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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
January 9, 2007: iPhone introduced at Macworld Expo, five years ago
As we bid goodbye to this January 9, amidst the CES chaos, we pause to remember. It was five years ago today that Steve Jobs announced the very first iPhone, at the annual Macworld keynote, and very much changed the world. It might seem like a long time ago, but before the (long rumored) iPhone finally came into existence, cell phones were clunky, confusing devices. Many of them did have email and Internet access -- if you could figure out how to get to it. Mobile devices in general were smaller, less useful versions of their larger counterparts, and yet most of us just went ahead and lived with things like text-only mobile web browsers, or menu interfaces that were cluttered and laggy. Then the iPhone was announced -- and at first, it was like an artifact from another civilization. We discovered what a smartphone could really be: A touchscreen (with no stylus!) attached to a surprisingly powerful and thin package. The first iPhone didn't have all the sophistication of the iOS devices we enjoy today (no iOS SDK or App Store, because web apps were good enough for everyone, right?) but the core principles stated by Steve Jobs at the announcement are still around. The iPhone is still extremely powerful for its time, very simple and intuitive to use, and, above all, just works. Apple is also a very different company, and being here at CES this week would be a very different experience if not for the iPhone and that original Macworld announcement. So today we remember the very first official news of the iPhone, how much it has changed the world in the last five years, and how we all happily anticipate that it will continue to do so. You can watch the announcement below; it's still powerful, and now bittersweet knowing that Steve would not survive to see the iPhone's fifth birthday.
Use your iPhone headset as a camera cable release
Professional photographers know that to take the best photos with the least amount of camera shake, they need to use a tripod mount and a cable release. That combination takes the movement of your body out of the equation when you're shooting photos. Now Cycomachead over at the Macworld Mac OS X Hints forum has figured out that every iPhone running iOS 5 comes with a cable release -- the headset. You know how Apple added the ability in iOS 5 to use the volume up button (that plus sign you see in the photo above) on your iPhone as a shutter button for the Camera app? It works with the headset as well -- just plug in the headset, bring up the Camera app (or third-party Camera+ app), and when you squeeze the volume up button on the headset, you'll take a photo. Cycomachead also notes that he can take bursts of photos more easily with the "cable release," and that some Bluetooth headsets can also be paired and used as wireless remotes for taking photos. For iPhoneographers, using something like a Glif to hold the iPhone steady on a tripod and then using the headset as a cable release can result in some very steady shots. If TUAW readers are able to get their Bluetooth headsets to work for wireless shooting, please let us know what model headset you're using in the comments.
Kyle Lambert paints portraits with the iPad
UK-based visual artist Kyle Lambert put together a slideshow for Macworld that showcases the power of the iPad in the hands of professional. I couldn't create anything nearly as nice as this, but Lambert has been able to create a life-like portrait using only his fingers, the Brushes app for the iPad and an iPad as the canvas. It doesn't look like much when he starts with his rough outline, but the finished product is amazing. We won't spoil the fun by spilling his secrets here. You will have to travel to Macworld and learn the tricks of the trade from the expert himself.
