Tag Archives: laptop

MacBook Pro tops on best-performing Windows laptop list

Soluto has ranked a few different brands of Windows laptops based on their performance against trouble and crashes, and here's a fun twist: Apple topped the heap. That's right, on a list of laptops that included Acer and Dell, an Apple MacBook Pro running Windows via Boot Camp got Soluto's best rating, the lowest score based on "a combination of crashes, hangs, BSoDs, boot and background processes."

Soluto says the reason Apple scored so well is probably because this was a "clean" Windows installation, which means that it didn't have any of the crapware that PC manufacturers usually have to install on their sold devices to try and turn a profit (buying a computer with something installed on it that you don't want -- can you imagine?). But Soluto also says there are obvious issues with running Windows on a Mac, first and foremost that drivers for any accessories (customized keyboards or mice) may not work correctly. Still, if you want a trouble-free Windows experience, Soluto says running it on a Mac is the way to go.

Apple showed up on the list twice, once for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and also for the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. The 15-inch model boasted slightly more crashes than the smaller model -- maybe because of the display? At any rate, it's a sad situation for PC manufacturers when Apple claims two of the industry's most trouble-free spots.

[via Lifehacker]

MacBook Pro tops on best-performing Windows laptop list originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Patent Reveals that Apple is Working on a Tablet/Notebook Hybrid

Apple tablet:laptop hybridWhen Microsoft first announced that it would be launching its own tablet, many speculated that the company was planning on a tablet/laptop hybrid. In Apple’s second quarter earnings call in April of 2012, CEO Tim Cook said a hybrid is a bad idea. When asked about a Windows 8 tablet/laptop hybrid, Cook said, “You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.” He was basically saying that the merging of two devices does not necessarily produce a third device that is better than its two parts.

Patently Apple has just discovered an interesting patent that proves the company is thinking the exact opposite of Cook’s sentiments a year ago.

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent submission from Apple that includes design details for a computing device with a display that features a retractable magnetic mechanism to detach itself from a MacBook’s main body.

According to Patently Apple, the details include information that the removable display may be able to rotate and pivot from an open position to a closed position. When disconnected from the base, the display may be positioned in any manner the user chooses for viewing.

The patent states that the computer device can be “both a single operably connected device and two separate communicating devices.”

To be sure, Apple is not simply submitting an application for a laptop with a removable display. The patent includes information that the display can be a touch screen or allow for an input mechanism, such as a capacitive touch sensor, to allow the screen to function as an input device for the base.

Honestly, I think this is a great idea. I’ve been using an iPad for more than three years now and am very familiar with touch screen computing. I recently purchased a MacBook Pro and constantly find myself trying to touch the screen for certain things. It only seems natural to me to integrate a laptop with a tablet. I look forward to this “toaster/fridge.”

» Related posts: Tim Cook Decides Not to Merge Mac and iPad, Thinks Microsoft Using Defensive Move Apple Working on Facial Recognition Based Security Mechanisms More New Smart Cover Features Appear In Apple Patent

MacTech finds Parallels beating VMWare Fusion again in annual virtualization rundown

MacTech has posted its annual rundown of benchmarks between two of the most popular virtualization solutions out there on the Mac: VMware Fusion 5 and Parallels Desktop 8. Both are of course used to run Windows-compatible software inside of an OS X environment, and especially on the high end IT side (which MacTech covers well and focuses on with its ongoing conference series), just a few measures of speed or performance can make a big difference in productivity. Or, as the benchmarking study shows, game playing.

As you can see in the comprehensive report, MacTech set up a series of Mac desktops and laptops, and then installed and ran both VMWare Fusion and Parallels on them, along with a series of games (including the great Warhammer 40000: Space Marine) and other productivity and benchmarking software.

So who won? "When we look at the 'big picture' of all the top-level test results," says MacTech, "Parallels is, once again, the clear winner." Parallels has been beating VMWare in these tests for the past few years, and this year won over 68% of the tests by a total of 5% score or more. So if you need a powerful, comprehensive solution for virtualization, MacTech says the choice is clear. However, MacTech also says once again that both of these pieces of software work very well, and that virtualization is more viable than ever as a way to run even the newest Windows software like Windows 8. Bootcamp is still another option for running Windows on your Mac, but if you want to do it without even leaving your OS X environment, either Parallels or VMWare's Fusion will serve you well.

