Thunderbolt Display
Latest
Review: Bretford Mobile Pro Desk Mount Combo for Mac and Thunderbolt Display
The Mobile Pro Desk Mount Combo (US$239.95) is part of a range of monitor mounts from Bretford, specifically designed to compliment the iMac (with built-in VESA adapter) and the Thunderbolt Display. The range comprises the Mobile Pro Wall Mount, the Mobile Pro Desk Mount and the top-tier Mobile Pro Desk Mount Combo, supporting dual displays or one display and a stand for a Macbook Air or MacBook Pro, or even an iPad. The Mobile Pro Combo is designed to give you the ultimate in dual display flexibility, ergonimics and movement (an iMac and Thunderbolt Display or Thunderbolt Display attached to a MacBook Air or Pro). Both arms, attached to the central support pole, provide up to 12 inches of vertical and horizontal movement and depth. This means you can adjust your displays to the perfect height and angle as well as being able to pull and push the display to and away from you. Finally, the arm mounts allow you to rotate your display 360 degrees, so you can use your display in portrait positioning, too. All this flexibility, whilst supporting the weight of your precious Apple gear, means the Mobile Pro Combo needs to be incredibly strong, durable and sturdy, not to mention being securely affixed to a solid surface. Installation I've not used a desk mount before, so this was new territory for me. When the Mount Pro Combo arrived I was relieved to find just how weighty and solid it is. I'm the first to admit I'm not a DIY'er, so thankfully the installation was relatively straight forward. The Mobile Pro Combo comes with clear instructions (which are also digitally available on Bretford's website) and all the necessary tools for assembly. However, before purchasing the Mobile Pro Combo there are two important things you need to be aware of regarding installation. Firstly, the Mobile Pro Combo will require you drill holes into your desk / work surface to securely attach the central support pole. If you're not prepared to do this (I don't even own a drill), there's a desk clamp that's sold separately from Bretford, which will support the central pole with up to 14 Kgs weight on each arm. Proper installation, whether you're drilling or using the clamp, requires your desk be 0.5 to 1.25 inches thick and, of course, secured to a sturdy base. Since I don't own a drill, I requested the desk clamp. Secondly, if you're using an iMac model that predates 2012 (without the VESA Mount Adapter built-in) or a Thunderbolt Display, you'll need to purchase Apple's VESA Mount Adapter Kit ($39). This was something I hadn't realized, so I had to take a trip to the Apple Store to pick up the VESA kit for my Thunderbolt Display. Bearing the above in mind, setting up the Mobile Pro Combo was really straight forward. The desk clamp attached to the central pole with nuts and bolts, which then securely attached to my desk. I then slid in the two arms, which features a no-tension adjustment system. Attaching my Thunderbolt Display to one of the arms was where I hit a snitch however, and it had nothing to do with the Mobile Pro Combo. Rather, it was a problem with Apple's VESA Mount kit. Basically, I simply couldn't get the middle screw on the mount to completely screw into the display using the tools provided in Apple's kit. I ended up stripping the screw. Not being able to remove or fully install the VESA adapte, I had to take the display to an Apple Store. Staff at the Apple Store removed, replaced and installed a new mount for me. The Apple staff member said a Torx screw driver was ideally required to screw in the central screw properly. Unfortunately, I don't have one of those, but I've added it to my shopping list for next time! Once Apple's VESA adapter was securely attached to my Thunderbolt Display, I attached the arm and got a friend to help me slide the arm and display into the central pole. I have a MacBook Pro with Retina display, so I attached the Mobile Pro Combo's stand to its second arm and put that into place easily. Practical Use After a little bit of tinkering with the height of each arm, I finally settled on positioning that I was happy with. Previously, I'd grown accustomed to always looking slightly downwards towards my Thunderbolt Display, and even further at my MacBook Pro's display. I guess it's just something you assume is normal. However, with the Mobile Pro Combo, just having my Thunderbolt Display more in line with my sitting line-of-sight -- being able to look straight ahead at the display with out having to crane my neck up or down -- made much more of a difference than I was expecting. My