Musician John Mayer shares his thoughts on Steve Jobs
In a recent blog post, Grammy award winning artist John Mayer recalls his eight-year relationship with Steve Jobs. It's an interesting story about the Apple CEO that shows the gracious side of his personality, a trait that's not often discussed. Mayer met Steve Jobs in 2003 when Mayer called Jobs to tell him how much he enjoyed Apple's products. Mayer offered to help Apple in any way he could. Soon after the phone call, Mayer was invited to perform the keynote music at Macworld 2004 when GarageBand was introduced and again in 2007 at the iPhone introduction. During this time, Mayer got to know Jobs and developed a casual relationship with him and his company. A few years later, Mayer agreed to endorse RIM and told Jobs about his decision. As part of this agreement, Mayer would have to use a BlackBerry and not an iPhone. Rather than become angry with Mayer, Jobs was understanding and even sent the musician a pre-release iPhone 3G model while he was on tour. [Via EdibleApple]
TUAW looks back at Stevenotes past
As Apple watchers, TUAW staffers tend to congregate in San Francisco each January for Macworld Expo. Until recently, the central event of each Expo was the Stevenote. Since TUAW bloggers have covered our fair share, I've collected some memories of Macworld Expo's Keynote Speeches. We'll start with Victor and Mike. VICTOR AGREDA JR: The only one I attended was the Intel announcement in 2006. But it was huuuuge -- lots of gasps from the audience, it seems like a long time ago! Anyway, I remember Steve's polish and how it seemed to effortless for him. Like a geek showing his friends all his cool new toys. MIKE ROSE: Among the Stevenotes I've attended (quite a few over the years), the one that stands out for me is Macworld Boston 1997. I was an enterprise customer at the time, and our Apple SE had arranged for me to get a pass to sit up front in the press section, quite near the stage. Steve's announcement of the alliance with Microsoft ($150m investment, IE to become default Mac browser, Office development locked in for at least 5 years) took a lot of people by surprise. The "IE to become the default Mac browser" announcement did not go over well at all. But it wasn't until the gigantic projected noggin of Bill Gates appeared on the screen that the situation turned ugly. In the press section, even, there were boos and stern shakings of heads along with the gasps and scattered applause from the audience. I don't think Steve had ever had a Macworld crowd go rogue in this fashion (see for yourself), and it seemed to me that he was a little bit embarrassed by the reaction. I certainly would have been -- you invite a guest into your keynote, representing a company that has just saved your company from possible doom and destruction, and the audience treats him like an unwanted interloper? Awkward. Aside from the 1997 event, I'd have to say that my two favorite keynotes were the ones I had the privilege of liveblogging for TUAW: 2008 and (the Steveless "Philnote") 2009. Unfortunately I missed the 2007 historic iPhone introduction, and had to get the play-by-play over the phone from Laurie Duncan (the roar of the crowd in the background as Steve asked "Are you getting it?" was spine-tingling).
Macworld benchmarks i5 MacBook Airs
After one week on the market, the first good benchmarks of the new MacBook Air models are beginning to show up. Macworld ran benchmarks of the i5-based 11.6" and 13" MBAs and found them to be quite fast in everyday operations. The Macworld lab is in the process of fine-tuning their SpeedMark benchmark for Lion, so the tests were performed by timing tasks like duplicating, zipping, and unzipping folders, importing and exporting files from Pages and iMovie, and so on. Not surprisingly, the tests showed that the new MacBook Airs were faster than the last generation models and the final generation of the MacBook. The MBAs beat even the current 13" i5 MacBook Pro in the file duplicate and zip tests. Strangely enough, though, the previous model 13" Core 2 Duo MacBook Air bested all comers for importing a movie archive to iMovie '09, had the best results with the Cinebench R11.5 graphics benchmark, and the highest framerate while playing Call of Duty 4. If you do a lot of AAC to MP3 encoding in iTunes 10, then the 13" i5 MacBook Air is going to be your best friend. It was faster than even the latest 13" i5 MacBook Pro, although not by much. The bottom line is that these new MBAs are fast, due in part to the SSDs used for storage, but slower than their predecessors in some graphics operations. Why? The previous MacBook Air models used Nvidia GeForce 320M integrated graphics, while the new models use the Intel HD Graphics 3000 capability embedded into the silicon of the i5 processor. The Nvidia graphics chip was faster, but the i5 with graphics is less expensive than the Core 2 Duo / Nvidia combo used before. With the specs of the MacBook Air approaching those of the MacBook Pro line and rumors of a 15" Air-like Apple laptop on the horizon, it's interesting to conjecture that Apple may eventually get to one line of MacBooks -- the MacBook Airs. Macworld plans on running more tests in the future using various configure-to-order options of the MacBook Air, and we'll be waiting to see what they find.
