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Which MacBook Air Is Best For You? Macworld Video Will Help You Decide
MacBook Air 13in mid-2013 Inquirer Review
Thought The PC Market Couldn't Get Any Worse? - Think Again
Apple Rumored To Be Planning First Tokyo Retail Store Since 2005
Logitech Introduces Ultra-Portable New Ultrathin Touch Mouse for Mobile Computing
OWC Data Doubler Adds Up To 3.0tb Of Hard Drive And/Or SSD-Flash Storage To Apple MacBook And MacBook Pro
Which MacBook Air Is Best For You? Macworld Video Will Help You Decide
Macworld UK's Karen Haslem says now that Apple has launched its 2013 MacBook Air, the decision of which model to go for has become harder than ever, noting that in the past it was a simple sacrifice or power and screen size for portability, but this year's models are so similar in spec that it all boils down to weight, size and battery life, and that there really is no other major differentiator, although the 13-incher does have a SD Card slot that the 11-incher doesn't, and costs a hundred bucks more for the entry level spec.
Battery life is the other big difference between the two MacBook Air models, with nominal 12-hour and 9-hour ratings from Apple respectively.
For the full report visit here:
http://goo.gl/Ac5Zn7
MacBook Air 13in mid-2013 Inquirer Review
The Inquirer's Madeline Bennett has been trying out the Macbook Air Core i5 1.3GHz 13in model with 4GB of RAM to see if Apple's battery promises live up to expectation.
She observes that while the 13in Macbook Air is stick-thin and lightweight, build quality is superb and extremely sturdy, with a sleek, high-end look, and includes a 79-key backlit keyboard that is well proportioned for the 13in model, with 12 function keys and four arrow keys laid out in a user-friendly format. The keys have a short travel distance, meaning only a light touch is needed when typing, and that another key area where the Macbook Air surpasses the majority of its Windows based counterparts is the trackpad.
On the downside, Apple hasn't added a Retina display to the Macbook Air, but MS. Bennett acknowledges that adding Retina would have likely added cost to the Macbook Air and decreased battery life.
She notes that anyone needing a laptop with lots of native connectivity should look elsewhere, since the nearly paper-thin MBA chassis simply doesn't allow for a wide variety of ports.
Ms. Bennett also notes that one downside of rushing out to buy a new Macbook Air right now is that it ships with Mac OS X 10.8.4 Mountain Lion, so when the Mavericks OS update comes out this autumn you'll have to pay to upgrade, and that the upgrade to Intel Haswell architecture Core chips won't give you a noticeable performance boost over previous Macbook Air models, and that using the Macbook Air for a few weeks as her work machine, she found that the performance was similar to that of older models.
As for battery life, with the energy settings set to default and auto adjust for brightness, she managed to get a full eight hours out of the 13in model, including two separate 30-minute periods in sleep running the Macbook Air in dual monitor format in pretty bright conditions, and a range of multiple applications throughout the day, noting that compared with the three hours her 11in 2011 Macbook Air manages, eight hours is bliss.
For the full review visit here:
http://goo.gl/p7N8JD
Thought The PC Market Couldn't Get Any Worse? - Think Again
The Register's Paul Kunert says that PC makers dreaming of a sales rebound this year are picking up the pieces of that shattered aspiration: with beancounters at IDC reckoning the number of computers shipped will be even fewer than first feared, projecting that the market in Western Europe will decline 16.3 per cent to just shy of 47 million units in 2013, compared to the 15.5 per cent decline it previously predicted and equating to 500,000 fewer PCs.
Factors cited include the continued assault on notebook sales by tablets, and modest expectations for the impact of Windows 8.1, due out later this year, not to mention a stock hangover from the first and second quarters as distributors and retailers continue to apply "inventory controls".
For the full report visit here:
http://goo.gl/mJfBX8
Apple Rumored To Be Planning First Tokyo Retail Store Since 2005
Bloomberg's Kathleen Chu & Takashi Amano report that Apple Inc. plans to open a new store in Tokyo's upscale Omotesando shopping district as early as March, 2014, according to a person familiar with the plans who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to speak for Apple. They note that the store would be Apple's first opening in Tokyo since August 2005, according to the companys website, which is advertising jobs for a new store in the city.