posture immediately improved. No longer did I hunch, and if I did, as soon as I looked at my display I was reminded by its height that I needed to sit up straight. The second thing I noticed and immediately loved was that I suddenly had a load more desk space available. The central pole with a desk clamp takes up a little more space than the footprint of the Thunderbolt Display or iMac. However, because it's placed at the back of my desk, and pretty much in the corner, it's a much more convenient use of space. Of course, with my Macbook Pro off my desk, I immediately gained a chunk of space there, too. In terms of adjusting my displays, I think I appreciated more just being able to adjust my displays to where they best suit me ergonomically and practically. I didn't do too much adjusting on a day-to-day basis, though it was great to be able to adjust when I felt like it, like when I fancied sitting more back in my chair towards the end of the day or even tilting the display towards a visiting friend or colleague. But what really mattered was that my screen setup suited me, and that made my work environment much more comfortable, practicaly and enjoyable. I personally didn't take advantage of the portrait positioning, but if I had two Thunderbolt Displays (wouldn't that be nice!), I would be tempted to try one of them in this position. On the first night I had the Mobile Pro Combo setup, I half expected to hear an almighty crash, while I was in the other room, or come to my desk in the morning to find my display smashed on the floor because the mount had collapsed under the display's wieght. But that didn't happened. In fact, everything about the Mobile Pro Combo reassured me of its sturdiness and durability. I found where I had adjusted things, that's where they stayed. Finally, the Mobile Pro Combo looks the part, too, fitting right in with its gunmetal / silver color, pairing reasonably well with my own Apple gear. Cable management is also catered for, keeping things looking neat and tidy. Conclusion In the past, the idea of mounting my display had always intrigued me, but never enough for me to actually get one. I'd assumed the positioning of my display, and the lost workspace to an external display and a laptop, was the norm. However, now that I've had the chance to use Bretford's Mobile Pro Desk Mount Combo, I have to say that I'm truly won over. I found the Mobile Pro Combo a pleasure to use, freeing up my workspace and adjusting to my personal ergonomic needs as I required. It had a dramatic impact on my work space, and I can easily foresee it having an even greater impact in an office, lab, studio or school environment, too. Having said that, Bretford's Mobile Pro Desk Mount Combo is not cheap, especially if you need the desk clamp, too. However, If you're at your desk all day using two displays, your work space is limited, and you find that your posture could be better, the Mobile Pro Combo is a quality piece of kit that will serve you well for many years to come, enhancing your work environment. Pros Relatively straight forward setup Frees desktop space no-tension adjustment system Numerous ergonomic adjustment options for demanding users and environments Sturdy, strong and durable Easy to use once setup Multi-display or Macbook Pro / Air support Cable management Designed to be used with Apple iMacs and displays Backed by a 12-year Bretford warranty Cons Desk drilling required or the additional purchase of a desk clamp Depending on your Mac / display model, you may need to purchase Apple's VESA Mount adapter kit
Thunderbolt Display shortage could point to impending refresh
Here's some potentially good news for those who've been hoping for a redesign of Apple's Thunderbolt Display - but not for folks who're trying to get their mitts on the current model. Apple Insider reports that retails including Amazon, J&R and MacMall are all out of stock of the 27-inch display, and such shortages typically herald the impending introduction of a new model. The most likely scenario has Apple launching a new Thunderbolt Display utilizing the same design and technology as the newest 27-inch iMac. Such a display would feature front glass laminated to the LCD panel itself for a similar reduction in glare and a much thinner profile. It would make sense for a refreshed Thunderbolt Display to feature a MagSafe 2 power connector and to omit the current model's Firewire ports, so as to be up-to-date with the current MacBook Pro lineup. However, there would certainly be those who'd miss the latter feature, if removed. How would you redesign the current Thunderbolt Display? Let's hear your ideas in the comments.