Macworld experiences mixed results with MacBook Air SSD upgrades
Computers are like cars: while the vast majority of owners are happy to drive around in their car for years, exactly the way they came off of the dealer's lot, some people want to customize their wheels immediately. It's not surprising that for some owners of Apple's popular MacBook Air, the first thing that they want to do is supercharge their lightweight laptops with a bigger, faster flash drive. Macworld did a series of tests of the Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD upgrades from OWC (Apple refers to the drives as flash storage, while OWC calls them SSDs) that can add those precious GBs to your Air. What they found was that while the marketing materials for the OWC drives claim huge performance leaps for MacBook Airs equipped with those drives, the company is using automated tests that don't mimic real-life laptop usage. The test results revealed that, in many cases, the SSDs showed mixed performance results when tested in common tasks, such as using Adobe Photoshop CS5, importing and processing images with Aperture and iPhoto and performing common file actions in Finder. That's not to say that the OWC SSDs aren't worthwhile. On the contrary, the drives are about the only way for MacBook Air users to increase storage capacity past the 256 GB maximum for the stock 13-inch Air, and the 128 GB of storage in the maxed-out stock 11-inch Air. For more details of the lab results from Macworld's tests, be sure to check out their post.
Nostalgia: Steve Jobs tours the first Apple Store at Macworld 2001 (video)
Since we'd rather not attempt to pick out a birthday present for the retail store that has everything, we're breaking out the home movies to see just how far it's come in the past decade. Here's some footage from Macworld 2001, in which a chipper Jobs takes us behind the wood barricade for a "little private tour" of the first ever Apple Store in Tysons Corner, VA, showing off a rear-projection screen for playing commercials and debuting the hyperbolically-named Genius Bar. All said, not that much seems to have changed with the stores in the past ten years, save, of course, for the inventory -- of particular note are the MP3 player and PDA sections, both populated with third-party hardware. Apple would scorch the earth of the music player market later that year with introduction of the iPod. The personal organizer still had a little time left, but surely even back then the iPhone was a twinkle in old Steve's eye.
Macworld publishes first round of benchmark results for new iMac
Macworld posted the results of its first benchmark tests for the newly updated family of iMacs this morning. The publication's tests found Apple's latest iMacs to be generally faster than previous iMacs, although certain build-to-order (BTO) models from 2010 still outperformed the new family of iMacs in some tests. The new top-of-the-line, quad-core 3.1 GHz i5 iMac bested the previous high-end model, a quad-core 2.8 GHz i5 iMac, in every test. Notably, the 3.1 GHz iMac performed 16% faster in the Speedmark 6.5 test and 22% faster in Macworld's iTunes encode test. The results were mixed when comparing the new iMac to powerfully configured BTO models from last year. When pitted against a quad-core 2.93 GHz Core i7 BTO iMac from 2010, the new 3.1 GHz iMac performed about equivalently in the Speedmark test but fell short in applications like Cinebench and MathematicaMark. The older, i7-based iMac offered Hyper Threading, a technology that virtually doubled the number of processor cores seen by the operating system; apps that took advantage of this technology worked better on the older machine. When compared to a dual-core 3.6 GHz i5 BTO iMac from 2010, the current 3.1 Ghz iMac edged out its older relative by 14% in overall performance and finished tasks in Mathematica, an app that makes use of multiple processing cores, up to 67% faster. In many cases, however, the faster clock speed of the older machine helped it complete certain tasks more quickly. Overall, the new iMacs seem to offer generally better performance in a more affordable package. But, if you frequently use software optimized for fast clock speeds or Hyper Threading technology and don't need any of the new gadgetry in the newest machines, it may be worth tracking down a 2010 BTO iMac with a 3.6 GHz i5 or 2.93 GHz i7 inside.
Incase Convertible Magazine Jacket for iPad review: Smart Cover without the iPad 2
I cannot imagine using my iPad without a case. It's not that I'm paranoid about protecting it so much as I just find it very difficult to type on without some sort of prop. Perhaps how I use my iPad is unusual: I draft blog posts on it, use it to keep notes in meetings, and use it a lot in the kitchen for recipe display. Since I first bought the official Apple case mere days after getting the iPad, I haven't used my iPad naked for more than a few hours without missing the ability to stand it up. The official case was (a rarity for Apple) both highly practical and incredibly ugly. The seam around the edge might have helped with impact absorption, but it also made the iPad feel like a cheap novelty. Over the last year of iPad ownership, I've looked at multiple options, but have never found one I really wanted -- mostly due to analysis paralysis, I suspect. I ended up sticking with the official case, as much as I disliked it. As such, the new Smart Cover for the iPad 2 looked highly relevant to my interests, but after deliberation, I decided not to upgrade, so that wasn't an option for me. Then our sister site Engadget pointed out that the Smart Cover is remarkably similar to Incase's Convertible Magazine Jacket for iPads (Extra Capital Letters Unwieldy Name Edition). So, naturally, I ordered one immediately, and having used it non-stop for the last week, these are my thoughts.