MacTech finds Parallels beating VMWare Fusion again in annual virtualization rundown originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple reverses course on EPEAT environmental standard, eligible products once again included

Apple has posted a letter from retiring senior VP of hardware engineering Bob Mansfield to its website, walking back the company's abandonment of the EPEAT certification for its eligible products. Per the letter:

We've recently heard from many loyal Apple customers who were disappointed to learn that we had removed our products from the EPEAT rating system. I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT.

There's a corresponding statement from EPEAT president Robert Frisbee on the organization's site. It was only last week that Apple's 39 EPEAT-eligible products were pulled from the industry registry at the company's request.

As recently as this Tuesday, Apple's PR team was pointing out that the company's environmental efforts are continuing and include many areas of progress not covered by the outdated EPEAT standards. It's likely that the "loyal Apple customers" who raised their concerns with Mansfield and Apple management included many large institutional and government accounts, which may have purchasing rules mandating EPEAT-eligible gear when possible.

Both Mansfield and Frisbee emphasize that this experience has strengthened the collaborative efforts of Apple and EPEAT, and that Apple's input will be crucial in evolving the standard to deal with more modern devices.

Hat tip to Ed Bott!

Apple reverses course on EPEAT environmental standard, eligible products once again included originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Generation MacBook Pro: Basically an iPad Notebook?


MBP

As we watched the WWDC keynote in anticipation of what may be announced, many had their bets placed on a refresh to the MacBook lineup –and those people were the lucky winners yesterday! While the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro saw a nice array of upgrades that have them sporting better graphics, faster processors, better cameras and a longer-lasting battery, the star of the show was the ‘next generation MacBook Pro’ that Senior VP of Industrial Design, Jony Ive, called “the most beautiful computer that we have ever made.”

Ive has a brilliant design mind, which has had a few of us more than a little concerned about what he’s been up to lately; scared that Cook wasn’t giving him the power and freedom to really stretch his wings. That fear has been put to rest for the moment after watching the pride with which he demonstrated this new laptop, telling us that “there has never been a notebook that is this gorgeous.”

The new fear (or is this feeling closer to excitement?) is over the future of notebooks in a general sense.

The specs really will blow your mind. He said it has a ‘killer display,’ and it does. Retina quality with a remarkable 2880 x 1800 resolution which translates into 220 ppi or 5,184,000 million pixels of graphical happiness. This is 4x the pixel density of previous MacBook Pro displays. For those that have been critical over the glare you can sometimes experience on a MacBook display, this has been reduced by up to 75% in this new model as well… all while making the unit thin (0.71″) and light (4.46 lbs).

Beyond the slim size, light weight and the amazing screen, the next generation MacBook Pro is built with flash storage (up to 768GB worth). That means crazy speeds beyond what we are used to with hard drives without the need for moving parts. The crowning glory however is the boasted 7 hours of battery life with 30 days of standby.

All of these things combine to raise more questions than they answer in a sense: with the gap bridged between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air, does one eliminate the need for the other? Certainly we can see that the next generation MacBook Pro is currently only available with a 15″ display, but accepting that 13″ and 11″ versions are likely just around the corner, why would anybody choose the MacBook Air after that?

If I am putting all of my chips on the table, I am guessing that one of the next announcements to come from Apple is a merging of the MacBook Air and the iPad. For the iPad, this would mean faster speeds and more storage with a wider array of ports and computing potential. For the MacBook Air this would mean a touch screen with smaller and lighter form factor. Wouldn’t it be interesting if the next Apple-designed ‘case’ for the iPad was actually the MacBook Air (and by this I mean the ability to pop your iPad into a ‘keyboard case’ for notebook use, and disconnect it when that functionality isn’t required)?

» Related posts: (Almost) Turn Your iPad Into a MacBook with Brydge Apple Genius Bar Plans to Swap MacBook Pros with iPads New Japanese Case Transforms Your iPad 2 into a Mini Macbook Pro

Put a whiteboard on your laptop with DrawTop

I love this idea. The DrawTop is a sticker that goes on top of your laptop and basically turns it into a whiteboard surface. The one, ahem, drawback that I can see is you might pretty easily wipe off any designs you happen to have on it just by sliding your laptop into the usual protective case or holder, so the company's suggestion to use it as a makeshift notebook or reminder board probably won't work all that well.