For the full report visit here:
http://goo.gl/TzhqKm
Logitech Introduces Ultra-Portable New Ultrathin Touch Mouse for Mobile Computing
Logitech has introduced its first ultra-portable touch mouse. The slim design of the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse perfectly complements today's computers, with sleek lines and a brushed aluminum body.
"Our personal technology needs are evolving rapidly, and people expect better design," says Charlotte Johs, Logitech global vice president of brand development and portfolio for PC accessories. "Whether it's a computer, tablet, smartphone or touch-navigation device, people are looking for thin, modern design that works fluidly. We created the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse to give people an ultraportable mouse that complements today's MacBook and Ultrabook computers."
With its thin, feather-light design, the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse easily slips into any computer sleeve or pocket. Its silky-smooth touch surface is created by an invisible coating that helps you simplify Windows 8 navigation, or take full advantage of the Multi-Touch navigation in OS X.
Using Bluetooth with Logitech Easy-SwitchTechnology, the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse can connect wirelessly to your laptop, desktop and tablet at the same time, and you can easily switch among them with the flip of a switch. The mouse is rechargeable through USB and just one minute of charge time gives you enough power to keep working for another hour (based on typical user experience).
Available in two color options, the Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630 in black and Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T631 for Mac in white are expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in September 2013 and November 2013, respectively, for a suggested retail price of $69.99.
For more information, visit:
http://www.logitech.com
OWC Data Doubler Adds Up To 3.0tb Of Hard Drive And/Or SSD-Flash Storage To Apple MacBook And MacBook Pro
Other World Computing (OWC - http://www.macsales.com) has announced the availability of its new OWC Data Doubler DIY Bundles, available for up to 3.0TB of internal, RAID-able drive capacity for Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro models. The OWC Data Doubler gives MacBook/MacBook Pro owners the flexibility to configure their computer's internal drive array to suit their needs: greater overall storage for up to 3.0 TB total capacity; greater data integrity by creating an internal back-up drive; or greater performance by creating a Striped RAID in Disk Utility.
This straightforward, easy to follow DIY kit lets virtually anybody take their existing MacBook or MacBook Pro and install more and/or faster storage than factory stock. The Data Doubler mounting solution, available for immediate ordering from $37.99, comes complete with the Data Doubler internal drive mount, a detailed step-by-step Mac notebook model-specific installation guide, and a five-piece toolkit. Special Bundles, that also include up to two drives and up to 3.0TB of capacity, are available from $89.00. Easy to follow, OWC 'How To' videos are also available online. The OWC Data Doubler is available for Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro models, which include the following:
• Apple MacBook 13" 2008 to 2010
• Apple MacBook Pro 13" models 2009 and later (excluding 13" w/Retina)
• Apple MacBook Pro 15" models 2008 and later (excluding 15" w/Retina)
• Apple MacBook Pro 17" models 2009 and later
After purchasing a new OWC Data Doubler DIY Kit, the internal "SuperDrive" can be re-purposed as an external optical drive with the OWC SuperSlim USB 2.0 enclosure, available at a discounted price of $19.00 when purchased with Data Doubler. This lightweight, USB 2.0 bus-powered enclosure is the ideal solution for MacBook and MacBook Pro owners installing an OWC Data Doubler DIY Kit. At the same time, while enjoying up to an additional capacity in the re-purposed optical drive bay, users can install the replaced Apple SuperDrive into the OWC SuperSlim enclosure to create a fully bootable, external Plug and Play CD and DVD burning/playing solution.
"Our Data Doubler Kits enable anyone to add new levels of storage capacity, performance and reliability that are simply unavailable from factory models," says Larry OConnor, founder and CEO of Other World Computing. "By adding a second hard drive and replacing your current internal drive you can now have up to 3.0TB (up to 3X Factory Option) of storage capacity for your MacBook or MacBook Pro."
Video at:
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/owc_datadoubler/
Full product and ordering information for OWC memory upgrades up to 16GB, internal SSD/Flash and hard drive upgrades up to 1.5TB, and other accessories for all Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops is available on OWC's website:
http://www.macsales.com
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