How to transfer files between Macs
When two or more Macs are gathered in the name of Steve Jobs, there's a good chance that someone is going to want to transfer files between those computers. Macworld's Kirk McElhearn, who also hangs out at TidBITS.com and is a fellow Take Control Ebooks author, has written an excellent tutorial on nine ways to transfer files from one Mac to another. Whether you're a Mac newbie or a longtime Mac-head, it's a good read. McElhearn's nine methods include: Email (although there are size limitations) File sharing, found in System Preferences > Sharing Using a shared disk such as a Time Capsule Using iChat file transfer, which is great if you use iChat a lot since you just drag and drop files Sync with Dropbox Send files via Dropbox Use MobileMe sharing (or use YouSendIt if the files exceed MobileMe's size limits) Burn CDs or DVDs Use a sneakernet with a USB thumb drive, SD card or external hard disk drive McElhearn left FTP and several other transfer protocols off of his list, since they require a server. One of my favorite file transfer tools for Macs before Dropbox appeared on the scene was DropCopy (free for personal use on up to three Macs), a fast way to do drag-and-drop file transfers between Macs. What other methods of file transfer between Macs can you think of? We'd love to hear some of your experiences in the comments.
SRS iWow 3D really improves the sound of any iPod or iOS device
I've been a fan of the SRS iWow audio adapter for my iPod Classic for a number of years. What this dongle did is make iTunes audio sound dramatically better. It tightened the bass, improved the treble and added a good deal of presence to my music with the largest difference being heard in acoustic or orchestral tracks. It also punched up the audio of videos to an extent. This wasn't done by just increasing the volume, which would be the easy way. Instead, it added proprietary post processing to improve the sound. The downsides were that there were no settings outside of on or off, it was rather big and clunky, and it reduced iPod battery life by 26 percent. At Macworld 2011, I met with Shawn Kamal, an engineer turned product marketing manager, who introduced me to the next generation -- now made smaller, totally redone and retitled the SRS iWow 3D (US $59.95). The product is now shipping in black, and there is also a bundle for $79.95 that adds four snap on color face plates -- the colors used are those of the majority of iPhone cases -- and a pair of ear buds that are nothing special. Comparing the old and the new I was very interested to compare the older iWow with the iWow 3D and hear if it was worth buying again, since there will be no special upgrade price for the new unit. The answer is an unqualified yes. The bass is tighter, the treble clearer, and the soundfield is much wider -- usually sounding like it's a few feet to the left and right of your head. The 3D effect is less than precise, but it is there and does make a big difference, particularly when listening to sound coming from a video -- especially an action movie. I couldn't hear specific sounds behind me, but the holographic effect was dramatic. In fact, I'd go so far as saying that it will make your headphones or speakers plugged into the iWow 3D sound twice as good as they do now. %Gallery-116456%
The TabGrip Stand for the iPad, a decent stand with a major problem
At Macworld 2011, I was shown the TabGrip (US$39.99), which looked and felt like a great iPad stand; I didn't realize that it had a major problem until I got it home and installed it. It's a stand that works in either landscape or portrait orientation. It consists of four riveted hard plastic sides connected by a soft and pliable rubber backing that allows you to stretch it so that each side snaps onto each of the four sides of the iPad. The four riveted sides contain a hinged foot that allows you to stand your iPad just about any way you'd like. It is very uncomfortable on your lap, but it's meant to be stood on a table, so no problem there. The feet don't lock, so you really can't exert too much pressure on it before the feet slide down, but it's really not meant for use in that manner. For typing or viewing, the feet are sturdy enough. With the feet folded against the iPad, holding it feels great. It seems to make the iPad more rigid and adds very little weight. When you hold it, it makes the unit feel very sturdy, and the rubberized grips feel just about perfect. Holding the iPad by the top and sides can add a lot to gaming or just about anything else, and since it doesn't block any of the screen, the TabGrip adds a bit of well designed lightweight heft in any position. The grips are of a size that won't let the iPad touch the ground, either from the front or back, since they are slightly thicker than the tablet. When I held it in the TabGrip booth, I immediately noticed that it felt perfect and didn't let your fingers slide around due to the texture of the grips. In short -- I was quite impressed and thought that it was a great design that really improved the user experience of holding or standing an iPad any way you could imagine. At least until I got it home and installed it.