Nevertheless, I can still see some good uses for this, like putting information on the back of your laptop at a conference or convention, or using it as a quick and portable collaborative sketch surface. The DrawTop itself is $10 for one or $14 for two, and it even comes with markers and stick-on accessories. Sure, you'll be covering up that Apple logo, but that's a small price to pay for a more useful laptop surface, no?

[via Make]

Put a whiteboard on your laptop with DrawTop originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PadGadget Labor Day Giveaway: Win a ful Brooklyn 2-in-1 iPad Backpack

Looking for a complete solution to carry your iPad, laptop and iPhone around? Enter our contest for a chance to win a ful Brooklyn 2-in-1 iPad Backpack – a $99 value.

The bag is made of high quality materials, and screams quality all over. The iPad pocket, which constitutes the front of the Brooklyn, offers a scratch free, padded internal sleeve designed to keep your iPad secured. Best of all, the iPad case is detachable and can be carried separately.

Enter via Twitter in two easy steps

Follow us on Twitter. You must follow us on Twitter so that we can send you a Direct Message if you win. If you aren’t following us, we have no way of contacting you directly. Click on the tweet button below and have our contest message automatically added to your Twitter status box. Then simply click to tweet!

One lucky winner will be selected at random to win. You can enter as many times as you like and the contest ends Tuesday, September 6th @ 11:59pm Central Time.

For more details about the backpack, check out our full review here.

Note: This contest is open to US residents only. PadGadget only ships to addresses in the United States as well as APO/FPO boxes. Macbook, iPhone and iPad not included.

Labor Day PadGadget Giveaway: Win a ful Brooklyn 2-in-1 iPad Backpack

Looking for a complete solution to carry your iPad, laptop and iPhone around? Enter our contest for a chance to win a ful Brooklyn 2-in-1 iPad Backpack – a $99 value.

The bag is made of high quality materials, and screams quality all over. The iPad pocket, which constitutes the front of the Brooklyn, offers a scratch free, padded internal sleeve designed to keep your iPad secured. Best of all, the iPad case is detachable and can be carried separately.

Enter via Twitter in two easy steps

Follow us on Twitter. You must follow us on Twitter so that we can send you a Direct Message if you win. If you aren’t following us, we have no way of contacting you directly. Click on the tweet button below and have our contest message automatically added to your Twitter status box. Then simply click to tweet!

One lucky winner will be selected at random to win. You can enter as many times as you like and the contest ends Tuesday, September 6th @ 11:59pm Central Time.

For more details about the backpack, check out our full review here.

Note: This contest is open to US residents only. PadGadget only ships to addresses in the United States as well as APO/FPO boxes. Macbook, iPhone and iPad not included.

Intel Ultrabooks must compete with MacBook Air on price, parts suppliers say

Apple is used to setting the standard in the laptop industry. Before Apple eschewed 4:3 screen for 16:9 ones, widescreen laptops were virtually unheard of. The 17" laptop market only exploded after Apple unveiled their first 17" PowerBook G4. And now that Apple's MacBook Airs have become a huge hit, all the naysayers that bemoaned you couldn't offer laptops with non-removable batteries and no optical drives are doing just that with Ultrabooks -- MacBook Air-inspired PCs.

Intel, who is pushing the Ultrabook platform, feels like sales of the slim notebooks could make up 40% of the laptop market by 2012 and PC manufacturers like ASUS and HP originally said that users could expect Ultrabooks for under $1000 in time for Christmas. However, now PC manufactures, who are used to selling laptops at much cheaper prices than app to rope in as many customers as possible, are finding that the technology and manufacturing necessary to create the MacBook Air-like Ultrabooks are costly, and they will not be able to undercut the MacBook Air's pricing. That could mean defeat for the PC Ultrabook initiative, according to Digitimes.

