 15-inch model due to larger surface area to dissipate heat. And since this is PCMag, they installed Boot Camp, as you'd expect, "without a hitch" giving them the same "impressive" (for a Mac) gaming results in XP seen on the 15-inch sib. The reviewer calls the move to the 17-inch MacBook Pro a "no brainer" if you're a creative professional working heavily in graphic design or movie editing. However, if you're just looking for a "cool multimedia laptop" with plenty of screen then there are plenty of Windows-only systems available giving more bang, for that $3,099 as-tested, buck. Yeah, Mac fanboy enthusiasts, they're calling you out with that one. Still, PCMag slaps on a 4/5 editors rating which ain't too shabby, right?
Incase releases exclusive New York commemorative case line
iLounge is reporting that Incase has pulled out all their case-making stops and introduced a complete lineup of cases for Apple products that commemorate New York and some of its major landmarks. To top things off, these cases are exclusive to the new 24/7 5th Avenue Apple Store that opened last weekend.The lineup consists of white and black cases for the 5G iPod, iPod nano and MacBook Pro. No word yet on whether Incase has been chosen to create the leather case for the giant glass cube that Dave mentioned yesterday.[image via iLounge]
Apple posts pics of Macbook winners
As part of the festivities surrounding the opening of the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in NYC (are you sick of hearing about it yet?), Apple gave away a bunch of MacBook. Here is a gallery of some of the winners. Don't they look so happy? Don't you feel so envious? So do we. Congratulations, folks.[Via Infinite Loop]
It's official: No 12" MacBook Pro
Dave Chartier was wondering if Apple would produce a 12" MacBook Pro to replace the 12" Powerbook. Today, Julio at Your Tech Weblog sets the record straight. He writes:"...[Apple] just told me on the telephone that a 12-inch MacBook Pro ain't gonna happen."Fair well, tiny Powerbook. See you on Ebay.
Apple MacBook reviewed
Alright, after a week of everyone going crazy-go-nuts (or not) over those new MacBooks from Apple, we've got our first review from the boy at Ars Technica. They're rather glowing in their praise, but that might just be due to the high amounts of heat this things puts out. That's right, for all their laptop innovations Apple doesn't seem to have managed to figure out how to keep these Dual Cores cool, and it looks like you might have to resort to thermal paste shenanigans to keeps this thing cool enough to sit on your lap. Also, in Notebook Review's first impressions writeup of the MacBook they encountered serious instability from heat, making the laptop almost unusable. The only other serious problems Ars had with the MacBook were the relatively slow integrated graphics -- even though they were able to run more casual gaming titles just fine in OS X and Windows XP -- and the love it or hate it glossy screen. Otherwise, the laptop looks like quite the deal and a decent performer. Along with that redesigned keyboard, the MacBook has a wider trackpad (how big are these things going to get?) and has an ability to do a "right click" by placing two fingers on the pad and clicking. The iSight, MagSafe and Front Row aren't anything different from the MacBook Pro, which is to their credit. In benchmarks the MacBook performs much closer to the MacBook Pro than its iBook predecessor, and its easy expandability and multitude of pro-ish features make it fairly easy to recommend -- if you can stand the heat.Read - Ars Technica reviewRead - Notebook Review impressionsRead - Macworld
Warning from Apple: don't put our laptops on your lap
We've heard the stories about overheating MacBook Pros, and have even heard that Apple has quietly updated the line's firmware to resolve the problem. However, the company apparently still doesn't want to take any chances on users getting a little overheated while using the new MacBooks, so they've included a warning in the computer's manual (which also appears in the manual for the MBP), advising customers not to use their laptops on their laps: "Do not leave the bottom of your MacBook Pro in contact with your lap or any surface of your body for extended periods. Prolonged contact with your body could cause discomfort and potentially a burn" Apple's solution to this is to recommend that customers put the computer on a desk or other flat surface. And, not surprisingly, the word "laptop" does not appear once in the MacBook's manual. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're off to chew on an iPod shuffle for a bit.
MacBook Pro heating problems fixed?
When Apple released the SMC Firmware update for Intel Macs this past Tuesday, they were rather cryptic about just what it was supposed to do. One conspiracy theory proposed that it was intended to cripple clock speeds, but Information Week is reporting something quite different (and less insidious): It seems that MacBook Pro (MBP) heating issues have been resolved. According to the article, MBP users are finding that their fans are running more effectively, resulting in post-update temperatures as low as 8 degrees cooler. What all this means is no more burnt thighs during lengthy World of Warcraft sessions.So, TUAWers, what has your experience been? Has this firmware update put your MBP into the deep freeze?[Via MacNN]