My top 3 iPhone apps: Angry Mac Bastards [NSFW]
If you've never heard the Angry Mac Bastards podcast you may not be aware (although you may have guessed from the title of their show) that there is some "salty" language, if you will. Who are we kidding? Profanity permeates their show. The swearing is resplendent in this week's installment of "3 apps" -- so brace yourself, this video is well beyond PG-13. Still, the AMB crew of Peter Cohen and John C. Welch (partner Darby Lines was not around) are quite hilarious in this extended remix edition of "My top 3 apps." Yes, technically we asked them their "favorite" 3 apps this time. The rant on cheap, $0.99 apps is worth the wait as they note "premium apps" have a place on the store and on your iPhone. If you are easily offended, next week we'll have a kinder, gentler edition of My top 3 iPhone apps. Until then, swear-laden video is on the next page, plus a list of the apps mentioned with handy iTunes links. We've come in for our share of abuse from the AMB from time to time on their show, but we hope this video shows those Bastards that there are no hard feelings. Well, relatively few hard feelings.
Dear Apple: Thank you for pulling out of Macworld Expo
It feels weird to be thanking Apple for something it hasn't done, instead of one of the things it actually has done that I am very pleased with. But here goes: thank you, Apple, for finally and officially blowing off Macworld Expo. I attended two Macworld Expos with Apple, both in 2007 and 2008. I got to see the last two Stevenotes, attend a few of the talks and spend a lot of time on the show floor. Those were two big years as Macworld goes, with the iPhone and AppleTV at one and the first MacBook Air at the other. But really, it felt like the expo hall was dominated by Apple the entire time. And the Apple team wasn't really interacting with anyone there. Why should they, anyway? Everyone was there to see what Apple had, and anything else on the floor was just a bonus, right? That's certainly how it seemed. I think it was last year's Macworld wrap-up Talkcast where Mike Rose called it "Benevolent Neglect" of the community, and he nailed it. Apple always took for granted that if it released it, we would come. And we did. And then Apple left. At the end of 2008 it was announced that the company's 2009 Macworld appearance would be its last (which didn't even include Steve, that was a Philnote). Oh noes! What will we do? How can anyone care about a Macworld if there's no appearance by the team behind the Mac? Pretty easily, apparently.
Technocel's $70 PowerPak Duo battery pack doubles up on USB ports, ships April 1st
Technocel's original PowerPak (and Battery Boost) were both among our stash of gadgets used at this year's CES, and they proved incredibly useful for juicing up a dead MiFi or smartphone without having to remain tethered to an AC outlet. As you well know, we're pretty big fans of external battery packs, and it seems as if Technocel has addressed the one major gripe we had with the first-generation PowerPak. The Duo is essentially the same kind of gizmo, but with a lot more oomph and double the ports. It's a squared power brick with an internal 2500mAh lithium-ion battery (compared to 1600mAh in the earlier build), and rather than having a single USB port, this guy's got two; moreover, it's far easier to look at, and is said to provide up to 7.5 extra hours of talk time to the average phone. The company also throws in a half-million interchangeable tips that are compatible with around 95 percent of handheld USB devices, and based on word directly from Technocel, it'll go on sale April 1st for $69.99. %Gallery-115637%
Macworld Expo 2011: The video roundup
At this year's Macworld Expo, team TUAW put the pedal to the metal: three full days of live-streamed interviews, product demos and plenty of special guests. We welcomed the main man of Expo, Paul Kent, and discovered iPad and iPhone apps we were eager to share. We chatted with journalists galore, CEOs aplenty -- and the occasional kissing bandit. All the video segments after day one are linked below; enjoy! Jammit Percipo BusyMac Cows vs. Aliens IDG's Paul Kent Rogue Amoeba Mac OS Ken Kelly and Doc Rock Apparent's Socialite Ars Technica's Chris Foresman The iGrill Read on for more...