Intel Ultrabooks must compete with MacBook Air on price, parts suppliers say originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s lithium-polymer battery purchases hindering other manufacturers

Apple supposedly has a lock on the touch panel market and now it seems the Cupertino company is doing the same thing in the Lithium-polymer battery market. According to Digitimes, Apple has bought up most of the available supply of Lithium-polymer batteries used in notebook computers and mobile devices. This is causing other manufacturers like HP and Acer to scramble to find new suppliers.

Apple's stronghold on the market should have a limited effect on the bottom line of other hardware manufacturers as only a few models use this battery technology.The lithium polymer battery is more expensive than traditional Lithium-ion batteries and Apple is the only manufacturer that has adopted it through out its product line.

Apple's lithium-polymer battery purchases hindering other manufacturers originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacBooks get highest score in all Consumer Reports categories

According to The Loop, Consumer Reports has rated Apple's MacBook line as the top computer in every laptop category. The 11-inch MacBook Air took the top score for small laptops, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro dominated its category, taking the top five of seven spots. Apple's 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros took top honors in their categories as well.

If you're keeping score at home, this means that, according to Consumer Reports, not only does Apple have the top-rated notebook computers in every category, Apple also sells the top-rated tablet and the top-rated smartphone. Although Consumer Reports doesn't give the iPhone a "recommended" rating because of its widely publicized signal attenuation issues (an assessment that independent research doesn't always back up), the iPhone still has the magazine's top score among smartphones.

Whether you put much stock in Consumer Reports' rating system or not, it's still quite an accomplishment to see Apple's products getting top marks across the board. Apple's products certainly don't have a 100 percent reliability rating -- I can attest to that -- but the company definitely doesn't make bargain bin junk in any product category.

MacBooks get highest score in all Consumer Reports categories originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wireless Tablet Data Usage Sees Dramatic Increase


According to the Cisco’s new Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2010-2015, tablet data usage is increasing dramatically and has the potential to overwhelm most wireless networks.  Cisco’s report presents projections and growth trends for global mobile data across a variety of mobile devices around the globe.

While it may be expected that smartphone data usage increased significantly in 2010, this is one of the first measures of tablet data use since they hit the market in 2010.

With the increase in data consumption, wireless network providers have struggled to deploy the extra capacity needed to match the new demand for wireless data services.  The report finds that a smartphone consumes as much data as 24 regular-featured cell phones and a tablet can consume as much as 122 regular-featured cell phones.  This huge increase in consumption can be attributed in great part to the large number of applications available that add functionality to these devices and the higher resolution screens that can display more information.

The data usage trend also shows that there is a correlation between the bandwidth available and the application growth to consume it, meaning when wireless capacity increases, so does usage.  Over time, higher definition video and other data intensive services will become more prevalent and replace the current crop of data apps.  The same is also true with the improvement of tablet hardware.  As battery life, screen resolutions and storage capacity increase, applications will respond in kind by providing better and more abundant data services.

The additional data usage is also due in part to user expectation.  Applications using features such as location services transmit large amounts of data and are being celebrated as some of the most useful.  In addition, users are moving away from watching downloaded content to streaming more live content such as TV shows, news broadcasts and video from media-on-demand services.

With more choices, and users having more than one data-capable device, an individual’s reliance on their wireless network is rapidly increasing.  In many cases, in fact, a users only access to the Internet is via mobile means.  One solution to the growing demand on wireless networks may be WiFi offloading or femtocells. Femotocells behave like a regular cellular base-stations and improve reception to devices by boosting indoor coverage. They also have the added benefit of offloading data from a wireless carrier’s already saturated network.

In response to higher data usage, many providers are making the move to tiered pricing, trying to charge more for each additional device a user brings online.  This would serve a dual purpose.  In addition to increasing their revenue stream it would give a more accurate view of the demands on their network.  This is less effective when users are using methods such as tethering in order to extend their service, as this is less apparent to the carrier because requests for data generally appear to be coming from the single device.

More and more users are starting to consider access to the Internet as a necessity and growing increasingly reliant on mobile means to conduct business and stay connect while on the go.  With the higher strain on wireless networks, carriers will have to get creative both in their network design and pricing models.  This struggle between wireless bandwidth supply and user demand will be a delicate balancing act for carriers as they try to attract new customers with better data services while at the same time making a profit. No pressure.

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Could future iPhones charge with the power of the sun?