Twelve South HiRise takes iMacs and Apple displays to new heights, tidies up in the process
Many of those who buy iMacs and Apple-designed displays are eager to avoid clutter in the first place, which makes an organizer all the more logical for those who'd like Desk Zero almost as much as Inbox Zero. Accessory maker Twelve South's newly available HiRise aims to clean it all up -- and lift it up. The aluminum-and-steel frame elevates Apple's modern all-in-ones and screens to any one of six points while conveniently leaving storage space that goes with the local computing decor, whether it's to hold external hard drives or car keys. Although the HiRise is no trivial expense at $80, it's better for propping up an iMac than an old college textbook, and arguably more useful as a whole.
Apple posts OS X 10.8.1 update, mends your Mountain Lion
There's a special moment in every operating system's life when it loses its innocent .0 status and grows up. It's OS X Mountain Lion's turn to mature, as Apple has just pushed out the 10.8.1 update for early adopters. Most of the fixes are for issues that plague specific use cases, such as audio output from a Thunderbolt Display or crashes in Migration Assistant. There are a few remedies that a wider audience might appreciate -- a fix for iMessages that don't send and an improvement to Exchange compatibility in Mail, for example. We don't yet know of any surprises lurking underneath, but it can't hurt to have a smoother-running Mac while we investigate.
gdgt runs the numbers on Retina display sizes
Apple fans have been oohing and ahhing since the MacBook Pro with Retina display was announced a few weeks ago. Let's face it, the display looks incredible! With Retina displays starting to make inroads into the world of Mac, gdgt's Ryan Block decided to take a look at what screen resolutions would be required on the rest of the Mac line to achieve a pixel density similar to that on the new MacBook Pro. What Block did was to figure out the current pixel density and size of Mac displays, then figure out what it would take to approach the 220 pixel per inch (PPI) display on the Retina display MacBook Pro. It's not just a doubling of pixel density; Block noted that the 11" MacBook Air already has a 135 PPI display that wouldn't need to be doubled to achieve Retina quality. Block's results are fascinating: 13" MacBook Air Current Resolution: 1440 x 900, Estimated Retina Resolution: 2560 x 1600 13" MacBook Pro Current Resolution: 1280 x 600, Estimated Retina Resolution: 2560 x 1600 11" MacBook Air Current Resolution: 1366 x 768, Estimated Retina Resolution: 2200-2300 x 1200-1300 27" iMac and Thunderbolt Display Current Resolution: 2560 x 1440, Estimated Retina Resolution: 5120 x 2880 21.5" iMac Current Resolution: 1920 x 1080, Estimated Retina Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (Block thinks the 21.5" Retina iMac would get a bump above that resolution) Of course, this is all pure conjecture. What do you think? Will Apple introduce Retina displays across the Mac product line in the foreseeable future? Let us know in the comments.
Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping
Thunderbolt's 10-gigabit interface is only just making its way to Windows after spending more than a year as a Mac-only feature, so it's not surprising that a lot of questions surround how well the Apple- and Intel-developed connection works for those of a Microsoft persuasion. A thorough test at AnandTech of one of the first motherboards to support the spec on Windows PCs, an Ivy Bridge-ready board from MSI, has shown some positive signs along with a few flies in the high-speed ointment. The good news? Most general storage devices will work as expected with a minimum of fuss, and you can even get some features of Apple's Thunderbolt Display working if you're willing to accept a lack of pre-supplied software brightness controls and USB support. The bad news comes mostly in the absence of true hot-plugging like on the Mac: if a device isn't plugged into the Thunderbolt port on boot, Windows won't see it. Professionals who need everything to be just perfect will want to wait, then, but bandwidth lovers will still find something to like if they're willing to build Thunderbolt-equipped PCs themselves.