Mark Spoonauer at LAPTOP got a nice story at CTIA today when he sat down with French company Wysips. The prototype he saw puts a solar panel -- a transparent solar panel, thin enough to work with touchscreens -- directly atop the screen of a phone, and with enough oomph to charge the phone with light.

The photovoltaic film (less than 100 microns deep) is only in the development phase now, but Wysips is looking forward to working with glass manufacturers (like Corning, makers of the Gorilla Glass that covers the iPhone 4) to integrate the charger film directly into screen glass.

The solar layer will generate power in room light or sunlight; this version will fully charge a phone in about 6 hours of light exposure, with future generations becoming more efficient as the technology matures. Like the plug-in hybrid technology in today's cars, it might not be enough juice to get you cross-country -- but if the solar film is cheap enough, it would certainly provide a power boost when you're away from your charger.

Fun stuff. Check out the post on LAPTOP's blog and the accompanying gallery of the Wysips prototype.

Could future iPhones charge with the power of the sun? originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AViiQ Unveils iPad Hybrid Case/Stand and Charging Station


Still looking for interesting iPad accessories? AViiQ just unveiled their line-up of portable solutions, which includes a portable Case Stand for the iPad, a “3 in 1″ Portable USB Charging Station and they also announced a very stylish Portable Laptop Stand.

The Portable Case Stand is made of aluminum and it includes a built-in stand. It allows you to use the iPad in up to 4 positions, and you can also use the iPad in landscape or portrait mode.

The Portable USB Charging Station is a “3 in 1″ USB hub with internal and external pockets that charges up to 3 devices simultaneously. The station comes with four USB 2.0 ports, all powered via a single wall adaptor, and it also has a data port for syncing and backing up when traveling. The station comes with cable compartments that help you keep all those cables organized.

Finally, the Portable Laptop Stand features a very stylish and thin design. Folded, the Laptop Stand is less than 1/4” thick and 12 3/4” long. It only weighs 5.5 ounces, which makes it easy to carry around and fit easily into many laptop bags or sleeves. In case you’re wondering, the Laptop Stand is made from Hylite, which is a strong and lightweight composite of aluminum.

The Case Stand for iPad and the USB Charging Station will be available later this spring for $59.99 and $99.99 respectively. The Original Portable Laptop Stand is available now for $59.99, while the Premium version is available for $79.99.

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NFL Employee’s iPad Stolen in Dallas – Police Say Event Still Secure


The Super Bowl is undoubtedly one of the biggest sporting and media events in the world and it’s all set to happen in 10 days. There are already thousands of people descending on the greater Dallas area to prepare for the Super Bowl and make sure the event goes off without a hitch.  Unfortunately it looks like things for some NFL employees haven’t gotten off to a smooth start.

The Dallas Morning News reported that two NFL employees in town to prepare some of the Super Bowl activities had their iPad and laptops stolen. This latest theft comes only weeks after a laptop was stolen from the car of another NFL employee. The laptop had the artwork used for security credentials needed to get into the Super Bowl and other events. That theft forced the NFL to change the artwork of badges before the big event.

Dallas police investigating the latest theft of the NFL employee’s iPad said they believe it was a crime of opportunity as the device was left unattended at a local Starbucks. The NFL employees were working on the NFL Experience at the Dallas Convention Center which is one of the Super Bowl lead attractions. Dallas police stated that, “After talking with the victims, it was determined that neither the laptops nor the iPad contained any information that would compromise or jeopardize the security of any Super Bowl related events.”

There was no video surveillance available at the location of the crime and police currently have no leads as to who may have made off with the NFL employees’ iPad and laptops. Police do not believe the two events are related.

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Online Apple Store adds one-click "popular configurations" option

Just in time for those holiday orders, there's been a small change in the online Apple Store's build-to-order pages for the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Dave "Eagle-Eye" Caolo spotted the addition of new one-click BTO configurations, which include free express shipping.

The new one-click buttons let you prefill the most popular options for your custom config, including such favorites as "more RAM," "faster hard drive," the matte screen for the 15" MBP and pre-installed versions of iWork or Microsoft Office. Of course, you can still custom-configure from all the available options if you prefer.

You'll see the new options in the US store after clicking Select on the laptop product page of your choice.

Online Apple Store adds one-click "popular configurations" option originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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