Twelve South BassJump 2 USB Subwoofer now available, further bumps your Mac's thump (update)
At a glance, one could confuse Twelve South's BassJump 2 for a 2011 Mac Mini -- don't be fooled though, this USB subwoofer aims for sound that's anything but. Much like the original BassJump, this guy's aimed at aiding MacBook speakers by adding extra low end boost, and employing proprietary software to keep it in all in check. Improving on the original, however, the BassJump 2 pumps out eight extra decibels of volume and comes with "remastered software," notably featuring iMac and Thunderbolt Display support. If it piques your fancy, the BassJump 2 is now available for about $70 -- much like a pair of utilitarian Grado headphones (or similar), but we digress. Full press release past the break. Update: For clarification, the BassJump 2 is physically identical the first. According to Twelve South, its updated software is the key new feature and can be downloaded for free if you already own a BassJump. [Thanks, Brendan]
iFixit busts Apple's Thunderbolt Display wide open, no creamy center inside
It's been more than two months since Apple unveiled its Thunderbolt Display, and the gadget sadists over at iFixit are just getting around to picking the thing apart -- quite literally. So what has this dive into the 27-incher revealed? Well, for starters, the iFixit crew found that the LG-made LCD display in this Thunderbolt monitor appears to be the same one found in Dell's UltraSharp U2711, though favoring a cursed glossy finish. That's also the same setup we saw in Cupertino's 2009 iMac. This teardown also features a slew of chips from the likes of Texas Instruments and Broadcom and a miniature subwoofer. For more under-the-hood discoveries and a healthy helping of disassembled Thunderbolt Display components take a stroll on over to the source link below.
iFixit tears down Apple's Thunderbolt display
iFixit has gone all destructo on Apple's new Thunderbolt display, and the gory details are now available over on their site. They ripped the beautiful monitor apart so you didn't have to, and inside they found the same display seen in the iMac Intel 27" from a couple of years ago, as well as a 49 watt, 2-speaker sound system, a big brushless fan, and a bunch of other impressive digital junk. It sounds like iFixit had a great time -- they say the disassembly didn't require any special tools (just a few suction cups and a couple of Torx screwdrivers) and rated the display 8 out of 10 for repairability. Not that you'd ever really need to repair these things -- monitors are pretty sturdy unless you're really tossing them around, and Apple is pretty good about handling you for the standard failures and repairs. But it is cool to get a look inside the monitor itself. How surprising that it's filled with so many dohickeys and what zits. As iFixit puts it, "both sides of the logic board are packed with enough chips that it's hard to believe there's no computer inside this display."
Apple issues Thunderbolt Display firmware update
Apple has released a Thunderbolt Display firmware update for the new displays they started shipping just last week. The Thunderbolt Display Firmware Update 1.0 improves the stability of the Apple Thunderbolt Display. The update weighs in at just 923 KB and requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or OS X Lion 10.7.1 or later.
Apple now shipping Thunderbolt displays
Apple is shipping its new Apple Thunderbolt Displays. The displays were first introduced on July 20 when Apple said they would begin shipping in 60 days. Today AppleInsider reported that some of its readers have been notified that their units have shipped. That shouldn't come as too much as a surprise, however, as just last week the displays were reportedly shipped out to Apple retail stores and resellers. The new display is similar to Apple's earlier Cinema LED Displays, but now comes in only one size -- 27-inches -- and includes a Thunderbolt port that lets you connect your Thunderbolt-equipped hardware. Besides a Thunderbolt port, the new display includes a FaceTime HD video camera, a 2.1 speaker system, integrated MagSafe charger, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one Gigabit Ethernet port. The cost of the Thunderbolt Display is US$999.
Apple rolls out 27-inch Thunderbolt Display with FaceTime HD camera, built-in speakers
In search of "the ultimate docking station" for your Mac notebook? Look no further than the new Thunderbolt Display, a single 27-inch model packing a 2560 x 1440 res 16:9 IPS display, one of Apple's fancy new connectors, integrated 2.1 speaker system, and even a Firewire 800 slot. There's also a built-in FaceTime HD camera and Mic, Gigabit Ethernet, three USB 2.0 ports and MagSafe charging for your laptop, but the big difference is that single speedy DisplayPort hookup. It can daisy chain up to six high speed devices and all those connectors mean when it's time to take your laptop on the go there's a minimum of cables mooring it to your desk. It'll cost $999 to bring home in just a few days, if resolving cable clutter to your Thunderbolt-equipped Mac (required) is a good enough reason to ditch your old Cinema Display. %Gallery-128764%
